Free Cage's Misconduct (NHL Scorpions #3) by Nikki Worrell

about her almost constantly. It was her fault, too. She was very flirty over the phone via texting (okay, maybe that was more me). Since I’d been deprived of seeing her beautiful face or hearing her sweet voice, I found myself looking back at some of our texting.
    Me: Hey
    Karen: Hey
    Me: What’s up?
    Karen: Nothing.
    Me: Are you deliberately being short with me?
    Karen: No
    Me: Karen…
    Karen: Getting your panties in a twist again, Dalton?
    Me: Didn’t we already have this discussion? I don’t wear ‘panties’.
    Karen: Oh yeah. Guess I don’t think too much about what you do or don’t have under your jeans.
    Me: And what a shame that is.
    Karen: Dalton…
    Me: What? It is a shame. You should think about it. A lot.
    Karen: I’m going to bed. Goodnight, Dalton.
    Me: Eureka! I knew it. You have to go take care of business now, don’t you? I’m too sexy for my phone, too sexy for my texting, too sexy for my ‘panties’.
    No reply.
    Me: Karen? You there?
    Me: Am I in trouble now? :(
    Me: Goodnight
    Then there was this one. This texting session I’d reread a lot.
    Karen: Good game tonight. Team looks good.
    Me: Agreed. Did you see how awesome the goal tending was?
    Karen: You have got to learn some humility, Mr. Number One.
    Me: No I don’t. I kinda rock.
    Karen: Thanks a lot. You just made soda come out my nose.
    Me: That’s hot.
    Karen: LOL. Did you sign a lot of autographs after the game?
    Me: Tons. Playoffs get like that. I don’t mind though. The kids are great.
    Karen: You realize you’re not half the badass you think you are, right?
    Me: I absolutely do not realize that. I am 100% badass. How about if I come over there and show you just how badass I am?
    Karen: I don’t think so. I’m soaking in the tub right now.
    Me: Gah. Change of plans. How about if I come wash your back for you? All that wet skin…
    Karen: Dalton…
    Me: Karen…
    Me: So, what are you wearing?
    Karen: What do you think I’m wearing? I’m in the tub!
    Me: So …nothing, right? Am I right?
    Karen: You’re crazy, you know that? But you do make me laugh.
    Me: I could make your toes curl too, if you’d let me.
    Karen: Just for arguments sake …how exactly would you do that?
    Me: Really? You want to play this game? I’m all in, darlin’.
    Karen: Go for it.
    Me: Let’s see. I’d start on your neck. I’d gather that lovely hair of yours in my hands and hold it aside while I explored every inch of your creamy, smooth skin. My lips would lightly brush against you right beneath your ear, trailing a path to your collarbone and back up again.
    Karen: Never mind. This is a bad idea.
    Me: Oh, no. You started it. Now where was I?
    I didn’t expect to hear anything back again. As a matter of fact, I figured she’d call it a night like the last time. The ding from my phone sent a rush of blood to parts south. She wanted to play.
    Karen: My neck.
    Me: While my lips are busy, I’d let my hands slide down through the water, over your breasts, lavishing attention on them too. Still with me?
    Karen: Yeah. No. I was right the first time. This was a bad idea. Goodnight, Dalton.
    I thought it might be in my best interest to let her off easy. At least I knew she was thinking about me. It was a step in the right direction.
    Me: Sweet dreams, darlin’.
    So yeah, I’d been thinking about her a lot. It was actually kind of annoying. Luckily it hadn’t affected my game. I hadn’t had any more back-to-back shut outs, but I was still holding my own.
    Since I’d become friendly with Karen, I realized that I liked and possibly needed to be spending time with other people, so when Keith asked me, as he always did, to go to The Pub with them I said yes. Don’t get me wrong, Charlie was fine company, and I was glad that Karen brought her back to me, but a chinchilla wasn’t a very good conversationalist. I was actually thinking of asking Karen to take over babysitting Charlie when I was out of town while she was here. I don’t think the coach’s