Chapter 19
Pre-season went better than expected, and the Stallions were favored going into the regular season.
Today, the late-afternoon sun slipped through the windows, casting a glow on the entire living room where Maya curled up in my arms, staring at the view. Even with everything that was wrong—I had to leave today for the first away game—everything felt right because we were together.
For now, at least.
My regular season was starting, which meant my time would be spent with the team, and she was heading out to rehearsals for the Dimefront tour, so her time would be there. We”d done the math, crunched the calendars, and we couldn”t reconnect until the Dimefront opening night in Los Angeles.
That was weeks away. Weeks I was certain would feel like forever. But neither of us had mentioned the separation coming. The unspoken topic was off-limits.
We talked about everything else, but we didn”t tackle the big issue. Instead, we made out on the couch and stared out the window together. She pressed a kiss to my mouth, and it heated in the familiar way because there was no lack of chemistry between the two of us.
”Maya,” I whispered, brushing a lock of hair out of her eyes. ”You know what”s better than sitting here looking at the view?”
Her eyes twinkled. ”I have some thoughts, but I”m curious about what you”ll go with.”
”Being outside in it.” I waggled my eyebrows.
She frowned.
”C”mon, let”s go for a hike,” I said. ”A little adventure before we have to… leave.”
She scowled, but her heart wasn”t in it. ”No, I”m good inside. I like inside.”
”I know you like inside, but you never go outside,” I murmured, but her mouth was on mine, so it wasn”t easy to get the words out.
Then she did the thing with her hand on my chest that was definitively her way of initiating sex. A totally unfair defense against my suggestion.
”I want to take you to my special spot,” I murmured, trying to distract her from her absolutely unfair tactics.
”Mmm, I think I know your special spot.”
My attempt to distract her didn”t work, because then she was full on kissing me and climbing to straddle my lap with a mischievous glint in her eye.
”Please?” I asked, kissing her back because there was no way I wouldn”t.
She sighed and pouted, while still straddling me as if staking her claim. ”Sloan, there are bugs out there. I don”t like critters.”
I held her tighter, trying to reassure her with my touch. ”I”ll be there the whole time.”
After a moment of silence, she finally said, ”You won”t let me out of this, will you?”
”Not a chance.” I raised my right hand like a Boy Scout. ”But I promise to protect you from all critters, big and small. I”ll unleash my mighty roar and scare them off if they even think about approaching you.”
She had to try not to laugh, but she failed.
”Fine. Get your superhero moves ready, bud.” She dismounted from my lap and headed for her shoes.
While I missed the warmth of her body against mine, I did a fist pump because I would show her how amazing it could be up here in the mountains. It wasn”t sunrise, but sunset could be pretty epic.
We stepped outside in the crisp air. The sky along the ridge was already turning to hues of pink and orange as the sun thought about setting.
Moving past the trash cans in the yard, I quickly stepped in front of her, taking a protective stance.
”What are you doing, you goof?” she asked while I blocked her path with my body.
”Protecting you from the bear you saw out the window that time.”
”Har,” she said. But her eyes glittered, and this thing we had between us was pretty fucking awesome.
Then I linked her hand with mine and pressed a kiss to her knuckles. ”No worries. It”s just a trash can. You”re safe.”
”You”re a comedian,” she said dryly.
I nodded. ”Maybe that”s what I”ll do after I retire.”
This was the last year on my contract, and I hoped I”d get renewed, but it was never too early to think about what came next.
”Perhaps come up with a backup plan to comedy?” She winked at me as I led the way into the trees. ”Just in case.”
”Now, who”s the comedian?” I asked.
We stepped under the canopy of trees and the peace of the mountain fell on us in a kind of silence that wasn”t awkward or unwelcome. This was the quiet I loved best. The simplicity of the leaves rustling and the brush of the soles of our shoes against the dirt.
”What is this place you”re taking me to?” She kept up with my stride, coming beside me as the trail widened.
”Just a spot, really. I used to come here all the time as a kid.” I pushed aside a branch so we could both go through, the rough bark scratching against my palm. ”It”s where Dad and I hiked since it”s not too far, but far enough I felt like we”d gone somewhere.”
”That”s a metaphor for something, I”m sure of it,” she said.
We continued on until a rustling in the underbrush made her pause and grip my arm with zero regard for her fingernails.
I reached for her hand gripping my biceps, and squeezed in reassurance, but she totally ducked behind me like she”d seen a trash can. The quiet sounds of nature suddenly seemed a helluva lot louder as a twig snapped and I actually jumped, too.
”We should go home,” she whispered the words, but she didn”t move.
The hit of her adrenaline meant that I was all on edge, too. But I”d walked this trail hundreds of times and saw nothing more dangerous than a bull snake.
Probably best not to mention the snake part to Maya because, with her rapid breathing and the way her body was all tensed up, she was freaking the fuck out, and it was rubbing off on me.
I practically expected to see a pair of gleaming eyes through the underbrush instead of the chipmunk that skittered out to run along the edge of the trail.
”Ladies love chipmunks,” I said, mimicking Darius.
”What do you know about what ladies love?” she asked wryly.
”I think we”re going to be all right,” I assured, removing her hand from my arm because she was seriously going to leave a bruise.
She pulled her lips to the side. ”That was a chipmunk.”
”Yeah,” I said. ”And if you”re lucky, you might even see a hawk or an owl.”
I didn”t mention the snakes. Honest to goodness, I didn”t see one that often.
”You may not give me any shit about that.” Maya pointed to where the chipmunk had emerged.
I pasted on my best imitation of innocence. ”I would never.”
We both knew that I absolutely would—and often.
”Pfft,” she said.
Now, it was my turn to squeeze her shoulder. ”You”ve got to admit that it”s nice out here.”
She stared at where the chipmunk had disappeared. ”I”ll admit that I have yet to be attacked or bitten by anything,” she agreed. ”Which makes it nice out here.”
”I”ll take it,” I said, jumping to high five one of the branches above.
We trekked on ahead, letting the trail lead the way, neither of us needing to add commentary to the beauty that was this mountain. The trail opened up to a meadow that would fill with wildflowers in the spring. Right now, it was mostly dry grass and pebbles, but it was still pretty. A different pretty.
I led her off to the west side to the big-ass boulder that came about up to my waist.
When I was a kid, though? Man, this rock felt like my personal mountain.
”Ta-da,” I said, gesturing to the spot.
”It”s a rock,” she said with mock excitement.
Not gonna lie, I figured she”d have a different reaction. My disappointment must have showed, because she lifted her eyes to meet mine, and I saw a shift in her expression—from playful teasing to a deeper understanding.
”It”s my rock,” I said. ”I”ve never brought anyone here before. This place was just for me and Dad. It”s… special.”
She nodded, touching the stone with reverence. ”Then that makes it an amazing rock.”
”It does, doesn”t it?” I placed my hand on top of the boulder next to hers. ”Years of visits up here. Some with Dad. Most just me. Now, this time with you.”
”You know what”s funny?” she asked, setting her hand on top of mine.
”Nope, but I”d love to find out.” I turned my hand over to twine our fingers together.
”I enjoy being your wife, Sloan.”
I swallowed the lump in my throat.
”All the times I”ve been married, and I”ve never had the full wife experience… until you,” she continued with a squeeze of my hand. ”No one has ever shown me their rock before.”
”Well, I”m glad you”re enjoying what we have. I enjoy being a husband, too.” I toyed with the wedding ring on her finger.
”I kind of thought it”d be boring.” She looked up at me, her eyes misty. ”That we”d get sick of being in each other”s space, but I”m seriously going to miss you.”
”Maya.” I cupped her face in my hands. ”I”m going to miss you more.”
We settled on the boulder, side by side, our gazes fixed on the horizon where the sun dipped lower. As the shadows lengthened and a cool breeze swept through the meadow, Maya leaned closer, burrowing into me.
One simple gesture, but with it, we seemed to hit our stride.