Chapter 22
TWENTY-TWO
SUTTON
- Present Day -
L ying in a semi-conscious daze, I’m jolted awake by a knock at the door. Trying to ignore the sound, I roll over with a groan, pulling the pillow over my head. It’s probably just one of the neighbors anyway. Ugh, can’t a girl get some rest around here?
Another knock, no, this time someone is pounding on the door. My door . With a groan, I throw back my soft comforter and force myself to climb out of the cocoon of pillows that I had swaddled myself in.
“Jesus!” I hiss as my feet hit the cold wood floor.
The pounding continues, and I glance over at my clock, glaring when I see it’s after midnight.
“Alright, alright, I’m coming!” I shout, belligerent, shoving my feet into my favorite fuzzy duck slippers that I’ve had since high school. They’re old and look like they’ve seen better days, but they’re well loved, and I take them with me everywhere.
More pounding .
“Open up!”
“Could you be more obnoxious? Oh my god. I swear, if you forgot your keys and are standing outside shitfaced right now, I am not going to let you live this down!” I shout as I make my way across the room. “Jonah, you so owe - ”
My words stumble to a halt as I yank open the door, and come face-to-face with Callum.
I crane my head to look up at him, squinting against the too-bright light of the hall.
All five-foot-nothing of me has always had to strain my neck to look up at his towering figure.
Only normally when I had in the past, I’d be greeted by a more pleasant sight.
Tonight, he’s sporting a split lip and a black eye from his fight earlier in the game.
And a scowl crosses his face. As if he is annoyed with me.
For what reason, may I ask? Aside from the temporary adjustments to his facial features however, he’s just as tall and breathtaking as I remember.
“You left.” His words are accusatory, demanding.
Yeah, I did. But why the hell would he know that?
And how? After his second fight of the night, and being thrown in the sin bin for another five minute penalty at the start of the third, I couldn’t bring myself to keep watching.
I know Jonah had wanted me to come out to celebrate their win with everyone, but citing an early morning at work (a poor excuse, I know - since I work from home most of the time), I bowed out on the ol’ “girlfriend duties,” instead just texting my friend a ‘congrats’ and ‘see ya in the morning’.
Of course, his idea of an early morning and mine are vastly different.
Jonah will, as usual, be up by five, regardless of whether or not they’re out late partying, so that he can hit the gym before heading to practice.
And like always, I will stumble out of bed at the much more reasonable hour of seven (okay, let’s be real, more like eight), declaring that it is still much too early and how do people do the whole “morning thing” anyway?
“Shorty. ”
Cal’s voice draws me back to the present, and I realize belatedly that I was staring at his chest.
“You left.”
Again, with the demanding tone.
I open my mouth to speak, but before I can say anything, he’s closed the distance between us and I find that I’m suddenly in his arms, being pulled close with lips pressed to mine in a kiss that sets my soul on fire.