Chapter 12
TWELVE
ALEC
The dying light of the sun painted the sky shades of pink and orange as Tally and I sipped our drinks on lounge chairs near the pool. Quiet music played in the background and it would have been wonderfully peaceful, if not for the rapidly approaching figure of Lake.
I studied her, wondering if we could get out of there before she arrived and avoid whatever it was she wanted to talk about because the briskness of her stride and the determined angle of her chin said that she had some kind of agenda.
I’d been enjoying my after dinner soda while Tally indulged in a cocktail.
I couldn’t be bothered to deal with an interruption, especially not an unwelcome one.
“Incoming.” I tilted my head toward Lake.
Tally followed the movement and grimaced. She and Lake had seemed to be getting along well enough during our game of beach volleyball earlier, but I supposed being in a group setting was different from having a direct conversation, which obviously wasn’t something she wanted.
“We could run,” I suggested, only half-teasing.
“It will be fine.” It sounded like she was willing herself to believe it. “Lake is a nice person.”
“Just not the most self-aware,” I added and sipped my soda. Both sisters were like that.
Lake came to a stop in front of us and steepled her hands together. “Okay. I have to be quick because Chris and I are due for a romantic spa date soon, but I needed to catch you before tomorrow.”
Tally pushed her sunglasses up her nose and angled her head back to get a better look at her. “What’s up?”
Lake hesitated, but then jumped in. “Look, this is awkward, and I’m sorry to ask, but could you two just lay off the happy couple thing for a bit?”
I stared at her, stunned. I’d had no idea what she was going to say, but this sure as hell hadn’t factored in as an option.
I reached across and took Tally’s hand to show my support.
Lake’s comment didn’t hurt me, but Tally could definitely take it the wrong way.
Honestly, I wasn’t sure there was a right way to take it.
Lake motioned toward our joined hands. “See, that’s what I mean.”
“I don’t understand,” Tally said.
A few different emotions flitted across Lake’s face, but I definitely caught a glimpse of anxiety and perhaps a hint of guilt. My metaphorical hackles rose, and I clasped Tally’s hand tighter.
Lake sighed and looked around, perhaps searching for another chair, but when she didn’t see any, she remained standing. “Coral is upset by the tension between you and Thad. It would really help things go smoothly if you would stop rubbing your new relationship in Thad’s face.”
“Excuse me?” Tally demanded, whipping off her sunglasses.
“Especially when it’s clear to everyone that he isn’t the only one that cheated,” Lake continued, as if she didn’t realize how deeply she’d just ventured into the danger zone.
Fury simmered in my gut as I straightened. “You have some nerve saying that.”
“Why?” She flipped her hair back. “It’s true. People don’t move on this quickly, and you guys have known each other forever; you’ve probably been sneaking around with each other for years too.”
I drew in a deep breath, ready to blast her with a list of all the ways in which she was completely wrong, but Tally squeezed my hand in warning and I caught myself. I wanted to chew Lake out, but I needed to remember a few things.
This was her wedding, and Coral was her sister. Of course she wanted the event to go smoothly and for her sister to be happy. She was just going about making it happen in a really shitty way.
“I never cheated on Thad,” Tally said levelly.
“Here’s what actually happened,” I added, “in case you’re interested in the truth instead of rumors.”
Lake had the decency to blush.
“Tally called me, in tears because she’d found Coral and Thad in bed together when she went home early to surprise him. I picked her up, took her home, and did my best to comfort her. As you can imagine, she was pretty fucking upset.”
“Of course,” Lake murmured.
“Her confidence was knocked, and I made it my mission to repair it. During that time, we got closer than ever and things shifted. Became more. She was faithful to that asshole, even though he didn’t deserve it.
” I paused, considered how much more to say, decided to go for it.
“This may be your wedding, but I won’t tolerate anyone being rude to Tally. ”
Tally tried to shush me, but I ignored her.
“She’s done nothing wrong.” My voice was steely. “She deserves better.”
Lake’s eyes darted between us and she gnawed on her lower lip. “This really didn’t start before the breakup?”
Tally shook her head. “It really didn’t.”
Lake deflated slowly, like a leaky balloon. “I’m sorry. It seemed obvious that that’s what must have happened. I didn’t mean to hurt anyone.”
“It’s fine,” Tally said.
I wanted to argue. It wasn’t fine. But I’d said my part, so I kept my mouth shut.
“I’m sorry if me being here has caused problems for you,” Tally continued, and that time, I couldn’t keep quiet. I started to talk, but to my surprise, Lake beat me to the punch.
“Don’t be ridiculous.” Lake waved dismissively. “Alec is right. You’re not the one who fucked up. Just… Ugh. Do you think you could consider what I said? Maybe try to get along with Thad? I know it’s not easy, but it would be really nice if I could, you know, enjoy my wedding without any drama.”
“We’ll try,” Tally promised.
“Great.” Lake backed off. “I have a date to get to. Don’t get too drunk!”
She spun around and sashayed away.
As soon as she was out of sight, Tally drained the rest of her cocktail.
“Do you mind if we go back to our room?” she asked.
“Not at all.” I stood and pulled her with me. Her palm was warm and soft against my larger, rougher one. I expected her to let go as we started walking toward the main resort building, but instead, her fingers remained linked with mine.
“You don’t have to come with me,” she said, glancing toward me, her expression strained. “I don’t feel in the mood to be social tonight, so I’d understand if you’d rather explore the resort and see who else is around.”
I smiled. “I’d rather be with you.”
Her nose scrunched. “Sorry for being a killjoy.”
“Don’t be. Like I said, none of this is your fault.” I’d repeat it however many times were needed before the message sunk in.
In the lobby, we passed Jackson and Ben, and I couldn’t help the smug curl of my lips as Jackson’s gaze lowered to our joined hands. Still, he gave a friendly dip of his head as we entered the elevator, swiped a card, and pushed the button for our floor.
I checked the time. “There might be a hockey game on.”
The elevator doors opened and we made for our room.
Tally propped her sunglasses on the top of her head. “I think the Chaos were playing tonight Do you think we could find a replay?”
“I’ll check.” I unlocked our door and held it open while Tally entered. She switched on the TV and I grabbed the remote and scrolled through channels until I found one with a hockey game underway. Sure enough, the Chicago Chaos were playing Washington.
I watched as Austin Harris, the team’s best scorer and my younger sister’s boss, glided up the center of the ice toward the goal, the puck on the end of his stick.
He tried to flick it past the goalie but it hit the goalie’s glove and deflected.
The defense were on it immediately, sending the puck back toward the other end of the ice.
Tally flopped onto the bed and sighed. “They’re not having a good season.”
“Do they ever?”
The team might have some decent players, like Harrison and his fellow first line forward Nick Kelly, but there was absolutely no cohesion. They were like a bunch of strangers forced together. Or worse, colleagues who actively disliked each other forced into a team bonding activity.
I lay down alongside Tally, propping myself up on the stack of pillows so I could watch the game. One of the men in the Chaos’s distinctive blue and silver uniform yanked his gloves off and rounded on an opposing player.
“There goes Taggert,” I said.
Tally snorted. “I’ll never understand why they made him captain. He has too much of a temper.”
She wasn’t wrong. Taggert was a mean player, and he lost his shit easily.
“Could be worse though,” I pointed out. “McKinley is a complete loose cannon.”
She nodded. “But he’s in the second line and only a couple of years into the league. Taggert is a veteran. He should know better.”
Warmth bloomed inside me. Fuck, I loved that Tally and I could talk hockey together.
“I still can’t believe that Jane is working for Harris after that big song and dance about making her own way,” I said.
Because of our father and uncle playing in the NHL, Jane and I had been raised in the public eye, but while it had never bothered me too much—beyond teaching me to watch what I said and did—Jane had hated it.
She’d turned down our parents’ offer to pay for her to attend a nearby university, instead opting to move to Chicago and support herself by working as a personal assistant.
I didn’t understand her need to put distance between us or her insistence on not letting Mom and Dad make life easier for her when they were desperate to help.
I respected her need for independence though, even if I didn’t fully agree with her choices.
Tally’s head moved closer to mine and I found myself subconsciously angling my body toward hers. She shuffled over and rested her cheek on my shoulder. I wrapped my arm around her and breathed in the fruity scent of her shampoo combined with a lingering saltiness from the ocean breeze.
We watched Washington decimate the Chaos. Taggert threw more fists. Harris was blocked from scoring another three times. While Taggert was in the penalty box, his replacement, McKinley, went ballistic and had to be pulled off one of Washington’s wingers by his own teammates.
It was a mess, but entertaining as hell.
When the final whistle blew, I looked down at Tally. Her eyelashes fanned over her cheeks, her lips were slightly parted, and her chest rose and fell gently. I chuckled. Somehow, she’d managed to fall asleep.
I maneuvered her off me and gazed at her for a long moment. Damn, she was stunning. Pink cheeks, plump lips, generous curves.
My cock filled as I imagined how it would feel to slide it between those lips. I shook my head, trying to dispel the misplaced surge of attraction, but it was too late. I was already hard.
Shit.
I looked around the room. I could roll over and ignore it, the way I had last night, but I was even more pent up now than I had been then, and I needed to get some sleep.
If I was overtired, my training would suffer.
I wasn’t exactly a veteran of the sport, but I wasn’t one of the younger players on the team either. I needed every advantage I could get.
I’d just have to take care of it.
Decision made, I slid slowly off the bed so as not to wake Tally and padded softly to the bathroom. I locked the door, lowered my shorts and underwear, and took myself in hand.
I pumped briskly, eager to get this over with. If I took my time, I might be tempted to fantasize or to draw out my pleasure. I needed this to be mechanical. Simply fulfilling my body’s needs without any fanfare.
My breathing grew ragged and my balls drew up. I pressed my lips together and forced myself to breathe through my nose, so the noise wouldn’t be loud enough to disturb Tally.
My cock pulsed in my palm, hot and heavy, so close to the edge. A few more strokes, a twist of the wrist, and I came, an image of Tally’s glossy pink lips flashing through my mind.
Fuck.