Physical Therapy

(Roxy’s POV)

I walked down the tunnel and set my skates aside so no one would ask me about them. The less people watching me try and skate the better. Practice was still going strong when I made it to the bench; everyone was lining up for drills and goofing off. They are such little kids stuck in huge bodies. Geno looked good skating back and forth on the ice and I would bet a lot of money he is going to play on Monday. With one last huddle and talk from coach practice was over and everyone was skating towards me looking tired.

“Hey guys, good practice?”

“Yeah, just tired” Max said “Good news is we have tomorrow off”

“That’s nice” I said “What isn’t nice is how much you guys smell. Ew go take a shower!”

“You know you love it!” someone shouted out from the back

“You wish” I said as they got off the ice and headed to the locker room. Geno stayed on the bench to catch his breath and re energize before our workout session.

“Hey” I said as I sat down next to him “I’m sort about this morning”

“No, I sorry. Should not get mad” he said looking down at his hands in his lap.

I put my fingers under his chin and turned his face to mine. “No you had a right to get mad, I get that I am going to be wearing other guys’ jerseys but just remember that you are the one I am going home with” I said with a smirk and took one of his hands.

“Yes you are!” he said and stood up “Bring skates?”

“Yeah but remember we are going to skate after your workout” I said

“Fine, let’s go” he said and skated out with ease on to the ice. He worked out for a good hour before I stopped him. He came on to the bench as I was trying to tie my skates on.

“Let me” he said with a laugh and bent down in front of me to tighten them up.

“Do they have to be tight?” I asked after he was done.

“Yes, so don’t fall off” he said and stood me up.

“Hang on I need to find my balance” I said and stood there for a minute “Okay, let’s go”

He skated out first and turned around to take my hand “Ok take step and hold on” he said and I did. It was slippery and I couldn’t really get my footing. “Hang on” he said and started skating backwards, it felt amazing.

“I can’t believe this!” I said and laughed in happiness.

“What?” he asked

“This is amazing” I told him as we neared center ice.

“Try moving feet” he said. When I tried to push off I slipped and started to fall, I squeezed my eyes shut and waited to connect with the ice but instead I felt arms wrap around me and warmth under me. I opened up my eyes to Geno under me with his arms wrapped around me.

“Thank you for saving me” I said in a whisper and gave him a smile

“Always” he said and smiled “Roxy,”

“Yes?” I asked after he didn’t continue and just stared at me.

“I…I love you” he said with the most vulnerable look in his eyes.

I wanted to cry with happiness “I love you too Evgeni” I said and smiled.

“Really?!” he asked with the biggest smile on his face

“Yes, I love you” I said with tears in my eyes

“No crying” he said and I buried my head into his neck

“I’m just so happy” I told him and kissed his neck which earned me a groan.

“Don’t” he said and sat up.

“What?” I asked

“No control” he said and blushed

“Oh you don’t want to have sex on the ice?” I asked sarcastically but he didn’t pick up my tone.

His eyes almost bugged out of his head, “I don’t want to get caught”

“Calm down, I was just joking. I think I have had enough skating for today” I told him and waited for him to stand up so he could pull me up. He pulled me to the bench and untied my skates for me.

I slipped on my shoes “I will grab my stuff and meet you in the locker room”

“Da” he said and we went our own ways. I got to my office and checked my email seeing my parents answered me back saying they would love to come down for the game. I shut my computer down and grabbed my stuff heading to the locker room.

I peaked my head in making sure it was empty before going inside, not wanting to walk in on someone naked. I made my way over to Geno’s stall and pulled out my phone to pass the time. I was in the middle of a game of Angry Birds when I saw movement from the corner of my eye, I looked up to see Geno with just a towel wrapped around his waist and still wet from his shower coming towards me.

“Is this what it felt like?” I asked him

“What?”

“When I answered the door in just a towel, did you want to rip it off of me?” I said still staring at his body.

“Yes” he said and grabbed his boxers “Going to watch?” he asked with a smirk

“And what if I was?” I asked

“Fine” he said and dropped the towel. I think I stopped breathing and my mouth watered.

“Are you trying to kill me?” I asked him

“Maybe” he said as he slipped on his basketball shorts

“You are doing a good job” I said as he put his t-shirt back on and I stood up. “I missed you last night” I said and wrapped my arms around his waist

“I miss you too” he said and gave me a kiss. I deepened the kiss and moved to wrap my arms around his neck; he wrapped his arms around my waist and sat down in his stall. With him sitting down I had a couple of inches on him; we were getting pretty hot and heavy when someone turned the handle of the locker room door.

I jumped off of him and pretended to be checking out his knee so fast I got a head rush. I looked over at the door to see Jordan walk in all sweaty and let out a breath.

“Hey guys” he said then really looked at us breathing hard and swollen lips. “Really?!? In here?”

I blushed but Geno pulled me up and set me in his lap and kissed my neck.

“Good thing it was me and not coach” he said

“I know, scared the shit out of me” I said and leaned back into his chest. He wrapped his arms around me and kissed my cheek and I smiled.

“Well aren’t you two cute” he said and pretended to gag.

“Don’t be jealous” I said

“I will try” he said and grabbed his stuff for a shower.

“Well I want to be out of here before he gets back out here” I said and grabbed my stuff to leave.

He grabbed his bag and my hand before walking out “Let’s go”

We were walking down the hall when Geno’s phone started to ring; he dropped my hand to answer it. “Hello?” he said then got a huge smile on his face. He then launched into a conversation in Russian and that just reminded me of how much I still didn’t know about him. We got out to the parking lot and I motioned that I would call him later and walked to my car to go home.

I got home and poured myself a big glass of wine, put my phone on silent, and started a bath, I needed to relax.

I stayed in the bath until the water went cold and I finished my wine. I got out and felt much better and checked my phone to see I had two messages. One was from Geno saying he missed me and one was from Vero asking if I would come to their Halloween party in a week.

I texted her back ‘Sure, but I don’t know what to wear’

‘We will go shopping, how is tomorrow?’

‘Sounds good. Can Sarah come?’ I asked

‘Of course! More the merrier’ she said and I made my way to my room to get dressed.

‘Ok see you tomorrow. What time?’

‘Around noon?’ she asked

‘Sounds great, text me tomorrow and I will pick you up’

‘Sounds good’

I opened Sarah’s door to find her on her bed reading a book “Hey tomorrow we are going shopping with Vero for Halloween costumes” I said

“For what?”

“A party, duh” I said “Be ready to go by 11:30”

“Ok, are you staying in tonight?”

“I’m not sure yet. I might go over to Geno’s”

“Ok, just tell me what you are going to do” she said

“Ok” I said and closed her door. I made my way back to my room and called Geno.

“Hello?” he answered sounding sleepy

“Hey, did I wake you up?”

“Yeah, I get up now” he said through a yawn.

“No, go back to sleep. I was just calling to see if you wanted to hang out tonight”

“Yes, come over”

“Yeah, just leave your garage unlocked and go back to sleep. I will be over in about an hour” I said

“Ok, see you later” he said

“Yeah see you in a little bit”

“Love you” he said and my heart sped up and I got butterflies in my stomach.

“Love you too” I said and hung up with a smile on my face.