Garrett (16 page)

“Oh, my God…I can’t believe how freakin’ excited I am to see Garrett play,” I say as I nudge Sutton on the shoulder.

“Calm down there, frisky,” Sutton says with a grin. “I don’t want you peeing your pants.”

“You know…I always want to jump Garrett’s bones, but I think I’m going to just spontaneously combust when he comes out on the ice.”

Sutton starts snickering, but then leans over and whispers to me conspiratorially, “I know exactly what you mean. Something about Alex in his hockey gear…let me just say, home game nights are always the best in our house.”

I nod over her sage advice, and I’m sure things are about to get hotter between Garrett and me once the season starts. Although…it’s going to be pretty hard to top what we’ve done so far. While Garrett and I didn’t stay together Monday night because of his early-morning run, he’s stayed the last two nights at my apartment, and we are pretty much insatiable around each other.

Now that Garrett is convinced I’m back to feeling one hundred percent of my normal self, I think he’s made it his mission to pound me practically through the mattress. My muscles are always a little sore the next morning, but, damn…so worth it.

Just this morning, we both overslept because we had stayed up until the wee hours of the morning banging out multiple orgasms. I hastily jumped in the shower, shouting a quick goodbye to Garrett, who had just about enough time to make it back to Raleigh and skid into his practice on time. I had been under the hot spray of water for no more than ten seconds when Garrett was stepping into the shower behind me.

“What are you doing?” I practically screeched, because he scared the hell out of me.

He wrapped one arm around my waist and the other dropped down between my legs while his erection burned against my backside. The minute his fingers hit my clit, my head dropped back on his shoulder and I managed to moan out, “But you’ll be late for practice.”

“Maybe not,” he growled into my ear just before nipping it with his teeth. “Depends how fast I can get you and me off.”

Turns out…it took less than a minute for me the first time, and a satisfying seven minutes later, I had come fantastically again, and Garrett followed right behind me. As he gave me a swift kiss and jumped out of the shower, he grinned at me and said, “So worth it to be a few minutes late.”

“What happens if you’re late?” I asked, even as he walked out of the bathroom.

“Extra drills,” he shouted back so I could hear him over the water. “But again…so worth it.”

I giggled and then hurried up with the rest of my shower, because I didn’t want to be late to work. After I got dressed, I couldn’t help but melt further when I saw the note that Garrett had left.

Made you a bagel. On counter. Again, the extra drills are worth it.

I read the stupid note probably three times while I ate my breakfast, my smile getting wider and wider. When I got down to my car, I found a little wildflower—really just a weed of a flower—stuck underneath my windshield wiper, and I literally sighed like a simpering schoolgirl.

I know Garrett had doubts about his dating abilities, but so far…he is nailing it. Forget how sweet he is and the little things he does to brighten my day. Forget about the way he dominates my body in bed and is never satisfied until I’ve been satisfied more than him. Yes, forget all of those things. The reason he’s nailing it is because he has chosen to be with a woman that has cancer, even knowing that it’s ugly, brutal, and terrifying. He’s taking a risk with his heart, made even more magnanimous by the fact that he’s not really been in a real relationship before. At least not to my knowledge. He’s taking his first foray into the monogamy game, and he’s chosen a hard bet.

The scraping sound of skates hitting the ice filters in, and my eyes sweep the ice as the players pour onto it. It’s hard to recognize them, because they don’t have on their game jerseys. About half the players are in plain white jerseys and half in plain black.

My eyes roam over each player briefly, and immediately I recognize Garrett. Even with his helmet on, I recognize the length of his hair and his strong jaw and chin in profile. When he turns my way, his green eyes glow and he raises his hand slightly in a wave to me.

It feels like a million little mice are pitter-pattering over my heart, and, yeah…I’m also hit with a rush of desire for this man, because, damn…he’s so fucking hot decked out in his gear.

“Close your mouth,” Sutton whispers to me. “I’m afraid drool might start flowing out.”

I shoot her a quick glare, but snap my mouth shut so I don’t slobber all over myself.

“Hey, Sutton,” I hear, and my head turns to find a really pretty girl about my age with dark blond hair plopping down into the seat next to her.

“Hey, Gina. Where’s Benjamin?” Sutton asks.

“My parents are visiting and they have him for the day. Figured I’d come out and watch the scrimmage.”

Sutton turns to me. “Olivia…this is Gina Toast. Her man is Zack Grantham and they have an adorable little boy named Benjamin.”

I reach across Sutton and shake Gina’s hand. “I’m Olivia…Sutton’s cousin. Nice to meet you.”

She gives me a wide, friendly smile. “Likewise. So, coming out to help Sutton support Alex?”

Before I can even answer, Sutton jumps in and with relish says, “No way. She’s dating Garrett. He’s nuts about her.”

Gina’s jaw drops and her gaze slowly slides back and forth between me and Sutton. “Get out of town.”

Then she pins me with a direct stare. “Seriously? You landed Garrett Samuelson, renowned ladies’ man and king of the one-night stand?”

I can’t help but laugh, and whereas most girlfriends would be offended, it’s completely true what she just said. “Well…we’ve gone out for a week and a half now, which I’ve been told is a record in his book.”

“That’s practically like him marrying you…or doing a blood pact. A week and half?”

All of us laugh, and I’m sure the more people that find out that Garrett is seeing one woman now, it is going to cause lots of raised eyebrows and colorful comments.

“So, which one is Zack?” I ask Gina, as the coach blows the whistle and several of the players head to the bench, leaving five guys in white jerseys and five guys in black jerseys around the center ice circle.

“He’s actually the second guy to the right of Garrett,” Gina says as she points to him. I can’t tell much, other than he’s tall and big like the rest of them.

“He’s on Garrett’s team,” I point out, noting that both of them are wearing black jerseys.

Garrett had invited me to this scrimmage a few days ago. His words came off as if it wasn’t a big deal to him, but I could tell by his tone he really wanted me to come. I’m not sure if it was the prospect of having someone to support him, or maybe he just wanted to make a statement to everyone that he was off the market. Regardless, I couldn’t say no, and Stevie was only all too happy to give me the time off since I wouldn’t take a full week off after my treatments as he had demanded.

The scrimmage would last only thirty minutes, and Garrett told me the coaches would choose the teams. Looks like Garrett and Zack will be on the same line together, but Alex is wearing a white jersey.

“I’ll bet you twenty dollars that Garrett’s team wins,” I say suddenly to Sutton.

She blinks at me in surprise, then her lips curl upward in a challenging smile. “You’re on, and your man is going down, bitch.”

Gina laughs at both of us, and then the whistle blows and we are all cheering our men on.

We all head over to Houlihan’s after the scrimmage game, which is a popular hangout with the locals and the hockey players. While their celebrity causes a bit of a stir, for the most part, the customers are used to having professional athletes among them and aren’t too obnoxious.

Of course, as soon as we sit down, a few fans trickle over to ask for autographs. It’s beyond adorable to watch Alex, Garrett, and Zack talk to the kids that come up. Not so adorable the women that bat their eyelashes and speak in breathy moans. Sutton and Gina ignore them, talking to each other while the men sign autographs and chat with the fans, but this is my first real experience with Garrett’s celebrity. I find it fascinating, a little exciting, and yeah…a little annoying the way the women act.

Garrett speaks with everyone the same. A friendly smile, a quick pose for the camera. He doesn’t flirt with the women, but doesn’t ignore them either. I recognize something hot flowing through me and I realize it’s a bit of jealousy. And maybe doubt. Because some of the women that flock to him are really, really gorgeous.

“You’ll get used to it,” Gina says as she leans around Sutton to look at me.

I swing my gaze back to her and have to chuckle. “Is it always like this?”

“Sometimes,” Sutton says. “Particularly in here, because this is a known hangout for the Cold Fury. But there are times Alex and I go out and no one ever says a word.”

“Not enjoying the women that seem to seek them out,” I mutter softly so the guys can’t hear me. Not that they would even be paying attention…what with all the flirty boob being bandied about.

“Yeah…that really takes a bit to get used to,” Gina says with a wise nod. “You just have to trust your guy to do right. There’s some guys on the team that are whores…cheat on their wives when they’re on the road. But others are golden.”

I turn back and take in a cursory glance as Alex, Zack, and Garrett hang out with the fans a few feet from the table we had been seated at. They look to be in their element, and truly this is nothing more to them than part of their job.

Turning back to Gina, I ask, “How long have you and Zack been married?”

“Oh, we’re not married,” she says with a smile. “We’ve been together almost seven years now.”

“And no urge to tie the knot?” I ask teasingly.

“Not really. We’re both happy like this. I mean…it’s tough sometimes that women think he’s available because he doesn’t have a ring on his finger, but Zack sets them straight.”

“I totally understand,” I tell her with commiseration. “My mom and dad didn’t get married. I mean…they did some type of hippie ceremony, but nothing legal.”

Gina laughs and Sutton gives a snort. “Well, I’m happy to be married to Alex, but honestly, I’d be happy just being with him, so I get you, Gina.”

A waitress comes up to take our drink orders. “Do you ladies know what you want to drink? I can come back for their orders,” she says as she nods over to the guys.

“I’ll have a Blue Moon,” Gina says. “And I know what Zack wants. He’ll take a Guinness on draft.”

Sutton says, “I’ll take a glass of your house Riesling, and Alex will have a Sam Adams.”

The waitress turns to look at me. “Um…I’ll just have a Bud Light. I have no clue what Garrett wants.”

“He drinks Sam Adams too,” Sutton supplies to the waitress, who nods and gives us a quick smile before leaving.

“How do I not know what Garrett drinks?” I ask in bemusement. “I think I just failed my first test.”

“Failed your first test in what?” Garrett asks as he sits down in the chair next to me and scoots it a little closer. His arm comes up to casually rest on my shoulders and he leans in to kiss me on my temple. He’s so fucking natural at all of these little things…the touches, the looks. It’s like he was born to be with someone, and I’m just lucky enough that right now, it’s apparently me.

“I didn’t know what you drink,” I say with a sad face and a dramatic whine. “I don’t know anything about you at all.”

Garrett snorts and leans in to give me a not-so-swift kiss. When he pulls away, he says, “That’s not true. You know more about me than most.”

“Like what?” I dare him to prove me not a fool.

“What’s my favorite candy?”

“Snickers.”

“What position do I play?”

I roll my eyes. “Right wing.”

“Favorite food?”

“Steak, medium rare, with grilled veggies.”

“Favorite song?”

“ ‘Eleanor Rigby,’ Beatles.”

I look around the table and no one is paying us any attention. Zack has his arm around Gina, whispering something in her ear, and Alex is showing Sutton something on his iPhone.

Garrett leans in closer to me and places his lips near my ear. The nearness of him causes goose bumps to break out on my arms. “What’s my favorite sexual position?” he whispers subtly.

My entire body quakes from the sexual promise in his voice and his breath along my neck. “That’s one I don’t know,” I murmur back.

“Well, for future tests, my favorite is with my face between your legs.”

I have to clamp said legs together hard to relieve the sudden ache there. Garrett gives me a knowing look and then leans back into his own chair, turning toward Alex. “Hey, dude…what are you and Sutton doing this weekend?”

Alex turns his attention to Garrett. “No plans. Why?”

“How about the four of us go somewhere? Like an amusement park or something fun.” Turning back to me, Garrett asks, “What do you think? Are you up for something like that?”

Yeah…I’m up for anything with Garrett. I’d be happy sitting with him in an empty room with bare walls, but the prospect of going to an amusement park…spending an entire day outside, expending adrenaline on thrilling rides, holding hands while we walk along…watching other women drool and lust over my guy. Sounds divine.

“I’d love to,” I tell him with a grin.

“Yeah…that sounds cool,” Alex says, and Sutton nods.

Garrett turns toward Zack and Gina, “What about you two? Want to go to an amusement park with us?”

“Man…that sounds fun, but Gina’s parents will still be here and we need to hang with them.”

“Some other time, then,” Garrett says.

Zack and Gina start talking softly to each other again. They look completely in love as Zack holds an arm around her shoulders and nuzzles her every so often. Alex and Sutton are totally at ease with each other, laughing over something on his phone.

I turn to Garrett and he’s facing me, eyes shining like emeralds and seriously intent. “Thanks for coming to my scrimmage.”

“Thanks for inviting me,” I tell him with a smile. “It was a lot of fun, and because your team was victorious, I won twenty bucks off Sutton.”