Chapter 19
NINETEEN
ALEX
A group of us walk from our place to get coffee in town. It’s been a few days since the dance and today’s the first afternoon we haven’t had our schedules get in the way of spending time together. When we said we were leaving, half the house decided to join us.
Her fingers are laced with mine as the rookies lead the way, Theo and Higgins bringing up the rear.
“You know, you guys could’ve gone for coffee later,” I point out.
This was supposed to be a date and they’re all crashing it.
“Nah,” Theo counters, doing a shit job at covering his amusement. “You seemed like you wanted extra company. The more the merrier.”
“I’m going to kill him,” I mutter.
“It’s fine.” Lainey squeezes my hand. “I still get to see you.”
She told me about the emotional and cathartic conversation she had with her dad the night before the dance after she left the party.
I encouraged her to talk to her brother, too.
They had a family dinner last night at their dad’s place so she could work through her feelings with them.
I wanted to go with her if she needed me, but she insisted it was long overdue and something she should do on her own.
Things are back to being good between them today. Better than it was before. They seem closer after talking it out.
“Do you think they still have donuts today?” Easton wonders aloud while rubbing his stomach. “I could crush some donuts.”
“If you eat that you’ll have to put in double the work in the gym,” Higgins reasons in his gruff, quiet way. “A donut sounds really good, though.”
Lainey laughs. “I want a fresh, warm muffin.”
My teammates groan. Most of us keep to a strict diet during the season. She catches on, ticking treats off on her fingers.
“And maybe a chocolate filled croissant. Banana bread. Those macadamia nut cookies they always have are magic. Oh, and the danishes.”
The guys make noises of despair. Each option she suggests makes my mouth water. It’s nothing compared to how much I crave her.
“Okay, now you’re just torturing us, babe.” I pull her into me and lock my arm around her waist. “You’re a little menace.”
She beams and I have to kiss her.
“Enough of that.” Theo bumps into us without much force to break us apart. We reach the coffee shop and he holds the door open. “Come on, get inside. It’s cold.”
The place isn’t as packed as usual. Cameron and Easton find an open spot for all of us to sit.
“What do you want?” I ask Lainey. “My treat.”
She clutches her wallet. “I was going to treat you.”
I chuckle and grasp her waist, stepping into her. “Nah. I beat you to it.”
“Is this really how it’s gonna be all the time?” Theo eyes both of us. “Because I’m going to need to invest in, like, ear plugs or something.”
Lainey grins. “You’ll just have to get over it.”
Once we have our order, we sink into the comfortable seats near the stone fireplace crackling with a warm fire. Lainey sets her muffin down on the low table and Easton stares at it with so much longing she laughs.
“Do you want some?” She holds the plate out to him.
He shakes his head. “I really shouldn’t. I already cheated by eating so many pizza rolls Friday night.”
Cameron pats his shoulder in solidarity. “Think of what coach would say.”
“Here. This really isn’t going to kill you. At most, you’re looking at an extra jog around the block to burn it off.” She breaks off a tiny piece. “I’ll be sworn to secrecy.”
Easton makes a whole show of savoring his little piece. Theo rolls his eyes and Cameron snorts at his exaggerated moans every time he eats a crumb.
Shaking my head at his ridiculousness, I shoot a smirk at Lainey. She leans against my side, right where she belongs.
Cameron and Easton wrestle with each other on the way out of the coffee shop once we’re finished.
Higgins follows behind with his hands in his pockets.
They stop messing with each other when two girls wave at them from across the square, diverting to meet them while Higgins continues toward the house.
Theo hangs back. “Where are you going now?”
“I want to go to the bookstore,” Lainey says. “You boys can come if you want.”
Theo holds up his hands. “No thanks. You’re going to look at your porn books. I don’t want anything to do with that.”
“They’re not like that.” His eyes snap to me in surprise. “What? I’ve read one. It was good.”
“It’s not about the sex.” Lainey lifts her chin. “It’s about love. You’d learn a lot if you read a romance book.”
“I’m not looking for love.” He backs away. “Later.”
She snickers when he leaves. “I was hoping none of them would want to come.”
“Oh, so now you want me alone?” I tease.
“All to myself,” she agrees. “Just you and me between the bookshelves.”
I slide an arm around her waist and guide her in the opposite direction. “Like our own mini library.”
She elbows me. “We’re never doing anything there besides studying.”
My grin stretches. “I bet I can change your mind about it, sweetheart.”
The store is fairly busy when we go inside. Business has been booming every time I pass this place.
With a secretive smile, Lainey leads me to the romance section where things are a little quieter. “Since you liked the cowboy one, I have another book I think you might like.”
“You know what I like?” I nudge her until her back hits the shelves, then brace my hands on either side of her and dip my head.
“What?”
“You.”
My mouth presses against hers and she holds on to my sides.
“Excuse me,” a woman says.
Lainey breaks the kiss, cheeks pink. A customer motions to the section we’re blocking.
“Sorry.” She blushes and pushes me until I fall back a step. “Oh, if you’re looking for the next generation series of those books, we have that in stock, too. It’s really good, I’ve read it.”
The woman smiles. “Thank you.”
She makes a quick selection and leaves us alone in the aisle.
I step behind Lainey, bringing my mouth to her ear. “Pick out what you want me to read next and any other books you want.”
She spins to face me. “Don’t say that if you don’t mean it.”
The corners of my mouth lift. “Good thing I mean it.”
She points out a series featuring a team of hockey players and leaves me alone. A laugh catches in my throat when she finally returns a while later with a huge stack.
“I really had to narrow it down,” she laments. “These are my top choices.”
I take her books to carry them for her. “You could’ve gotten them, too.”
Her eyes widen. “Seriously, you can’t say that to a book lover. You’re toying with my emotions.” Studying the stack, she tilts her head thoughtfully. “I think I can pick three from this, but I’m still trying to figure out which series I want to start.”
Holding back a grin, I make my way to the line. When I set the entire stack on the counter, she doesn’t realize I’m buying them all until I’m paying.
She gasps. “Wait—Alex. I said I was picking three.”
“I want to get them all for you.” I shoot her a wink. “We’ll come back for the other ones you wanted later.”
She’s speechless, her cute mouth parting. I gather our purchases and guide her out of the bookstore. We’ve walked almost a block before she finds her voice again.
“You’re crazy for that. Thank you for buying me books.”
“I want to give you everything.”
Books. Happiness. My heart.
Her frazzled expression softens with affection. “Thank you.”
“Come on. If we keep an eye out, we’ll be able to sneak upstairs without anyone noticing so they leave us alone.”
I set the new books down on my nightstand when we get back and pull her into my embrace. Her chin lifts and I meet her lips in a searing kiss I’ve been craving all afternoon.
We tumble to the bed without stopping, getting lost in each other for a long time.
“Hey, sweetheart?” I finally murmur against her mouth.
“Yes?” she answers breathlessly.
“That wasn’t a pretend kiss.”
“I know.”
She releases a happy little hum, resting her forehead against my chest. I like when I’ve got her tucked against me like this. It makes me feel like she’s protected wrapped in my arms.
“Good, good. And this?”
I roll her to her back. My lips trail down her neck, pausing to kiss her soft skin because I love the way it makes her shiver. I hold her closer, sliding a hand up to cup her nape while I lavish her throat with another reverent kiss.
“Yes?” She tangles her fingers in my hair, angling her head to give me better access.
“Not pretend.” Kiss. “Not fake.” Kiss. “Not an act.”
“Alex,” she pleads.
“Hold on, baby. We have to make this clear. I don’t want you doubting that this is how I feel about you. Never again.”
I plan to take every opportunity to make sure she knows I’m hers as much as she’s mine. I won’t be the reason for her tears again.
My only goals now are to be the reason Lainey Boucher smiles every day and to become her favorite hockey player.