Chapter 22
Kieran
ICEHAWKS BITCHES
brOTHER FROM ANOTHER MOTHER
everyone free your Sunday afternoon
from now on we do family Sundays and I’m making it a mandatory attendance
bring your loved ones to mine at 3 along with a dish and we’ll spend time together with good food and people
IRVING
aww Daddy wants us to have bonding time!
brOTHER FROM ANOTHER MOTHER
ew, don’t call me Daddy
JOHNSON
can I bring alcohol?
VALENTI
did you just ask to take alcohol to Cap’s house?
JOHNSON
hence why I’m asking
IRVING
even I’m not that stupid
MITCHEL
dude…read the room
KIERAN
for the love of god, Johnson
I knew Blake hit you too hard last game
we need to get you an MRI to check your head
brOTHER FROM ANOTHER MOTHER
alcohol is all good just leave it outside and take home whatever you bring
IRVING
you sure Cap?
brOTHER FROM ANOTHER MOTHER
of course! keep it family level fun, though. we want the kids to have a great time and be safe
ELLINGTON
I’ll be there
VALENTI
me too
O’CONNOR
Looking forward to it Cap!
IRVING
FAMILY SUNDAY HERE WE COME
KIERAN
can Bella make her blueberry muffins?
IRVING
OH YES PLEASE I’M BEGGING
I’LL GET ON MY KNEES FOR THOSE MUFFINS
KIERAN
get your own muffins, they’re mine
IRVING
Fuck off and learn how to share
brOTHER FROM ANOTHER MOTHER
if they’re anyone’s muffins they’re mine but yes I’ll ask Bella
IRVING
thanks spider monkey ;)
brOTHER FROM ANOTHER MOTHER
no muffins for you
IRVING
NOOOOOO
Layla has no idea.
She’s utterly oblivious to how much I’ve fallen for her.
I’ve been walking around this bookstore with her for close to an hour and a half, just trailing her as she gushes over books. Her eyes when I asked her to show me what she loves lit up like fireworks on the Fourth of July.
She walks from shelf to shelf, never missing a beat as she points out books, categorizing them by not read, read, loved, forgotten, and hated.
She’s absolutely glowing.
It’s what I imagine I look like when I talk about hockey. To have something in your life that brings you such happiness is a blessing, one we both seem to have been granted.
I’d be lying if I wasn’t itching to ask what’s on her list, though. I’ve decided to rename it to her desire list because, let’s be honest, it’s not just general life firsts.
The more that her cheeks flush, her lips parting to yap about books, the more I want to kiss her. My cock is painfully hard, like I’m talking one brush from Little Miss Sunshine and I’d come in my pants type hard.
Thank fuck my shirt covers my jeans.
“Am I boring you?” she asks suddenly and I realize we’ve come to a stop and I’m staring at her lips.
Snapping my eyes up to hers, I answer honestly. “You could never bore me.”
She bites her lower lip. “We should probably talk about”—she peers around the store, lowering her voice—“our arrangement.”
If I wasn’t so caught up on the word she’s decided to call this, I would have started laughing at her low whisper, considering I bought out the store so we could be alone.
My brow quirks. “Arrangement?”
She waves her hands in the air. “Well, what would you call it?”
“Fucking.”
Her eyes widen and the look she gives me has me doubling over with laughter this time. I hold my hands up as she lifts her purse and whacks my shoulder with it. “I’m sorry, I had to. Your face was priceless.”
Clutching my stomach, I wipe away a tear that escapes. She frowns up at me, crossing her arms and cocking her hip.
“It’s rude to laugh at people, Ashford.”
There’s my little firecracker.
“You’d think with all the dirty books you read that the word wouldn’t have gotten such a reaction.”
She lifts her chin. “Well excuse me for not being so desensitized to sex.”
I reach out and brush my thumb along her cheek, not caring that I don’t have an excuse to touch her, just knowing that I have to in this moment otherwise I won’t be able to breath.
“I’m just messing with you, sunshine. Of course it’s more than just fucking.”
Wrapping an arm around her shoulder, I savor her confused features as I steer us toward the sitting room. “Come on, it’s time I hear about this famous list. I have to say, you’ve got my imagination running wild.”
She just huffs, the sound running down my spine.
Walking through the store, I can’t help but admire how well done it is.
The shelves are painted white, allowing the colorful spines of the books to add the pop of color, while decorations fill the gaps.
Bookmarks, totes, candles, and even pins are artfully placed throughout.
Then finally, the reading corner has a wall stapled with pages from several books, a pink neon sign above it reading Lover’s Lane.
Which honestly couldn’t be more perfect for the conversation that’s about to take place.
Layla sits on the far end of the couch, her cheeks flushed the same shade of her hair, and as she tucks a lock behind her ear, I can’t help but wonder if I’ve already fucked up as she continues to avoid my gaze. Reaching over, I gently clasp her hand.
“I’m sorry about before. I promise I was joking. This is a big deal, and I want you to know it isn’t nothing to me. I won’t hurt you, Layla, that I can promise you.”
At the sincerity of my words, she finally lifts her eyes to mine, vulnerability shining in them.
She clings to my hand. “Thank you.”
I try to give her a reassuring smile. “I know it’s nerve-wracking, but if this is going to work, communication is key. I’m pretty good at reading your tells but I need to know that if you find something uncomfortable, you’ll speak up and tell me.”
Nodding, she releases her lower lip from between her teeth. “Yes, of course.”
Leaning back on the couch, I spread my legs enough to allow my thigh to brush against hers. “Lay it on me, then, sunshine. What’s on this list?”
She fidgets from side to side, brushing her hands down her dress before picking up the edge of it, rolling the fabric, and playing with it. “W-well…I mean, the obvious one.”
I nod, savoring how nervous she is. She’s absolutely adorable. “Yes, sex.”
Her swallow is audible.
“What else?” I ask.
She flaps her hand in the air. “Things.”
Before I can stop myself a burst of laughter explodes from my chest. She leans forward and whacks my chest again.
“What the hell happened to not laughing at me?”
Chuckling, I bite my fist to stop myself from leaning forward and kissing her. Fuck me, the way she glares at me shouldn’t turn me on as much as it does.
“First of all, there is no reality in which I won’t laugh with you.”
At this, her eyes narrow. “This should be a safe environment.”
“This is a safe environment. You’re always safe with me.
” I lean forward, crowding her space, and by the widening of her eyes, she didn’t realize she was also leaning toward me like we’re opposite halves of a magnet.
“Now onto my second point, things is not descriptive enough. I want to know what you’ve written on the list.”
She sends daggers my way and I can just picture what’s running through her mind right now. “Can I not just write it down?”
“Is it so dirty you can’t even show me the original?”
If I thought I’ve seen Layla blush before it’s nothing compared to now. Scrambling upwards, she lifts her chin. “It’s a sacred list.”
“One which includes the things I need to do to you, and by the way you’re hedging this, it’s so fucking dirty you’re scared to show me.”
“I’m not scared.”
“Then show me.”
“No.”
“Point proven,” I whisper.
She growls deep in her throat. “Why do you even want to see it all?”
“Because I can’t wait to get my fucking hands on you. I thought that was obvious.” My lip twitches. “On second thought, I want to hear you say it.”
“What?” she all but chokes.
“If you want me to do this with you, you need to say it. If you’re not able to ask for it, I won’t do it.”
She’s spluttering now. “You’re not a teacher grading me!”
I tap my lip, dramatically pondering. “If I do recall correctly, you said you were going to use me so I could teach you for other people.”
Now she’s rolling her eyes.
I fucking love it when she rolls her eyes, it’s like foreplay.
“I did not say that.”
“What did you say then?”
Her lips part before snapping shut.
“Come on, sunshine,” I all but purr. “Tell me what’s on the list.”
“E-everything,” she blurts, her chest heaving.
“Define everything.”
My voice is so deep and thick it even stuns me, but damn does it feel good to see her eyes heat at the sound.
“I haven’t done…anything. All I’ve ever done is kiss guys and maybe been weirdly groped here and there, but that’s it, and I want to try everything.”
My heart stops beating.
I sit up slowly, her eyes never leaving mine as I crowd her personal space. “Nothing?”
“Nothing,” she whispers.
Her eyes snap to her hand clutching the pillow in front of her and suddenly the mood shifts, my firecracker extinguished. Shuffling forward, I lay a gentle finger under her chin and lift until her sad face meets mine.
“Hey,” I whisper.
“Hi.”
“Why the sudden shift?”
Holding my breath, I’m worried she’s going to brush me off, say nothing or that everything is fine; most people do. But I don’t know why I thought Layla would be like the rest—she’s the most special person I’ve met.
“It’s embarrassing. I haven’t…lived.”
“Yes you have, sunshine. It’s just a life you didn’t deserve.
” Her breath hitches and I can tell this could head south quickly.
Sliding both my hands up her neck, I cup her jaw, boring into her eyes, hoping she’ll believe every word.
“I’m grateful, beyond lucky, and have been wondering what I did to deserve this and you in my life.
I say we have fun with it.” Smiling, I try to lighten the mood.
“I don’t know if you’ve heard but there’s these puck bunny sites that write blogs about me. Apparently, I’m a pretty good lay.”
She bends over, a laugh exploding from her as she pushes me away. “Trust you to try and make me laugh by reminding me how much of a whore you are.”