Back Check Part 23

Tanner repressed a sigh. "Not much."

"They're going to trade you, aren't they?"

"I don't know, Dad."

"Trade deadline's just over a week away. They can't afford to keep all you high-priced players."

He was well aware of the trade deadline approaching. He was also well aware of all the rumors, and painfully aware of the fact that the Aces hadn't offered anything since January. Thanks for reminding me, Dad.

"I guess we'll know more in a week, then," he said casually. "And Anaheim wouldn't be so bad. I like palm trees and the beach."

He sensed Katelyn stiffen beside him.

"True, true," Dad said heartily. "But they have cap issues of their own." He shook his head. "Is your agent demanding too much money? Is that the problem?"

Tanner bit the inside of his mouth. "He's pretty confident in what we're proposing."

"What is he asking for?"

Tanner's jaw tightened. "Don't you read the blogs?" he asked, forcing a smile. "Everyone else seems to know."

"Those are rumors. Tell us the facts. Come on, Tanner, we're family."

Tanner's smile hurt. "Kevin would kill me if I told anyone. He always says to leave the negotiations to him, and I should just play hockey. So that's what I'm doing."

Katelyn's hand patted his knee. "It will all work out," she said confidently to his father. "Tanner's worth a lot and I'm sure the team knows that."

Heat expanded in Tanner's chest at her support. Christ.

"You missed a fun evening on Thursday," Katelyn said, changing the subject totally. "The Aces did a big lip-sync fundraiser. Who knew there was so much talent on the hockey team?"

Dad wasn't really interested in lip-syncing as much as he was money, but Katelyn kept the conversation going. Tanner gratefully let her take the lead, admiring how smooth she was. He was probably the only one who noticed the tightness at the corners of her eyes when she smiled.

After they'd finished their meals, Katelyn and Helen left to go to the ladies' room.

Dad leaned across the table, a gla.s.s of red wine in hand. "How'd she track you down after all those years?"

"Who? Katelyn?"

"Yeah. You were done with her way back when you got drafted."

Tanner wasn't even sure how to respond to that. "She didn't track me down. We just happened to meet up. She's planning Duper's wedding."

Dad nodded. "You don't think she did that on purpose?"

Tanner tilted his head "Pretty sure she didn't." Which meant he was one hundred percent sure. "She didn't even know I was in Chicago now."

"That's bulls.h.i.+t. Your trade was all over the news a few years ago."

That was true. And anyone who followed hockey would have known that. "She doesn't follow hockey."

"Sure she does. She said she loves hockey. Obviously she knows how much money you make now and she's trying to get back with you."

Tanner glared at his father. "That's bulls.h.i.+t. And speaking of money and women...hopefully you're having a pre-nup drawn up before you marry Helen?"

Dad frowned. "Of course. Though I don't know what you're worried about. My business is worth some money, but not as much as you make. You don't need to worry about an inheritance."

"I'm not worried. I a.s.sumed your ex-wives would get everything. Just looking out for you, Dad, making sure there's enough to look after you in your old age."

Dad's eyes narrowed. "Well, at least they all signed the pre-nup. They were more interested in me than my money. Don't know if that's the same for you, after what happened with your marriage."

Tanner tried to relax his rigid muscles. Dad had no idea what he was talking about. Okay, yes, Presley'd been after his money, but there was no way Katelyn was a gold digger. Possibly every other woman he'd hooked up with since Presley had been interested in money too, but they'd also been interested in fun, and the difference was, he hadn't cared about them.

Finally the dinner ordeal was over. Dad wanted to linger over snifters of brandy, but Tanner was driving so he and Katelyn declined the drinks and made their getaway.

As they were walking through the lounge, someone on their left said, "Katelyn."

She paused and turned. "Ethan!"

Tanner frowned as a tall, good-looking dude in an expensive suit slid off a stool and Katelyn moved into his arms for a hug.

"Good to see you," the guy said, staring into her eyes, smiling warmly.

What the f.u.c.k?

"You too! How are you? Did you get that big contract with the government?"

"Yeah." Dude's eyes crinkled up. "I did."

"Congratulations!"

"Thanks. How's your business going?"

"Not bad. Things have been picking up lately. Oh, I should introduce you. Tanner, this is Ethan Colburn. Tanner Bennet."

Christ. Tanner actually recognized this guy. He was some hotshot tech guy who'd founded a security company that was now worth millions of dollars.

"Hey." Ethan shook his hand, eyeing him also with recognition, then glancing between him and Katelyn. "I'm a fan of yours."

Tanner forced a smile. "Thanks. Were you at the game tonight?"

"No. Actually, I just flew back from a business trip to London. Oh, hey, sorry. These are my friends, Nolan and Rhys. You guys remember Katelyn."

She smiled and lifted a hand in greeting to the other men at the high table as Tanner shook hands with them too. "Well," she said. "We should be going. Good to see you again."

They walked out onto the sidewalk. "How do you know him?" Tanner asked, frowning.

"He's my ex." She paused. "We were engaged."

"Christ. The businessman?"

"Yes."

"When did you break up with him?"

"Just before Christmas."

f.u.c.k. That wasn't long ago. "He looks like he's still in love with you."

"Oh, I don't think so."

"I do. He was eye-f.u.c.king you and he wasn't happy that we were together."

"Don't be silly."

He scowled. "Why'd you break up with him?" The guy was rich as f.u.c.k, well spoken, dressed in expensive clothes. Sophisticated. That was the word. He'd just flown in from London. He was probably drinking a martini-shaken, not stirred. Why would she dump a guy like that?

"I didn't love him."

He fell silent as they walked along the sidewalk.

"Your dad's a character." Katelyn slid her arm through his as they walked to his car.

"Thank you for being so nice to him. You don't have to be."

"I'm nice to everyone."

She really was.

As they drove to his place, he hated the misgivings that had crept into his head. The rumors and the lack of a contract were already taking their toll on his confidence, and now his dad and his unique way of making him feel lower than a gopher hole added to it. Implying Katelyn was after his money was bulls.h.i.+t, except it did remind him that Presley had been. And then meeting the jackwagon Katelyn had been engaged to...f.u.c.k.

"You're so quiet," Katelyn commented as they neared his place. "Is everything okay?"

"Huh? Oh sure. Yeah." He turned down the ramp into the parking beneath his building "Everything's great."

- Back at Tanner's condo, they undressed and went to bed. Katelyn turned into his arms as she did every night they were together. When she was alone, she slept in pajama pants and a long-sleeve T-s.h.i.+rt. When she was with him, she slept naked. He generated enough heat to keep his entire condo warm, and she loved snuggling into his body warmth.

His big hands moved over her body, trailing heat over her skin. As always, he effortlessly aroused her and she was soon rubbing against him, then reaching for his thick c.o.c.k. She slicked her thumb over the damp head and stroked his shaft.

"Yeah," he moaned, rolling to his back. "Want you to suck me."

"Mmm." She loved doing that. She rolled to her knees and s.h.i.+fted lower on the bed until she was level with his groin. She licked him and took him deep, cupping his b.a.l.l.s, sc.r.a.ping her fingernails over his inner thighs. He groaned and fisted her hair, holding her head in place, helping her move up and down his shaft. He tasted clean and male, so d.a.m.n good. Tension coiled low in her pelvis.

He wasn't talking like he usually did in bed...telling her how s.e.xy she was, how beautiful...telling her what he liked and asking her what she wanted. His hips lifted, f.u.c.king up into her mouth. His breathing grew faster, the guttural noises he made deeper...he was close to coming. She didn't mind if he came in her mouth...she loved it...but there was something off about this.

It felt like he wasn't really there with her.

She slid her mouth off him, her jaw aching slightly, and crawled up beside him. She kissed his cheek and whispered, "I want you to f.u.c.k me now."

Without a word, he reached for a condom, gloved up, and rolled on top of her. He pushed inside her, and it felt good, but still...odd. He buried his face in the side of her neck as he pumped into her.

He hadn't even kissed her.

She wrapped her arms and legs around him and held him tight as he f.u.c.ked her, her burning eyes squeezed shut until his body shuddered against her. It was the first time they'd had s.e.x where she hadn't had an o.r.g.a.s.m.

That didn't matter. She didn't need an o.r.g.a.s.m every time. Just being with him, close to him like this, was wonderful. She stroked her hands up and down his back. Then he lifted his head, gave her a quick peck of a kiss, and rolled off the bed to get rid of the condom. When he came back, he slid under the covers, turned onto his stomach, and fell asleep.

What was this?

She stared wide-eyed at the ceiling in the dark, the covers tucked up under her chin. She started trembling and it wasn't because she was cold.

What was wrong? Why was he like this?

Had she come on too strong? Defending him to his dad? Talking about hockey? Had he sensed how upset she was about the possibility that he'd be traded? Because they'd both known going into this that was a very real possibility. But she'd told him she could deal with it.

Maybe she was moving too fast. Coming on as too needy. Rachel had been right...she did tend to rush into relations.h.i.+ps. She felt like she'd known Tanner forever, because...well, she had. But really they'd only been together again a matter of weeks.

She had to be smart. She'd rushed into relations.h.i.+ps in the past. She just had to cool things off a little.

Chapter 18.

Monday morning Tanner was getting ready to leave for the airport to fly to Buffalo for their game that night when his phone buzzed. He grabbed for it and checked the call display. Kevin.

"Hey, Kev. Wha.s.sup?"

"The Aces just signed Julien Boucher for a six-year, thirty-six-million-dollar deal."

Tanner froze, the phone pressed to his ear. "Shut the f.u.c.k up."

"Truth."

He closed his eyes briefly, ashamed that his first thought was, What does this mean for me?

When he should have been happy for his friend and teammate. "Great news for Boosh."

"Yeah. Fantastic news for him. This could make things tough for us, though."

"I know, I know." He exhaled sharply. "f.u.c.k."

"It has to mean things are coming to a head. Trade deadline is a week from today. They've signed Boucher. They need to p.i.s.s or get off the f.u.c.king pot when it comes to your contract."