Chapter 22
22
MIRANDA
F lying had never exhausted me before, but I almost stumbled walking off the plane and grabbed the nearest handrail to steady myself before I pitched face-first onto the blue carpet. My head whirled until I took several slow breaths and my ears popped. The dizziness was a new thing I’d talked to Doctor Martin about when it first started yesterday. She’d given me a checkup and cleared me to fly after I promised I’d take it easy and call her if I experienced any other unusual symptoms.
I checked the time on the giant board stretched across the wall when I exited the hallway and joined the throng of people looking for their flight information. I had a couple hours before the game. Long enough to make it to Austin’s and change, but not enough time for him to pick me up. People jostled from both sides until I fought my way clear of the masses and into an empty spot near the glass wall overlooking the pickup lines outside. My carryon suitcase bumped to a stop behind me, almost clipping my ankles when I pulled it around in front of me to keep anyone from grabbing it while I concentrated on scheduling an Uber. I’d meant to set things up last night but had fallen asleep on the couch in the middle of rewatching Duncan’s interview.
“Hey there.” A slow, Irish drawl lilted across the lobby.
I raised my head, the voice clicking in my mind but not registering until I saw Patrick walking my way. His smile widened, his blue eyes sparking with delight when he took in my shock. “What are you doing here?” I checked my phone. “You’re supposed to be at the rink.”
“Came to get you.” He lifted one shoulder and let it fall. “When I found out Austin couldn’t pick you up, I pried the information out of him and came myself.”
“That’s…” shockingly heroic. Gentlemanly. All the things I’d chosen not to associate with Patrick because of the reputation he bandied about like his own personal victory. “You didn’t have to do that.”
“But I did. And I’m here.” He took the suitcase handle from beneath my fingers and tugged. “Need to stop by Austin’s?”
“Yes.” I scurried to catch up when he began walking. “If you have time. I don’t want you to be late to the game.”
“Time doesn’t matter when you’re around.” The automatic glass doors opened at our approach. Patrick switched the suitcase to the hand furthest away from me and set his palm in the middle of my back. “This way.” He guided me down the sidewalk and around to an impressive SUV with blacked out windows and a chrome finish shiny enough to cast my reflection up at me. “Once Austin admitted you were coming to town, I couldn’t wait to see you.”
“Patrick, you really didn’t have to do this.” It took considerable effort to keep my voice steady in the face of the romantic move he’d pulled.
“You’re worth the time.” He hefted my bag into the back seat and opened the passenger door.
I hopped into the seat and reached for the seatbelt while Patrick closed the door and jogged around the hood. He looked fantastic. His dark hair drifted down over his forehead, the slim line of his jeans cupping his ass while the t-shirt stretched taut over broad shoulders that flexed when he yanked open the driver’s side door and joined me. “How have practices been going?” I launched into the conversation as soon as we left the airport and hit the first main stretch of road.
“To quote your brother, we’re kicking ass.” He grinned, shooting me a quick look. “How’s New York? Good things happening?”
“Eh.” I waved off the question. “New York is fine. I want to know about things here. How’s Austin?”
Patrick grunted. “He’s never been happier. That girl you met at the pool party, Samantha?” He waited for my nod confirming I remembered before he continued. “They’ve been hanging out a lot. I won’t swear on it, but I think Austin might be getting serious about her.”
“No way.” I turned to face him, even though he had to focus on the road. “He’s not talked about her much.”
“Which means it’s more serious than I thought. He’ll probably talk to you about her eventually.” Patrick patted my knee where I’d tucked it on the seat to give myself a better view of his profile. “You know Austin. He’s cautious. He won’t talk about it until he’s ready to pop the question, but he’ll want to make sure you approve of her first.”
“Yeah.” He’d made a good point. Austin and I were close, but there were some things he took more seriously than I did. “What about you? How are you?”
A sudden tenseness in his jaw sent my hand out to settle on his arm. He released the steering wheel and covered my hand with his. “It’s not been great, Miranda.”
“Oh?” I lost my breath…and my ability to further articulate the question.
“I’ve missed you. It’s been hell trying to keep quiet and not call you every single day.” He pulled into Austin’s drive and rolled to a stop in front of the steps leading to the ornate front door. “This is not the kind of missing you that can be forgotten or thrown away. I’ve never felt this way about anyone before, and honestly, it’s a little scary how much I want to be with you.”
The words struck me speechless. I gaped at him, my mouth opening and closing in rapid succession.
“I’m not good with feelings. Or with being vulnerable.” His gaze dropped away from mine. “I’m willing to throw myself out there because it’s you.” The hand that had guided me to the SUV ran lightly over my shoulder and to my cheek. “Not being able to see you every day has been unbearable. I almost got on a plane weeks ago.” Reaching past me, he clicked open the glove box and pulled out a ticket. “Bought the ticket and everything.”
“That’s the day of your last game.” I traced the numbers, my brows locked with a sudden tightness as tears pricked my eyes. “I’d have been so mad if you left your team hanging like that.”
“I know. That’s the only reason I didn’t use the ticket. I wanted to see you like this, proud and happy.” His thumb traced my cheekbone before he pulled his hand back.
This couldn’t be real. This version of Patrick contradicted the bad-boy impression he threw around like confetti. Was my decision to take care of the babies alone a miscalculation too? If I’d underestimated Patrick this badly, what else was I wrong about?
“I don’t know what to say.” He’d shocked me to my core and stirred up all the feelings I’d attempted to bury while in New York. Leaving him, Duncan, and Charlie was the hardest thing I’d ever done. But the way Patrick looked at me made me want to take back all that wasted time.
His lips met mine in a slow kiss that stole my heart and nestled it within his grasp. I gripped the front of his shirt with both fists. The more I tried to let him go, the harder my fingers dug into the soft material and strained to find the firm muscles beneath. A shift of our bodies and he dragged me across the seat to settle on his lap. My legs landed on either side of his as he kneaded my ass and lifted me up to cup his erection between my thighs.
My whimper of need spurred us both on, and when he deepened the kiss to stroke his tongue alongside mine, I pulled his shirt up to touch his bare skin. Blistering heat met my palms, the kind of heat that wound its way through my entire body and begged me to keep this going. I had to think beyond right now and to the future, to my children, and to the game I couldn’t let him miss. “You have a game.” I cupped his face in my hands and leaned back to look into his eyes. “You can’t be late.”
“I won’t be.” A low growl of need pierced the space. “Even if I was, it would be worth it to have time with you. This is more important, you are more important than the game. If I had to do it over again, I’d have used the ticket and come to New York. The guys can play without me. I can’t keep going without you.”
Good lord this man was going to be my undoing. I slid from his lap. “I need you too, but not here.” The door opened beneath my hand, and I almost tumbled out on my ass. My weak knees wobbled beneath my weight, the sunlight glazing Patrick’s face when he left the car and stopped beside me.
He scooped me into his arms and carried me up the steps and into the house, never once breaking eye contact. His soft footfalls carried through the foyer and up the steps leading to the bedrooms above. “I’ve wanted you every second of every day since I first saw you. At first, I thought it was just another fling. A one and done.” He spoke with a raw honesty that I found endearing as he spilled his secrets into my ear. “You’re so much more than a one night stand. I want you every night, for the rest of my life.”
I lifted in his arms and kissed him, stopping the torrent of words I didn’t know how to handle. He’d confused me enough already. Much more and I’d be ready to leave New York and come here to raise our children.
Patrick spun me around and hooked my legs around his waist, locking my ankles behind his back. A door opened, and we stepped into a darkened room. His room. My curiosity piqued and I glanced around as I tangled my hands in his dark hair. Dark drapes covered the windows, the color accentuating the burgundy bedspread and walnut headboard.
Holding my ass, he raised and lowered me over his dick, his lips tracing the side of my neck and drifting down over my collarbone. I leaned my head to the side to give him better access and tugged his shirt up around his shoulders. The exposed muscles bunched and flexed, the smooth skin begging for a kiss.
We reached the bed, and Patrick leaned at the waist, lowering us both to the luxurious satin cover. I dragged my heels up and down his thighs, encouraging him to come closer. “We don’t have much time.”
“I’m going to make the best of it.” He straightened and unhooked his belt, stripping off his pants and underwear with the same swiftness he’d shown at the pool. “I don’t want to rush.”
“You’re going to that game, Patrick.” I planted my palms on the bed and lifted my torso up even as he tore off his shirt and crawled toward me. “We can stop now if it’s going to be a problem.”
“I don’t have a problem.” Thick fingers made quick work of the series of buttons running up the front of my shirt. He popped them open and spread the material over my shoulders, pushing it down until it wrapped around my wrists. His head lowered, his nose pushing aside my bra and giving him access to my breasts.
I arched closer. “Patrick.” I groaned his name as months of need smothered me.
He took a nipple into his mouth, a growl of promise vibrating his chest.
After kicking off my shoes and managing to remove my shirt and bra, he did the rest, easing my pants and panties down over my hips with enough languid slowness to drive me crazy.
“I need you inside me.”
His hands were everywhere, touching, teasing, promising pleasure beyond belief. A single finger slid between my folds and into my pussy. His lips tightened on my nipple, pulling hard and quick, keeping up with the tempo of his finger plunging in and out of my slick heat.
“More.” Hands in his hair, I leaned into the bed and raised my hips. “More, Patrick. I need you. All of you.” I had no memory of the last time we’d done this. The hazy feeling that infiltrated my mind and body brought a sense of familiarity and comfort. I wanted the memory. When I returned to New York, I needed to remember every second of our time together.