Chapter 43
FEE
“Hey, Andie, how’s it going?” I pass Gage’s new closet-roommate on my way up the front walk.
She hooks her thumbs under her backpack straps. “Oh, you know, loving closet life.”
I can’t tell if she’s being sarcastic.
“Have a great day!” she calls over her shoulder.
“You too!” I continue up the front steps and knock before I open the door. The living room is tidy and empty of people. “Hello?”
“In the kitchen!” Gage calls out.
I poke my head in and frown as I take in the scene before me. Gage is wearing a floral-printed apron, a stack of pancakes—half of them overdone—on a plate beside him.
“What are you doing?”
“Making pancakes.”
“But…you don’t cook?”
“He does now that he has a new roommate,” Brody says from his spot at the kitchen table, his plate loaded with bacon and fresh fruit.
“I’m trying to make her feel comfortable. She had a terrible roommate situation before this, and she’s my sister’s best friend,” Gage says defensively.
“She’s also hot,” Brody adds.
Gage points a spatula at him. “Keep your eyeballs to yourself.”
Brody quirks a brow. “So you’re admitting you have the hots for our new roommate?”
“That’s not…I didn’t. She’s my sister’s best friend and I’m doing her a favor by letting her live here, and I’m trying to make it not awkward for her.”
Mac appears in the doorway. “Didn’t Andie leave already? Why are you still trying to impress her?”
Brody snorts a laugh, and I don’t bother to hide my own snicker.
“Fuck you, guys. All these pancakes are for me now.” Gage turns off the burner with the half-cooked pancakes still sizzling on the griddle and grabs the heaping plate, heading for the door.
Brody shoves the syrup under his hoodie.
He returns a moment later and stalks over to Brody. “Give me the syrup.”
“Only if you admit you have the hots for your new closet roommate.”
Gage fires the bird at him. “I’ll just use powdered sugar.”
He grabs the container from the pantry and stomps upstairs.
“So the new roommate situation is going well?” I ask.
“I mean…Gage’s room is the cleanest I’ve ever seen it,” Brody replies.
“And so is the rest of the house, so I’m not complaining,” Mac adds.
“What’s she like?” I prop my hip against the counter.
“Quiet,” Brody replies. “Quieter than me even, but when she does speak, it’s usually a zinger.”
“I like her. She’s sassy,” Mac says.
The doorbell chimes. “I’ll get that.” Mac kisses me on the cheek and leaves the kitchen.
“He’s been checking the mail compulsively,” Brody informs me.
“So have you!” Mac calls out.
“Not untrue,” Brody admits. “But I’m once a day, maybe twice, and he’s many times.”
“Oh shit!” Mac comes skidding back into the kitchen holding a stack of thick, legal-sized envelopes. “This one is for you.”
He tosses it to Brody whose eyes light up. “Hockey Academy! Did you get one, too?”
Mac holds up his matching envelope with the logo in the corner.
“Oh my gosh!” I jump up and down. “It’s thick! That has to mean good things, right?”
They both snicker.
I roll my eyes. “What are you waiting for? Open it!”
“On the count of three?” Mac says to Brody.
“On three.”
We count down together and Mac slides his thumb under the edge of the envelope, tearing it open. He and Brody pull the thick packet of sheets out at the same time, but Brody is already wearing a knowing smile.
I watch my boyfriend’s face light up. “I got in! I got into the Hockey Academy’s summer program! We’re going together!”
Brody is all proud smiles. “Yeah, man, we’re going together.”
Mac hugs and kisses me, then crosses over to his friend and they give each other backslaps while Brody and I grin at each other over Mac’s shoulder.
And then he rushes back to me, wraps his arms around me in a bone-crushing hug, and lifts me off the floor. “I get to stay in Toronto and be close to you. I don’t have to spend the summer missing you.”
“There are two other envelopes. Do you want to open those, too?” I kiss his neck, my smile wide even as my eyes fill with tears. They’re made of joy, relief, and pride.
Mac carries me over to the counter and grabs the stack of papers from the Hockey Academy and the unopened envelopes.
“What are you doing?”
“Taking you upstairs to celebrate. We’ll go for dinner later. I’ll tell Gage his package is waiting for him,” Mac calls over his shoulder as he carries me through the kitchen.
“I’ll make us a reso!” Brody calls after us, still smiling.
Mac doesn’t set me down even as we pass Gage’s room and shouts, “There’s a package for you downstairs that you’ll want to open. Congratulations. Don’t knock on my door for the next hour.”
Gage’s door swings open. “Is it from the Hockey Academy?”
I give him a thumbs-up.
“Oh fuck!” Gage bolts down the hall and we hear him thump his way down the stairs.
We disappear into Mac’s room, and he locks the door behind us.
He takes my face in his hands and slants his mouth over mine, kissing me fiercely. “I’m so fucking relieved, Fee.”
“Me, too.” More than I can express with words.
We rid each other of our hoodies, but Mac freezes when he gets to my T-shirt. “Where did you get this?”
“It was at the bottom of your drawer. I figured it probably didn’t fit you anymore.” It’s an old Tilton shirt, but it likely would have fit Mac pre-high school based on the way it hugs my chest.
“This stays on and so do your socks.” Mac tugs my pants down my legs.
“Whatever you want, superstar hockey boyfriend.” I rest a hand on his shoulder, lifting one foot and then the other for him.
“Your heels resting on my shoulders while I pound into you,” he declares as he rises. He wraps his hands around my waist and tosses me on the bed.
I shriek and bounce once, propping myself on my elbows to watch him strip out of his clothes. He moves to stand at the end of his bed, eyes on fire, a proud, salacious smile tipping the corner of his mouth, making his dimple wink at me.
“God you’re sexy when you’re owning the hockey world.” I set my Tilton Blaze socked feet on his chest, and Mac’s nostrils flare as he runs his hands down my shins and hooks his thumbs behind my knees.
“I need the taste of you lingering on my tongue when I’m filling you with my cock.” He parts my legs and pushes my knees toward my chest, exposing me to him.
He kisses the inside of my thighs, gaze lifting as he licks up the length of me.
I groan at the sensation, knees spread wide, completely at his mercy. “Always so fucking good, Ophelia.” He sucks my clit. “I get the whole summer with you.” Another decadent swirl of his tongue. “To love you.” He fucks me with his tongue. “Taste you.” Laves me. “Make you come.”
“I’m so glad we get to be together.” I shudder and grip his hair, sinking into the heat of his mouth on my skin, of the delicious way he brings me to the edge. He’s gorgeous and attentive and he’s mine for the summer.
When I’m at the precipice, about to tip over the edge, he pulls me to the edge of the mattress, sets an ankle on either shoulder, and fills me in one smooth stroke.
We both sigh as he bottoms out. He kisses my right ankle, runs his hands down my thighs, and curves them around my hips. “You ready, sweetheart?”
I grip the edge of the mattress to anchor myself. “Commence pounding.”
He grins and pulls his hips back. The head of his erection hits just the right spot and I see stars. I struggle to keep my eyes on his as I come in crashing waves.
And still, he keeps going, fucking me, filling me, making me his. Eventually he folds forward, my ankles still resting on his shoulders, allowing him to go deeper. He makes me come again, and then he slows.
“I love you so much,” he whispers. He moves over me, slow strokes that keep me swirling in bliss.
I settle my palm against his cheek, pleasure sweeping through me on a wave. “I love you, too.” We have the entire summer to explore each other. Time to discover each other’s likes, to grow and fall deeper in love.
He wrings a final orgasm out of me before his own claims him. We lie there for a few minutes, sweaty and sated, basking in the afterglow.
Eventually he folds back and kisses my cheeks and chin. “Give me a sec. I’ll get a washcloth.”
He grabs supplies from the bathroom, cleans me up and then stretches out beside me.
We lie on his bed with our legs entwined, the comforter pulled up to cover our cooling skin, his fingers dragging lightly up and down my spine.
“I know we would have made it work if I went overseas, but I’m glad we get to stay here. ” He kisses my temple.
“Me, too. It’ll be nice to be with our friends for one last summer,” I agree, my hand resting over his heart.
We might not know what the distant future holds for us, but the summer is ours. The rest we’ll figure out when the time comes.
Our phones buzz from somewhere on the floor nearby.
“Chase got his acceptance letter!” Gage shouts from down the hall. “You two better finish up soon! We’re going for lunch in half an hour to celebrate!”
I nuzzle into my boyfriend’s slightly dewy neck. “I love that the four of you get to do this together.”
“Me, too,” he agrees.
More hooting and hollering comes from down the hall.
“We should probably get decent before they try to bust down your door.”
“Probably a good idea.”
We separate and pull our clothes back on. I check my phone and see my girlfriend group is blowing up with excited messages.
But a specific new one catches my attention.
Roman
Did Mac tell you the good news?
Fee
He did. Thanks, Roman.
Roman
I sat out on the panel when Mac’s application was reviewed. He earned his spot, the decision was unanimous. It’s going to be a good summer for both of you.
Fee
It really is.
I smile and tuck my phone in my pocket. Roman is the best.
I believed Mac earned his acceptance into the Hockey Academy, but I’m happy to hear everyone else believes the same.
I’m excited for the future.
For him.
For me.
For us.