She comes back to the bed, taking my hands in hers. "Listen to me. I love you. And because I love you, I want you to explore this opportunity. I want you to go to camp and see if it's what you really want. Not what your dad wants. Not what the team expects. Whatyouwant."
"What about us?"
"We'll figure it out. Together. Like we promised." She squeezes my hands. "But you can't make this decision based on me. You have to make it based on what's right for you."
"You're right for me."
She gives me a quick kiss. “And I love you for saying that.”
"I mean it. You're the best thing in my life, the one thing that makes sense. Everything else is just noise."
Her eyes fill with tears. "You're going to make me cry."
"Sorry."
"Don't be sorry." She takes a shaky breath. "Go to camp. Spend two weeks with the team. See how it feels. And then we'll talk. We'll figure out what it means for us."
"You're sure?"
"No. I'm terrified. But I'm also sure that I love you enough to let you find out what you really want."
I pull her into my lap, holding her tight. "What did I do to deserve you?"
"Nothing. I'm just stupid enough to love a hockey player."
"Hey." I tilt her chin up. "You're not stupid. You're incredible. And way too good for me."
"That's true."
I laugh and kiss her. She melts into me, her hands sliding into my hair.
When we break apart, she's smiling through her tears.
“Lock the door,” she whispers.
She doesn’t have to tell me twice.
I hop off the bed, kicking off my shoes as I lock the door. All the guys are home, so I pull over a chair and place it in front of the door.
“Do you expect them to break it down?” she asks with a laugh.
“You never know. Crew was inviting over some of the guys from the team. No one is supposed to drink before game day, but those assholes don’t listen.”
She pulls her shirt off, and I practically fall to my knees at her feet.
“How am I supposed to leave for two whole weeks?” I groan.
I jerk off my shirt and toss it while she shimmies out of her shorts.
“We’ll just have to spend as much time together as we can to hold us both over.” She grins.
We’re both naked, standing in her bedroom, and nothing is between us. It’s vulnerable. Exposing. And perfect.
I reach for her, and she walks straight into my arms.
I pour everything I feel into the kiss—the love, the fear, the desperate need to make this moment last.
She pushes me back onto the bed, straddling me. Her hair falls around us like a curtain, blocking out the world.
