by Kendall Ryan
Fucker.
“This is my girlfriend, Doctor Erickson,” I say, gesturing toward Bailey.
She gives me a weird look. “It’s Bailey. Hi, nice to meet you all.”
“What?” I ask innocently. My girlfriend is a doctor, and I’m damn proud of that fact.
After the introductions are made and our drink orders have been placed, we settle into easy conversation. I’m pleased to see Bailey can hold her own, chatting casually with my head coach and his wife. Not that I’m surprised by this. Bailey handles herself like a champ in any situation I’ve thrown her in—and that includes when we stayed with my family for an entire week.
She’s incredible, and it’s just one more thing I appreciate about her. Soon, she has the whole table laughing with an entertaining story about an elderly patient who thought he was allergic to gluten but actually just had gas. I find myself chuckling along too, mesmerized by her.
I guess I didn’t realize, but this is the first time our friends are seeing us out together as a couple, and they’re not exactly being inconspicuous about their glances over at us. Owen’s got a huge smile plastered on his face, Justin is watching us closely like he’s looking for signs I’m going to fuck this up, and Teddy’s face is scrunched up like he’s trying to figure out how exactly this happened without him knowing about it.
We dine on perfectly cooked steak and giant prawns swimming in some type of butter sauce. During dinner, I learn yet another perk of having a girlfriend—when she’s full and insists she can’t eat another bite, I get to polish off the rest of what’s left on her plate. It’s freaking awesome. Who knew there were so many fringe benefits to monogamy? I might have signed up for this a whole lot sooner had I known.
Actually, that’s a lie, because somehow I think the universe, or whoever is in charge was waiting until I was ready, and then put Bailey in front of me at exactly the right moment.
After our meal, I decide it’s time to mingle, or at least time to put my friends out of their misery. Their curious glances and whispers still haven’t stopped.
“Hey, guys,” Bailey says with a little wave as we stop beside the table where the majority of my teammates are seated.
“I love your dress,” Sara says to Bailey.
“Thanks.” Bailey smiles.
Teddy cracks his knuckles and leans back from the table. “Let’s cut to the chase, kids. Care to tell us how this all came to be?” He gestures between Bailey and me with a serious expression.
I guess I should have known this was coming.
“We had an amazing time in California, and things just kind of blossomed from there,” I say, hoping that explanation is adequate.
“Did you just say the word blossomed?” Teddy asks, blinking at me.
Owen chuckles into his fist. His fiancée, Becca, quickly elbows him in the ribs, and his laughter turns into a sharp coughing sound.
“I think it’s amazing, and it makes perfect sense, if you think about it,” Elise says with a smile. “You’re both incredible . . . and together? Holy power couple.”
“Thank you, Elise,” I say, grinning down at her.
Bailey lets out a laugh. “You guys should have seen your faces at dinner. It was like you’ve never seen Asher with a girl before.”
“We haven’t,” Owen says matter-of-factly, watching us with a blank stare.
Well, that certainly isn’t true. I’ve gone home with my fair share of puck bunnies over the years, but thankfully, no one brings that up. It’s not exactly the mental image I want my new woman to be left with as the evening comes to a close. I’m hoping to get lucky tonight, after all.
Wanting to change the subject, I look over at Bailey and say, “Ready to get out of here?” I’m leaning close, close enough that the sweet smell of her floral shampoo makes my heart gallop.
She flashes me a shy smile. “Sure. Let’s do it.”
After a round of good-byes, and one last story from Bailey about the practice where she works, which leaves Coach Dodd rolling with laughter, we’re finally off. And it doesn’t come a moment too soon, because I can’t wait to be alone with her.
I can’t imagine that feeling ever fading because, this girl? She’s everything to me, and there’s no way in hell I’m going to miss my shot at something real.
• • •
Back at my place, we’ve just moved this party into my bedroom. My jacket is on the floor at the foot of my bed, along with Bailey’s discarded high heels.
I know I shouldn’t rush this, but I’m so damn eager for her it’s hard not to. Bailey’s kissing my neck, and her slender fingers are unbuttoning my pants.
“Go slow, baby. We have all night,” I say, tipping her chin up toward mine so I can capture her lips in a soft kiss.
“You’re right.” She grins up at me. “And there’s no one to interrupt or overhear us either.”
“Exactly. So, feel free to be as loud as you want.”
“Ashe . . .” She moans when my hands drift from her waist up over her full breasts.
“I love the way you say my name,” I say on a sigh.
But that perfect moment is interrupted by my phone vibrating loudly against the dresser where I've placed it. Dammit.
Bailey pulls back, meeting my eyes. “Do you want to get that?”
Not even a little bit. “Ignore it.” Unfortunately the vibrating doesn't stop. “Hold that thought,” I tell Bailey with one last kiss. Grabbing my phone, I see its Landon's number. “Yeah?” I answer, more than a little annoyed.
“Heyyy, Asher,” he says a little too loudly. “Good thing you picked up.”
“What's up, man?”
“I need a ride. Had a little too much to d-drink,” he says.
“Can't you just call an Uber?”
“No can do,” he says, voice unsteady. “Wasn't there something in the rookie orientation about public intoxication being the top of coach's no-no list?”
Well, the bastard's right, but why do I have to be the one to bail him out? Doesn't he know I'm finally about to be naked with the woman I've been craving for three days?
“Can you call someone else? I'm kinda in the middle of something.”
Bailey gives me a strange look. “It's Landon,” I mouth.
She nods.
“I already tried Justin, Owen and Teddy. And there's no way in fuck I'm calling Grant.”
I sigh. He's right. Our team captain Grant would have his balls at the next practice if he called him drunk in the middle of the night. “Where are you?”
“Downtown. The Pink Elephant or something. Maybe it's the Purple Pachyderm.” This sends him into a fit of laughter.
“Text me the address. I'll be there in ten minutes.”
“Sweet. Thanks,” Landon slurs before ending the call.
“What's going on?” Bailey asks the moment I grab my keys from the dresser and button my pants.
“Looks like we're going to pick up a drunk rookie.”
Her eyes widen. “Oh, fun,” she says with sarcasm.
Like a root canal.
We retrieve Landon from the bar downtown where he's waiting for us on the curb, and ten minutes later, we're helping him inside his dark apartment.
“There, there, buddy.” I tap him on the shoulder. Bailey gives me a look that says, you can do better than this, dude.
Dammit I planned to be balls-deep inside of my girlfriend right now, not watching over a drunk ass rookie on the team.
“Do you think you're gonna be sick?” I ask, following him further inside the apartment.
He shakes his head. “Just hungover as fuck in the morning.”
I nod. “That sounds about right. Come on then, let's get you to bed.”
Bailey takes one side, and I take the other, steering the awkward, lumbering, six-foot four-inch Landon to his bedroom at the end of the hall.
Once inside, he works on unbuttoning his dress shirt while Bailey announces she's going to get him a glass of water. He stumbles sideways, le
aning one hip against the dresser.
He's still fumbling with the buttons on his shirt when she returns. With a sigh, Bailey sets down the glass and then crosses the room to stand in front of Landon.
“Let me help,” she says gently, unfastening each button until he's free and can shrug off the dress shirt. He flings it ungracefully to the other side of the room.
Even drunk Landon knows neither me nor Bailey is going to help free him from his pants, so he falls back into the bed still wearing the dress pants he wore to the banquet. It won't kill him to sleep in them.
He lets out a loud belch and out of the blue asks, “Do you think I'd have a shot with Aubree?”
Bailey and I both chuckle. “In this state? No dude.”
“But in general?” he asks, laying back against the pillows.
Bailey and I exchange a look. “I'm sure she'd love to go out with you sometime,” she says after a few moments of awkward silence.
The truth is, I have no idea of Aubree would be interested in Landon. She's thirty to his twenty-three and she's career-focused and driven. Though it would be fun to watch him try to win her over.
“Get some sleep, buddy.” Turning off the lights, I bring my hand to Bailey's lower back, guiding her toward the door.
“One more thing,” Landon says.
“Sure,” I say with gritted teeth.
“Actually, it's a question for Bailey.”
“What's up?” she says, tone much more friendly than mine would have been.
“What's the main thing that a woman is attracted to in a man?”
“Oh, um, that's a good question.” Bailey falters, but only for a second. “Well it depends on the woman, of course, but I guess I would say emotional strength.”
“What?” Landon and I both ask at the same time.
Bailey chuckles. “Someone who is strong, someone who is, you know, going to be there for you when the going gets rough.”
“Oh,” Landon says. “Thanks, I guess, Bailey.”
“Alright man, you good?”
Landon sighs. “Can you guys just stay a little while? I don't want to be alone.”
“Sure,” Bailey says cautiously.
I give her a pleading look.
“We can sit on the couch for a little while until he falls asleep,” she says, quieter this time.
I flip on the lamp in the living room and Bailey and I sink down onto the couch.
Bringing one arm around Bailey, I pull her close and press a kiss to the top of her head. “Sorry about this. I know it’s not how you planned on spending your evening.”
She pulls back to meet my eyes. “No, it’s not. But you’re a good friend, Ashe.”
I lean in and give her a slow, sweet kiss. Bailey’s lips part and I can’t resist tasting her, my tongue making a confident pass over hers.
“Can we go yet? I need you,” I murmur.
“Not yet. But I have an idea about how we can pass the time.” The mischievous gleam in Bailey’s eyes is unexcepted, and so is the way my body temperature rachets up a few degrees.
When her hand moves to the button on my pants, I suck in a ragged inhale. “What about Landon?”
Her gaze flits over to the bedroom as her mouth lifts in a crooked grin. “I’m sure he’s passed out by now. He’ll be asleep for the night.”
“That’s true…”
With a wicked smile, Bailey slides to her knees in front of me and my chest shutters.
“Here?” I ask.
She gives a me a sultry look that makes it impossible to say no to her.
• • •
Back at my place, Bailey and I quickly pick up where we left off.
“Let's never speak of that again,” I say, mouth moving to her neck. I still can’t believe Landon interrupted us like that—talk about awkward.
“Deal,” she pants, pushing her chest into mine.
Slowly lowering the zipper on her dress, I help her step out of it. She’s so sexy, I swear my knees feel a little weak.
“What am I going to do once the season starts back up?” I ask, admiring her curves with one hand against her waist, the other touching her cheek.
She gives me a serious look. “I don’t know. What are you going to do?”
I think she’s asking if I’m going to dick around and break her heart. I’d kick my own ass before I let that happen. Not to mention, my mother and Lolli would probably fly across the country and castrate me.
“I’m going to miss you.” I kiss her. “All the time.” Another kiss.
She pulls back, still watching me, weighing my words.
“Trust me. I had enough fun when I was younger. I know what I want. And you’re it.”
Bailey softens, her fingers now working in earnest on the front of my pants. When she finally frees me from them, I’m heavy and hot and hard, and aching for her. Moving to my bed, she shimmies a pair of tiny black panties down her legs and removes her bra, tossing them over the side.
God, she’s beautiful. And she’s all mine.
“You going to stand there all night staring, or are you going to join me?” she asks, lobbing a smile at me.
“That’s a damn pretty sight—you in my bed.”
Impatient, Bailey curls her finger, beckoning me forward. I kick off my pants and boxers in one less-than-smooth motion while she giggles.
But just before I join her, I pause. I almost forgot. “I’ve got something for you.”
Her expression is curious. Grabbing a folded sheet of paper from my desk, I hand it to Bailey, who’s now propped herself up on one elbow to see what I’m up to. Her lips move as she reads silently, and then those gorgeous big brown eyes meet mine.
“You did this? For me?”
I nod. The paper is a health report confirming I’m STD-free.
“That was really thoughtful of you.” She folds the paper and hands it back to me. “And I say that both as your doctor, and as your girlfriend.”
I laugh and join her on the bed, pulling her into my lap. Bailey fits against me like she was made just for me. Her knees are on either side of my hips, and her chest brushes mine. I press my thumb against her cheek, stroking as I gaze down at her.
“No pressure either way, but I’ll let you decide if you still want to use one of those.” I tip my chin toward the mega-sized box of condoms we’ve been plowing our way through for the past month.
Bailey doesn’t take her eyes from mine. “That was a very considerate gift,” she murmurs. “I think I know just how to reward you.”
While my heart pounds erratically, she lifts up on her knees, finding the right angle, and joins us—sinking down so slowly, my entire body shivers. Her fingernails bite into my shoulders as she clutches me, and a low whimper pushes past her lips. She moves in a slow, teasing rhythm, and it’s suddenly hard to breathe.
A low groan pours out of me, and my hands tighten on her ass, holding her in place. “Maybe this was a bad idea.”
Her eyes flash on mine. “Why?”
“Because I didn’t know it would feel this good. I’m gonna disgrace myself.”
She watches me with a hooded gaze. “You’ve never done this before?”
I shake my head, saying in a strained voice, “First timer.”
Then Bailey brings her mouth to mine and kisses me until I forget about everything else, because damn, it really is that good.
Afterward, we lie together in a warm, cozy heap. Bailey uses my chest as her pillow, and I trail my fingers up and down her spine while my heart rate slows.
My cuff links are on the dresser, resting beside a pair of Bailey’s earrings. There’s something about that sight that brings a smile to my lips.
Maybe it’s because I resisted the idea of this for so long—being someone’s plus-one. But the reality of it is so much better than I ever dreamed. I have someone to call when I’ve had a hard game. Someone to laugh and cuddle with. Someone to share life’s big moments with. I’m falling hard and fast, and that should probabl
y scare me, but so far, it doesn’t.
Sometimes the best things in life are the ones you never saw coming. And Bailey in my life is absolutely one of those things.
Epilogue
* * *
Bailey
The next summer
Is there a word for the warm, fluttery feeling you get in your chest when you’re exactly where you’re meant to be? Because that’s what I feel when Asher turns our rental car down Lolli’s street. The sound of the ocean waves crashing in the distance is as sweet and familiar as a favorite song. Even though I’ve only been to Coronado Island once before, the second that light-yellow beach house comes into view, I feel like I’m home.
Everything looks just as we left it last year—same pink shutters, although I think they’ve gotten a fresh coat of paint, same purple flowers blooming in the front flower beds, and the same big, happy family on the porch, ready to welcome us. But a lot has changed in one short year.
Namely, the fact that instead of coming to Coronado as Asher’s medical supervision, I’m joining him for Hannah’s first birthday party as his girlfriend.
“About time you showed up!” Lolli calls through cupped hands as we step out of the car. “You almost missed the cake!”
“I’ll grab our bags,” Asher says, giving my cheek a kiss and my butt a quick tap, the second of which I’m hoping his family didn’t see. “You go start in on the hugs.”
The second I step up onto the porch, Tess nabs me, squeezing me in her arms before passing me off to Lolli, who, at eighty-six years old, somehow manages to lift me off the ground when she hugs me tight.
“I’m so glad you could make it, sugar,” she says as she sets me safely back on two feet. “We missed you so much.”
“Hey, what about me?” Asher asks, feigning offense as he hitches our bags up over one muscular shoulder. “Am I just the pack mule?”
Lolli rolls her eyes, throwing her arms wide and wiggling her fingers at her grandson. “Oh, hush. Come here, you. I watch you on TV every week. It’s not every day I get to see Bailey.”
“And I know a few other people inside who are excited to see you too.” Tess tilts her head toward the door, which is decorated with teal streamers and a sign that reads SEA WHO’S TURNING ONE!