Chapter Eight #2
I drag my lips down to her breasts, letting my breath tickle her skin before I take one aching nipple into my mouth.
I suck slowly, savoring the soft gasp that escapes her lips as I circle my tongue around her.
Her back arches beneath me, pressing her chest up as if offering more.
I switch sides, giving her other breast the same worship, all while positioning myself between her thighs.
With slow, deliberate thrusts, I glide inside her.
Her warmth envelops me, tight and perfect, and for a moment I still, just to feel it—her body accepting mine.
She moans my name, a whisper that vibrates against the shell of my ear.
I move in deeper, and she grips me with every pulse, her hands clutching at my back like she never wants to let go.
My mouth returns to her breast, lavishing it with tongue and lips as I begin to move.
Each stroke is slow but firm, my hips rolling in a rhythm that draws her pleasure higher.
She trembles beneath me, lost in the feeling, and I can’t look away—her parted lips, her heavy-lidded eyes, the flush blooming across her chest. She's stunning like this. Open and needy.
But I’m on the edge, every muscle taut, every nerve lit up. I grab her hips and pull her closer, burying myself deeper than I thought possible. She cries out, writhes beneath me.
“Bella,” I groan, teeth clenched. “I’m going to come. I need to—”
“Yes,” she pants. “Please. I want all of you.”
We orgasm together. Hers hits her like a wave. Her body arches, trembles, her inner walls fluttering around me. I let go and spill into her, hot and full, groaning her name as I lose myself.
We collapse together, breathless and drenched in heat and sweat. I lay against her, heart pounding, lips brushing her neck, then her mouth. After a moment, I slide to her side, take her hand, and intertwine our fingers.
She’s still glowing. And she’s mine.
"I love you," she says again, and the words are like a prayer.
"I love you too," I reply.
"So," she says eventually, her voice slightly hoarse. "That was..."
"Incredible," I finish. "That was incredible."
"I was going to say 'life-changing,' but incredible works too."
I press a kiss to the top of her head, breathing in the scent of her shampoo. "No more fake anything."
"No more fake anything," she agrees. "Just us."
"Just us."
We talk quietly for a while, sharing stories. Everything feels possible now, like we can figure out how to build a life that incorporates both of our dreams.
"Ryan?" Bella says as we're starting to drift off to sleep.
"Mmm?"
"Thank you."
"For what?"
"For making me brave enough to admit what I wanted." She tilts her head up to look at me. "For being worth the risk."
I tighten my arms around her, pulling her closer. "Thank you for taking the risk."
As we fall asleep together, I realize that what started as the most elaborate fake relationship has become the most real thing in my life. And tomorrow, I get to wake up and start figuring out what forever looks like with the woman I love.
The victory tonight wasn't just about hockey. It was about finally winning the only game that really matters.
???
I wake up Monday morning with Bella curled against my chest, her hair tickling my nose and her hand resting over my heart like she's making sure I'm still real.
Last night changed everything between us—no more pretending, no more fake arrangements, just the two of us finally admitting what we both knew was true.
"Good morning," Bella murmurs against my chest, not opening her eyes but smiling in that sleepy, satisfied way that makes my heart skip.
"Very good morning," I reply, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. "Sleep well?"
"Better than I have in weeks." She tilts her head up to look at me, and her eyes are soft with contentment. "No regrets?"
"Only one."
Her smile falters slightly. "What's that?"
"That we waited so long to stop pretending this was fake."
Bella's laugh is warm and relieved. "We were both scared."
"Not anymore."
"Not anymore," she agrees, then glances at her clock. "But we do have to get up. I have International Business at ten, and you probably have practice."
I groan dramatically. "Can't we just stay in bed all day and figure out this whole being-a-real-couple thing?"
"Tempting, but I have perfect attendance to maintain and you have a team counting on you."
She's right, of course, but leaving her apartment feels like the last thing I want to do. Everything is different now—better, and I want to spend every minute exploring what this new reality looks like.
"Dinner tonight?" I ask as we reluctantly start getting dressed.
"I'd love to, but I'm presenting at the Undergraduate Research Symposium this week, and I need to do final prep." Bella pauses in the middle of putting on her sweater. "Actually, would you... would you want to come? To my presentation?"
The invitation catches me off guard. "You want me there?"
"I want to share that part of my life with you. The real part, not just the tutoring sessions." She looks almost shy asking. "It's probably boring for someone who's not into economics, but it would mean a lot to me."
"Text me the details. I'll be there."
Her smile is radiant. "Really?"
"Really. I want to understand what you're passionate about."
I kiss her goodbye—a real, unhurried kiss—and head back to my apartment to shower and change before practice.
My phone buzzes as I'm walking across campus.
Unknown: This is Tanner. We need to talk. Caffe Vita on Pike in an hour.
I stare at the message, wondering what Tanner could possibly want now. Bella and I are together—really together—and whatever game he was playing is over. But his presumption that I'll just show up when summoned irritates me enough that I text back.
Me: About what?
Tanner: About ending this charade before you embarrass yourself further.
The arrogance is breathtaking. Even after everything that's happened, Tanner Williams still thinks he can manipulate the situation to get what he wants.
Me: See you there.
Because apparently, some conversations need to happen face to face.
Practice goes by in a blur. I'm playing better than I have all season—more confident, more focused, like everything in my life finally clicking into place has translated onto the ice. Coach Patterson notices.
"Whatever's got you in such a good mood, O'Sullivan, bottle it," he says after a particularly clean drill sequence. "You're playing like a man with nothing to lose."
"More like a man who finally figured out what he wants to win," I reply.
After practice, I head to Caffe Vita, arriving exactly on time to find Tanner already seated at a corner table, looking like he's conducting a business meeting instead of having a conversation about mutual acquaintances.
"Tanner," I say, settling into the chair across from him.
"Ryan. Thanks for coming." His smile is perfectly polite and completely cold. "I'll get straight to the point. If you think you can manipulate your way into Bella’s life? You’re fooling yourself and Bella."
"What's your point?"