14. Noah
Since our firstaway game was this week, our coach decided to move our practices to early mornings, so we could get in four practices before we hit the road. That meant I was dragging my ass today. I was not a morning person, and adding in the stress of what was going on with Jade, it just made for a clusterfuck of angry Noah.
I executed a slap shot, which I was usually good at, and it went very fucking wide. Finn didn’t even have to attempt to block it. He, along with Ryder and Oli, looked at me with trepidation. The rest of the guys on the ice fell silent. I was always on point, and I was usually bitching at them to get their heads in the game, but I was the one fucking up today. This close to a game against a team that was one of the few that could beat us, I got pissed.
When I was passed another puck, I hit it with a lot of power, but it went right for Finn’s head. Luckily, he was fast and was able to duck, but I shouldn’t be playing this bad. My coach, sensing that something was amiss, told me to take a minute. He wasn’t so nice about it, but that was what he meant. Skating to the sidelines, I pulled off my gloves and helmet and sat on the bench. Trying to rein in the swirl of emotions, I raked my hands through my hair, fisting it. I relished the sting of pain as I tugged on it.
Oli skated over to me, and I gave him a look that told him to not start.
“What”s up, Noah? You haven’t played that bad since Jadey went on her first date.”
I let out a humorless chuckle. I hadn’t been in college yet at that time, but that game sucked. Luckily, I wasn’t the only one on the team so we still pulled out a win, but I was reamed by my coach afterward.
“Well, wouldn’t you know, it’s still the same infuriating woman. She is the only one who can cause my concentration to be skewed. I’m worried about what is going to happen to her while we’re gone, and she isn’t confident in how serious I am about her. I can feel it now like some shadow over us, and I don’t know what happened to cause it,” I confessed.
Oli was the only person I would ever unload like that with. He was the one constant in my life, and he had been there since before my mom passed away.
“Look, Noah, I don”t want to tell you to give up, but she has some serious trauma. I still don’t know the full story of what happened to her with her ex, but I can tell that it has left its mark on her. She trusts you and me, but even that is tentative.” He sighed and leaned against the wall separating me from the rink. “The fact that we are leaving in a few months—I don’t know if it’s enough time to fix it. Then you guys will have a hard time seeing each other. More so than now. She will still be here studying, and our lives will be much more demanding than they are now. I know you don’t want to hear it, but I’m just being realistic.”
I raked my fingers through my hair again because I could see where he was coming from, but I wasn”t going to let go of her now that I finally had her. I had warned her that when we crossed that line, that was it for me. If there was only one thing that was consistent for me, it was that I didn’t go down without a fight. I”d been that way since I started playing hockey.
Never back down, never lie down and take it.
I looked up at Oli. “I understand that you are trying to be rational, but you don’t know her like I do. I know what her ex did; she told me the story. I know that she is trying to protect herself, but I won’t let her check out. I’m in this to the end. My biggest concern right now is what to do while we have this away game. I need her to be safe.”
Oli’s eyes brightened and he smiled. “That’s easy. Finn and Ryder got that security system with cameras set up. Have Cora stay the night and send the feed to your phone. That way you can be aware if something happens, and she can feel safety in numbers with Cora staying,” he finished, nodding.
“That’s actually a really good idea. I’ll run it by Jade after practice,” I said, wondering if Jade would be receptive to the plan.
“Speaking of. Probably should get back to it. Time to get your head in the game, Noah,” he added, showcasing his signature grin.
I chuckled and followed him out onto the ice.
By the timeI got done with practice, redressed, and back to the house, all I wanted to do was slip into bed with Jade. But I needed to take a shower and get ready for the school day ahead of me. I knew coming here that the ultimate goal wasn’t to graduate, but I had to stay in school and pass my classes until I was able to go into the NHL. It was a year later than I had planned, but seeing as I was here for Jade’s first year in college, I couldn’t really regret the things about the past that I couldn’t change.
Jade was still in the bed we had been sharing and was asleep on her side, facing my side of the bed, as if she was waiting for me to come back. I looked at her in longing, taking in her body. The blanket was pulled down, and the shirt she was wearing had ridden up, showcasing her flat stomach. My fingers itched to touch her but now wasn’t the time. I clenched my fists and turned toward the bathroom, still set on that shower. I closed the bathroom door and turned the knobs on the shower, letting the water warm up first. I slipped out of my clothes and pulled a towel out of the linen cupboard.
Once inside the shower with the warm water cascading over me, some of the tension left my body, letting me momentarily relax. I allowed my head to fall forward and rest against the tile wall. My eyes were clenched shut when I thought I heard the bathroom door. Opening my eyes, I saw an outline of a body I’d come to know very well lately. Her shadow peeled off the very little amount of clothing she had on then opened the shower door. She stood there, taking in my naked form. The way she looked at me in times like this made me feel ten feet tall, even more revered than I usually was. Honestly, I didn’t care that other people loved me—that wasn’t why I played hockey. But the fact that she felt something more for me, or elevated me above others, that shit was addictive.
I stepped back so she could slip inside. The bathroom had a separate tub and a stand-up shower, so it wasn’t huge, but there was enough room for me to push her against the wall and devour her. With the look she was giving me, I had a feeling she would gladly welcome that course of action. Gripping her hips, I pulled her closer to me, the water turning her hair a darker shade of auburn with the rainbow streaks standing out. I moaned and tried to control my dick until after we talked.
“I think that Oli and I came up with a plan that you might like for our away games.”
She looked up at me and blinked the water away from her lashes. “And what did you two cook up?”
“Finn and Ryder just recently installed a security system. I can set it up to ping my phone as well as yours when motion is detected or whatever alerts we want. Then when we are out of town, I can know you are safe, and you could have Cora over. She has that terrible roommate so she would probably welcome it and you won’t be alone.” I rushed out the words, wanting to get all the info out there before she could reject it.
Her eyebrows furrowed and I could see she was trying to process everything I had just said. She sighed.
“It’s the best solution we have. I don’t know. What am I supposed to do, though, if I see someone lurking? I could call the cops, but we both know whoever it is will bolt.”
“Okay, so. Get it on record. That way at least there is proof someone is being weird,” I told her. I had no idea how this was all going to work out in the long run, but it was the only option we had right now. Aside from some texts and a picture, there wasn’t a lot of proof of any wrongdoing. Maybe the person would back off on their own.
“All right. I’m on board and I will be vigilant while you’re gone. I guess I better text Cora after this and see if she wants to stay.”
I nodded. Now that the conversation was over, I could get back to more important matters, like making her scream my name while I pulled an orgasm or two out of her.
Friday after a practiceat fuck early in the morning, I was ready for a nap, or a coma, but we were about ready to travel to Wisconsin for our first away game. Trying to remember everything I”d need, I went to the closet to find my bag sitting there, already fully packed. Jade sat on the bed cross-legged with a smug smile plastered on her beautiful face. She shrugged, the shoulder of the jersey she was wearing slipping down. Wearing my jersey really wasn”t playing fair because she knew what it did to me. If I didn”t have a coach riding me and a team relying on me, I would throw caution to the wind by fucking her and deal with the consequences later. The reality was I needed to say goodbye.
“Thank you, J. You saved my ass.”
“I figured it was your turn to be the damsel.” Giggling, she rose from the bed, walked over to me, and flung her arms around my neck. “I may be new to healthy relationships, but from what I”ve heard, we”re supposed to be a team. I’ve got your back, Noah. You jump, I jump.”
I couldn”t help but smile, but I had to know where this newfound faith in us came from, because less than a week ago she basically said that she thought I was just passing time until I left. “I completely agree, but where is this new confidence coming from?”
Her smile faltered a little. She sighed. “I have enough shitty relationship baggage for the both of us. And not just from my ex. Until my mom met Pierce, it seemed like the mentality was every man for themselves, and I didn”t understand it. While it made leaving easier, it made no sense. Why work on building a life with someone when you are just waiting to get out? I may be young, so I don”t know exactly what I need, but I know I don”t want to live like that. If I”m gonna give my heart to someone, I need to be all-in. I care about you a lot, Noah. I think I always have.”
I pulled her lips to mine, the feelings welling up inside me becoming overwhelming. I wasn”t a touchy-feely guy, never letting my emotions show or being vulnerable with anyone. But with Jade, something about her brought out the softer side of me. Neither of us had said it yet, but I knew she had given me the equivalent of an I love you, or at least I”m falling in love with you. I pulled away from her minutely, my lips still brushing against hers. Instead of beating around the bush, I was honest.
“I have waited a long time to tell you how I feel, angel. Now I”m not afraid to say that I”m falling in love with you. It couldn”t have been stopped.”
She sighed in contentment and her eyelids fluttered. She pressed against me, seeking the friction of a real kiss. For a few minutes, I let her have control. It started out as a tentative connection, but soon her hands were in my hair, pulling on the strands and her tongue sought entrance to my mouth. A low moan built in the back of my throat, and I was about to take control back when my phone rang. I knew it meant it was time to go. Groaning, I pulled away from her, giving her one chaste kiss before disengaging from her lips. She gave me a knowing smile and I chuckled.
Grabbing my duffel bag with one hand and twining our fingers together with the other, I led her out to the living room to meet up with my teammates who had congregated together. Finn was driving Oli, Callum, Ryder, and me over to the arena to get on the charter bus that would take us to Wisconsin. The guys greeted Jade and she smiled at them, returning their hellos. I kissed her on the forehead, not strong enough to have to pull myself from her lips again.
“Stay safe, angel, and call me if you need anything. I mean it,” I said, making her meet my eyes.
She nodded, “Okay, I will.”
Oli pushed me aside to give her a hug. “Stop hogging Jadey, man. You seriously need manners,” he said, as she chuckled.
I had to control the urge to tear off his head. I knew they had nothing but sibling-like love for each other, but I had problems with anyone thinking of touching her, regardless of their intentions. The fact she was smiling widely and laughing helped to quell the storm rising in me.
Ryder and Finn gave her high fives and Callum just semi-waved at her, and then we headed out of the house to the SUV parked on the street. Usually, I loved away games. It was a chance to see a new city and hang out with my teammates, but I was worried this time because even though Jade’s stalker had gone radio silent, I couldn’t help but assume he was waiting for her to be away from me. I hoped I was wrong.