by Toni Aleo
Pushing that thought aside though, I smile as I nod. “I’m excited to show you what I can do.”
Nodding, he reaches out, taking my hand in a firm handshake. “It was wonderful meeting you, Ms. Moore.”
“The pleasure was all mine,” I say as he walks away, tipping his beer to me. Sucking in a breath, I let it out, a grin covering my lips. That was good for me, and I need to find Jayden and thank him. But before I can go look for him, my dad stops me.
“Was that Bryan Fisher?” he asks me, his gaze boring into mine.
“Yeah, it was.”
“What did he say?”
I smiled. “He wanted to talk about my game and said that he is gonna come to see me play.”
“No shit?” he asks, shock visible on his face. “Did he seek you out?
“I don’t think so. He said Sinclair sent him over to me,” I say, still unable to comprehend it.
“Oh,” he says with a nod. “Still that’s great, Bay.”
“I know, I could get picked up by the Assassins, stay close.”
“That would be best,” he agrees, his finger pressed to his chin. “I might go talk to him.”
“Don’t mess it up!” I say quickly, and he laughs.
“No, I played for him once in the AHL. He knows me.”
“Oh, okay, cool.” Then I waggle my brows at him. “Maybe talk about how great I am?”
He laughs, rubbing my back. “That’s all I ever talk about.”
I grin back at him and he asks, “I wonder why Sinclair would send him your way? I wouldn’t have done that.”
My heart starts to pound in my chest as his gaze holds mine. Shit. Does he suspect something? Swallowing past the lump in my throat, I say, “I have no clue.”
“Hmm,” he comments, looking out at the party. “That’s weird.”
“Yeah, but good for me,” I say back, and he nods.
“I guess,” he says with a shrug, but I can see the gears turning in his head. I think he does suspect something is going on between us. Oh shit! What do I do? Before I can say anything though, he looks over at me and grins. “Meant to tell you earlier, you look beautiful.”
“Thanks, Dad,” I say shyly. “My feet hurt.”
Scoffing, he nods. “That’s why I’m glad I’m not a girl,” he says with a wink.
Laughing, I smack him playfully in the arm as he starts to walk away. “Be good,” he calls at me.
“Of course.”
He gives me a look that says he thinks otherwise before disappearing into the crowd of people on the dance floor. When he’s gone, I start to look for Jayden, but I can’t find him. I do find Jace, though. Standing by himself, nursing a beer, and as I reach him, I set him with a look.
“We aren’t supposed to be drinking,” I remind him before taking it to take my own pull. I’m still shaking from the conversation with Mr. Fisher. Maybe a few swigs will calm me down. But when I look back at Jace, he looks stricken. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” he answers, taking his beer back and downing it in one gulp.
“Um. Try again.”
He shakes his head. “My dad just reamed me for Jayden going off on him and shit.”
“What? Your dad’s here?” I ask, my heart picking up in speed. I immediately want to run and find Jayden, make sure he is okay. He hates his dad—the dude isn’t good to him. But when I look at Jace, I know it’s the same for him. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah, I’ll be fine, just pissed is all.”
“Okay, where is Jayden?” I ask then, and he looks over at me, a knowing grin pulling at his mouth.
I fully expect him to give me shit, but instead he says, “I don’t know, he went out that door right there.”
He points to the door by the dessert table and I turn on my heel, but then I pause. “Thank you,” I say back to him and then I smile. “If you need me, I’m here.”
Nodding his head, he tips his empty beer to me. “I know, Baylor, thanks.”
Sending him one last supportive grin, I head to the door, pushing it open and going through it. Heading to the stairs, the door slams behind me and then I hear his voice.
“Baylor?”
Pausing on the stairs that go down, I find Jayden sitting on the stairs that lead up.
“Oh, there you are,” I say, coming to him and standing in front of him. “Are you okay?”
He shrugs in a noncommittal way, but I can see in his eyes that he is far from okay. Sitting up farther, he reaches out, pulling me to him, resting his hands on the backs of my thighs as his head rests against my stomach. I’m not sure what he’s doing; I figure he just wants to hold me. But then I don’t know why we don’t just hug it out, but this is fine, I guess. Moving my fingers down his neck, I brush my thumbs along the spot behind his ear as he draws in breaths and lets them out.
“No,” he answers quietly, and my heart sinks. He’s always so strong, so positive, but when it comes to his family, they are his breaking point.
Biting my lip, I try to think what to say, but then he is talking. “He donated twenty grand to the team, which I know is great, but why can’t he help my mom? She’s been struggling, we all have, trying to keep her afloat. And he’s just rolling in the dough, not even worried about anyone but himself.”
“Because he’s a selfish asshole,” I answer, pulling his head back so I can look at his face. His eyes are swimming in tears, and something inside me just breaks. Framing his face with my hands, I whisper, “He has no control over you. You are so much stronger without him, Jayden. Don’t let someone who has done nothing for you tell you how to do anything. You are good, your mom is fine, and everyone is better without him. You guys will prevail, I know it.”
His mouth pulls up at the side, but his eyes, they are just sad as he says, “I told myself that, but it didn’t work.”
“Is it working now?” I ask, hopeful.
“No, but having you here is helping.”
Smiling, I say, “Well, that works too.”
Nodding his head, he leans his face into my stomach while his fingers tickle the inside of my thighs and I just hold him. I don’t know what else to do, what else to say. So I just hold him. He’s always the stable one in everyone’s life, the rock, and I may be emotionally inept, but I can comfort him.
For him, I will do anything.
Pulling back, he looks up at me, and I smile before bending down to kiss his lips softly to show him I’m here for him. But like always, our kisses never stay soft or sweet, they always turn hot and demanding. As his fingers thread in my hair, his arm goes around my waist as he stands. I wrap my arms around his neck as he holds me close, our bodies moving together in a way that is indescribable. They captivate me, his lips do, and I wouldn’t want to be a hostage to anyone but him.
As he presses me against the door, I deepen the kiss, my tongue moving with his as his hands slide down my leg to behind my knee, squeezing me as we kiss with such conviction. When his fingers slide between my legs, I break away from his mouth, breathless.
“Here?”
“Oh, yeah. Here. Now,” he growls against my mouth before sliding his fingers into my thong. When he moves them along my slick lips, I gasp against his mouth, arching into his hand as his fingers find my clit. Whimpering against his lips, his fingers assault me in the best possible way, and I am lost beneath his touch. When he tears his mouth from mine, dropping to his knees, I’m breathless as he scoots my skirt up to my hips. Kissing down my thighs, he pushes my thong to the side, hooking my leg up on his shoulder before dropping his mouth between my legs.
Biting into my lip, I am helpless beneath his mouth, doing everything not to cry out as his mouth devours me in such a dirty but satisfying way. When he dips his fingers inside of me, I come off the door, arching against his mouth as he swirls his tongue around my clit. My whole body is on fire and I pray that sweat isn’t smearing my makeup, but then, really, I don’t give a shit. All I care about is the pleasure he is giving me.
&nb
sp; And when I come, I come hard.
My orgasm rocks my whole body, shakes me to the core. And as I cry out, his name escapes my lips and lights go off behind my closed eyes. My heartbeat is pounding in my ears as his lips trail up my thighs, licking and nibbling before he stands and presses his lips to my neck and then my jaw.
“Shh,” he chuckles before biting my bottom lip.
“Shh? Are you serious?” I ask, unable to breathe.
“Yes,” he teases, kissing my lips once more as his hands make quick work of his pants, pushing them down before getting a condom out of his wallet. Sheathing himself, he lifts me up, holding me before directing his cock inside of me, filling me so fucking completely. I gasp against his mouth, and his fingers bite into my thighs as he thrusts up inside of me, each thrust harder than the last.
It’s perfect. So damn perfect.
Meeting his mouth to mine, he stills inside of me, and I can feel him about to come. But then he parts from me, looking down at me with something in his eyes that isn’t sadness. He’s eyeing me so I eye him back, and then he smiles.
“What?”
“Nothing,” he answers, and then he is moving into me again.
“No, what?”
Meeting my gaze, he grins. “You’re gorgeous.”
I don’t know what I thought he would say, but I really wasn’t thinking it’d be that. It’s obvious that whatever he wanted to say, he isn’t going to say now, so I let it go, leaning my forehead to his and moving my nose against his. I whisper, “You’re amazing, Jayden.”
Smiling, he cups my chin in his hand before taking my mouth with his in such a way that it almost seems like it’s different. I don’t know how to explain it, but I feel like something’s changed.
Really, everything has changed, and I’ll never ever be the same after him.
As he thrusts up into me, he gasps against my mouth, my name only a whisper as he comes, his eyes squeezing shut. Smiling, I cup his face as he jerks inside of me, and I can’t help but think how beautiful he is. And all mine. When he opens his eyes, he looks deep into mine before kissing me hard against my lips. Savoring the feeling, I wrap my arms hard around his neck before nuzzling my nose against his.
“What is it about us and stairwells?” he whispers against my mouth, his breathing just as hard as mine.
I smile as I shrug. “Maybe it’s our thing?”
Grinning, he says, “Well, if there is a thing to have, that’s it, eh?”
“For sure, I’d be stuck in a stairwell with you, anytime,” I whisper, trailing my lips along his.
He traps my face in his hands and I meet his desire-filled gaze, but then, I’m not sure if it’s desire. It’s something more, something intense. I think I know what it is, but I won’t ever say I saw it. Instead, I just look at his nose as he whispers, “Thank you.”
“For? Sex? Any time, buddy,” I say with a wink, wanting to lighten the situation because I’m pretty sure what’s in his eyes is in mine, but honestly, that’s not true. It can’t be.
“No, for being there for me,” he says, not even cracking a smile. “Really, it means more than you know.”
Looking down at his mouth shyly, I smile. Everything inside of me is falling for him, but my brain is begging everything to stop, to slow down, and just think this through. Can I do this? Can I really give my whole self to him?
Clearing my throat, I whisper, “I think I’ll take a word from your script.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah,” I say, meeting his gaze again. “Always, Jayden. I’ll always be here for you.”
His mouth pulls up to the side as he cuddles me harder into his chest and his eyes burn into mine. If this is what love feels like, then why am I fighting it? Why can’t I just give in? Allow him to have me. All of me. Because, as his lips move, I feel like he is saying more than what his words say, and even what he does say freaks me out.
“I’m gonna hold you to that.”
But I only nod because, damn it, I want him too.
I want to try.
Making a face, I tilt my head to the side.
“I don’t know, Markus, are you sure?”
I meet his gaze in the mirror and he nods appreciatively. I feel a little self-conscious in my one-shoulder white toga, but then Markus is wearing a very thin white sheet around his waist with green underwear that you can totally see. He doesn’t seem to mind a bit either, but me, I need more layers or something. But I did do well on my hair and makeup, so I might actually be picking this girlie crap up.
Might, being the very big key word.
“If I didn’t see you as my best friend, I’d want to do you.”
A small grin pulls at my lips as I sway shyly back and forth. “Aw, how sweet.”
He shrugs. “Yeah, you’ve grown on me.”
“You have too,” I admit, and I might even consider him one of my closest friends. He’s a sweet guy, and I really don’t think I could have made it through a lot of my physical therapy courses without him, or really, the last couple months. He’s refreshing and easy to talk to. Also, he’s just downright hilarious, except when he’s picking on me and Jayden.
Mmm…Jayden.
He’s probably already out, making sure the party is going well. He’s so good at directing that kind of stuff. Then there is Jace and me, who are worthless at planning parties. I’m really excited for Jayden to see me and even more excited to get him to sneak away with me later. Things between us have been…great. Yeah, that’s a good word to describe us. It’s so easy now. When before I was fighting so hard to keep him away, now, I couldn’t fight with him if I wanted. That doesn’t mean we agree on everything and have that fluffy, happy relationship. No. We fight over stupid stuff. Just last week, he got mad that I watched an episode without him, and then yesterday I tore into him for not getting me Sonic on the way back from class. We’ve become like an old married couple, really. When we aren’t playing, we are studying or lying around together, and then we are nagging each other on the stupidest stuff.
It’s my kind of perfect, and I wouldn’t change anything about it. Except for the fact that I can’t seem to let myself fully fall. It’s insane. I mean, I feel it. I feel like he’s it, I know he probably is, but something inside me is holding me back. He just had an interview with the Devils, and all I could think was, while, yes, I want him to go, I know they won’t take me. So then I was calculating how far apart we’d be, and ugh, it gave me such a headache. While I am scared that we couldn’t survive being apart, I’m terrified of the thought of not being together in any form.
And then I’m pretty sure that he hasn’t fallen either. I mean, sometimes I see it in his eyes, like that complete admiration for me, and yeah, maybe love. But then if that was the case, why hasn’t he told me? He isn’t shy; he tells me what he is feeling at all times, but that isn’t something he’s shared. So then I think maybe he’s over there, thinking the same thing I am, that a long-distance relationship, especially when we are rookies, won’t work.
Hell, I don’t know. It’s all so hard and scary, but then I think that it would be harder if we weren’t together. He’s such a stable force in my life now. Someone I go to for almost anything and everything. I can’t imagine him not being there, but I know time is against us and soon he won’t be. We are gonna have to part, unless for some crazy freaking reason we go on the same team. But whether or not I’ll be picked to go into the NHL isn’t even a solid yes yet. So yeah, I have no clue and it’s killing me. I want to just have it all written out for me. I want to know what he is feeling, and I want to know for sure what in the hell I’m feeling.
I feel like I’m in limbo, but then I’m there with Jayden, and that’s okay.
Kinda.
The anxiety is still there. Hardcore. But I’m trudging on because every time I look at him, all I feel is summer. It was honestly one of the first times in forever that I actually let go and let someone in. I didn’t hold back, I didn’t calculate every move, I lived.
Yeah, it didn’t end well, but I’ll never forget that moment. The moment I looked into his dark green eyes and felt something. Something more than the norm.
He’s the best part of who I’ve become.
Which is corny as hell.
But I don’t care.
“Why are you smiling like that?” Markus asks me, getting my attention. “No reason to get all sentimental, Baylor. I know that deep down in your soul lies a real girl, but come on, I’m still a dude.”
“Jackass,” I mutter before tightening the top of my toga.
“That’s better. Come on, let’s go.” I roll my eyes, checking myself out one last time before following him out of my room. When we get upstairs, the party is in full swing and everyone is wearing a toga like they were told to. When they told me we were having a themed party the weekend of Thanksgiving, I thought they were insane since a lot of people go home for the holidays. And also, a toga party in November? What idiot would think that’s a good idea? But apparently, I’m the idiot because everyone is here and obviously having a blast.
When I reach the kitchen, Jace is pouring shots and points to me. “Come here.”
“No,” I moan as I shake my head. “I really want to remember my name tonight.”
He waves me off. “You will.”
“No, you lie. Every time y’all break out the Jäger, shit gets real,” I say, leaning against the counter and sipping my beer.
“Don’t be a pussy,” he says, and Markus holds a finger up.
“Technically, she can be because she has one,” he says, and Jace shrugs.
“Touché, my friend, but I do not care. Drink, Moore,” he demands, pushing the glass to me as he and Markus pick up theirs, but I shake my head.
“She said no, dweeb face,” Jayden says, coming to the counter and leaning against it beside me. Looking over at me, he winks as I check him out. He’s wearing a very elaborate toga with gold trim and even a little headdress. But the only things I notice are his hella great arms and even greater shoulders. Oh, and his abs. Yes, I do notice those. Oh and sweet baby Jesus, the crazy amount of tattoos on his chest and back. They are so elaborate—the “see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil” piece with a skull with hands covering its eyes, ears, and mouth covers his whole chest, and on his back is a huge octopus taking over a huge ship. It’s amazing. Ugh, he’s amazing.