Hayes (A Carolina Cyclones Story)

6.

Hayes

I'm sweating like a whore in church. Did I overdo it on my workout? Probably. But I figure of all the ways I could come up with to blow off some steam, to help take my anger from its previous level of raging boil to its current simmer level, this was the healthiest.

The next best option would be to fuck my anger away but I have no prospects. Zero. Unless the woman from the bar magically shows up like she has been in my dreams the past couple nights. I thought about joining Jax on his adventure last night simply on the offhand chance I might see her again but I decided against it.

Thinking about Jax only brings me right back to my anger. The fucker has got to get his shit together. I can't bear the thought of him losing his spot on the team. Knowing myself I'd shoulder that guilt and with my tendency to overthink I'd be crushed under that weight.

Feeling my annoyance start to rise I stomp to the locker room, grabbing my shower stuff and making the short trip to the showers hoping standing under the hot water will help me dull my emotions so that I can think rationally.  It's my job as a captain to find a way to get my teammate and friend back on track.

I take my time under the water, letting the droplets slap against my skin and forcing myself to focus on counting the tiles of the shower so that my mind can't run wild with other thoughts. I need a fucking mental break and this is the only way to get it. After a few minutes the tension in my body begins to release, I feel better. Not great, but better.

Stepping from the shower I dry off and wrap my towel around my waist heading back to the locker room. Being naked comes with the territory of existing in a locker room as a professional athlete. I barely even give it thought anymore and that's probably why I give no thought to the sound of voices as I walk towards my locker cubby. My towel falls to the floor and I dig in my bag for a new pair of underwear, sliding them up my legs and adjusting myself. I reach for a pair of gym shorts only to be stopped cold by the sound of a throat clearing.

My eyes flick up, locking on Gordy who stares at me wide eyes and looks embarrassed. "Sorry Hansen. I didn't know anyone was here, I thought practice was later this afternoon."

"No problem, I'm just finishing up a work out and ab..." My words trail off as movement in my peripheral vision causes me to zero in on the fact that Gordy isn't alone. A woman stands beside him and not just any woman. The one who's recently plagued my dreams, and judging by her face, she just saw me naked.

Maggie

"I'm sorry. What?" Rachel screeches. She sets her glass of white wine on a coaster on the side table and then falls on the couch beside me, a bowl of popcorn in hand.

"I'm telling you Rachel." I say, grabbing my own wine glass and taking a large sip before returning to my story. "We walk in. I'm with an old man who could be my grandpa and he's showing me the locker room and where they want me to work first and we turn around and the guy from the other night, Hayes, is there. Butt ass naked."

Rachel laughs uncontrollably and I can't help but join in. My face is flushed and the room feels practically a million degrees every time I think back to this afternoon.

"So was he like, facing you, or.." She pries, her eyebrows raised as she sips from her glass and tosses a few popcorn kernels in her mouth. It's rare for me to have gossip, especially anything this juicy and my roommate is living for my tale of today's events.

"Oh I got the whole fucking view." I take yet another pull from my glass, finishing it off. "He's hung like a goddamn horse."

Rachel looks like she practically has stars in her eyes and I can't blame her. I don't even know the guy and yet just thinking about him is enough to get my lady parts fired up.

"What did he say?"

I rehash the whole event with her, how he didn't even realize I was with Gordy until a few moments later. How my blush must have given me away and the confident smirk that had appeared on his face when he realized what I had seen.

"And get this!" I tell her, standing to my feet and moving towards the refrigerator to pour myself another glass of wine "I have to meet with him tomorrow morning."

"What? Why?" Rachel probes, intrigue and curiosity on her face.

"So since he's the captain he's a part of the meetings about the rebranding and all. Gordy told me they use him to help the team understand what the front office's thoughts are and to help get the players onboard. I don't think he goes to all the meetings that I'll be attending but at least a few of them I'm going to have to sit across a table from him and pretend that I don't know what his dick looks or feels like."

*

If I thought I was nervous yesterday, those feelings have nothing on today. I'm early, almost embarrassingly so. When I enter the arena I take a detour, not heading straight to the room where the meeting I'm to attend to meet everyone on the committee that is working on the brand update and to be introduced as the mural artist I take a turn in the opposite direction and explore a bit of the arena. Being only a few years old, Rucker arena still feels new. The walls of glass give a practically panoramic view of downtown Charleston and the floors still gleam like they were laid yesterday. That's more of a nod to the arena's great staff than anything though. I circle this level enjoying the stillness and quiet before finally heading in the direction of my meeting. I'm still a good ten minutes early so I'm flabbergasted when I reach for the door handle at the same time as someone else.

Turning slightly, I angle my face up and am surprised to once again come face to face with Hayes Hansen. And God what a face it is.

"Let's see,Maggie, you've now held my hand, felt me up, and seen me naked. And yet, I still haven't taken you out."

My eyebrows raise as I tilt my head in question. "How do you know my name?"

Hayes looks back at me with surprise. "Gordy introduced us yesterday, don't you remember?"

My cheeks heat in response. Damn pale skin.

"You must've been a bit preoccupied with other thoughts." He says with a knowing grin as he reaches again for the door handle and swings it open, gesturing for me to go in. I do and turn back to look at him as I set my bag I've brought with me into one of the chairs positioned around the oval table, watching him as he settles in the chair directly to my right.

"I guess I'm just surprised you remembered is all."

"Maggie, if I may be honest," He asks and I nod in agreement. "You are proving yourself awfully hard to forget."

I open my mouth to say more but commotion at the door as others begin to arrive distracts me. The moment in the past before I even have a chance to process what the fuck just happened.

An: I'm dying to know your thoughts so far!

Love you, Sav 🖤