Page 99 of Uniquely in Love

“You know why, Ellie baby.” I rubbed at the daisy tattooed on my arm. I’d worn a t-shirt today.

Maybe before, I’d felt the need to hide it from her. Because it had been an omission I hadn’t been ready for. But now, everything was different. “If I went home, I wouldn’t have been able to respect your decision. I wouldn’t have been able to stay away from you.” Resting my elbows on her legs, I stared up at her. The girl I’d loved. The girl who had broken my heart. The girl who I’d always wanted.

“Do you know how amazing you are?” Ellie blurted out.

I blinked. “You broke up with me because… I’m amazing?”

“No.” She bit her lip, like she was deciding how much she should confess. “Do you know I’ve watched every single oneof your games since you joined the NHL? Even before I moved up here.” I wasn’t sure I was breathing.Every game? She’d been watching all this time? My heart ached with everything we’d lost. All the time we could have had. “I could recite your stats sheet like the back of my hand.” Ellie paused, taking a deep breath. “Since before you started Junior Hockey, I knew you were going to go places, Owen. And then you got drafted, and I wassoproud of you. You went to college, and?—”

“And you were supposed to come with me,” I interrupted her. We were supposed to have two years together before this.

“And,” she repeated. “I visited you. I watched you on campus. Saw how you interacted with your teammates. How happy you were. And I heard what your teammates were saying about you. That the Seals wanted you to start early instead of waiting for you to graduate. And I knew you wouldn’t go. Not if I was there.” Ellie combed her fingers through my hair.

I swallowed roughly. “But we could have done it together.Beentogether.”

Ellie just gave me a sad smile. “You would have been more focused on me than hockey. And I couldn’t cost you your dream, Owen. I couldn’t be the one to hold you back. Your teammates were right. Look at you now. Look at how much you’ve accomplished.”

“What did they say?” I furrowed my brow.

“I don’t remember. It was a long time ago and?—”

“What. Did. They. Say.” I growled the words.

Her shoulders dropped. “It doesn’t matter now.”

“My Daisy girl.” I cupped her chin, forcing her eyes to meet mine. “It matters to me.”

She bit her lip. “I don’t want to relive that day. I was young and stupid. I just wantnow.”Her hands slid up in between my t-shirt and my jeans, running over my abs.

I placed a hand on either side of the bed and kissed her deeply.

“I’m proud of you,” Ellie murmured when we pulled apart. “You made it to the NHL. You got your dream.”

“No.” I shook my head, her dress bunched in my hands. “My dream wasn’t complete without you with me. I was so damn lonely, Ellie. I missed you so fucking much.”

“So show me. Let’s make up for lost time.” She spread her legs, and I stepped into the space between her thighs, pressing our bodies together as she worked my shirt up and over my torso. “You don’t have to be lonely anymore, Owen.”

“Thank fuck.” I let my shirt drop to the floor and pulled her cute little dress over her head, exposing her matching teal lace bra. There was a little bow between her breasts, and I dipped down, pressing a kiss to each swell before tugging on the bow with my teeth. I could see her hardened nipples through the fabric, and I sucked one into my mouth through the lace, enjoying the way it made Ellie’s head fall back with a moan.

With one hand, I flicked the clasp open, the other buried in her hair, keeping her still.

Without warning, she unzipped my pants, her hand eagerly finding my cock—hard and ready for her. God, I wanted this beautiful woman. In my bed. In my heart.

I wanted to give it back to her so badly.

Ellie whimpered as I bent down, giving her my full weight as I captured her lips, nipping on them slightly. She gasped, and I swept my tongue in, our saliva mixing as we shared a messy kiss. My dick was practically weeping with the need to bury myself inside her tight, wet heat, and I couldn’t think of anything else.

“Lie back,” I murmured, pulling the bra straps off her arms tenderly, looking at her stripped naked in front of me. I pushed my jeans and boxer briefs down in one quick motion, and then I lined myself up with her entrance, burying myselfto the hilt in one thrust. We both groaned as I settled inside of her, the sensations too good. It was raw and real, and there was no hiding. Not when it felt like this.

“So big,” she moaned. “I’m so full.”

“You’re so wet for me,” I said, squeezing my eyes shut as I adjusted to being inside her perfect body. “Such a good girl. So perfect.”

She cried out as I pulled out halfway before thrusting in again, fucking her with shallow strokes. “Right there,” she panted. “Keep going.”

“I’m never letting you go again,” I whispered in her ear as I dug my fingers into her hips. “Never,” I promised her.

There was no going back. Not for us. Not after this.

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