Page 15 of Penalty for Boarding

I want to reach out, trace the sharp line of his jaw with my fingers, but I hesitate. What if I wake him? What if he’s still processing the whirlwind that has been us so far? What if he regrets it…?

But as I rest here, lost in thought, Calvin stirs slightly, his eyes fluttering open to meet mine, a slow, sleepy smile spreading across his features.

“Mornin', beautiful,” he murmurs, voice rough with sleep. “This is a sight I could get used to waking up to.”

His words send a rush of warmth through me, melting away my doubts and worries in an instant. “Good morning yourself, handsome,” I reply as he tugs me closer and presses a soft kiss to my lips.

The kiss sends a delightful shiver down my spine, re-igniting the butterflies that have taken permanent residence in my stomach since we crossed that line. I lean into him, wrapping my arms around him as I breathe him in. Even after a night of sweaty sex, he still smells so good.

“Please tell me we have time for another round?” he teases, his breath warm against my cheek, cock hard against my stomach.

I let out a soft and wishful groan. “As much as I would love to indulge you—and believe me, I really, really would—we have pilates in…” I squint toward the bedside clock. “An hour, and it’ll take almost that long to get there.”

Calvin groans. “I’m thinkin’ we need to pick a city and hire a private instructor there who’ll start class at a decent hour, so I can spend my early mornings between your legs where I belong.”

I laugh, my hand brushing messy strands of his light brown hair off his forehead. “It’d have to be Granite City. I start my work day way before the players take to the ice, and the commute would kill me.”

Calvin chuckles, his gaze holding mine. “Granite City it is, then. I’ll pack a bag and we can spend our mornings tangled up before sweating it out in class.”

His fingers brush across my collarbone, sending electric tingles radiating through me.

“You’re really serious? You’d drive all that way, three times a week, for me?”

“For you?” He finds my hand and tangles it up with his. “Absolutely. I’d drive across the country if it meant waking up with you like this. And I’m talkin’ every morning, doc. Not just three times a week.”

“Every morning?” I repeat, a mixture of disbelief and excitement coursing through me.

“Every morning. Every day. I told you last night, Olivia. This is it for me. I’m all in.”

It’s in this moment that it hits me how serious this man is. I’ve been so caught up in the disbelief that a man like him wanted to even share space with a woman like me I hadn’t truly considered the possibility of this being more than a fling—something I’d thoroughly enjoy then look back on fondly in my old age. But here he is, telling me I’m ‘it’ and looking at me with such sincerity that my heart seems to crack wide open, letting in all that hope I was trying so hard to keep out. It floods through me in a rush, igniting possibilities that had once seemed mere daydreams. I can imagine it all now—the mundane becoming magical, the simple act of waking up together turning into a cherished ritual. I can seeustoo, laughing over breakfast, stealing kisses in between bites, our lives intertwining in a series of tiny, yet important, details.

But just as I start to savor this beautiful vision, a shrill sound pierces my bubble, Calvin’s alarm shrieking like a banshee and jolting us both from our moment of bliss.

“Way to ruin a moment,” Calvin grunts, reaching over to stop the alarm with a heavy sigh. He flops back onto the bed, pulling me close and nuzzling into my neck. “You know...we could just stay right here and do our own exercise routine this morning.” His hand skims down my side to rest on my hip. “I'm sure we can think of a few moves that would get our hearts racing.”

I giggle despite myself, even as my body responds to his touch. “As tempting as that sounds, I don't think sex is going to help with your ankle recovery,” I tease, running my fingers through his chest hair.

He pouts, but there's a glint of amusement in his eyes. “I don't know, doc. I think you might be underestimating the healing powers of a good orgasm.”

I shake my head, smiling up at him. “Calvin, I care about you too much to let you skip out on your recovery, even if my libido is strongly disagreeing with me right now.”

His expression softens, his hand running small circles against my hip. “So…you really do care about me, huh?”

I nod, emotion filling my chest. “Of course I do. More than I probably should, given how fast this all happened. But I can't help it. You've gotten under my skin in the best possible way, Calvin Barrett.”

The smile he gives me could light up the entire city. “This probably goes without saying, but I care about you too, Olivia. A whole damn lot. And as much as I want to fight you on this so I can spend the entire day in this bed with you, I know you're right. We should get to Pilates. But I’m serious about spending my mornings in Granite City. You and I are makin’ this work.”

“Duly noted,” I murmur as he drops a kiss on the top of my head and sits up.

While he’s stretching his arms above his head, I take a moment to appreciate the play of muscles in his back.Is this guy seriously mine?

“Raincheck on that private exercise session, though,” he adds with a wink over his shoulder before he stands and heads for the bathroom.

I laugh, throwing a pillow at him. “You're insatiable, you know that?”

He catches the pillow easily, grinning. “Only for you, babe. Only for you.”

Only for me…

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