Chapter 15 #3
“It has. It’ll settle down once I get Margot moved out and we start the regular season.
My wrist will heal and we’ll be back on the road again, sleeping together in hotel rooms and then again at home whenever we want.
” I swept my gaze around his place. I really liked it.
And his residence was close to so many restaurants and bars.
What would it be like to date him in public, like a regular power couple?
“I’d like that, Alex. I want to spend time together. I want…” His breath hitched. “Someday, I want to hold hands on the waterfront with you.”
Damn, I had to do something. I had to be real with myself. “We will, Julian, we will.” I’d made a promise, and I had to keep it. My stomach grumbled and a hunger pang crawled through it. “Hey, didn’t you say you had some great restaurants to order from?”
With a snicker, he released me and planted a quick kiss on my mouth. “Let me get my laptop, and I’ll give you some options.” He breathed in deeply as he crossed the room and stepped into a doorway.
Was that his bedroom? I tiptoed toward it and peeked inside at the grey, tufted bedspread and white pillows resting on a king-sized panel bed in rich wood. I wasn’t leaving here until we’d messed that thing up. “Nice bedroom.”
“Thanks.” With a coy grin, he slipped his laptop from his bag, resting against the foot of the bed. “I was saving this room for last.” He waggled his brows at me.
After ordering some fantastic sushi from a local restaurant and eating at his dining table with glasses of white wine, we finished the bottle on his balcony with a view of the city lights.
We’d kept the topic on hockey and upcoming roster changes and had pushed any talk of exes behind us.
Ultimately, we had to trust each other. With us dating secretly, it was even more important.
Others couldn’t see us together and know we were in a relationship.
We’d cleaned up dinner, refilled our wineglasses, and I followed him through the sliding glass doors onto his balcony. We were so far up. This was a treat, considering most Phoenix suburban condo and apartment buildings were three stories tall at most.
I stood at the railing, a light breeze blowing my hair off my forehead. “It’s beautiful, Julian. I bet you never tire of this view.”
“I don’t.” He moved beside me, behind my back, and wrapped his arm around my waist. “I don’t enjoy it nearly enough, though. I’ve always been out of town or in the nightclubs in Old Town.”
After sipping my wine, I said, “Maybe once this season ends, we'll do that together.” My eyes popped open. Did I truly believe our relationship would last until the season ended? Hell, I loved him. It probably would. But it required so much change first.
“I’d like that.” He slipped his phone from his jeans pocket. “You asked me to text Ian and reject his offer.” He tapped the screen with his thumb.
“You don’t have to do that.” I pushed his phone down. “It was an impulsive request. Do it tomorrow or something.” Besides, I didn’t want Ian calling Julian and getting into an argument when we should be enjoying each other.
“Yeah, okay.” He set his phone on a glass-topped patio table behind us. “Come on and sit down.” He pulled on my arm and led me to a set of chairs in faux wood with thick cushions, the table sitting between them. I dropped into one while he took the other.
“Before we head into my bedroom, we should probably discuss a few things.” He gave me a coy grin.
“Yeah? Like what?” Was this where I learned he was into kinky shit? Maybe he had a catsuit in there, or blindfolds and whips. As my cock plumped, I smirked and drank more wine. I might have some interest in the last part.
“I have toys…” Cupping the bowl of his glass, he swirled his wine. “Not anything too out of the ordinary. I have plugs and vibrators, that sort of thing.” He chuckled. “Plugs that vibrate.”
“Vibrators? They make them for men?” There was an entire world of sexual play I knew nothing about. Hell, I’d never even had anal until I met him. “Okay, I’m open to all of that.”
“Are you open to discovering your prostate?” With a smirk, he drank his wine and peeked at me over the rim of the glass.
“You mean you want to use some of those plugs on me?” I squirmed in my chair. He’d looked like he’d enjoyed it. Maybe I would too. How would I know if I never tried?
“Yes. I’d like to. I…don’t always bottom. I’m vers.” He sank his teeth into his lower lip. “If you don’t want to—”
“I’ll try it. For you, I’ll try it.” What the hell. I could trust him to be gentle with me. I reached across the table and grabbed his hand. “If I don’t like it, though…”
“Then we’ll stop and figure something else out.” He squeezed my hand. “It has to be enjoyable for both of us.”
Nodding, I said, “Well, what are we waiting for?” I downed the rest of my wine and stood. “Lead the way into your boudoir.” I barked a laugh.
“Very funny.” He guided me inside, through the main room and after dropping off our wine glasses on the kitchen island, into his bedroom.