Page 35 of Power Move
“Why not? We’re here.” Feeling so light and floaty, I kiss him again as he eases out of me and sets me on my feet.
I turn on the shower, adjusting the temperature. Steam billows out.
He grabs shampoo and body wash and pulls me in with him under the spray. “I don’t know how much hot water there is, so we should go fast.”
He uses the shampoo, and I take the body wash, then we switch. I like knowing I’ll smell like his scent today. We rinse off and climb out, wrapping ourselves in heated towels.
Stepping into the hall brings voices echoing from different parts of the house. Holding my bundle of clothes, I hurry with him to the bedroom. “When we get back home, do you want to have a movie night at your place?”
“So I get to start and end my birthday with you? Yes, please.” He kisses me over our open overnight bags.
Rhys steps into jeans and tugs a dark blue thermal over his head. I pull on an orange hoodie and gray sweats. Holding hands, we walk through the cabin.
Everyone is in the kitchen. Phil and Gio are back too. Various hats, gloves, and coats hang about, drying. The scent of coffee and hot chocolate fills the air.
Phil motions to the cake on the table. “We should do this now.”
He’s right. We don’t have a ton of time left here. I remove the cover. Vanilla buttercream over a chocolate cake, with chocolate shavings on top.
“That looks good.” Jonas pulls up a chair around the opposite side and takes the stack of plates Morgan passes to him. “Are we singing?”
“You don’t have to.” Rhys passes me a mug filled with coffee, then gets one for himself.
Gio comes over with matches and a candle. “Of course we do.”
Maxim marches Rhys to the table and pushes him into the chair in front of the cake. Rhys grins at the cake, and takes my hand, drawing me to his side. “Who baked this?”
“I did.” Phil brings over a knife and a pile of napkins.
“Thank you.”
Gio lights the candle, and Maxim takes a photo of Rhys, and me, with his cake.
Soren queues upHappy Birthdayon his phone, and we sing along. I slip my arm around Rhys’s shoulders, and when he looks at me with his eyes shining, there’s a warmth in my chest like my heart’s opening wider to allow him fully inside.
He blows out the candle and we all applaud. Phil slices wedges of cake, and Quinn takes over, passing them around.
Rhys waits until we all have a piece. “Thank you all for making this birthday special. I usually stick to dinners with my friends, but the past two days have been some of the best I’ve had in a long time. So, repeat next year?”
There are cheers and talking of how next year’s cabin adventures can be even better. Maybe we’ll luck out again with coinciding days off during the season and can make the plans a reality.
Rhys pulls me onto his lap. “Thank you for making this happen. This has been the best birthday I’ve had in a long time.”
“I’d say anytime, but birthdays are once a year.” I dab a bit of frosting on his lower lip. He licks it off, his smile growing wolfish. “But I’d totally do this again.”
“When’s your birthday?”
“August.”
He slips his hand into my hair, sliding through the strands. “I promise I’ll make it as special.”
Gazing into his eyes, I say what’s in my heart. “If you’re there, then it already will be.”
CHAPTER 10
RHYS
Our arena is electric.Fans are on their feet, the roar of their cheers so loud, I can’t hear my teammates next to me. The final minute of play in the third period is counting down. Standing at the bench, I yell encouragement to the guys. Not that they can hear me.
