The Trouble with #9 by Piper Rayne

“Ican’t control the man, Mr. Gerhardt.” I pace my hotel room floor, the television paused on the Sex and the City rerun I was watching.

“He’s not getting any better. Pretty soon he’s going to get himself in more trouble than he’s worth.”

I blow out a breath.

“I mean, Canada is known for their polite people,” he says. “The fans couldn’t have said anything that bad.”

“I’m not sure why he did it. He’s not exactly the easiest man to crack,” I say, regretting my words immediately.

“I get the whole Russian silence act, but something tells me you have it in you to get to the bottom of this issue. Protecting your teammates is one thing. Spraying fans with water bottles and flipping them off is another. Fans are the ones who pay his salary.”

“I’ll see what I can do,” I say.

A knock on the door sounds. For a moment, I’d forgotten I ordered room service. I tuck the phone between my ear and my shoulder, opening the door and expecting to find a tray of food. I do, but it’s accompanied by Maksim’s smiling face. He nods into the room, and I open the door wider, allowing him in. He sets the tray on the dresser and peeks under the stainless steel lid.

I say loudly enough for Maksim to hear, “I need to run. My dinner just arrived.”

“Report back to me when you get back,” Mr. Gerhardt orders.

“Will do.”

“Have a good night, Paisley.”

The call dies, and I tuck my phone in the back pocket of my jeans.

“Who was that?” Maksim asks.

“Your boss,” I say

His eyebrows shoot up. “He pissed about the flipping off situation?” His back falls to the mattress and he stares at the ceiling.

“Of course. What were you thinking?” I’m slightly pissed myself, because I know he can control himself better than that.

“I wasn’t thinking. I was pissed, which is why I’m here.”

I cross my arms. “You shouldn’t be here. Someone might have seen you.”

“You’re ruining me,” he says.

“What?”

“I want you so bad it aches. I thought I could do it. I mean, I have the kind of willpower it would take to push you out of my mind, but damn, you’re too much. You won’t leave my head.” He sits back up.

I stare blankly, unsure how to respond. No man has ever said anything like that to me.

“You barely know me.”

“And I want to get to know you. I want to know everything.”

I shake my head. For a brief moment, I was enamored by what he was saying. “You mean you want to know what kind of panties I wear. If I’m loud when I come and if I like dirty talk in bed. Those are the things you’re thinking about.”

“Fuck yeah, I do.”

I nod, pleased with myself that I was correct.

“But I also want to know why you picked a pretzel over nachos today. And why you ordered a salad with grilled chicken right now. And I fucking love that you ordered dessert even though you tried for a nutritious dinner.”

“Because I have a sweet tooth. It’s not unique.”

“Still, what’s your favorite dessert?”

I shake my head. “I have a lot.”

“I’m not really asking. I want to discover all this stuff by being with you. All the small things that make you, you. Do I want to have sex with you? I do. But I also want all of you. Your thoughts, your fears, your desires and pet peeves. Everything.”

I walk toward the window, turning my back to Maksim so I can clear my thoughts. He’s too gorgeous for me to not fall to my knees and beg him to take me. But he’ll only hurt me. I know it. “How many girls do you take back to your room in a season?”

“Is that where your reluctancy is coming? You think I say this to every girl?”

I shrug, not turning around.

“I’ve never had a shittier season with the amount of time I’ve been in the penalty box. Ever since I met you, I haven’t been myself.”

“You have no idea if it’s me or not.” I continue to look at the dark sky of Toronto and the city glittering out for miles below.

“When I was skating down the ice tonight, I was searching you out. I know you saw me.”

I did, but a guy like Maksim Petrov knows how to woo a woman. He’s not a stranger to going with gusto after what he wants and getting it. And there’s something appealing about that. Something that makes me want to say yes to tonight. To cross that line with him and allow him to show me how a woman should feel in bed with a man. Give me the kind of orgasms I hear other women talk about. The only question that needs answering is whether I can walk out of here tomorrow morning without developing any feelings for him because that’s all we could ever be—a one-and-done.

“I’d have to refer you to someone else,” I whisper, afraid of the thoughts going through my head. Am I really thinking about doing this?

“I signed that paper and I meant it.” The bed squeaks from his weight lifting off of it. “I don’t need therapy anyway.”

I blow out a breath and tighten my arms around myself. His hands land on my shoulders and my eyes drift closed.

“Why are you fighting so hard against this?” he whispers.

His aftershave hits my nostrils, filling me with the same feeling I had on New Year’s Eve. That kiss felt so magical, as if I was warped into some fairy tale, only for me to open my eyes to a nightmare as though Mr. Gerhardt was my wicked stepmother.

Take this, Paisley. Take something for yourself and to hell with the consequences for once.

I circle around and his hands fall to my hips.

“You’re so fucking stunning,” he says, his eyes pouring affection over me like lava, slow and hot.

“You don’t have to keep complimenting me. You’re going to get what you want tonight.” I raise on my tiptoes and close my eyes just before my lips press against… a stubbled cheek? What the heck?

I open my eyes and fall back down on my heels. Maksim turns his head back to me. I’ve never seen this look before.

“What does that mean?” His sweet syrupy voice turns cool.

“You want to have sex and I’m saying okay.”

He steps back. “That’s not what this is about, Paisley. It’s not just sex.”

I roll my eyes. “You don’t have to put on an act. I know exactly why you’re in my hotel room. I’m flattered to make the cut, and you’re right, I’m attracted to you.”

He shakes his head, shoving his hands into his pockets. “You still think you’re just some piece of ass for me.”

I walk over and sit on the bed. “I’ve been around hockey guys most of my life. Sure, there are some good ones out there, but most just want sex. Don’t act like your pride is hurt because I’m calling you out on it. I said okay. You’re finally getting what you want.” I grab the hem of my shirt and tear it off over my head.

“What are you doing?”

“I’m giving you what you want. Why are you acting all noble now?”

His hands go into his hair. “What the hell is happening right now?”

“That’s my question. Shouldn’t I be on my third orgasm by now?”

His eyes narrow. “What the hell happened to you?”

I’m growing irritated that he’s not kissing me yet. He’s the one who’s been pursuing me. Why is he being difficult now?

“Put your shirt back on.”

“Why?” I stretch out on the bed. “I’m making this easier on you.”

He comes over to the bed and his finger winds around one of my curls. “I don’t want you like this. I want to date you. Like I said—”

“And you also want to sleep with me, correct?” All that other stuff he said was bullshit, so why won’t he just get down with what I’m offering?

“Yes. More than anything. Except for showing you I’m not the guy you think I am.” He picks up my shirt and shoves the opening over my head.

I huff and my mouth drops open. “You’re denying me?”

“Yes.”

“Way to make a girl feel wanted.”

He takes my hand and places it between his legs. “This should tell you everything you need to know, but I’m walking away anyway. I’m going back to my room and I’m going to bed. You’ll figure it out soon enough that I’m not just blowing smoke up your ass, kotik.”

His dick is half hard and big. Like really big. Damn, maybe I shouldn’t have called him out on his bullshit. Maybe if I hadn’t, he’d already be rocking inside me, filling me. I suck in a breath, thinking about that. My hand drops to my lap as he walks toward the door.

“You’ve got great tits, by the way. I would’ve devoured them.” He opens the door and leaves.

I fall down to the mattress. What the hell just happened?

After I’ve sulked for a while, I grab my phone and dial up Jana, tearing the lid off the chocolate cake from room service.

“What’s up?” she answers.

“You’re never going to believe what just happened.” I go through everything from how flirtatious Maksim was being to what just happened when he left my room. Then I shove a forkful of cake in my mouth.

“Why were you going to just do it?” she asks.

“Because he’s hot, and I was finally rewarding myself with a one night with a hockey god.”

“Like a birthday gift?” She laughs.

“Exactly.”

“Nothing wrong with that except he flipped the script on you.” She sounds amused.

“Yes! I was going to be a willing participant,” I mumble around another mouthful.

A very willing participant.

“Maybe he’s one of those guys who just like the chase, you know? Then when you finally said yes, he bailed. Although I will say that from what I know of Maksim, that doesn’t sound like him.”

I sulk down in bed. Jana’s right. Most of the time when Maksim is mentioned in the press, it’s because he’s removing Ford from a bad situation.

“Now I have to get on a plane with him tomorrow.”

“Just ignore him. I’m kind of pissed he’s playing you like this. I mean, going after you full force and then acting like he has no interest.” She’s quiet for a minute. “Hey, Paise?”

“What?”

“Do you like Maksim Petrov?”

I love Jana, but if I answer honestly, she’s going to insert herself in the situation. Either by cornering Maksim and playing the juvenile game of “do you like my friend,” or worse, she’ll scold him for leaving me high and wet—definitely not dry.

So rather than admitting I can’t stop thinking about him, I say, “I don’t know. He’s attractive and seems almost sweet sometimes.”

“I’m not sure anyone has referred to Maksim as sweet,” she says.

“Attentive maybe. But… errgghhh!” I just don’t know what to think after tonight.

“Well, if he’s going to act so hot and cold, just ignore him, Paise. Move on. Do the rest of the therapy sessions and forget him after that. You know, my dad mentioned at dinner tonight about fixing you up with someone.”

My eyes widen. “What? I don’t want to be fixed up.”

This isn’t the first time Mr. Gerhardt has tried to fix me up. For some reason, he always picks accountants or men with equally boring jobs. Men who have played it safe all their lives and wear three-piece suits to work. And there’s nothing wrong with those guys. They’re the ones you marry for stability, but I’m too young to marry anyone, and for some dumb reason, I have this stupid idea that I want to be with a more rough-and-tumble guy. Someone who knows his way around a woman. And because I know that kind of guy isn’t what’s good for me, my sex life is left in a stalemate.

Jana interrupts my thoughts. “Just be on the lookout and dodge Dad if you see him.”

“I will.”

I hang up with Jana a few minutes later. All I can think about is how Maksim is the kind of guy I’m attracted to and how that long, hard dick I felt might be exactly what I need to get me out of my rut. I try to ease the ache between my thighs, but alas, I think there’s only one person who can.