“We’re not going to be able to go out in public,” Aiden says, and I hear in his voice how much he dislikes that aspect of it. “It’s going to be a lot of sneaking into your place or mine.”
“I don’t care,” I say firmly, turning to look up at him. “As long as I get to be with you, I don’t care.”
His mouth finds mine for another kiss, but this time, it’s slow and sweet. After he kisses me, he runs his index finger over my lower lip. “There’s something incredibly hot about seeing how swollen your lips are,” he says. “And knowing I made them that way.”
I swear to God, Aiden Wentworth is the hottest man I’ve ever known.
He clears his throat. “I fly out on Tuesday for Orlando, and then I’m home until Saturday. After that, I’m not home until the day before Thanksgiving.”
I smile up at him. “It’s okay. I understand the lifestyle.”
And I do. For some hockey partners, the transition is rough. They’re gone a lot. But I grew up in a hockey family, and I’m used to the schedule.
Aiden traveling and being gone is going to feel completely different, though.
I know I’ll miss him.
“Is it too much that I’d like to see you tomorrow night?” he asks.
My heart does a happy dance. “Nope, it’s not.”
The alarm on his watch goes off, and it’s definitely time for me to go. I push myself to a sitting position, and he does, too. Milo sits up from his dog bed on the floor, cocking his head to one side at the sound of the watch alarm.
“Do you want to come to my place tomorrow?” I ask. “I can make dinner, and you can meet my chinchillas.”
It’s the cutest thing ever to see how Aiden’s face lights up at the prospect of meeting Mochi and Matcha.
“Yeah, I want to do that,” he says.
Aiden stands up, then extends his hand to me. I put my hand in his and he pulls me up but doesn’t let me go. I retrieve my purse and take out my keys, and Aiden begins to follow me out the door. I put my hand on his chest to stop him.
“No, what if somebody sees us?” I ask.
“I don’t think anybody is going to be seeing us on a Sunday night at two in the morning. And I’m not letting you walk to your car by yourself.”
He escorts me all the way to my car in the garage, and once I’m behind the wheel, he shuts the door. I turn on the engine and lower the window.
“Thank you for tonight,” I say. “And thank you for taking a risk.”
“The risk,” he says slowly, “was wortheverything.”
My heartbeat quickens as he repeats my words back to me. We say good night, and Aiden doesn’t leave the garage after I’ve pulled out of my parking spot. Even as I drive out, I glance in my rearview mirror, and he’s stayed put, watching me drive away.
He’s protective.
No. Not just protective. He’s everything.
And if things get serious between us?
I will do everything in my power to protect Aiden from the consequences of choosing to date me.
If only I knew how.
Chapter Ten
The next morning, I finish up some social media posts and begin to schedule them into the online planner. Because the season has just finished, I have to get creative with content. Today’s post is a look back at the Real Miami season in statistics: records set, the accomplishments of academy players shining on the first team, every game sold out. I created this one in a slide format, so you can flip from one photo to the next. My goal this time of year is one post a day—and you think that would be easy, but it’s not.
So it’s some look backs, some funny engagement posts, things like that until actual things start happening. There will be some signings coming up, so then there’s press conferences and welcome posts. And goodbye and thank-you posts to players who are departing the club.
