Chase: James, are you awake?

Bailey: Just heading to bed.

Chase: Can I call you in a sec?

Bailey: Sure.

*

I set the phone down on the nightstand and pulled myself upright, leaning against Chase's wooden headboard. It was a little strange being in his bedroom without him; his presence permeated the room like a ghost. And the bed smelled just like him, infused with that intoxicating blend of his cologne and his scent.

Not that I'd been inhaling the pillowcase or anything. Okay, I totally was.

Oh my god, I really liked him. It was terrifying.

A moment later, my phone vibrated. My stomach did a little twirl as I grabbed it, hitting the green accept icon. "Hi."

"Hey, baby," Chase said, his voice deep and hypnotically suggestive. It did something to my brain—and other parts of my body. "What are you wearing?"

I laughed. "Are you drunk?" Somehow, I could tell by the lilt in his voice.

"I mean..." he trailed off. "Maybe a little."

In the background, one of the guys yelled, "More than a little, you fucking lightweight."

"Just ignore Ward," he said. "Lightly buzzed at the most."

"Don't you have another game tomorrow?" I shifted, pulling the soft grey comforter higher around my torso to combat the chill in the air. Chase was like a portable furnace; I was never cold when he was in the bed with me.

"It's all good. I'm a machine."

"I'm sure." My gaze drifted across the room, landing on the white closet door to Chase's walk-in closet. Then I remembered what he said about his hoodies. "Are you at the hotel?"

Sliding out of bed, I walked over and opened the closet, studying its contents for a second. Like everything else of Chase's, it was neatly organized, broken into categorical sections. It still surprised me how tidy he was all of the time.

Reaching past the suits, I grabbed a dark grey Falcons sweatshirt off one of the hangers and slipped it on over my head. It was a little too big in the way that made it fit just right, well-broken in to make it soft and cozy.

"Yeah," Chase said. "Some of the guys snuck out, but we stayed behind to have a couple beers here instead. Then I got to thinking about you in my bed, so here we are."

I couldn't lie, it did put my mind at ease knowing he hadn't gone out. Not that I thought Chase would do anything, but I knew lots of guys with girlfriends hooked up on the road. Learned that one the hard way.

"The bed does seem awfully empty without you hogging all the space."

Pulling back the covers, I crawled back underneath them and shifted around, getting comfortable again. His bed was a dream. The mattress was the ideal blend between soft and firm, the comforter was nice and fluffy, and the pillows were clouds of perfection. It was so much better than my cheap IKEA setup at home.

"Me?" His laugh was deep, beckoning. "James, you're adorable, but sleep diagonally."

He had me there; I was a chaotic sleeper. At home, I took up my entire double bed. I also tossed and turned so much that sometimes the edges of the fitted sheet came off the mattress. Though my sleep seemed less restless with Chase, maybe because I had less space to sprawl out.

"I never told you what I was wearing." I shivered, pulling up the soft cotton cuffs of his sweatshirt so they half-covered my icy hands. I swear the guys kept the thermostat at their place almost as cold as a refrigerator. Maybe Shiv and I could turn up the heat a degree or two while they were gone.

"If you're trying to distract me from your bed-stealing ways, it is absolutely working," he said. "Go on."

"One of your hoodies, of course."

And he may or may not be getting it back, but I wasn't going to tell him that part. Maybe he wouldn't notice if it just disappeared.

"Ah." Chase sighed. "And I'm not even there to see it."

"Tomorrow," I said. "How was the game?"

"Awesome," he said. "I got into a fight. And won, obviously."

My shoulders shook with laughter, because it was so on-brand. "Of course you did."

I was pretty sure he'd been involved in at least a minor tussle in every game of his that I had seen. Then again, the Boyd-Callingwood rivalry ran deep, so that may not have been solely his fault. Likely not all of his games were so heated.

Then again, he practically had a PhD. in Antagonizing, so maybe they were.

"Hey, the other team took a five-minute major for it," he said, feigning innocence. "I didn't start it."

"Sure you didn't." I shook my head, smiling. "I'm sure you had nothing to do with instigating that whatsoever. What about the rest of the game?"

"We won 4-3," he said. "I got two assists."

"Nice. That'll be good for your stats." Though they were strong enough to begin with this season.

"How'd you make out with Shiv?"

"Good," I said, fighting back a yawn. It wasn't even that late, I had no excuse for being so tired other than heavy Mexican food and one super-strong margarita. Shiv mixed drinks like she was trying to tranquilize an elephant.

"We called and made appointments to go look at a few places on Wednesday after lunch," I added. "They're all pretty central, right around the river district. About ten minutes from your place."

Siobhan and I had combed the rental ads scrupulously, narrowing it down to the three top contenders for now. If those didn't pan out, then we had two more backups to consider. But there was a cute little two bedroom with a balcony on Green Street that I had my hopes set on.

It was recently updated, on a good street, and two minutes from the train. Big windows, sunny living room, and—best part of all—two bathrooms. Exactly what I pictured for the perfect starting-over apartment, so I was praying no one would snatch it up before we could go look.

"Perfect," he said teasingly. "Then you can swing by our home game when you're done."

My throat tightened. "You know you're playing us, right?"

"Yeah. Still too weird?" Chase asked, tone softening. "It's okay, I get it."

It was weird, but maybe it always would be.

"I'm not sure." I drew in a breath, holding it for a beat. "Can I think about it? It's just about Derek at this point. It's a little...awkward for me."

Who would I even cheer for? Both sides? Neither?

"No worries," he said. "If not, maybe the next one."

I could tell he was trying to hide it, but there was a hint of disappointment in his voice that hit me right in the gut. All of a sudden, I felt wildly guilty, because I'd attended Luke's games religiously. All of them.

I hadn't been to a single one of Chase's.

"You know what? I'll come," I said.

Shiv and I would just sit far, far away from Jillian and Amelia. Like, on the other side of the arena. But I knew where they usually sat, so they should be easy enough to avoid. Before and after might take some extra vigilance, but I would figure it out.

Plus, I actually did want to go see Chase play.

His voice brightened. "Yeah?"

"Yeah." Another yawn creeped in as I was speaking.

"Sweet," he said. "You sound tired, baby. I'll let you get to sleep. But I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"

"Sounds good," I said. "Night, Carter."

"Night, James."

James in my bed without me. Self-inflicted torture.

I ended the call, staring down at the screen. Picturing James, underneath the covers. Her pouty lips. Those soft sighs. Long legs tangled in mine...

Then I glanced up to find Ward standing in front of where I was sitting on the edge of the hotel bed.

He stared me down, lips quirking. "How's your girlfriend?"

Not even going to argue that point again, although strictly speaking we hadn't defined it like that.

I mean, I kind of wanted to. I just didn't know how to approach that. I wanted her to be mine in a very basic, very primal way—caveman-like, as she'd said in the locker room that way.

"Good," I said. "Making apartment plans with Shiv."

"Yeah." His posture stiffened, expression shifting from amusement into something unreadable. "Shiv mentioned that."

I narrowed my eyes, studying him. "You don't want Shiv to leave, do you?"

And Ward gave me grief about Bailey. This dude.

"What?" Dallas made a face, but he was a terrible actor. "No, it's fine. I'll be glad to have my space back and all that..." He gestured vaguely around the room, which did precisely nothing to help sell his lie.

"You do realize the places they're looking at are only like, ten minutes away, right?"

At this point, I was just stoked I might be able to actually spend time at Bailey's place someday. Not being public enemy number one in her home would be great.

"Yeah, I know."

Ty strolled over, Amber beer bottle in hand. "Enough gossip, bitches. Are we playing poker or what? Davis and Fitz are in, too."

"You want to get taken to the cleaners again?" I asked. "It's like you two never learn."

Not that I should complain. A little extra pocket money never hurt. And they just made it so damn easy.

"You got lucky," Dallas grumbled.

I cocked a brow. "The last five times?" Standing up, I reached into my back pocket, pulling out my wallet.

Ty held out his free hand, beckoning for the buy-in money.

"Put up or shut up."

*

Many hands later, it was down to me and Fitz, one of our senior defensemen. He wasn't a bad poker player, though not quite as good as he believed. He played in tournaments recreationally, which tended to give him an inflated sense of confidence relative to his actual skill.

And made him the perfect mark.

Ty reached over, dealing the final card. The river gave me the 9 of spades I'd desperately needed.

Beauty.

"Call." Fitz raked a hand through his copper hair—his tell. I was pretty sure he had something, just not something big enough to beat me.

"Flip 'em," I said, nodding at his hand.

Fitz turned over his cards to reveal a full house: three 8s and two kings. Not bad.

Then I flipped my cards over, displaying a straight flush in all its glory: a 9, 10, jack, queen, and king of spades.

Fitz's eyes bulged and he slapped the round tabletop. His face reddened beneath his freckles and he made a fist, pounding his thigh beneath the table.

"Dammit, Carter!"

"Bullshit," Dallas muttered. "Did you have those up your sleeve or what?"

Ty cleared his throat. "Ahem, the dealer is right here, jackass, and that shit wouldn't fly at my table. I have fucking eyes."

"What?" I shrugged, pushing the cards over to Tyler to put away. "You thought I was bluffing?"

Fitz gestured with the neck of his beer, still baffled. "You went in big on a pair of 2s a few hands ago."

"All a part of the game, my friend."

That pot had been small, the payoff huge. Because it made Fitz think I was a reckless idiot, which was why he went all in against me just now.

I ended the night $200 richer. Can't say Ididn't warn them.

A calm chapter but isn't there a big game coming up? Hmm...

Don't forget to hit the star if you enjoyed the chapter!