11. Othelia
Chapter eleven
Othelia
“Are you sure about this?” I ask, staring at my reflection in the full-length mirror.
“You look as hot as fuck, Tilly, and God knows one of us needs to,” Sloane yells back at me as she rifles through her walk-in closet. Skirts and scarves fly out and create a pile that would give the Himalayas a run for their money.
I readjust my breasts inside the black long-line triangle bikini Sloane threw at me an hour ago when she announced we were heading to Marcus’ house for a family grill day. The plunging neckline shows an insane amount of cleavage and still fits me like a glove, even though Sloane is much smaller than me.
I check the back for any bulges, running my fingers along the waistband and giving it a gentle tug, paranoid that the material will cut in and give my hip dips a weird curve.
“Will you stop that?” Sloane scolds, finally coming out of the cave she has created of clothing rejects.
Taking one last look at the high-waisted bikini ensemble, I sigh as I throw on my oversized Slayer tee and slide up the denim shorts, which at one stage were full length jeans before they ripped too much to wear. I could never part with a pair of jeans that fit so perfectly over my ass, even if wearing shorts still makes me feel self-conscious.
Sloane looks stunning, as usual, in a black floor length maxi dress, and a cream bohemian crochet vest with tassels. “OK, tell Rian I’m ready. I just need to pee for the eleventh time this morning and I’ll be down.”
Giving her a salute, I head across the landing to my room, but the sound of the doorbell stops me as I reach my door.
“Got it,” Rian yells as he jogs out of the kitchen to answer. He swings the door open and greets the delivery guy waiting on the steps.
“Hi, I have a flower delivery for James,” a man holding up a giant vase filled with hundreds of red and pink roses calls out. But when he notices who’s standing in the doorway, his mouth drops.
“Well, I’m guessing they aren’t for me, and I damn hope no-one is sending my wife a grand’s worth of roses.”
The delivery guy looks awkwardly up at Rian. “Nearly two thousand, sir.”
I just about choke at the price. Who the hell sends two thousand dollars’ worth of roses?
“I’m guessing these are for my sister. Thanks.” Rian tips the guy, who gives him a quick nod, turning to go but then deciding to turn back, acknowledging my brother before Rian closes the door.
“That was a killer tip in, in the third the other night. Had the entire bar on their feet.”
Rian lights up at the praise, extending his hand out to fist bump. “Thanks man, it was tight for a minute there, but glad we could bring it home in the end.”
“Well, I should…” He points his thumb toward his car. “Pleasure to meet you, Mr James.”
Rian gives him another wave as the guy turns, scurrying back down the stairs and jogging to his car.
“ Tilly… ” Rian sings up the stairs to me. “ Someone is buying you incredibly expensive flowers .” The grin on his face grows wide as I descend the stairs. “Holy shit, these are heavy,” he says, fumbling before recovering and placing them on the table.
Before I can make it down the last step, he rips out the card and waves it in the air like a flag. “Oooo, has someone got a secret admirer?” I reach for the card, but he holds it well out of my reach. Though my excitement bubbles within me, thoughts of the intense blue eyes that were locked onto me from across the glass during the game linger in my mind. I control my impulse to jump for it like a child.
“Really Rian? What are you, twelve?” I whine.
“You should know your brother by now.” Sloane’s laughter echoes in the entryway as she descends.
He teasingly waves it out of my reach, but I take advantage of his vulnerability and quickly grab both of his nipples, twisting them. “Ahhh, damn Tilly, a double tittie twister! You are savage.”
“You asked for that,” Sloane laughs as she gets to us, breathing slightly harder from the descent.
“Are you okay?" I ask.
“Yeah, yeah.” She waves it off. “My lungs hate these stairs at the moment. I’m too front heavy. Back to the more important question, who sent you that ridiculously huge bouquet?
Rian relents under the glare of his wife, handing the card to me. I eagerly rip through the seal and pull out the card inside.
My Othelia,
I miss you
C x
I deflate. Clay. Definitely not the admirer I was hoping for. Reading the disappointment etched on my face, Sloane places a hand on my back.
“They’re just from Clay,” I say as I throw the card onto the table next to the bouquet.
“Were you hoping they were from a super cute, tattooed defenseman that couldn’t stop eye-fucking you the other night?” She wiggles her eyebrows suggestively.
“Ew, gross. I don’t need to think of anyone eye-fucking my sister, let alone my teammate.” Rian gags but still wraps his arms around her. “Wait… which defenseman?”
“Hate to break it to you babe, but Tilly is hot as fuck. She’s currently on the cover of seven international magazines. One with no clothes, only her guitar,” she answers, ignoring his question. “I’m pretty sure there are more than a few guys doing a hell of a lot more than eye-fucking her.” Rian and I both gag at the thought.
“No,” I say, getting us back on track. “I wasn’t thinking they were from him. I haven’t even spoken with him. Why would he send me these?”
“What defenseman?” Rian cuts in. Sloane turns her head and they have one of those silent conversations that only couples who have been together forever can manage. Conveying everything with only a stare.
“Well, good thing you’ll have a chance to remedy that today,” she says with a pep in her step again, a mischievous grin spreading across her face.
“Come again…” She is not saying what I think she is.
“What part of team family lunch did you think wouldn’t include our latest defenseman?” Rian cuts in, sounding smug that he worked out who we are talking about. “Today is about bonding, Til.”
Oh my God, I can feel my eyes widening. “I… ah…” I look down and take in my appearance in a whole new light. “I need to change.” I take off at lightning speed towards the stairs.
“Stop right fucking there, Othelia. Don’t you even think about changing! I meant it when I said you looked hot as fuck. I would never send you anywhere looking horrible. Get those thoughts out of your head. You’re a goddamn smoke-show and anyone that doesn’t recognize that is a waste of your time.” The tone in her voice conveys that today she is not to be fucked with.
“You knew and you didn’t even think to warn me!” I turn and hiss.
She places her hand to her chest in mock offense. “Me… Of course I knew, but I also wasn’t going to let you spend the last two days stressing about it and coming up with a million reasons you can’t go. Now you have none and it’s time for us to leave or we will be late.” She smirks, knowing she has me.
I snatch my bag from her outstretched hand. “I hate you guys.” I glare at them as I stomp towards the car.
“No, you don’t,” they both sing as they join me in the garage, locking the door behind them. I can’t stop the butterflies from erupting in my stomach at the thought of seeing him again.
My mind replays the moment our eyes collided on the ice, or the feeling of electricity that tingled across my skin as I found him watching me through the glass while I donned Maverick’s gear. The look of almost jealous that crossed his face every time Mav leaned in to give me pointers had me on fire underneath all the padding.
Chewing my lip, I stare out the window at the passing suburbs. Maybe today will be interesting after all.