Page 73 of The Power Play

“Was that okay?” he asks, clearly nervous about what I’m going to say.

I stand up on the bench so I’m closer to his height than if I stood on the floor. Wrapping my arms around his neck, I press myself against him. “What do you think?” I kiss him softly. He melts against me, and there’s something about this kiss. The way his tongue massages mine. The way he holds me. The way my heart is beating in my chest. The way my mind is reeling.

My worst fear may be coming true, and I may be having real feelings for Charlie Mann.

Fuck.

28

We both get back home at the same time and I thank past me for procrastinating on ordering the bed because after the night I’ve had, I want nothing more than to fall asleep next to Audrey. I’m not sure she would let that happen if I didn’t have an excuse. There’s something that shifted with us tonight and I don’t know what it is, but I didn’t worry about not using a condom with her. I trusted her. I still trust her. The feeling isunreal.

Neither of us say much as we get changed. She pulls on another one of my t-shirts and my lips quirk up in a smile.

“What?” Audrey sasses with a hand on her hip.

I shake my head, “Nothing.”

She narrows her eyes at me behind her black framed glasses. I’ve never had any particular opinion on them before, but on Audrey I think they are one of the sexiest things I’ve seen. Well, that and everything else she’s wearing. Or not wearing.

“I like seeing you in my shirt, looks fucking hot on you.”

She shrugs, “It’s just so comfy.”

We both climb into the bed, and she doesn’t act like she wants me to sleep somewhere else. In fact, when we both settle under the covers she doesn’t even try to move away when I pull her against me. She seems to melt in my hold and I’m able to relax myself. I thought sleep would elude me, but I’m able to drift off easily and I only have the woman in my arms to thank for that.

As soon asI wake up from my alarm for practice, I regret going to the rink after the game last night. My body is sore from overexertion. Plus, add in the insane sex Audrey and I had while we were there and I’m definitely feeling it today.

Before leaving, I kiss Audrey’s forehead and she stirs slightly.

“I’m going to practice, but I want to do something with you after I get back,” I tell her and the only reason I know that she heard me was the little mumbling noise she makes before opening her eyes.

God she’s fucking beautiful. It’s like a punch in the gut with her looking up at me like this.

“I hope it’s something sexual,” her voice is hoarse with sleep.

I chuckle, “I’ll see you later.”

She hums before rolling onto her stomach and probably falling right back asleep. I stand in the doorway, just looking at her. I know I’m not allowed to have any feelings for her. But dammit, I don’t think I can help it.

After practiceI quickly go up to the offices that are in the building. I asked Collee if he knew how to get rid of any footage that may or may not have been recorded in the arena. He didn’t ask any clarifying questions and told me who to go see to get it taken care of.

It’s a guy named Gary, so I ask for him at the reception desk and she tells me what office to go to. I knock on his door and the middle-aged man looks at me with shock and confusion.

“Mann? Come in,” he stutters.

“Hey Gary, I have a bit of a favor to ask you.”

“Sure, yeah, anything you want.”

“The cameras in the practice arena, are they always recording?”

“Yeah, unless there’s a power outage or something, but we are a very secure facility.”

“Cool, and you are the one that gets this footage?” I try to act like none of this is a big deal.

“I am.”

“So, then you would be the one to talk to about deleting anything recorded last night.”

---