Chapter 24 Rodriguez
RODRIGUEZ
I’m trying really hard to be cool about this.
I’m failing spectacularly.
Because Juliette is lying on this bed, completely naked, still trembling from what I just did to her, looking at me like I just rearranged her entire understanding of sex.
Which, yeah. I did. And I’m not even sorry about it.
Three years with that asshole and he never once went down on her. Never made her come like that.
I got to be her first for this.
I’m never going to stop being smug about it.
I tear open the condom packet and roll it on with hands that are shaking more than I want to admit.
This is happening. This is actually happening.
I’ve thought about this for months. Since September when I first saw her at that rink and she looked at me like I was an annoying bug she wanted to swat away.
Every time she rolled her eyes at me. Every time she said my name in that exasperated voice. Every time she tried so hard not to smile at one of my jokes.
I’ve been imagining this.
And now I need it to be perfect. Need to make this so good for her that she forgets every mediocre experience she’s ever had.
No pressure.
I settle between her thighs and position myself.
“You okay?” My voice comes out rougher than I mean it to.
“Yeah. Nervous.”
“Me too.”
Her eyes widen. “You’re nervous?”
“Terrified.” I’m not even lying. “Pretty sure I’m going to last about thirty seconds.”
She laughs and some of the tension leaves her body. “That’s weirdly reassuring.”
“Good. Because I’m serious.” I line myself up. “If I don’t last long, it’s not you. It’s me being pathetic.”
“You’re not pathetic.”
“I’m about to prove you wrong.” I push in slowly. Just the tip.
Oh fuck.
I push in further, slowly, giving her time to adjust. She makes a small sound and I freeze.
“It’s okay. Keep going.”
I push in more. Halfway now. And it’s taking every ounce of control I have not to just drive in all the way.
“You feel—” I can’t finish the sentence. “So good, JuJu. So fucking good.”
“You’re not all the way in yet.”
“I know. If I go all the way in right now I’m done.” I’m gripping the sheets next to her head, trying to breathe. “Give me a second.”
“You’re really not going to last?”
“I’m really not going to last.”
“That’s kind of hot.”
Oh god. Why would she say that? That makes it worse.
I push in the rest of the way. I’m buried completely inside her and I have to stay perfectly still or this is over.
Think about hockey. About practice drills. Almardon’s ugly-ass face. Think about anything except—
“You okay?” she asks.
“No. Yes. Give me a second.” I’m actually sweating. “I’m trying to think about literally anything except how good you feel.”
“Is it working?”
“Not even a little bit.”
She shifts slightly, just adjusting her hips, and the angle changes making her gasp.
“Don’t move.” It comes out strained. “Please don’t move.”
“But that felt good.” She does it again.
“I know. That’s the problem.” I’m dying. “JuJu, I need to move but if I move this is over.”
“So move.”
“You don’t understand—”
“Then don’t last.” She rocks her hips up slightly. “I don’t care. I already came. This one’s for you.”
I don’t deserve this woman.
I pull out slowly and push back in. The sensation is so intense I actually groan.
“There you go,” she murmurs. “Just like that.”
I find a rhythm. Slow at first, trying to make this last.
She wraps her legs around my waist and the angle changes. I hit something inside her that makes her cry out.
“There?” I manage to ask.
She’s making those sounds again and I’m not going to last.
“JuJu, I’m close—”
“Then come. Come for me.”
That does it. Those words in her voice. I thrust hard twice more and then I’m gone. The orgasm hits so hard I can’t even think, just bury my face in her neck and groan through it, completely wrecked.
When I can breathe again, I realize I’m crushing her.
“Sorry.” I try to move. “Sorry, I—”
“You lasted longer than thirty seconds.”
I can’t help laughing. “Maybe a minute. Minute and a half tops.”
“I’ll take it.”
I pull out carefully and deal with the condom. When I come back, she’s still lying there looking thoroughly satisfied.
“That was—” I start.
“Really good.”
“I was going to say embarrassingly quick but sure, we can go with really good.”
“It was both.” She pulls me down next to her. “And for the record? I don’t care that you didn’t last long. You already made me come so hard I cried. You’ve got nothing to prove.”
I pull her against me and she drapes herself across my chest.
“Give me like ten minutes,” I say. “I’ll do better next time.”
“Next time?”
I grin. “I brought three condoms. We’re using all of them.”
“Now?”
“Well, not right now. I need a minute. But soon.” I’m already half-hard again just thinking about it. “Very soon.”
We use the second condom an hour later.
She wakes me up around 3 AM for the third one, kissing my neck, her hand sliding down my stomach.
Best way I’ve ever been woken up.
After, we lie tangled together in the dark. Both exhausted. Both satisfied.
“Are we out?” she murmurs against my chest.
“Yeah. We used all three.” I’m already half-asleep. “Tomorrow. I’ll get more tomorrow.”
“Mmm. Good.”
We fall asleep like that with my arms around her.
February in Toronto is probably the coldest I’ve been in my entire life.
It hits me the second I step outside the hotel. Not Seattle cold where it’s just damp. This is proper Canadian winter cold that makes my lungs hurt.
I pull out my phone and search for pharmacies nearby. There’s one three blocks away that’s open 24/7.
Pharmacy first for the essentials, then coffee and Timbits to make it look less obvious why I left.
The walk is freezing but quick but at least the pharmacy is bright and warm. I head straight to the family planning aisle, grab the biggest box they have, and take it to the counter.
Tim Hortons is busy. I’m waiting for my order when my phone starts buzzing.
The Puckaneers group chat is exploding.
PUCKANEERS CHAOS
Almardon
RODRIGUEZ FINALLY SEALED THE DEAL
Dex
WHAT
Brody
The deal with who?
Almardon
with HER.
Luca
It’s not even 6am here but this was worth it
Anderson
Congratulations? I think?
Dex
HOW DO YOU KNOW THIS
Almardon
He’s at a pharmacy at 8AM
How do you know where I am?
Almardon
You never turned off location sharing
I’m taking care of that right now. Then I’m blocking you
Dex
So they finally…
Brody
OUR BOY
Luca
I’m so proud
You can all go to hell
Dex
We’re taking you with us
Brody
You love us
Luca
Especially right now when you’re getting LAID
Anderson
Can we give the man some privacy
Dex
Absolutely not
Brody
How was it
I’m not answering that
Dex
So it was AMAZING
Brody
He’s not denying it
I’m going back to my GIRLFRIEND now. Leave me alone.
Dex
GIRLFRIEND
Brody
HE CALLED HER HIS GIRLFRIEND
Luca
This is phenomenal work Rodriguez
Anderson
Happy for you, Rodriguez
I pocket my phone as the my order is called, grab the coffees and Timbits, and head back to the hotel.
The room is still quiet when I let myself back in. I set the coffees and donuts on the table as quietly as possible and turn around.
Juliette is awake, sitting up in bed with the sheet pulled up. Hair an absolute disaster in the best possible way. Eyes still sleepy and soft.
She looks gorgeous.
“You left,” she says. Her voice is rough from sleep.
“I left a note.”
“I saw the note. You still left.”
“I got coffee.” I hold up the cups. “And Timbits.”
She pats the bed next to her. “Come here. You look like you’re freezing.”
I cross to the bed and she immediately crawls into my lap, sheet and all, and wraps herself around me.
“Hi,” she says.
“Hi.”
“You’re so cold.” Her hands slide under my shirt against my stomach and I suck in a breath. “Let me warm you up.”
“The coffee’s going to get cold.”
“I don’t care about the coffee.” She’s kissing my neck now. “Where did you really go?”
Busted.
“I got coffee and donuts. That part was completely true.”
“And?”
“And I may have made another stop.”
“What kind of stop?”
I pull the box out of my coat pocket and set it on the bed next to us.
Her eyes go wide. “That’s a lot of condoms, Romeo.”
“We have one more night in Toronto. Plus all day today. I’m being thorough.”
She bites her lip. “We’re not using thirty-six condoms.”
“Not with that attitude we’re not.”
“We have brunch in—” She checks the clock. “Two and a half hours.”
“That’s plenty of time.”
“Romeo—”
“JuJu.” I brush hair out of her face. “We fly home tomorrow. Back to real life. Back to my hockey schedule and your work. I want to spend every possible moment of this morning making you feel good. Can I do that?”
Her eyes go dark. “Yes.”
I kiss her slow and deep. The sheet falls away and suddenly she’s naked in my lap and my hands are finding warm skin.
We show up to brunch fifteen minutes late.
“There they are!” Olivia calls out. “We thought you weren’t coming!”
“Sorry,” Juliette says, sliding into her seat. “We were getting coffee.”
My hand tightens on her thigh under the table, “It was not coffee,” I whisper.
Juliette goes red.
Olivia’s eyes narrow then go wide. “Oh my god. You’re glowing!”
“I’m not glowing.”
“You’re definitely glowing.”
“Can we please not discuss this at brunch?”
Under the table, Juliette’s hand lands on mine.
Her dad catches my eye across the table and gives me this knowing look. Then a small nod. Her dad just gave me the ‘I know what you did’ nod. I should be mortified. Instead I’m weirdly proud.
I squeeze Juliette’s hand tighter.
After brunch, there are hugs and goodbyes and her parents pull us aside.
“Take care of each other,” her mom says.
Her dad shakes my hand. “You’re good for her. Keep being good for her.”
“I will, sir.”
Soon it’s just us standing outside in the cold.
“What do you want to do?” I ask.
Juliette tilts her head and looks up at me. “I want to go back to the hotel and spend the rest of the day in bed with you.”
“Best idea you’ve ever had.”
We barely make it through the hotel lobby.