“No,” Abigail pleaded. “Colin, I just …”
“Leave her alone.” Mack wedged himself between Colin and Abigail.
They should have seen it coming. Should have been able to stop it. But there, in the middle of the team foundation’s biggest event of the year, Colin pulled back his arm before punching the star player in the face. Mack reacted quickly by hitting him back.
Colin got the worst of it. Hockey players are bred to withstand bone-crushing hits - they can take a few punches. Preppy college boys aren’t built that way.
Carter came up, wanting to help his teammate, but Josh held him back.
“That bit about jumping into the fight,” Josh said. “Leave that for the games.”
Olle came running over along with Coach Peterson, and they managed to help Josh stop the fight by wrestling the two men away from each other. Abigail stormed away and Taylor knew she wouldn’t be back. Colin was kicked out.
“You too, Mackenzie,” Coach said. “I want you to get the hell out of here. I’ll decide what to do with you later.”
Taylor stood in stunned silence until Josh took her hand and pulled her through the crowd. “Should we go after them?”
“No,” Josh said. “Definitely not. I want you to dance with me.”
“What about your date?”
“It’s not like that.” He spun around to wrap his arms around her. “Come on. I’ve missed you.”
She pressed her palms against his chest, smoothing the front of his jacket and then looked up at him. “Okay then.”
“Okay?”
“I’ll dance with you, Josh, on one condition.”
His eyebrow quirked up, amusement in his eyes. “And just what would this condition be.”
“Kiss me.”
Surprise sprung to his eyes, but his smile grew. He leaned closer, and Taylor’s skin buzzed with anticipation. He stopped when his face was just inches from hers. If she moved their lips would meet, and that thought alone sent her over the edge.
His warm breath blew across the small space between them as he spoke. “What if I don’t want to meet this condition?”
“Oh, you do.” She had no clue where this confidence was suddenly coming from, but it felt liberating.
His fingers dug into her sides as he pressed his lips against hers. On instinct, she snaked her arms up around his neck and pressed closer, opening her mouth to him.
Too soon, he pulled slightly away. “I think I met your condition.”
“Uh uh, not yet.” Kissing him again, her mind went blank. She didn’t care that they were in the middle of a crowd of people. She didn’t care that her parents were in that crowd and that her friend had just caused a very public fight.
That moment was what she’d remember of the night. The night she got to put on the beautiful dress and feel like everything was okay for now. She wasn’t the girl who’d spent the last year and a half throwing away every part of herself. She was now the girl who had it all back. Just for tonight, she would be happy.
Josh ended the kiss again. “All I’ve been able to think about since last week is kissing you. You have no idea what you’ve been doing to me.”
Taylor buried her face in his shirt and smiled. He smelled good.
They danced for a while as she listened to the steady drumming of his heart. It soothed her and excited her at the same time.
“Oh crap,” she said, remembering something. “Abigail was my ride.”
“I can take you,” he said, brushing her bangs out of her face.
“Haven’t you been drinking?”
“Water,” he said. “Scout’s honor.”
“Okay, can we leave?”
“Had enough of me?” he joked.
“I didn’t say I wanted to go home.” Her cheeks reddened in embarrassment. “I totally did not mean that to sound all ‘take me to bed’.”
Josh’s laughs vibrated through her body and he couldn’t stop.
“I just want to hang out with you.” She slapped his arm, but when she tried to step away, he spun her back around and kissed her quickly.
“Let’s go.”
“What about your date?” she asked.
“Hold on.” He disappeared for a moment before taking her in his arms again. “She’s dancing with my buddy Zak. He’ll take her home.”
“Perfect.” She grinned, reaching up on her toes to kiss him again.
“Perfect.” He agreed.
Fourteen
“Ready?” Josh asked, taking her hand in his.
“As I’ll ever be.” She grinned.
They pushed open the door and started to run, their feet pounding into the pavement in time with the rain. It was a downpour. That was the only thing to call it. Thunder rumbled in the distance seconds before a flash of light lit up their path. Taylor jumped, her slick hand sliding from Josh’s.
By the time they got to the shelter of the parking garage her perfectly curled hair was drenched and sticking to her face. Her makeup was surely ruined. The dress that had made her feel so beautiful minutes before now clung to her thighs as the water pooled at her feet.
Their chests heaved as they fought to breathe normally, both grinning like idiots.
“That was fun.” Josh laughed, pushing his wet locks away from his face.
“How is it that I always end up so wet when I’m with you?” She stopped talking and her face heated up as her words replayed in her mind. It didn’t help that Josh was laughing so hard his face turned red.
“I didn’t mean …” She grasped for words. “It’s just that the first time I met you I was in a pool. And then the first time I went to your place, it was raining and we got soaked.” She pinched his arm. “Ugh! Come on, Josh.”
“I’m sorry.” He held in another laugh as he pulled her to him and pinned her against the car. Trailing kisses along her jaw, all humor was gone in an instant.
She tilted her head as his lips moved down to her neck. His breath was hot on her skin as he spoke and she tugged him closer until his hips were flush against hers. He chuckled and the vibrations ran through her body.
When he kissed her again, she shivered, making him pull away and take his warmth with him.
“You’re freezing,” he whispered. The hair on her arms stood on end as he ran his hands up and down. “I’d give you my coat, but it’s kind of soaked.”
“I left mine in Abigail’s car.”
“We’ll go to my place and dry off.”
She nodded as he opened her door and helped her in before running around to the other side. The nerves Taylor had held at bay all night hit her in full force and she suddenly couldn’t look at Josh. She wasn’t used to this anymore. It’d been so long since she even wanted to be with anyone and she didn’t even know what Josh wanted. Did he want the girl he saw tonight? Because that wasn’t her.
“Hey.” Josh grabbed her hand as he parked the car. “You okay?”
A tight smile formed on her face and she glanced sideways at him, nodding because she didn’t trust herself to speak.
“Would you rather I take you home?”
“No,” she finally said. “I want to be here.”
They walked into the apartment to find Mack on the couch with his date straddling him.
“Dude!” Josh covered his eyes. “You have a room.”
Mack sat up quickly, pushing the girl off him in the process. She let out a squeal of protest, but he stood anyway, with only a pair of boxers hanging from his hips.
“Sup, Man?” He sauntered towards them, stumbling slightly. “About time you brought a chick home. It’s been too long for you. It’s not healthy. And Coach’s daughter, no less.” He raised his hand to Josh.
“I’m not going to high-five that.” Josh stared at his friend with disgust.
“Oh, well,” Mack said. “We’ll be done soon.” He winked at Taylor before going back to resume things with his half-naked girl.
“Come on,” Josh said, pulling her into his room and shut
ting the door to drown out the sounds. “I’m sorry about that. He’s an asshole sometimes, but this isn’t him. Something is up, and I can’t figure out what.”
“You’re a good friend.” Taylor walked further into the room and looked around. It was immaculately clean, unlike the rest of their apartment. The bed sat in the center with a deep red quilt draped over top. A picture on the dresser caught her eye, and she moved closer. It was the redhead she’d seen online.
“That’s Michaela,” Josh said, coming up behind her. Michaela. The woman who was practically his sister. She heaved a sigh of relief.
“She’s beautiful.”
“She is.”
Taylor moved on to the wall where a number of signed photos of some of the greatest hockey players of all time hung. “Gretzky, Orr, Federov, Bobrovski, Crosby. This is quite the collection.”
“My pride and joy.”
She smirked at him over her shoulder, and only then realized he’d removed his shirt. He held a dry one in his hands, about to put it on. Catching his gaze, she gave her head a subtle shake before letting her eyes slide down his torso.
His breath caught as she stepped closer and gently put her hands on his shoulders, letting her fingers trail down his long arms. Arms that were strong and protective. Arms that she knew could hold her together or tear her apart.
Her touch moved to his collarbone and down over his hard muscles. She traced the ridges of his abs, amazed at her own forwardness.
She circled around him, running a palm up his back before placing a single kiss on his shoulder. He spun and grasped her by the hips before kissing her deeply. For a second she felt like she was floating as he lifted her off her feet before putting her back down.
She shimmied out of her sopping-wet dress as Josh kissed her again. His hands warmed her skin. Taylor suddenly felt a wave of pure happiness. As quickly as that thought came in, so did a host of images. The last time she’d felt like that had been different.
Back then, the feeling didn’t scare her, but now she knew it could be taken away. It wouldn’t last. She stumbled back away from a confused Josh, struggling to breathe. Putting a hand to her chest, she bent over and sucked air.
“Taylor,” Josh said. When she felt a hand on her bare back, she jumped away.
Danny was the only person who ever had all of her, and if she took that step with Josh, it was like she was taking something from the boy she’d loved. Something they’d shared.
“I can’t,” she wheezed, a tear coursing down her face. “I’m sorry.”
He stood still for a moment longer before stepping forward and gathering her in his arms. “You never have to be sorry,” he whispered against her hair. “I don’t want to make you forget him.”
“You don’t get it, Josh.” She looked up at him. “This girl - the one with the pretty dress, the contacts, and the made-up hair. I’m not her. I used to be. That was the girl Danny loved. I tried to be her for one night, thinking I could have part of him back. Thinking it was the kind of girl you …” She couldn’t finish that thought.
“You did this for me?” he asked. “What made you think … wait, you Googled me, didn’t you?”
“Maybe.”
“Taylor, I like you.” A dimple appeared in his cheek as he gave her a half-smile. “I more than like you, but the real you. Faded jeans. Glasses that can’t seem to stay on your nose. Hair that always looks slightly messy because, after all these months, you still haven’t figured out how to style short hair.” He ran a hand over the top of her head. “I know this is hard for you. I’ve watched you slowly put the pieces of your life back together, but it only makes sense that you aren’t the same person anymore. That girl - the one you were trying to be - can stay completely in love with Danny. But, the girl you are now - well, I really want her to give me a chance.”
Taylor tightened her hold on him, a smile breaking free. She nodded against his chest, feeling two fingers beneath her chin, tilting her face up to look at him.
“Please try to be over him,” he whispered. “That’s totally selfish of me and I know you’ll probably always love him, but …” He paused with an audible sigh as he tried to figure out what he wanted to say. “I hope that doesn’t stop you from loving me one day.”
Stretching up on her toes, she gave him a sweet kiss, cutting off any other words that would spill from his mouth. “I think I can do that, or at least I’m going to try. And, for the record, I like you too.”
He hid his grin in the dip of her neck. “Will you stay here tonight?”
She cocked her head, considering it.
“You can say no,” he went on quickly, a hint of nervousness entering his voice. “Just know that as much as it kills me, I’ll be a perfect gentleman.” His fingers traced the curve of her jaw down to the hollow of her throat. “I just want to sleep with you in my arms.”
She swallowed hard before nodding.
He released her and went to his closet in search of dry clothes, throwing her a pair of sweatpants and one of his t-shirts. To her dismay, his beautiful abs disappeared beneath a shirt as he motioned her to the bed and turned off the light.
As soon as he crawled in beside her, he pulled her into his arms, creating a cocoon with his body.
“Sleep, pretty girl.” His breath tickled her ear and she sighed. “I’ve got you tonight.”
Fifteen
Noise from the living room drifted through the door of his room and Josh let out a low growl while cracking one eye open. He shut it quickly to block out the light, rubbing his face with his free hand. His other arm was trapped under something warm.
Of course she’s warm. The thought brought a smile to his face. He finally opened his eyes again, despite the blinding sun streaming through his window. Looking down at Taylor, a laugh broke free from his chest. She mumbled something in her sleep and then curled around his trapped arm with all the covers tangled around her small form.
He looked down at his own freezing feet, but couldn’t even be annoyed. Very slowly, he slid his arm out from under her and sat up.
The voices in the living room were louder now, and Josh knew it couldn’t just be Mack and the girl from last night. He pulled on a pair of socks and left as silently as he could.
Zak’s distinct Russian purr was audible now that there wasn’t a door between them.
“It’s bullshit,” he was saying. “I can’t believe he called you out like that.”
“Some friend,” Mack grunted.
Josh wasn’t surprised the two of them were in there bitching like school girls. Zak may not do the idiotic things Mack did, but when his teammate needed someone to get angry with him, he was there.
Josh stopped in the kitchen before making himself known. They were so engrossed that they didn’t hear him turn on the faucet to fill his glass. He stood there watching them, not really wanting to get involved. Mack stepped in the shit last night. Punching someone at a charity function where the team was front and center was going to have its repercussions. Frankly, Josh hoped Mack got a wake-up call from this. He couldn’t keep treating everything like it was one big joke. That game, that league, was their lives.
“There are pancakes in the oven keeping warm,” a voice said.
Josh turned towards the table where Mel was perched.
“Uh, hey?” He glanced towards his teammates in the living room and then back to the girl, assuming she’d come with Zak. “Thought you weren’t a hockey groupie?”
“Don’t be an ass,” she snapped. “I made you breakfast.”
“Okay, so not a groupie. Stalker?” He grinned. He couldn’t help but like this girl.
“Oh, yes,” she deadpanned. “You’re all I think about. Josh Walker. Mmmm, such a dreamboat.” She finally cracked a smile and he laughed.
“I knew it!”
“Ass.”
“Fair enough.” He fixed himself a plate and sat down across from her. “I think I’m the only person that’s ever cooked in that kitchen before you.”
She snorted at that. “I’ll bet. Can’t exactly imagine Mack making girls ‘morning after’ eggs.”
“So, if you aren’t in love with me, why are you here? - not that I don’t appreciate the food,” he added.
“Zak and I were supposed to grab breakfast. He’d just picked me up when Punchy in there gave him a call. As to the pancakes, I realized pretty quickly that we’d be here a while and I was hungry.”
Stabbing his fork into a bite of pancake, Josh smirked. “I like you, Mel.” He stuffed it into his mouth.
“That feeling will pass.” She leaned forward. “I drugged your food.”
He was still laughing when the chair beside him was pulled out, the legs screeching against the tile floor. “Why am I so tired?” Taylor groaned, plunking her butt into the seat and leaning her head on the table.
“Probably because you spent all night talking and stealing the covers,” Josh laughed, rubbing small circles on her back.
“I did not,” she stated.
“Oh, trust me, I have the frozen feet to prove it.”
“Only feet?”
“Well, I had something else keeping the rest of me warm.” The color rose in her cheeks and his smile stretched wider. Leaning towards her, he whispered, “You blush a lot. It’s cute.”
He stood and looked down at her. “Hungry?”
“Famished.”
“Well, then you can thank our cook here.” He pointed to Mel, and Taylor lifted her head as if seeing their company for the first time.
“So, you’re the girl he ditched me for last night,” Mel said with mock-seriousness.
“I… um …” Taylor stumbled for a response, making the other girl chuckled.
“It’s okay, I told him from the get-go that I wouldn’t sleep with him, so I’m glad he found someone that would.”
“Excuse me?” Taylor croaked.
Josh’s eyes flashed towards Mel as he set a plate in front of Taylor. She was doing her best to make Taylor squirm.
Mel laughed hysterically as she waved her arms in front of her. “Kidding,” she wheezed in between giggles. “Your faces … priceless.”
Dreams (New Beginnings Book 3) Page 13