Power Play (Crimson Romance) Read Online Free Page A

pullovers and blouses that branded them as mothers of small children. Nadia Ivanov had been a gymnast before she had married and Cathy Monahan had been a model but other than that, none of the women worked or desired to do so. Being the wife of a hockey player and mother to children of an often-absent father was a demanding occupation.
    Lila felt out of place in her tailored work clothes. There was never any time to change after work.
    Ignoring the strain that she felt, Lila greeted the other women, trying not to show any of her discomfort in her posture or her tone.
    Unfortunately, the other women had known her for too many weeks to be deterred by a straight backbone or mild tones.
    “Ethan told me that you’ve seen our new goalie,” one of the women remarked almost immediately after pleasantries had been exchanged. Ethan was her husband. “What’s he like, Lila? It’s so hard for a man to tell you what you want to know.”
    Lila held her breath. Was it possible that they did not know? Could the tension that she had perceived be attributed merely to the fact of Jessica Gerard’s husband being traded away from the team?
    “I’ve seen his picture on television,” Nadia offered, “but that didn’t give me any impression of the man.”
    Lila’s hostess turned cornflower blue eyes upon her. “Yes, Lila, tell us what our newest arrival is like. Eddie told me that you had spoken to him yesterday at practice.”
    “Forget that,” Nadia said. “What does the man look like in the flesh? He is absolutely gorgeous on TV.”
    There were enthusiastic murmurs of agreement this time, even from women who had attractive husbands of their own waiting at home.
    “Well,” Lila said, wanting to defer any further prompting, “he’s about six foot four, blond, gray eyes, with broad shoulders and a long dimple in one of his cheeks which is hard to see unless he laughs. He has a deep voice, sort of hoarse and raspy.”
    Another woman immediately interjected. “You can do better than that, Lila, being his wife and all. I don’t care how he plays on the ice. What’s he like in bed?”
    Lila went silent. Since none of the other women had ever lived in Chicago or mentioned Cahal, she hadn’t realized that they knew about her marriage. After all, the Wives knew her by her grandparents’ name of Ramlall.
    Now she saw how naïve she had been. Of course the other women didn’t have to know Cahal personally to have read the sport pages or seen her picture on the Internet.
    Before she could speak, the doorbell chimed again and Cathy Monahan ran to answer it.
    Cathy brought back a woman Lila did not know, a slender blonde. At first Lila assumed it to be one of the Wives who had not attended the meetings for the past few months, who had perhaps been away or having a baby, but the way the conversations all halted when Cathy returned told her that this was not a woman with whom the other Wives were acquainted.
    “Ladies,” Cathy announced, her excitement suppressed, “may I present Victoria Brantford, Cahal Wallace’s significant other.”
    Lila’s first reaction was one of total shock, but that soon gave way to a feeling of all-encompassing relief. She was spared the need to explain her relationship to Cahal, just as she would be in the future spared the questions that would inevitably result from their having had a relationship together. It would be Victoria Brantford who would receive all of the questions, who would have to appease the curiosity about the newest Toronto player.
    Victoria was soon settled into a chair by the door where Lila couldn’t see her. Even before Cathy could begin the necessary introductions, the new arrival was peppered with questions. How was she doing after the flight over from Chicago? How did she feel about the trade? Had she ever been to Canada before?
    They were all polite questions, perfectly reasonable, though they came swift and sure from all corners of the room.
    Lila could afford to take pity