Chapter 18
eighteen
The worst part of having Brett on the road for an away game is not being able to see him. Usually, I can find the game on one of the sports channels, but this game isn’t televised for whatever reason.
I hate it.
I just want to be able to see him. I would never let him know, but I worry every time he steps on the ice. I know he will be okay, but hockey is a violent sport, and now that I’ve admitted to myself that I really like the guy, I worry he will get hurt again.
My eyes tear up thinking about seeing him in the hospital room last year. Something compelled me to go to him when I saw him get injured. He was drugged up and could barely keep his eyes open, but I sat at his side for hours, telling the hospital staff that we were engaged to be married.
Wyatt was there. He knew the truth, but he didn’t say a word. He still hasn’t said a word to me about it, and I don’t think he has to Brett either. Brett never mentioned it to me.
Back then, I was glad for it, but now I wish he knew so he could see that I cared for him long before this baby was in my belly.
Cora
I’m on my way over. I can’t sit here and wait for updates.
I smile. Cora didn’t go to the game either. She had a work thing to do. I should be irritated that she is inviting herself over, but I’m glad she did. I still don’t quite feel like I can insert myself into their group, so I’m happy she isn’t giving me a choice.
Several minutes later, there is a knock on the door. I let her in, leading her to the couch.
“Kellan has one of the rookies giving me updates. I guess he has no shot of playing this year, so Coach redshirted him. They are up 2-1. Brett has one assist,” she tells me in lieu of a hello.
“Good. That means Wyatt is keeping them out of the goal,” I say, repeating something I heard Brett say once.
Cora giggles. “It will all sink in eventually. I promise. So while we wait for updates, I figured we could get some girl time in.”
“Thank you for that. I haven’t had many girl friends in my life. Figure skating is more competitive than that. There’s no camaraderie in it. I mean, even my roommate is a bitch, especially now that she got my slot for the Olympics.”
She reaches out and touches my hand. “Fuck that. There is room for everyone at the table. I don’t need to wear your crown. I have my own.”
I let out a soft laugh. “That’s new to me, so it might take me a minute to be the friend that I feel like you are used to.”
“Nonsense. You’re already a great friend. You let me come over unannounced. You watch stupid movies with me, and you gossip about our men. You won me over,” she teases.
“Who knew it took so little,” I joke.
“Oooh. Yes. Jones scored one with an assist from Brett. Three to one, baby.” She dances on the couch a little.
I laugh, my hand falling to my stomach. I’m so proud of Brett.
The door opens then, Ashley walking in looking like she’s been through the ringer. I’m sure she has. I’ve seen the way Irina can push a skater. Hell, I’ve been her.
Before she called me a whore, I would have offered to get her into an ice bath or make her tea, but I can’t even look at her now.
“Great. Moved on from the hockey team to their women? Is it a big orgy over there?” Ashley mutters as she slams the door.
Cora stands, making me scramble up to grab her arm.
“Listen here, you cunt. You aren’t half the fucking skater my girl Emery is, which is why you feel the need to throw these little jabs at her.
You think that by making her miserable that you will feel an ounce better about yourself.
That it makes you better than her. Let me tell you something.
You are nothing and will never be nothing.
You got a shot at making the Olympic team, sure, but you won’t make it.
You are going to fail because you care more about what Emery is doing than your own shortcomings.
So laugh it up. Say what you want. Emery is going to have this baby, then she is going to come back stronger than ever.
She is going to make the team and go for gold with a fucking baby.
Where will that leave you, Amber? A nobody with nothing to call your own because you feel the need to tear others down to make yourself feel better. Be better, Amber. Do fucking better.”
“My name is Ashley,” she grits out.
“As if I could care. Let’s go, Emery. Peyton and Grace are waiting for us. You know. Your friends because you are a decent human being.”
Cora grabs my arm, leading me toward the door. I barely have enough time to grab my keys before she is pulling me out of it. I wait until we are downstairs in her car before I speak.
“Uh, are Peyton and Grace really waiting on us?”
Cora looks over at me, and the anger slides away as she starts to laugh.
“No, but she doesn’t know that. She is jealous of you, Em. I saw it in the way she looked at us when she walked in. All those words are about her, not you.”
I nod. “I know. Doesn’t mean they don’t hurt, but watching you tear into her sure helped. Jesus, you were like a pitbull.”
“Psssh, I’m all Chihuahua. I’ll actually bite a bitch. I really think you need to consider moving out. She is toxic. I hate to say it because I believe people can change, but that doesn’t mean we have to be the ones to help her do that,” Cora tells me.
“I know. I need to find another place to live.”
She smiles. “There’s always the hockey house. Or we can make room at our place for you.”
I look down and smile. “I don’t know. I’ll think about it.”
I will because for the first time in my life, I feel like I have options.
It was a long, hard game. We stayed ahead, though.
Four to two win to the Wolves.
It feels good to be back in the game. I’m not going to miss it when I’m gone, but I’m glad I took everyone’s advice and got back on the ice now. I’ll remember these games fondly.
As soon as the game was over, I was happy to see a text from Emery on the phone.
Turns out she ended up hanging out with Cora, who was getting updates from Sol on the bench.
I’ll have to remember to thank the rookie for keeping her updated so my girl could be updated.
I wish I had thought to ask him to do that.
Still, the text from her is everything.
Buttercup
Great game. Heard you did well. Miss you.
I wanted to text her back right away, but I knew if I did, I would be glued to my phone, so I resisted as the team celebrated around me. Then I followed them onto the bus until we got back to our hotel.
“You going out?” Kellan asks.
I shake my head. “I’m going to call Emery and see if she wants to talk. What about you?”
“Cora has already texted me twice. So same.”
“You two go do that. I’ll be down at the bar,” Wyatt says, giving me a look.
I know he is going so that he can give me the room to myself. I love that about Wyatt. He is there when you need it, but he will also disappear when you need some space.
Kellan laughs. “Hopefully, Ramirez is out too. Otherwise I’ll be in the bathroom.”
“Gross, dude. That’s like my sister,” I tease.
He laughs, slamming his door.
Wyatt comes into the room with me, changing before grabbing some things.
“You don’t need to leave,” I tell him.
“Nah. I want to go and keep an eye on the guys downstairs. Make sure they make it back to their room okay. Plus, I don’t want to hear what you and Emery talk about.”
“Thanks, man. You have been great through all of this.”
“No need to thank family, man,” he says as he walks out the door.
I get undressed until I’m in only my boxers, and then I call Emery on a video call. It takes a few rings before she answers.
“Hey. I thought you would be out celebrating,” she tells me in a sleepy tone.
“Nah. I wanted to talk to you. I woke you. Want me to let you go?”
She shakes her head, readjusting. That’s when the room comes into view.
I smile. “Are you in my room?”
She looks sheepish. “Cora brought me here. You don’t mind, do you?”
“Fuck no. My room is your room. You can live there. Stay as long as you want,” I tell her.
She laughs. “Don’t go crazy now. I do like being surrounded by your smell when you aren’t here. I’m almost able to imagine that you are here with me.”
“Oh yeah. Would we be cuddling?” I ask her.
She gives me the sexiest smile as she shakes her head. “No. You’d be between my legs.”
I swallow hard. I was not anticipating that coming from her mouth. Emery has a mouth on her when she gets horny now. It must be the pregnancy hormones.
I fucking love it.
“Show me, buttercup. Show me how wet you are.”
I expected her to swipe her finger through her pussy and show me, but not my girl. She goes all in.
My cock hardens as she flips on the lamp on my nightstand. She leans forward and props the phone up on the blankets, then spreads her legs. Underneath my old band T-shirt, she is bare, showing me her slick folds.
I groan. “Baby, you look so fucking appetizing. I wish I was there to eat you out right now.”
Her fingers spread her lips, showing me where I wish I was at this moment.
“Tell me what you would do, Brett.” Her tone is husky.
I know I can’t deny a single thing this woman wants.
Pulling my cock out, I start to stroke it.
“I would lick you from asshole to clit, making sure you feel nothing but pleasure from my touch. You would shiver that way you do when you get turned on, as if your body has no idea how to regulate the feelings I invoke inside of you. I’d press two fingers up inside of you while I continue to eat you slowly. ”
As I speak, I watch as her fingers slide inside of her, thrusting as she starts to pant.
“That’s it, baby. My fingers are thrusting inside of you. They are making you feel good. Stop,” I tell her suddenly.
She freezes, and I smile, loving the control I have over her.
“Again,” I tell her, watching her fingers start to move.
“More. I need more,” she whimpers.
“Shhh, I’m going to make you feel good,” I tell her. “Keep thrusting, but this time pull your middle finger out. Use your wetness to circle your ass. That’s it, just like that.”
She does as I ask, moaning at the feeling.
“Push in a little, Em. Not too far. Only a little.”
I don’t want her experiencing too much of this without me, but I want to give her something.
She presses down on her finger slightly, pausing to adjust her finger.
“How does it feel?”
“Hurts a little, but I feel like I’m about to come.”
“Good,” I tell her. “Leave it in there and use your other hand to play with that clit.”
She does as I ask, playing with her clit, her finger sliding deeper inside as her hips begin to move.
“Fuck, Brett,” she moans out.
Then all movements stop as she orgasms. I feel my own release spill onto my stomach from the show I just watched.
When she comes down, she adjusts the phone so I can see her face again. “I need to go wash my hands.”
I pan the phone down to my stomach. “I need to rinse off real quick. Leave the phone on? I want to talk to you before you go to sleep.”
She nods as she disappears from the screen.
I take the shortest shower ever, cleaning myself off, and then go back to bed waiting for her. When she comes back, she looks more beautiful than ever.
“So how was your day?” I ask her.
She laughs. “Better with you in it.”
That one single admission has me feeling like a million bucks.