Chapter 10
TEN
MAYA
The moment I almost kissed Easton repeats in my head during the entire walk back to our place. I’m thankful for the cold air because my body is too warm from picturing his grasp on my waist and the desire burning in his blue eyes.
Reagan pauses before opening the door when we reach the apartment. “So,” she drawls. “I saw you cozying up to Easton Blake most of the night. He even asked to walk you home, aww.”
“Oh, uh.” I release a nervous laugh, floundering for a way to explain. “That’s not—no. Don’t give me that look. We’re just, sort of, friends now, I guess. Weirdly.”
“Friends who definitely want to fuck each other,” she mumbles.
My mouth pops open. “I heard that.”
“Heard what?” she says innocently on her way inside.
She makes a beeline for the water jug in the fridge. After filling two glasses, she hands one to me and downs hers.
“Whew, I needed tonight,” she says breathlessly.
“I think I did, too.” I fold my arms and lean on the small island that separates our kitchenette from the living room. “Tonight was fun. Thanks for making sure I get out of my head for a while.”
“You know I’ve always got your back.”
I return her warm smile. “Same. What happened with your frat boy?”
She shrugs. “Turns out he’s a terrible kisser. You know how I feel about that. Sex without kissing just feels empty and disconnected.”
“That sucks.”
She sighs. “Right? He seemed like he could really toss me around easily.” She eyes me slyly. “Maybe I need to find myself a hockey player, too.”
I laugh at her over the top winking. “Go for it. You can have the whole team.”
“Ohh, now we’re talking about getting spicy. Night, babe.” She puts her empty glass in the sink and heads for her room.
“Night.”
Even though I spent most of the night hanging out with Easton, I surprisingly did have a good time. I fight the smile tugging at my lips while I sip my water, failing to smother it.
When I return to my room, my phone screen lights up on the nightstand.
My brows furrow when I check the text from a number I don’t recognize. The contact name is Hat Trick King with the wet emoji.
Hat Trick King: Wish you were still with me right now.
Worry slices through me for a moment. There’s no way Johnny would go through the effort to text me from a different number, let alone somehow have it already saved as a contact. He’s not bright enough for such a strategic play.
And to be honest, he’s not skilled enough for any hat tricks.
On the ice or in bed. I can’t recall one good orgasm I had because of him.
He’s too selfish, only ever focused on his own pleasure.
He was the kind of guy who thought his dick was enough magic to get me there without any kind of foreplay, so I’d end up taking care of myself.
I’m certain he only plays hockey for the fringe benefits.
Maya: Who is this?
Hat Trick King: The only man for you, baby. I’m ready to prove it as soon as you let me. Did you make it home okay?
Oh. Easton. A wry smile twists my lips and my thumbs hover over the keyboard as I relax.
Maya: I don’t remember giving you my number. [tongue out emoji]
Hat Trick King: That’s because you didn’t. Technically Reagan did.
The photo. She must’ve sent it as a group text. I didn’t check since I was too busy resisting my attraction to him. I shoot a glare with no real heat behind it towards Reagan’s side of the apartment.
How the hell did he get his contact saved in my phone as Hat Trick King, though? The only time my phone left my hands was when Reagan wanted to change the music and her phone wasn’t connecting to the Bluetooth speaker after we left Easton to go to the kitchen.
No, you know what? I don’t need to know. It doesn’t matter, it’s done now.
Maya: So you stole it.
Hat Trick King: You miss every shot you don’t take.
Hat Trick King: If you’re really not comfortable with me having your number, I’ll delete it. Say the word and it’s gone from my contacts.
The second message comes through only moments after the first cocky response. I bite my lip. Other guys I’ve been with were never so considerate of my comfort the way he is.
Johnny never respected me, period. It’s easy to see that now in hindsight looking back on our relationship. If I can call it that. Most of the time it was him manipulating me to get what he wanted.
I doubt the time I caught him with someone else was the only time. He probably cheated on me the entire time we dated.
Easton might flirt and joke around, but when it comes to my boundaries he knows when to stop without making me feel like shit about it.
Maya: No, it’s fine. But don’t even think about sending me a dick pic or I’ll make you regret it.
Hat Trick King: Never. Not unless you begged for it, baby.
Maya: I don’t beg, and I’m definitely not begging to see your dick.
Hat Trick King: Yet [wink emoji]
Yet. Him and that damn word. He’s so sure he’s got me, so confident that it’s only a matter of time before I realize I want him too.
My stomach dips pleasantly as I recall how it felt to have his breath fanning across my lips just shy of kissing after he swung me away from someone spilling their drink.
Maybe I do.
I suppress another smile, shaking my head. “You’re asking for it, hotshot. I’ll text you daddy and pretend it’s the wrong number before I disappear. Let’s see how cocky you are then.”
The temptation is strong. I bet he’d go feral thinking I meant to send it to some other guy instead of him, but he’d guess it was fake if I do it right now. I’m brainstorming other pranks to pull when he redirects the conversation.
Hat Trick King: I had a great time with you tonight. I wanted to freeze it in time so it wouldn’t end.
Maya: Everything ends eventually.
Hat Trick King: So what you’re saying is we just need to keep having nights like this. Got it. Have I mentioned how much I like the way you think?
Maya: Hah, nice try. You can’t score me that easily.
Hat Trick King: Taking my shots wherever I can. What are you doing?
Maya: I’m getting ready for bed.
Hat Trick King: Sexy.
Maya: If you ask me what I’m wearing right now, I swear to god… [laughing emoji]
Hat Trick King: It’s a classic opener for a reason [smirk emoji]
Maya: Goodnight, Easton.
Hat Trick King: Sweet dreams, baby.
He sends a photo of himself hanging out by a fire pit with two of his other teammates creeping in at the edges of the frame making goofy faces. His charming lopsided smile is half hidden by the green Heston U Hockey hoodie he’s wearing with the neckline tugged up over his chin.
Hat Trick King: I’ll be dreaming of you. Tonight and every other night.
“Oh boy,” I whisper when my heart flutters. “Don’t do that. No swooning for hockey boys. Especially this one.”
My heart isn’t behaving, thudding rapidly in excitement. I roll my lips between my teeth, gazing at the photo. He really is handsome. When he turns those blue eyes on me, I can’t think straight.
With a resigned groan of defeat because I can’t control this little crush fighting to take hold, I cover my face with my hands to hide the blush heating my cheeks. I’m crushing on a hockey player.
“This is tomorrow’s problem,” I mumble before climbing into bed.
For once, I fall asleep easily. Instead of battling anxious racing thoughts, I’m relaxed when I lay my head on the pillow. One of my last thoughts before I drift off is wondering what it would be like to kiss Easton Blake.
Getting out of bed in the morning is a struggle. Mainly because I woke up in the middle of the night from a dream that left my core tingling and my nipples tight.
I was ready to reach for the box hidden beneath my bed to chase the way the dream left me feeling when I realized it wasn’t some random guy spreading me out on the bar after I danced, kissing a path down my body until he slid his big hands up my thighs to lift my dress and cover my pussy with his perfect mouth.
It was Easton.
He was doing all that to me in my subconscious, taking me to the brink and leaving me turned on as fuck when I woke up.
Then I was awake for an hour with my thoughts taking me for a ride to pick it all apart before I finally fell asleep again.
I slide my thighs together and tug the covers over my head. Blowing out a breath, I get up to grab my shower bag. Before I leave the room, I kneel down to drag out the box decorated with cat stickers.
They make me smirk every time I get one of my collection of toys out of it. I grab the little aqua blue one because it’s waterproof and add it to my shower bag for a self-care morning.
When I come out forty minutes later, my body is languid from reliving the dream for five orgasms in a row.
Anxiety After Dark Maya can overanalyze all she wants, but in the light of day the dream is just that—a dream. It’s not real. He doesn’t have to know how many times I came to the thought of his tongue inside me.
Or that I’m crushing on him. As far as he knows, we’re still just friends and I’m keeping it that way.
Besides, Easton’s hot. If he’s starring in my dreams to devour my pussy on top of a bar in my fantasy, I’m not complaining. I can keep this crush under control so that it only has an outlet in my fantasies.
“Don’t you look relaxed.”
Reagan peers at me over the rim of her steaming mug. The scent of tea with lemon and honey wafts through the kitchenette.
I hum in amusement, flashing her a playful look. “Self-care works wonders.”
“Hell yeah it does.” She sets her tea down. “Pancakes?”
“Yes. I have work this morning, though.”
She pulls down the instant mix from the cabinet while I get a pan out and set it on our small stove.
I duck into my room to get dressed and hang my towel to dry. When I come out, everything is set up for breakfast.
“So last night was fun,” she says.
“Yeah, like the part where you helped Easton get my number?” I laugh at the overly innocent expression she puts on. “Your singing might tug at the heart strings of your online following, but you’re not fooling anyone with that terrible acting.”