When Something Wrong Feels So Right

Suzy’s car was still in his driveway as John pulled out his sports bag and stick. Looking at the time he noticed that he was about half an hour earlier than usual. He put it down to it being a game day and wanting to make sure that the team had plenty of rest before taking the ice against the Flyers.

Unlocking the door quietly he let himself in and placed his belongings close to the entrance, venturing forward into the living area of his new house when he came to an abrupt halt.

Suzy was positioned on a yoga mat, her behind sticking up high in the air as her forearms were braced against the pink mat, her feet on her toes against the wooden floorboards.
John was unable to move. He knew it was wrong to stare at her the way he did, but all control over his limbs had vanished. His mouth was suddenly dry but his palms started to sweat. Remembering how her body had molded against his front earlier in the day, John could feel a tingling sensation venture towards his groin, his eyes appreciating the roundness of her ass and the well-defined calf muscles. Closing his eyes and inhaling deeply he shook his head and willed himself to quietly open the door again and close it a little bit more forceful this time.

Suzy’s head shot up and she looked over her shoulder. Pinpointing a guilty looking John standing in his own hallway, she quickly released from her position and scrambled to get up rather ungracefully. She always did her Pilates at John’s house after taking the dog out for a 2 hours stroll around the dog-friendly parks. Looking quickly at her wristwatch she knew that he was earlier than usual. She would have always wrapped things up with at least 20 minutes to spare before he got home from a morning practice.
She felt a sudden wave of embarrassment as she realized that she was still in her purple sports bra. In her rather sweaty sports bra. Looking up as John chuckled and walked through the living room into his kitchen, the heat in her cheeks rose and she tried to grab her shirt as he returned with bottled water in his hand.

“I never knew you exercised when you are here.”

John simply said as he passed her the water. He could see that she was only sweating a little bit, but her skin was still glistening one tiny bead of sweat rolling down her front, slowly but surely making its way towards the valley of her medium sized breasts. Immediately his head shot up as he realized where his eyes had ventured, meeting her blue gaze.

“I’m sorry, I am usually done before you get back home. I’m just glad you’re not Santorelli who caught me once doing the same and then tried to make the better of the situation.”

She laughed out airily as she pulled her sweatshirt back on before taking a drink from the bottle he had offered her. Her eyes followed him as he was walking towards the glass doors to the garden to let Cody back inside. He was such a handsome man: his olive skin setting such a contrast against his salt and pepper hair. His brown eyes always seemed to look through you. His thin lips could go from a big friendly smile into a tight-lipped frown from one second to the other, changing his entire face.

“Don’t worry, it’s all good. This is much better than seeing you do crazy stuff around the house. I noticed you’re quite toned, these exercises must be working.”

He almost face-palmed himself after that comment, he felt like some high school boy making a remark to a girl he was sweet on. But Susanne just giggled and slipped back into her socks, not making a big deal of it.

“So, what time does the game start? It’ll be ok to just wear jeans and a hoodie, right?”

She was still giving Cody belly rubs as she looked up at him with a smile. The softness of his features made her almost swoon as he came over to kneel down to cuddle the dog himself.

“I have your ticket in my bag, just be there before puck drop and all will be fine. I told Santorelli that you’ll be there and he looked a bit mortified, mumbled something along the lines of him just having shaved this morning? Any explanation for that?”

He looked down at her and could clearly see a blush working its way into her cheeks. Ah yes, he knew there must have been something between the two by the way his player had reacted once he had mentioned her name. But she had never come across as a woman too interested in the hockey world or their players, so he gave her the benefit of the doubt.

“It’s silly really, but when I was working for him he at some stage grew a beard and I simply told him that the facial hair really suited him, that he looked much more masculine with it. Even until months later, I cannot remember a day that he gave himself a clean shave again.”

He looked almost relieved when she had finished giving her account of things, as if he had thought her and Mike had been intimately related.

“I have never been in any sorts of relationships with any of the people I have worked for.”

She said just loud enough for him to hear. John could see the sincerity in her eyes, but also a cloud of confusion as she started to get up from her spot. Following suit, they stood only a couple of feet apart as she readjusted her sweatshirt and offered a small smile, almost as if she was apologizing for her last comment. Picking up her yoga mat and rolling it up for her, she put the strap around it and took put it under her arm with a smile.

“Does this mean I should make a big sign saying something crazy like ‘Grow up Santorelli and grow a beard’ or something similar? I am feeling feisty.”

He started laughing loudly, placing his hand on her shoulder in a friendly manner and hauling her in for a hug. Yes, she was a breath of fresh air for sure. Planning on pressing a swift kiss to her cheek, he was surprised when her head readjusted to do the same. Their lips touched, an electrifying surge running through his entire body. The moment was gone as fast as it had begun as both realized what had just happened.

“I…uh, I’m sorry. I just wanted to kiss you on the cheek but then you moved and-“

She began to stutter, her face now crimson red as she fidgeted around rather uncomfortable with the situation.

“Same here. I’ll see you tonight behind the bench then?”

He passed her the ticket that had been amongst his things near the door and looked at her softly, giving her an out. The kiss, as unplanned and short as it had been, had obviously shaken her up a bit. He was wondering if this now felt like some sort of date to her.

“Yes, I’ll be there, with my sign for Mike. I see you later John.”

Squeezing his upper arm slightly she opened the door and skipped towards her car. He was still standing in the open door when she started the engine, a solemn look on his face. His lips on hers had surprised her to say the least. They felt soft and made her feel alive, she had wanted more but it was so wrong. Not only was she working for him but he was married and had kids, not to mention the obvious age gap: John was her own father’s age.
Why did she smile when he lifted his hand in a last small wave to fare her goodbye and why did she have this flutter in her stomach whenever she saw him. This was wrong, so wrong.