by Kris Bryant
She nods. “I agree. Too bad you didn’t get the condo. That was a great place.”
“I’m sure I’ll find something just as great somewhere else. I’m not worried.”
“Enjoy your weekend. I’m sneaking out early to get my hair done. I’m leaving you in charge.” She tells everybody that when she leaves early. I roll my eyes at her.
“Don’t embarrass your husband. Again,” I say. She busts out laughing. Last political dinner she attended, she walked around the entire function kissing babies and shaking hands with toilet paper stuck to her heel. I still laugh thinking about it. She waves and disappears.
I pick my phone back up because it buzzed several times while Gloria and I were chatting.
Stone sent me three texts. If you hate the game, I’ll make it up to you. I promise.
I don’t know when I’ll be able to see you this coming week. Our practices are early morning and evening.
This is why it’s hard to have a relationship. I’m sorry.
I feel bad that I left her hanging for so long because of Gloria’s impromptu visit. I quickly respond.
Sorry. Boss was here. We’ll find time to see one another. I’m not worried. I throw on a happy face to ease her mind.
I know she will have time off during the season and I’ve been known to stay up late a time or two. She obviously doesn’t remember that I was engaged to a surgeon. I know all about late nights, early mornings, and crazy long hours.
Chapter Twenty-three
I’m feeding off the crowd. It’s crazy at the arena. I never knew hockey was this popular. There are so many kids here, it makes me smile. Tonight is the home opener and they are giving away T-shirts to all kids twelve and under. I buy a Gray Wolves’ sweatshirt to show my support, then find my seat. I’m a few rows up from the Gray Wolves’ bench and can see everything clearly.
The pre-show is hilarious as the wolf mascot chases Boston’s mascot around the ice. The team even has cheerleaders. That surprises me. It’s a sold out crowd. I have a feeling I have one of the best seats in the house. When the opposing team takes the ice, the crowd boos. So much for good sportsmanship. The Gray Wolves take the ice and the crowd jumps up, screams, and whistles. When Stone is introduced, the smile on my face couldn’t be any larger. She is definitely the most popular. The mascot high fives her and hands her crutches. She shakes her head and refuses them. The crowd goes wild. She twirls to show him that she is good to play and he falls to his knees to bow to her. The crowd eats it up. I feel like I’m floating. The most popular girl in the room is mine. Sort of.
Stone doesn’t start the game, but subs a few times. I hold my breath when she takes the ice. I can tell she’s worried, but she keeps up and manages to get a few shots at the goal. They are evenly matched teams, but I can tell that if Stone was one hundred percent, they would have points up on the board already. The first time she gets checked, I’m scared. The second time, I’m livid. The player on the other team actually pulls her down to the ice and gets a penalty card. Stone hops up and skates away as if it didn’t bother her at all. The coach calls her in. She’s seems frustrated that she hasn’t scored, but keeps her anger in check. Her tense jaw and still form are a dead giveaway. I can’t decide if I want the coach to put her back in so she can expel that energy, or keep her out so that she has more time to rest. The few minutes she played was aggressive and I know her leg has to hurt.
Just when I think the game is over, I find out there are two intermissions. We’ve just reached the first one. No wonder Stone said she would never see me on the weekends. A hockey game takes forever. I get up to stretch and find something to eat. I indulge in a pretzel with cheese and a beer. It’s only a matter of time before I hit the cotton candy. I find my seat again before the craziness starts. I’m having a good time. It’s hard to be here alone, but the fans around me are very nice and friendly. Stone starts the second period and plays for five minutes. The score is one to one. I know that winning the first game usually sets the tone for the season in all sports. I really hope Stone scores. That will do so much for her ego and self-confidence. This game is moving so fast. It’s hard to find the puck and who has it if you don’t know where to look for it. I don’t understand the rules yet.
“It just takes time to learn everything. Think of it as soccer on ice,” the lady in front of me explains. Well, that’s no better.
I shrug at her. “I’m just not a sporty person I guess. I’m sure I’ll pick it up. This is only my first game. I understand the concept, just not all of the penalties and some of the calls.”
“Who do you know on the team?” she asks.
I cringe. I really want to keep a low profile. “A friend of mine had an extra ticket and offered it to me. These are really nice seats. Do you have season tickets?” I’m deflecting.
“Not really season tickets, but I get tickets to all of the games. My daughter plays. She’s number five, the back-up goalie. This section is reserved for family of the Gray Wolves.”
I can tell she’s sizing me up and trying to figure out who gave me their ticket. I ignore her blatant staring and focus on the game. All is forgotten when the Wolves score. I look down at the bench and can tell Stone is itching to go back in. She’s benched for the rest of the second period. I get up and walk around during the second intermission. Nobody leaves early. The place is just as packed now as when the game first started.
When the third period starts, the fans get crazy. This is it. The Wolves just need to keep their lead or increase it. Stone is in and I can barely contain my excitement. She fights for the puck and the player who checks her into the wall gets tangled up in her own skates and falls down. It’s just her against Boston’s goalie. I’m dying right now. The crowd is so loud and Stone is so driven and fast that I don’t know if I should focus on her or the puck. She is headed full speed at the goalie and at the last second, veers right and taps the puck into the net behind the goalie. Score! It’s perfect.
Her teammates pile around her to celebrate. She skates to the sidelines and, before she sits on the bench, turns and winks. I know it’s for me, even though every other woman in this area probably thinks that the wink was for her. I’m so happy. I watch her loosen her skate and I know she’s done for the day. I hope she’s okay. Mentally, yes, but I’m more concerned with her physical well-being.
The Gray Wolves end up winning four to two. Stone and I didn’t really talk about what we were going to do, if anything, after the game so I head to my car and leave. I know that there will be a team meeting, then showers so she won’t be available for at least an hour. Once I’m out of the parking lot, it only takes fifteen minutes to get to my house. That’s not bad at all. I strip down and shower because I spilled some beer during one of the many times I jumped to celebrate or encourage the team. I’m happy that I have a Gray Wolves’ sweatshirt. It makes me feel closer to Stone. I throw on a tank top and some boxers and crawl under the covers. The game was a lot of fun. I’m glad I went. Now that I’ve seen Stone in her true element, I’m so happy I was involved in helping her heal.
Chapter Twenty-four
“Hello?” My cell phone wakes me up, but when I see it’s Stone, I don’t complain.
“Were you asleep? I’m so sorry. I’ll leave.”
“Wait. Where are you?” I sit up in bed, my heart beating furiously. She’s here.
“I’m outside. It’s okay. I’ll talk to you tomorrow,” she says, her voice low as if she’s trying to not wake me up.
“Don’t move. I’ll be right there.” I jump up and look around for my robe. It’s short, mid-thigh, but it covers more than what I wore to bed. I slip that on and run to the bathroom to look at myself. The light is too bright so I flip it back off. I need to calm down. I take a deep breath, tighten the sash, and head for the door.
“Go back to bed. I’m so sorry I woke you up.” Stone takes a step back from me. I reach out for her.
“Get in here, superstar.”
She laughs when I
grab her jacket and pull her inside. I shut the door. When I turn, she is right behind me. She leans down and kisses me. I know her energy is amped from the game earlier. I felt it the second I touched her. Her clothes are cool against me, but her body is warm. Always so warm. Our kiss deepens and I move closer to her. I don’t even notice that she has untied the sash of my robe until I feel her warm hands on my waist. I slide my hands up to the back of her head. Her hair is still damp from her shower. She smells heavenly. I moan because I want her.
I slide off her jacket and pull her toward my bedroom, kissing and touching her. Somewhere along the way, I lose my robe. She stops us in the hallway and presses me against the wall. After thoroughly kissing me, she lifts me up. I wrap my legs around her hips and press myself into her. She pushes back into me, grinding her hips hard and fast. I break our kiss to catch my breath. I don’t want to come this way. She has other plans though. She moves her hands underneath me so that her fingers are on my pussy. My shorts are drenched. I should feel ashamed at my body’s reaction to her, but after hearing her guttural moan at finding me so wet, I feel empowered instead. I wiggle against her hand, wanting to feel her inside of me instead of teasing me through my clothes. She lifts me away from the wall and walks us into my bedroom.
“Stone, your leg. You shouldn’t carry me.” By the time I get the sentence out, she’s already at the foot of the bed. She leans down until I’m on my back and shuts me up by kissing me again. I want to feel her skin and her heat against my body so I slip my hands between us to unbutton her shirt. She slides her hand up my tank top to rest on my stomach. I stop because she stops. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing at all. I just want to look at you.” I can’t even imagine what I look like to her. It can’t be great. My hair is probably a tangled mess, my clothes are half off, and I’m rubbing up against her for relief. I put my hands over my face because I’m utterly embarrassed. She moves my hands away. “What are you doing?”
“I’m a mess and I’m moving entirely too fast for us. I’m sorry,” I say.
Stone leans down and kisses me softly. “No, you aren’t. Make no mistake. We’re going to have sex. I’m going to touch you and kiss you everywhere. I just wanted to see your face since I didn’t get to see it much today.” She runs her fingertips over my cheeks, down my jaw, across my lips, and back up the other side. I shiver and I don’t even hide it. “You’re beautiful. Everywhere.” She breaks eye contact to look at the rest of me.
I’m trying hard not to shake. My body is tingling. My emotions are raw. I’ve never been sure of wanting another person this much in my entire life. She runs her fingers gently over my tank, barely brushing my hard nipples. I arch my back into her touch, but she doesn’t give me what I want. Her hand moves lower on my stomach, brushing the top of my shorts which are now barely covering me. It’s so hard to remain still, but I know this is something Stone wants to do. I can’t help moaning though. I lean up and tug her earlobe into my mouth, sucking it hard, biting it softly.
She presses her hand against me and slips underneath my waistband. Her fingers slide over my mound and cup it, her fingertips brushing my wet slit. She turns her head and kisses me. Her tongue is warm and possessive and I submit to her. She slides a finger inside of me and I push my hips down into her hand. I want her deeper inside of me. I spread my legs apart to give her room and she adds a finger. I moan at how full she feels inside of me. She moves slowly and I rock my hips against her hand.
“You are so tight and so wet,” she says against my mouth.
I open my eyes and watch her watch me. Her face is serious and her eyes so intense. “You feel so good. So good.” I close my eyes again. My body adjusts to her quickly and I start moving my hips faster.
I need her. I need all of her. I finish unbuttoning her shirt and tug at her belt. I’m not going to be able to take off her clothes because I’m too weak. She slips out of me to remove her clothes. Her shoes take her awhile to unlace and she groans in frustration. I sit up on my knees and lean over her shoulder to kiss her neck, her cheek, the soft spot behind her ear. She reaches for my hand and places a gentle kiss on my palm. When she pulls off her boots, she stands to shrug off her shirt and jeans. She reaches out for me wearing a sports bra and boy shorts. Black is definitely her color. She looks dangerous and chiseled.
I reach out and run my fingers over her muscular abs. She quivers under my touch. She’s brimming with need and I’m so wet and ready that I’m two seconds away from touching myself. She crawls up, pushing me down on the bed, and places wet kisses on my body. When she settles between my legs, I moan at the contact and spread my legs even further to accommodate her. I reach up and hold her to me, my arms on her strong shoulders. She is solid and beautiful. She sits up and pulls me with her so she can take off my tank top. I’m worried about her ankle and leg at this angle.
“I feel fantastic. Don’t worry.” She runs her fingers over my frown. “I promise that I couldn’t be any better right now.” She gently lowers me back onto the bed and pulls down my shorts. I’m completely naked now and I shiver. “Are you cold?”
“No. I just…I just need you.” She slides over me, covering my body with hers. Her weight is perfect on me. She leans down and kisses me hard. I love how well we kiss. Most couples take time learning how to kiss one another. Stone and I knew from our first kiss. My lips are swollen and tender and I don’t even care. She lifts her body off of mine a few inches and is holding herself up on her elbows and knees. “Please?” I look up at her, missing her heat and her hardness.
She nudges my legs further apart and slides two fingers back inside of me. I gasp and moan loudly. She watches me as she builds me up. I feel completely helpless and in her control. I bring her lips to mine. She kisses my mouth, my jaw, my neck, and moves lower down my body. I try to slow my orgasm down because I want to come with her mouth on me. She runs her tongue across my breasts and kisses a trail down to my thighs. I dig my fingers into her hair and push her gently down. I can feel her smile against my body.
“I told you I couldn’t wait to taste you.” She gently pulls out of me and pushes my legs up, both hands now at the back of my knees, and leans down to lick me from the bottom of my slit all the way to the top. I whimper with need as her mouth finds my core and her strong tongue thrusts inside of me. She releases my legs, but continues to move her tongue in and out. It’s decadent and I want more. She runs her warm hands up my thighs, across my stomach to cup my breasts. I don’t even realize I’m touching them until her hands brush mine away. She moves her mouth up to my clit, and her warm, wet tongue circles it and guides it into her mouth. She is devouring me and I’m only seconds away from coming. My hands find her hair and I hold onto her as I climb each wave higher and higher, moaning louder and louder. She slips her fingers back inside of me and slowly pumps in and out. I squirm and beg for more, so close to coming. She increases her speed until I cry out as my orgasm crashes into me. My skin is covered in a thin layer of sweat and I’m shaking. She covers me with her body and places tiny kisses on my cheeks, my hair, and my neck. I hold onto her tightly as I ride each wave out.
“Oh, my God.” That’s all I can say right now. My brain is still trying to process everything that happened.
“Thank you,” she whispers against my cheek.
That’s crazy. She’s thanking me? She just delivered me a screaming orgasm and she’s thanking me? “I should be thanking you. That was incredible.”
“Thank you for answering your door, then.” She sprinkles my face with tiny kisses, then kisses me slowly, thoroughly. I taste myself on her lips. I feel tears stinging behind my eyes. I can’t cry right now. Why am I crying? Stone leans up to look at me. She wipes the tears gently off of my cheek. “Please tell me I didn’t hurt you or rush you into this.” I cry harder because I’m overwhelmed by feelings I haven’t sorted out yet. I shake my head to give her an answer because I can’t stop crying long enough to explain. She rolls us over so I’m on top and hol
ds me close. She touches my hair, rubs my back, and pulls the comforter over us. Finally, after five minutes of me having a meltdown, I’m able to talk.
“I’m so sorry I ruined our night. I didn’t expect to cry and I don’t know how to explain myself,” I say.
She kisses me softly. “Are they good emotions?” She gently rolls me over and suddenly sits up. “I’m so sorry. I forgot about what today was. I’m such an asshole.”
I look at her like she’s crazy. “What are you talking about?”
“You were supposed to get married today.” Stone drops that between us. That didn’t even cross my mind tonight, not even at the game. Maybe subconsciously, but that’s not the reason why I’m crying. How do you tell somebody you just started a relationship with that you are falling for her? It’s entirely too soon. Even I know that. If I said anything to Stone, she would bolt. I look at the clock. It’s twelve fifty.
“Yesterday. My wedding was supposed to be yesterday. Please. I’m not emotional about that. I honestly forgot. I just…” I don’t know what to tell her without sounding clingy. “This was really nice. Sometimes I’ve a hard time expressing myself and I cry. Please come back.”
She looks at me warily. “Are you sure?”
I nod. “I promise, but…” She stops. “You need to be completely naked.” That puts a smile on her face. She gets up to take off her sports bra and her boy shorts, and slips back into bed next to me. I can’t wait to touch her. She’s so hard and soft at the same time. I run my hands all over her body. She is so warm and tense.
Her moans encourage me the closer I get to her thighs. She spreads herself for me as I crawl between her legs. Her hips move as soon as my mouth finds her wet core. I want to please her. I hold her hips down with my hands. She moans and tries hard not to buck against me, but she is already close to coming. I let go of her hips and rub my fingers up and down her wet slit. She pushes against me. I slip one finger inside of her, marveling at her tightness. She hisses out her approval so I continue moving in and out of her, my mouth still firm on her swollen and slick clit. Within seconds she cries out. Her entire body shakes with release.