“What do you want to do now?” I ask.
Dennis’ eyes widen when we step into the Memories building. He stares at Larson for a second, telling me that yes, he finished the photo book.
“Hey,” I greet. “Thanks for this.”
He meets my eye and nods as he slides the book to me. It’s concealed in a black envelope with a metallic blue ribbon. “Sure.”
I take Larson’s hand. He smiles at Dennis, and I try not to smirk when I see the way Dennis flushes. Yeah, he’s that hot, man. I know.
We head back to my house. I’ve been trying all day to ignore the fact that Larson leaves tomorrow. I keep wishing the time would slow down, but if anything, it feels like it’s speeding up.
Once we’re inside my house, I push him onto the couch and climb into his lap before handing him his book. Without comment, he pulls it out of the envelope, andohhh, look at that photo on the front. Dennis chose the perfect image. Not too risqué but as fucking hot as a pair of sweaty balls.
Larson flips through and, yep, Dennis is good at his job. They’re arranged in themes, and the progression from PG-17 to XXX is beautiful.
“Wow,” Larson says. “I’ve never been turned on by my own pictures before.”
I laugh and close my eyes. “You’ve been an amazing subject to work with. I wanted you to have a souvenir of… this.”
Larson continues to examine each page.
“I hate that this was so short,” I whisper.I hate that you’re leaving.
He doesn’t answer until he flips the book shut. I watch the book as he sets it aside. I’m afraid he’ll see the tears in my eyes, so I stare at the book until he gently guides my face to his.
“Come with me,” Larson says, and, holy hell, it feels as if my soul was just shoved from my body. For a split second, I’m looking at us from above before my soul slams back into my body and my breath comes whooshing out.
“What?”
“Come with me, Dylan. Come home with me. Be with me. Be mine.”
“I—you mean that?”
He smiles and presses his lips to mine. “Every word. I have to go back to hockey tomorrow. I can’t stay. I know you have a job, and it’s just as important to you as hockey is to me. I know that. I’m asking a lot of you, and Iknowthat this isn’t a decision you can make lightly. I just… don’t want to say goodbye. I don’t want to live without you.”
If I could catch my breath, I’d probably cry. He’s serious. Can I really leave? Can I really spend my life with him?
Chapter Twelve
LARSON
Four monthslater
I’m grinning as I make my way to the waiting area, where families who attended the game hang out until we’re finished changing and can leave together. Four months ago, Dylan told me he could be ‘a bit much.’ I didn’t actually see that for a few weeks.
When we’re together, when it’s just us, he’s so focused on me that I can’t imagine him in any other way. However, the first time he attended one of my games, and I was shoved into the boards, he lost his shit in the box, apparently.
I was shoved three times tonight. As I approach the room, I can hear him ranting. I wonder if he’s been ranting the entire time.
Dylan is on his feet in those sexy fucking heels, wearing jeans that are glued to his legs and a shirt that’s tied at his waist and loops around his shoulders, showing some sexy skin. He’s staring at one of the television screens with Sports Spotrecapping the game, yelling at an audience that can’t hear him. More specifically, he’s yelling at the refs as if they’re there.
“Twelve hits eighteen into the wall and gets a penalty, and Larson is slammedthree times,and no one looks their way. Because he’s a giant? Is that it? The bigger guy can take the pounding. Why aren’t your eyes open, stupid refs? You should all be fired. Fined. Banned. Skinned alive! Maybe he should slamyouagainst the walls and see how you like it.”
There’s a small crowd of people waiting for their family, all eyes on Dylan. Some are amused, others weary. A few are annoyed.
“Best get your diva out of here,” Mandrick says with a smirk as he sidles by me into the room, clapping my shoulder.
Dylan hears him and spins around. His eyes land on me, and he beams. He runs—in heels, mind you—and leaps into my arms. I catch him easily, holding him up by his delectable ass. His lips are on mine, and I hum happily.
