Chapter 78
PARKER
Iwake the next morning, happy and sore.
Linc’s arm is resting heavily over my stomach, and my skin tingles with his attention.
“I know you’re awake, pretty girl,” he whispers, letting me know I’m right. He’s watching me sleep again.
“You’re a bit of a creep, aren’t you, Storm?” I accuse without opening my eyes.
“Creep, obsessed, whichever works.”
My stomach flips with a mixture of excitement and disbelief.
Lincoln Storm is obsessed with me, and he watches me sleep.
Oh, and makes me come like no one else.
Christ, last night was something else.
And it didn’t end just because I fell asleep in his arms. There may have been some middle-of-the-night-in-the-dark action, too.
My core clenches as I remember just how it felt to have him thrusting inside me, filling me so beautifully, and hitting that magic spot that had me seeing stars.
I’ll always fondly remember our first time, but ultimately, I had no idea what I was doing. I was learning on the job. And as relaxed as Linc made it that night, it was never going to squash my nerves or anxiety.
But last night, the playing field had been leveled.
We both knew what we were doing, and we were both confident enough to say what we wanted.
Not that it was really necessary for me.
Linc seemed to know exactly I wanted, what I needed.
And it was hot as hell when he demanded for me to tell him what he already knew.
“Parker,” he rasps. “You’re thinking about my cock, aren’t you?”
I can’t help but giggle like a schoolgirl when he shifts a little closer and grinds said cock against me.
Oh god, I want it again.
“Maybe,” I whisper, finally opening my eyes and looking up at him through my lashes.
“Is it wrong that I want you thinking about me and my cock every second of every day?”
“It is when I’m meant to be focusing on preventing you from injury,” I point out.
“Yeah, but that still involves you thinking about my body, so I can take that.”
“What about the other bodies?”
A jealous growl rumbles deep in his throat.
“You know, you’re hot when you get all jealous.”
His smirk tells me that he already knows how I feel about it.
“You’re mine, Parker, and I want every motherfucker out there to know it.”
“Don’t worry, I’m pretty sure you’ve already achieved that.”
I have no doubt that the photo of our post-game kiss the other night went viral before Linc even stepped off the ice.
Add in everything he said at the press conference after, and then the statement Hailee and her team released after our meeting yesterday, and it seems the entire world is talking about us.
I’ve had to turn all my notifications off on my cell. It’s just too much.
I’ve gone from twenty thousand followers on Insta to almost a million in barely forty-eight hours, thanks to being connected to Linc. It’s insane.
People in the hockey world already knew my name.
I’m Clark Donnelly’s daughter, Rett Donnelly’s little sister, Casey Watson’s best friend.
I’m one of the NHL’s first female athletic trainers.
And now…now, I’m Lincoln Storm’s girlfriend.
I don’t stand a chance of moving in the shadows like I used to do.
He’s dragged me kicking and screaming into the limelight with him.
And do you know what? I wouldn’t have it any other way.
“Good. That was my goal.” He rolls on top of me, caging my head in with his forearms on either side.
“How are you feeling?” he asks, his eyes holding mine.
“Amazing,” I say honestly. “I don’t think I’ve ever come that many times in one night.”
“I hope you were counting.”
“Uh…”
“How will we try to beat it if you don’t know how many there were?”
“You’re a menace.”
“You love it.”
“Umm…it seems I do.”
I squeal as he drops his head to my neck and tickles my skin with his lips. But that shock soon turns to something else—something a hell of a lot more addictive.
“God, Linc,” I cry when he sucks on the sensitive patch of skin beneath my ear.
“Are you sore?” he whispers, rephrasing his previous question.
“I think it would be impossible for me not to be. I’ve never been fucked like that before, Linc.”
“Of course you fucking haven’t. You haven’t been being fucked by me. That all changes now.”
He pinches my nipple before skimming his hand down my stomach and between my thighs.
I shamelessly spread my legs for him, allowing him to drag his fingers through my folds.
“Fuck, you’re soaked,” he muses as he teases me.
“Woke up next to you. Of course I am.”
“Fucking love that, pretty girl.”
I gasp when he circles my entrance with one finger.
“How’s that feel?”
I want to lie and say it’s fine just so I can feel him again. But he’s going to know.
“Tender.”
“Aw, did I wear you out, babe?”
I nod as he continues gently touching me. He hasn’t even pushed the digit inside yet, and I can already feel a release building.
It makes me realize just what I’ve been missing out on all this time, hooking up with assholes online who think they know how to please a woman.
They don’t know. They don’t know anything.
Linc, though…he knows.
“I’m sorry if I was too rough,” he says, a frown pinching his brows together.
“You weren’t. I’m just out of practice. Gonna need a few weeks to get into shape if nights like that are going to be a regular thing in our future.”
“Damn right they are. And in every city in the country.”
Happiness flows through me as I think of all the experiences we’re going to have together from here on out.
“I can’t wait,” I breathe before he disappears under the sheets. “What are you doing?”
He pokes his head back up. He looks adorable as fuck with his messy post-sex hair, a few days’ worth of scruff, and a pillow crease down the side of his face. But that all changes as his eyes darken and the words, “Kissing you better,” roll from his tongue.
Oh Christ.
“I…uh…I should clean up first.”
“Why?” he asks from beneath the sheets. He opens me up with two fingers and blows a stream of air across me. “I know exactly where you’ve been.”
Before I’ve even had a chance to argue, his mouth is on me, my back is arching from the bed, and he’s going to town. And thankfully, this morning, we have the apartment to ourselves, so no one is going to be dragging him away until he’s done.
“Someone looks happy,” Handsy remarks when he arrives in the trainers’ room that afternoon for his session.
“Thanks. Things are good.”
“I’m happy for you. Are you really sure about Linc, though? He can be a real asshole when he wants to be.”
“I am right here,” the man in question barks from the other side of the room, where he’s stretching.
Handsy chuckles as he pulls his shirt off and lies face-down on my table, stating, “I won’t say anything about anyone that I wouldn’t say to their face.”
“Lucky us,” Linc teases before shooting me a wink.
I worked on him earlier, and by some miracle, he was the perfect patient.
He didn’t try to touch me once, nor did he make a single inappropriate comment.
For a few minutes, I thought I was living in an alternate universe.
But then I remembered Esme’s words about being professional, and the bullshit that’s being spewed online about our conflict of interest and questions over my ability to do my job properly.
Of course, that barely scratches the surface of the bad press we’ve received in the past few days.
As predicted, everything about my life and my career has been brought up.
Questions about whether I’m even qualified to treat their beloved players, if I’m only here to get closer to the players.
I’ve tried my best not to read it, but it’s hard to avoid when it’s the only thing that seems to pop up on my cell.
As soon as I figured out what Linc was doing, I respected him a whole lot more than I already do. He’s trying, really fucking trying, to prove to everyone and anyone that I’m worthy of my position here.
Many of the guys have taken to the internet to fight in my corner, but quite honestly, they could stand out there naked and scream it until they’re blue in the face.
The questions will still continue. The women are jealous, and the men don’t think I belong in their world.
I get it. It’s something I’m sure I’m going to be fighting as long as my career lasts.
Hopefully, it’ll get easier. As more women step into roles like mine, the more normal it will become, but we’ve still got a way to go.
“Anyone invited you to the Valentine’s gala yet, Parker?” Handsy asks after I’ve warmed my hands and started working on loosening his shoulder.
“Uh…no, actually. No one has. I wonder if any of the guys still need a date.”
Out of the corner of my eye, I see Linc freeze.
“Any of them would be lucky to have you on their arm.”
“I know what you’re doing,” Linc growls.
“Do you mind?” Handsy mocks. “I’m having a private conversation with my trainer.”
“Parker will be coming to the gala with me.”
I smirk, loving the possessive tone in his voice.
“I might already have other plans. No one has asked me yet,” I taunt.
A chuckle rumbles through Handsy. “Parker, would you do me the honor of—”
“Do not finish that fucking sentence, Cole,” Linc warns.
“Whoa, Storm is pulling out the big guns there with first names,” Handsy laughs.
“Will you two stop?”
“Hell no. No one hits on my girl in front of me.” Linc is on his feet now, glaring at Handsy—not that he can see; his head is shoved in the hole in the bed.
“I wasn’t hitting on anyone. I was simply inviting her on a night out, seeing as her boyfriend has failed to do so.”
“For the love of God,” I mutter, aware that I’m not going to be able to stop this.
“Parker,” Linc says, storming over with a determined look on his face. “Babe, will you go to the Valentine’s gala with me?”
“Hey, I asked first,” Handsy argues.
“No, you didn’t.” Linc scoffs. “And even if you did, she’d say no.”
I raise my brows in amusement.
“Babe?” Linc prompts.
I pretend to think for a moment. “I’m not sure. How do I know I won’t get a better offer?”
Handsy barks out a laugh as Linc growls in frustration.
“I’ll buy you a pretty dress,” Linc offers, as if that’ll help. He should already know that there is no one else I’d rather go with.
“Hmm…how expensive are we talking? And will I get shoes and a purse as well?”
“You can have anything you want. I want you to feel as beautiful as I see you.”
“Pussy,” Handsy coughs.
Reaching out, Linc flicks him on the back of his knee. “Ow, motherfucker,” he complains, twisting around to rub it.
“Parker?” Linc asks again, ignoring his teammate.
I shake my head, a soft smile playing on my lips. “Of course I’ll go with you. And you don’t have to spend a penny on me.”
“What if I want to?”
“We’ll talk about this later,” I say, turning back to Handsy.
“Fine. But I’m buying you a dress,” Linc states as he returns to his spot on the mats.
“Possessive asshole,” Handsy mutters, making me laugh.
Yeah, he is. And I freaking love it.