Swept up in the lingering daring side he brought out, I record a voice clip of myself when I come with his name on my lips and text it to him. Two hours later, his response makes me smile.
Alex
Fuck, baby. Fuuuuuuuck.
TWELVE
ALEX
“Someone get that!”Theo shouts from the living room when there’s a knock at our door on Friday.
“I’ve got it,” I answer on my way down the steps to the front hall.
Another knock sounds, more timid this time. I open it, finding a gorgeous sight that makes the corners of my mouth pull into a broad grin.
Lainey stands there with her hand raised to knock again. She leaves it hovering for a moment, then adjusts her glasses. My gaze sweeps over her, drinking in the oversized caramel colored sweater that highlights her eyes and her long legs accentuated by black leggings.
The warmth that expands my chest whenever I’m with her is becoming familiar.
Last time I saw her was earlier in the week when I had her spread out on her bed looking fucking perfect before I had to leave for practice.
Her doing, not mine. If it were up to me, I would’ve prioritized time to see her every day since then. Even with a strenuous practice schedule and our home game yesterday, I’ve tried to make plans to spend time with her. She keeps shootingme down, swearing she’s been way too busy with the final details of her dance preparations for tomorrow night’s benefit.
The memory of how I left her—and the insanely hot voice clip she sent of her pleasuring herself while I was playing hockey—ignites the urge to kiss her until she’s as off-kilter as I am because of my obsession with her.
Slow, I remind myself. She needs slow.
“Hey, you’re a little early. The party won’t get going for another hour at least.”
“I know.” She bites her lip. “It was either show up early or drive myself crazy waiting around. There’s nothing else I can do to get ready for tomorrow night’s benefit, either. And I couldn’t start the next chapter of my current book, because then I wouldn’t be at a good stopping point anymore.”
An amused hum leaves me. I clasp her wrist and draw her through the door until she steps into me. My head dips to brush my lips against her hair.
“Didn’t say I was complaining, sweetheart,” I murmur.
“Oh,” she breathes unevenly.
“Come on. We can hang out upstairs for a while.”
My hand engulfs hers. I tangle our fingers together and lead her to my room.
She hesitates on the threshold with a glance at me, then she steps inside and releases my hand. “So this is the promised land. Alex Keller’s bedroom.”
I smirk. “It’s not anything special.”
She peers over her shoulder with a soft, beautiful smile. “I wouldn’t say that. It feels like you.”
I brace my shoulder against the wall, watching her explore my space. She pauses to look at the Hockey East Rookie of the Year trophy I was honored to receive from last season, then smiles at a photo of Theo and me at training camp from yearsago. I scan the room, wondering how she sees it through her eyes.
She points at one of my first hockey trophies from all the way back in youth league. “It’s good to see you’re proud of all your accomplishments.”
“My mom sent that,” I explain. “It’s, uh. One of my good luck charms.”
Her expression falters for a moment, growing distant before she seems to come back to herself. “That’s really sweet.”
She moves on to the shelf above my desk where I keep my prized collection of signed pucks. My tongue swipes across my lower lip and I rub at the glowing sensation expanding in my chest.
I really want to kiss her again. Fuck, I want to do so much more than that, too. But I told her we’d take this slow. Otherwise, I’ll have trouble controlling myself when it comes to her.
