Her eyes blink open to meet mine, and we pause ever so briefly. Then she presses back into me, shifting her body until she’s straddling me. My hands find her firm ass, squeezing the flesh, pushing her down so my hard cock is trapped between us. When her hips move, grinding ever so slowly into me, I groan into our kiss, and the little minx does it again.
When she starts to rub her body up and down my length, even separated by our clothes, I feel it like a bolt of electricity straight to my core. Our kisses turn messy, desperate, even. We’re on borrowed time and we know it.
Sure enough, just as my hands start to gently pull up her tank top, the hotel room phone rings, jarring us out of the lust-fueled haze. At the same time, my phone starts to dance on the bedside table, vibrating with an incoming call.
We break apart, breathing heavily. Lily’s skin is flushed and I can see the pink disappearing down behind her top. I want so badly to finish what I started and pull it up to free her tits just to see how far the colour spreads.
But Lily springs out of bed, even though she could easily reach the phone from where she is. With her back to me, I hear her breathless “hello.”
I pick up my cell to see a missed call from Stefan. I hit the call button since it’s obvious the moment is lost between Lily and me.
Probably for the best.
“Are you still in Vancouver?” Stef says by way of greeting.
“Yeah.”
“Good. We need to meet.”
We make plans to meet up at a restaurant nearby for lunch. I don’t particularly want to since the only time Stef insists on meeting in person is when he’s got bad news. But I also don’t have a good reason not to. Besides, judging by the tension radiating off Lily, she might appreciate not having to drive me home.
“That was the front desk confirming our check out time.” Lily’s fidgeting, twisting her fingers together, not meeting my gaze.
I gesture to my phone. “That was my agent asking if I can meet him today.”
Awkward silence falls over us. I hate the idea that she might regret what happened, or feel embarrassed, but I’ll be damned if I know what to do about it.
“I’m gonna stay in town and meet Stefan, you okay to head home without me? I’ll catch a float plane later.”
She doesn’t deserve me sounding gruff and distant, but then again, maybe that’s exactly what we need. My grumpy ass putting some space between us. Because if I’m mixed up over what just happened, I can only imagine she is, too.
We get ready quickly, without talking, Lily disappearing into the bathroom and coming back with her hair braided and clothes on. The cute pink blush is gone from her skin. Any trace of what happened earlier is gone. When the door to our room closes behind us, it’s clear the metaphorical door that had cracked open between us is closed as well.
The elevator opens up into the lobby for me and I take a step out, using the goddamn cane, thanks to my leg still throbbing from yesterday. Pausing, I turn back. I can’t just walk away and say nothing.
“I’ll see you at therapy tomorrow?”
It’s part statement, part question. Because I need to know that we can go back to what we had. Not just because she’s a damn good physical therapist, but because she was becoming a friend. Someone I could relax around and not worry about offending with my piss-poor attitude. Out of everyone, Lily’s the one who lets my grumpiness roll off her. Or maybe, it’s that when I’m around her, I don’t feel so down.
Either way, I don’t want to lose her just because we let our baser instincts take over. A few minutes of making out can’t be what pushes her away.
“Yeah. See you tomorrow.” The elevator door starts to close, but her hand shoots out, stopping it. “And I know I said it yesterday, but I need to say it again. Thank you. For coming, for putting up with my family, for being there.” Her tongue darts out and moistens those pillowy soft lips I can still feel under mine. “And I’m sorry. For earlier. You know, um, sitting on you and stuff.”
My mouth falls open and I know I need to say something, but her hand drops and the door closes before I get a chance. Then I’m staring at the metal wall of the elevator that is carrying her down to the parking garage, wondering why her apology stings so badly. And why I already miss her.
My meeting with Stefan is exactly what I anticipated with no small amount of dread, with him presenting me with a contract buyout offer from the Blaze.
The team I dedicated my life to doesn’t want me back.
My hockey career is officially over.
I hobble into my apartment in Dogwood Cove that evening, at a loss as to what comes next. I didn’t sign the offer, but the papers are burning a hole through the side of my suitcase.
Now, in the dim light coming in from outside, I sit down on the couch and stare at the bottle and glass I set on the table. I could get drunk and try to forget this entire day ever happened. From the obliteration of any boundaries between Lily and I this morning, to the conversation with Stefan, to now. My knee hurts, my heart hurts, and I’ve never felt more alone.
A knock on my door snaps me out of the downward spiral. No one knows I didn’t come back with Lily, so it could be any one of my family members who all expected me to be home earlier today. I don’t really have the energy for any of them right now, but I’m fully aware they won’t leave. That’s the thing with us Donnellys. We don’t back down and we don’t walk away when someone needs us.
“It’s open,” I yell out from my spot on the couch.
