Chapter 30
THIRTY
DAISY
Lauren
Where did you go?
Me
Wasn’t feeling well - Connor took me home
Lauren
:( you missed Ollie giving Luke a lap dance
Me
Thank god!
I wake up in Connor’s bed for the second time in two weeks, trying not to think about how I got here. I fail, miserably.
After he turned me into a panting, boneless mess on the bathroom counter at the hockey house, he helped me dress. My legs were still wobbling when he led me downstairs and into the back of a taxi before any of our friends could spot us.
It took exactly three seconds after our front door closed behind us before we were on each other again. Hands grabbing, frantic kisses, Connor walking me backward to his bedroom.
I can’t lie; it was hot as hell. And I can’t even blame the alcohol for it this time, because one glass of whatever cheap rum Luke gave me last night definitely doesn’t equate to drunkenness.
Connor is warm behind me, holding me tight against him. It’s not fair for anyone this hot to be a good cuddler as well. It’s a lethal combination. One that has me thinking I could probably spend all day in Connor’s bed. Which is a total no-go.
I try to wiggle free, but the heavy arm on my waist tightens around me, locking me in place before I have a chance to put any distance between us. “Are you running already, Tulip?”
“I need a shower.”
“It can wait.”
My fingertips trail over the corded muscles in his arm, goosebumps rising in their wake while I try hard not to compare this morning to the last time I woke up in his bed. He shivers behind me, tugging me closer as I whisper, “I never picked you as the cuddly type.”
“You never stayed in my bed long enough to find out.” I still at the same time he does. It’s hard not to compare the two—night and day.
“If I remember correctly, you were the one who bolted first,” I remind him, hoping my light tone is convincing enough.
I feel him exhale behind me, a bit of the tension in his body seeping out with it as his thumb brushes over the soft skin on my stomach.
“I never claimed to be a clever man.” He buries his face in the crook of my neck. “I spent most of practice hoping you were still in my bed when I got back,” he confesses. “Spent the following week hating that you weren’t.”
I frown, remembering exactly why I wasn’t here when he got back. As if he can sense it, he moves nudging me until I’m lying on my back and he’s hovering over me.
“What’s wrong?” he asks, eyes flickering between mine.
“You’ve got panties in your bedside drawer.”
His brow furrows, as if deciphering what I’m saying is like trying to divide by decimals in his head. “What are you talking about?”
“Panties. Red lace, barely there panties.” I shrug, trying to appear cool about it, but my shoulder gets trapped against his pillow and all it does is make me feel more awkward about this whole exchange. I should have never brought it up.
“Fuck,” he groans as it dawns on him. He flops onto his back, one hand rubbing over his eyes like he wants to be anywhere but here as well. Good, at least we’re both in the same boat. “I forgot those were there.”
I wince. “Yeah, that’s definitely not the type of thing a girl wants to hear the morning after.”
He grimaces up at the ceiling, before turning his head on the pillow until he’s looking at me. “I’m not getting off on a great start on this do-over, am I?”
“Not really.”
“How about this?” he asks, turning back on his side, his arm snaking around my waist and pulling me against him again. “I solemnly swear not to look at another girl’s panties, let alone think about them, while you and I are a thing.”
“You’re ridiculous.” I laugh, but his expression remains unchanged.
“I swear, Dais. I don’t like sharing, so I would never expect you to either. While we’re doing this, you’re it for me. Okay?”
“Okay.” I bite my lip. “This thing…” I start.
He crooks a brow. “Yes?”
“It has to be just sex.”
“Should I feel offended you only want me for my body?” He jokes.
“I’m serious. I’m going back home at the end of the semester, so whatever this is ends then.”
“No falling in love with you, got it.”
“Can you be serious for a second?”
“I am,” he says, sounding earnest this time as he shifts a stray piece of hair out of my face. “You have nothing to worry about.”
“Good, and—”
He groans. “How many of these rules do you have?”
“Final one,” I promise, my fingers toying with the silver chain around his neck so I don’t have to look directly at him. “This needs to stay a secret.”
“Are you ashamed of me, Tulip?”
I scoff. “Like anyone could ever be ashamed of you. You’re literally built like a Greek god.”
He laughs, sliding his hand down my lower back and grabbing my ass. “Being around you is good for my ego.”
I roll my eyes and swat at his shoulder. “I’m serious. I don’t want it to be weird with everyone.”
“No one would care.”
“Connor.”
“Daisy,” he counters.
“I’m serious.”
“Me too. You could be fucking half the team and no one would care,” he says, then seems to think the better of it, because he quickly adds, “Please don’t fuck half my team. That would be really awkward.”
“See,” I exclaim.
“Fuck, fine.” He sighs, brushing a strand of hair behind my ear. “If you don’t want them to know, we won’t tell them.”
“Good. That means, this”—I wiggle a finger between us—“stays in the bedroom. Outside of these walls, we’re just friends.”
He quirks a brow, smirking. “Does that mean no more bathroom counters then?” I flush bright red and he laughs.
I’m about to argue, when he silences me with a searing kiss and rolls me onto my back. My fight goes straight out of me when I feel his heavy weight press down, soft fingers running down my side.
Maybe waking up in his bed is not such a bad thing after all.