Chapter 21 – Brianna
What’s that noise…?
Oh, shit.
My hand shoots out toward the nightstand, blindly fumbling for my phone that’s vibrating. I can’t reach it. And I’m… stuck?
Trapped.
Pinned.
And not by the hotel sheets.
I blink a few times, trying to get my bearings, and that’s when I realize I’m not wrapped up in blankets.
I’m wrapped up in Seth. Seth’s massive, goaltender muscular arms. He’s got me locked down like a vise, spooning me like I’m his body pillow.
His bare chest is warm and solid against my back, one thick, muscled leg tangled between mine, and his arm is draped across my waist like he’s keeping me from running away.
He’s still sound asleep. Snoring. Peacefully. Completely oblivious to the chaos he’s causing because I need to answer my phone, I’m certain it’s Kelly, but also, he smells so freaking good and I like being wrapped up in his arms. It feels safe and cozy.
My body is screaming at me to stay right where I am.
Warm. Perfectly content. But my brain is in full-blown panic mode because last night I watched porn with Seth, made out with him, then let him thank me by giving me the best orgasm I’ve had all year.
And now Kelly’s going to show up at this room and find Seth in my bed which will take four seconds to get back to everyone we know in New York City and Brookhaven.
I’ve gotta get out of here before Kelly and Sawyer come to the room and find Seth and I together.
I wiggle my hips a little, but Seth’s grip only tightens with the movement. It’s like his subconscious knows I’m trying to get away and he’s not having it.
“Seth,” I whisper.
He doesn’t move. I shift again, this time managing to slide just enough out of his grasp to reach the nightstand. My fingertips find my phone, and sure enough—two missed calls from Kelly are illuminating the dark screen.
I press redial and hold the phone to my ear, trying to keep my voice soft as I whisper, “Hey, Kelly.”
“Bri!” Kelly’s voice is chipper, way too awake for this ungodly hour.
I check the time, six in the morning. Seth and I have been asleep for three hours, tops.
“I wanted to let you know Sawyer woke up about thirty minutes ago and was starving, so we ran out to grab breakfast burritos. My flight leaves in a couple of hours, so I need to head to the airport soon. I was hoping to drop her off with you before I go. What room number are you in so we can swing by?”
Ah, shit.
When I told Kelly I’d drive to Boston to pick up Sawyer, I never expected Seth to come with me. That was definitely not part of the plan. But now I’m faced with explaining to his daughter why her dad is here at all, and why he ended up spending the night in my room.
Absolutely not. There is no version of that conversation that ends well.
I need to get out of here. Somehow, I have to find a way to make this look a lot less obvious before Sawyer starts asking questions.
“I’ll meet you in the lobby. I was just heading down,” I lie quickly, deciding that’s my best chance of making this work. “Where are you at?”
“On our way back to the hotel from breakfast. We’ll be there in five minutes.”
“Great. See you then.”
I hang up and spring into action, peeling Seth’s arms off me as gently as I can. He doesn’t stir. He must be so exhausted. I swing my legs off the bed and hit the floor running, darting straight for the bathroom. When I reach it, I flick on the light and stare at my reflection in the mirror.
Whoa.
My light brown hair is a tangled mess, barely held up by the claw clip I threw it in last night. Mascara smudges under my eyes. My face looks puffy from too little sleep, and don’t even get me started on the pillow print lines that seem to have embedded in my cheek.
I rinse my mouth out, using hotel hand soap as a makeshift toothpaste because I don’t have my toothbrush (and yes, I know that’s disgusting,) then splash cold water on my face and run toilet paper under my lash line.
I put my glasses back on and make sure they’re straight, then fix my hair as best I can, pulling it into a neater but messy bun before taking a long, cautious sniff of myself.
Yikes.
Yesterday morning’s deodorant has officially given up. I smell like road trip, stale air-conditioning, and sweat. I grab more toilet paper and wipe at my armpits until they’re dry and finally smell like nothing. Then I swing the bathroom door open, fully expecting to find Seth still asleep.
Nope.
He’s standing beside the bed, dragging a T-shirt over his head.
His hair sticks up in every direction, like he just rolled out of bed and somehow still managed to look unfairly attractive.
His warm-up shorts still hang low on his hips, and the outline of his dick print in them instantly ruins any progress I made convincing myself I’m over this crush.
My teeth sink into my bottom lip.
Because the truth is, in another world, a world where I wasn’t constantly waiting for Seth to pull away, where I knew he wanted the same kind of forever that I do, I’d go right over to him.
I’d shove him backward onto that hotel mattress, climb into his lap, and ride him until we were both satisfied.
Instead, I stand there, staring for a second too long.
Because his daughter is downstairs. Because we have a three-hour drive ahead of us.
And because wanting Seth has never been the problem.
The problem is wanting him enough that now and then I catch myself imagining what it would feel like to have a happy-ever-after with him.
Shit.
I lift my gaze up just as his eyes meet mine.
“Hey.” His voice is all gravel and rasp, that sexy, sleepy sound that goes straight to my core. He zips up his duffle bag and tosses it over his shoulder, completely unaware of the horny meltdown that’s happening inside me.
How much more of shirtless, grumpy Seth can I take? Why am I doing this to myself? Maybe I need to go back to that bar where we first met and find some other random guy to have a one-night stand with. Yep. That’s the problem. I've turned one great night into something bigger than it was.
Except after last night, I'm not sure I'll ever be able to look at another man the same way again.
But that's just me, romanticizing the ordinary.
“Hello.” I force a smile, pretending like I’m not mentally combusting. “So, um… I forgot to mention to Kelly that you were with me.”
Seth nods, his expression neutral as he stretches his arms over his head. His shirt lifts just enough to give me a glimpse of his toned core. The same one that I was grabbing all over last night.
Focus, Bri.
“So, I’m just gonna go down to the lobby and meet up with Kelly and Sawyer first,” I blurt, forcing my eyes away. “Then I’ll pretend to call you in your room and tell you to come down.” Totally normal. Completely unsuspicious.
His expression is blank, but I can see the way he’s studying me closely. I wonder if he’s thinking about what happened. I wonder if he knows I’m freaking out.
“Fine.”
That’s it. Just fine. Not we watched married people porn together last night and then I licked your pussy. Are we ever going to be able to look at each other again?
“Cool.”
I nod quickly and move to the door before either of us can make it any worse. I'm down the hallway in record time, heart hammering against my ribs like it's trying to get out.
I've always loved the feeling of falling for someone new.
That kind of freefall where anything feels possible and your whole body knows something your brain hasn't caught up to yet.
Love. Romance. Mystery. Charm. Fantasy. I've chased that feeling before.
But I've never felt it this strongly for someone and been this uncertain it was going anywhere.
With Seth there are moments I'd swear he's right there with me. In the gym. The car. The bed. His hand at my throat. And then he pulls back, and I'm left standing in the wreckage of it wondering if I imagined the whole thing. Or I pull back. Either way we are not on the same page.
A well-placed orgasm in a hotel room does not equal love, romance, or long-term commitment. It equals temporary satisfaction and eventual disappointment. Heartbreak.
For me, at least.
Protect your heart, I tell myself as the elevator descends.
The doors open into the lobby and Kelly and Sawyer are walking in at the same time that I exit.
The relief I feel at the sight of them is immediate because now I have something to focus on besides the three-hour drive home with Seth and whatever is happening between us that neither of us wants to acknowledge.
“Hi!” I say, forcing a cheerful smile even though I’m running on less than three hours of sleep and multiple questionable life choices. I hate lying. I don’t do it. Pretending to be fine feels like lying. I’m not fine right now.
Kelly waves, looking fresh and put together because of course she does, while Sawyer skips ahead, her face lighting up when she sees me.
“Hi, Bri!” she says lightly, her cheeks tinged with pink, her eyes flickering with something between embarrassment and relief.
I don’t give her time to overthink it—I pull her into a tight hug, feeling her smaller arms wrap around me instantly.
God, I missed her. I didn’t expect to feel it this quickly or this much.
And it’s not just because there are moments where she reminds me of a younger me, or who her father is, but because she’s silly, and good, and so smart.
I like being around her. She feels like another friend.
“Thanks for staying with her last night,” I say to Kelly.
“Of course. We basically slept the whole time. Okay,” She slings her purse over her shoulder. “I’m off. Gotta catch my plane and then I need a long shower.”
I smile and squeeze her arm. “Thank you. Have a safe flight.” She heads toward the hotel exit while I shift my attention back to Sawyer, whose eyes look worried.
“Does my dad know what happened? Is he mad?” is the first thing she blurts out.
“Look, I forgot to mention this last night because I didn’t think he was coming.”
Her face freezes for a second, and then her eyes widen. “Dad’s here?” She says it quietly, almost like she already knows the answer.
I nod. “Yeah. He’s not upset or anything, but he’s running on very little sleep, so he might be a little grumpy.”
She lets out a soft snort. “Isn’t he always a little grumpy?”
“That he is,” I grin. “I think it’s a requirement for his job. Has to be intimidating in the goal.” I pull my phone out of my pocket and shoot Seth a quick text.
Bri: Ready when you are.
Not even a second later the elevator doors slide open, and he steps out. When his gaze locks on Sawyer it’s like all the stress melts off his handsome face. He moves to her quickly.
“Hi, Spirit,” he murmurs, his voice soft in a way I’ve only ever heard him use with her. He wraps her up in his arms, hugging her so tight I can practically feel the relief in his shoulders.
Sawyer clings to him just as fiercely, burying her face in his chest.
“I’m sorry, Dad,” she mumbles softly.
“What happened?” He holds her out like he’s inspecting her for injuries.
“I got really scared.”
He nods. “We’ve flown a lot together. Any reason you were scared this time?”
"I don't know. It just felt different." She pauses. "I'm sorry. For making you drive all the way out here. For ruining your night."
Seth doesn't respond right away. He just holds her, one hand moving slowly through her hair, like she's the most precious thing he's ever been trusted with. Which I already know she is.
He looks at me over her shoulder and the worry in his hazel eyes hits me square in the chest. Seth is someone who is almost always in control, who always knows the right, next move.
I recognize his expression immediately. It’s the helpless of a parent who couldn’t be there when it mattered and doesn’t know how to forgive himself for it.
“You didn’t ruin anything,” he finally says. “You could never ruin anything.”
“Okay, you two,” I clap my hands softly, breaking the moment before it stretches into something uncomfortable. “We should probably hit the road.”
Seth finally releases Sawyer and steps back, but I don’t miss the way his shoulders drop just a little, like he’s relieved to have something different to focus on and process what happened.
“I’m driving home,” he says to me, his tone leaving no room for argument.
I blink. “It’s fine. It’s my car.”
“It’s not up for debate. You drove here; I’m driving home.” He holds out his hand for my keys.
I hesitate, because… well, yeah, it’s my car. I’m also running on fumes, and I’m exhausted. It’d be nice to get a nap in.
I fish out my keys and place them in his open palm. He gives me a small nod then grabs Sawyer’s overnight bag and heads toward the car without another glance back.
“Come on, girls,” he calls to us from over his shoulder.
“Is he mad at me?” Sawyer whispers, her brows pinching together as she watches her dad’s retreating form.
“No,” I whisper, pulling her close in a side hug. “I think he just doesn’t know how to handle this.”
She nods, her little forehead scrunching like she’s deep in thought. “He’s right, though. We have flown together a lot. But…” She pauses, her voice quieter now. “Every time I’ve flown, it’s been with him. This was the first time I flew without my dad. It was just… different.”
Oh.
My chest tightens because despite her officially being in tween age territory now, she’s still a daddy’s little girl at heart. This transition is difficult. Not quite a kid, not quite a teenager. She wants her independence, but she still wants to hold his hand sometimes, too.
I remember this time well. I started picking fights with my mom despite her being my best friend. I couldn’t wrap my mind around all the big feelings I was having.
“Of course it was different. Doing things on your own can be scary. Flying can be scary. I totally get it.”
I slide an arm around her shoulders and give her a gentle squeeze as we walk toward the car. “That’s part of the beauty of growing up. You get these big, new experiences without your dad that you have to navigate, and sometimes it’s exciting but sometimes, it can be overwhelming.”
She nods, deep in thought.
“And that’s okay.” I smile down at her, squeezing her tighter.
“The challenges are where the growth is. I’ll check your schedule, but I don’t think you’ll have to fly for a game again for at least two more months but maybe next time, we’ll get two books.
One for the flight out and one for the flight home.
That way, you have a distraction on both flights. Deal?”
Her lips curl up into a smile.
“Deal. Let’s do fantasy again.”
I smile. “Totally.”
And just like that, I stop thinking about Seth’s hand at my throat, his tongue in my pussy, or the Wellingtons, and start thinking about what fantasy series I’ll devour next.