The Keeper

Zoey - One

"Sarah! Isn't this dress too short?" Checking my reflection in the floor length mirror. This black sheer stomach dress hits the middle of my thigh, it's something she picked out for my Birthday party. It's much shorter than I would pick. It's low cut v gives the illusion of more cleavage than I really have. "Zo Zo I already told you. It's perfect. You look damn sexy. I'd do you." Her laugh echoes from the bathroom where she is skillfully applying her eyeliner. I enter the bathroom joining her to remove the rollers from my head. "Hair up or down?" Without even looking at me "Down." Carefully I fluff out the curls. I do feel hot. "Ok. I think I'm ready." Sarah has been my best friend since we were fourteen. All it took was her punching Jarrod Baker for teasing me. Best friends instantly. "Alright birthday girl let's go get drunk!" We laugh as we both put our heels on.

We are meeting some of friends at a club. I am officially twenty-five. Half way to Thirty. I assumed by Twenty-Five I would have been married. Nope, I am very single. Dumped the cheating asshole Alan months ago and never looked back. We met at press event for the team. He was a sports reporter, and I was the team photographer. He said all the right things, and showered me with gifts. It had been four months since the evening, when I answered the door to find his wife. Yes, his damn wife. Standing there looking for him. His pregnant wife.

"We're here bitch, let's get drunk and do something slutty!" Her crude vocabulary always makes me laugh. Sarah leads us up the stairs to the loft. The loft is full of close friends, some of the boys from the team, some of their significant others and Jason. Our college roomie from New York. "Jason!" a scream leaves my mouth as I jump into his scrawny arms we almost fall down. "Happy Birthday sexy lady. You are looking hot as fuck." Jason, was our roomie at art school. He stayed in New York after graduation and moved in with his boyfriend. I had no idea he was here.

"Jay I cannot believe you are here. You didn't say anything when you called me earlier." — "I wanted it to be a surprise. You only turn twenty-five once. Brian is here too." He scoots aside as I see his now fiancé. Some of the guys on the team come up and give me hugs. I love these boys. They became quick friends after I accepted the job as the Avalanches team photographer. My Uncle may be the coach but, he had nothing to do with the job.

Sarah appears at my side handing me a pink cocktail. "Here, drink this." Then she leaves me to flirt with the new striker we just signed. He is from Spain and Sarah smitten with is accent. I think she is just trying to piss off Heath to be honest. The night has officially begun. After a few drinks I am feeling loose and ready to dance, let's be honest it's only takes three drinks to get me like this. I am a light weight. I can't drink like a sailor like Sarah. My friend can hold her liquor. Sarah, Jason, Brian and I head down to the dance floor. Swaying my body to the beats, I feel sexy and free. My eyes are scanning the room as we all dance and laugh. Heath the starting forward on the team cozies up to Sarah. She may act like she hates him, but I know she loves when he flirts. My eyes lock onto a man in dark faded jeans, and a black tee stretched across his chest just right. He is sipping a glass of clear liquid. It's almost as he notices me too. Our eyes lock together as if they are magnets. The music fades into the background and like someone is pushing me I close the distance between us. This is a movie like meet cute.

Somehow my body practically floats to him. His dark brown hair is messy and groomed at the same time. He has a little scruff on his chin that makes me wonder what that would feel like on my thighs. He is tall and fit. Not huge muscles but lean muscle. His mouth turns upward in the corner giving me a devilish grin."It's my Birthday." I shout above the music. He licks his lips "Happy Birthday...."He pauses so I shout my name "Zoey." Someone bumps past me so I slam into him, my hands now resting on his firm chest. Oh baby is it firm. "Happy Birthday Zoey." his eyes are almost undressing me. Without second guessing myself I grab his face in between hands and kiss him. He pauses for a second pulling back before he grabs the back of my head and takes control of my lips. The world around me fades. This is the sexiest kiss of my life. I step away from his grasp. He almost looks sad I placed space between us. "Where are you going?" his eyebrow raises in question. "Back to my party. Bye."

Glancing behind my shoulder I can see he is watching me, that's kind of a thrilling knowing a man is watching me walk away, his mouth wide open like I just rocked his world. My hips sway a bit more for added effect. Back upstairs I chat with some of the guys. "Zoey! How's my favorite girl?" Heath plops down next to me. "I'm doing good, you?" Heath sips his drink and looks down to the dance floor at Sarah. Heath has gorgeous blue eyes, blonde hair that is always perfect. He isn't the tallest guy on the team but, he makes up for it with his larger than life personality. I love him. He is the guy you call when you need a laugh, or when you need a shoulder to cry on. "I'm good. Sarah is a sexy little tease isn't she?" this comment makes me laugh. "Just ask her out already." with a groan he tells me he is too chicken, and she doesn't like me that way. "I assure you, she would say yes. Don't let her fool you, she loves your attention." I pat him on the cheek and look down too. Hottie from the bar is chatting with some other good looking guys. From this angle I notice they all have soccer bodies. Muscles in the right places, built but not huge. "Hey do you know those guys?" nudging Heath with my elbow he almost spill his drink when I do. He looks to where I am looking.

"Yea, those are some of the San Francisco Breakers." he finishes his soda. The team has no alcohol before games rule. After it is fine but, not before. My uncle is a stricter about it. "We are gonna kick their asses Saturday." Soccer players for sure, other players for another team. In other words, a no go. I keep my hotter than hell kiss to myself. Looking back down, I see those eyes staring up at me. I roll my eyes and make my way to find Sarah.

When I reach the bottom of the stairs, soccer hottie is waiting for me. "There you are. Did I see you talking to a Avalanche player? I got to tell you those guys are gonna loose Saturday. " before he can start talking again I hold my hand up "Hey, those are my friends!" — "By the way my name is Owen. I play for the...." interrupting him "I know, the Breakers." I move to walk around him. He gently grabs my elbow "Zoey, what do you have against me?" Shoving him against the wall I get close to his face. "My Uncle happens to be the head Coach. So, you can guess..." his laugh is loud even above the music. "You can't tell me you didn't feel that, when you kissed me." Damn, he is right I sure did. I never do this, never just let go and kiss some random guy. I don't do one  night stands. I look around to make sure nobody can see me before I kiss him again. This time it's slow and less desperate. I am drunk for sure. I'm never this forward.

"This is very forward of me, especially since I'm playing against your Uncles team Saturday...but, do you wanna get out of here? I don't want to take advantage of you at all. So tell me no, if you aren't sober enough to know." This is stupid, leaving with some guy I don't even know. I shouldn't do this. It takes me a few moments to process. "Screw it. Ok. It's my Birthday and you owe me a present, and I am not too drunk to not know what I am doing." he lets out a laugh. I send Sarah a text as I head up to find my bag.

Me: So, I am about to do something slutty.
Sarah: Yes! do it.
Me: My location is on in case he is crazy.
Sarah: I can see him from here and he is hot as fuck.
Me: Soccer player....for the Breakers.
Sarah: Oh crap...who cares. I say go get it girl. You need a good night of hot sex. Stick it to Alan for being an ass.
Me: Fucking Alan. Love you.
Sarah: Fucking Alan. Love you.

Back at the bottom of the stairs Owen waits, he is typing on his phone too. "Telling your boys you're leaving with me?" He shoves his phone in his pocket. "You did the same didn't you." giving him a smile I nod. "Come on, soccer star."

The Uber ride to his hotel is quiet. I don't ever do this, leave with a random guy, not going to lie I'm nervous, my nerves sobered me up quick. His finger slowly trails up and down my thigh. Goosebumps cause a shiver to flow through my body. His touch is intoxicating. We've arrived at the hotel, he rushes to the door to let me out. His hand settles in the small of my back as we walk through the lobby. That is the sexiest thing when a man softly leads you. It's a gentle reminder he's there and he's with you only. The button for the elevator dings, we enter the elevator. It's almost as I'm holding my breath until the door closes. The tension in this elevator is outrageous. You can feel the desire swarming us. We crashed into other and hands are frantic all over our bodies. The elevator dings onto his floor. He grabs my hand and quickly leads me to his room. His eagerness makes me laugh out loud, probably waking his neighbors. After a few failed attempts due to me kissing him and clinging to him, the door opens.