Sidney
I go through the motions warming up for the game while I keep an eye out for Anna. Since that night in her hotel room, the second night, I've been thinking about her all the time. Even in my dreams, which makes for a very uncomfortable wake up call. Last night, I woke up in the middle of the night from an orgasm with the resulting mess everywhere.
Before practice this morning, I heard Geno laughing and talking with Anna. He had his arm around her and she was laughing at him. I felt an unexpected jolt of jealousy watching the two of them so comfortable with each other and Anna showing Geno such easy affection. I know that its work and they could even be developing a friendship but there was that jealous racing through me anyway.
I've been tied up in knots by this girl ever since I saw her in that dress. Actually, if I'm honest with myself, I'd admit that that I've been noticing her since I first saw her. At first it was her professionalism and how good she was at her job. The more we interacted, the more I noticed her physical attributes. Ha, 'attributes', I noticed her ass in those tight skirts. Now I really want to get to know her. She's usually so buttoned up, physically you can see it but also with sharing who she is and what she thinks. I'm able to chip through that shell every time we spend time together and that needs to continue.
"And this is the locker room where some of the players are dressing and warming up."
I look up and see Anna with a group of men walk into the locker room. The first thing I notice is that Anna looks different. She's dressed in her usual uniform of a button down shirt, skirt to the knees, heels a little too high to be considered conservative, and modest jewellery. This time she's also wearing a jacket to match her skirt which she usually ditches before the game. She is also standing very straight and has her 'professional smile' on.
The next thing I notice are the men with her. They all look the same: button down shirts rolled up at the sleeves, pressed khakis and loafers. Behind the group of men is another group of people on cell phones watching the group with Anna. It's easy to tell that they are politicians. I wonder why they are with Anna.
"Is that Sidney Crosby?" a guy with a New Jersey accent asks Anna.
"Yes it is" she answers with 'that' smile.
"Can we meet him?" another guy asks.
"We don't like to interrupt the player's warm ups, maybe after the game" she says apologetically.
The men murmur their discord at Anna so I stand up. Usually I hate to interrupt my pre-game routines but it will only take me a few minutes and it will help Anna.
"It's ok Anna" I say as I approach the group. "I can make an exception this once."
I give them my own 'company' smile and shake hands with each man as Anna introduces them. There are a couple of senators and the rest are congressmen. Politicians all of them. I knew it.
We exchange pleasantries, the kind that mean nothing after they're said, and then they each want pictures. It's taking all of the patience I can muster to keep the smile in place and answer their questions. Thankfully, Anna steps in before I reach my limit and want to kill everyone.
"Sid, thank you so much" she tells me. "I know you need to get back to your warm ups."
It takes a few more minutes to shake everyone's hand again and accept their good wishes for a great season. Of course each of them acknowledges that the good wishes are only good if it's not against their home team. Every one of them chuckles when they say it as if it's the funniest thing in the world and they ignore that everyone has said it before them.
When I'm back at my stall, Duper leans in and asks "what was that?"
"Anna is giving a tour to a bunch of politicians" I reply. "I don't know why but" and I shrug.
"Sid, seriously, you don't know why?"
He's looking at me like crazy but I really can't think of why she'd be giving these guys a tour. I would think that it would be the Caps PR who would do it.
"No, I don't get it" I tell him.
Duper lowers his voice and says "it's rumoured that her father is going to run for president. They're probably here to suck up to her so that she'll tell her father."
Oh, that makes sense. Duper goes back to putting on his gear and I stare at my skates. Did they really just come here to suck up to Anna in order to get to her father? That's horrible. They're bothering her at work in the brief hope that she'll talk to her dad about them. She's already working long hours and then they make her deal with that shit too. It's crazy.
I put that stuff aside and continue getting ready for the game. There's five minutes before I need to be in the locker room for the coach's final thoughts so I get my phone from the change room. I do a quick Google search and find a funny political cartoon and send it via text to Anna. Maybe this will give her a chuckle.
I make it back to the locker room and sit in my stall as Mike walks into the room. He goes through the last minute directions for handling the Caps and announces who is starting the game. It's my line which will probably mean that they'll start with Ovechkin's line. I love starting a game against the other team's top line. It's the best way to get engaged right away.
When Mike's done, I put my helmet on and lift my stick. I see Anna across the room and she smiles at me and mouths 'thank you' while holding up her phone.
"What are you smiling at?" Duper asks me.
I turn and he's looking at me quizzically but I just shake his head and say "nothing."
The game goes by quickly and we spend most of the game playing catch up behind the Caps. They get a lead and then we tie it. They get the lead again and then we tie it. Flower all but stands on his head to stop pucks but we suck in front of him. Thankfully the Caps' defense has holes in it too. With twenty seconds left, I'm on the ice with Geno and the score is tied. The play is frantic and there's no time to think. Every movement is instinct and reaction. Geno's instinct is to go to the net and I know him well enough that my pass meets his stick which he buries five hole on Holtby.
The mood is high in the locker room. We've had a very successful first road trip of the season winning all three games. The music is loud and the guys are yelling and congratulating each other.
When the music is suddenly silenced, we all look to the door and Jen is standing there with her ever present folio. We know that means the media is on the way. I quickly grab my hat and a towel and sit down to wait. I don't have to wait long.
Anna
We won the game. Unfortunately, I spent an hour that I didn't have with the senators and congressmen giving them a tour and meeting some of the players before the game. Sid was incredibly kind to break from his warm up to do a meet and greet with them. I don't know if he could tell how stressed out I was but it was a welcomed few moments when I could pull myself together while they focused on Sid.
My head is still pounding and I've taken more than a few aspirin. The cold wash cloth over my eyes is helping. So is the glass of wine that the flight attendant gave me and the white noise of the plane's engines. We land in thirty minutes and then I'll be in my bed thirty minutes after that. I can't wait.
"Can I sit?"
I remove the wash cloth and see Sid standing in the aisle. He sits beside me after I nod.
"Are you ok?" he asks.
"I'm fine" I respond.
Sid frowns, pauses a moment and then asks again "are you ok?"
I ignore his question and say "thank for the cartoon. It was really funny."
He smiles and says "I'm glad but don't think that I've not noticed you ignored my question."
Damn.
"I'm just tired. It's my first road trip and I don't think I quite realized just how much work it would be. Did you see Adam?" I ask and nod behind us where Adam is currently asleep and snoring.
"Yeah" Sid says and chuckles. "I was curious about why you were giving those politicians a tour. I would have thought that someone from the Caps would give them the tour since they're the home town team."
How do I answer him? Do I tell him that everyone is constantly sucking up to my father since the rumours have heated up that he's going to run for president? I suddenly want to pour my heart out to Sid but many years of practice has me obfuscating.
"Maybe the Caps were busy" I tell him. "Or it could be because they know who I am."
"Probably the last one, right?"
I sigh and nod.
"That must be frustrating or annoying for you. Does it happen often?"
"This is the first time" I tell him.
"We're only five games into the season and you ignored my question again."
I sigh again.
"It depends on where I am. It doesn't happen that often in the hockey world. Very rarely do I get recognized as the governor's daughter. It's not like he's the president. I'm hardly well known by the general public."
Sid is thoughtful for a few minutes and stares directly ahead. I'm glad that this conversation seems to have run out and really want to change the subject.
"Has your dad gone home?" I ask him.
"Yeah, he went home after our home games. Sometimes he'll come to away games toward the end of the season but he doesn't travel with us a lot."
"Is it true that he stays in the same hotel rather than staying with you in Pittsburgh?"
Sid laughs and says "yeah, he does."
"Why? You must have a lot of room in your new house."
"It's our routine" he tells me. Ah, even his dad is superstitious. "How do you know that I have a new house?"
I try to think fast how to answer him. Surely I can't tell him that I listen to anyone who is talking about Sid and heard it from one of the other interns.
"I think I heard it in the office" I tell him. "Do you have a home in Nova Scotia too?"
Sid smiles and tells me about his house in Canada. He built it the second summer he was in the NHL. The first summer he stayed at his parents' home but then he wanted his own. It's on a lake where he fishes, has a full gym and a shooting pad to practice shots. The way he talks about it makes me understand how much he loves the east coast and his home town.
"Wow, it sounds wonderful" I tell him. "How long do you get to spend there?"
"It depends on the schedule but usually most of July and all of August."
We talk more about his home town and what it was like growing up there. He had a pretty typical life until he was nine years old. That's when the scouts started noticing how good he was.
"Scouts started noticing you when you were nine years old?" I ask with incredulity.
Sid shrugs.
"How did they know that you were going to be, well, you?" I ask.
"I guess I always played with kids older than I was which got around. At five years old I was playing with eight year olds. In my teens, I tried to play with the older leagues and my parents even went to court to get the rules overturned but they lost."
I'm stunned. They went to court to get him to play hockey? It sounds absurd to me.
"Why couldn't you just play with the kids your age? You'd be a star, right?" I ask.
"Sure but you only get better and challenge yourself by playing with those better than you. When I played with the older guys, they were faster and bigger and it made me play better."
"It makes sense I guess. So what happened when you lost the court case?"
"I was also getting a lot of grief from the players and parents so my parents sent me away to school. Shattucks St. Mary."
"What do you mean that you got grief from the parents?" I ask him.
"They didn't like that I was getting goals or had the puck so much. They wanted it for their kids I guess. It makes sense" he answers and shrugs.
"It makes sense except that you were a kid. They were grown adults who should know better" I tell him. Sid smiles at me. "What?" I ask.
"You're getting awfully worked up for something that happened fifteen years ago when you didn't even know me."
"Yeah, well" is all I can manage. He's right and I don't know why I'm so angry. "It's just not right. Adults should know better."
"It's hockey in Canada" he says as if it explains everything.
The flight attendant tells us that we're preparing to land and then continues up the aisle.
"I guess I should go back to my seat" Sid says but doesn't move.
"You realize that you're not moving right?" I tell him and smile.
"I guess I don't want to go" he says.
I feel my heart actually skip a beat. Holy crap. How does he do that with seven little words?
"Sidney" I begin but don't know what to say next.
"I want to get to know you Anna" he says in a low voice. "Don't you want that too?"
I feel his words echo throughout my entire body. He wants to know me. What if there are parts that he doesn't want to know? How do I keep those parts hidden? I find the easiest excuse.
"Sid, I could lose my job" I tell him.
"What do you mean?"
"It's in my contract that I can't have relationships with other employees. You may be the captain of the team but you are still a paid employee."
"Are you serious?" he asks.
"Yeah, you've never heard of that before?"
"No. I've never been interested in having a relationship with anyone so it never came up I guess."
"You haven't?" I ask. Did I really just ask him that?
"No, Anna, I haven't" he tells me leaning in close. "Until now."
I'm mesmerized by his eyes and his lips. What were we talking about?
"Sid, really, I could lose my job."
He sits up and his expression becomes unreadable.
"Ok" he tells me and stands. "I understand." He turns to go but then looks back at me. "Don't think that I didn't notice you ignored the question. You didn't say no."
Damn, I watch him walk away and know that he's right. I didn't say no.
Sidney
Even though we have the day off, I need to be at the arena to do some publicity pictures for the Pens and Roots. At least Jen was able to organize it so that they happen at the same time. Three hours is easier if they're all together. This is one of the things I hate the most about the job. I'm a hockey player not an actor or model. I think I'd kill myself if I had to stand in front of a camera all day and recite lines or turn this way, then that way, now smile, less, more.
I see both Jen and Anna when I enter the players' lounge. It takes a lot of willpower to keep a huge smile off of my face when I see Anna. I thought a lot about what she told me on the plane. She could lose her job if anyone found out that we were, well, together. I decided that I should just stay away from her. Then I decided that we could simply keep it a secret. Then I decided we should stay away from each other. Then I went back and forth like that all night without coming to a final conclusion. My head, which I rely on to make smart decisions, is warring with other parts of my body. For the first time, I'm not sure who's going to win.
"Hi Sid" Jen says as I approach them.
"Hi Jen" I reply then turn. "Good morning Anna."
"Hi" she says softly.
"Sid, there are a few guys doing interviews and photo shoots today so Anna and a few others will help run the day's schedule" Jen says.
Does that mean I'm lucky enough to have Anna with me?
"I've assigned Anna to you and Kris" Jen confirms.
I won't have Anna to myself but I will get to spend a few hours with her today. The thought excites me.
When Kris enters the room, Jen explains to us the process, who we'll be meeting with and what we want to accomplish for the day. Most of our interviews are left up to us and how we answer questions. There are standard things that all hockey players say and then there are messages that the Pens want expressed. Today is one of those days when we have common messaging.
"Any questions?" Jen asks Tanger and me.
Neither of us has any so Jen heads off to check on everything else and leaves us with Anna.
"We have ten minutes before we begin which means you have about five minutes if there's anything you need to do" Anna tells us. When both Tanger and I shake our heads, Anna says "last call for the bathroom for the next three hours guys."
Tanger says "I'll be right back."
Anna looks at me, so I tell her "I'm good, thanks."
She smiles. I love her smile. I could get lost in her smile. Her green eyes brighten when she smiles and I see a glimmer of the depth of emotion there that she keeps banked and hidden away. Only a few times has she let her guard down so that those emotions come to the surface.
"Jen trusts you a lot" I tell her.
Anna first looks surprised and then pensive.
"What do you mean?" she asks.
"In all the time that she's been here, she's never had an intern work so closely with the core players. Take today for example. In the past, Jen would frantically be ushering me from place to place as well as making sure the whole event is run well. I guess now that she has you, she can delegate more."
"She could do that with anyone Sid. We have a great group of interns."
"Why do you do that?" I ask a little more harshly than I intended.
"Do what?"
"Whenever someone gives you a compliment, you brush it off or disagree. Surely you see how talented you are. Why the self-deprecation?"
Anna frowns and I watch her process what I've said.
"I didn't know that I do that" she tells me with a shrug.
"Well you do and you should listen and believe more of what people tell you. Even if you don't believe it when I say that you're good at your job, you must realize that Jen wouldn't give you this responsibility if she didn't think that she could trust you to do it well? Consider today for example. You are assigned media-facing stuff. You aren't stuffing envelopes, lugging equipment around or helping photographers set up. She's given you important work."
I stop when I realize that my little monologue was impassioned, I've moved closer so that I'm only inches away and my hand is holding her elbow. I drop my hand immediately and take a step back. I watch her head tilt to the right, her lips part and her tongue moisten her bottom lip. Unfortunately, she doesn't say anything because Tanger is back and we're off to our first media stop.
The first stop is Roots Sports. Tanger gets interviewed first by Potash and I get my picture taken. Anna gives me my sweater and makes sure that both the photographer and I have everything we need before she leaves presumably to check on Tanger.
I catch myself before I roll my eyes as the make-up person dusts my face with powder. This is the worst of the horrible things we have to do during photo sessions. Sometimes they want to put on more than powder too. If possible, it's written in my endorsement contracts what 'make up' I will and won't wear. There was a horrible shoot about eight years ago where they wanted me to wear eye liner to 'bring out' my eyes more. I learned my lesson from that one.
Thankfully, it doesn't last too long and then Tanger and I trade places. It's Potash doing the interview. There's a series of questions that they ask all of the players and use during the game day broadcasts.
We joke around a bit before we begin. Potash has been around my entire career with the Pens and he's like a team member now. Regardless of ages, we all treat him like the little brother you love to have around but love to yank his chain even more.
I notice that Anna stays for the interview. I need to force myself to concentrate on Potash.
"What is the weirdest thing you've ever been asked to autography?" Potash asks.
"It happened in Florida on our last trip. Someone asked me to autograph a coconut" I tell him.
We joke back and forth about it for a few moments.
"Who is your celebrity crush?"
Without conscious thought, my eyes go directly to Anna's. I'm suddenly very aware of her presence and the nature of the question I've been asked.
"Um" I begin. Smooth, really smooth. "I'd say Jennifer Gardner."
I've always gone for the athletic type of girl. I see Anna's lips tighten. Damn, Potash had to ask that question. The last thing I want to talk about in front of Anna is another girl; although, it's a celebrity crush and not someone I would ever meet never mind date. Why would that bother Anna?
The questions continue and become more benign and silly. I'd love to hear what some of the guys answered especially to questions about the team. Who is the biggest prankster? It's a toss-up between Flower, Duper and Tanger. It's interesting that they're all from Quebec.
When the interview is done, I follow Anna to where Tanger is waiting for us and taking of his sweater. Anna ushers us to our next stop and then the next. We finish the day in exactly the three hours promised and Tanger leaves us right away to pick up his son at pre-school. It's Anna and I left alone again and I muse how to take advantage of this time.
"Is there anything else you need Sid?"
Anna is professional and almost impersonal with her question. She could almost be saying 'Mr. Crosby' instead of 'Sid.'
"No" I answer unsure of what to say or do. "Thanks for everything Anna."
She smiles and says goodbye. I still don't know what to do so I just watch her walk away. Fuck.
The afternoon goes by quickly because I have so many things to do. After a road trip, there is the mundane household stuff to take care of and, although I wouldn't admit it, I like it. First is the dry cleaner, then Walmart and then the grocery store. It takes twice as long at the grocery store because I get recognize. Thankfully I still have time to drop off all the groceries at home and then meet the guys for dinner.
I'm distracted throughout dinner. The guys laugh and joke around me but my mind keeps straying back to Anna. I wonder what she's doing tonight. Is she out with friends? Oh fuck, is she out on a date? I feel distinct pangs of jealousy as I think of her out on a date in that dress she wore in New York. I'm so disturbed by these thoughts that I decline going out to a bar with the guys after dinner.
Now I sit on my sofa, bottle of water in one hand and my phone in the other while absently watching a Rangers Canadiens game. I want to call her. I just want to hear her voice. Would she pick up? What if she is out on a date? Fuck. I give up and text her.
'You busy?'
I wait, and wait, and wait. It feels like hours but I know that it's just a few minutes. Finally, she texts back.
'Not really'
I feel relief that she's not on a date.
'What are you doing?' I ask.
'Watching the NY MTL game'
Holy shit, she's watching hockey and the exact game I'm watching.
'Got time to talk?'
Again she makes me wait. And wait. And wait. Finally my phone rings.
"Hi" I answer.
"Hi."
There's an awkward silence that follows. I got her on the phone so now what.
"Ow!" she exclaims.
"Are you ok?"
"Yeah, did you see that hit?" she asks.
I focus back on the TV and watch Tanner Glass plaster PK Subban into the boards. I've been on the receiving end of that hit and it definitely hurts.
"Yeah, ouch" I reply.
"Why didn't he get a penalty?" she asks.
As the reply is shown in slow motion, I walk her through the hit and the rules that allow that kind of hit. It was full body, a nanosecond after PK passed the puck and no head contact. It's a textbook clean hit.
"I know you guys where pads but doesn't that hurt?" she sound incredulous as she asks her question.
"We do wear pads and the boards are made so that they give a little when you hit them. We also learn how to take a hit so that it hurts less; but, to answer your question, yes it does hurt. I've been hit by Glasser too and know first-hand."
"That's another thing that I don't get" she says. It seems she's in the mood to talk even if it is about hockey rather than her. "I don't get the nicknames. I understand Duper and Flower is creative; but, why put an 'r' at the end of some names that make it even longer?"
I can't help laughing at her question. She even makes this question sound haughty. It seems that when Anna feels something is confusing, doesn't make sense, or seems stupid, she gets quite haughty.
"I don't know. It's just the way it happens I guess" I reply.
"Are you laughing at me?"
She sounds haughtier, if that's possible or even a word, and I chuckle again.
"I'm sorry Anna. I can't help it. You just sound so" I don't know how to finish.
"So what?" she asks.
"I'm really sorry but all I can think of is how haughty you sound."
She doesn't reply. In fact, I have to look at my phone to make sure that we're still connected, we are.
"Anna?" Nothing. "Anna? Are you there?"
After a few moments, she says "you take that back."
Is she serious? Is she kidding? Did I piss her off?
"I'm serious Sidney." Oh oh, she's using my full name like my mom does when she's pissed. "You take that back Sidney Crosby or I will tell the entire team that you read Fifty Shades of Grey."
I expel a sigh of relief. She's definitely kidding.
"Ok, ok, I take it back" I tell her. "Anything but that."
Finally, I hear her start to laugh. At first it's a chuckle but then it becomes a full-on giggle. I don't think I've heard her giggle before and it's a beautiful, girly sound.
"Ok" she says when she can speak. "But I would love to see what Pascal or Marc would do with that information."
"It might be fun, for you" I tell her.
"Oh, it would definitely be fun for me and hell for you I imagine."
"Yes, a horrible hell."
"Ok, I won't tell them but you need to answer one question for me."
I'm hesitant but I say "ok."
"You never told me why you read Fifty Shades of Grey."
I know that my face is turning red and I'm so glad we're on the phone. She's remembering our conversation from the elevator?
"I'm waiting Sid" she says in a sing-song voice.
"Ok fine" I tell her. I close my eyes as if that will make it easier to say. "I heard some of the guy's wives talking about it for weeks. When they talked about some of the details, I wondered about it so I bought the books."
"You bought them because you wondered about them? That's it?"
She's to fucking perceptive.
"Not completely" I admit. I wanted to get to know more about Anna so how come we're talking about me? "I've always wanted to do, um, wanted to try, you know. I thought that I could see what made the wives so interested."
"Oh Sid. You are seriously adorable."
She just called me adorable. I guess that's a good thing.
"And why did you read them Anna."
"You could say that I was curious too."
Her voice lowers and she sounds uncertain or maybe shy. I can't tell so I decide to take a chance.
"What were you curious about?" I ask.
She's doesn't answer me immediately. Maybe I went too far. I intended to keep it light and just get to know her by chatting about easy, benign things. Instead I immediately go to sex. Wait a minute, she's the one who brought up the book and asked me first, right?
"Ok" she begins. "I really have no experience with, you know, that kind of thing and I was curious too."
Oh. Wow.
"Curious enough to try it?" I ask.
"Oh no, I've never tried that."
Hmm.
"But you want to?" I ask.
"Well" she begins and pauses. "Not, you know, the pain part but, the other stuff, maybe."
She speaks hesitantly, softly, and I feel her voice directly in my dick.
"What do you want to try?" I ask.
I hear a nervous, soft giggle but nothing else. I wait for her to answer but she says nothing.
"Do you want to be tied up?" I ask stunned at my sudden bravery.
It suddenly feels vital that I know the answer.
"Yes" she says so softly that I almost don't hear her.
Wow.
"Blindfolded?" I ask.
"Yes."
Now I can imagine her in that tight dress, arms behind her back with her wrists bound and a blindfold covering her eyes. Fuck.
This conversation has gone way over the line. It's so far over that I can't even see the line anymore. Why does this girl have this kind of effect on me? Who fucking cares right now?
"Would you like me to tie you up and blindfold you?" I ask.
My voice is low and deep. I almost growl the question at her.
"Sid" she says but stops.
"Would you?" I ask again maybe pushing too hard.
"Yes."
I feel I might explode at that one word. Yes. One word that holds so much promise and so much potential pleasure. I've never had the guts to ask any girl I've been with to try this with me. Maybe it's that we're on the phone so it's less embarrassing or maybe it's simply because it's Anna; but, I feel safe asking her the question and know that she won't laugh at me.
I can hear her breath quicken into the phone. It's soft but I can definitely hear it. She's affected by this conversation as much as I am.
"Is that all you want Anna?"
"No" she answers.
"Then what else?"
I hear her sigh into the phone and instinctively know that our sex talk is over.
"Sid, I can't" she tells me in a pained voice.
Is she that afraid of losing her job? I could make sure that wouldn't happen. Besides, we could hide it from everyone. The whole team is used to me keeping my relationships private.
"I need to go Sid. I have an early morning. Good night."
The phone goes dead before I can respond. I'm hard as a fucking rock since, without realizing it, I've been stroking myself through my jeans for the last few minutes. After turning off the TV, I head to my bathroom for a shower. If I don't take care of this then I'm never getting to sleep.