{PROLOGUE..... FEBRUARY 2011}
{Layken POV}

We had just finished another great night, the boys had won again. She was sitting on one of the benches in the locker room pulling off her 'Ice Girl' uniform.

"Lay you coming out with us tonight?" her friend Katie and fellow Ice girl asked.

"Uhhhh I don't think so Kate," Layken answered shaking her head.

"Oh come on Lay you never come out with us," another friend and Ice girl Jenny said.

"Yeah Lay come out," another girl Shelly said.

After that there was a chorus of 'yeah come ons' and 'pleases' and 'you so have toos' around the locker room.

"Oooooh ho ho your so coming out with us now Lay," Katie laughed.

"Fine.... Fine.... I'll go with you," she grumbled jokingly rolling her eyes.

Getting up from the bench she grabbed her towel and clothes and walked back to the showers. Quickly getting cleaned up, than dried off. She threw on a pair of blue skinny jeans, a short sleeved black turtle neck, and a pair of black heeled ankle boots. She threw her long light brown hair into a high ponytail. Than put in her earrings and put on her silver necklace, she was never without. She put on a light layer of makeup with pink gloss.

Throwing her towel in the dirty laundry bin, she walked back out into the main part of the locker room. Where the rest of the girls where waiting for her. She grabbed her leather coat, purse, and duffle bag with her uniform.

"Wow looking hot Lay. You have a secret hot date or something?" one of the other girls asked.

"No......... No hot date," she replied chuckling, with a small smile.

'If only you all knew the truth' she thought with a smirk.

They all walked out of the locker room and the arena, laughing and heading for their cars. Agreeing to meet downtown close to the club they were going to go. She could feel someone watching her as she walked to her car. But she kept her attention on her friends and threw her bag in the trunk of her car.

"You are going to come tonight aren't you Lay? Your not going to bale on us like usual, right?" Katie asked, as she shut her own trunk and looked over at Layken.

"Of course I'm coming I said I would didn't I?" she asked laughing.

"Yeah but you usually find some way to back out. Gosh he's staring over here hard," Katie replied, than changed the subject.

"Who?" Layken asked, confused raising an eyebrow. And slightly turning her head to look who her friend was talking about, but she had a feeling already who Katie was talking about.

"Don't look," Katie hissed, grabbing her forearm. "But James Neal and gosh is he staring hard."

Layken was glad she had thrown her leather jacket on or she would have had friends nail imprints in her forearm for certain. Even though they were in Dallas it was the middle of February and it got a little nippy at night. Not too badly but enough to at least have a light coat.

"Jeez Kate what's the prob? So what if he's looking? It's not like it's illegal for him to look. It's not like I'm underage or anything," she asked laughing.

"Yeah but there are rules. But you already know that," Kate replied, giving her a pointed look.

"Ok settle down Kate. He's just looking and not touching. Plus he's probably not even looking at me," she replied.

"Well he's definitely looking at you..... I just..... Nevermind let's just get going, so the other girls don't think we both backed out on them," Kate responded uncertainly.

Layken watched as her friend got in her car. She turned her head slightly and noticed that Kate had been right James Neal was definitely was staring at her, well her ass to be more precise. She gave him a smile and a little finger wave, as she got in her car. She noticed James giving her a smile and head nod as she drove out of the parking lot.

She thought about what her friend said and the look she had given her, as she drove towards the club. If there was anybody who knew Layken better than herself, was Katie. She had meet Katie three years ago at the Dallas Stars Ice Girls tryouts. She knew that they would become great friends, because from the moment they had meet they had instantly connected. They were more like each other than anyone really realized. Herself and Katie were both outgoing, confident, and friendly.

They both loved what they did as 'Ice Girls'. Both Katie and Layken were beautiful and weren't ashamed of their bodies and basically showing them off in front of thousands of people. Layken had been called tons of names, there weren't many she probably hadn't heard. Everything from slut, whore, skank, and even the dreaded 'C' word. She didn't let those things get to her, she was confident in her body and the outfit she wore didn't make the person. It was all just part of her job. Most of the jabs though didn't come from the fans, some did. But no most of them came from the wives and girlfriends of the players, and even from some of the visiting teams significant others that travel.

Even though Katie was her best friend and knew her better than anyone else. There was one thing that her best friend didn't know. She didn't know Layken's deepest secret at the moment, the one that could get her in huge trouble, the one that could cause her to lose the job she loved the most.

Layken McKendrick and James Neal had been hiding their secret from their co-workers, jobs, and friends for three weeks. The lines between work and lovers were becoming blured. But she was wondering how much longer she would be able to keep it. Because she found herself losing her heart quickly to the hockey player.

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After finding her friends cars and a parking spot, she parked and shut off her car. Getting out and locking her doors. She made her way over to the group of girls waiting on her. Linking their arms together, they all headed down the street towards the club the were going to. Luckily when they made it to the club they didn't have to wait long to get in. They made their way into the dimly light, smoke filled, people packed club. It seemed mighty packed for mid-week and there seemed to be a lot of young people in there tonight.

Layken and Katie immidately made their way up to the bar and ordered drinks and shots for them and the girls. After grabbing drinks and shots we made are way through the crowded place looking for our group of friends. We finally found them at a large table in the back of the place. After finishing several shots and drinking a beer. Layken and Katie made their way out to the dance floor to dance. This is what she loved doing the best, was dancing. At first her and Katie had danced together closely since the floor was so packed. Bumping and grinding on each other, everyone and everything else.

At some point her friend either got pushed or pulled away by the crowd and lost in the sea of people. Shaking her head and trying to fan herself slightly with one of her hands, she continued on dancing with anyone who seemed to be sober enough to acknowledge her. She jumped slightly when she felt a cold bottle being pressed to the side of her neck, that was kinda exposed. She smelt his cologne in the smoked filled bar, even before he placed a hand on her hip and leaned in to whisper in her ear.

"For you," his voice said huskily.

"Thanks," she replied, grasping the bottle and not turning around.

She took a long sip from the chilly bottle of beer and continued to dance with him. Her back flush against his chest. He still had one hand placed on her hip and she could only assume that his other hand held a beer for himself. She didn't turn around or acknowledge him in any way, not wanting to draw attention to them. From his teammates or her fellow 'Ice Girls'.

"We need to talk," James whispered/yelled in her ear, so she could hear him above the music.

"Ok," she replied uncertainly, turning her head slightly. "You want to get out of here?"

James only nodded in response to her question. Than started pushing her through the packed dance floor behind her, keeping his large hand on her lower back. Layken knew the girls would give her crap later about baleing on them once again, but at that point she really didn't care. She just hoped that Katie didn't notice who she escaped with, because if she did she knew there would be hell to pay with her best friend.

Once outside they stood in comfortable silence for a minutes. She looked over at James and noticed he seemed a little conflicted as he looked down at his iPhone.

"Everything alright? No one noticed us leaving together did they?" she asked.

"What? Oh yeah.... I mean no, no one noticed us. At least I don't think they did. And yes everything is fine. I was just letting Matt know I was leaving," he replied looking up from his phone.

"Oh right. So I guess that means we're taking my car right?" she asked.

"Yup. Lead the way," he answered.

They quickly walked away from the club before anyone spotted them. About half a block away from her car, Layken felt James grab her hand sliding his fingers between hers. She couldn't help the smile that came on her face. Her hand felt so warm and tingly in his larger hand. Turning the corner into the parking lot where her car was and making their way to her car. She pulled out her keys and pushed the unlock button on the key ring. She expected James to let go of her hand and walk over to the passenger side. But was surprised when she felt him spin her around and push her back against her car door. Releasing her hand, he placed both his hands on either side of her, trapping her between him and the car.

She raised her face to ask what he as doing, but figured it out quickly as his mouth came crashing down onto hers in a frenzied, hot kiss. Their teeth clashing and biting and nipping at each others lips, tongues battling. Her hands moved up and wrapped around his neck, tangling her fingers in his already disheveled hair. He moved his body closer to hers, moving his feet between hers so he could stand between her legs. He tilted his head slightly to deepen the kiss, one of his hands moved off her car and drifted down her side. It came to a stop on the side of her left thigh, hooking his behind her leg he lifted her leg up so it was resting on his hip. Than his hand moved up towards her chest and groped her through her shirt.

Layken moaned loudly when he ground his hips into hers. She could feel his arousal pressing into her. She was feeling hot and flustered, and knew if they didn't get out of there soon they would probably be arrested for indecent exposure. Tearing her mouth away from hers and panting, she looked up into his eyes.

"We should get out of here," she said breathlessly.

James shakily nodded his head and released her leg and slowly backed away from her. He walked over to the passenger side and they both got in her car.

"So your place or mine?" she asked still trying to catch her breath, looking over at him.

"Yours," he simply answered, with a shrug.

She looked at him for a few more minutes sitting there in her darkened car. She felt a little disappointed that once again they were headed to her place, instead of his. Would it be too much for just once for them to go to his? For a heartbreaking second she thought once again that he might have a girlfriend. That she might be the "Other Woman", but thought about how ridiculous that sounded as she had never seen anyone with him in the couple of years they both had worked for the Dallas organization.

James hand rested on her thigh the entire time she drove to her condo, rubbing up and down on her leg. Several times coming dangerously close to the one spot she so desperately wanted him to touch her at. The rest of the drive to her place was a blur, it seemed as if everything after the moment they got to her condo was a blur. From the moment they got out of her car, James was right behind her as they went to the door, his hands and lips once again all over her body. She couldn't even remember how she got the door open or who even shut the door.

They worked in a blurred frenzied mess on the way up to her bedroom quickly shedding each other of their clothes, their mouths never leaving each others. So that by the time they reached her room they were left in their underware and her bra. Layken felt the back of her knees hit her bed and James laid her gently back on it. His hand found the clasp on the back of her bra and unhooked it, pulling the straps down her arms and throwing it somewhere in her room. James looked down at her as he climbed on the bed his body covering hers. His lips sought out her mouth, his hands running over her body. He pulled his mouth away from hers and kissed down her neck, to the swell of her breast running his tongue over the top of her breast.

Than moved back up her neck to her mouth. He readjusted himself over her, fitting his body between hers and positioned himself at her opening. He slowly started pushing himself into her, sliding in slowly, her back arched against him. Their tongues were battling against each other, tasting the alcohol they had both consumed. He pushed the rest of his length into her, before slowly moving in her, pulling almost all the way out before roughly sliding back into her.

"God damn," he panted tearing his mouth away from hers, resting his forehead against hers. "I love being with you like this Lay."

Her heart almost stopped at the words that came from his mouth. But she came to hers senses quickly realizing it was probably a slip of the tongue or just a heat of the moment. That made those three little words slip past his lips. Besides her own self quickly falling for him, she highly doubted a star like James Neal would fall for someone like herself. Except for their sexual needs.

"Don't be afraid to hurt me," she told him, not thinking of anything better to respond with.

"I would love nothing more than to fuck the hell out you so hard that you couldn't walk tomorrow. But that's not how I want you to remember me," he whispered dirtily in her ear, pulling his head back and staring in her eyes.

There was something that flashed in his eyes but she couldn't really pinpoint what it was while he was moving inside of her like he was. Also she loved it when he talked dirty to her. The dirtier the talk the wetter she became. The wetter she became the easier it was him to slide in and out of her. James held her body close, taking his time with her.

"I don't just want to fuck you Lay. I want you to know that I do care about you," he whispered sweetly.

She whimpered and wrapped her legs around him, wanting him so much closer. Raking her nails down his back and closing her eyes. Emotion filled her as she came closer to the edge

"Stay with me," he murmured.

Over and over again Layken's body welcomed him, he made her feel like they were the only two that mattered. His breathing quickened and by the bare amount of restraint he was showing, Layken knew he was as close to the edge as she was. Her body trembled and she could barely catch her breath.

"So close," she whispered, tightening her legs around him. "I'm so close."

She felt James body begin to shake and that was when he lost every ounce of self restraint he had. He gave her no warning as he lifted his weight off of her and onto his arms, and drove into her harder than she could even imagine. She felt like her body was going to split into two, her legs open as far as they would go. Each thrust pushed her more and more up the bed, each in synch with James grunts and moans of pleasure. It was amazing and primal, taking Layken so far over the line she literally felt like she was weightless and totally out of control.

She screamed out, calling his name, losing herself in the ecstasy and James still inside of her. He let out a sound of pure male satisfaction, before collapsing on top of her. He kissed her temple and slowly pulled out of her. Than rolled over onto his back, pulling her body into his side as they both fell asleep.
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Layken woke the next morning with a wide smile on her face and feeling completely satisfied. She rolled over to wrap an arm around James. Only to be meet with an empty and cold spot. She slowly opened her eyes and frowned at the empty spot. She was certain that he had stayed the whole night. She had woken several times and he had still been there.

She started getting a naggling feeling in the pit of her stomach that something was about to happen that she wasn't going to like. She realized that her and James hadn't spoken about what he had wanted to last night. She got out of bed and found a pair of sweatpants and a shirt and got dressed. Hoping that maybe James was just downstairs making them breakfast. But as she made her way downstairs to the empty kitchen, that bad feeling hit her again.

She saw something sitting on her kitchen table and walked over to see what it was. Layken found the sports section of this mornings newspaper folded open and a note in James writing on a certain article.

'I'm a chicken shit and couldn't tell you to your face. I'm sorry and please forgive me' scrunching her eyebrows together in confusion at the note. She lifted the note to read the article that would leave her heartbroken and angry at James Neal for a very long time.

***JAMES NEAL AND MATT NISKANEN TRADED TO THE PITTSBURGH PENGUINS***