The Defenseman: Book 4 in the Bad Boys of the NHL Series Read online

  The Defenseman

  Book 4 of The Bad Boys of the NHL Series

  Heather C. Myers

  Contents

  1. Alexa

  2. Eric

  3. Alexa

  4. Eric

  5. Alexa

  6. Eric

  7. Alexa

  8. Eric

  9. Alexa

  10. Eric

  Did you like The Defenseman?

  Liked The Defenseman? Get ready for The Enforcer.

  Acknowledgments

  Also by Heather C. Myers

  Also by Heather C. Myers

  Also by Heather C. Myers

  Also by Heather C. Myers

  Also by Heather C. Myers

  Also by Heather C. Myers

  Also by Heather C. Myers

  1

  Alexa

  Tonight was not going the way Alexa Mead had anticipated. This was supposed to be the big night. This was supposed to be the night Tim finally proposed. They had been seeing each other for a year and they had talked about settling down. They did what all couples typically did, in the same time frame they did. They followed the rules. They didn't rush into things but they didn't waste time, either.

  This was around the time a proposal should happen.

  But Alexa was wrong.

  Tim showed up at her place around seven fifteen even though their reservations were for seven thirty and there was no way in hell they were going to make it across town in Houston traffic at that time. It didn't matter that Alexa was the younger sister of one of Houston's darlings—Dan Meadow, the goalie for the Houston Rangers. Nobody knew who she was and Mead was not an uncommon name, even in Texas. Tim, on the other hand, didn't really have a claim to fame except for his good looks and charm, and he could typically get whatever he wanted with a carefully placed smile and a compliment laced with sincerity.

  Almost anything he wanted.

  The two hadn't actually had sex yet.

  Alexa felt herself shift uncomfortably just thinking about it as Tim waited for the pretty hostess in the crowded restaurant to see if there was any place to fit them in now that it was just before eight and they had given away Tim and Alexa's reservation because they had been no-shows for nearly a half hour. This was at Tim's request, but Alexa did not think Tim would be able to charm his way into this restaurant. There were too many people here. Even the bar was crowded with people opting to stand and drink rather than wait for an empty seat to appear.

  "It'll be fine," Tim said, squeezing her hand without looking at her.

  Alexa bit her bottom lip. It wasn't as though she didn't believe him—though, in this case, she was doubtful. It was more that this was his fault. If he had picked her up at six thirty like she told him to, they wouldn't be in this predicament. Now what were they going to do if the hostess came back and said no? How would the proposal go from there?

  She didn't want to think about it.

  The high heels she currently wore began to pinch the backs of her feet and she popped one of her knees so her heel wasn't rubbing so thoroughly against the material. She'd wanted to be sitting down by now, eating her grilled chicken and asparagus. She wanted to be sipping red wine and avoiding the bread basket, but indulging in just one piece and lathering it with butter. She wanted to be thrilled when Tim got on one knee and everyone around them stopped their conversations to watch a perfect proposal go down.

  And now, none of those things would be happening.

  "Look," Tim said, turning his attention to the remaining hostess. "Isn't there anything you guys can do? I mean, she's Dan Mead's little sister."

  "Tim," Alexa said, feeling her cheeks pinch. She hated when Tim tried to name-drop her brother in order to get preferential treatment. Tim wasn't even a huge hockey fan and rarely went out of his way to talk to Dan when they were all hanging out. It bothered Alexa that he would try to use Dan to his advantage when it was convenient for him but couldn't be bothered to do the same when Dan was actually around.

  "Who?" the hostess said, pushing her brows together as she reached behind the counter and pulled up two menus for the couple she was helping.

  "The goalie?" Tim asked before scoffing and rolling his eyes. "Never mind. If you've never heard of him before, it's not going to help now."

  The hostess gave him a look, probably due to his condescending tone. Alexa didn't blame her. She shifted her weight, trying to ignore the way her heels continued to rub against the shoes.

  After another moment, the first hostess came back with an apologetic smile. Alexa didn't need to hear what she had to say to know. Unfortunately, there was nothing they could do. They should have been there on time.

  "Sorry for the wait, but……"

  Alexa didn't bother to hear her finish. Her thoughts took over. If Tim had just picked her up on time, this wouldn't have happened. If he had been a little bit nicer to the hostesses without dropping her brother's name, maybe they would have offered to squeeze them in between guests. This wasn't the restaurant's fault, it was theirs. Really, it was Tim's. And instead of just taking responsibility for his mistake, he was fighting with everyone about what should be done and why.

  "Is there a manager I can speak to?" Tim asked.

  Alexa shot Tim a look. People were already staring at them with looks on their faces. Some had pity, others had annoyance. Others were murmuring under their breaths about reservations and being on time. Alexa couldn't blame them. She had always judged those couples who pushed when maybe they should have apologized for their tardiness and gone somewhere else. Alexa had had those same thoughts: If you really wanted to eat here, maybe you should have gotten here on time.

  Next time, Alexa would ensure that they met up rather than have Tim pick her up. At least she knew she would be here on time. And if she had to wait for Tim, so be it. She could do so sitting at their table with a glass of red wine and a basket filled with bread.

  "Tim," Alexa said before the hostess could respond. "We were late. Let's not make a big deal out of it. We can go somewhere else."

  "I'm happy to call any other restaurant and get you in there," the hostess offered. This time, she kept her gaze on Alexa—probably because Alexa was acting like the reasonable one.

  Alexa turned to Tim. This was his night. The big night. The night he decided to ask her to marry him. There was a little blip in their plans, but so what? She wouldn't have cared if he took her to a small diner and proposed there. However, she didn't want to take away from the fact that the plans were up to him. She couldn't make the decision because she didn't know what he wanted.

  "No," he snapped. "It's fine." He glanced over at Alexa and nodded his head toward the door. "Let's go."

  Alexa didn't appreciate the gruffness of his voice. It wasn't her fault that they were in this predicament. If he had just gotten here on time, if he had picked her up when she told him to pick her up, none of this would have happened in the first place.

  Tim walked ahead of Alexa and pushed opened the door, standing to the side so he could hold it open for her. The night was cool but not bitter, though when Alexa looked up, she saw stormy rain clouds overhead. There was a very good chance it was going to rain tonight and Alexa hoped to be at home before the rain started.

  "Now what do you want to do?" Tim asked, glancing over at Alexa and shoving his hands in his pockets. There was something strange about the way he was acting, almost like he wasn't sure how to act now that it was just the two of them. This made no sense. How could he not know how to behave around her? They had been together for an entire year.

  "We could still eat," Alexa s
aid with a shrug. Her stomach seemed to rumble in response, as though it agreed with Alexa's suggestion.

  Tim shook his head as he slowly led her around the building and back to the car. "Nah," he said. "I'm not hungry."

  Alexa furrowed her brows. No? Didn't he need a restaurant-type setting in order to propose? If he didn't have that, where was he going to do it? Was he going to let her decide? Even if that were the case, she already made a suggestion and he already shot it down, so if he did want her help, he was being picky about her answers.

  This made no sense. If Tim was going to propose, everything should have come together smoothly. He should have been on time. He should have had everything together. And if things didn't go the way they were expected to go, at the very least, there should be some sort of backup plan. And if there wasn't, and Alexa made a suggestion, he should go with what she wanted. Proposing could still happen. Alexa would still say yes. She wished she could reach out and tell him that directly. No matter where he proposed, she would say yes.

  "Then it's up to you," Alexa said, sliding her hand in his. His fingers didn't automatically curl around hers. Instead, they hung limp. "I'm happy to do whatever you want to do."

  As long as you propose, she finished in her head.

  "I didn't want to do this in the parking lot," Tim muttered more to himself than to her. "I wanted it to be somewhere nice. I wanted it to be somewhere where you couldn't make a scene. I wanted it to—"

  "Make a scene?" Alexa asked, a small smile on her lips. She squeezed his hand but he still didn't respond in kind. "I think no matter where you do it, I'm going to make a scene."

  Tim raised a brow. "You know what I'm going to do?" he asked, doubtful. "I didn't realize I was making it so obvious."

  "I just kind of figured," Alexa said. She spotted Tim's car a few feet away and she wasn't sure if she was excited because he was going to do it or if she was nervous for the same reason. "It's been a year. It's the right amount of time to figure everything out."

  "You think so?" Tim asked. "I mean, usually I figure it out within the first three dates, but since we haven't had sex, I didn't know. I guess I gave you the benefit of the doubt because your brother is who he is."

  "What?" Now she was confused. "What does that mean?"

  He stopped walking and turned to face her, his back to the driver's seat of the silver Audi. He dropped her hand—not that he had been holding it in the first place—and ran his fingers through his hair, messing up the dark tresses.

  "I thought you understood," he said as though it was obvious. "Lexi, I thought you said you knew what I was going to do."

  "I do," she insisted, looking up at him. "At least, I think I do." A fat raindrop hit her shoulder and she glanced down at the water that splattered onto the thin material of her dress. "I just don't understand what us not having sex has to do with getting married."

  "Getting married?" Tim asked, dropping his hand so it slapped his thigh. "Getting married? Lexi, what are you talking about? I'm not—no way. Marriage? With you? I don't think so."

  Lexi felt her entire body heat up with embarrassment even though it was cold and more rain was falling.

  "Why?" she demanded to know. "What's wrong with me?"

  "Wrong with you?" He rolled his eyes. Rain was falling fast now and it was easy to get soaked simply by standing in a parking lot. "Lexi, how can I marry you when I don't even know if we're compatible sexually? You want to wait until marriage, fine, but I can't do it anymore. I have needs and they aren't being met by you. I'm sorry, but I'm over it. I'm done. Now, can you get in the car so I can take you home?"

  Tim was breaking up with her because they hadn't had sex? She looked at Tim and huffed.

  "I'm not getting in your car," she said and began to walk away from him, stomping back over to the sidewalk.

  She wasn't going home, and she wasn't going to cry. Alexa was a fixer. She would fix this.

  As such, she arranged for a Lyft and went to the only person she could talk to about something like this: Eric Andersson.

  2

  Eric

  Eric was sleeping when he heard someone pounding on his door. He furrowed his brow and waited, wanting to make sure he was actually hearing something. It could be his imagination playing tricks on him. He wouldn't be surprised if that were the case.

  After another moment, there was still knocking on the door. He heaved a sigh and ran his hand over his face. He threw his legs over the side of the bed and pushed himself into a standing position. He was not in the mood to deal with fans who had somehow found out where he lived. He didn't need to deal with women who wanted him or kids who wanted his autograph. Stuff like that was for game days and special occasions, not when it was three o'clock in the morning and he was sleeping.

  He padded out of his room and down the long hallway before reaching the staircase. He blinked once and slowly opened his eyes to make sure he wasn't maneuvering half-asleep. The last thing he needed was tripping over himself or mis-stepping and then tumbling down the stairs, twisting an ankle or worse. He had a career he needed to worry about.

  With one hand on the ledge, he slowly made his way down. The knocking kept coming. He could hear the soft rain outside and he wondered who the hell wanted to talk to him so badly that they would wait in the rain for some kind of response that they might or might not get.

  When Eric reached the front door, he took a glance through the peephole and frowned. Standing outside his door, soaking wet, was none other than Alexa Mead, Dan Mead's little sister. He paused, unsure what to do at this point. He could let her in and everything would be fine, but that meant being in the same room as she was at night with her soaking wet. That probably wasn't the best thing for them to do. He let out a breath and pinched his nose. He couldn't leave her standing out in the rain, though. Not with it pouring the way it was.

  He unlocked the door and opened it, taking a step back so Alexa could come in. There was something there, in her eyes, that seemed to radiate appreciation and relief, but more than that, there was determination. She had an idea and she wasn't going to leave her without some sort of agreement.

  "Lexi," he said slowly as he closed the door behind her. "You okay?"

  "What?" Alexa asked, turning to face him. She peeled off her trench coat and Eric stepped toward her, offering to take it from her. He hung it up on the nearby coat rack next to a couple of his own jackets. "Yeah, I'm fine."

  "Are you sure?" Eric's voice was tentative. "Showing up at your brother's teammate's house in the middle of the night in the rain doesn't seem to be something people would do when they're okay."

  Alexa slowly nodded her head. Eric could tell she was shivering.

  "Let me get you some clothes to change into," Eric said. "Make yourself comfortable. I'll be right back."

  He headed up the stairs and back to his room, trying not to think of the way her body fit into that tight dress. Her curves were not hidden at all, the way they typically were under other circumstances. He had seen Alexa on multiple occasions and always went out of his way to say hello since she was one of his close friend s' little sister. He wanted to be polite.

  But even he couldn't deny that there was always something about Alexa, something he couldn't quite put his finger on, that would draw him to her like kids to an ice cream truck. She was beautiful—there was no doubt about that—but it was more than just beauty. There was an innocence about her, something that seemed to imply that she had yet to be corrupted by how the world worked, that she still believed in things with an open mind rather than a jaded heart. That innocence was something that was rare to find in this world and he gravitated to it simply because he liked being around it.

  He went through his drawers and pulled out a pair of boxer briefs, a pair of checkered pajama pants, and a simple white T-shirt. Everything would be big on her, but at least she would be dry. She could either keep the clothes or throw her dress in the dryer and wait until it was fully dry before changing again.

>   Eric didn't want to admit it, even to himself, out of respect for Dan, but there was a small, dark part of him that wanted to be the one to corrupt her. He wanted to be the one to teach her what it meant to suffer and what it meant to feel pleasure. He wanted to be responsible for specific knowledge. Every time he looked at her, that feeling grew until he would be forced to excuse himself or to find another woman to distract himself with because he didn't want to give himself away.

  And now, it was late, it was raining, and he was alone with her. She was soaking wet in a dress that did nothing to hide her body, and he had the desire to peel away the dress like it was a layer of skin and feast his eyes, his hands, his mouth on her body like it was a temple to worship.

  "Get a grip," he muttered to himself, shaking his head. He padded over to his attached bathroom, set the clothes on the sink, and turned on the faucet. His cock was already stirring at the possibilities and he needed to cool himself off before he walked back into Alexa's presence.

  After splashing some cool water on his face, he dried his hands, grabbed the clothes, and headed downstairs. Currently, Alexa's back was to him. She was on her bare toes—having stepped out of her heels the minute she got into the house—looking at a picture on his mantel just above his fire place. It was him with her brother Dan after their first game together. Eric had scored—not impossible for a defenseman, but also not common unless there was already an offensive reputation in place. Eric had no reputation at that point. Dan didn't, either. They were just rookies playing their inaugural season and having fun with it.

  "I remember that game like it was yesterday," Eric said.