Ren always knows just what I need, and even as he chases his own pleasure, his thoughts are on me. Because he knows I need the constant reassurance that I did this right.
It’s perfect. Every minute of this moment I will relive over and over in my head.
I’m grinninglike an idiot when we step into Dasan’s house. The grin refuses to leave no matter how hard I try to wipe it away. Even when they ask about it, I can’t make it stop.
Not with the way my ass twinges and sends all sorts of happy feelings throughout my body.
Ren tells me to hang out with my friends and I do for a while, but as much as I love them, I really want to be with Ren instead. After an hour or so, I wander around until I find him in Dasan’s three season room. It’s freezing. Winter is not one of the seasons it’s prepared for, even with the heater that’s been set up so people can enjoy the area and the scenery beyond.
Dasan lives at the edge of the city, and his backyard looks out onto farmland which is a big blanket of snow right now. Facing away from the city, it’s almost an alien landscape where we can see the stars clearly and the moon looks like a beam from space, shining eerily enchanting silver light across the smooth snow.
Ren wraps his arm around my waist when I stop next to him. He already has our lantern assembled and waiting on the floor next to the door leading into the snowy backyard. The music and laughter drift out to us, but it’s peaceful and solitary right here.
“Everything okay?” he asks.
I nod. “Just wanted to be with you.”
Ren looks up at me and smiles. “It’s almost midnight. Then we’ll go home.”
“What are we going to do tomorrow?”
“We have practice. Then we’re going to pack for this month’s trip, lock ourselves inside, and snuggle up on the couch until bed.”
I sigh because there’s nothing at all that sounds better than that. It’s perfect.
No words pass between us for quite some time. I can’t say we stand in silence because with the noise coming from further in the house, there’s definitely no silence here. I miss my wind chimes. I bet they’d sound beautiful right now.
When the countdown begins behind us, Ren pushes the door open, and we step into the still winter air. He lights the lantern, and we hold it between us. I stare at him over the top and while I know I’ve had an entire day to think of all the wishes and dreams that I want to release with the lantern, all I can think right now is how much I want Ren.
I want him to be in my life. In my corner and by my side. I want him to make all my decisions so all I have to do is make him happy. I want him to smile at me, to want to be with me always like he does now. I want to spend all my time with him. Every day.
This is what I want for the new year and maybe forever.
At the raised sounds of ‘HAPPY NEW YEAR’ from inside, we let the lantern go. It floats upward slowly as if it’s fighting friction, but gravity is grudgingly letting it win. I stare at it, wondering if I messed up by not giving it a proper wish.
But then Ren’s cold hands are on either side of my face, pulling me down. I grip him tightly, hauling him to me by his sexy round ass as he kisses me.
And kisses me.
And still kisses me.
It’s a perfect way to end one year and step into the next.
THIRTY
FELTON
Comingoff two wins since the break is a really good way to continue into the season. The whole team is in good spirits as we step into the hotel in Colorado for our game tomorrow night. There’s a happy energy, a positive vibe throughout our team.
Once inside, Ren hands me the keycard to our room. “Go upstairs and change. I’ll bring dinner up.”
I nod and he kisses my lips in a peck. There’s never once been any hesitation in showing his affection for me once we began down that path. Not in front of our team, and not in a public space like the hotel lobby.
A grin curls up my face as I head for the elevator with a few teammates. While most of the team doesn’t care whether they’re in a suit or not for whatever happens after a game, there’s always a handful that have had enough of the suit for the day and immediately return to their home or the hotel room to change.
I could go either way; it depends on my mood after the game.
The elevator door opens a few times and one-by-one, the passengers step out onto their floor.
