Page 129 of Power Play

“Yup. He refuses to sleep in the expensive bed I got him and is perfectly content with the towels I bought online. Pain in my ass,” I say, setting her down. “Bath or shower?”

“Oh, a bath sounds nice. But only if you join me.”

“I’m not sure we’ll both fit. You get in. I’ll rinse off after you.” I turn on the faucet. “Water temperature preference?”

“Scalding hot, please.” Piper sits on the ledge of the tub and smiles up at me. “Permission to ask a personal question?”

“Piper.” I stick my hand under the water and turn it up a few degrees. “You’ve had my dick inside you. You can ask whatever the hell you want.”

“What do your tattoos mean? They’re all so beautiful.”

“Wish I had a good story for them, but I don’t. Not really. The sparrows match the tattoo Alana has.” I tap the birds that span across my ribcage. “We got them when she turned eighteen because she’s always been a bit of a free spirit who wants to spread her wings. The fern leaves are for growth and resilience. My first season in the league I rode the bench in Minnesota. Didn’t play in a single game. I knew I was good enough to be a starter, but it wasn’t my time yet. Then I landed in DC and joined a losing team who set the league record for most defeats in a single season. I needed something to keep me going. It’s stupid, but when I look at the ink, it reminds me that I do this because I love the game and things are always going to get better.”

“Wow. Look at you being Mr. Positive.” She nudges my foot with hers. “And what are you talking about not having a good story for them? That was insightful. Now I feel like I really know you.”

“Thoughts?” I ask on a whim, turning off the water and looking at her.

I don’t know why I’m desperate to hear her answer. It’s like my life hangs in the balance until I know exactly what she thinks of me.

“I like what I see.” Piper braces herself on my shoulder and steps into the tub. The water laps over the sides and runs down the porcelain onto the floor, but I don’t care. She rests her chin on her knees and grins at me. “Do you like what you see?”

“Yeah.” I squat next to her and rub my thumb across her cheek. “Confident, thoroughly fucked, and taken care of looks damn good on you. Think we should keep it that way. Now lie back. Let me wash your hair.”

“Liam. You don’t need to?—”

“And if I want to?”

She reaches out of the tub and takes my hand in hers. She squeezes once and relaxes in the steaming water, golden hair going everywhere.

“Then I’ll let you.”

“Thank you.”

I take my time washing and conditioning her hair. When I finish, I dry her off and bring her to my bed.

I’ve hooked up with a few women before.

I’m not a playboy who’s slept with half the city, but I’m not inexperienced either.

It’s never been like this.

Like I simultaneously want time to speed up so I can see her again while also wishing it could slow down so I can savor each and every second with her, stretching them out for as long as I can.

And as she settles against my chest in one of my T-shirts, her head buried in my shoulder and her heartbeat matching mine, I try to figure out why the fuck this time is so different.

THIRTY-FOUR

LIAM

Puck Kings

G-Money

What’s the dress code tonight?

Hudson

Business causal. What you would wear to the arena on game day.

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