Page 35 of Sin Bins and Second Chances
She takes another bite of her French toast and I watch the expressions on her face change as she thinks over what she wants to say. Daisy can tell me anything, as long as it’s the truth.
“You were right last night. I pushed you away because I knew you would’ve been there for me.” She pauses and stares at the plate. “I’m full. Thank you for making breakfast.” I nod and she continues. “You weren’t just my boyfriend, you were my best friend. I knew you would’ve dropped everything.You would’ve given it all up, because that’s who you are. I couldn’t let that happen. I couldn’t live with myself knowing you’d give up that dream. Then I got scared. I worried that if I didn’t end things, and you gave it all up that you would later come to resent me for it. So, I made the decision to end things. I had to do it before we got in too deep.”
“We were already in deep,” I argue between bites.
“I realize that now, Ethan.” Her shoulders drop. “Seventeen-year-old me couldn’t, though. She was too scared of building a life and then it shattering when it was too late.”
“You still should’ve been honest with me back then.”
“We both know I couldn’t. I’m so sorry. I never meant to hurt you, but I don’t regret my decision. Look at where you are now! You’re playing professional hockey. It’s just like you always wanted.” Her voice rises.
“I’d have given it up.” I groan. “I would’ve found something else to do with my life. Is hockey all you think I cared about?”
“Of course not.” Her eyes close, and she rubs herforehead. “But exactly, you would have given it up. Without a second thought and I’m sorry, but I loved you too much to allow it,” she admits as her eyes open.
“Loved?” I tease. We never told each other those words; we sure showed it though. “Only past tense?”
“We’ll see where things go. What did you tell my cousin yesterday? We’re taking things slow?” She laughs.
“Yeah, baby. We’ll go at any pace you want.”
“What if I want to go faster?” She swallows.
“We’ll go at any pace you need,” I correct.
Her lips press together and her eyes narrow. “That doesn’t sound like the same answer.”
“You going to let me take care of you like we both need?”
“I can’t promise I won’t argue.” Her lips press together in a half-smile.
I laugh. “I would expect nothing less.”
“I can’t promise I won’t be a brat sometimes.” She tucks her hair behind her ear.
I raise a brow. “Yeah, you want to push some of those buttons?”
Her smile grows. “Maybe.”
“There’s no one else, Daisy. I’m all in with you and I expect the same.”
She rolls her eyes. “There hasn’t ever been anyone else, not really.”
“Nobody?” I’m surprised, but fucking ecstatic. She knew who she belonged to.
“Nobody could compare, and I wasn’t going to settle.”
I nod. “Good.”
“Now, about this dominant and submissive thing. Is that an all the time type of thing?”
I’m glad she’s asking questions. “Not necessarily. I’m going to step in and take care of you when I know you need it. Even if you don’t like it.”
“I didn’t, at first. There was one point—” she stops and shakes her head.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
