You Never Know

18. Way to damn hot

The first thing I felt after we landed was hot.
"Ugh!"
"What's wrong Nic?" Sidney asks as we load the bus.
"This is exactly why I left the south," I say waving my arms around.
"What you mean?" Geno asks.
"It's way to damn hot!" I say exasperated. The guys laugh at me but quickly shuffle onto the bus, proving my point right.
"I figured you would be happy being back here," Max said, "after all ya'll love the south, southern bloom."
"First off its southern belle, which I'm not. And second not everyone had a cheesy accent and throws y'all around everywhere."

"Your not a southern belle?" Pascal asks in confusion.
"No. Only debutantes are classified as true southern belles. I was never one so I don't qualify."
"Well you're our southern belle," Marc says as he throws his arm around me.
"Of course, I'm the only one that looks good in a dress."
"Oh I doubt that," Marc replies with an evil look in his eyes.
"A bet?" I ask.
"Yes! How about who ever loses in the shoot out tomorrow morning has to model dresses that the winners get to pick out?"

I look at the others and realize that their not to keen on the idea so I speak up, "unless your all too chicken, unmanly and uncool to do it."
I know I over stepped it a little but it gets the guys to all agree. Marc smiles victoriously and is all but jumping up and down.
"Well I will see you all in the morning," he calls over his shoulder as he and Max go to their room. 

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"Alright boys! Shoot out!" Dan call out over the ice. The team had an early practice so I'm sitting on the bench watching everyone. I hate being sidelined but seeing as I can barely walk I guess I have too. 

The guys all line up and Marc gets in goal. Duper goes first and makes it, so does Kris. In fact everyone makes it; they really don't want to wear this dresses. Dan makes them all do it again. Everyone but Jordan and Max make their shots. 

"Come on Gronk!"
"Lets go Talbo!"

Can be heard across the rink from various guys. Jordan's first; he grabs the puck and skates right, then back to center, stalls, shoots and.....misses wide left! You can tell he's pissed but shakes it off and skates back by Coach.
 
Now Max is up. He goes left, back right, center, speeds up and......misses! He's shaking his head as he skates back over by coach. They go again. This time Jordan makes the shot and Max misses. 
He skates over by me and grabs his water.

"So what did you give him?"
"What are you talking about?" I ask.
"Flower, what did you give him?"
"Nothing I swear," I say defensively.
Flower skates over, "tough loss Talbo," he says with a cheeky grin.
"Fuck you Flower. You did that on purpose." Marc just grins and skates away.
"Go get changed. I'm hungry," I say giving him a peck on the cheek, "and you stink."
He scoffs and pulls me into a big hug while running his sweaty face all over mine.
"Eeewwww! Gross! Max stop!" I manage to get out in between giggles. He does and kisses me full force before heading to the locker room.
"See you on the bus Mon Cher."

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A while later the guys and I are all sitting outside Max and Marc's door waiting for the show to begin.

"This is gonna be great!" Jordan says practically jumping in his seat on the floor.
"Your just happy it's not you," I say to him.
"Damn right."
"Hey Flower! Did you really let Jordan win?" I ask his since he's sitting next to me. He smiles and nods slightly.
"You bastard!" I exclaim with a short laugh. 

Just then the door opens and a very hairy leg in a very pointy stiletto is poked out. One of the guys brought some speakers out and start playing some cat walk music. Max struts down the 'run way' in a tight black wrap dress. When he turns he almost falls over onto me and Flower but catches himself. Paul Martin lets out a wolf whistle along with a few others as Max strikes a pose before disappearing into his room. 

"Oh! That was great!" Marc chokes out since he's still laughing.
"I'll never get that mental image out of my head," I say covering my eyes.
"Yeah, your sex life is pretty screwed now," Kris chirps as he helps me up. I just shake my head and go in my room with most of the team following. 

We wait in there for a while before we hear a knock on the door. Pascal goes and opens it because I'm wedged between Kris and Flower with Sidney's head in my lap.

"What's this?" Max asks as he comes in.
"Nic wanted a good time," Flower says with his goofy grin.
"I didn't know you like that," Max chirps at me with a smile.
"Shut up," I say and throw a pillow at him. 

He catches it easily and climbs over Kris to wedge himself behind me so now I'm leaning back onto his chest. I start to giggle and all the guys look at me funny.

"What's running through that head, Mon Cher?" Max asks.
"I just realized I'm the most hated woman on the planet right now," I say still giggling.
"What you mean?" Geno asks from the other bed.
"I'm surrounded by four buff hockey men, one who is Mr. Hockey, one that's running for sexiest hockey player ever, and two that are so dang lovable and equally cute," I finish.
 
Their still confused so I sigh and tell Geno to take a picture with my phone. Sidney objects but I assure him that it will stay on my phone only. Geno takes the picture and then hands it to me so I can show the guys what I meant. 

"See, four hot, eligible bachelors of the NHL and I'm sitting center of it all," I say.
"Lets take another one," Flower says excitedly.
"Why?" I ask.
"I didn't have my sexy turned on," he states so calmly that I burst out laughing.
"I be in this one?" Geno asks giving puppy dog eyes.
"Get next to Sid. Duper can take it."
"Sure leave the old man out," Duper says but he takes the picture anyway. We look at the screen and I see the boys in various 'sexy' poses and faces.

"I'm totally making this my screen shot."

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We win against both Tampa and the panthers and fly back home to Pittsburgh. I'm so happy to be back that I'm bouncing in my seat on the plane.

"Geez, Nic, chill out or we're going to land a lot sooner than planned," Flower chirps. I just stick my tongue out at him but I stop myself from bouncing.
"What has you so hyped up anyway?" Max asks putting his game down.
"Uh we're going home, I get to see my dog, and Cara is coming to visit for the weekend," I tick off on my fingers. 
"The Cara? Like the one that taught you to skate and help you learn how to play hockey. That Cara?" Sidney asked as he puts his game down too.
"One in the same," I say.
"Will we be meeting her?" Kris asked leaning over his seat.
"Well yeah. I planned on bringing her to practice," I reply
. "Is good," Geno says, "maybe we play with her?" He asks.
"I'm sure she would love too," just then the captain comes over the speaker so we all go back to our seats as the plane begins to land. 

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