Chapter 35
Thirty-Five
MALAKI
I slowly chew my steak, only paying half-attention to my coaches. We’ve moved on from strategy building to trying to predict who will win what game and who we’ll play after we sweep the Coyotes.
I’m floating after rereading Reese’s text. She trusts me, and that means so much more to me than I expected.
I hope I don’t fuck it up with this next text, but after the other night, I know she’s gotta be feeling the remnants of my mouth on her just like I’m remembering how good her skin felt against mine.
Me
Have you ever sexted, Dimples?
I tip my beer back, the sweating glass moist against my hand. I wipe it on my pant leg, and it just so happens, my phone is laying there for the taking.
Reese
Do you consider someone sending me unsolicited dick pics sexting?
Suddenly, I want to hunt down every man who’s sent her an unsolicited photo of their dick and knock their teeth out.
Me
Not in the slightest.
I take another bite of my steak and nod along with Rhodes, who’s much more involved in the conversation with our coaches than I am.
I don’t even know what he just said.
My phone vibrates again, and I wait until the attention moves from me to glance down.
Reese
Then no. I haven’t.
So I’ll be her first?
I manage to keep myself from grinning slyly.
Me
Can I be your first?
The thought of taking all her firsts is tempting. It’s such a possessive thing to want, but damn, I want it.
I bounce my attention back and forth from my lap to the conversation happening at the table. It’s a task that I have to force myself into. Paying attention to Reese? I’m an expert. Listening to my coaches? At the moment, it’s like pulling teeth.
Reese
I don’t really know how to.
I know I have a baby and all, but I’m not as experienced as one would think.
That shouldn’t be relieving to me, but it is.
I want her all to myself for as long as she’ll let me.
Me
Want me to teach you?
Reese
Have a lot of experience sexting women, Malaki?
There’s that streak of feistiness that only comes out every so often. I love it.
Me
I haven’t sexted since I was a horny teenager… and I sure as hell have never sexted while at an important dinner with my coaches.
Not to mention, I’ve never sexted my fiancée before.
Every time I call her my fiancée, the more I love it.
Reese
*fake fiancée.
I snort and try to cover it up with a cough.
Rhodes glances at me sharply, and suddenly, my coaches are side-eyeing me. I clear my throat and make something up. “Sorry, I was just picturing Knight’s face when he realizes that he’s going up against me for the first game.”
Knight’s stats are constantly compared to mine. The media paints us out to be rivals, but the truth is, I don’t even know the guy.
Thankfully, Coach Jones takes the bait. It sends the conversation on a loop, circling back to the Coyotes’ best players.
Me
I was about to send you a dick pic, but never mind now.
Reese
Are you using that as a punishment for correcting you?
Me
For now, but just wait until I get home.
My dick gets hard at the mere thought of being with her instead of here.
Reese
It’s the truth, though. Our engagement isn’t real, remember?
Stop reminding me.
I place my beer back to the table with a little more force than before.
Me
Knock it off, or I’m going to have to make you pay when I get home.
All sorts of dirty things roam throughout my head.
Reese
Pay how?
I can’t decide if she’s playing coy or not.
Me
Well, for starters… I’d wait until you were asleep, and then I’d pull you in extra close since I know how much you like to be the little spoon.
Reese
What? That isn’t true!
I glance to the table, seeing that most of the plates are empty. Thank God.
Me
It is true. You like to cuddle in your sleep.
Each time her ass rubs against me, it’s fucking torture. The first night she slept in my bed, I had to face the other direction to stop myself from sneaking off into the bathroom to rub one out like a perv.
Reese
That's so embarrassing.
Malaki
It’s not embarrassing to need me, Dimples.
“Are you finished with your meal, sir?”
I glance at the waiter. “Uh, yeah. I am.”
He takes my plate, and Rhodes cocks an eyebrow. “You didn’t eat much.”
I shrug. “I’m tired.”
“You barely played tonight. How are you tired?”
He tries to hide his knowing grin.
I turn away to ignore him and go back to my phone.
He chuckles and sits up a little taller, manhandling the conversation.
It may be my imagination that he’s doing it so I can continue texting Reese, but I’ll take it for what it is.
Reese
Just because I happen to accidentally bump you while sleeping does not mean I need you!
Me
Maybe…but you sure needed me the other night.
Quick visuals of Reese naked come to the forefront of my brain, and I’m forced to adjust myself.
Where the hell is the check?
Me
Not going to deny that? Good. Now let’s get back to how I’d make you pay if I were there. After I pull you in close, I’d rest my hand against your hip, just like I’ve been doing every night when you press up against me.
Reese
You haven’t been doing that...
Have you?
I place my Amex down before the waiter has a chance to dip away from the table again.
Coach Crawford laughs. “Eager to get to bed, Young?”
I shrug. “What can I say? Sitting on the bench is tiring.”
Coach Jones digs for his wallet. “Gotta save your strength and energy for the playoffs."
I tip my beer at him before taking a gulp then immediately get back to my phone.
Me
I have. You sleep better when I have my hand there.
It’s the truth. Otherwise, she’s restless. The first night I did it, I was cautious, afraid she’d wake up and accuse me of trying to touch her while she was asleep, but she sighed wistfully and didn’t move an inch for the rest of the night.
Reese
That’s sort of…sweet.
Unless you’re being a creep and just wanting to cop a feel.
Me
If I’m going to touch you like that, I want you fully awake so I can watch you come undone.
Rhodes elbows me from the side, and I snap my head up from looking at my phone under the table.
Goddamnit.
The waiter is in a fully engrossed conversation with Coach Jones about hockey—me in particular. They’re both staring at me, dragging this night out even further. My credit card is in his hand with a pen and receipt.
“Need my autograph?” I ask.
The waiter’s eyebrows shoot up. “Dude, yes.”
My mouth twitches. “I was referring to the receipt, but I’ll give you an autograph too.”
Anything to get you over here faster so I can go up to my room and concentrate on these texts with my fiancée.
Mid-signature, I feel a vibration against my leg. I grip the pen tighter to keep myself from throwing it off to the side so I can grab my phone.
The waiter stares at my autograph. “Thanks, man.”
“No problem.”
He makes his way to Rhodes and the rest of the guys as I sit impatiently.
I sneakily read Reese’s text.
Reese
So what you’re saying is that you’d wake me up in order to pay me back?
Me
To start with.
Intrigued, Dimples?
Reese
Okay…then what?
I take that as a yes.
After glancing at the waiter, who’s becoming a pain in my ass, I scoot my chair back to speed things up.
Me
I’d rub your hip until your shirt slipped to reveal your soft skin. Then I’d move my hand just a bit and start over on your skin.
My coaches stand to leave, and I quickly follow suit, pulling down on my pants to conceal my semi-hardon.
“Eager much?” Rhodes mutters.
“You would be, too, if you were in my shoes.”
“You starting something with her?” he asks in a low voice, following everyone to the elevator.
According to her? No.
According to me? It started from the beginning.
I shrug and shove my phone farther into my pocket.
After saying bye and getting a verbal reminder of what time to be on the bus in the morning, everyone but Rhodes disappears in the other direction.
I stop in front of my door to let him pass. “Later,” I say.
“Make sure to get some rest…” he calls over his shoulder.
I furrow my brow. Since when is he concerned about my rest?
He rounds the corner, and his voice echoes down the hall. “You know…in between beating your dick off to those texts.”
“No promises,” I call out jokingly.
But it’s not really a joke at all, now that I think about it.