Chapter 7 #2
I contemplate for a few seconds. “I always will, but it’s the hockey part which I can still do in my free time, just not with a group of guys that are a team with a close bond.
I don’t miss the schedule, the training, chance of being traded, the media, and how it’s all kind of grueling.
But actually, back in Lake Spark, a bunch of retired players get together a few times a year, mostly for charity games. ”
“I bet that’s fun to watch.” I notice Harlow scanning the arena.
“You’re searching for girlfriends and wives of the players, aren’t you?” I state with a flat tone, yet feeling a grin break out.
Her head tilts side to side. “Guilty.”
“Most of the away team’s wives or girlfriends aren’t here. They tend not to travel with the team. As for Seattle, they’re most likely up in a box on the other side of the arena or maybe watching closer to the ice, though I haven’t seen them appear on the screen.”
She chortles a laugh. “Just look on their social media and I’m sure you can solve the mystery.”
“Probably.”
“Hey, Stone,” she affectionately says my name.
“Hey, Harlow,” I return the sentiment.
“Thanks for arranging this. It’s been fun.”
“Fun fun? Or fun as in you’re now a fan and will be turning on the game when your schedule allows?”
She gives me a short laugh. “Probably the latter, to be honest. Just need to find someone in Florida who will join me to watch with wine in hand.” My arm loosens and drops.
I don’t enjoy that thought. Harlow pinches my arm playfully.
“As in a friend. Maybe one of the girls from my Zumba class or something.”
I blow out a breath, relieved, but she raises another point. “I guess I live in Lake Spark, so I won’t be much help.”
An awkwardness comes over us. “Right.” Her T is tight. “We don’t live near one another. Not even close.”
Fuck distance.
And fuck the crowd for erupting into celebration because Seattle just got a goal.
The noise completely ruins any hope of discussing a tiny practical matter between Harlow and me, because I’m cursing the referee’s decision on that play; the forward should have totally had the ref on his ass.
I’m enjoying my time with Harlow, but hockey is hockey.
Walking down the hall of the hotel, Harlow surprises me. She brings her fingers to mine to interlace so that we’re holding hands.
I’m completely gone.
This is saccharine, yet I’m all in. The thought of pushing her against the wall and slipping my hand up her thigh until I feel her heat and sliding along her slit… I’ve tucked that thought behind a wall in my head, hoping it will eventually come to fruition.
We approach her room, and I assume this is where I bid her good night.
“I’m happy we got out of the hotel and played tourist before you made me a hockey fan,” she tells me.
“It was a great day.” And I feel the pull toward her even stronger. “I should probably let you head to bed since you have a morning flight back to Florida.” I’m choosing the safest option to round off our night.
But she surprises me when she yanks my fingers closer to her.
“Sleep in my bed again.” A wry smile doesn’t falter on her lips. She wants this.
I swallow, reminding myself that I have to keep it down a notch from how I want to touch her, lick her, and make her moan.
The willpower and desire to fulfill her wishes overpower me, which is why it doesn’t take long for me to answer.
“Yeah, sure.” I’m trying to be casual about this, but I was hoping that she would invite me in. I mean, we’ve done it already.
Her smile turns to a beaming one before she turns to swipe the keycard.
I follow Harlow into her room, and when we arrive in the middle, she turns sharply to face me, nearly running into my chest.
“There is one more thing,” she mentions.
“What is it?”
A smirk appears on her face as she takes a sensual step forward and plants her hands on each side of my face. “Kiss me again,” she whispers.
She doesn’t need to ask again. I lower my mouth and brush my mouth along hers until the hint of her lips parting has me firmly imprinting onto her.
I wrap my arm around her middle to pull her to me flush as I kiss deeper.
Harlow murmurs an indistinct sound, but I’m not worried, as she hooks her arms around my neck and sinks more into our kiss.
Our position slants, and I take the opportunity to slip my tongue past her lips to greet hers. I nearly growl from how good kissing her is. All day I’ve wanted to do it to her. But I honest to God have no clue what we’re doing or what our lines are.
We kiss and kiss some more until both of our mouths tip back and our noses scrape one another.
Harlow breathes out a long panting breath. “It’s better than last time.”
I scoff and grin in unison. “Just don’t run away this time.”
Her eased face turns slightly serious, and I realize that my choice of words might have just ruined the moment.
“I won’t run away,” she assures me. “It’s just a shame we live on opposite ends of the country, and tomorrow I have a flight back.”
A logistical nightmare.
But I’m selfish, and I bring my finger to her lips to shush her. “Let’s not think about that right now.”
Harlow circles her mouth, with my finger staying right where it is, as if she is using me as a paintbrush, right before her lips pucker out to kiss my fingerprint gently.
“You know, I think about you in ways that if I were someone else, then you and I would have been naked already last night. I just…”
I pull her close to me to give her a firm hug. “I’m not going to lie. It’s taking a lot of endurance to keep myself in check. But I’ll do it for you. I’m like a man tethered to you.”
Harlow’s head retreats back slightly, and she peers up at me. “You know, tethers can break if someone has too much strength and persistence.”
I hook a finger and glide it along her cheek. “It also means that someone is holding onto the rope, and they have the power to pull back when needed or loosen their hold. Most of all, it means that you’re in control.”
Her eyes light up again. “Stone…” She stammers. “I don’t believe you have hardened edges that everyone seems to assume you have. Am I getting a side of you that’s new?” She seems bewildered.
“Yes,” I say point blank, and it makes her chuckle.
“Okay then, let’s get to bed.”
She quickly goes to the bathroom while I take off my shoes and empty my pockets. Sleeping in clothes isn’t ideal for my comfort level, which is why I debate if I should take my shirt off. I begin to tug on it but then stall.
Harlow enters the room, entertained. “It’s okay, you can take it off. Your jeans too if you want.” I want to bring a fist to my mouth to hold in any temptation, but I follow her lead.
Throwing my shirt to the side, Harlow walks straight to it and quirks her lips out. “Can I wear it to bed?”
The corner of my mouth hitches up, it feels like high school, yet more endearing. “Sure. I’m kind of honored that you enjoy my scent,” I say to lighten the mood.
I have to turn away when she throws off her own pajama top to put my shirt on. Someone upstairs should give me a gold star or at least a step back from the gates of hell for not sneaking a glimpse.
By the time we’re in bed, the heightened tension in the air completely vanishes into our own bubble of complete harmony. Nothing about this feels odd at all.
Even when Harlow rolls onto her side and slings a leg over mine. I wrap my arm around her as we stare at one another. I clear my throat as the smoothness of her skin on her legs melts onto mine.
She grins. “I take no offense if you have a hard-on at any point tonight and need to go shower,” she assures me.
I snort a laugh. “Thank you. I was wondering how this might go down. It’s a struggle not to be tempted by you and have my way. But I respect you too much.”
“I’m not made of glass, I won’t break. I’m just waiting until I know that it will be indestructible.”
I begin to comb her hair with my fingers. “Glass is always destructible, no?”
“It’s not if you’re in control, because then it doesn’t matter what happens. When it’s your own doing, if it breaks, then it’s because you broke it yourself so nobody else has the chance to shatter it.”
“You have a lot of strength, you know,” I inform softly her as our eyes dance in this sentimental aura that has that tether pulling me closer to her.
“I think so. But my point is… I’m waiting for the sign that I can let all my inhibitions go and feel again.”
“Have you found a sign yet?” I’m curious.
She nods ever so tenderly. “I’m closer than I’ve ever been.”
I feel it in my bones that it’s me. I lean in to kiss her forehead, but she moves to kiss my lips, giving me the confirmation I needed.
“I wish we had more time.” I can’t get enough. I’m addicted, and there has to be a way around all of this.
“Stone, I’ll write to you. I promise.”
My chest sinks. “Traditional has never been me.”
“Me neither, but distance isn’t on our side.”
“I don’t want this to be the end.”
Harlow hugs me tighter. “I don’t have answers. Just hold me, please.”
Bringing her closer, our bodies mold to one another, and we lie there in silence, but our breathing synchronizes, and when she is blissfully asleep, I stare at the ceiling because I never expected any of this. I’m now a reserved man that’s unfamiliar.
Which is why I sigh and come to the conclusion that I’m not going to let go quite yet.
I finally know what building an attachment means.
It’s just that the wind has been knocked out of me because the bond with Harlow is stronger than I could have contemplated.