Page 120 of Hitting the Goal Line
“I wish you would have told me what was going on sooner,” I say as gently as I possibly can.
Soph grabs a tissue from the box that is sitting next to her and blows her nose before she responds. “Me too. I wish I would have too. Maybe if I would have, we wouldn’t be in this mess. Maybe if I had told you, you wouldn’t have gotten arrested and put your hockey career at risk, because who even knows if you are still a Knight when we get back to Chicago. Maybe if I had told someone, I would have gotten away from under Elijah’s thumb sooner and I wouldn’t have to press charges against or see him again in court. If had told anyone, a lot of things could have been different. I shouldn’t have believed him when he toldme that it wasn’t going to happen again. I should have been braver, stronger. I should have done so many things to not be in this situation.”
She bows her head down, but I grab onto her chin and make her look up at me, but she just closes her eyes and shakes her head.
“Look at me, Sophia,” I urge her, pleading. After a few seconds, she finally opens her eyes. “You are strong. You are brave. You’re so many damn things. And I love every one of them,” I place a chaste kiss against her lips, to calm her down as much as possible. “Hockey or no hockey, remember?” I say when I pull back from her. “I could care less if the Knights release me. No contract, no team matters more than you do. I’d get arrested ten times over if it meant I was there to protect you each and every time. If keeping you safe, means giving up hockey, my career, then I’m okay with that because you’d be here, with me.”
“You shouldn’t have to do that.”
“No, but I would. For you, I would. Always and always.”
A small smile spreads on her face. If only I could see her in full blown smile that reaches her eyes and hear her laugh in the most uncontrollable way. I last experienced those things during our movie night two weeks ago, and it feels like it has been forever.
“I love you,” she says, her hands landing against mine, holding me to her.
“I love you too,” I say, leaning forwards and placing my mouth against hers.
For the first time, I kiss this woman like I want to. I kiss her like she is mine and she will always be. I kiss her with no reservation or because this may be the one and only time I will be able to kiss her like this. I kiss her like I wanted to during our nights together. Like I love her and she loves me.
Our tongues slide together, and she lets out a moan that make my whole damn body relaxes just hearing the sound.
My hands slide down her face, caressing her upper body through her clothes until I reach the hem of her shirt.
I pull away just slightly, both of us already panting, and drag her t-shirt off. Leaving her in a bralette that barely covers anything.
The second I see it, I start getting angry. She put this on this morning for him, not for me.
As if she knows what I’m thinking about, Soph grabs my chin and makes me look at her. Giving me a smile that almost reaches her eyes.
“I didn’t wear this for him,” she tells me, comforting me. “I haven’t worn anything for him in a long time.”
“I shouldn’t be getting mad. He was your boyfriend. A fucktard, but still your boyfriend. I know he touched you, but I still see fucking red thinking about it,” I admit, because if I can admit something like this to anyone, it’s her, my best friend.
Now it’s Sophia taking my face between her hands. “He hasn’t touched me in a while. Not since he slapped me the first time. That’s when I decided that I needed to walk away, and I no longer wanted anything to do with him. These last few weeks I’ve just been putting things in motion to end things with him. But not once did I let him touch me.”
I look into her brown eyes, getting lost in them. “Are you sure you want to do this now, though? I don’t want you to rush into anything. Especially not after today.
Sophia gives me another smile and wraps her arms around my neck, bringing our bodies together and putting us chest to chest.
“Things between Elijah never felt right. I spent four months convincing myself that things would change, that it was just new and I needed to give it a shot, and then the next four monthsscared of him and what he might do. Things with Elijah were over for me a long time ago, I just finally got the courage to tell him.” Her hands make it up and into my hair and she starts massaging my scalp through the curls. “I want to do this. I’ve wanted to do this for a long time, and maybe we should take things between us as slow as possible, whatever those things may be, but right now, I want to feel close to you. Right now, I want you to take any every bad memory that has invaded my mind in these last four months. Right now, I want you to show me comfort and love and everything in between. I want you to show me how safe I am. I want you and everything you have to offer Blake.”
And I will give her everything that she wants.
Without taking my eyes off hers, I place my hands on her waist and take a step back to give me enough room to slide her pants off.
The second that is done, I take a good look at the beauty that is sitting in front of me. She is absolutely beautiful, but my eyes can’t help but to zone in on the bruise that she has on her ribs, where the asshole pressed his foot against her. I’m surprised the fucker didn’t break anything.
Sophia sees that her side has caught my attention and looks down.
“It doesn’t hurt,” she reassures me, holding out a hand for me to take.
I do, and walk back between her legs, continuing taking off the rest of her clothing. Well, her bra and panties. Once every article of clothing that was touching her body is discarded, I follow suit.
Within seconds, Sophia is naked and in my arms as I walk us over to the shower.
“We’re going to owe your brother a portion of the water bill since the shower has been running for a while,” Sophia states when I put her down.
“I’ll take care of it,” I say to her, making sure that she is getting the majority of the hot water.
