I sank into the chair and let myself relax. I dozed for a little while. I wanted to be awake when Elliot got home, but home was where I let myself relax, and I struggled to keep my eyes open. We had so little time together that I wanted to be awake as much as I could when I finally saw him. Hopefully he would crawl into bed with me and let me hold him for a long time.
I pulled out my phone and reviewed the highlights from the game. The anchors went on about how much potential they were seeing in Elliot in the way he played. It was what I had seen in him for years, and why I knew that he would be an amazing player for always.
Against my better judgment, I went to the location app to see where he was. He was en route somewhere according to the app.
Home. He was on his way home.
Finally. Now that I knew he was heading home to me, I was re-energized.
I went into the bathroom, turned on the warm water, found some of the lavender salts that he liked but wouldn’t admit how much he liked them, and dropped them in the bath. We had a Jacuzzi tub, though we rarely used it. I checked the app again as the tub filled. He wasn’t far away now. I slipped off my clothes and slipped into the water. I almost took a selfie, sent it to him, but that level of desperation was not something I aspired to be. I already sent one unanswered text tonight.
Ten minutes passed.
The door clicked open.
“Silas?” Elliot’s voice washed over me like a balm, calming my heart yet stealing my breath, all in the same moment.
Fuck, I was so gone for him. His voice had the power to drive me wild and all he had said was my name.
“In here,” I called back.
My body was already lighting up with the knowledge that my omega was near. In my head, never out loud, I could think of him as mine, because that was what he was. As sure as I was his.
There was the thud of his gear bag as it dropped to the floor, and the click of his footsteps walking down the hall. I opened my eyes as he stepped into the bathroom.
He still wore his suit, but the tie had been loosened. The top two buttons of his black shirt were undone, and the thin smattering of chest hair peeked out of the open collar.
“Care to join me?” I said with a smile.
His eyes lit up like seeing me was the highlight of his day, and all my worries about our future and the league washed away. For a moment I could imagine that his love for me was as strong as my love for him. “Yes,” he breathed. “Fuck yes.”
Chapter 4
Elliot
Walking into my apartment and finding Silas soaking in a bath, bubbles coming up to his chin, was not a fantasy I’d ever envisioned. Oh, how I missed out. Turned out my imagination sucked. I could have put that fantasy into my spank bank for when I was on the road.
The real thing was right in front of me, and I loved it. It was the best way to return home.
I tore off my clothes and ignored the pointed look Elliot gave me when I left them in a pile on the floor and not in the hamper.
Once I was naked, I climbed into the tub and laid my back against Silas’s chest. Thewarm water heated my skin and ramped up my desire. I sighed. A wash of contentedness rolled over me. Like every day I was away from Silas I was carrying a burden that got heavier and heavier without me realizing, and now I was in my alpha’s arms and all was right in the world.
“You played a great game,” he said.
I smiled. I was sure there were people out there who wouldn’t want to talk shop all day, every day with their significant other, but not Silas and me. Sure we could talk about other things, and sometimes we did, but mostly it was all hockey all the time.
“Thanks,” I said.
“I would have called that hit in the second period.”
“Rude. Lucky for me, I play with inferior refs.” I turned slightly and placed a kiss to his jaw.
Silas laughed, and his arms tightened around me. “Are you sore from that hit you took? That looked painful.”
I was sore. My back ached where I had twisted it the wrong way after Kendricks slammed me into the boards. His ass landed in the box for that.
“I’m fine. I’ll get a massage from Clint tomorrow.”
