Playing To Win

by Stacey Lynn

  Eager to see what she’s so excited about, I rip off the paper. Also, because I freaking love presents and outside my mom and family, I can’t remember the last time anyone has given me anything of meaning.

  I tear off the paper and pause. Katie has her hands patting her knees and I swear she’s almost as anxious as me which only makes me smile more like a lunatic when I fling the top of the box off the side of the bed. “Is it lingerie? Tell me it’s something sexy I can rip off with my teeth later.”

  “No.” She slaps my thigh. “But now I know what to get you for Valentine’s Day.”

  “Damn straight.” Whatever is in the box is covered with tissue paper and while I can’t wait to see what this is, I’m more excited about the fact she just said we’ll still be together on Valentine’s Day. I lean forward and curl my hand to the back of her neck, yanking her forward so her hands slam onto the box and wrapping. “I love you.”

  “Good,” she murmurs against my mouth. She’s smiling. Shoulders shaking and fighting a laugh. “Now open the rest.”

  I comply, flipping open the tissue paper that was neatly folded before her hand crumpled it and I’m left confused at the envelope. It’s brown, like a regular package, larger than regular mail.

  I pick it up and toss the rest of the box and paper to the side.

  “What’s this?”

  Her brows lift and she dips her chin toward it. Her eyes never leave mine as she grins, bites the corner of her lip. “Open it.”

  I flip it open and undo the clasp. My hand is shaking. Nerves? Whatever is inside is important, and I can’t figure out what it can possibly be until I unfold sheets of plain white paper and…

  “What the fuck?” The papers tremble in my hands as I read them. Bold words like One-Way and First Class jump from the paper. “What…”

  “I have time off work,” she says and her voice has gone quiet.

  My chest is burning and I keep scanning. Departure date December twenty-sixth.

  Destination: Charlotte-Douglas Airport.

  “Three weeks.” She keeps talking as I keep reading and I’m so damn stunned at what I’m holding, what she’s saying, that it takes me a minute to process everything. “That’s why my boss was so mad and not wanting to give me the time—”

  “You’re coming home with me.” My head whips up and I’m met with such hesitancy swirling in her expression. I shake the tickets because shit. I can’t believe… she’s coming home with me. For weeks. I’m in such shock I repeat it. “You’re coming home with me. To Charlotte.”

  “It’s where you live. I figure I should go check it out, see if I like it. See if I’d want to be there, too.”

  By the time she’s done whispering, her voice has gone so quiet I can hardly hear her but what I hear is everything.

  Absolutely fucking everything.

  “Do you like it?”

  My silence has spoken volumes, but she’s hearing the wrong thing. “Fuck yeah, I like this. I like this a whole hell of a lot, Katie.”

  I toss the papers to the side. We can re-download them if we have to. Then I grab her face with my hands and yank her to me, slamming my mouth to hers.

  “Shit.” I pull away from the ferocious kiss and shove my face into her neck. When she took off today, I thought the worst. When she didn’t call me back, I thought she was gone. But she’s not. She’s right here. And she’s coming home with me. “I can’t believe you’ve done this. Best Christmas present ever, getting to be with you. That’s all I fucking need.”

  She trembles in my hold and slides her arm around me, holding me tight. Her curvy body presses against mine and my need for her intensifies.

  “How hungry are you?” I ask, because she not only loves me, she’s willing to consider moving to where I am. I know how scary this is for her and I know what a huge leap it is for this girl who’s always wanted a life that is simple and surprise-free.

  “Not very,” she says.

  “Good. Because I’m starving and it’s not for food.”

  Her cheeks turn a bright shade of pink and her pupils dilate at my words. I don’t waste time tugging her shirt from her waistband and throwing it off the bed.

  We’re a quick mess of needy hands and frantic moves, kisses and tongues lashing together as our mouths fuse and we only pull away so we can strip each other of clothes and undergarments and then I slide down to the bed and pull her over my face.

  I eat her until she screams my name and her legs shake like we’re in the middle of an earthquake and then I shove my fingers inside, wishing like hell it was my cock that’s standing tall and hard waiting his turn, but I want to give this to her. I want to give her so many damn orgasms she never once forgets how damn much this turns me on and how much I appreciate and need her and love her.

  When she’s listless, I move her hips down my body, kiss her until she’s ready for me and then I slide deep inside of Katie. We make love slowly until my own need demands release and we fall together into bed, embracing. Her body is pressed to mine like she’s suctioned to me and my hands rub up and down her back, memorizing the feel of her soft curves and inner strength.

  Papers and boxes are crushed beneath my body and we’re both sweaty. I don’t give a shit about any of it.

  After years of wanting this woman, years of loving her, I’ve finally won her, and it’s been the best damn victory I could ever have.

  After we untangle limbs, we climb out of bed. I throw my jeans back on and Katie grabs my button-up shirt I wore over. She buttons up most of it, baring her cleavage and pulls on a pair of black yoga pants. She looks ridiculous and sexy with her hair messed and wild, poofed out from my hands spending so much time in it as I made love to her. Her cheeks are flushed with the lingering warmth from the many orgasms I gave her in impossible record time.

  We decide on ordering pizza and while she pulls up the app on her phone, I stave off an attack from Whiskers by getting her food ready like I’ve seen Katie do before.

  “What do you plan on doing with your cat while we’re gone?” I ask once the food’s been ordered and Whiskers gives me a death glare before sauntering to her food dish like the ruler she believes she is.

  “Oh.” Katie’s face scrunches up. “I hadn’t thought about that.” She makes a yikes face and I chuckle. “Lizzie usually watches if I go for a weekend, but three weeks is a long time.”

  “My parents can do it. Mom would probably love your crazy cat.”

  “Your dad will teach her too many random curses.”

  True. “It’s not like she can speak English.”

  At that, Whiskers turns from where she’s eating and hisses at me. I throw up my hands, palms out and take a step away from the animal. “My bad. My bad.”

  Katie laughs softly and heads to her fridge. “We can figure it out, but if your parents don’t mind, that’d be great. Although, she’s not great with new places.”

  “We’ll take her there on Christmas. She can get used to it with everyone around and maybe she’ll like Johnny’s kids?”

  “She’ll probably hide in a gift box, most likely.”

  “Then we’ll make sure she doesn’t get thrown out.” Personally, I’m not so much a fan of the cat. But if she comes with Katie, I’ll take her.

  Plan made for Whiskers, I take Katie up on her offer for a beer while she pours herself a glass of wine. Once we’re resettled on the couch, I plop my leg up on the coffee table and turn to face her as much as possible.

  “Want to tell me what happened at work earlier?” Might as well get this hard stuff out of the way now. “Why’d you take off like that?”

  “Oh.” She scratches her temple and takes a large drink from her glass, flinching as she swallows. “Well, I sort of got fired today.”

  I almost spit out my beer and it takes me a minute to choke it down. Meanwhile, Katie is staring into her glass of wine. “What? What the hell happened?”

  She frowns and shrugs. “I’m… well, I’m not really sure. Apparentl
y Meghan lives in the building where you’re staying and she’s seen me leaving in the morning. At least, that’s what she implied, but I don’t know why or how she’d make up that story.”

  “Oh shit. Katie. I didn’t even think.”

  “I didn’t either. It’s my fault really. I knew the risk, and I considered something happening if we went out in public, but never once did I think about your building.” And I’m betting at the beginning, she didn’t think if anything happened with us, that it would last. I shove that thought down because we’ve come too far to look back now.

  “So that’s it? She fired you?”

  “No.” She swirls her glass of wine and takes another sip. Even though she’s close, the distance between us is too far. I pull her onto my lap and take her glass of wine from her, setting it on the table next to me with my beer.

  “Talk to me.”

  “I’m suspended indefinitely pending what Meghan called a forthcoming investigation to see if I’ve violated ethics.”

  She can lose her license for this, and every single misstep or lingering look I gave her in the office that would hint at any indecent behavior on her part slashes through my mind. I feel like shit and yet I don’t know how to fix this.

  I don’t know if I can fix this.

  “What does that mean?” My hands slide through her hair. It’s unavoidable. I love the way she relaxes against me whenever I run my hands through it.

  “If she follows through, it means possibly losing my license, at the least having it suspended. I mean, since you’re not my patient, it could end up just being a slap on the wrist, but Meghan hates me enough that I don’t know what she’ll shoot for or how much pull she has. She could have videos of us together, but I’m not even sure.”

  We don’t tend to come to the building or leave together. Usually it’s been Katie coming and going so at best, any evidence against her is circumstantial. At worst, I don’t know.

  She nods against me and sits up. When she does, she places her hand on my chest and her lips press to one side. She’s thinking. I give her time and when she reaches whatever conclusions her thoughts took her on, I’m surprised as hell with what comes out of her mouth.

  “I think I’ll quit, though.” She nods like she’s made the right decision and my hand in her hair freezes, gives a quick tug.

  “What?”

  “I think what Meghan wants is me gone. If I go in tomorrow and give my notice effective immediately, or two weeks from now to do it correctly, it still gives me all my vacation time. I have some money saved. But I think if I do this, she’ll drop the investigation if she’s even forwarded it to human resources yet. I think… I think it’ll give me my best chance to keep my license and not have any permanent marks with the licensing board.”

  She leans forward and grabs her wineglass. I let her take it, figuring she needs the alcohol to boost her confidence and settle her nerves.

  “And coming to Charlotte with me? What will that do?”

  She peers at me from above her wineglass and gives me the wonkiest, shakiest smile I instantly want to kiss off her face. “I guess that means maybe while I’m there, I’ll start looking at job opportunities?”

  Damn straight, she will. “You sure?”

  I want this more than anything in my life. More than anything I’ve ever wanted.

  I want her in my home, meeting my teammates and their wives and girlfriends. I want her in my kitchen while I watch her cook because I can’t do it for shit. I want her in my bed when I return from road trips. I want us filling up the four empty bedrooms in my house. I see it all flash in front of my eyes and it appears like the most glorious life.

  “Yeah. I love you. Of course I want to be with you.” She settles one hand on my cheek and leans in, kissing me softly and gently and it takes everything in me not to take it deeper.

  But we have time for that.

  We have all the time in the goddamn world.

  21

  Katie

  I’m a nervous wreck, an absolute nervous wreck. I’m so nervous I haven’t been able to eat all day and I barely made it out of my chair during the game. I’m dressed proudly in a Carolina team shirt. It’s not the sweatshirt Jude gave me, but one I bought in the team store on the way into the arena. I’m happily showing off his number on my back, but I’m terrified that if his face is ever shown on the television screen tonight, his first appearance in the team’s suite since his injury, I’m certain the internet is going to go crazy talking smack about the green-looking girl who stood next to him all game.

  It’s not the game that made me nervous. Carolina won and they easily defeated Wisconsin, coming out to an early two to nothing lead Wisconsin never recovered from and ending the game with six goals.

  It’s what is happening after the game that has my stomach churning like I’ve already taken way too many celebratory tequila shots.

  I’m meeting his team. All of them at the same time. We’re all headed to Sebastian Hendrix’s house where he and his wife are having a New Year’s Eve party since they have a couple of days off before their next game. Which means I’m going to be spending the next several hours getting to know the players on his team, their wives and girlfriends and dates.

  And I am so, so not ready for this.

  Being in North Carolina with Jude has been a blast these few days. As soon as we arrived, he whisked me off to his home, promising to show me all of Charlotte and the beauty of the area soon, but for the last five days, we’ve only left his house to run to the grocery store and grab food.

  He’s left to continue his physical therapy, and yesterday, he made his first appearance at the training facility where he started swimming and doing more serious workouts. I’m trying to keep my mouth shut when it comes to his therapy mostly because for one, he has his entire team of team doctors riding his ass, two, because he seems to be taking it much more seriously than he did even a week ago, and three, he doesn’t need a mom or a live-in nagging girlfriend.

  Still, I worry about him overdoing it, and it’s difficult to let my training go.

  Currently, he’s next to me, shaking hands with the team’s general manager. I met Erik Johanssen before the game, but once it started, he didn’t say much at all.

  “Nice to meet you, Katie,” he says, turning to me and shaking my hand. “Happy New Year to you.”

  “You too, Mr. Johanssen. And congratulations on the win.”

  He smiles, lets go of my hand and smacks Jude’s shoulder. “Well, we’ll be back and better than ever once this guy gets back on the ice.”

  “He’s working on it and doing great,” I assure him… although really? Like he needs my assurances on anything.

  I inwardly cringe at my awkwardness, but it can’t be helped. This is awkward. Jude surprised me earlier this afternoon after he came home from swimming and said he wanted to support his team even if it’s from the stands. I don’t know why I hadn’t considered attending games with him, but while I was preparing for this, which was nerve-wracking enough, he then sprung the party on me afterward.

  And how can I say no?

  “Ready?” Jude asks, and he already has his hand in mine. “We can meet them all there.”

  “Yeah.” I swallow the ‘no’ that’s clawing inside my throat and give him a shaky grin.

  To which Jude laughs. He can read me like a book. “You’re worried for nothing. They’ll all love you and if they don’t, I don’t really give a shit.”

  He guides me out of the owner’s suite where we’re quickly met with security who escorts Jude all the way down to the parking ramp which means I’m even more silent.

  I haven’t ever imagined this part of his life. Security guards inside the stadium. Watching games with professional team owners and acting like their best friends. I know somewhere beneath us, the completely tricked out and expansive locker room is probably swarming with media and the players on the team celebrating the win and for a brief moment, I have a pinch of regret.
/>   “Do you want to go see the team?” I pull to a stop. “You can, you know. I can wait outside or in the car or something.” Like there’s anywhere else for me to go.

  “Nope.” He tugs on my hand and keeps walking. “I’ve seen the team all week, told them how much they suck without me, and I’ve shot enough shit to wait until the party.”

  I don’t ask him if he’s sure. Jude knows his own mind, so I follow him out to his Ford F-150 pickup and climb in.

  I wait while he starts the engine and backs out of his spot before asking, “What’d you think of the game?”

  “Me? I was going to ask you that.”

  “Yeah, but I meant watching it from the suite and not on the bench. You doing okay with that?”

  His hands squeak on the steering wheel, showing how much he hates it but his words are vastly different. “I’ll be back next year. Yeah, it sucks, and I’m not going to say I’m not still worried I might not be able to play again, but once I got over my pity party and being pissed about it, I can honestly say I plan on being back. And even better, this injury brought me you, gives me time with you when we’re starting out instead of trying to call you from different time zones and finding time to make a go of us. I’ll take that, Katie.”

  He always knows the right things to say to make my heart feel like it’s going to leap right out of my chest. Which means I absolutely know I’ve made the right decision.

  I quit my job on Christmas Eve day. I walked into the office to the surprise of almost everyone and promised Logan and Avery I’d keep in touch. Meghan was less enthused with my resignation, but after speaking with her and letting her know I will most likely be letting my Illinois license lapse and seek certification in another state, she reluctantly agreed not to send my file to human resources.

  Earlier today, unbeknownst to Jude which I haven’t told him yet, I’ve also emailed my apartment building management company and put in a notice I will not be renewing my lease in March. Which means, for the next two weeks, I’ll need to spend some time trying to find a job in North Carolina and searching out licensure information.