Tread This Fantasy

Thursday was spent obsessing over Sidney Crosby. It was sinful for the world to create such a perfect man. It was cruel for the world to put him in her life for just two hours at a time before it pulled him hundreds of miles away.

Fridays at work were the worst. It was like every client called to address questions or issues they had before the weekend came around. She was looking forward to sitting in front of her television with Sophie and watching the Penguins game. Sophie had been talking nonstop about Brandon Sutter since the two of them had agreed to try a third date on for size. Mel had invited her over to watch the Carolina game that night, hoping they could swoon over their men while drinking some of her favorite red wine.

A soft knock on her door brought Mel out of her work. She looked up to see Mike. He looked unhappy.

“What’s up?” she asked.

Mike slid into the chair in front of her desk. “Compliance wants to talk to you.”

“Hey, I did everything right on that 1035 transfer. Even their stupid internal forms.”

He shook his head. “Not about that.” He held up his phone. There was a picture of her and Sid on the bench from Tuesday, his arm around her and smiles on both their faces. Mel snatched the phone from Mike’s hand and scrolled down the page. There was another picture of her--a profile shot--while she’d been in Mario’s box at the game on Wednesday night.

She was floored. She had no idea anyone had even seen her. Beyond that, the local media in Pittsburgh never hounded the players, leaving them as much privacy as possible for professional athletes. Gossip columns just weren’t very prevalent in the city.

“Mel, I told them it was nothing, but they say they’re concerned about you dating one of the firm’s clients.” Mike took his phone back.

“I... I just don’t... Who took those pictures?”

He shrugged. “Who knows. Some fan, a blogger, I don’t know. It was on a local blog about the athletes in the city. Apparently Patricia loves that shit.”

“Patricia in Compliance.”

“Yeah.”

The reality of her work situation set in at the moment. Mel felt sick to her stomach. “Am I in trouble?”

Mike shrugged again. “Not in my book. I told Compliance that everything has been above board and that you spoke to me before you went out with him. Plus, nothing in the handbook says you can’t date whomever you want.”

Mel felt like crying. She loved her job and prided herself on her glowing reviews and spotless record. Feeling defeated and sick, she put her head down on her desk.

“Hey, kid, don’t stress.” Mike stood up and patted her back lightly. “Just go talk to Paul and Patricia. They don’t have a leg to stand on with this.”

She sat in her office, staring at the wall for fifteen minutes. Mike had left the door open and she could hear the constant murmur of the office--people talking, keyboards clicking, phones ringing. How could she have been so naive to think that they wouldn’t find out about her and Sid?

Mel almost jumped out of her chair when her phone rang. The caller ID said it was reception. Barb’s annoyed voice--Barb was always slightly annoyed--came across the headset and told her she had a delivery.

The Lewindowski’s had promised to drop off a copy of their legal documents the next time they were Downtown. Mel shuffled off to the reception desk, her heart heavy and her stomach in her feet. What was she going to say to Paul and Patricia? Were they going to be upset with her? Was she going to be written up?

Barb saw her come around the corner and pointed at a flower arrangement on the corner of her desk before she picked up her phone.

Fuck. Sidney Crosby. Mel felt multiple emotions at once--flattered and elated and giddy that he’d sent her flowers, but also nervous and embarrassed and anxious that Compliance might use it as more ammunition against her. She scooped up the vase and hurried back to her office.

It was a beautiful arrangement--a tall champagne-colored vase filled with at least a dozen delicate, dark pink tulips. She shut her door, sat the flowers down, and pulled the card out. Her thoughts of work were pushed to the back of her mind. Instead, she just wanted to know what Sidney had written.

Hope I don’t get you in trouble but these are from me personally, not me as a client. Can’t wait to see you next Saturday. Call me because I need a lingerie update. SC

She smiled and pressed the notecard to her chest. The moment of elation took hold and then ebbed when worry over her job crept back into her mind. She wanted to call him and thank him, but the impending meeting with Paul and Patricia was weighing on her mind.

Fuck it, she thought, sitting down in her chair and pulling his number up on her cell. It was mid-afternoon. Hopefully they would have finished with their morning skate.

“Hey you,” he said, answering on the second ring.

“Thank you,” she replied.

He chuckled softly. “You’re welcome. I take it you got the flowers?”

“I did. They’re perfect.”

“Didn’t get you in trouble, did I?”

She bit her lip and swallowed. It was probably best not to say anything to him. “Nope. But I hear you were looking for an update, so for those with inquiring minds I just have to ask: do you want me to lie and tell you something sexy because today it’s pretty boring.”

“Hit me with the truth. Granny panties?” She could tell he was grinning.

“Almost. Black cotton bikinis.”

He was silent for a long moment before blowing out a deep breath. “That’s not boring. Just to warn you, I’m going to try my level best to get a peek on Saturday.” His voice was deep and husky and oozed sex. If she hadn’t have already been sitting, then she would have been after his comment.

She felt all her blood rush between her thighs and felt a little light-headed. “Bring it on,” she replied.

“Oh, I will.”

“I get the feeling I’m in trouble,” Mel said. “If you apply yourself like you do at hockey, then I don’t stand a chance.”

He chuckled again. “Are you going to watch the game tonight?”

“Mmm, hmm. Sophie is coming over and we’re going to drink wine and oogle some hockey players. I’ve got the hots for this one in particular.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Yeah, blonde hair, tall. Jordan, I think his name is.”

Sid outright laughed. “Don’t make me jealous. I’m just glad you’re watching the game instead of tempting other men while I’m out of town.” The flippant statement didn’t sound so flippant.

She closed her eyes. “You don’t even have to worry about that. I can only focus on one guy at a time.”

“Am I that guy?”

“You’re definitely that guy.”

“Good.” He sounded relieved, like his fishing for information had yielded the results he wanted. She didn’t mind that he was fishing, though. And she wasn’t about to play games with him in that regard; if he wanted to know if she was dating other people, then she had no problem telling him that he was the only one she was interested in. “So, I should tell Sutter that he needs to step up his game so he can impress your friend?”

“She’ll be impressed regardless; she’s never really watched a hockey game before.”

“Tonight’s the initiation?”

“Yep, and I’m hoping that she’ll love it so it’s not just me and Lisa drooling over you boys.”

He laughed--the cute, high-pitched laugh that was completely genuine and endearing.

“I’ll let you go. Good luck tonight.”

“Hey,” he said before she could hang up. “Can I call you after the game?”

“Sure.”

“Okay, talk to you later.”

They hung up and she stared at the flowers for five minutes, dreaming about Sidney Crosby and what it would be like to be his girlfriend.

And then her phone rang again and the caller ID displayed Paul’s name. Fuck, she thought.

*************************************

“I’m sorry I’m such a miserable sad sack tonight, Sophie.”

Sophie wrapped her arm around Mel’s shoulders as they sat on the sofa in front of the TV. “It’s okay. I can’t believe they reprimanded you for something that isn’t even against the rules.”

“I guess it’s all wrapped up in ethics and bullshit. This has been one of the worst days.”

The game was on the television, but seeing Sid made her feel like shit. The flower arrangement sitting on her dining room table made her feel like shit. Actually, everything made her feel like shit.

“What are you going to do?” Sophie asked.

“I don’t know. They told me I can’t see him other than professionally if he’s a client.”

“What if he’s the one?”

Mel bent over and put her head between her knees. “Realistically, Sophie? Realistically, I’m probably just another girl that caught his interest.”

“It’s been weeks. It looks like you’ve kept his interest.”

“Only because I haven’t put out. I should just put out and get my golden memory of Sidney Crosby. He’ll stop calling and I won’t get in anymore trouble at work because there won’t be any kind of relationship at all.”

She couldn’t see Sophie’s face, but she knew her friend well enough to know her lips were pursed in disapproval. “Melanie, stop selling this short. Are you going to let two assholes at your work dictate who you can and can’t be in love with?”

Mel stared at the hardwood floor between her bare feet. Love. Is that what it was? What it could be? Was she throwing something away? She certainly didn’t want to throw her career away. But choosing it over love? That sounded bad; that sounded like she’d be setting herself up for spinsterhood. A future of being alone and miserable and bitter with three cats and no Sid. But what if she took the leap and fell flat on her face? Then she’d end up being the stupid girl that gave up the perfect job for a boy who just wanted a piece of ass.

“I’m not giving up my career for a boy,” she said, trying to put some conviction in her voice.

“You shouldn’t have to. You can have both.”

“Not according to Thing One and Thing Two in Compliance.” Mel sat up and watched Sidney Crosby protect the puck against Ruutu behind the net. “God, I hate them.”

“Does Mike know what they said?”

“No.”

“Why didn’t you say something to him?” Sophie asked.

Mel sighed. “He’d already left for the day and I wasn’t about to call him and complain about being told I can’t date Crosby.”

“What if he left? Went to another firm for financial advice?”

“No. I’m not going to ask him to do that. It’d hurt Mike’s book of business and it wouldn’t be fair.”

The two girls sat in silence for a few minutes, watching the game. Mel grabbed her wineglass from the coffee table and knocked the rest of it back, wincing at the dry taste.

“Why did they stop playing?” Sophie asked.

“Icing. It’s when someone knocks the puck across two of the red lines without anyone else touching it.”

“What happens?”

Mel felt empty. “The players of the team that had the infraction have to stay on the ice, but the other team can get fresh players on.”

“Oh. This has more rules than I thought.” Sophie sipped her glass of wine.

“Do you like it?”

Sophie looked from the TV back to Mel. “I think so. It looks so violent, though. I hope no one gets hurt.”

Mel’s heart was aching and it was getting worse by the second. “Yeah.”

Her friend turned to her and put a hand gently on her shoulder. “Listen, Melanie. Don’t write him off just because you’re afraid. You need to talk to him.”

“There’s nothing to talk about. If I choose him then I’ll end up with nothing.”

“Don’t lie to me,” Sophie replied. “You have feelings for him.”

Mel blinked her eyes and tilted her head back, trying to hold in the tears. “I’ll get over it,” she said, hoping her voice sounded stronger than she felt.

***********************************

Sophie had fallen asleep on the sofa about an hour after the game ended. The Penguins lost by a point. Jordan Staal had scored the winning goal at the beginning of the third period. Mel was lying in bed, thinking about Sidney. She was going to miss him.

Her phone vibrated next to her and her stomach dropped into the mattress. It was him. No one else would call her at eleven-thirty at night. For a moment, she considered not answering it, but the need to hear his voice was too strong.

“Hi,” she said softly.

“Hi,” Sid replied. She could hear him shift around.

“Are you in bed?” she asked.

“Mmm, hmm.”

“Me too.”

He chuckled. “Oh yeah? I wish I was there instead of here.”

“Yeah, me too.” This wasn’t going the way she had intended. She was just going to play it cool, hang up, and call him in the morning while he was flying to Washington and tell him that she couldn’t see him anymore. Like a fucking coward, she thought. “I’m sorry you lost.”

“It happens. I think Washington will give us a run for our money, but we’ve been working on special teams and if we can goad them into a few penalties, then we’ll blast them out of the water on the power play.”

She smiled sadly. “I bet you will.”

“I miss you.”

His sudden confession punched her in the gut. “Me too. I mean, I miss you too.” Mel winced. She hadn’t meant to say that. She needed to distance herself.

“I bet your bed is much more comfortable than the one in this hotel.”

“Oh, I don’t know. I bet you stay at some fancy hotels with nice beds.”

“But I’m always alone, and I’d rather be with you.”

He was making this hard for her. Her heart was pounding in her chest. Thumpthump, thumpthump. The dual beats were so close together they felt like one. His voice was soft and dreamy and she knew where this conversation could go. She’d done it before with a boyfriend in college when he’d been away for spring break at his parents’ house. Fuck it, she thought. Maybe it wouldn’t hurt to take something to remember him by.

“White thong with a white tank top,” she murmured into the mouthpiece. And she hadn’t lied. Laundry hadn’t exactly been at the top of her to-do list so she had resorted to the underwear at the bottom of her drawer.

His breath gushed out of his mouth. “Really now?”

“Please tell me you took your hockey socks off before you got in bed.”

“Mmm, I did. Just boxers for me.”

Mel threw caution to the wind. She wanted just this one thing before she let him go. “Regular boxers or boxer-briefs.”

He laughed lightly. “Black boxer-briefs.”

“That’s sexy,” she said.

“Said the girl who is currently in a thong.”

“I’m just imagining how tight they fit you.”

He laughed again. “My underwear or yours?”

Mel snuggled down into the bed further. “Yours. I’m sad you’re not here tonight,” she said in a husky voice. Her free hand cupped her right breast.

He was silent for a long moment before he said, “Are you teasing me or are we really doing this?”

His question hung in the air. Finally, she said softly, “I’m not teasing you.”

“But you’re driving me crazy. Can I confess something?”

Her hand moved down her stomach to cup her mound. The material of the thong was already damp. He was driving her crazy, not the other way around. “Confess away,” she replied.

“When I left your apartment Wednesday night, I... I, uh...”

“What?”

“I got in my car and...”

Mel was intrigued and she lightly grazed her fingers over her thighs. “What? You what?” Her voiced sounded like sex, but she couldn’t help it.

“I jerked off,” he said. “Thinking of you.”

“Oh God,” she moaned, moving her hand back to her mound. The material was wet now.

“Do you think of me?” he asked. She could her his erratic breathing and knew he was probably touching himself. The thought made her brain short-circuit.

“Yesssss,” she said, dragging out the end of the word as she slipped a finger underneath the crotch of her panties.

“What are you doing right now, Melanie?”

God, the way he said her name made her want to come right then and there. “What are *you* doing right now, Sidney?”

“Imagining you taking off that thong and tank top.”

His voice was almost a command, and she was more than willing to obey. Mel sat up and jerked the shirt over her head, then picked the phone back up.

“Talk to me,” he said.

She crushed the phone to her ear with her shoulder and lifted her hips off the bed. “I’m sliding my panties down my legs. My shirt is already gone.” As she said it, she hooked her thumbs in the waistband of the underwear and pulled them down, tossing them in the floor.

Sid groaned. “You’re killing me.”

“Are you touching yourself, Mr. Crosby?”

“Oh yeah. Are you touching yourself?”

“Maybe.”

“I bet your nipples are hard. It’s probably cold in that bed all by yourself.”

“Very hard. I’m pinching them.” And she was, rolling them between her thumb and forefinger. She felt shameless and wild and in heat.

“I am so going to put my mouth all over your body, starting with your tits.”

“What else are you going to do?” she asked, breathless, her hand sliding down her stomach to her wet pussy.

His voice was deep and he sounded like he was on the verge. “Move your hands down your body for me.”

“Already ahead of you,” she said.

“Good. Are you wet?”

“So wet.”

He growled deep in his throat. The animalistic sound thrummed through her like someone actually stroking her clit. “I want to spread your thighs and lick you. I bet you taste so good. I could hold your hips down and fuck you with my mouth until you come for me.”

Mel spread her pussy lips and stroked herself with her middle finger. Every three strokes, she dipped the finger inside and gathered more of her juices. Sid’s breathing was rough and he was still talking.

“Would you let me do that? Slide my tongue into...”

“Yes,” she moaned, cutting him off. “Yes, yes, yes.”

“Will you come for me tonight? I want to hear you.”

“Yes,” she said again. “I’d come right this second if it was your finger inside me.”

“Are you fucking yourself with your hand?” he asked, his voice heated.

“Yes.”

“Oh, Mel,” he groaned. “I need to catch a flight to Pittsburgh, not Washington.”

Guilt raised its ugly head for a moment because she remembered that she needed to cut things off. Just for tonight, her brain answered. Just pretend for tonight. “I need you,” she moaned, circling her clit as she shoved her other hand between her legs and slipped two fingers into her pussy.

“I’m so fucking hard for you right now. I’ve never been this hard before.”

“I want to run my tongue up and down your cock,” she whispered, closing her eyes and feeling her orgasm building in her core.

“Yes. Fuck yes.”

He sounded so sexy, all breathless and out of sorts. And it was because of her. “Tell me what you’re doing.”

“Fucking my fist and wishing it was you. I’d give anything to have you on top of me now, riding my cock.”

“Oh God,” Mel groaned. She was so close and the visual he gave her made her pussy clamp down on the two fingers she was pumping herself with. The thought of him buried to the hilt deep inside her was too much.

“Sid, I’m... I’m going to...”

“Come for me. Come on,” he urged. “Let it go. I swear to God if you don’t, I’m getting on a plane tonight and fucking you until you can’t walk.”

Mel felt the wave crash over her at his words. The pleasure started in her core and pulsed out into her entire body, tensing all her muscles. She could hear her strangled cry. “Sid,” she managed to call out as it receded slowly, leaving her limp.

He growled and then grunted forcefully before saying, “Fuck. Yes.”

They laid there in separate beds, silence stretching out for almost a minute. The only sound was their heavy breathing as they both came down.

Mel felt satisfied and dreamy. “Sidney Crosby, phone sex operator.”

“I’ve got a few other talents I want to show you.”

She giggled. “I bet you do.”

“Mel,” he said. His voice had a more serious tone to it.

Her heart was in her throat. “Sid,” she replied softly.

He was silent for a moment, the tension thick between them. Finally, he cleared his throat and said, “You should go to sleep. I’ll talk to you tomorrow after we get to Washington.”

She wanted to cry. No, she wouldn’t talk to him tomorrow. She was going to call him when his plane was in the air. “Okay, goodnight Sid.”

“Goodnight. Sweet dreams.” The line went dead and she sat the phone down on her nightstand.

Mel’s heart felt like it was breaking. She pulled the sheet and comforter over her naked body and curled up on her side. A tear slid over the bridge of her nose and fell on the pillow. It was for the best, really, she told herself. Might as well cut it off before the inevitable happened.

Notes