Off Her Game by Suzan Butler

to Cody.
    “Where's your girl?” Cody asked, his eyes glancing back at the hallway where she'd gone.
    “She's trying to get a hold of someone for her car.” Darren didn’t let himself look. If he did, it was likely that he’d go back and ravage her some more.
    “What's wrong with it?”
    “Do I look like a mechanic?” Darren snapped, instantly regretting his tone when Cody flipped him off.
    “Fuck you, man. I was just asking.” Cody scowled. “I just meant… I could take a look at it.”
    Darren hadn't thought of that and now his skin flushed, embarrassed. Cody's first job had been in a mechanic shop. But if he'd called Cody, he couldn't have had Val come back with him. Not that he'd done it on purpose. He’d forgotten to take his phone.
    The right thing to do would be to get Cody to look at it now, but even though Cody was married, he didn't want his friend anywhere near Val. Possession twisted in his gut, wrenching his stomach so hard that he almost ran to the bathroom. He forced himself to remain rooted to the spot. He had no right to be possessive.
    “Stop that, dude.”
    Darren jerked from his thoughts to find Cody scowling at him. “What?”
    “That creepy, caveman stare. You really like this girl?”
    Darren blinked. It took him a moment to comprehend exactly what Cody had said.
    “I just got a divorce. Like is a strong word.” Like. It was a good word for how he felt.
    “Please, that marriage was only a year. And you were separated for five months of it.” Cody shrugged. “I like the bar girl. She's cool people.”
    “So glad I have your fucking approval,” Darren growled. He jerked to his feet, plagued by a need to find her. When he turned, Val stood in the doorway, uncertainty wafting from her in soft waves of tension. She had a healthy post-orgasm glow that made her skin shimmer. He met her halfway. The awkward vibe coming off her slapped him in the face. What had just been sexy and warm was now icy to the touch.
    “Do you mind if I hang out a while longer?” Her voice was quiet, her eyes nervously casing the room. “Nick's out on a date. No one else is picking up their phone right now.”
    “No, that's great! Come, I'll introduce you to the guys.”
    He didn’t give her a chance to protest. He took her hand. Gavin and Misha were fighting over who got first player on the game they'd put in. Gavin's Italian temper was making his face redden, but it vanished as he saw Val.
    “Val, that monster in the chair over there is Cody. He's a Highlander goalie. Cody, this is Valerie.”
    Cody stood, wiping his hand on his jeans before offering it to her.
    “Nice to meet you,” Cody smiled at her, his boyish grin lowering the tension in her shoulders. Cody had that nice guy feeling about him. Darren had noticed it before, at team events. He especially had a way with kids. Despite his large size, he had a way of putting them at ease.
    He turned to Gavin and Misha, who had temporarily stopped their bickering. He'd figured Gavin would, having been brought up in an Italian household with parents big on protocols and etiquette.
    Gavin held out his hand to Val. “Gavin Ferrara. Tu sei provocante .”
    Darren frowned and tightened his hold on Val's left hand. She glanced at him for a second before she answered Gavin. “Hello. So, you're a hockey player too?”
    He nodded. “Yup. Even the rookie here.” Gavin slapped Misha on the back, ignoring the glare he got in return.
    “ Idi na xuy husesos ,” Misha muttered.
    “That's Misha. He’s Russian. Ignore his rudeness.” Darren pointed to the younger man. Misha didn't offer his hand, instead waving from a safe personal distance. His cheeks were a little redder than normal, the dark stubble on his face standing out from the flushed skin.
    Val turned to him. “Can we talk?”
    “Yeah, you want a beer?”
    “No,” she said, her face stoic. He glanced at her, her eyes shifting around the room, everywhere but at him.
    He set his beer down and glanced