Chapter 12 #2
“Yes, he can,” the bartender says, pointing toward the door. “Now get out before I call security and have you removed.”
The guy starts to say something else, but I take another step toward him, and he thinks better of it. He turns on his heel and practically runs out of the bar, or at least the best a drunk person can.
I swing around to Chloe. “Are you okay?” I ask her, cupping her face. “Did he hurt you?”
“No, no. I’m good. Are you okay?”
“Huh? Yeah, I’m fine. Don’t worry about me. I can hold my own.”
“Oh, I’m aware, Mr. Leads the Team in PIMs.”
I wince. I’m usually proud of that title because my not being afraid to drop the gloves gives my team an advantage, but I know she always hated it when I fought. She used to fret over me, panic about the bruising. She would—wait a minute.
“How do you know that?”
“What?”
“How do you know that? How do you know I lead the team in penalty minutes?”
“Oh.” She shrugs. “I, uh, I watched your games. It was a real pain to keep up with them with the time zone differences, but I always tried or watched replays the next day.”
“I was only teasing you at the coffee shop, but…you really watch my games, Clover?”
She nods. “Yeah, I really watch your games, Callum.”
I don’t think—I just act. Not caring about waiting for our drinks, I grab her hand and pull her to the only private place I can think of in this damn place.
I don’t stop, even when people cast curious glances our way.
I keep going until we’re tucked safely into the dark corridor leading to the bathrooms, then I back her against the wall and press my body against hers.
“What are you—”
“I want to kiss you again. Can I?”
She laughs. “Why are you even asking? You didn’t earlier when you kissed me in front of your teammates.”
“That was different. I was…”
“What?” she pushes when I don’t finish my sentence. “Claiming me?”
“Yes,” I practically growl. I know how ridiculous that is, given that they’re all in committed relationships, but it’s true. I want everyone to know she’s mine…while she still is.
I slip my hand over her cheek, loving how she presses into my touch like she can’t get enough of it. I can’t get enough of her either.
“Tell me yes, Clover.”
“Of course you ca—”
I devour the rest of her words with my mouth, slanting my lips over hers, and she melts into me. This time, I don’t hesitate to slip my fingers beneath the Seattle Serpents shirt she’s wearing because I need to touch her right now, or I might just die.
She groans as I do, and her soft curves feel like heaven under my fingers as I wrap my hands around her hips.
I tug her to me, all while pressing into her, because no matter how close we are right now, it’s not enough.
She must feel the same, because she grabs my arms, her nails digging into me like she’s silently begging for more.
I give it to her. I tilt her head, pushing inside her mouth, and our tongues slide together in sync like they’ve done this before—and they have.
My cock grows hard against the zipper of my jeans, and there’s no way she doesn’t feel it pushing against her.
She lets out a soft noise and sinks her nails in even deeper. She’s as eager for more as I am.
I trace my fingers along the waistband of her jeans, wanting so desperately to dip them inside and see if she’s wet for me, but I don’t. Not here. Not now.
Not yet.
“You’re perfect,” I tell her as I pull away, my lips barely grazing hers. “I missed this.”
“Me too.” She runs her hands higher, slipping them into my hair and pulling me back down to her. “Kiss me again.”
I do. I’ve never been able to resist her, and I don’t see the point in trying to do it now. Just like I’m not able to resist touching her.
Maybe just a little bit, I tell myself as I slide my hands higher.
She shivers under my touch as I cup her heavy tit, loving how the lace of her bra feels against my hand. I can feel her pert nipple under the material, and I brush my thumb over it just because I can. Chloe hisses, and I grin against her.
“Callum…”
“Yes?”
“Do you want to—”
A loud, booming laugh cuts her words off, and I wrench my mouth from Chloe’s to find Locke standing ten feet away. I move in front of her, making sure she’s covered up even though things hadn’t even gotten that far.
“I’m sorry, but this is just too fucking funny.”
“Can I help you, old man?” I practically spit at him.
He laughs, unfazed by my ire. “Say, remember a few months ago when you walked into this very hallway and found Vanessa and me in a compromising situation? Ironic now, no?”
“First of all, nobody says ‘compromising situation.’ This is exactly why Lawson makes fun of you for being old. Secondly, she’s not my captain’s stepsister. She’s my wife, so can we have some damn privacy, please?”
“Callum?” Her hand lands on my arm, and she squeezes. “It’s okay. We, uh, we should probably stop anyway.”
But I don’t want to stop. Kissing her last night was fucking magical.
It shook loose something inside me that’s been festering for far too long, and kissing her now feels just as good.
I want to do it more, but with her brown eyes pleading for me to let it go, I do.
With a sigh, I push off the wall and step aside, but not before checking to make sure her shirt is back where it needs to be.
Locke laughs.
“What?” I snarl with a glare.
He only laughs harder. “Just never thought I’d see the day Callum Keller lets a girl talk him off the ledge.”
It’s fair for him to say that, but what he doesn’t know is she’s not just any girl. She’s the girl, and I’d do anything she asked of me.
“Mind if I take a piss?”
I step aside with an eye roll. “Be my guest, old man.” But my words have no real bite to them, and Locke doesn’t miss it.
He brushes past us, shaking his head with a smile, and I turn to Chloe once he disappears into the bathroom.
“Are you okay?” I ask.
“I’m good. Are you?”
“Yeah. Why?”
“Uh, that was…intense. What happened?”
I lift a shoulder. “Nothing I don’t deserve. After I caught him with Hutch’s stepsister, I gave him a lot of shit about it. Like, a lot. It’s retribution for that.”
“This team has a lot of secrets, huh?”
I laugh quietly. “You have no idea, Clover.” I take her hand in mine, tugging her closer. “Come on. Let’s get out there before Lawson skulks back here and I have to beat up my own teammate.”
“I’ve heard it work before. Teammates scrap at practice, then they end up winning the Cup. Could be a good idea.”
“I’m sorry, do you want me to fight?”
“Uh, no. Or maybe. I don’t know. It’s been a while since I’ve seen it in person.” She lifts her brows up and down. “Could be hot.”
“As tempting as that sounds…” I grin and pull on her hand again. “There are other things I want to be doing right now.”
“Oh? Like what?”
You. I want to be doing you. I want to kiss you and touch you and remind you that you belong to me.
“What do you think about coming home with me?”
I wish I didn’t notice how much she hesitates, but I do. Her eyes, which were just so bright, dim, and she sinks her teeth into her bottom lip.
“You know what? Never mind. Forget I said anything. I—”
“Yes.”
I tip my head to the side. “Yes?”
“Yeah. Let’s go.”
I’ve never claimed to be a smart man, but I know when to leave well enough alone, so I don’t question this and proceed to drag her out of the darkened hallway. We say goodbye to everyone, which takes way too long, then we slip into my car and head back to my apartment.
We’re quiet on the ride, and the silence isn’t nearly as easy as it was on the drive to Top Shelf. I wonder if she’s thinking about the implications of inviting her over. If so, she has nothing to worry about. I have no expectations of what’s going to happen. I simply don’t want this night to end.
When I pull into the parking garage and shut off the rumbling V10, she doesn’t make a move to exit the car.
I turn toward her. “Clover…”
It takes longer than I’d like for her to return my stare, and when she does, I wince internally.
“I just want to spend more time with you. I’m not asking for anything else. And if you want me to take you back to your hotel, I’ll do it. Just say the word. I won’t be mad, I promise.”
Her shoulders sag in relief, and I’m unsure if I should be offended or glad. I want to ask her if she’s scared of me, us, or letting herself get close again, but I don’t. I just wait for her, which is exactly what I’ve been doing for the last three years.
“I want to stay.”
They’re the exact words I want to hear. I waste no time helping her from the car, and we make our way up to my apartment. Percy meows loudly as soon as I push the door open.
“Hey, little man,” I say, bending down to give him attention, but he goes right past me and jumps into Chloe’s waiting arms.
“Hi there,” she coos, nuzzling her nose against his. “Did you miss me, Percy?”
Meow.
He snuggles into her more, and the scene makes my heart ache because we could have had this all along.
We could have been a family. We—no. I have to stop thinking about the what-ifs.
That’s not our reality, and it doesn’t matter anyway.
It’s not like we can get those years back. All we can do is move forward.
I shove all those thoughts away as I take off my shoes, then move to the kitchen.
I grab Chloe the Diet Coke she never got at the bar and a water for myself.
I take an ice pack from the freezer, and without even having to ask what I need, Chloe makes her way to the couch.
I join her there, noting that Percy sits in her lap instead of mine, and I cue up something on the TV just for background noise.
“Oh my god, are you seriously still watching this show?”
“What?” I ask innocently, setting the ice pack against my knee, and though it’s cold, it feels damn good against the bruise that’s already formed. “It’s a comfort.”
“How many times have you seen it now?”