"Patrick?" She stood at the top of the steps wrapped in a large gray towel.
"I got them," he called as he sprinted up the steps to her. "So why–"
"I told you, don't ask, but thanks for getting these." She disappeared back into the bathroom only to reappear a minute later. She looked incredible in his t-shirt. It was army green, only a little big on her, but long enough that it hung like a nightshirt just covering her ass. "What do you want me to do with these?" She pointed to her wet clothes.
"Here, give them to me, I'll throw them in the wash." He grabbed a few other things and headed down to the laundry area. "There is a hair dryer under the sink. C'mon downstairs when you’re ready, make yourself at home."
****
GIA
After Gia dried her hair, she felt more like herself. The memories of her fight with Tyler slowly crept into her thoughts. She made her way down the steps into the living room. She sighed. I can't believe I ended up here. Why would I run to the man who came between us? I have serious issues. She looked around. Patrick had a nice place, but a definite bachelor pad and not very lived in. Everything was dark: the walls, the furniture.
She sunk into the dark chocolate couch, the smooth leather cool on her skin. This couch was nothing like the second-hand one she had in her apartment; this felt like heaven. She picked up a photo off the coffee table. It was similar to a photo on the wall of a young boy, probably Patrick, with that devilish grin she had grown to like. He stood with two adults, maybe his parents?
He was cute even as a child. He had medium length wavy hair; the style looked good on him.
"Better?" Patrick said as he reappeared from the basement, startling Gia. "I'm sorry, didn't mean to scare you. Have you eaten? Can I get you something?" It was dinnertime.
He looked at the picture in her hands and his expression dropped. Without another word, he snatched it from her and set it back on the table. Stone-faced, he stared at her. "You don't need to touch everything."
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to …" Shit. Gia felt like she overstepped already. "Yes, I feel better now, thank you. I'm sorry; I didn't mean to touch your things. I was just admiring your photos. Is that your parents?" she asked.
He briskly turned and walked down the hall to the kitchen. "So, are you hungry?" he asked. For the first time since she met him, there was no charm in his voice, just flat and lifeless.
What the hell? Could this day get any worse?
"Um, what did I do, Patrick?" She followed him to the kitchen and leaned against the doorway. She had upset him. What the hell was the matter with her? He opened his home to her after she showed up at his door uninvited, a complete emotional and physical mess. "Maybe I should go?" She didn't really mean that. Like I’m going to walk out of here in a T-shirt and panties?
"Gia, relax. Sit down, you're not headed anywhere like that. What can I get you to eat?" The look on his face softened, especially when he glanced at her in almost nothing but his old shirt.
"I don't know …" She was hungry but the queasy feeling returned when she thought about why she ended up here. Tyler hated her.
"Okay, how about some leftover lasagna? Or I can make French toast? That sounds good, actually."
"Lasagna? Really?" She perked up at the mention of her favorite Italian meal. But the way her stomach felt, the French toast might be a better choice. "Actually, on second thought, French toast does sound good."
Patrick didn't look at her as he started to move around the kitchen. For a large kitchen, she felt in the way. It was probably best to give him some space. She quietly retreated to the living room.
Gia heard the sizzle of the griddle and some dishes clanging. She glanced around the living room, careful not to touch anything this time.
Patrick's footsteps sounded in the hallway, and she turned to see him carrying a tray table and balancing two plates. He smiled softly but not his normal, cocky grin. He seemed sad, and withdrawn. Since showing up at his door soaked, she was seeing a different Patrick than she knew. He was relaxed and caring versus the cocky ass she saw out in public. He helped her without any sexual comments and seemed to genuinely care about her welfare. This was a side of him she could get used to.
"C'mon, sit down and eat."
The aroma of cinnamon and maple caught her nose and made her stomach grumble. Cautiously, she sat down on the couch, extra careful not to disturb anything on the end table. Patrick handed her a fork before he sat next to her. They shared the tray table, their plates side by side, but he didn’t speak. He barely looked at her.
"Patrick–"
"First, I'm sorry I overreacted about the photo, it just ... it means a lot to me. But I do apologize. I told you to make yourself at home, and that's all you did. I shouldn’t have snapped at you, Gia."
"It's your house, I'm sorry I overstepped. You were very nice to let me in when I showed up unexpectedly, inconvenienced you, and you never even asked me why." Her eyes lowered to her plate, and her smile disappeared again.
"Hey." He tipped her chin up with his bent index finger. "I'll tell you about the photo, if you agree to tell me what brought you to my door in the pouring rain, okay?"
Gia nodded even though she didn't want to talk about it. He was part of this hot mess that she created. Taking a few moments to gather her thoughts, she finished her French toast.
Polishing off his last bite, Patrick paused a moment before he spoke. "Okay, the photo you were looking at was of me and my parents. I was about eight years old. We lived down the street from Kris and his parents. Aunt Claire is ... was … she was my mom's sister," Patrick said quietly.
"Was?" She heard things about him and Kris growing up together and being ‘like brothers’ but she just figured they lived on the same street.
Patrick looked down at his empty plate. "Yes. We were all very close. Kris and I spent every second together. Our lives revolved around hockey, of course. When I was nine years old, my parents died in a car wreck. It was right after Kris and I won our first ice hockey tournament. Kris and I were so excited we couldn't stop talking about the game. So Aunt Claire and Uncle Matt said I could ride with them. We were all headed out for ice cream to celebrate … It was snowing something fierce, but we insisted on celebrating our victory. My parents reluctantly agreed to take us–" He paused, his voice cracked "When we got to the ice cream parlor, we heard about a bad wreck just down the road. We ordered our cones and waited for them. Kris polished off his ice cream quickly but I knew something was wrong. My stomach started to hurt when they still weren’t there. A policeman came into the ice cream parlor, my aunt urged my uncle to go ask about the accident. She kept telling me she was sure my parents were in traffic due to the accident. I don't remember much after that. I think my uncle was the one who went and found out it was my parents … But I knew. I just knew it was them." He stopped and ran his hand along his jawline, messing with his scruff. "Well, after that my aunt and uncle took me in. They opened their home to me." He cleared his throat, and then looked up at Gia with a forced smile on his face. "So if you ever wondered why we act like brothers, that's why. We kind of are."
He attempted to smile through the pain that showed in his eyes. The normal cockiness had disappeared. Gia hated to see him hurting. She regretted that she had brought back that memory. "I'm sorry, Patrick …" She didn't know what else to say.
"It's okay. My aunt and uncle treated me just like their own."
"Patrick–"
"Gia, it was a life time ago. Please stop saying you're sorry. I miss them, I really do, but it was a long time ago. I just saw you with that picture frame, and it really isn't something that I talk about with a lot of people. I’m not very good at sharing my feelings, it’s just easier to keep people at arm’s length." He drew in a deep breath and shook his head. "Well I told you mine, now it's your turn to tell me yours." His cocky smile began to reappear as the minutes passed.
She reached out and cupped his cheek, wanting to comfort him. His eyes closed at her
touch and she found herself liking this side of him. Tender, sweet, calm. Slowly, he opened his eyes and asked, "So, what led you to my doorstep? Or should I say, who left you crying in the rain?"
Dropping her hand, she pulled her legs up on the couch. "I drove for hours. I didn't know where to go, and I just ended up here. Last night Tyler came home from Alberta. I was really happy to see him, of course. But I felt so guilty. I just had to tell him what I did and be honest. But things happened …"
"He wanted a proper welcome home, I assume?"
"Yeah, something like that. We didn't get to talk about things last night." Gia paused and took in a deep breath. "This morning he confessed his love for me and asked me to move in with him--again. I couldn't take the guilt anymore, so I told him."
Patrick leaned back against the arm of the couch and sighed.
"Yep, I told him. He couldn't get out of my apartment fast enough. He wouldn't look at me. He told me he needed time and for me not to call him. Then out of nowhere, Kat calls me wanting to know what I had done."
Patrick looked at her, his brow furrowed. "What? How did she know anything was wrong?"
"Oh … because Tyler ran right to Kris. I realize they’re buddies, and I guess he had no one else to turn to, but that put me in a weird position. That's messed up. I needed my sister, and I couldn't go to her. It put Kris in a bad position too, with me and Kat and you … but I stayed away out of respect to everyone involved. I had nowhere else to go … I couldn't sit in my apartment ... I had to just–" All of the emotion came flooding back to her, and she started to sob all over again. "He's so hurt, and I did it. I hurt him."
"G … you didn't do it on your own, sweet thing. We both did it."
As Gia continued to sob, Patrick moved the tray table aside and pulled her to his chest. She curled up at his side, his arms wrapped around her as she cried.
Gia was well aware that her ass hung out--could feel the cool draft on her cheeks. She should try to cover up, but he was being more of a gentleman than she expected. And she felt so at home in his arms. She didn't want to, but she did. Her body calmed and her breathing slowed. The calm rhythm of his heart soothed her as her tears dried up.
A flash of lightning lit up the corner of the room and thunder rumbled in the distance.
"Hey, let me light a candle or two just in case, okay?" He slid off the couch and went into the kitchen. He came out with a lighter and candles and set them on the end table.
Patrick positioned himself back on the couch next to Gia, and she laid her head on his hard chest. His arms curled tightly around her, one strong hand swirling around her back in a calming pattern. Her tears had stopped but she had never felt so defeated.
The warmth of his bare chest was hard to ignore and she was tired of crying. She had been in such a fog when she showed up here, looking like a drowned rat. He could have turned her away--she wasn't his problem--but he didn't.
CHAPTER 11
GIA
Patrick gently wiped away the tears that remained on her cheeks. As if it were a normal reaction, she cuddled up in his strong arms. Out of nowhere, another bright lightning bolt lit up the room. A loud crack of thunder shook the house and made Gia jump out of Patrick’s arms. The lights sizzled before going dark. She sat straight up, wide-eyed and shaking. What in the hell?
"And there it is …" Patrick complained. "It's no surprise, don't worry. The lights always go out when it storms." Patrick got up and looked out the front window. Still pouring rain, the whole neighborhood had gone dark. Carefully making his way back to the couch, he sat back down next to Gia. No longer focusing on her problems, the thunder had her full attention.
"You don't like storms?"
Gia shook her head. Why would anyone like storms?
"Maybe we should take these dishes to the kitch …" Her voice shook. The realization that being here with Patrick surely killed any chance she had left with Tyler caused the butterflies to start again in her stomach. What was she thinking?
Patrick caught her arm as she tried to pick up their dishes. He wrapped his hand around her waist and pulled her to him; he wrapped his other hand around her other hip and pulled her on top of him.
Patrick ran his hands up her t-shirt, the cool air hitting her exposed skin. His warm hand covered her ass and held her against him. He wiped the tears from her cheek, and then held her cheek in his hand. Leaning in, he kissed her lips gently. As he pulled away to look at her, she moved closer and kissed him back, opening her mouth in invitation.
She could feel his hardness between her legs. Looking up at her, he lifted off the t-shirt she had on, and tossed it aside on the couch. The candlelight against the darkness heightened her senses. As he ran his hands up her waist and onto her breasts, it sent electricity through her body. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and he took her breast in his mouth. With a moan, she swore her panties were now drenched. Their eyes met as he sucked at her nipple, pulling and nipping at it with his teeth. She groaned with pleasure, pushed her lower body hard against his erection and tossed her head back.
Neither of them meant this to happen. Patrick’s breathing came fast; he kissed her hard, holding the back of her head with his hand. "Gia," he whispered against her lips, "I want you …"
Patrick moved her off him and laid her on the couch. He tugged at her panties until they were on the floor. Once his shorts were off, he crawled on top of her. Gia curled her legs around his muscular thighs as he balanced himself on his knees. Leaning down to kiss her lips, he pushed hard inside of her; she moaned against his mouth. She started to grind her body against his until he matched her rhythm. She wasn't shy about what she wanted, and he seemed happy to oblige.
A shadow fell across Patrick's face, but she could still see those icy blue eyes. He never took his gaze off her, moving harder inside her, until they both cried out in pleasure.
Patrick gave Gia a grin that chased away her tears. She propped herself up on her elbows as Patrick lay down on the pillow. She curled up at his side; their warm, damp bodies snuggled together. Patrick pulled the blanket off the back of the couch and covered them as he kissed her forehead. They held each other in the darkness.
****
PATRICK
A few hours later, Patrick woke. The candles still burned in the darkness; Gia rested peacefully in his arms. He moved the hair from her eyes. He couldn't stand to see her hurting.
He watched her sleep while the rain continued to pound against the house.
She was really beautiful. He liked the feel of her in his arms again. He hadn't meant for any of this to happen and had been satisfied to just be a shoulder to cry on. He recalled the way the candles had lit up her face and made her brown eyes sparkle. He needed to touch her, be close to her. Once his lips brushed hers, he couldn't stop.
Maybe Fate had brought her to his door because she needed him, too. Fate. Ha. Who believes in that? Yet, something always led her back to him.
Obviously, their afternoon of pure lust wouldn’t help her patch things up with Tyler, and he was pretty sure a new team was in his future. The thought of not seeing Gia made him sick. But if Tyler wanted him traded, he was as good as gone.
****
GIA
It had been almost two weeks since Gia had ended up at Patrick's house. She hadn't heard from Tyler. She spent the last few days in bed, shutting out everyone and everything around her. Ten new messages blinked on her cell phone—all from Kat.
Gia sighed. Who cares? I screwed everything up. Then a wave of nausea came over her, she jumped out of bed and headed for the bathroom. Curled up on the bathroom floor, Gia hugged the toilet. Great, now I have the flu … She could hear her phone ring from the bedroom again. Why can't people just leave me alone?
She brushed her teeth and mumbled to herself, "Guess I better eat something …" Before leaving the bedroom, she saw another new call. She made a cup of coffee, it sounded like a good idea but just upset her stomach more. She sat at the table with her head
in her hands.
Gia groaned and lazily picked at a bowl of oyster crackers, hoping to get something in her stomach.
The crackers made her feel better. How long had it been since she ate? The phone beeped--a text message. Deciding that her stomach now felt strong enough to grab something to eat, she went in her room to change from her pajamas into shorts and a t-shirt. Picking up her phone, she saw the text was from Kat.
I guess Ty didn't call you yet, considering he is over here moping around my house again …
Gia scoffed at the message. She was more than aggravated that he kept leaning on Kat and Kris. What about me? Sure, she was the one that screwed up, but is he doing this to punish her for it?
No Kat, he hasn't. If he wants me, he knows where I am.
"I don’t even know what the hell to do anymore. I keep messing things up. He has every right to hate me," she mumbled.
She grabbed her keys and drove to the nearest burger joint. Greasy, fast, comfort food seemed like the best solution. The drive-thru was backed up, and Gia had little patience today, so she parked and ran inside.
Gia was next in line to order when she felt someone approach her and slide an arm around her waist. Ready to punch someone, she heard Patrick's voice in her ear. "You're likely to get yourself in some trouble in those tiny shorts …" He kissed her lightly on her cheek. "Good thing I'm here."
He glanced around at the creeps in the booth who had been ogling her and their eyes found a different target. Some of them gave a small wave once they recognized him and saw that they were together.
She was actually glad to see him.
"Hey Patrick." Her lips curled up in a tiny smile. "You want a burger?" she asked as she stepped up to order.
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