Page 75 of Trade Deadline

“She was also cheating on me with a guy from the basketball team, so all the times she was bitching at me for cheating on her, she was pushing her guilt onto me to make herself feel better over the fact that she was the cheater.”

“I’m so sorry, Blaine. Being cheated on can really damage your self-esteem and make you doubt your self-worth.”

I shake my head. “After her, there was David. We met at a club and we hit it off. I thought I’d found someone good, but turns out he lied the whole time. He told me he was a lawyer, but he was actually a journalist. He used me to get a promotion…” I sigh. “I would’ve helped him if he’d been honest, y’know? But they made me feel worthless. That the only good thing about me was my pay check or that I’m a hockey player. I don’t think I’m all that, but I fucking cared about them, and all they cared about was how many dollars were on my contract.”

He sits up, his eyes are earnest as he cups my face between his warm hands. “I hope you don’t think that’s why I’m interested in you, especially after what I said about the debt Jacob and I are dealing with, because I would never, ever, be that shallow.”

I mirror him, sitting up against the pillows and pulling his face toward mine, pressing gentle kisses against his lips.

“I don’t think that at all; if anything, I want to help you and Jacob.”

He shakes his head vigorously. “No, I wouldn’t let you do that. Your money is yours, it’s for your future. We couldn’t accept that.”

I open my mouth to argue, and he presses his finger to my lips. A sad, soft smile appears on his face. “Thank you, though. It’s an incredibly generous thought, but I like you foryou. I don’t care how much money you’ve got in the bank or that you’re a hockey player; I just like you.”

Biting the inside of my lip, I try to ward off the smile that’s threatening to take over my face. “You like me?”

Alex chuckles, nodding his head. He leans down and kisses me a few times before saying, “Yes, I do. Isn’t it obvious? And not just that amazing butt of yours.” He winks.

I pump both fists in the air. “Fuck yeah!”

A whirlwind of butterflies swirls in my stomach as Alex laughs, his cheeks and the tips of his ears turning my favorite shade of pink. I tackle him on the bed, smothering him in kisses before his stomach rumbles loudly.

We erupt into a fit of laughter. “Let’s get you fed.”

Once breakfast has been consumed and we make out like horny teenagers in the shower, we fall back into bed and nap for an hour, only to have our nap interrupted by my brother blowing up my phone.

Elliot

DUDE!

Elliot

Did you know mom and dad flew in yesterday & got tickets from Coach?

Elliot

Send help, mom’s organizing my socks.

Elliot

How can you organize SOCKS?

Elliot

I thought you organized them by pairs but noooo.

Elliot

Apparently there’s more ways to organize SOCKS!

“I should probably go homeand see how Jacob is,” Alex says, slipping those luscious long legs into his jeans.

I don’t want him to go. I want him to stay with me and get naked on the couch and make out while watching movies. But I don’t want him to think I’m needy, so I reluctantly nod.

Plus, I’m pretty sure if I don’t show my face at Elliot’s soon, he’s going to be using the key I’m going to end up regretting giving him.

I fetch my things and put on my sneakers. Taking Alex’s hand in mine, we head out to the elevator.

---