Page 17 of The Pucking Single Dad

“What the fuck is that supposed to mean?” Hunter asked angrily. “What exactly are you trying to get at?”

“I’m just saying,” Henry said with his hands in the air. “I’m just saying that I would probably be sleeping in, too, if I was getting a good fuck from my hot nanny.”

This comment was too far for Hunter. He couldn’t stand him talking about her that way. It was disrespectful to both him and Luna.

“What the fuck are you talking about?” Hunter asked furiously, with his finger in Henry’s face.

“Oh, come on, man,” Henry said defiantly. “Everyone could see the way you looked at her and how protective you were of her when I hit on her. There is no way you are not hitting that! Although, by the looks of you right now, maybe she isn’t a good lay. Maybe I dodged a pretty unimpressive bullet when you cock-blocked me from getting her number.”

Anger flowed through Hunter's veins. His face was red, and his fists were clenched. He was already close enough to hit Henry, and with one foot behind the other, his right fist moved backward and then forward to his face. Before he knew what was happening, Hunter had punched Henry violently.

Other teammates rushed over to him to help pick Henry up off the ice while other teammates got themselves in between Hunter and Henry to stop the fight from escalating even further. It is true that hockey is a violent sport, and it was not uncommon for fights to break out on the ice. However, it was unusual for fightsto break out amongst team members. These team members were supposed to be good friends, but Henry and Hunter had no friendship. There was only anger and competition, male competition.

Henry was behind a sea of other team members, but he desperately wanted to get in front of them to hit Hunter back. His nose was bleeding. Hunter did not care if he had broken Henry’s nose. He shouldn’t have talked to him that way. He should not have talked about Luna that way.

Hunter assured his teammates that he was good and would no longer fight. He furiously walked back to the locker room. He felt like a failure. Things were not going well in his emotional or professional life. He felt that he had messed up every good thing in his life.

As he sat down on a bench in the locker room, he debated whether or not he needed to take the day off. Tension was high amongst the team. That was obvious. Maybe it would be best for him not to be present at the arena today.

Hunter gathered himself and walked to Stella’s office. He knocked once before walking in. Before arriving at her office, he had peeked back onto the ice. Other assistants had gotten the team training again. That was one good thing about hockey: physical fights were quickly forgotten. He waited for Stella to give him the okay to walk in.

He was surprised to find Stella with her heels on the desk. She looked serious. He could not tell if she was angry or not. It was always so hard to read her.

“Close the door behind you,” Stella ordered Hunter. “Come over here and sit down.”

Hunter slowly walked over and sat down in the empty chair in front of Stella's desk, which her legs were still on top of. In fact, if he focused his gaze, he could see her underwear showing from underneath her miniskirt. He couldn’t help but stare for a moment when he noticed this. Stella noticed and slightly moved her legs.

He wondered if Stella was showing him her lingerie on purpose or not. Hunter was embarrassed; he didn't want to be known in the world of hockey as someone who started physical altercations over nothing, but he could not have Henry talk about Luna that way. Plus, he was already in a bad mood, and Henry's comments simply added fuel to the fire.

He hung his head down low and waited for Stella to start the conversation. She was his boss, after all, and no matter the strangeness between them, he didn't want her to be disappointed in him.

“So,” Stella said thoughtfully as she brought her legs back to the floor. “So, there was a fight, and you threw the first punch.”

“I threw the only punch,” Hunter said proudly.

He was happy that Henry did not have an opportunity to hit him back. That all meant that Hunter had won the fight. Winning fights was important in hockey.

Stella laughed.

“I can’t have my men fighting, Hunter,” she said seriously. “You know that. This is not your first season. From what the others told me, Henry was asking for it, and thank goodness the team has seemed to let today’s earlier events go quickly. However, what happened this morning cannot happen again.”

Hunter nodded and was thankful that Stella was not chastising him too hard about the events. Very few people liked Henry, and he bet that helped him in this case.

“Don’t be late tomorrow, and don’t start a fight,” Stella said seriously.

Hunter nodded in agreement. He noticed Stella lean forward on her desk. Her shirt was slightly unbuttoned, and her cleavage was showing. Hunter saw a hint of a red bra, the same color as her panties. It seemed that Stella was, in fact, trying to make herself seen by Hunter on purpose. Was she seducing him?

“You have a lot on your mind,” Stella said seductively. “What if you did not have to think about anything for a few minutes? How would that make you feel?”

“Well, what exactly do you mean?” Hunter asked Stella.

He could not lie to himself; Stella was an attractive older woman, and she did not strike him as the type of woman who wanted a serious relationship. A fling with her would be straightforward. There would be no hidden messages or emotions. He cared about Luna, but maybe something simpler was what he needed, even if it was only for a moment. He stared at Stella’s breasts again. She noticed his gaze and smiled.

“Did you see something that you like?” Stella asked Hunter.

Hunter remained silent as he sat in his chair, uncomfortable. He was uncomfortable with the fact that he still had feelings for Luna and could not act on them due to his past. He was also uncomfortable that he was turned on by Stella at that moment. Could anyone blame him? He was a man, after all, and as far as he knew, things with Luna were done.

He didn't know what to say or do, and he felt like he was in a lose-lose situation. What would feel good in the moment wouldhurt Luna later if she ever found out about it. On the other hand, Stella was his boss, and refusing her would look bad on him. Was this quid pro quo?