The Big Man Falls Read online

  Jon snorted. “I’m a coach. That’s about all there is to it. If I wasn’t good I wouldn’t have a job, so I guess I’m doing something right, but it’s not exactly like what you do.”

  “Not so. If there wasn’t much to it, anyone could do it, and I know for a fact that not everyone can keep an NHL team at the elite level you have.”

  “Been checking up on me?” His face suffused with warmth and he hoped she hadn’t noticed.

  Chuckling, she answered, “I figured some information beforehand would serve me well. I wasn’t sure what we’d talk about. Now I feel like I can’t shut up. Feel free to tell me if I annoy you.”

  “No, it’s cool. I’m not a huge talker, so being with someone who can carry on a decent conversation without much input from me actually makes me feel a lot more comfortable.”

  “‘Huge talker,’ that’s a polite way of describing me.”

  Jon looked to see if she was pissed. Hard to tell, though a little smile played at the corners of her lips. “Really, it was a compliment. You blow me away with your ability to speak on just about anything and everything. I wish I could do that.”

  When she stayed silent, he glanced at her again. Her eyebrows were drawn downward and she was frowning.

  Now you’ve made her unhappy. Get out before you completely ruin the girl’s self-esteem.

  “Jon?” Mari tugged on his arm. “We should turn around.” As they did, her hand slipped from his arm and instead gripped his.

  Jon couldn’t remember the last time he’d simply held a woman’s hand. It was kind of nice. She can’t be too mad or she wouldn’t be doing this, right?

  “I wish we could stay out here all afternoon. My office faces this direction and sometimes I get jealous watching all the people having a good time while I’m slaving away with some formula or compound that doesn’t seem be working.”

  “That’s gotta be a bummer. I get jealous watching power plays that actually work. It’s been an Achilles’ heel for me for years.” Jon coughed, thinking how ridiculous it was to compare his work to hers. “Of course, it’s nothing like the important stuff you do.”

  Mari stopped and Jon was forced to as well. She stepped in front of him until he had no choice but to meet her gaze. “Your work is important to you. That’s all that matters. You and your team provide entertainment that’s sorely needed in this crazy, busy world.”

  “Not exactly curing cancer,” he mumbled. Jon had been a part of the hockey world in some capacity since youth, and had always been proud of his accomplishments, but the things Mari had done…

  She briefly touched his cheek before resting her hand on his upper chest. Other parts of his anatomy woke up in a hurry and he shifted. He and Mari were really close. All he’d have to do to kiss her was lean his head down a couple of inches. But did she want that?

  I have no freaking clue.

  His question was answered when she stood on tiptoe and brushed her lips to his. “I think you’re amazing.”

  If a woman with a double stroller hadn’t come up behind Mari at that moment, Jon swore he would’ve gathered her in his arms and showed her what a real kiss was. Instead, he steered Mari off the path momentarily before putting an arm around her shoulders and starting to walk again. No sense pushing his luck with a woman like Mari.

  After several seconds, he gave a sideways glance. “Trying to score free tickets?”

  As intended, Mari laughed, and Jon’s pulse began to decrease from the jackrabbit pace it had taken up with her compliment. “Nice attempt at changing the subject, but I don’t have a PhD for nothing. I’m a quick study.”

  Now he jerked to a halt. “You’re a doctor?”

  “Of science, yes. Not a medical doctor, so if you faint, don’t count on much help from me.”

  “Why aren’t you running away from me screaming? I don’t get it. I’m just some shmuck coach. You’re beautiful, obviously very intelligent, and doing something that actually makes a difference in this world.” His tone was bitter and he knew he sounded like a whiny jerk, but he hadn’t been able to keep the words inside.

  Mari speared him with a surprisingly intense look. Jon had to resist the urge to back away from her scrutiny. I could learn from her. Eesh. “Look, Jon, I realize we hardly know each other, but I can tell you what I see, and the word ‘shmuck’ isn’t even on the radar screen.” She pulled up until their joined hands rested over her heart, between the small, firm globes of her breasts.

  Jon had to fight to concentrate on her words, which quickly became a feat of colossal strength. Mari continued, “I see a man who’s incredibly passionate and dedicated. I see a man who’s really good at what he does, and though he knows he is, he’s still humble. I see a man with a lot going on inside him that he rarely lets other people see. I think you do that on purpose. I don’t know why, but I believe you don’t let people in. Let me see you, Jon.”

  This time he couldn’t stop himself. Breaking their hand hold, he slid his arm around her neck and pulled her closer. He kissed Mari but tempered his desire, starting slowly and tentatively. When a slim arm went around his waist, fully bringing their bodies together, he let out a low groan and ran his tongue over the seam of her lips. Mari opened for him and he dove in, exploring her depths. Then with a jerk, he ended the kiss and stepped back.

  “I can’t believe I did that. Too many people here. I’m sorry, I just—”

  “Shh.” She put two fingers over his mouth. “Did you see me stopping you?”

  “No, but—” he tried to get out around her fingers, yet she kept them pressed against his lips, and he now had the uncanny need to suck those digits into his mouth. With Herculean power he didn’t know he had, he moved back another half step. “I should let you get back to work.”

  Mari took out her phone and glanced at it, making a face. “Yeah, I suppose I should. Now, before you run off, promise you’ll have dinner with me. I’m asking you, so it’ll be my treat.”

  Jon smiled, probably blinding people on the International Space Station with how freaking widely he was beaming, but he didn’t give a shit. A woman, offering to buy me dinner. How about that? This was going better than he would’ve imagined in a million years. “Deal, as long as you pick the restaurant. I’m not much for fancy food, so don’t feel like you need to impress me.”

  Nodding and smiling back, she said, “You’ve got a deal. When?”

  “Um, tomorrow night?” Yeah, let’s not rush this and frighten the woman away. Playing it cool is definitely the way to go.

  “Tomorrow night it is. I have your number. I’ll text you with where we’re going and when to meet me.”

  “I can come pick you up.”

  She waved him off. “It’s no problem. Then I’ll have my car and you won’t have to drive me all the way back here.”

  Jon laughed. “I, um, live in one of those townhouses.” He pointed behind her and she spun.

  “Really?” Mari looked at him then at the townhouses again. “I guess it wouldn’t be a hardship to pick me up then, as long as I stayed at work.”

  “Not at all. No need to drive two cars to wherever we’re going.”

  Mari turned back to him. “It’s a date. Have a good rest of your afternoon.”

  “I’m sure I will.” He’d barely gotten the words out before Mari was pressing herself against him again. Was the woman trying to give him a coronary?

  The kiss was over without him making too much of an ass of himself—he hoped—and Mari left. Again, Jon watched her walk away, having no idea what to make of the last hour. It was as if someone had drugged her into thinking he was a catch. He couldn’t account for why Mari had warmed to him so quickly. When they’d kissed—

  No, don’t think about that. You’ll impale someone with that woody. Jon collapsed on a bench and closed his eyes, trying to bring his breathing and his emotions under control. He couldn’t freaking wait for tomorrow night.

  THREE

  She took him to a small, casual spot that sp
ecialized in seafood, and they stuffed themselves with clams casino and monstrous shrimp cocktail. Then Jon had a fish fry while Mari opted for broiled salmon. Conversation flowed easily between the two of them, and it pleased Jon to see how Mari responded to him.

  The prices weren’t high, which Jon had been concerned about since Mari had insisted on picking up the tab, though he needn’t have worried. When he’d picked her up, she’d stopped at her BMW for a jacket, so she couldn’t be doing too badly. He had no idea how much money someone in her profession might make. His salary was excellent. It amazed him how much money professional athletes and entertainers made while the people with jobs like Mari’s seemed to get screwed.

  He didn’t spend much of his, really. He drove a no-nonsense SUV with four-wheel drive for those long rides home from the airport in bad conditions at one in the morning. He had the means to buy something more expensive or flashy, but that wasn’t his style. Wearing a suit behind the bench during games was about as fancy as he ever got. His townhome was certainly nice, but it wasn’t like he’d filled it with expensive furniture and antiques. He was a big man and liked large, comfortable stuff around him.

  After dinner, Jon took her back to the parking lot of her building. His SUV, an older model that was still serving him well, had one solid seat as opposed to those newer bucket seat arrangements. Mari slid over and he scooted out from beneath the steering wheel a little. Their lips met in a ferocious kiss. She moaned and Jon groaned, and they moved closer until finally Jon got impatient and pulled her onto his lap. Mari let out a squeak but went willingly enough.

  Then for long moments, the two of them made out like teenagers, Jon not daring to move his hands from where they bracketed her waist. Her arms went around his neck and played with what little hair he had. Until then, he’d never realized his head could be an erogenous zone, but every time Mari touched him his arousal surged once more.

  Finally, she pulled away, panting, then glanced outside before turning back to him. “Damn, I hope there aren’t surveillance cameras in this lot.”

  “I didn’t even think about that.” He rubbed the bridge of his nose, not meeting her gaze and embarrassed he’d taken things so far. “I apologize for letting things get out of hand.”

  Mari grabbed his face and made him look at her. “Again, Jon, did you see me fighting you off?”

  He forced a chuckle. “No.”

  “I wanted to kiss you as much as you probably wanted to kiss me. Stop playing the horny martyr. But I’d better go before we get carried away again. Dinner was a lot of fun. I’ll talk to you soon.” After pressing another hard kiss to his lips, she scooted over to her side once more, grabbed her purse, and then opened the door. Too late he realized he should’ve done the gallant thing rather than sitting there like a douche while she climbed out of his SUV and unlocked the door of her own car.

  As he drove the short distance home, Jon thought about where he wanted to take Mari next. Even in the dark of the vehicle he blushed as he remembered how hot things had just gotten and how much further he would’ve gladly gone if Mari hadn’t put a stop to it. With an idiotic grin spreading across his face, Jon admitted he really, really liked Mari. Sure, things were going faster than they normally would when he was dating someone, as opposed to sleeping with someone for mutual release—not that either happened often anyway—but it seemed like Mari got him. That was more than he could say for a lot of women, who either appeared to be scared of him or bored by his life.

  ~ * ~

  Jon was sitting in his office the next day, just starting to make out a schedule for training camp in about six weeks’ time, when a knock sounded at his door.

  “Come in.” Jon was expecting Karen or perhaps a PR guy, but instead, one of his players, Rob D’Amico, appeared.

  “Hey, Coach. Have you got a minute?”

  “Sure.” He motioned toward the chair pushed against the wall in his small office. “What’s up?” It was pretty unusual to see the guys for more than a casual greeting as one of them passed in the hallway of the offices or worked out downstairs in the weight room.

  “You know my girlfriend, Alaina? The one who works at that inner-city school?”

  “Uh, yeah.” He didn’t really, as even women who were with the guys for a while didn’t generally hang out with the coaching staff, but he didn’t mention that.

  “She teaches kindergarten, and I’m putting together a little skating adventure for the students she had last year. I’ve got the rink lined up and invitations have gone out to the parents.” Rob frowned. “That part wasn’t easy, since many of them don’t have the smartphones and computers we take for granted. We had to print and mail them, and even that’s not a guarantee.”

  Jon nodded, more confused than ever by where Rob was going with this. Normally the man came right out and said what he wanted. “I don’t doubt it.”

  “So we were wondering, even though I’m gonna be there, and a couple of the other guys—Sebastian, Rick, not sure who else. Anyway, we wanted someone who could talk to these little ones about stuff like loyalty, trying hard, working toward your dreams. Any of us could probably give the speech, but I think it’ll mean more coming from someone in a position of authority. Someone they equate with being a teacher.”

  “And you’re saying that person is me?” Jon’s eyebrows shot up and he sat back in his chair. Wow, that hadn’t been what he’d expected to hear from Rob. “I suppose I should be flattered?”

  Rob grinned. “Who better to do this than you? A head coach who was a player. One that overcame adversity and all that.”

  “Yeah, yeah. You can stop kissing my ass.” Jon folded his arms over his chest, trying to hide the discomfort he felt at being made the center of attention. “When is it?”

  “Saturday afternoon at two p.m. at Holiday Rinks.”

  “I can do that,” Jon said after a short deliberation. It wasn’t like he had more exciting plans, more like he was afraid these kids would wet their pants. He wasn’t the cuddliest guy around. “I just have one concern.”

  Leaning forward, Rob asked, “What’s that?”

  “As you know, I don’t come off as the warmest, friendliest guy. Are you sure I won’t scare them?” It was a serious question and Rob seemed to understand that since he didn’t take the obvious opportunity to rib his coach. He’d never met a group of guys like those who played for him currently. Rob and the backup goaltender Jordan, along with the team’s enforcer Rick as a sometimes-accomplice, were the big jokesters on the team, but when game time hit, they had it together.

  “Well, I’d advise you not to yell at them to get their huge bubble butts in gear or threaten them with a bag skate. Last time you made most of us puke from the exertion, and we’re professional athletes.” Jon rolled his eyes. Yeah, I figured I’d make these kids never want to do anything like this again. A sound plan. Even I know enough not to do that. “Just skate around with them a bit, and at some point we’ll gather them all and you can talk for a couple of minutes about that stuff you preach to us all the time. Respect. Commitment. Working hard.”

  “Good to know my speeches don’t fall on totally deaf ears.” He’d actually wondered about that a few times. It always seemed like the team listened, but he could never be sure. Jon sure as hell wasn’t going to go up to one of them and ask how effective his public speaking skills were.

  “Nope. I listen to all of them.”

  “You just don’t always implement my suggestions. I know.” Rob was obviously fighting a smile and Jon let him off the hook. “Text me the details.”

  Rob, who knew him well, must’ve realized that was his cue to leave, as he rose and went to the door. “Thanks. The kids will really appreciate this.”

  “Go lift some weights. You’re gettin’ skinny.” Rob served as a checker more than a scorer, so he needed bulk to take the puck away from the opponent. He also made sure the team’s scorers like Sebastian didn’t get taken advantage of too often.

  “Little chanc
e of that,” Rob answered with a snort but left the office, closing the door behind him.

  Then it hit Jon. He’d just agreed to give a pep talk to a bunch of five year olds. How exactly did a person give a speech like that without yelling or swearing? Hell if Jon knew. He wasn’t sure he’d ever known.

  I’d better figure it out.

  FOUR

  Mari called him on Thursday. They’d been texting back and forth, and even though Jon felt a little ridiculous using texting as their main form of communication, Mari’s hours could be unpredictable and she said it was the best way to get a hold of her. He wanted to see her, but after hearing how busy she was he didn’t want to get in her way.

  “Hey, it’s nice to hear your voice,” she said when he picked up.

  “You, too.” For some reason, every time Jon spoke with Mari he felt instantly happier. It sounded insane considering how long they’d known each other, but he didn’t care.

  “I was wondering what you were doing Saturday afternoon. I heard about this ‘eternal flame’ thing in Chestnut Ridge Park, but you have to hike to it. It’s supposed to be pretty cool. Some sort of natural gas thing that makes a flame.”

  Jon had never heard of it, but truth be told, he didn’t get around the Buffalo area as much as he’d like to, despite having lived here for a number of years. “I’d love to, but I told Rob D’Amico, one of my players, that I’d help out with a special event he’s having for a class of kids.”

  “Now you’ve got me curious. Help out how?”

  “Rob’s girlfriend teaches at an inner-city school and apparently they’re all going to get on skates on Saturday. He wants me to go to talk to them like a coach.”

  “Like a coach? What does that mean? I’m learning more about hockey every day, but I have to admit that instruction makes no sense to me.”

  He laughed. “Hell if I know, especially when it concerns little people. But that’s what I am, a coach, so I guess I’ll do the same thing as I do during the season with the guys. Although when I’m talking like a coach to my team, swear words are often involved, but I doubt Rob and Alaina would appreciate that.”