by S. R. Grey
But eventually we both give in…to each other. And from that point on, it’s all love, love, and more love.
We’re finally back to where we were, but it’s better because this is a new starting point. We’ve grown, having gone through a relationship hardship…and coming out stronger.
The electricity in the air finally settles to a warm current, and I whisper, “This is perfect.”
“It is,” he agrees, slowing his pace even more.
We rock together slowly, with him just rolling his hips gently, loving me easily.
The fight is gone.
We’ve made peace.
Pressing his cheek to mine, he whispers in my ear, “Happy Birthday, my love.”
I reach up to touch his lightly stubbled cheek. “Thank you. And by the way, you did it, Jaxon.”
He leans back and looks at me, confused. “I did what, babe?”
“You made this my best birthday ever. Remember when you promised that you would?”
“Of course I remember. But…” Rolling onto his back, taking me with him without breaking our connection, he says, “…I’m not anywhere near done yet.”
“Ooh, you’re not?”
“Not even close. And I just realized something too.”
“What’s that?”
“Naked birthdays are still the best.”
I can’t disagree. “They sure are,” I proclaim.
I circle my hips, and he growls, “Enough talking. Love me, woman.”
“I already do, Jaxon.”
“So show me how much.”
Ah, that I can absolutely do.
Our Own Little World
Even though the spa retreat package Noelle won includes couples’ massages and several therapeutic treatments, Cara and I scrap them all.
Who needs those when you’re living on love?
Not us. We have no reason, or desire, to leave the room. Though we do accept the complimentary strawberries and champagne the staff sends up to us, mainly because we’re famished.
I must admit they’re not solely for sustenance, though. Cara and I find some interesting things to do with both items.
Ah, kinky times are good times.
But it’s not all kink and sex. Cara and I have created our own little world. We’re back on the island in our minds. Hell, there’s even sand outside, so close enough.
Sadly, though, there’s no beach.
That night I’m thinking all these things as I’m out on the balcony, peering off into the darkened desert. That’s when Cara comes up from behind me.
“Hey, sweetheart,” I throw out over my shoulder, having heard her soft footsteps.
She wraps her arms around me and leans her head against my back. “Hey, Jaxon,” she murmurs.
It feels like she has on her short, filmy robe, as her nipples are taut against my bare back. Good thing I have on boxer briefs, or I’d turn around right now and have her again right here out on the balcony.
“What are you doing out here, Jaxon?” she asks, distracting me from my sexy meanderings. “I thought you said you were coming right back in.”
“I am.” Turning around, I place my hands on her hips. “I was just out here thinking about things and I guess I got lost in that.”
Tilting her head, she queries, “What were you thinking about?”
I smile down at her. “Mostly just about how much I miss living with you at the beach house.”
She sighs. “I know. I miss it too. We had some great times there, yeah?”
“We sure did. They were the best.”
“I wish we could go back, Jaxon, even for just a few days.”
“I do too,” I say.
I think about it for a minute and add, “Hey, you know what? I think maybe we can go back.”
“Yeah,” she says, sighing. “I know. But not till next summer. And that’s such a long time away.”
“No, no, I think we can go before then,” I say excitedly.
She peers up at me with those pretty hazel eyes that I’ve missed so much and says, “I don’t see how, Jaxon. You have games way into the spring, and even longer if you guys make it to the playoffs.”
“Whoa, hold up!” I exclaim. “You mean when we make it to the playoffs.”
She giggles. “Yes, definitely, that’s what I meant.”
I finally get to the point and share with her what I’m thinking.
“All that’s true, but you’re forgetting one thing. The Wolves have a longer than usual Christmas break this year. Sooo, if we really want to, we can head down to the beach house then. That is, if it’s okay with Noel, of course.”
Her eyes brighten. “Oh my God, I love that idea.”
“So you’d want to do that?”
She nods. “Definitely.”
What I don’t tell Cara is that if all goes the way I think it will over the next few months, we’re going to have more than just time off to celebrate down at the beach house.
I’m going to ask her to marry me.
The Hockey Life
Once we’re back in Las Vegas, the weeks fly by.
Now that we’re officially back together, Jaxon and I try to spend as much time as possible together. Two preseason away games put a pause on our constant hanging around each other. But with home games and practices the rest of the way out, we’re afforded plenty of time to share.
And that’s what we do.
We go on dates and sometimes just chill at my place or his. Jaxon’s house is not as large as some of the other hockey players’ places, but it’s nicely decorated and surprisingly cozy.
Who would’ve thought?
Not me. I expected it to be your typical bachelor pad. I like that Jaxon is always full of surprises. It’s been that way since the start when I caught him in that very compromising position.
I have to snicker now, thinking of how he nearly recreated that same day when we were at the spa resort. After all, he was outside. He just didn’t have his hand on his cock.
But I sure did—later that afternoon, that night, and the next morning.
“What are you thinking about, babe?”
Jaxon has just sauntered into the master bedroom at his house and is staring at me sitting cross-legged on his big bed.
“Your dick,” I reply truthfully.
He gives me a not-now look. “Babe.”
He shakes his head, and I feign innocence. “What?”
“You’re bad.”
I am, seeing as it’s time for him to leave for the first game of the regular season. Oh, well, maybe this will wind him up and he’ll score—on the ice, and then later back here at home.
Pointing to me, he says, “You’re lucky I have to leave in, like, three minutes. Otherwise I’d have you flipped over on that bed so fast…”
I raise a brow. “Hey, I’m up for a quickie.”
I’m insatiable when it comes to Jaxon.
Chuckling, he says, “Problem is, sweetheart, it’s never quick with us.”
Hmm, he does have a point. We always end up lost in worshipping each other’s bodies. And then time slips away.
“Later?” I waggle my eyebrows.
“Do you even need to ask?” he chortles. “With us, I think that’s pretty much a given.”
I smile. “True.”
I can hardly wait for later, but I must. His game comes first. Good thing I’m going with Noelle. She’s my ride to the arena, but we plan to sit together as well.
Jaxon is eyeing me curiously, so I ask, “What now?”
“It’s just…” He nods to my attire. “Are you wearing that to the game?”
I peer down at the ragged super short shorts and thin tee I have on, and shaking his head, he adds, “You’re gonna be hella cold in the arena.”
Quickly, I inform him, “Don’t worry, I’m changing. I have time, though. You may have to leave in a couple of minutes, but Noelle won’t be here for another hour.”
“So what are you wearing?” Jaxon wants to know.
“I was thinking skinny jeans and a Wolves’ jersey.”
He stops and cocks a brow. “A Wolves’ jersey, eh? What number’s on it?”
Ah, this is where he’s been going with all the questioning. But he needn’t worry.
I answer proudly, “Why I’m wearing number twenty-three, of course.”
That’s Jaxon’s number, and he happily replies, “Aw, that’s my girl.”
I am. I’m his girl in every way.
That’s why, a short while later, I’m whooping it up and high-fiving Noelle—and high-fiving four random strangers seated around us—when Jaxon scores a beautiful goal during the first period.
Noel gets the assist on it, so Noelle’s happy too.
The Wolves are playing the Kings tonight and kicking their asses. And the whooping doesn’t end after the first. Brent Oliver, in the opening minutes of the second period, scores too. Next, there’s a reach-around shot from behind the net that puts Nolan Solvenson on the board.
Everyone’s really happy about that one, as Nolan’s obviously come back strong from his wrist injury last spring.
Best part of all this scoring is that we’re only halfway through the second period. If this is a preview of things to come, the Wolves are sure contenders to go all the way.
After the game, I have Noelle drop me off in the players’ parking area. There’s no need for her to drive me home when I can just head back with Jaxon. After all, we have plans to continue what we started earlier in his bedroom, right?
I texted Jaxon before we left the complex, letting him know I’ll be meeting up with him. So he’s not the least bit surprised when he sees me walking toward him in the parking lot.
But he sure is happy.
Grabbing me up in his arms as soon as I reach him, he spins me around in a big circle and says, “What a game, eh?”
After kissing him lightly on the lips, I reply, “Yes, it was fantastic. You guys looked incredible.”
“Thanks, babe. That means a lot.”
He sets me down so he can adjust the strap of the bag slung over his shoulder.
“Did you see my goal?” he asks when we start over to his SUV.
“Pfft, are you kidding me? I saw it and I went nuts. I think the people around me thought I’d lost my mind.”
“Oh, speaking of your seat, that reminds me. I was able to reserve you a spot in the players’ wives and girlfriends section. Family sits there too, so Noel reserved a seat for his sister as well. I think they’re side by side, so you guys should be able to sit together all the time.”
“That’s great, Jaxon.” I take his hand. “Thank you. That was really sweet of you.”
Smiling down at me, he replies, “For you, babe, anything.”
“Hmm, well if that’s true, then you won’t mind if I write up a quick blog post before we go to bed?”
I raise a questioning brow, and he says, “Hmm, as long as it doesn’t take too long”—he squeezes my hand—“then sure, I can wait.”
Now that the blog is a whole different incarnation of its former self—and even more popular, I might add—Jaxon is fully supportive.
I think about how we got to where we are. We’re in a really good place, that’s for sure. Though it’s not been reached easily, it’s been worth every good and bad moment.
From me and Jaxon working through our initial constant bickering, and then reaching a shaky truce, to finally falling in love.
We fell in love, but then we fell apart, thanks to Mr. Hockeypants.
But that’s all behind us now.
I’m Ms. Hockeypants these days. And Jaxon and I are together and so very much in love.
Suddenly a big, bright star streaks across the inky night sky.
“Cara, look,” Jaxon exclaims, pointing up into the darkness. “It’s a shooting star.”
“That is so cool,” I gasp in awe, my face tilted upward.
We stop and watch the trajectory of the star, and then Jaxon nudges me. “Hey, you have to make a wish now. But you can’t tell anyone what it is.”
I nod. “Okay, but only if you make one too.”
He agrees, and we turn to each other, hands joined.
My wish is easy—I wish for us to be together forever. I even want to someday be his wife.
When I look into his eyes, I’m pretty sure he’s thinking something similar. He wants us to be together forever, and he wants to marry me too.
Somehow, I just know that.
Call it intuition or call it crazy, I don’t care. I just know all of our wishes will come true.
After all, it’s now written in the stars.
Full Circle
I make the necessary arrangements with Noel to stay at his beach house over the holiday break. He informs me that the housekeeper will stock whatever food and necessities we’ll need, just like she did in the summer. He also lets me know that he hired a new groundskeeper. He didn’t like the little lizards being trapped any more than Cara or I did, and he just couldn’t trust that guy.
Guess we’re all animal lovers, even when it comes to reptiles.
Once everything is set with the beach house, the secret part of the plan I came up with long ago is in play—I’m going to ask Cara to marry me.
No one knows, though, just me.
And I can’t wait.
I’m counting down the days because I want her in my life forever. I knew that from the day of our reunion, but I became more certain the night she and I saw the shooting star. There was just something in her eyes, like we were wishing the same thing.
I wished upon that star for us to be together forever, and I wished for her to become my wife.
And I’ve been waiting since that night, biding my time, in anticipation of our return to the island.
Everything has to be perfect for this proposal. It needs to fit us.
That makes me think back to the first time we met, when she caught me, uh, engaging in self-satisfaction and threw a heavy planter at me.
I chuckle at the memory. It’s funny now, though it wasn’t then.
Hell, maybe it was a little. No one was really hurt, right?
I decide then to arrange my proposal around that first encounter. It’s a day that’s a part of our history, just like the island and the beach house are. Maybe someday I’ll freaking buy the place from Noel. It means that much to me, and I know it does to Cara as well.
But for now, I’m focusing on the proposal.
I think I know how to make it perfect.
The day after Christmas, Cara and I fly down to the island on a private jet I charter. Having spent the holiday with my family and hers—spread out over Christmas Eve and Christmas Day—we’re pretty much exhausted.
When we’re about halfway to our destination, Cara yawns and says, “Oh my goodness, Jaxon. This Christmas has been tiring. I’m so sleepy.”
Leaning over the arm of her seat, the one by the window, I deposit a quick peck on her cheek.
Yeah, just a peck for now. I’m saving all my really good kisses for when we’re at the beach house.
“Why don’t you rest for a while,” I murmur in her ear.
“Mmm”—she slouches down—“I think I will.”
Cara’s out almost instantly, which is good since I plan to wear her out all over again once we’re on the island. Speaking of which, I should catch a few z’s myself.
I nod off quickly, and the next thing I know we’ve landed.
That evening, I fire up the grill out on the back patio and make us a delicious steak and grilled veggies dinner.
“Hmm, so you made the same thing we had for our first meal together,” Cara remarks just as we’re finishing up.
I wink over at her. “I did. It’s all part of my grand scheme for this trip, babe.”
She raises a brow, stilling the wineglass she was lifting to her mouth. “Grand scheme, huh? Does that mean we’re reenacting our first day on the island?”
I shrug, giving away nothing.
Glancing around the patio with a wicked grin, she says, “Well, it seems we must be. But we’re a little out of order on events, yeah? As I recall, the steaks were later in the day. Out on this patio here, I caught you naked and uh—”
I hurry to interject, “Yeah, we’re deviating from that part somewhat.”
Curiosity fills her gaze. “Do tell me, how so? Because I have to say, Jaxon, I like you naked.”
This woman.
I laugh and lean across the wrought iron table as I assure her in a whisper, “I like you naked too. So that means when I take off my clothes tonight, you bet your sweet ass yours are coming off right along with mine.”
“Ooh, Jaxon.”
After taking a quick sip, she sets the wineglass on the table with a clink. “Why wait?”
“That’s my girl.”
She is my girl, in so many ways. It’s time to make her mine in one of my favorites.
“Come on.” I stand and offer her my hand.
We go inside, but only make it as far as the living room. We just can’t control ourselves. I have her on the floor, on the sofa, in the chair by the patio doors. And when afterward she falls asleep, I sneak outside to set up the next piece of our walk down memory lane.
This one is for tomorrow, but it’s the most important. It involves not only the past, but also the future.
God, I hope she says yes.
The next day, while Cara is upstairs putting on her bikini, I discard my swim trunks and stretch out on the same lounge chair I was on when she first laid eyes on me.
I make sure everything is the same, down to the way the lounger is positioned in the sun and even how I’m holding my dick. I’m too nervous to get really hard, but when Cara walks out onto the patio and I see her in that skimpy bikini, I’m able to muster a pretty impressive semi.
“Jaxon, what the hell are you doing?” she yells when she sees me start jerking off.
I still my hand and quirk a brow. “Isn’t it obvious?”
I think she gets it then.
“Ahh, this is part of our reenactment scenarios, yes?”
“You got it.”
“So…” She looks around. “Should I throw a planter at you now or once you really get going?”