* * *
She couldn’t have asked for a better date. She and Gage had a great time together, tasting exotic foods, listening to local country bands, two-stepping clumsily under the stars, and chowing down on way too much sugar. Gage was a terrible dancer, but she didn’t mind. At least he gave it his best shot and that was good enough for her. They got along so well, she couldn’t recall the last time she had laughed so much. It was almost the perfect date. He made her feel like a teenager again—happy, young, and carefree.
It was late in the evening and the market was winding down. There weren’t many families left in the park, mostly just a few stragglers like themselves. Neither of them seemed to want the evening to end. They sat on top of a picnic table, side by side, eating sticky candy apples, talking about anything and everything.
“This was fun,” Nora admitted, licking her fingers. “I’ve had such a good time.”
“Me too. It’s been a stressful week. I just wanted to do something relaxing where we could be outside. This place is cool,” he agreed, wiping candy off Nora’s chin. It was so sticky he just made it worse. Nora grimaced playfully at him and chuckled, thinking she must have looked a mess, but not caring a bit.
Gage gave her naughty grin and kissed her chin, licking the sticky sweetness off her, prompting Nora to giggle again.
“You taste as sweet as you look,” he teased, wiping the wetness away with his thumb.
“I bet you say that to all the girls,” she said playfully.
“Not all of them,” Gage assured, feigning innocence.
Nora punched him playfully in the arm, seconds before Gage stole another kiss, this one on her lips, slow and sensual.
“Mmmmm,” Nora moaned, enjoying the sweet taste of his tongue. “You taste pretty sweet yourself,” she whispered, shivering involuntarily.
“Are you cold?” he asked, putting his arm around her protectively.
Nora nodded. “A little, but part of me wishes we could hang out here all night.”
“I know what you mean,” he agreed, pulling her closer. It felt good being in his arms, safe. “but I think they are closing soon. Looks like the vendors are packing up.”
“Yeah, yeah, I know,” she begrudged, tossing the rest of her candy apple into the bin.
Gage took one last bite of his and tossed his core too, but missed the trash can entirely.
“How did you miss that?” she teased, tickling his ribs.
Gage grinned at her and shrugged, not caring in the least.
“I play hockey not basketball. Besides, I’m better with my right hand.”
“Hmmm, is that so?” she flirted, catching his eyes playfully.
He raised his brows as if to say ‘you’ll see’. Nora laughed and hopped off the picnic table, retrieving the apple core and tossing it into the can.
“Ready to go, then?”
“Thanks, yes I’m ready,” he agreed, climbing down and taking her hand.
They walked back to his car slowly in a comfortable silence, neither of them feeling the need to speak.
Nora appreciated how affectionate he was. He was an old-fashioned guy, no doubt about it, and based on their conversation he was very traditional too. He grew up in Southern California and came from a large family, with five other siblings. His parents were happily married for forty years! Gage valued family above all else. Both of his parents had worked outside the home, and shared the responsibility of raising the kids and keeping the house. Nora thought his parents sounded like great role models.
“What does your week look like?” Nora asked as they made their way through the parking lot, finally breaking the silence.
“Home game tomorrow and Monday, then on the road again for a few,” he explained, opening the car door for her.
She sat down and waited for him to come around and slide into the driver’s seat before asking her next question.
“You guys are doing well. What do you think your playoff chances are?” she asked curiously, wondering how challenging it would be to spend quality time with him.
One of the best traits about Gage was that he took advantage of his time with her and really made an effort to get to know her. He was an open book himself, too. They had only been out twice and she felt like they had known one another for decades. She couldn’t really say that about Leo, who she had yet to break down walls with. Leo kept things pretty light. And tight.
On the other hand, she had a feeling that her physical relationship with Gage was going to take a little more time to develop than it had with Leo. He seemed much more reserved on that front. That wasn’t necessarily a bad thing, she didn’t mind the pace he was going, but if they didn’t have time to spend together, she was curious how things would progress for them.
“I think we might have a shot. This is probably my last chance to win the cup, so it would be cool to make a run at it,” he shared, turning on the ignition and backing the car out of the empty lot.
“You think you’ll be retiring this year?” Nora asked diplomatically.
She had heard talk that his contract was up, but she wasn’t sure if retirement was on the table for him, or if he planned to seek out another franchise. He glanced over at her and shrugged, a weak smile on his lips.
“I think this is it. I’m tired, Nora. It’s time for something else. I need a life outside of hockey, you know?”
She nodded. She did know. She felt that way a few years ago when she was coming to the end of her schooling. It felt like she had no life but study, study, study.
“Well then, I hope that you get a chance, Gage. Your goaltending has been on point, and the boys are playing some good puck this season. I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you,” she offered supportively, but she understood that play-off hockey meant less time with him, and that would be tough given the circumstances she found herself in.
He seemed to have read her mind and reached out to take her hand.
“I guess the timing is not so great with us?” he offered, obviously contemplating the same thing that she was.
She turned her head and offered him a thoughtful smile.
“It is what it is, though right? I’m not in a rush, Gage,” she insisted, trying to find the right words.
She needed the time to get to know both of these men, and to process her feelings about them, so maybe the timing was just right. If things were to move too quickly, maybe she wouldn’t have the luxury of figuring it all out, and she could quite possibly make a mistake.
“That’s good to hear. I really like you Nora, and I don’t want to fuck this up, but until the end of the season, I don’t have a lot of control over my schedule, or my life. It’s been a problem in the past and I guess I’m just worried it could be a problem now,” he admitted honestly, more straight-forward than insecure.
“I really like you too, and I’m happy to keep things casual between us, Gage, at least until the season is over. We’ll see each other when we can, and make the best of it. Once the season is over, we can see where things go,” she promised, squeezing his hand for reassurance.
He smiled and brought her hand to his lips, kissing her knuckles softly.
But she wasn’t done. She needed to be honest with him about Leo and she wasn’t sure how he would receive it. The truth was, he could be completely uncomfortable with her dating someone else, and possibly walk away from her, but she had to be transparent with him. He deserved nothing less.
“I need to be honest with you about something,” she continued, taking a deep breath.
Gage quickly glanced her way, a look of uncertainty on his handsome face.
“I’m really, really enjoying spending time with you, and I do like where things are going between us, but you need to know I am dating other people.”
She waited a moment or two for him to speak, but he didn’t say a word, as though he was quietly contemplating her confession.
“I’m not opposed to an exclusive relationship, don’t get me wrong. To be honest, I w
ould like my next relationship to be my last, but I need to be sure that I do things right this time. And of course you should feel free to date too,” she babbled nervously. “I’m rambling,” she stammered, suddenly feeling very vulnerable.
She quietly looked out the window, wishing she had been more eloquent. She heard Gage sigh thoughtfully, but didn’t look at him.
He spoke her name, trying to get her to look his way. She obliged, meeting his eyes before he turned them back to the road.
“It’s okay, I get it. I wouldn’t expect you to stop dating. I’m obviously in no position to ask you to not see other people, nor would I,” he explained kindly. “I’m happy to get together whenever we can and continue to get to know each other. If things get more serious between us, then we can talk about what that means, right? Hell, until the season is over, I can’t offer you much of anything, so why should you sit around?”
Nora looked at him trying to gauge his feelings. He certainly seemed sincere and not at all upset. He glanced her way and grinned, as if to reassure her.
“Come on, I appreciate your honesty,” he said, patting her hand. “You’re amazing, Nora. All I ask is that if anything changes, you let me know right away, okay? I don’t want to be that chump that thinks he has a chance if there is no chance in hell,” he said lightly, although there was an edge of truth to his humor.
“Of course, and I hope you would do the same for me,” she agreed, letting out the breath she had been holding.
He threw her a quick wink and suddenly she had the urge to kiss him. He caressed her hand, then gave it a long squeeze. She looked up at him and smiled, and in that exact second, felt her heart make space for him.
It was late when they got back to her place and even though she insisted that she could walk herself up, Gage wouldn’t consider it, in spite of an early morning practice. As soon as the door closed behind them, he clasped her face in both his hands and pulled her in for a kiss, softly parting her lips with his tongue. She ran her hand up his chest, feeling the warmth of his body and the rhythmic beating of his heart under her touch. There was something comforting about it, a familiarity she couldn’t explain. Heat radiated through her womb, weakening her knees.
“This was the best night,” he whispered, when he finally pulled himself away.
She missed his lips the second they were gone.
“Me too. Do you want to stay? Maybe have some tea?” she asked, hopeful for more of his kisses.
He moaned softly, his face inches away from hers.
“Oh god, I wish I could,” he growled, kissing one cheek, and then the other, “but I need to get some sleep. Next time?”
“You promise?” she purred, kissing him back, and wishing he wouldn’t go.
He chuckled softly, as though thrilled with her response.
“Promise,” he said, between kisses. “Next week. I’m home Thursday.”
“Come for dinner,” she demanded playfully, nibbling on his neck. She could feel his erection swelling and it excited her.
“You’re killing me, Nora,” he groaned, his hands sliding down her back. He pulled her into a tighter embrace, rubbing his cock against her. “Yes, dinner,” he said, in barely a whisper.
“I can’t wait,” she replied breathlessly.
She was pretty sure he could make her cum just with his kisses. It had been years since she’d had a good old make out session, just long, lingering kisses without the expectation of anything else. There was something really hot about that.
“I’ll text you,” he assured, peeling himself away.
He opened the door then turned back for one more kiss before leaving. She closed the door and leaned back into it, flushed, flustered and horny. She stayed that way for a few minutes, waiting to catch her breath. In the spirit of practicing mindfulness, she tried to pin point exactly how she felt in that moment, as a plethora of emotion swirled through her head.
It was joy.
CHAPTER 14
NORA
“I can’t believe you haven’t fucked him yet,” Dana mused, folding a clean towel from the basket in front of her. “Do you think it’s going to happen tonight?”
Nora looked up from the sheet she was folding and shrugged casually at her sister.
“I hope so. He’s coming here after practice. I’m cooking a romantic dinner for us,” Nora explained wistfully, contemplating what she hoped would be a sexy night, and that finally she and Gage would make love.
They had been dating over a month now, but hadn’t sealed the deal yet. It wasn’t that they weren’t into each other, just the opposite. She adored everything about him. The problem was, they could only see one another occasionally, and had been out only a handful of times over that month. Every date had been wonderful, he had even introduced her to some of his friends, proudly showing her off. He was romantic, attentive and considerate, just not in any hurry to fuck her. They shared intimate conversations, sweet caresses, and long, deep wet kisses that left her hot and bothered, confused and wanting. As much as she loved the romance and intimacy, and the deep bond they were developing, she was ready for him to turn up the heat. She needed to know if he had an adventurous side, and the anticipation was torture.
Leo on the other hand was the polar opposite. He had yet to introduce her to anyone in his life and even avoided an invite to meet her sister, taking a shift at work at the last minute. That didn’t bother Nora really, she was certain that these things would come in time, but she would be lying if she said she wasn’t curious about that. Her relationship with Leo was all passion and spice. He was bold and playful, and was able to tease something out of Nora she never knew existed. She felt like a goddess when she was with him, an insatiable sex siren! His confidence was a huge turn on for Nora and he made her feel like she could be as daring and open minded as she wanted, in fact, he encouraged it. Leo was a high achiever in bed and their sex life was an A+, but something was missing. Intimacy.
Nora tried searching for it behind all of Leo’s closed doors, gently prying them open, just a crack, attempting to peek inside. He was very good at deflection, distracting her with seduction or humor. Moving targets were so hard to hit. She saw glimpses of vulnerability in him and she was hopeful that over time he would reveal another side of himself, because ultimately she needed more from him if their relationship had any chance to grow. It wasn’t that she hadn’t tried to learn more about him, but she realized very quickly that Leo side-stepped a lot of emotional landmines which made it challenging to see behind the veil.
The truth was that each man fulfilled her needs in his own unique way, and did it quite well. Gage made her feel adored, respected, comfortable, and safe. He spoke to her heart. Leo? He made her feel desired, excited, challenged, and maybe even a little dangerous. He knew how to fire up her libido! Maybe it was shallow, but her job was mentally demanding and she appreciated a good romp to help her unwind, but she needed a deeper connection, too.
Both men had the qualities she needed in a partner. What one was lacking, the other had in abundance. If she had a magic wand and could blend her two lovers together, they would create her ideal man, the man of her dreams. But Nora was a realist, she had to be patient. She knew, given enough time, that they eventually would let their guard down, embrace their vulnerability, and share all of their mysterious facets, even the parts that scared them. She was confident that when that happened, there would be no doubt remaining and she would know what she needed to do, or which man was right for her. In fact, she was counting on it.
Nora folded the last two pillow cases and placed all the clean laundry back in the basket. She looked at her sister and smiled, ready to tentatively bring up a sensitive subject.
“Any word on Sam’s transfer?”
Dana shook her head and sat back into the couch, tucking her legs up under her.
“No. He stopped discussing it with me after I had a meltdown last week. For a lawyer you would think he would be less of a chicken shit, and not avoid conf
rontation,” she offered, her frustration obvious.
“I’m sure he has mixed feelings, Dana. He lives to make you happy and he knows that a move like this will be hard on you,” Nora soothed. “I’m sure he’s just trying to be sensitive to you.”
“Yeah, yeah. Stop taking his side,” Dana snapped. “Can’t you just let me pout about it for a while?”
Nora frowned and nodded her head slowly. She knew how hard this was for her sister.
“Of course,” Nora agreed, patting her sister on the leg. “Sorry.”
“So, what are you making for dinner tonight?” Dana asked, wisely changing the subject.
“Chicken korma,” Nora offered enthusiastically, “I think he’ll like that. Last time he came for dinner I ended up getting home so late from work we just ordered a pizza. I’m excited to cook for him.”
“Sounds delicious. Then after dinner maybe he’ll eat you for dessert,” Dana teased with a wink.
“Hmmm,” Nora rolled her eyes at her sister and giggled, “Why do you always have to be such a horn dog?”
“I’m just saying what you’re thinking! How about you greet him at the door in your apron?” Dana suggested provocatively.
“Why would I do that?” Nora shrugged, looking at her twin curiously. He knows I’m co—
“Just the apron,” Dana added, staring at her sister wide eyed, as though she thought she might be daft.
Nora chuckled softly, finally catching her drift.
“Oh… actually, that is not a bad idea,” she agreed optimistically, “not bad at all!”
CHAPTER 15
COOP
Sunday afternoon practice seemed to drag on forever. Coop was preoccupied with thoughts of Nora, excited to see her later that day. He’d missed her! It had been more than a week since their last date. They had gone out for dinner and then back to her place. It had been hard not to fuck her, God knows he wanted too, but he was determined to build intimacy with her first, to really get to know each other before jumping in the sack. She was a fascinating woman, more honest and forthcoming than any woman he had ever dated. He didn’t think he would ever tire of their conversations. They could talk about pretty much anything. She was brilliant. He knew he needed to make a move soon. Nora seemed far too polite to initiate sex, so it was going to be up to him. He just wanted the timing to be perfect.
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