Just Say Yes

by Samantha Lind

  “What’s life like for you in Indy?” Becca asks, breaking the silence.

  “Busy mostly, hectic sometimes. But I also find myself lonely at times.”

  “Why is that? Don’t you have a lot of friends on your team?”

  “Yes, but you know how it is. Guys get traded to other teams or get sent down to the AHL for conditioning. My core group of guys – Brian, Murph, Lukas, and Tyler –are all on contracts that include no movement clauses, like mine. So even if we get injured, they can’t send us to another team. But, they’re just my guys. I’ve missed having someone to come home to. To talk about the good and bad days. To celebrate the wins, and help me overcome the losses. I have missed you so fucking much; it hurts some days.”

  Becca shudders out a breath. Fuck, I hope my honesty wasn’t too rough for her. “Why didn’t you ever call me?”

  I chuckle at that question. “If you only knew the number of times I had my finger hovering over the call button on your contact in my phone. Or the number of text messages I’ve written and then deleted before sending them.” I take a breath, thinking back over the years we have been apart, and the hundreds of times I’ve wanted to contact her. “I was trying to do as you asked, and give you the space you needed to move on. I was devastated a few years ago when my mom mentioned to me that you were dating someone else. I figured I’d missed my opportunity to get you back. After that, I asked my mom to stop giving me updates on you. It just hurt too much to know what you were doing… how you were moving on without me in your life.”

  “I’m sorry you had to hear about me dating someone else. It only lasted a month or so. He just wasn’t you. I’ve compared every guy that has asked me out with you, and no one ever measures up.” She pauses, obviously lost in her thoughts. “If I could go back and take back breaking up with you, I would. I’m so sorry for all the pain I caused both of us.” Becca’s voice cracks, and I feel her tears on my chest.

  “Baby, don’t cry. Please don’t cry,” I tell her, as I pull her up so I can look into her eyes. I bring her face to mine so I can kiss her tears away.

  “As hard as it was to let you go, I knew I had to. I just hoped and prayed that one day you would return to me. I would have loved it if it had been sooner, but I wouldn’t change tonight for anything. I think we both needed time to grow and figure out who we really are. You are what’s important in my life, and I will do everything in my power to show that to you. We’ll figure out how best to handle my travel schedule and our time apart, but for now, let’s just enjoy this time we do have, uninterrupted. Once September rolls around, we’ll talk about how to handle it all. If that means you want to move to Indy with me for the season, then I’ll make it happen. Hell, I’d even arrange for you to travel to all our away games if that’s what you want. I want you happy and by my side, cheering me on when I’m winning, and supporting me when I’m not.”

  “Okay, I can do that. I don’t know that I would want to travel with you all the time, but even though I can’t see myself wanting to be away from you for that long. But I’m also not ready to say I’ll move to Indy in September either. Hell, I only told you ‘yes’ a few hours ago, to getting back together. I know we have history, and I know it will be easy for us to fall back into being a couple because of that history. I just need a little time to let it all soak in, and then we can decide what we are going to do later on this summer. I love my job, and I’ll need to think long and hard what I’m going to do about that.”

  “I will support you one-hundred percent, baby, in whatever you decide. Do I want you to come to Indy with me? Of course I do. But I would never tell you that you had to come. I understand that your life is here, and I would never tell you that you had to leave it behind. But we’ll figure it out together, when the time is right.”

  Becca lays her head on my chest again. I can tell her mind must be racing with everything we’ve talked about, the emotions of drudging up the past and our breakup and how painful that was for both of us. It’s apparent now that it truly wasn’t what she wanted, but what she thought she needed to do to protect herself. I just wish I had realized that back then. It’s possible I could have possibly saved us all these years of pain and heartache.

  Becca shifts so she’s looking up at me again, her fingers trailing along my chest and abs. “I’m sorry it took me so long to find my way back to you. I just want you to know that, and know that I meant what I said earlier. I never stopped loving you, Scott.”

  I pull her closer to me again, cradling her face in my hands, holding it only inches from my own so I can look directly in her eyes. “I. Love. You. Rebecca Alice Phillips. I love everything about you. How caring you are, how much you love your family, your friends, your job. How passionate you are about helping others. I love how stubborn you are – even when that means it took you eight years to find your way back to me. Now, please stop apologizing. We both made mistakes. I could have just as easily come to you so much sooner. But we can’t change the past; we can only move forward.” I pull her to me until our lips are pressed together, swiping my tongue along the seam of her lips, seeking access to her mouth. She quickly opens to me, and I take full advantage. I angle her so I can deepen the kiss. The emotion that flows between the two of us is tangible. The forgiveness that flows through is communicated in this one kiss is consuming. I can feel the pain and sorrow drain from my body as the love and happiness replace it. Having my one true love back in my arms is powerful. Now I just have to keep her here.

  Kissing Becca like this has done incredible things to my mind and soul. It has also made my body rock hard and ready to be inside her again. It isn’t about the sex, just for the sake of sex. It’s about the connection and intimacy. I roll Becca over, so she’s on her back, my hands touching every inch of her body. Her hands are doing the same thing as we continue to explore each other.

  I break our kiss, pulling back enough so I can look down at her. “Can I make love to you again? I need to be inside of you again, Becca.” She nods her head while taking off her tank, and shimmying out of her panties. I quickly remove my boxers and moments later, have thrust inside of her warm, waiting pussy. I run my hands up her body, linking our hands together. I bring our clasped hands up above her head and slowly drive in and out of her. We lazily kiss as we make sweet, slow love to each other. Once again, that tangible feeling of love that flows between the two of us is back. I can feel the healing of both of our souls as we connect and bring each other to the ultimate climax. This might not have been anywhere near the craziest sex we have ever had, but hands down, it’s the most powerful sex I have experienced.

  We lay together, spent from everything that happened this evening. Not just the energy exerted from making love, but also from bringing up the past, and all the hurt and emotion from that. It’s also getting late.

  “Let me go get cleaned up again, and then let’s go to bed. I’m exhausted,” Becca says as she rolls out of my arms and heads toward the bathroom.

  I clean myself up and slip back into my boxers. I get the bed ready for us, while she finishes in the bathroom, where I’m waiting when she returns. The glow on her skin adds to her beauty. She has always been the most beautiful woman in my eyes, and that hasn’t changed one bit over time. She automatically curls into my side, placing her head on my chest. Getting Becca to just say yes to us again was the best thing I could have asked for. As I fall asleep with her in my arms and at my side, I dream of what is to come for us, and what else I can get her to just say yes to in the future.

  Chapter Eight

  Becca

  I wake up wrapped in Scott’s arms, and I can tell he’s still asleep by how he’s breathing. I could lay here in his arms all day. Last night was amazing. Taking the leap and jumping back into a relationship with him headfirst is exciting and nerve-wracking, all at the same time. I know what it’s like to be loved by him and to be an important part of his life – or at least I did eight years ago. I can only hope it will be the same, if not better, no
w. I know we have both changed, had time to mature and figure out who we are as separate people. Now, I’m excited to find out who we can become together.

  Scott stirs next to me, tightening his hold on me. “Morning, beautiful,” he whispers in my ear with his raspy, sleep-filled morning voice, as he places a kiss to my temple. Damn, that voice. It sends a chill right through my body, settling in my core.

  “Good morning, handsome,” I reply, shifting so I can look up at him, and I place a light kiss to his lips.

  “Do you have anything you need to do today?” Scott asks me as he runs his fingers through my hair.

  “Nothing super important. I need to pick up some groceries, and I was going to stop at the downtown market to pick up some fresh produce if I have the time.”

  “How does breakfast first sound? Then we can stop at the market together.”

  “Breakfast sounds perfect. But don’t feel obligated to come with me to the market. Don’t you want to spend time with the guys before they leave this week?”

  “I’m sure they’ll want to tag along for breakfast, and they might even enjoy the downtown market. I know Murph still needs to find something from Alaska to take back for his mom.”

  “If you’re sure. I don’t want to impose on your last few days with them here.”

  Scott tugs me closer to him and shifts me again, so we can look at each other.

  “Don’t ever feel like you are imposing on my life, Becca. I want you right here by my side. If I thought you would let me, I would go pack up your apartment today and move you in here. I realize that might be just a little crazy though, but don’t think that a day or night will go by without me seeing you this summer. I want you to be the last thing I see at night and the first thing I see when I wake in the morning.”

  I stare into Scott’s eyes, absorbing all that he just said to me. As crazy as it sounds, his words resonate with me because I feel the same way. I don’t want to spend a day away from him. We only have a couple of months until he goes back to Indy for the season, and I don’t want to waste a minute of it being away from him. We have so much lost time to make up for, before we need to and then figure out how we are going to deal with the long-distance relationship. I know that we will, but that’s my biggest worry. I just have to trust we can overcome the distance, and that our love for each other will prevail.

  “I…I feel the same way. Call me crazy, but I don’t want to be away from you either,” I tell him as he pulls me in for another kiss.

  Breaking our kiss, he cradles my face and looks me directly in the eyes. “I love you, Becca. I promise you that we will figure everything out. I know you’re scared about what we’ll do once I leave in the fall, but trust me and trust in us. We will figure out what works best for us. I meant what I said last night. You can quit your job and move down to Indy with me. You can travel with me. Whatever you need, I’ll make it happen. You are what is important to me.”

  “I love you, and I promise I will trust in you, and in us. I just need time to figure out what will be best for me – and us – once that time comes. I don’t know what the right decision will be right now, but I’ll trust that we’ll figure it out together.”

  “That’s all that I can ask.” Scott kisses me again. “Now, how about a shower and then we go get that breakfast I promised you?” he says, slapping my ass.

  “Sounds perfect,” I tell him as I push him out of bed and follow him into the bathroom.

  After we’re ready for the day, we make our way out to the kitchen. Scott starts a pot of coffee before we make a plan for breakfast. The smell of fresh coffee must wake Murph as he stumbles out to the kitchen within a few minutes of the coffee brewing.

  “Morning. Becca and I are going to head out for breakfast and then hit up the downtown market. Do you want to join us?”

  “Yes, but I need to shower first,” Murph says as he gets himself a cup of coffee.

  “Do we know if Brian came back last night?” Scott asks both of us.

  “I never heard him come in,” Murph replies.

  “I’ll go check his room and see if he’s here,” Scott says

  “I’m going to text Kinley and see what she says,” I tell him as he heads down the hall.

  Becca: Hey! How was your date last night? Are you up for breakfast with the guys?

  “I’m going to guess he didn’t come back. His room is empty,” Scott says as he walks back into the kitchen.

  “Hmm, their date must have gone well then last night,” I comment, and notice the dots on my cell, showing that Kinley is typing a reply.

  Kinley: It was pretty amazing! Brian stayed over last night! I have so much to tell you. Sigh. But yes, breakfast sounds great. We just got up and were discussing going out. Did you guys have a place in mind?

  “It sounds like their date went well! He stayed over at Kinley’s last night,” I tell the guys while I reply.

  Becca: Squee!!! I can’t wait until we can have some girl time! I have so much to tell you as well. I stayed over with Scott last night. We are officially back together!

  Becca: How does Gwennie’s sound? Say in like 45 minutes to an hour?

  Kinley: YOU WHAT???? I’m so happy for you girl! < 3

  Kinley: Sounds perfect! We’ll meet you guys there.

  “Kinley says they will meet us at Gwennie’s in forty-five minutes to an hour. Is that enough time for you to get showered and ready, Murph?”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  Breakfast out with three NHL players is comical, to say the least. Add in a busy weekend breakfast spot, and it can quickly become a shit show. The guys were bombarded while we waited for our table and then people kept coming up to them once we were seated. They handled it so well, but it sure was an eye opener for both Kinley and me. The staff was very apologetic about it, but the guys kept telling them to not worry about it.

  We finally make it out of the restaurant and head down to the market. I hope that it doesn’t end up being the same way once we’re down there. Maybe if the guys split up they won’t be so noticeable. Since they are all larger guys, they kind of stick out. Put them together, and they really stick out.

  We make it to the market, and as I had hoped, we separate to do our own thing. Murph is looking for something Alaskan to send to his mom. Brian and Kinley head off to look through the booths and Scott and I wander around. I pick out some fresh tomatoes, lettuce, and cucumbers as we make our way through the booths. He stops at the booth of an artist who is selling nature photography from around Alaska. The artist is also well-known for his Aurora Borealis images.

  “I love having pieces of Alaska in my condo back in Indy. Think you can help me pick out some?”

  “Sure. Are you looking for one larger piece or a few smaller ones?”

  “Probably both. I have a wall in my living room that could fit a larger one, but I’d also love a few mid-sized and smaller ones for some of the other rooms.”

  We look through the booth and chat with the photographer about a few of the images. We narrow down what we like to six pieces. The one we pick for the living room is a three-piece set, we also pick out three other prints he can hang in other rooms. Scott also buys one that I love for my condo. We arrange to pick up all the canvases from the photographer’s studio later in the week.

  Afterward, we wander through the remainder of the market, eventually meeting back up with everyone. Kinley and Brian have plans for the rest of the day, so they say their goodbyes and walk toward the parking lot. Murph found what he needed for his mom, so we decided to head back to Scott’s.

  “Can you drop me off at my condo?” I ask Scott once we are back in his truck. “I need to put away what I bought. Then I can drive my car over, so I have it at your place.”

  “Sure thing. Do you want to bring over some clothes with you so you can stay again tonight?” he asks as he places his hand on my leg and gives it a little squeeze.

  I give him a coy, shy smile and wink at him. “I suppose I could do that.”
I don’t tell him that I was already planning on it. “Do you have food at your house?”

  “Not a ton, why?”

  “I was thinking maybe we could grill tonight, with all of us. Maybe start a fire in the fire pit.”

  “That sounds like a great idea. Once you get to my house, we can put together a list of what we need and then make a quick run to the store. Do you want to text Kinley and see if she and Brian want to join us?”

  “Yep, I’ll text her now.”

  Becca: Do you guys have dinner and evening plans yet?

  Kinley: No

  Becca: We are going to grill and then sit around the fire pit at Scott’s. Do you want to join us? Bring your suit and we can hang out in the hot tub.

  Kinley: Brian says we are in. Want me to bring anything?

  Becca: Perfect! I will let you know. Once I get to Scott’s we are going to make a list of what we need at the store and make a run. Maybe you could bring your famous dip?

  Kinley: I can do that. What time are you thinking?

  Becca: Whenever. I’m sure we will start grilling around 6ish.

  Kinley: OK, sounds good. We will be over probably around 5.

  “Brian and Kinley are in; they’ll come over around five. I told her we would probably start grilling around six.”