Page 100 of Unsteady

“Yeah,” he says, grappling for me as I crawl across the bed. Ignoring my attempt at being sensual, he sits me on his lap, just the sheet between us. “It’s got my last name on it.”

My cheeks blaze, satisfaction rolling through me. His hands tighten briefly on my thighs, like he’s worried I might bolt at any moment. But I’ve decided. He’s worth any of it—and if he doesn’t mind how fucked up and messy my life is, how little time I can afford to lose, then I’m not telling him to go.

“Hey, hotshot.”

“Hey, Gray.” Another grin I bottle up tight and hold close in my chest. It makes my heart skip and my body warm. I snuggle deeper into him, just breathing in the smell of his skin.

“If I’d known my dick would make you this docile, I would’ve done that a lot sooner,” he teases. “It’s like magic.”

“Why didn’t you?” I try to ask it just as teasing, but there is a slip of vulnerability in the words.

Rhys angles my head out from my hiding place in his neck and rubs at my cheek lovingly. “Because it was never going to be just sex for me with you. And I knew you weren’t ready for that.”

My cheeks blaze. My eyes burn and I want to bolt as much as I want to handcuff him to me.

“You think I wasn’t ready for your magical dick?”

He laughs, his head tipped back against the headboard and I can’t help latching my mouth to his pulse and laving over it with my tongue. His laugh cuts off into a moan, hands gripping, but not to encourage. To stop me.

“Come on,” I whisper, nipping at his ear. I’m addicted to him. I want more—endless more.

“Hold on, Gray,” he pleads, groaning as I suck beneath his ear. “Baby, please.”

The soft name makes me want to giggle and twirl my hair, and bask in everything that he is. I manage to only pull back and look at him, my hand splayed across his well-defined stomach, trailing blunt fingernails across his abs.

“What?” I ask.

His hand tilts my chin so he can meet my eyes. And he’s still smiling. I smile too.

“I just want to check in. We didn’t talk last night after everything.”

After he fucked me speechless, he means. In a way that made me regret everything I’d ever wasted on another man because that wasn’t sex—this, it feels like even more. I didn’t know it could be like this.

“I’m good,” I say, probably too chipper. “I’m—it was amazing.”

He smirks, a little bit of arrogance pushing through. “That’s not what I meant. But good for my ego. I haven’t—” His brow furrows, mouth freezing open for a moment. “Did you really never look me up?”

“I told you I wouldn’t. Though, now that you know my secrets, do I get to know yours?” I say it mostly in jest.

“Actually, yes.”

My heart leaps into my throat. “Rhys—”

“I want you to know everything, Sadie.”

He tackles me to the mattress with kisses that are cut too short when he stands. I watch him move, mouthwatering at the taunt shape of his ass—even more at his half-hard cock hanging between his legs when he starts back towards me. I’m distracted enough that I don’t notice that he’s got his laptop in hand.

He opens it, sitting back next to me and types a few things before he finds what he’s looking for. Then, he spins the computer towards me and steps away.

“I’m gonna shower. Just—look at the video.”

The screen is paused, but the title readsRhys Koteskiy Stretchered Off by Kane Hit (Graphic)and that is enough for me to feel my stomach fall out of my ass.

For a moment, I just stare, hovering over the play button until I can force myself to click it.

The game starts up, it's the middle of the period and Rhys looks to be on fire. His face is happy and open, but there’s an underlying intensity and focus. The puck drops and they’re off—speeding towards the other end after Rhys won the face off. He’s fast, beautiful and powerful as his legs push him towards the goal. Another player passes it back to him and they’re closing in on the boards so fast. But the other team has someone right on top of him, who goes for the hit just as Rhys passes it backwards.

The hit is hard, like I’ve seen in hockey many times, but it isn’t the hit that does him in—it’s his bent posture, hitting the boards full speed, head first.

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