“Ava, I’m—shit. I’m so sorry. I’m STI-free. I got tested at the beginning of the season and I haven’t been with anyone else, but…I know that doesn’t mean anything when it comes to pregnancy. I swear I’ve never done this before and I’ll—”
She presses a finger to my lips. “It’s okay, Knox. I’m just as responsible for the slip as you are. I’m on birth control, but we should still use condoms to be on the safe side.”
My entire body relaxes, the tension melting away as quickly as it arrived. “Yes. Of course. It won’t happen again. I have condoms in the top drawer, I just…”
Didn’t use them, like a dumbass.
I close my eyes and push the thought away. What’s done is done, but it won’t happen again.
“I actually have a surprise for you. Open the top drawer of the nightstand.”
She lifts her head and looks up at me, curiosity shining in her eyes. “Is it your photo booth pics?”
Not even close. I shove a hand behind my head, propping it higher on the pillow. “Actually, I have a confession to make. Those pictures are in my wallet, where they’ve been for the last five years.”
“You’ve been carrying around a picture of us forfiveyears?” she asks, her voice climbing an octave or five.
It does sound sort of unhinged when she says it that way.
“What can I say? It’s my lucky charm.” I pinch her backside with my free hand. “You’re my lucky charm.”
“Okay,” she says, blushing furiously as she tucks a strand of hair behind her ear. “That’s probably the best complimentI’ve ever received, but if it’s not the photo strip, what’s in the drawer?”
“Why don’t you look and see?”
She sits up and when she opens the drawer, her mouth drops open, forming a perfect O. “What— Did you do this for me?”
“I did it for us.” I prop myself up on one elbow. “I wanted us to have toys at my place too. This way we won’t have to worry about taking them back and forth. Some of these you already have, so I know you like them, but I also got some new ones. So we can experiment. Together.”
She stares at me with such unabashed joy that I suddenly wish I’d gotten a whole damn trove of sex toys because there’s nothing I wouldn’t do to see that look on her face again.
“This is…” Tears glisten in her eyes, and I pull her close, cradling her soft body in my arms. “I can’t believe you did this. No one has ever…understood me the way you do. Or cared about my pleasure the way you do.”
“Hey.” I cup her chin and turn her face to mine. “That’s on them, not you. This is the bare fucking minimum, Ava, and you deserve so much more.” She nods, but her eyes remain glassy, and I’m not sure she’s really hearing me. “I just want you to be comfortable here, and if I need teammates to give you the kind of pleasure you crave, I’m down. I am one hundred and ten fucking percent in.”
She laughs, though it’s part sniffle. “Did I see a vibrating cock ring in the drawer?”
I smirk. “Damn right, and I can’t wait to try it out with you.”
GLIDERS END ROAD SERIES ON A HEATER
The Atlanta Gliders finished their west coast series strong with back-to-back wins over the Ducks (2-1) and the Kings (2-0), with veteran goaltender Ethan Bouchard recording his first shutout of the season. The Gliders improved to 5-5-2, and now fans are wondering if Atlanta has the chops to string together a few more wins or if their road success was a fluke.
When asked how he felt about the team’s most recent win over the Kings, Gliders captain Knox St. James had this to say: “Every single guy on this team has been working hard at practice, and it showed in our performance this week. Don’t count us out yet. The season is just getting started, and I believe this team can build a winning record one game at a time.”
Only time will tell if St. James is right, but for now, his faith appears well-placed as the Gliders have gone from bashing each other’s heads in to having each other’s backs. Sebastian “Bash” Kristiansen in particular looked chippy this week, punching the dance card of Kings defenseman Ricky Stillman after an illegal cross-check on Gliders rookie Conor McGinnis. McGinnis led Atlanta with four points during this road series, and he shows no signs of slowing down.
More surprising than the Gliders’ two-game winning streak was the fact that for the first time since joining the league, they actually played great hockey and looked like they were having fun doing it. Granted, they haven’t had much to smile about in the past, but if they keep playing the way they played in LA, they could be real contenders this season.
The Gliders will look to extend their winning streak when they face the Maple Leafs at the Triada Center on Tuesday, November 4that 7 p.m.
Comments (276)
Gina120692:Two games is hardly a heater, but it’s a start. ??
StnlyTroll:Not sure how I feel about Kristiansen on the first line, but I didn’t hate watching him dance with Stillman. That guy is a POS.
GlidersGlazer:McGinnis is going to be the team’s top scorer this year. Mark my words. The kid has Calder Trophy written all over him.