Breaking Away Read online

  “Way to break that bad streak,” Shea said, slapping him hard on the back.

  Phillip nodded as he skated towards the bench, slapping hands with his teammates before sending Claire a grin. She was screaming. Jumping up and down and looking so freaking excited it took his breath away. He sat down on the bench, everyone still tapping his helmet, congratulating him as he watched his teammates fight for the puck before going into the Wild’s zone. The crowd was deafening. His adrenaline was through the roof, and he was ready to hit the ice again. Thankfully, the tap came and he went over the boards with ease but, unfortunately, went offside according to the ref.

  “Seriously?”

  “Yes, I wouldn’t blow the whistle if I wasn’t serious.”

  “Crap call, guy, crap call.”

  “Watch it, Anderson,” he said as Phillip lined up for the faceoff. He knew to shut his mouth, refs controlled this game sometimes, and he wasn’t in the mood to be on his bad side. The Wild’s forward swatted at Phillip’s stick but he stayed strong. When the ref dropped it, he sent it back to Shea before skating up towards the goal. Shea sent the puck up the boards and Phillip rushed to it, but so did the other forward. They both got there at the same time, crashing into each other, but also sending the puck into the air and straight into Phillip’s mouth.

  Pain exploded in his face and he fell to the ice, holding his face as blood appeared on his gloves.

  Fuck, that hurt.

  Jim, the team’s medic, was beside him in seconds, saying, “Phillip, what hurts?”

  “My mouth,” he said as he sat up. The crowd all gasped as Jim placed a towel against Phillip’s mouth. Phillip took it and stood up, holding it as he skated towards the bench. He wasn’t dizzy, which was great, and it didn’t seem like anything else hurt, just his mouth. He looked up to see Claire watching him, her eyes wide, and he shook his head quickly, waving her off. “I’m fine,” he called out, but he wasn’t sure she could hear him as he sat on the bench. Jim tried to get him to come to the back, but Phillip shook him off. “I’m good.”

  “Anderson, go!” Baxter yelled.

  Fucking hell. He just wanted to play!

  Phillip rolled his eyes, following him to the entryway, right by Claire, removing the cloth so Jim could see.

  “Dizzy?”

  “No, I want to play,” he said, but then he felt like something was hanging and asked, “Is that my tooth? Or a hole in my lip?”

  “Your tooth, you’re going to have to go to the back, and let the dentist look at you. It needs to be pulled. That’s the only thing I see.”

  “Fuck that,” Phillip said, reaching up and pulling the tooth out. It stung, but he needed to get back on the ice. He wasn’t done scoring. He smiled at Jim and asked, “Everything else look good?”

  Jim laughed. “Yeah, I think you got it.”

  “Awesome,” he said, handing Jim his tooth. “Hang on to that, maybe they can glue it back in.”

  The guys on the bench laughed as Phillip fell back into his spot, pushing his tongue up into the new hole. It felt weird, but he didn’t care. “Hope this doesn’t dent my reputation with the ladies.”

  Everyone continued to laugh as Shea said, “What reputation? You’re still ugly as shit.”

  “That’s not what your wife said,” Phillip said, sending him a newly toothless grin.

  The bench went silent as Shea just glared. “Don’t worry, I fully expect you to knock out more of my teeth.”

  Shea had a satisfied look on his face as he looked back out at the ice and said, “Good, at least you are expecting it.”

  “Too far, man,” Erik laughed as he shook his head.

  “Got to keep him on his toes.”

  Phillip didn’t score the rest of the night but not for lack of trying. Shea also didn’t kick his ass, but boy, did he have a lot to say about respect and how Phillip owed him laps. It was better than getting his ass kicked, so he left the arena grinning. His mouth was still aching, but he was finding that the missing front tooth added character to his face. Once he went outside and Claire and Skylar were completely disgusted with it, he decided he would be visiting the dentist tomorrow.

  “I can’t believe you just pulled it out!” Claire screeched as Skylar laughed.

  “It was so freaking awesome! Everyone saw it! They had you on the jumbotron!” Skylar exclaimed as they reached his car.

  “Yay,” Phillip laughed as he started the car and headed towards Skylar’s house.

  “Your goal was awesome. Great job tonight.”

  “Thanks.”

  Well, that was nice, he thought as he drove.

  “So guess what,” Claire said, turning to face him.

  “What?”

  “I am doing a duet with this dude Brian now. His partner got hurt and Reese needs someone to duet with him. Guess what is better than all that?”

  Phillip wanted to go back to Brian, just to inform her that he would gut the guy if he tried anything, but he asked,” What’s the best part?”

  “Reese chose my choreography!”

  “Wow, that’s awesome.”

  “It really is, Mr. Phillip. She was amazing, blew all of us away,” Skylar gushed from the back seat.

  “That’s great.”

  “Thanks,” Claire said with a big grin as Phillip pulled into Skylar’s driveway.

  “Mr. Phillip, is it okay for Claire to stay the night? My mom said it was fine with her. She just texted me.”

  Phillip looked over at Claire. “It’s up to you. I can pick you up in the morning.”

  “Awesome, thanks!” she gushed before leaning over and kissing him on the cheek. He froze as they got out the car, waving at him as they walked up to the house. He wanted until they were in the house before pulling out of the driveway, still shocked that Claire had showed affection to him. It was mind-blowing, but in a great way. With a huge smile, he headed up the road, dialing Reese’s number.

  “Please, tell me that that was a joke on the TV, and that you didn’t just pull your tooth out at the game.”

  Phillip chuckled before saying, “Nope, I got hit. They were about to keep me out the game and I wasn’t going, so I just pulled it.”

  “Oh my god, that is insane, but holy fuck it turned me on. So cavemanish. So hot.”

  He chuckled, his cock coming to life in his athletic shorts. “Well, I guess I look like a caveman now with my missing tooth.”

  “Nah, you’re hotter than a caveman.”

  “Nice to know,” he said with a chuckle. “What are you doing?”

  “Lying in bed with a tub of Ben and Jerry’s, watching a movie.”

  “What movie?”

  “Only the greatest chick flick ever known to man, Easy A.”

  “Never seen it, I’m coming over.”

  She laughed. “Not even going to ask?”

  He smiled as he pulled into her driveway. “Can I come up, eat ice cream with you, watch the movie, and then proceed to make you come countless times?”

  She paused for a moment and a grin grew across his face as her voice dropped an octave.

  “Yes, yes, I think you can.”

  Reese was excited to see him.

  She had been worried when he got hit with the puck. For once she was nervous, scared even, but there he was, standing in all his gorgeous glory with a big, toothless grin on his face.

  “Am I still hot?”

  She giggled. “Yes, of course.”

  “Good, I’m still going to the team dentist tomorrow,” he said, walking by her, smacking her ass in the process.

  “I think it gives you character.”

  “Yeah a goofy, weirdo character.” He paused, his brow coming up as he asked, “Is that my shirt?”

  She looked down at his Assassins’ sweatshirt and then back at him, a shy grin on her face. “Maybe, or it could be one of your teammates shirts,” she teased.

  His eyes darkened as he scooped her up in his arms, kissing her fully on the lips. Holding her against him