Caught Between Love
Chapter 1
"Mariot captures the ball from a cross from Cabots. She dekes past three defenders….it’s just her and the goalie, one on one! GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOALLLLLLLLL!!!! Tess Mariot scores the game winner! The Pittsburgh Panthers are the champions!!!!"
The adrenaline kicked in, my arms wrapped around my teammates as the crowd roared in celebration. We won. For the first year in 5 years, the Pittsburgh Panters are the champions.
"We did it, girl!" Max grabs my face, our foreheads touching. "We did! We fucking did it!"
All of us worked so hard to get to this point. We worked all summer, trained all year in hopes that we could turn last year's horrible season into a distant memory. I gave up a lot, even missed a few matches with the national team so I could make training sessions with my team. I needed to win a championship here, I had too.
The handshake line was full of congratulations. The opponents, Boston College, put up a good match. They pushed our defense hard and triggered in a few goals but there was no way I was going to let them win this. This was MY title. Our title.
I was grabbed for a post-match interview, the sweat dripping down my face onto my heaving chest. The crowd was standing still, voices quiet as I answered a few questions. With each one, the crowd jeered in excitement.
"This is for everyone here today - thanks for believing in us!" They erupted in thunderous claps as I made my way off the field. As I was entering the dark tunnel, I noticed a dark figure leaning against the wall.
"Amazing game, Tess. Even better, that goal was sick!" He walked next to me, his hand interlocking in mine. Once inside a lighted hallway, his eyes shined in adoration.
"Thanks, Nealer. Now it's your turn!" I say cheekily, reminding James that he was a few games away from advancing to the Stanley Cup finals.
"Seriously, I'm impressed. I always knew you were a great player but I've never seen you more determined. It was...hot." He grabbed both my hands before leaning in for a kiss. His lips were soft but his need was hungry.
"You owe me, James." I pull back from him, his eyes confused. "You were too tired for a celebration last night after your game so tonight..."
He cuts me off with another kiss. He was trying to distract me from the events of last night. Scoring a second-career hat trick but he's 'too tired' to fool around afterwards, even though it's been days since we last had sex due to the crazy playoff schedule.
"I owe you. Got it." He flashes me a smile, his beard looking so gingerly today. He grabs my hand again, escorting me to the locker room door.
"No chance I can sneak in with you?" I roll my eyes.
"Not a chance." I'm just about to walk in the room when I hear a familiar voice call my name. I look down the hall and see Sid running towards us.
"I was wondering if you came!" I yelled, flashing him a excited smile.
"No way I was missing this game! You played fantastically." He wrapped his arms around me, twirling me in circles.
"Thanks. I was telling James here that it's the Pens time now. Bring home that cup, eh?" Sid looked at James with a smirk.
"Lets not get ahead of ourselves, Tess. Still plenty of hockey left to play." He shoves his hands awkwardly into his pockets as he rocks back and forth.
This was how it always was with us three. Awkward.
"Well, you better fucking win. The Bruins already eliminated my poor Leafs, no way their eliminating my Pens!" I nudge Sid in the arm and wink at James, both of them forcing a laugh.
"Tess, babe, you need to shower. We have reservations, we must celebrate!" James was motioning his hands towards the door, while trying to peek through the small crack I left open.
"Fine." i look at Sid, whose head was hiding beneath his hat. "Sid, care to join us?" He shakes out of his zombie-like trance.
"Nah. I'll let you two celebrate. We can catch a beer later, I'm sure." He glanced over at James, smiling as James nodded in approval.
"Okay, if you say so. Seriously, you better take me out for a beer later, Sid or we'll have issues." I lean in and hug Sid, my sweaty body soaking the front of his shirt slightly. He kisses me on the cheek before saying goodbye and leaving.
James stood there, his finger rapidly touching the face of his watch as if to count down the minutes I have to shower.
"Reservations, babe." He reminded me.
I promptly ran into the locker room where press were inhabiting. I avoided the interviewers and quickly slipped in and out of the shower, dressing in a pair of red shorts and a yellow tank top. Typically you're suppose to dress back into your pre-game clothes but since I had a hot date, I opted out.
I kissed our trophy goodbye, swallowed a few gulps of beer and headed out to meet James.
"That was the quickest shower, Tess!" He began laughing.
"Well, I learned from the best." I said winking at him with a devilish grin. He grabbed my hand as we were walking to his car which was parked in the private parking lot by the stadium. Only family of the players can park there but somehow, James found a way to beat the system.
"So where we going?" I rummage through my bag for my sunglasses, popping a piece of gum into my mouth.
"Meat and Potatoes. Never been there before so I figured we'd go there." He placed his hand on my knee, his eyes focused on the traffic in front of him.
"Fancy James being so fancy today." I let out a giggle as I look at his profile. That dark auburn hair matched with that hilarious yet adorable ginger beard.
"Well, it's a special occasion. Not everyday you get to celebrate a championship, babe." The car stops at a red light. James takes the opportunity to lean over, placing a soft kiss on my cheek.
The restaurant was incredible. The ambiance was soft and romantic and the food was spectacular! I can't believe I lived in Pittsburgh for 3 years and never ate here. I wonder if Sid knows about this place. I pull out my phone while James is figuring out the check and snap a photo of my empty plate.
T: Food is amazingly good here!
Moments later I get a text back.
S: Meat and Potatoes? Damn, I've always wanted to go there.
T: See, you should have came with us. Remember you owe me a beer Crosby :)
James interrupts me. "You ready? I have something else planned for us." He's a mysterious man sometimes. He can be hard to read but it's those moments that he surprises me the most.
I nod, standing up and pushing my chair in. As we were entering the car my phone buzzed again.
S: It's not my place, Tess. You and James have fun. I'll talk to you later about those beers.
It's not my place? What does that even mean? I text back a quick response.
T: Not your place? Explain.
5 minutes lapse before Sid returns my text.
S: I'm not your boyfriend. Going to a restaurant like that with you would only be something I would do if you were my girlfriend and since that ship has sailed....just enjoy your time with Nealer. You deserve it.
I'd be lying if I said I wasn't offended. That was a jab at me and a very clear one at that.
T: Fine.
That's all I could muster up. If I typed anymore, I'd say things I'd probably regret and at this time right now, Sid doesn't need any drama. Neither does James.
"Everything okay? You look pissed?" James pulls the car over at this lake, miles from his house and the golf course he lives on.
"I'm fine." He doesn't believe me. "Who were you texting?" His tone was monotonous.
"Just Sid. I asked him if he ever ate at Meat and Potatoes before. It was so delicious!" I grin at James who forces a smile.
"Well, I'm glad you enjoyed it. Maybe you'll enjoy this next part too."
James walked over to my side of the car, opening it and lending out his hand. "Are we going swimming?" I asked amused.
"Not quite." He leads me down to a small bench overlooking the lake. The sun was beginning to set and the temperature was cooling down. James was looking anxious the whole time, quickly glancing at me, smiling. I sit down on the bench, stretching my legs out in front of me.
James was standing.
"Come on, sit down. I won't bite." James just stares at me. His eyes penetrate mine and I shift my body slightly. That stare drives me crazy, good crazy. The kind of crazy that makes me want him right now.
"Tess." He mumbles.
"James." I say back to him, our eyes never parting.
"How would you love to live here?" His question was challenging. I live here, in Pittsburgh.
"Well, I love living here. It's been a great 3 years."
He sits next to me, our legs touching and his body crunched in my direction. He was still staring at me, his eyes more focused and seductive.
"I meant, how would you love to live here.....with me." I freeze. My face is emotionless as I replay those words. He's asking me to move in with him. Holy crap.
"Um. Well....I think...we've only...." I can't form a whole sentence.
"It's only been 2 1/2 months, I know but Tess, I really like you. A lot. On the road I can't stop thinking about you and even when we're both in the same city, we're so far away from each other."
I had no idea he felt this strongly about me. When we are together, we're always together. I love being with him, he makes me laugh and I feel so comfortable with him. Not to mention, I miss him like mad when he's away.
"There's nothing I would want more, besides a Stanley Cup of course, then to wake up next to you every morning." He's so genuine. I've known James for almost a year and it took him forever to ask me out on a date. Given his past, I know this is something he rarely ever does.
"This is a huge step, James. It's a form of commitment." I was feeling overwhelmed.
"If you say no, I understand." His head falls slightly and our eyes disengage. "But I want you to know that I'm very serious about us. I've never been this serious about anything other than hockey."
He grabs both my hands, kissing the tops of them gently. I've never admitted it but I've felt the same way. There's something about James that intrigues me. There's still so much I don't know but I figure that I'll never know these things if I never take a chance.
"Okay." I whisper, the words barely leaving my lips. "Okay. Lets do it." I flash him a smile. He grabs my face planting a kiss on my lips.
"You're awesome." He says, standing up. He looks like a huge dork with that smile. I've always had a soft spot for dorks.
"After the season is over, okay? Just give me a couple weeks to figure out a way out of my place." He shook his head quickly and I was beginning to get excited. James couldn't stop smiling and neither could I.
"Well, Tess. Shall I show you around your new home?" He wiggles his eyebrows at me. "I believe I owe you something from last night." He takes my hand as we both start racing towards his car.
Ah, yes. He owes me something alright. It'll be the first time we've done this since we started dating and now, I'm more than willing to let loose with him. At his place. My place.
Our place.
The adrenaline kicked in, my arms wrapped around my teammates as the crowd roared in celebration. We won. For the first year in 5 years, the Pittsburgh Panters are the champions.
"We did it, girl!" Max grabs my face, our foreheads touching. "We did! We fucking did it!"
All of us worked so hard to get to this point. We worked all summer, trained all year in hopes that we could turn last year's horrible season into a distant memory. I gave up a lot, even missed a few matches with the national team so I could make training sessions with my team. I needed to win a championship here, I had too.
The handshake line was full of congratulations. The opponents, Boston College, put up a good match. They pushed our defense hard and triggered in a few goals but there was no way I was going to let them win this. This was MY title. Our title.
I was grabbed for a post-match interview, the sweat dripping down my face onto my heaving chest. The crowd was standing still, voices quiet as I answered a few questions. With each one, the crowd jeered in excitement.
"This is for everyone here today - thanks for believing in us!" They erupted in thunderous claps as I made my way off the field. As I was entering the dark tunnel, I noticed a dark figure leaning against the wall.
"Amazing game, Tess. Even better, that goal was sick!" He walked next to me, his hand interlocking in mine. Once inside a lighted hallway, his eyes shined in adoration.
"Thanks, Nealer. Now it's your turn!" I say cheekily, reminding James that he was a few games away from advancing to the Stanley Cup finals.
"Seriously, I'm impressed. I always knew you were a great player but I've never seen you more determined. It was...hot." He grabbed both my hands before leaning in for a kiss. His lips were soft but his need was hungry.
"You owe me, James." I pull back from him, his eyes confused. "You were too tired for a celebration last night after your game so tonight..."
He cuts me off with another kiss. He was trying to distract me from the events of last night. Scoring a second-career hat trick but he's 'too tired' to fool around afterwards, even though it's been days since we last had sex due to the crazy playoff schedule.
"I owe you. Got it." He flashes me a smile, his beard looking so gingerly today. He grabs my hand again, escorting me to the locker room door.
"No chance I can sneak in with you?" I roll my eyes.
"Not a chance." I'm just about to walk in the room when I hear a familiar voice call my name. I look down the hall and see Sid running towards us.
"I was wondering if you came!" I yelled, flashing him a excited smile.
"No way I was missing this game! You played fantastically." He wrapped his arms around me, twirling me in circles.
"Thanks. I was telling James here that it's the Pens time now. Bring home that cup, eh?" Sid looked at James with a smirk.
"Lets not get ahead of ourselves, Tess. Still plenty of hockey left to play." He shoves his hands awkwardly into his pockets as he rocks back and forth.
This was how it always was with us three. Awkward.
"Well, you better fucking win. The Bruins already eliminated my poor Leafs, no way their eliminating my Pens!" I nudge Sid in the arm and wink at James, both of them forcing a laugh.
"Tess, babe, you need to shower. We have reservations, we must celebrate!" James was motioning his hands towards the door, while trying to peek through the small crack I left open.
"Fine." i look at Sid, whose head was hiding beneath his hat. "Sid, care to join us?" He shakes out of his zombie-like trance.
"Nah. I'll let you two celebrate. We can catch a beer later, I'm sure." He glanced over at James, smiling as James nodded in approval.
"Okay, if you say so. Seriously, you better take me out for a beer later, Sid or we'll have issues." I lean in and hug Sid, my sweaty body soaking the front of his shirt slightly. He kisses me on the cheek before saying goodbye and leaving.
James stood there, his finger rapidly touching the face of his watch as if to count down the minutes I have to shower.
"Reservations, babe." He reminded me.
I promptly ran into the locker room where press were inhabiting. I avoided the interviewers and quickly slipped in and out of the shower, dressing in a pair of red shorts and a yellow tank top. Typically you're suppose to dress back into your pre-game clothes but since I had a hot date, I opted out.
I kissed our trophy goodbye, swallowed a few gulps of beer and headed out to meet James.
"That was the quickest shower, Tess!" He began laughing.
"Well, I learned from the best." I said winking at him with a devilish grin. He grabbed my hand as we were walking to his car which was parked in the private parking lot by the stadium. Only family of the players can park there but somehow, James found a way to beat the system.
"So where we going?" I rummage through my bag for my sunglasses, popping a piece of gum into my mouth.
"Meat and Potatoes. Never been there before so I figured we'd go there." He placed his hand on my knee, his eyes focused on the traffic in front of him.
"Fancy James being so fancy today." I let out a giggle as I look at his profile. That dark auburn hair matched with that hilarious yet adorable ginger beard.
"Well, it's a special occasion. Not everyday you get to celebrate a championship, babe." The car stops at a red light. James takes the opportunity to lean over, placing a soft kiss on my cheek.
The restaurant was incredible. The ambiance was soft and romantic and the food was spectacular! I can't believe I lived in Pittsburgh for 3 years and never ate here. I wonder if Sid knows about this place. I pull out my phone while James is figuring out the check and snap a photo of my empty plate.
T: Food is amazingly good here!
Moments later I get a text back.
S: Meat and Potatoes? Damn, I've always wanted to go there.
T: See, you should have came with us. Remember you owe me a beer Crosby :)
James interrupts me. "You ready? I have something else planned for us." He's a mysterious man sometimes. He can be hard to read but it's those moments that he surprises me the most.
I nod, standing up and pushing my chair in. As we were entering the car my phone buzzed again.
S: It's not my place, Tess. You and James have fun. I'll talk to you later about those beers.
It's not my place? What does that even mean? I text back a quick response.
T: Not your place? Explain.
5 minutes lapse before Sid returns my text.
S: I'm not your boyfriend. Going to a restaurant like that with you would only be something I would do if you were my girlfriend and since that ship has sailed....just enjoy your time with Nealer. You deserve it.
I'd be lying if I said I wasn't offended. That was a jab at me and a very clear one at that.
T: Fine.
That's all I could muster up. If I typed anymore, I'd say things I'd probably regret and at this time right now, Sid doesn't need any drama. Neither does James.
"Everything okay? You look pissed?" James pulls the car over at this lake, miles from his house and the golf course he lives on.
"I'm fine." He doesn't believe me. "Who were you texting?" His tone was monotonous.
"Just Sid. I asked him if he ever ate at Meat and Potatoes before. It was so delicious!" I grin at James who forces a smile.
"Well, I'm glad you enjoyed it. Maybe you'll enjoy this next part too."
James walked over to my side of the car, opening it and lending out his hand. "Are we going swimming?" I asked amused.
"Not quite." He leads me down to a small bench overlooking the lake. The sun was beginning to set and the temperature was cooling down. James was looking anxious the whole time, quickly glancing at me, smiling. I sit down on the bench, stretching my legs out in front of me.
James was standing.
"Come on, sit down. I won't bite." James just stares at me. His eyes penetrate mine and I shift my body slightly. That stare drives me crazy, good crazy. The kind of crazy that makes me want him right now.
"Tess." He mumbles.
"James." I say back to him, our eyes never parting.
"How would you love to live here?" His question was challenging. I live here, in Pittsburgh.
"Well, I love living here. It's been a great 3 years."
He sits next to me, our legs touching and his body crunched in my direction. He was still staring at me, his eyes more focused and seductive.
"I meant, how would you love to live here.....with me." I freeze. My face is emotionless as I replay those words. He's asking me to move in with him. Holy crap.
"Um. Well....I think...we've only...." I can't form a whole sentence.
"It's only been 2 1/2 months, I know but Tess, I really like you. A lot. On the road I can't stop thinking about you and even when we're both in the same city, we're so far away from each other."
I had no idea he felt this strongly about me. When we are together, we're always together. I love being with him, he makes me laugh and I feel so comfortable with him. Not to mention, I miss him like mad when he's away.
"There's nothing I would want more, besides a Stanley Cup of course, then to wake up next to you every morning." He's so genuine. I've known James for almost a year and it took him forever to ask me out on a date. Given his past, I know this is something he rarely ever does.
"This is a huge step, James. It's a form of commitment." I was feeling overwhelmed.
"If you say no, I understand." His head falls slightly and our eyes disengage. "But I want you to know that I'm very serious about us. I've never been this serious about anything other than hockey."
He grabs both my hands, kissing the tops of them gently. I've never admitted it but I've felt the same way. There's something about James that intrigues me. There's still so much I don't know but I figure that I'll never know these things if I never take a chance.
"Okay." I whisper, the words barely leaving my lips. "Okay. Lets do it." I flash him a smile. He grabs my face planting a kiss on my lips.
"You're awesome." He says, standing up. He looks like a huge dork with that smile. I've always had a soft spot for dorks.
"After the season is over, okay? Just give me a couple weeks to figure out a way out of my place." He shook his head quickly and I was beginning to get excited. James couldn't stop smiling and neither could I.
"Well, Tess. Shall I show you around your new home?" He wiggles his eyebrows at me. "I believe I owe you something from last night." He takes my hand as we both start racing towards his car.
Ah, yes. He owes me something alright. It'll be the first time we've done this since we started dating and now, I'm more than willing to let loose with him. At his place. My place.
Our place.
Aghh I need an update! This is great!
2/3/21