Page 66 of Bagging the Blueliner
“Yes, please.”
Smoothing the hair away from her face, I replied, “Then I will. Close your eyes. I’ll be right here.”
Leaning her head on my arm, she drifted off to the sounds of the hockey game playing in the background. Hannah’s chest and nasal congestion caused her to snore softly, but I didn’t mind.
Tonight was the first time we were alone together where we didn’t have sex. Until now, sexual attraction had been the focal point of whatever relationship we had going.
Like I told her, I had always been attracted to her. I was man enough to admit she was hot and had a rocking body, but her personality drove me up a wall. Spending more time with her, I was finding that maybe my actions brought out that side of her. She was letting her walls down, and I liked who she was under that snarky, sassy outer shell.
I wanted to care for her on nights like tonight when she was sick, or others when she might be hurting—either physically or emotionally.
I wanted to be with her every night, not only the ones that promised sex.
Until now, I’d never wanted to spend time with any woman outside the bedroom.
I am in big trouble.
Fucking her in secret was one thing, but what happened if I fell for her?
How in the world were we going to make this work?
Chapter 16
Cal
Early February brought usthe All-Pro Break. Every year, fans voted for their favorite players from each team in the league, and those selected joined together at a pre-determined location for a weekend of fun. There were skill challenges, and meet and greets with the fans, with it all leading up to the All-Pro Game.
One player was sent from each of the thirty-two teams, with a few wild card alternates.
Jaxon was the popular choice for the fan-selected player from the Comets. He was skilled and likable. The fans went nuts for him. Drawing the selection again this year, he was forced to decline as he’d sustained a wrist injury a week ago. Benji was being sent in his stead.
I’d been voted in once during my ten-year career but wasn’t bitter about it. Defense wasn’t the sexy job, but it was necessary. Offense sold tickets, but defense won championships. Without a solid defense, a team didn’t stand a chance.
While the fan favorites headed to this year’s All-Pro Weekend location in Charlotte, the rest of the league got a much-needed break. Depending on your team’s schedule, that break could be as long as ten days or as short as five. The Comets got a solid seven days this year.
Arriving home after our final practice before the break, I was reminiscing on how the boys and I had spent this time off in past years. The single players always took over a resort in Mexico. Several teams joined up to buy out an entire hotel for a week. It was like spring break on steroids.
With Benji going to the game and the Comets’ pool of single players dwindling, I opted to stay home this year. I couldn’t exactly go somewhere with Hannah, and I wasn’t interested in a week of meaningless sex with random women. That bachelor trip held no appeal for me anymore.
A week in Connecticut in the dead of winter wasn’t the luxury vacation most people dreamed of, but Hannah was off, too, and I knew we would find ways to keep warm and entertained.
“Babe!” I called out, walking through the door of my penthouse.
Hannah wasn’t always there when I got home, but boy did I love it when she was.
After spending the night at her apartment when she was sick, I made sure she had the key code to my place. That sexy minx took it as an open invitation to walk around naked in the penthouse, and sometimes, I was lucky enough to find her like that upon my arrival.
Dropping my car keys on the entryway table, I made myself a protein shake. Once the blender’s loud whirling stopped, I could have sworn I heard the muffled sound of music. Maybe Hannah was here after all.
Following the soft beat, I tracked it to my home gym. Set on the first floor, it was visible through glass walls from the hallway.
There, in the center of it all—bent in half with her ass in the air—was Hannah.
What a welcome home.
I could have stared at her like that all day. Hair pulled back into a ponytail, she wore only a sports bra and a pair of skin-tight workout leggings, which left nothing to the imagination in her current position. I was vaguely aware that she was doing yoga, and how she held her body was named something to do with a dog.
Opening the door, the music became clearer but was low enough that I could talk over it. “This building has a gym, you know?”
