Chapter 21
Marlie woke the next morning feeling pleasantly sore all over.
Holy shit, but Damon was a menace in bed. A total stud who never seemed to tire. He’d worn her out, and Marlie could go forever. Yet another way she and Ben had not been compatible.
But with Damon, who actually tried to make her feel good, she’d had multiple orgasms. That never happened. Not without a lot of faking on her part.
The guy had size, stamina, and she liked the way he smelled. An odd metric, but she couldn’t tolerate a funky guy, no matter how much she might like the look of him. And boy, did she like Damon Sinclair, clothed and naked.
Listening for him, she heard nothing and realized he must have left while she slept. Rude, but he’d earned it.
Then she realized it was nearly ten in the morning. She didn’t normally sleep that late.
She took a quick shower and dressed. When she entered the kitchen, she froze.
There, on the counter, sat a small spray of white roses in a pretty glass vase. Next to it, a tall to-go cup of coffee, now warm, and a box of treats from Bragg’s Tea House welcomed her to partake. The note by it read:
Marlie, I swear, you wore me out. In the best possible way. Wish I could have stayed but my sister called. See you at the game! XOXO D.
Her heart raced and did funny little flips inside her. XO. Hugs and kisses to go with coffee and treats from Bragg’s Tea House. Man, I could seriously fall for this guy.
It wasn’t enough that he’d given her a ton of pleasure. He’d had to go and be sweet upon leaving.
She spent the morning with a big ass smile that refused to leave her face. When she picked Jeff up to drive them to the game, he wore a goofy grin as well.
“Oh, that’s your sex face.” He laughed. “Look at us.” He pointed to his own grin.
“Twinsies,” she said as she handed over a molasses cookie she’d saved just for him.
“From Bragg’s?”
She nodded.
“Well?” He said after inhaling the cookie.
“You first.”
To her shock, Jeff blushed.
“Holy shit. You’re in love.”
He groaned. “I think I am. Really. And it scares the shit out of me.” He swallowed hard. “I, um…”
To her shock, tears welled in his eyes.
“Hey, it’s okay.” She gripped his hand on his lap and squeezed. “You know you’re my guy. If you love him, I know I will. Unless he screws you over, and then I’ll hate him forever.”
He choked on a laugh. “Sorry. I don’t mean to cry. It’s just, I feel so emotional. Marlie, we spent the best night together. It was magical.”
A lot like hers had been. But she was nowhere close to loving Damon. Affection, admiration, sure. But she refused to let herself feel deeper for a guy leaving in a month. Especially since he agreed to a no-strings relationship.
She drove toward the game. “I’m glad you found love. It’s about time.”
“Pot calling kettle. Hello?”
“Seriously? I haven’t found love. Intense like, maybe.”
“With Demon Sinclair?”
“No, with your dad.”
He shot her the finger. She shot it right back.
“Tell me.”
She sighed. “We spent lunch together. Then we went back to my place for boardgames. I ate too much cake to have sex.”
“Sure. You can’t fuck when you’re full of cake.”
“Exactly.”
He rolled his eyes, and she pretended not to see that.
“But the games were fun. He’s really smart, funny, and a worse sport than I am.”
“Ah. I see. You’re hooked on him because he’s mouthy when he wins.”
“Well, yeah.” She grinned. “And he’s worse when he loses. I snagged me a bad boy. Jeff, he came back later that night and showed me how amazing he is in bed. I mean, just…wow.”
“Nice.”
She sighed. “Yeah. So great. He might have ruined me for other guys.” She ignored the feeling of distress at his inevitable leaving. “But man, what a terrific holiday treat.”
Jeff studied her.
“What?”
“Oh, nothing. Seems like you’re being pragmatic about it. I know you said you wanted some fun and to not get hurt. Enjoy him and say goodbye with good memories. But if you like him, why limit your time to just the holidays?”
“Um, because he lives in Portland? Because he has a life that takes him on the road all the time?” One way more exciting than life in a small town.
“On the flip side, maybe keep him around because he’s hot, funny, sexy, and loaded?”
“You know I don’t care about money.”
He snorted. “Duh. You’re a teacher. I doubt you know what the word ‘money’ even means.”
“Laugh it up, doc. You’re not exactly rolling in it either with all your student loans. Does this new love of yours make bank?”
“Well, a little. We’re probably pretty even when it comes to finances.”
She nodded. “And you’re sure he’s into you? As much as you’re into him?”
“He told me he loves me.”
“Oh my God. Really?” She glanced his wide smile and starry eyes and felt so happy for her best friend. “You’ve never been this gaga for any of your boyfriends. Ever.”
“I know. I told you. This one’s different. We were friends for a long time first.”
“No kidding. What do you know of his family? I mean, if you’re planning on forever, maybe even some I Do’s, then you need to know if you can tolerate his family.” She grimaced. “Ben’s parents were—are—assholes.”
“Yeah, but you didn’t really love Ben, did you?”
“No, in retrospect, I didn’t. I tried though.”
“I know you did, sweetie.” Jeff patted her shoulder then smacked her in the back of the head. “I like Damon. Don’t shoot yourself in the foot with him.”
“Hey, just because you found somebody doesn’t mean we all will. I’m content not to force things.”
“Fair enough.”
“But this guy of yours. I’m warning you now. If he doesn’t pass muster with me, you’ll have to drop him.”
“Like a hot potato, isn’t that what your mom likes to say?”
“Yeah. How come you’re so chummy with Mona lately?”
“I’m scared of not being so chummy with her.”
“Well, okay.” Yet Marlie didn’t feel like he was telling her everything. “You know I’ll get the truth out of you eventually.”
“Yes, yes. But enough about me. Give me some details of last night. Is he good with his tongue?”
Marlie just smiled.
“Damn. I knew it. Hockey players really are the best.”
And the most obnoxious. Damon had been yelling at his team, the opposing team, the refs, and the opposing coach for the first two periods of the game, and the crowded stadium was eating it up.
He hadn’t looked for her, and she hadn’t wanted to distract him, so they had found a seat that blocked their view from the opposite side of the stadium seating—where her family and Jeff’s sat together.
She and Jeff had pretended they didn’t see their parents looking for them. Marlie knew she’d hear about her rudeness later, but she needed space from her mom. Especially since everyone seemed to know she had a thing for Damon.
A glance around at the smiling and laughing fans showed a really large crowd. Not that Marlie had been to all of her brothers’ games, but she’d been to a few last season. The ones with the Flashman brothers in attendance, though decently crowded, hadn’t been this full.
To make the games more fun and worthwhile this year, they charged an attendance fee, which went into a holiday fund to help the less fortunate in town. Her brothers had been pleased to announce that at the beginning of the season.
Marlie felt eyes on her. She glanced over to see her mother glaring at her from across the stands. She hunched in her jacket and tried to hide behind her friend. “You and Steve are still on my hit list for telling my mom about Damon,” she grumbled.
“I dare you to avoid your mother’s all-knowing stare when she’s got you pinned in her crosshairs.” Jeff crossed his arms over his chest. “Tell me I’m weak while you try to hide from the sheriff. Go on.”
“She’s going to try to interrogate him after the game. I know it.”
“What do you care? He’s just a friend with bennies.” He lowered his voice. “Although he seems like the creative type. Love how he’s been dealing with the refs.”
Damon cajoled while making fun of the refs, instilling both laughter and several warnings to shut the hell up. Fortunately, there weren’t too many young children in the audience.
The second period came to a close, and the players skated to their respective benches.
Will happened to glance up and saw her and Jeff. He waved and removed his helmet. The warmth in his smile pleased her. About time he realized he shouldn’t take her support for granted.
“He looks good in those pads.” Jeff wiggled his brows up and down.
She laughed. “Don’t tell him that.”
“Right? The ego on that guy.”
“Who? Will, Ed, or Steve?” They were all flexing and grinning up at Marlie, the idiots.
“Focus, Reynolds,” Damon groused, his loud voice audible even from their seat.
“Me?” Will pointed at himself.
“Does it matter? You’re all sucking out there. Straighten up!” Then Damon turned around and glared at her, shaking his head.
“Um, is that a new way of expressing his love? With a death glare?” Jeff murmured.
Her phone pinged. She glanced down to see Damon’s text.
Quit distracting my players!!!! Oh, and you look super cute.
She fought a blush, especially when Jeff read it over her shoulder and oohed and aahhed.
“Shut up.”
And tell Jeff to stop distracting your idiot brothers too.
“Oh, now you’re in trouble.” She smirked at Jeff and showed him the phone.
“That was sent to you, stupid.”
“Who are you calling stupid, stupid?”
They swapped insults while Marlie ignored the spiral of worry that she was liking Damon a little too much. Jeff wore happiness like a second skin while they chatted, totally in love with his guy. That kind of happiness could be contagious.
Marlie felt like smiling for no reason, especially when Damon got all growly and tossed his hands around, as if annoyed with the world.
Why did she find that adorable? He looked like a grizzly.
The comments around her all spoke of the monster he was on the ice, or even near the ice, helping to coach.
She felt like they had that in common, a love for their sport.
Yet another reason to keep her relationship with Damon simple. Sex and fun with no expectations. Because if she liked him too much, he’d crush her when he left. She’d been crushed enough from not living up to her own expectations when it came to dating. No need to add to her self-drama.
Yeah, that made sense. So why did she feel so let down at the thought of not seeing him after the new year? Before she could talk herself out of her odd mood, a tall woman pushed her way next to her.
“Oh, sorry. Mind if I sit?”
Marlie looked at Jeff, who didn’t seem to know the woman. She turned back to the stranger. “Sure.” Studying the woman, Marlie sensed something familiar about her. “Do I know you?”
“No. But you know my brother.” The woman held out a hand. “Grace Sinclair. Nice to meet you.”