Page 88 of Like A Daydream
“You’re so hot,” she says, “it makes me sick.”
“Well I’ve never heard that one before,” he says with a laugh, carrying her down the hallway to his room. “I’ve heard that I’m hot enough to make women cry, but never that I make them sick.”
“First time for everything,” she says.
He kicks the door closed behind them and presses her up against it. She slides her legs down so she’s standing on her own two feet and he slots a leg between hers, the whole length of his body pressed against her. Her breath hitches, and she cannot believe that she gets to have this man.
“Well, I’d prefer you telling me that I make your knees weak and that I knock you off your feet,” he says.
“Okay, Nick Jonas.”
He pulls back, confused.
“Don’t even tell me you haven’t heard his song ‘Crazy Kind of Crush On You’ before.”
“Nick Jonas isn’t exactly what I’m making playlists around,” he replies, “I was thinking more like the Click Five.”
“You seriously need to get cultured,” she says, “and that song isn’t exactly a compliment. And it’s more about me knocking you off of your feet.”
“If you remember correctly, ma’am,” Andrew says, pretending to push glasses up his nose and squinting at her. “Youdidknock me off my feet.”
She rolls her eyes fondly, tugging on a loose strand of his hair. “Literally.”
“The song is all about a guy going after a girl who doesn’t want to give him the time of day,” Andrew continues, shifting so he has a better grip on her legs. “Like you.”
“But the girl in it is theworst.”
“The more you ignored me, the more I adored you,” he says, in a sing song voice. She hits his shoulder and he laughs.
His eyes flick from hers to her lips, then back again and she grins.
“Are you going to kiss me or are we going to stand here all night?” she asks. “Because I came here thinking I was going to get toat leastsecond base, third if I’m lucky, and if that’s not going to happen—”
“You’re ridiculous,” he says with a huff, leaning closer.
“What of it?” she mumbles, and then finally,finally, he’s kissing her and she’s home.
“Still feeling okay?” Danielle asks the next morning as Andrew curls up beside her, pulling her into his chest. He’s freshly showered and smells so good, she buries her nose into his shoulder.
“More than,” he says, kissing the top of her head in turn. “This is the quietest my head has been all season. I’m taking that as a good sign. Normally before a game, I’m all over the place, thinking about every possible outcome. Today it’s… different.”
“Maybe because you know it’s your last one?” she asks, tracing the tattoo just under his collarbone.
“Mmm,” he hums. “Maybe. I don’t know. It just feels nice.”
“We’ve come a long way in a year,” she says, “I’m glad I’ve gotten to have you through all of it.”
He turns onto his side and tugs the blankets up over them, pulling her into his chest.
“I’m just lucky you’re mine,” he says quietly. “Life is just better when I’m with you. You make my world burn a little brighter.”
She presses a kiss over his heart as his breathing slows. They still have a couple more hours, and she’ll take it. It’s been a while since she’s felt so calm.
They sleep in a little past nine, hitting snooze after her alarm goes off in favor of a few more minutes to just be together before the chaos of the day starts.
Andrew has morning skate before the game, and Danielle needs to put in a grocery order before they meet up with Jet and Ainsley and head to PNC Arena. Somehow, they had made it to the finals and they had been good enough to earn home-ice advantage for as long as they were in the playoff rounds. Which is a miracle in and of itself.
Home advantage is always the better environment to play in, and Raleigh had been transformed when they had landed at the airport. Red and black had beeneverywhere, including lining the street that Andrew lives on. Not for the first time, she finds herself glad that he has such great security around his house. Fans had been outside the gate that morning, and she didn’t like that atall.
