I narrow my gaze at her. “I didn’t come here to do you, Posey.”
“Liar.”
I flash her a guilty smirk. “Okay, maybe I did. But it’s more than that. I want to be with you.”
She cuddles into my neck, tangling her legs with mine. “I want to be with you too. You make me feel better.”
I want to say that makes me feel better, but I’m still nervous. I stroke my hand along the small of her back as my other hand tips her chin up. She meets my gaze, and I kiss her nose. “I’m worried about you.”
“Don’t be. I’m just really tired.”
“Then sleep. I’m not going anywhere.”
“Promise?” she asks, her eyes searching mine.
“I promise.”
Shit, I don’t care who comes through that door and sees us. I’ll get caught. I’ll be traded or benched. I don’t care, because I won’t break that promise to her. I’m not moving until she wakes up and tells me to leave. I can’t. I won’t. Our hearts beat in time as I hold her, sliding my thumb along her jaw. Her eyes fall shut as her nose nuzzles mine. Slowly, her breathing evens out, and when she is asleep, I close my eyes. I do so with the hope that when I open them, I won’t be terrified of what is happening between us.
I don’t know what this girl has done to me, but I’m falling hard for her.
And like the power play, I’m worried I won’t know how to navigate it.
Chapter Twenty-One
Posey
“Are Elli and Shea okay?”
I roll my eyes as I take all the hangers out of my closet, with clothes still on them, and put them in a trash bag. I refuse to fold everything when they all fit in this plastic bag just fine. “Well, my mom is happy for me, especially since I paid her back. And get this, they restored access to my bank account.”
Ally whistles. “Well, that’s a surprise. I thought after the fiasco with you flying off to see Maxim, they said you couldn’t have it back until you were twenty-five.”
I shake my head. That was a poor life choice, but it’s all a distant memory. Especially when I now have Boon in my life.
Is it pathetic that I swoon at just the thought of him?
“Mom wants me to have a nest egg. I think she feels bad that Shelli had one when she was living on her own—and rent-free in New York, I might add. Also, I’ve paid them back, and I even paid my deposit and a month of rent on my own. I’m an adult. Look at me go.”
She giggles. “And how is Shea taking this?”
“Oh, he’s a hot mess.” I roll my eyes. “He says I’m ruining his life.”
“Shut up,” she laughs.
“I shit you not, Ally. He is so upset with me. He’s like, ‘I’m losing daughters left and right.’ I said, ‘Dad, you only have two, and you messed up having us first.’ He stopped talking to me and left the room.”
Her laughter is contagious. “He’s so silly. Though, my dad is the same. He’s so upset that I live in the dorm, but I need my space.”
I nod. “Exactly. I got a taste of it with all the road trips. I love it. I don’t have to clean up after the boys. I can have carbs. I mean, it’s really nice.”
“And you get to have all the sex.”
“Yes, that too,” I giggle as I tape up a box. “But I do feel bad. Dad’s not handling Shelli’s wedding well, and you know, it has to be hard.”
“I know,” she agrees. “He’s really attached to all of you.”
“He is. He’s a great dad.”
“Have you told him about Boon?”
My eyes widen as I quickly reach for my phone, taking it off speaker. I don’t know if my parents are in earshot. My dad has been moping around my room, hoping I’ll stay. But after cleaning the bathroom after Evan took a massive shit, I’m out. Like, really out. “No, I haven’t.”
“Posey! It’s been what, over a month?”
I grin happily. “Six weeks, to be exact.”
“Whoo-wee, listen to you. I’m assuming things are peachy with lover-boy man?”
I sigh joyfully as I move to pack my trophies and awards from my travel hockey season.
Things are more than peachy; they’re awesome. I am having such a good time with Boon. I never thought I could connect with a man like I have with him. He isn’t just my boyfriend who gives me unbelievably breathtaking orgasms. He’s becoming my best friend. He’s the first person I think of when I wake up and the last person I think of before I go to sleep. We are constantly on the phone with each other when we’re not together. We laugh, we tease, and we respect each other. I love watching him play. He’s gaining confidence, and the team is doing outstanding. We’re on a three-game winning streak, and I know the Cup is ours. We’ve got this.