Status: Very slow updates, I will try to get them out as quickly as possible.

Sweet Disposition

Chapter 6

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The crowd roared in approval as the final buzzer went off signifying the Flyers had won the game. There hadn’t been too much action for Claire or Jim save for a few fight wounds to clean up, but overall nothing too serious. The boys were all smiles as they congratulated each other on the ice. The shoot out victory against the Blues had her on edge, hoping for the black and orange to pull through.

Claire stood, grinning in the box, relishing in the cheer of the spectators. There was nothing like a home game win, the sound of the fans always bringing an enormous smile to the team’s faces, giving them a much-needed boost of morale. It had been a hard fought game and their 2-1 win had been well deserved.

They high-fived their fans enthusiastically as they made their way off the ice, all shooting grins at the coaching and training staff, namely at their favourite young brunette as they exited the arena.

The locker room was alive with the celebratory sounds of the boys, clearly excited and hyped up from their hard fought victory. Lavy congratulated them on their win, giving them a day off from practice, no morning skate, giving them a much deserved rest.

Not long after, the press was released into the locker room, immediately singling out the desired players to interview. It always amazed Claire how quickly and precisely they did this, their microphones, cameras, and recorders out the second they rushed in the door, moving like a swarm of locusts to a field, almost like a singular body to interrogate the players on the game. Asking them the same probing questions about how they felt it went, what they could do better, etc.

As the guys were hit with the usual barrage of questions, Claire and Jim retreated to the trainer’s room to get out of the way and just get everything in order for the next game, which was five nights away. After a half an hour, they packed up their bags to take home and emerged to find the reporters finally gone and the guys all getting ready to head out. Jim bid her goodbye, telling her to have a nice day off, which she returned with a smile, telling him to say hi to his family for her.

Claude, Mike, Jeff, and a couple of the others moseyed on over to her as Jim walked away. She eyed them suspiciously, knowing something was up as they approached her. She grinned regardless, “Great game tonight boys.” Her complement was answered with a small chorus of “thank you’s,” the small group shooting each other looks that didn’t go unnoticed by the pretty brunette who arched an eyebrow, warning them she wasn’t in the mood for beating around the bush.

“So Claire,” started Mike with a borderline mischievous grin. “So Mike,” she retorted, a sarcastic smile on her lips. “A bunch of us are going out tonight if you’d care to join,” he finished with a grin, a flash of hopefulness present in his gaze, mirroring that of the others that surrounded her. “Oh, I don’t know,” she sighed, allowing an expression of mock exhaustion to seep onto her features, he shoulders slumping slightly, “It’s been a long day and I’m feeling pretty wiped. I may just go home and go to bed.”

The look of disappointment on the guys’ faces was priceless. They looked so crestfallen at her declination that she couldn’t suppress her amusement as laughter came bubbling from her throat, earning confused frowns from the men who all towered over her. “Mon dieu! I was just kidding! I’d love you go out with you guys.” Their expressions brightened instantaneously as excited grins reappearing on their faces as they converged on her swarming her in a group hug. The group of tough hockey players turned into little boys for whom Christmas had just come early.

“Let me just go home to drop off my stuff and make myself presentable. Then I can meet you guys there, how’s that sound?” she chuckled. “I’m heading over with Hartsy, Carts, and Richie. We can swing by and pick you up on the way over, if you want?” Claude offered, shooting her a hopeful look. She nodded, “Alright. Give me like an hour and a half to get home and sorted?” They agreed and went their separate ways, Claire to her car and the boys to theirs.

This would be the first time that they had gotten her to agree to go out with them during the time that she had been hired by the organization and the boys were excited to see her let loose. She was also looking forward to going out and having some fun. She had been so absorbed in getting herself established in the Flyers organization that she hadn’t really gone out to have a good time in a long while. She had a feeling that the boys would make it all the more fun and she was glad that she finally agreed to join them on an outing.

After a quick shower and some deliberation, she finally settled on one of her favourite little black dresses with a simple pair of black patent leather heels. She put her hair up, allowing a couple of curls to hang free and applied a little make-up before exiting her room and throwing her wallet and other necessities into her clutch.

Her phone buzzed rather obnoxiously on the breakfast bar as she was double-checking to see if she had everything. She walked over, placing down the small bag as she picked up the mobile device.
Mike: We’re here! Get your fine ass out here!
She chuckled at the captain’s text, not bothering to respond as she gave herself a once over before throwing on a light coat, locking the door behind her, and heading down to the front of the building.

It wasn’t too hard to spot them in the expensive-looking SUV. Mike was behind the wheel, Jeff in the passenger’s seat, and Scott and Claude were sitting in the back. Jeff, who had the best view of her appearance wolf whistled, “Damn girl, you clean up nice!” She rolled her eyes at him despite the amused smile that had spread itself on her lips. The windows of the car were all rolled down at this point so the other three could get a better look at her.

Claude felt his mouth go dry and his palms get sweaty. She looked the perfect combination of stunning and sexy. The dress fit snugly to her body, hugging all of the right places, tastefully displaying her cleavage without showing too much. It fell to her mid thigh, revealing a pair of gorgeous, fit legs that were showcased beautifully by her modest yet sexy black heels. He loved the way the stray curls framed her striking features. He wished now more than ever that he could make her his own, that he wouldn’t have to share her when they got to the club.

The other three men’s words were nothing but indecipherable mumbles to his ears as she approached the car. He was snapped from his thoughts as she entered the car, taking the seat beside his. “Hey Claude.” His heart fluttered at the gorgeous smile she flashed him in greeting. For a moment he was afraid that words would escape him as he opened his mouth to respond, “Hey.” He swallowed nervously, hoping she didn’t notice, “You, eh… Tu es très belle Claire.” (You look beautiful Claire.) Despite the dim light within the car, he could barely make out the blush that crept onto her fair cheeks in the flashes of streetlights that streamed in through the windows as they drove.

*********


Claire and some of the guys had made their way from the VIP section of the club to the dance floor. She had a few drinks in her system and was having a good time, happy that she had taken them up on their offer. She and Mike were dancing very close to each other and Claude, who hadn’t been able to take his eyes off of her all night, felt jealousy stir within him. He wasn’t used to getting so hung up over a girl, usually finding a puck bunny for an easy conquest and a welcome distraction.

Claire, on the other hand, was a challenge. She was his coworker and his friend. Off limits in more ways than one but, oh, how he wanted her. He wanted to say fuck it and fight for her affections, to actually try and start something with her. This attraction to her was branching far from infatuation and it scared him.

Scott Hartnell had noticed the young centre’s fixation on their assistant trainer and was greatly amused by his inability to act. “G, you need to chill man, they’re just dancing,” he chided playfully. Claude looked over to the older forward with a puzzled frown, “What?” Scott rolled his eyes, “Oh, come on. You haven’t looked away from her all night and if looks could kill, Richie would be no more and we’d be out a captain.”

“I’m not jealous, if that’s what you mean Hartsy,” he defended, urging his gaze not to flicker over to when the pretty brunette and captain were dancing away. “Bullshit G,” he scoffed, “If it’s bothering you that much, go dance with her. You’re not going to get anywhere if you just sit here and mope around.”

Claude finally allowed himself to look over to where they were, feeling his jaw clench as the sight of Mike’s hands on her hips as they swayed to the beat pounding through the club. He sat there a little while longer, stubbornly resisting the urge to get up and sweep her away from Richards just to disprove his friend’s claims. But as he sat there he was finding it harder and harder to control himself. After a good five minutes of a mental and physical struggle against himself, he rose from his seat and made his way over to the dancing pair, leaving behind the smirking curly-haired ginger.

Mike saw him coming, a smirk present on his face before leaning down to Claire’s ear and murmuring loudly to her over the music. Claude felt the jealousy bubbling inside of him when he saw her giggle at whatever Mike had said. “Can I steal her for a while Richie?” Claude all but shouted over the loud music blaring through the club. “Sure,” Mike replied, giving Claire’s hips a small squeeze before making his way towards an attractive girl that had caught his eye.

It didn’t take long for Claude to fill his place and soon he and Claire were dancing very closely, almost leaving no space between them. His hands placed firmly on her waist, pulling her body to his as they grinded shamelessly amidst the other sweaty bodies of the other occupants of the dance floor. Her delicate hands resting on his larger ones and her head leaning against his chest, neither having a care in the world as they danced together, feeling music pulsing through their bodies and take control, mindlessly following along with the intoxicating beat.

Mike, with the girl he spotted earlier on his arm, was sitting with Scott and Jeff at their table in the VIP section watching the young pair with amusement. “He’s so smitten it’s disgusting,” Jeff complained, shaking his head at the oblivious couple, earning grunts of agreement from the other two, “They need to just fuck and get it over with, the sexual tension between them is just plain unhealthy.” Scott and Mike couldn’t hold back their laughter at Jeff’s bluntness.

“The kid just needs to grow a pair and ask her out,” Scotty chimed in, “We all know he’s been wanting to since day one.” The other two nodded in agreement, their eyes never really leaving their young teammate and trainer. They looked so lost in their movements, both clearly wanting each other desperately and neither of them acting on it, oblivious to the other’s feelings.

“I sent him over to dance with her so he’d quit moping around like a sad puppy,” added Scott, “I couldn’t really take it anymore. Sorry Richie, didn’t mean to break it up, it looked like you two were having fun.” There was no tone of apology evident in his voice. Mike grinned, the girl beside him not really paying attention to the conversation, rather, trying to seduce him by whispering in his ear and through her far-from-subtle actions, “No worries Hartsy, I had my eyes on this one anyway. Besides, she looks like she’s having more fun with him anyway.” The group fell silent for a moment, just observing the two friends on the dance floor.

“She looks hot as all hell though,” mused Jeff, “I’m a little jealous that he has her all to himself.” The three laughed at that, clinking glasses and taking swigs of their beers. “You got that right Carts,” Mike said with a chuckle, “But it’s ‘bout time he did something.”