Page 48 of The Attack Zone
“What does bipolar have to do with a dog?” I ask.
“I’m not responsible enough for a dog,” he says. “I can barely keep my own shit together. Especially with how much I travel.”
I can understand what he means, but I also think he’d be able to figure it out. And he clearly loves dogs so much. He shouldn’t just be sneaking into animal shelters to get time with them. It’s not my place to tell him what to do though.We’re barely even friends. So I keep my mouth shut by shoving more salad into it and let Mitch decide if he wants to change the subject or not. I might be being a coward, but at least I’m not making him more defensive or uncomfortable than I already have.
“Anyway,” he says. “Please don’t tell anyone. I choose to keep it private.”
“Of course,” I say.
Then, despite the very loud alarm bells going off in my head, I reach across the table and grab his hand. We might just be fuck buddies, but he’s right, we’re friends. And friends reassure friends.
“I’m glad you told me. Now I won’t expect you to fuck me senseless at one in the morning,” I say quietly, making sure no one is listening.
“I still very much plan on fucking you senseless,” he laughs. “Maybe just a little earlier in the evening.”
“Deal,” I say, squeezing his hand a bit before forcing myself to let it go. It feels wrong right away, not holding onto him. But I refuse to start acting like this man’s girlfriend in public. I’m realizing I have to draw a line somewhere, or who knows what will end up happening? I can’t risk it.
CHAPTER 24
MITCH
ONE WEEK LATER
Well, at least we won’t be totally swept out of the playoffs in the first round. Thomas has been out since that hit in Buffalo and Lance, our captain, is out too. He pushed himself too hard during our Cup run last year and it finally caught up with him. But we won on the road the other night, so it won’t be a complete and utter embarrassment if we lose tonight and don’t go on to the next round. Still an embarrassment, but not an utter one.
My five o’clock alarm just went off, but I’m already awake. I haven’t been needing as much sleep this week, though I’m not sure why. Probably just the energy of the playoffs. I switch my alarm off quickly so I don’t wake up Stacey. She’s stayed at my place when I’ve been in town during the playoffs so my routine doesn’t get as messed up by us hooking up. I’m sure it bothers her, my not splitting time going to her place too. And I feel guilty, but there’s nothing I can do about it. I roll towards her and kiss her shoulder,causing her to hum lightly as she snuggles further into the bed.
I roll out of bed, slide my feet into my slippers, and make my way quietly into the kitchen. Once I’ve started up the coffee pot, I reach into the cupboard to grab my medication. The bottle is light and quiet when I lift it off the shelf. Too light and too quiet.
Shit.
I forgot to refill it. And I won’t have time to pick it up before I have to be at the arena today once the pharmacy is open. But I can at least refill it and pick it up tomorrow if I place the order now, so I open my pharmacy app on my phone and hit refill. I really need to switch to a ninety-day refill so this isn’t such a pain in the ass. I make a mental note to pick up my refill as I grab my coffee and head to the bathroom to get ready.
As I’m climbing into the shower, the bathroom door opens, and Stacey’s stunning, sleepy face appears.
“Sorry, love. Did I wake you?” I ask.
She shakes her head as she yawns, and it’s adorable. “No, I set my alarm since you have to leave early.”
“You can stay here when I’m not here, love,” I say. “I don’t mind.”
“I know,” she says. “I guess I kinda wanted to see you before the game tonight.”
She slowly walks towards the shower and pulls off my oversized t-shirt that she slept in to reveal her perfect, naked body. Immediately I’m floored, not by her beauty (though it really is something), but by her admitting that she wants to see me. I don’t think she’s ever said anything like that before, and it blows my mind a bit. So, when she places her hands on my bare chest and reaches up for my lips, I’m caught speechless.
Her lips press softly into mine as her nails dig lightly into my chest. I wrap one arm around her waist and pull her bodyagainst mine, while the other cups the back of her neck so I can take her mouth exactly how she seems to like it.
“Can I join you?” she asks when our lips part.
Stacey Anderson wants to shower with me.
When am I going to wake up from this dream?
“Of course, love,” I say. It comes out deeper than I mean it to, and her eyes seem to alight with fire. I turn on the shower to get the water warm before she steps in. Once she’s satisfied with the temperature, she steps in, and I’ve never been more grateful for my building’s water pressure because Stacey audibly moans when she stands under the steady stream of water. I stand outside of the shower just watching her as the water runs down her bare skin.
“Are you coming?” she finally says, turning to me as I’m just gaping at her like a man who’s never seen a naked woman shower before. I’m a professional athlete, of course I have. But I’ve never seen Stacey Anderson in a shower before, and it’s an entirely different level. I think she may slowly be ruining me for any other woman, which is unfortunate since neither of us seems to be made for long-term commitment.
She shifts to the side as I take a step into the shower. Once I’m inside, I reach out for her wrists and pull them both above her head, pressing her into the marble tile of the shower. She lets out a little gasp as I do. It’s quiet, so quiet that another man may not have heard it, but I hear everything when it comes to Stacey. I hover over her and let her catch her breath, feeling her chest rise and fall against mine as she does. Once she’s regained normal breathing, I realize I want to take her breath away again (and again, and again). So I take her mouth with mine and give her a hot, long kiss. Then, I run my teeth down the side of her neck and nip at the spot I know will drive her crazy.