Chapter 21 The smell of coffee wakes me. I open my eyes and immediately look for Nick, trying not to feel disappointed when the bed is empty next to me. Then I hear him moving around the kitchen. The sun is up, and the birds are chirping happily outside the window. I swing my legs over the side of the bed. My clothes from last night are scattered around the room, evidence that it all really happened. The sting of muscles I haven't used in a while is another clear indication that I wasn't dreaming. I pull the blanket off the bed and around me before padding out of the room and down the hall. I come up short at the view in front of me. Nick stands in the kitchen with his back to me. He's changed clothes and the ends of his hair are wet like he showered recently. "Morning." He turns and smiles at me. "Morning, Red." He's shaved too this morning. A flash of shyness hits me as I think about how I must look by comparison. Hair messy, last night's makeup most-likely smeared around my eyes. I passed out hard last night after the two best orgasms of my life. "I got bagels and muffins and some fruit. I wasn't sure what you liked for breakfast." And just like that warmth spreads through me. "Coffee. Coffee is what I like for breakfast." "Got that too." He steps to the side, revealing a fancy-looking machine. I gasp as I step forward. "What is that?" He chuckles. "I thought the cabin might need its own coffee pot." "The cabin or me?" I ask, inhaling the smell of sweet, roasted bean goodness. "Both." "Thank you." I pull the blanket tighter around me. "Welcome." He leans down slowly, holding my gaze, as he brushes his lips over mine. As far as waking me up, it does a better job than my usual coffee. He stands tall and moves to take the food out. When he said he'd gotten things, I assumed he'd brought it down from his house, but there are takeout bags from at least four different places. "Exactly what time did you get up?" "Early." He sets the food in a row, buffet style, then grabs a mug from the cabinet and fills it with coffee, adding cream and sugar before handing it to me. "Did you sleep at all?" "Yeah, I did. More than I have in months." I take a sip, staring over the rim at him. "Sorry if I was snoring or thrashing around in my sleep." It's been a long time since I've slept with someone and I was out so fast last night I didn't even have time to overthink it. "You were perfect." He gets himself a cup of coffee while I watch him move around the kitchen and imagine what it'd be like to do this every day. He's going to make some woman very lucky one day. "Why can't you sleep?" He takes a sip then sets the mug down. He leans his back against the counter and grips the edge on either side of him. "My mind spins." "About work?" His chin dips. "Work, life, the gorgeous, naked, redhead beside me." My face flushes. He stands tall and walks toward me. "When you're around, I have a hard time thinking of anything else." "Guess it's a good thing I'm leaving in a few weeks then or you'd never sleep well again." His body shakes with silent laughter. I set my coffee down and cross the kitchen to him. He doesn't move except to smile as I lean up to press my lips to his. "But until then," I murmur softly against his mouth. "Until then," he agrees, then leans down and scoops me up, kissing me as he turns and sets me on the counter. I wasn't sure where we'd stand on things this morning, but it seems like we both want this to be more than a one-time hookup. "You make me feel graceful," I say as he steps between my legs. His lips trail aimlessly, softly and unhurried, down my neck and over to the other side. "Graceful enough that you want to come with me to the rink today?" "Really?" "Yeah." He chuckles softly, places another kiss on my lips, and leans back to look at me. "Aidan's coming back tonight, but I thought we could hang today. I need to get in a workout, and you can write." I have a feeling I'll be too distracted to be productive, but I can work tonight. "Yes. I'd love that. I just need a few minutes to shower and get ready." He nods, then tugs the blanket around me until it falls open. The cool air hits my skin and my nipples pebble. "It sounds like you're in a hurry." "Nope." I shake my head adamantly. "Definitely not." "Good. You need to eat something first." I'm so surprised, I burst out into laughter. I'm naked on the counter and the man is talking about food. He reaches over and plucks a strawberry out of the container, then brings it up to my mouth. I bite into it and the sweet juices fill my mouth. I guess he's not that patient either because he leans forward and presses his lips to mine. Our kisses are sweet and sticky, and it isn't long before the air crackles around us again. If I had any concerns that last night was a fever dream and the chemistry between was a fluke, they're gone now. My body hums with pleasure even before his head dips and spreads my legs wider. "Fuck, Red. You're dripping." He brushes two fingers along my slit, dipping inside slowly as my cunt squeezes around him. I should probably be embarrassed at how wet I am this quickly, but it's all his fault. Everything he does turns me on. Even his grumpy, jaw clenching-though he's done a lot less of that lately. "Are you sore?" he asks. "I'm fine," I say, already breathless and needy for more. Almost as if reading my thoughts, he adds another finger. My cunt twinges, protesting slightly at the intrusion. It's too much and not enough. "Holy shit. How are you so good at this, Galaxy?" I ask, then mutter, "Never mind. Don't tell me." With a laugh, he eases out, going back to two, but bringing his mouth to my clit. Every nerve ending lights up as he teases me with soft, gentle flicks of his tongue. "It's not ever been like this, Red. I can tell you that." It's reassuring, in a way, to know that I'm not the only one way out of my depth here. Sex with other people has been good, but this is next-level. If sexual soulmates are a thing, I think I just met mine. My attempts to lift my hips to get more friction are met with a quiet chuckle against my skin and a tighter grip on my legs. As soon as I relax, giving over control to him, Nick gives me the pressure I was searching for. His fingers fuck me at a steady pace as he lavishes my clit with licks and sucks that have me soaring so quickly. He nips my inner thigh, a gentle reminder that has me smiling as I look at him. "Always needing an audience," I quip, but my sass lasts only as long as it takes him to find my clit again. I grip the counter with my left hand and tangle the fingers of my right in his hair. It's thick and soft, the ends still damp. Last night his beard scraped against my skin in the most delicious way, but his smooth cheek gives me a great view of his dimples as he grins up at me like a man who knows he's about to give me another top three orgasm. The only problem is him smiling at me means he isn't using that gorgeous mouth for other things. "Oh, god, don't stop," I beg and tug his head back exactly where I want it. He hums what might be agreement before he grazes his teeth over me and pumps his fingers faster. I'm almost frantic in my need for him. Him eating me out on the kitchen counter might be the hottest moment of my life, and the way he groans like he's enjoying it as much as I am is too much. The next low hum vibrates against my sensitive flesh and sends me over the edge. My legs are shaky as he releases them and stretches tall with a wide, pleased smile. He swipes the back of his hand across his mouth, but the cocky grin remains. "Ready?" "For what?" "Breakfast." He winks. "I ate. Now it's your turn." My gaze drops to his crotch and the obvious bulge. Laughing, he moves to the buffet of food. "Food, Red. You're going to need your energy for the ice." After breakfast, which included going down on him and a lot more sticky kisses, we shower and then head to the rink. Nick has already gone for a run this morning (seriously, what time did he wake up?!) but he leads me to a weight room where I sit, legs-crossed with my laptop, while I watch him and attempt to write. Travis and Conrad joined him about twenty minutes ago, which put an end to our kissing between sets, but it was probably for the best. He was never going to finish at that rate. The three of them are in a corner of the gym working out legs. Conrad has two very heavy looking dumbbells, one in each hand, as he walks and lunges back and forth. Travis is taking a break-he does a lot of that-between calf raises. And Nick is doing squats. With the barbell across the back of his shoulders, he sits back slowly, holding the weight in place. His mouth is in a thin, concentrated line and sweat makes his shirt stick to his back. Don't even get me started on his thighs. I'm having some real dirty thoughts about those big, tree trunk thighs. The clang of metal against metal breaks me out of my trance. Nick meets my gaze in the mirror in front of him as he reracks the barbell. My face flushes with heat. I'm not sure I've ever been this attracted to anyone before. Even his little grunts of exertion are turning me on. "One more set and then I'll be done," he says over the music. "Sure. Take your time." He smirks and I drop my gaze to my laptop. Molly sent notes on the first half of the book. She likes the tweaks I've made, so far, and had a few additions that I think are good. I have a lot to do still, but it doesn't feel quite as daunting as it did. Nick was right about getting out on the ice, it has helped. And maybe kissing him has helped too. Whatever the reason, I'm writing again and it feels great. I know the ending is rough and I'm dreading the rewrites when I reach that point, but I'm making progress. A hundred pages to go. Totally doable, I hope. I manage to focus for a short time while Nick finishes up his workout. When he's done, he takes a seat on the bench behind me and wraps me up in his arms. "You're sweaty," I say, leaning into his embrace. "Am I? I didn't notice." I swat at him playfully and turn to face him. I want to kiss him, but I don't know what the rules are. We are at his place of employment, even if there have been very few people popping in, outside of his friends. He erases my hesitation by capturing my chin between his thumb and finger and dropping his mouth to mine. "Yowza! Get it, Galaxy!" Travis calls from somewhere in the room. I laugh against Nick's mouth, but neither of us pulls back. I'm pretty sure Nick flips him off because I feel his right arm lift into the air. When we break apart, he's grinning at me in a way that makes my stomach flip. He's wearing a T-shirt with the sleeves cut off and a scar on his right shoulder catches my attention. "What's this from?" I run my finger underneath the red mark. "I had surgery earlier this year." "The injury that ended your season?" I read about it, of course, and watched the video. He collided with another player during a game. He got up on his own, but immediately skated off and didn't return. The details on his injuries were vague, but they did say he should return this season, which I'd already pieced together seeing him in person. "Yeah, I broke my collarbone and dislocated my shoulder." I wince. "Sounds painful." "Nick and Ruby sitting in a tree. K-I-S-S-I-N-G," Travis sings in a playful voice. "It was. Not as painful as listening to him though." "Does that happen a lot?" I ask. "Getting hurt or Trav being obnoxious?" I laugh. "The first thing." "Right, because you already know he makes being obnoxious a full-time job." Nick's smile pulls higher on one side, then falters slightly. "Yeah. Injuries are a part of the job, for sure." "The worst I have to deal with is eye strain from staring at the screen too long or the occasional hand pain from typing too much." "And no annoying teammates." "You love them." He sighs, still grinning. "I do, unfortunately." After the guys are done, we gear up. I'm more nervous with Travis and Conrad around to witness my skills, or lack thereof, but Nick is so damn comforting. "You got it, Red. Nice and easy. Grab on to me if you need." I'm not sure if I need to or not, but I take the opportunity to touch him. He skates backward in front of me. So smooth, so confident, so damn hot. He's in practice gear-padding, jersey, helmet, the works. He's a big guy and I always feel small next to him but now more than ever. "If I punched you in the stomach, would you even feel it?" He quirks a brow. "I don't know, but you'd probably throw off your momentum and fall." I open my mouth to protest, but he's got a point. "Are you looking forward to the season starting?" I ask. I overheard Travis talking about how he was excited to get back to it in a few weeks. "Yeah." He bobs his head as he answers, not sounding all that convincing. "But?" "I get to spend more time with Aidan during the summer and being gone so much is hard on him." "On him or you?" He gives me a sheepish smile. "A little of both, probably." "Is your schedule and juggling time with Aidan why you haven't tried to date?" I ask. He told me last night that he's kept things casual out of convenience but the more I've thought about it, the more it feels like a poor excuse. "Yeah." "I'm sure there are plenty of women who would be happy to work around hockey and everything else. You're a catch." He keeps smiling, but he isn't quite selling it. I stop skating and so does he. With one hand on his forearm, I steady myself. "What's the real story behind why you and Aidan's mom didn't work out?" Immediately, his expression shifts and he looks like he'd rather face-plant into the ice than tell me. "Sorry. It's none of my business." I flash him an apologetic smile. "I've gotten so used to interviewing you." I drop my hand and start skating again, moving past him. He catches up, staying beside me. "There really isn't much else to say. We were both busy and neither of us made enough of an effort to keep things going." "That surprises me." He raises both brows in silent question. "You don't seem like the type to do anything halfway." A small smile lifts one side of his mouth. "I think you'd be a good boyfriend, though, for the record. Who knew beyond all that grump you were such a nice, considerate guy?" He lets out a hearty guffaw that lightens the mood between us. "Ruby-Doo!" Travis calls, voice booming around the tall, echo-y ceilings. I glance at him as he skates up. He smirks as he comes to a hard stop that sprays ice in front of me. I startle, which makes me wobble. Nick's hands are lightning fast, gripping my waist and steadying me. "Dude. She's still learning. Take it easy," Nick admonishes him without any real bite in his tone. "Sorry, Rube." "Can you teach me to do that?" "Absolutely," Travis says at the same time as Nick says, "No." I am a safety hazard, but that looked fun. I side-eye Nick and then turn my attention to Travis. "What's up?" "Question for you." "Sure." His smirk should be the indication that he's about to ask me something ludicrous, but I'm too distracted by Nick's hands still circling my waist and my pulse racing for the same reason. "When you said I was the most handsome hockey player you knew, were you trying to ease the pain after breaking my heart or do you really think I'm a ten?" "Fucking hell," Nick mutters, then chuckles softly under his breath. "I said you were hot and charming," I correct him. "Suuuuper hot." He beams and then winks at the guy next to me. "And you wonder why we're all single," Nick says to me. "You are hot and charming," I assure Travis. "I didn't say you were the hottest or most charming." "Fine. Fine. But if Nick fucks this up, then I might have a chance?" I'm ninety-nine percent sure he's fucking with Nick and not at all interested in me that way, but I'm not going to lie, my ego still appreciates him shooting his shot. "All right. Back to your side of the rink." Nick shoos him, then pulls me after him as he skates away. For the rest of the afternoon, I alternate between trying not to fall on the ice and trying not to be distracted by Nick while I write. I fail on both accounts. When we get back to the house, I'm hoping to lure him into the cabin for more making out, but Aidan comes running out the front door as soon as we arrive. "Hey, there he is." Nick hops out of the truck and walks quickly to his son, pulling him into a hug. I get out of the vehicle but hang back, watching them and thinking about how good of a dad Nick is and how fortunate Aidan is to have him, and missing Olivia and Greer and the rest of my family terribly. "Thanks for your help today," I call to Nick as I take a step toward the cabin. I lift a hand to Aidan. "Hi." Aidan waves back. "I learned a new song while I was gone!" "Really?" I ask. He nods. "Sort of. I'm working on it." "That's great. I can't wait to hear it." He looks adorably pleased at my interest. "I'm going to head back and do some writing." I hitch a thumb over my shoulder. "Can I come play you the song later?" Aidan asks, surprising me, and I think his dad too. "Yeah, of course." I look to Nick. He has one hand protectively on his son's shoulders. "As long as your dad says it's okay." "Fine by me." Nick gives me a half smile. "Cool. I'm going to grab my guitar and come right over." Aidan runs into the house, leaving me and Nick alone outside again. Nick comes back down the steps, and we meet halfway. I'm glad. I don't want to be away from him just yet. "Sorry about that," he says. "I can hold him off for a few hours if you want time to write." "No. I like the noise." "All right." Neither of us moves. "See you tomorrow morning?" he asks. One hand reaches forward and his fingers brush against mine. "Yeah. I'm sure I'll have a few more hockey questions as I go through the last half of the book." "And then it's just editing?" "And hopefully coming up with another idea I can pitch my agent." "You will." The sound of Aidan's guitar has Nick stepping away. He continues to face me, smiling in a way that makes me wonder if he's remembering the last time we stood here and how differently it ended. "Later, Red." "Later, Galaxy. Thanks for last night." Discover our latest featured short drama reel. Watch now and enjoy the story!