The Keeper

Owen - Two

The guys and I are in Utah for a game Saturday. We are here at a club letting off some steam. Leaning against the bar I'm sipping my water. We have a strict no alcohol before games rule. The music is too loud, the dance floor is crowded. Some of the guys are on it with girls. I'm not usually a club scene guy. It's been six months since my divorce and the guys practically dragged me out tonight. I would rather be in my room, stretching and watching film before the game.

Minding my own business I'm just scanning the room. A pair of aquamarine eyes are staring right at me. Her little dress is sitting right at the part on the thigh that makes, you wonder what's under the rest of the fabric, that looks so soft. Her hair is a deep brown almost black, it is curled so fully I just wanna tangle my hands in it. Her hips are swaying to the beats, her lips are plump and a dark plum color. Before I realize she is looking back at me, she is in front of me. She's not tall by any means, or short really. She comes right to my chin, I scan her body. She is wearing some high heels, that make her legs look a mile long.

"It's my birthday!" She shouts over the music. "Happy birthday..." pausing for her name "Zoey!" I grin that's a cute name, she looks like a Zoey. "Happy Birthday Zoey!" Her hands grip my face and she plants a kiss on my lips. Taken by surprise I pull back a little, her eyes are begging for me. My hand grips the back of her head and I pull her in for another. My hands in her soft sexy hair. The music fades and I'm lost in this kiss with this random woman.

She pulls away after a few moments. A whine escapes from my throat "Where are you going?" I'm kind of sad she is walking away. "Back to my party, bye!" She struts her sexy little body away before she glances over her shoulder. What the hell just happened?

"Dude! I saw that. Who was that fine piece?" Josh our center forward punches my arm. "No clue. She just came up to me and kissed me." the next words out of his mouth are "The fuck!" Glancing to where his eyes are I see her and a guy. I immediately recognize him as Avalanche player Heath Murphy. He's actually a decent player. How does he know Zoey?

Why do I even care? I don't even know this woman. My eyes are still staring right at her when she rolls her eyes at me, then no stands up. I need to know this woman, she has bewitched me, I wait at the bottom of the stairs. "How do you know Heath?" I say something about how we're gonna kick their asses. She looks so irritated. "He's my friend." Before I can tell her who I am, she knows. Apparently she is the coaches niece. Damn.

After a few moments of banter we are leaving the club together. Maybe I need a one night stand. Get over fucking Kelsey. Get over seeing my wife in bed with the owner of the team. Apparently it's my fault since I didn't give her enough attention. Which is bullshit.

After attacking each other in the elevator we make it to my room. The door slams. I spin her around caging her in against the door. Her chest moving up and down quick. Her tits are incredible in this deep v dress. Our bodies collide and clothes are being removed.

The next few hours are spent worshiping each other all over the room, and shower.

A loud alarm from my phone wakes me up. Eight am. "Practice in an hour" I suddenly remember the night before, turning over I see the bed is empty. Sitting up there is no trace of her anywhere all but, a small note on the pillow.

"Thanks for a fun birthday night. Good luck. Even though we will kick your asses. - Zoey"

This isn't me, sleeping with a random woman. I'm the one woman guy. The guy who falls hard and fast. The guy who wants to be a husband and a father. Something Kelsey didn't want was kids. That is one of many reasons we fought. We were young and in love. Now at twenty-eight I want more.

The game is over. We unfortunately lost. It was a good game though. We all play hard and it was fun, sometimes games are tense and sometimes they are plain fun. Sitting on the plane heading back to California, my mind wanders to that brown haired beauty from the club. I can hear the soft snores of my teammates around me while drifting to sleep, dreaming of Zoey.

Four years later....

"Owen...we are excited to have you on our team. The Avalanches are lucky to have you as our new keeper." The head coach says while shaking my hand. "Thank you sir. I am excited to be a part of your team. It's going to be fun!" He gives me pat on the back and begins to show me around the field. Making small talk I bring up the woman I met three years ago who I remember is his niece. "So Coach Clawson. This may be random but, I met your niece a few years ago. Is she still around town? I would love to meet up and make some more friends." He chuckles "Yep, she's around. She actually works here." She works here. Oh man. That information causes a burn in my chest. "You will see her later at the team press event." I try to not seem overly eager "Ok, awesome!" Will she remember me? Every other time we have played here I secretly hoped I would bump into her. Sure, I could have found her number. Part of me was scared I would scare her away. It was just a one nightstand right?

I got traded to the Avalanches and it honestly came at a perfect time. My ex wife is marrying that asshole she cheated on me with. Being around them sucked as it, but then finding out they're getting married was like getting stabbed in the back. Oh and she is fucking pregnant with a baby.

A new team, a new city, new friends and a new life. This is what I need. After being introduced to a few guys from the team, I meet Heath Murphy. "Hey man, I am stoked you are here. We have been hurting for a new keeper since Duke retired. You are the real deal." — "Thanks, you are not bad yourself. I saw your game against Texas. Nice work." He chuckles and accepts the compliment. After chatting with some more guys. I head back to my new house before the event later. My new house is still filled with boxes. The place is too big for just me. It has a back yard is full of trees, different then my apartment in the city. I loved this one since it has a gate around it. I like my privacy. Not like money is an issue, but it was good deal. My new contract was three times my last amount. I'm about to hit the shower when my phone rings. Mom calling....

"Hey mom!" I can hear her fighting the tears already. "My sweet son, how are you settling?" I plop my butt on the couch "Met the coach and team today. Have a press event in a few hours. I wanted to get some boxes unpacked before." Before I can finish my sentence she speaks "That's good, I still am so sad you left me. Just to think you aren't an hour away anymore, kills me." She starts to cry. "I saw Kelsey today...that skank was leaving the dress shop." My mom is quite the bad ass, she would probably go to jail for her family. Yet, she is the sweetest person. "Mom, don't call her that. It's fine. We divorced years ago." "Maybe you will meet a nice girl in Utah. Just make sure they are ok with our family of sinners." — "Mom, I don't think all girls here are religious. Don't worry I will let them know we are sinners." We both start laughing. I am the only boy. I have three sisters. The oldest Jane is on her fourth husband currently living in Napa, her new husband owns a winery but he is an ass, she sure picks the best guys, the next oldest Hannah, she and her wife live is New York and own a coffee shop, we have me, then youngest of us my sister Lydia had a kid at sixteen, she is in San Diego working as a florist.

"Alright Ma, I gotta get going. I will call Sunday evening." After saying our goodbyes I start to unpack a box.