Chapter 2
Caden
I swipe the towel over my chest before slinging it around my lower body and folding it tight, glancing at my reflection in the steamed-up mirror as I comb my fingers through my dark hair.
I push it away from my forehead, slicking it back with the residual water, and I stare at the stubble on my jaw, deciding whether or not to shave.
Leaving the stubble there tonight will make for a cleaner shave tomorrow, which is exactly what I want if I’m going to be surprising Winter in Kentucky.
My gaze dips from my jaw to my shoulders, my post-workout muscles larger after today’s ice-time and weight training, and I flex out my palms as I look at my forearms, to the dark tattoos winding up from my wrists.
My eyes slowly roam over the ink, exacerbating the ache of longing deep in my chest.
The church, the creek, the forest up in the valley that I always take her to…
My heart pumps faster as I look them over, and I trace them carefully with the pads of my fingers.
Because they’re all for her.
I glance down at the large tattoo on my quad, the skin beneath it tan from spending the summer outside, and I rub my palm firmly over my pecs, getting myself psyched for our video-call tonight.
We do it almost every night, except for when Winter’s fallen asleep before I ring her, but that just makes the times when she does pick up even more special while we’re long-distance.
I grab a hand-towel and dry off the mirror before opening the bathroom door into the living area.
The hockey house is laid out like a large family home, with each floor set up like its own individual apartment. When I moved in, I was on the top floor with Hunter and Tanner, and I kept my room after they graduated because there was no reason for switching.
The top floor is renowned for being the Captain’s area, because when Hunter and Tanner were at Carter U they both previously maintained that position.
Now the tradition has continued with Hughes – our new Carter U Team Captain – taking Hunter’s old room, and Austin is in Tanner’s old room, so it’s like Tanner never left.
Austin is halfway upside down on the couch, sprawled out beside Hughes as they play a video-game, and he’s holding his phone between his ear and shoulder, rumbling out the filthiest dirty talk I’ve heard all week.
“Christ,” I rasp, alarmed, and Austin jolts in surprise, cursing loudly.
“Shit,” he laughs, fumbling for his phone while still working the controller, and he gives me a smirk of satisfaction when the girl on the line says something back to him.
Hughes breathes out a deep laugh as he glances up at me over the sofa and then he rolls his broad shoulders before reapplying his heat compress.
I shake my head in amusement. “I don’t know how you can sit next to him when he talks like that.”
Hughes gives me a wicked grin. “Don’t worry about it. I’m taking pointers.”
“I know you don’t need pointers, man. You took a French extracurricular.”
“And that’s all well and good except when chicks have no idea what I’m saying.”
“They have no idea what you’re saying even when you’re talking English,” Austin smirks, before quickly adding, “No, no, babe, I didn’t say anything. Yeah, just like that. Yeah, keep going.”
“Alright, I’m leaving,” I rumble, smacking Austin’s nape as he wags his brows, and I hitch my towel a little tighter as I trudge back toward my room.
I nudge open the door with the swell of my quad, releasing my towel from my hips as I twist the lock and head to the dresser. Then I drop the towel over the heater and rummage around for a pair of boxers.
I tug them quickly up my thighs and glance at the cell phone laid on my mattress.
I pick it up off the comforter and settle my bodyweight onto the sheets, kicking out my legs as I exhale quietly and tap my thumb across the screen.
And before I click ‘call’ I reach over to the bedside cabinet to flick on the small navy lamp, the warm glow of the orange bulb emitting the romantic vibe that I was going for.
My dimples flex in my cheeks, because Winter loves this kind of ambience.
For good measure, I lean down to grab my weights, pumping a light 40kg on each side just to get a little extra swell going, and once I’ve done a couple of reps, I inhale softly and hit the call button.
It takes a couple of seconds to connect and then fluffy pink hair fills up my screen, the sound of a door locking in the background making need course through my chest. I swallow hard as I keep my eyes on the phone, scrubbing roughly over my stubble as heat spreads in my abdomen.
I see the flash of her gingham bedsheets as she crawls up onto the mattress and, after a small sigh from when she lays down, my girlfriend finally comes into view.
Wide sparkling eyes rimmed with long lashes peek up at me, her soft pink hair brushing her cheeks as she squishes her face into her pillow.
Trying to hide her beautiful smile as she holds back her excited laughter.
And my dimples tighten in my cheeks as I let myself look at her, finally home.
She scrunches up her perfect nose, giggling quietly as she rolls onto her back, and peering up at me from under those beautiful lashes as my chest swells, totally content.
“There she is,” I rumble, unable to stop my smile as Winter cuddles her pillow.
“Hey, Caden,” she whispers back to me, her cheeks blushing pink in her low-lit room.
I turn on my side, the lamplight streaming behind me. “I miss being with you in your bedroom.”
She tilts her head, smiling mischievously. “I miss you being here, too.”
I laugh huskily and brush my palm down my chest, shifting my quads on the comforter as I take her in.
I can’t wait to surprise her tomorrow by showing up before my next game.
“How was the lesson today?” I ask. “Ade said that you’re doing fucking amazing.”
“Caden!” she whispers breathlessly, laughing as her eyes flit to her bedroom door.
I grin roguishly and murmur, “Sorry,” knowing that her parents have a no-cursing rule.
But I also know that Winter secretly loves it when we break those rules.
I tuck one of my forearms behind my head and Winter swallows at the size of my biceps.
“Ade said that you’re doing amazing at your first week,” I tell her quietly. “He said that you’re already booked up ’til the holidays at the ranch.”
Winter’s gorgeous dimples flex in her cheeks, and she nods her head, twiddling with her pillow.
“Yeah,” she murmurs. “I mean, I was nervous at first. But it’s actually really sweet, teaching all of the kids, you know?”
I swallow thickly and nod, imagining my girl teaching them how to ride.
Possessive pride swells through my muscles and an instinctive rush of desire courses through my chest.
Since graduating high school Winter has been working at my family’s ranch, specifically caring for the horses, because Winter bonds with them so well.
Even the wildest of our horses become gentle when they’re with Winter.
Trialling riding lessons at the ranch to the small kids in town was the natural next step, but I know that Winter’s skills are so much more than she lets on to anyone.
But Ade and my dad said that we should start her slow and steady, seeing as we know Winter’s past, and we don’t want her to get overwhelmed with too much pressure.
“I can’t wait to watch you teach them,” I murmur.
She laughs and whispers, “You’ll make me nervous.”
I shake my head, fighting a smile. “You don’t need to be nervous.”
“When do you think you’ll come home to see me?”
“Soon, baby,” I murmur. “I promise.”
Keeping the fact that she’s going to be in my arms this time tomorrow to myself, I subtly attempt to change the topic, my chest expanding as I rip the bandage.
“I had this… conversation today,” I admit. “With our coach. Coach Benson.”
“What did he say?” she asks sleepily, pulling her sheets higher up around her bare shoulders.
“He told me that I should run for captain for my senior year at Carter U.”
Winter’s eyes widen as she sits up on her elbow, and I swipe my tongue over my lower lip as I look her over.
“Caden!” she whispers, her voice still quiet because her parents are sleeping.
Our town in Kentucky is a couple of hours ahead of Carter Ridge, but Winter prefers a nighttime call because it’s more private, knowing that no-one around us is listening.
“That’s huge!” she whispers. “Of course you should run for captain, I’m so proud of you!”
I roll onto my back as I tug my waistband, my breathing laboured as I try to find the words.
“Are you sure?” I ask quietly. “It’s not something that I’ve ever considered before.”
“Of course I’m sure,” she whispers, “and your coach is sure, too. He knows that you’ll raise up the team if you’re in charge of them for your senior year.”
My dimples flex for a moment, my chest expanding as I look at my girl.
“There are guys on the team who I’ve never even spoken to before, baby,” I admit.
“That’s okay,” she whispers softly. “I bet they still respect you like crazy. And hockey’s a physical sport, not a verbal one. Talking isn’t everything.”
“Yeah,” I rumble quietly. “You’re right, baby. I know.”
“And when you come back home, I bet you can talk to me without using your words,” she purrs, making a smile tug at my mouth as I shake my head, laughing gruffly.
I tug the quilt over my groin and glance at the door, making sure it’s locked.
“You think that I should put myself in the running?” I ask.
She smiles playfully and whispers, “I think it would be pretty sexy.”
“Yeah?” I chuckle back to her. “You want me to be the captain?”
She buries her face into her pillow, smothering the soft sounds of her sweet laughter, and then she pulls her quilt over her head, making me feel like I’m under her sheets with her.
I grab my quilt and do the same, my chest heaving as I roll onto my side, watching her.
“What are you wearing?” I ask roughly, my gaze roaming down her outfit.
She angles her phone so that I can see the oversized top, and I let my hand travel lower, swallowing hard.
“I love it when you wear my clothes,” I admit, and my quads tense as she shows me her underwear, a teasing flash of her baby pink panties that I’m going to be thinking about all night.
“Jesus,” I rumble, reminding myself that it’s just twenty-four hours until I’ll see her again. “Will you leave your phone on tonight?” I rasp, propping my cell against my pillow, and Winter immediately does the same, laughing gently as it topples over.
“Give me a second,” she whispers, working on getting the right position for her phone, and ten seconds later she’s smiling up at me, making my heart race inside my chest.
“Perfect,” I murmur back to her, already more at ease than I’ve felt all day.
It’s one thing to have a phone call when you’re doing long-distance, but it’s even better when you find a way to have your girl somehow sleeping beside you.
“I love you,” I whisper, and my cheekbones heat up when she blows a kiss to her screen.
I grab my phone from where I’ve rested it and press a quick kiss against the camera, Winter’s laughter making me grin as I prop it back against my pillow.
“I love you, too,” she whispers back to me, before closing her eyes and snuggling deeper into her sheets.
“Come home soon,” she murmurs gently.
“I promise, baby. Sooner than you think.”