Page 104 of Play to Win

Things wrap up Saturday.I’m supposed to have breakfast with the GM from Carolina Sunday morning, but I want to get the hell out of here and get home.So I quickly change the breakfast to a drink in the bar Saturday afternoon, change my flight, so I’ll be home by ten o’clock after a painful five and a half hour flight.I manage to get some work done though, sitting in business class with a nice glass of scotch and unlimited snacks, thinking about my conversation with Tuttle from Carolina.They know we have cap issues and they have room.They’re willing to take some players off our hands.

I mull over the options, entering numbers into my spreadsheets to see how the cap is impacted.Fuck.We may have no choice but to lose someone we don’t want to.

I left my car at home so Lacey could use it while I was gone, and the car service is waiting for me outside the terminal at LAX.I jump into the Escalade.Should I call Lacey, or text her, to let her know I’m home?

Nah, I’ll surprise her.

Except when I get there, she’s not home.

I park my suitcase and gaze around the empty house dejectedly.Shit.Where is she?

I drop down onto the couch and text her.She doesn’t answer right away, so I haul my luggage upstairs and change.Back downstairs with a beer in hand, I check my phone.

I’m out dancing with Everly and Taylor!

Great.

I blow out a breath and sink into the couch.I should have thought that she’d want to go out on a Saturday night.Especially since we didn’t end up going out that night I came home so stressed.

She’s already made friends since we moved here, one of them my aunt, for Chrissake.She’s even made friends with my mom, going shopping, teaching her to knit.Everyone loves her.She needs a guy who’s social and fun, not a nerdy workaholic like me.

I don’t feel betrayed.Not exactly.Just ...let down.Disappointed.I don’t blameher.I should know better than to think I could have something—or someone—I want so badly.

I’m not going to kick her out or anything.I’m not an asshole.I just need to be more careful.

I don’t tell her I came home early to see her; I don’t want her to come home early herself.Not sure if she’d do that, but anyway ...I drink my beer and turn on the TV to watch a recap of tonight’s hockey game, the first game of the Stanley Cup final.

One day, I’ll be there.

I just need to keep working my ass off and forget about a sexy, sweet woman with incredible hair and long legs and an enchanting smile ...

* * *

“I didn’t knowyou were coming home early!”

I was asleep when Lacey got home last night, and even though I sort of heard and felt her get into bed, I pretended I didn’t and went back to sleep.

This morning, she’s yawning and making coffee and looking adorable as usual.

“It was a last-minute decision.Decided I wanted to get back so I could head into the office today and go through all my notes.”

“But it’s Sunday.”

I grimace.“I know.But I have some phone calls to make to follow up on meetings I had this week.We need to make some trades and I need to figure things out.”

“Oh.Okay.”

“Did you have fun last night?”

“Yeah!It was a girls’ night.Everly and Taylor brought a couple of other friends and it was fun.We went to Lux.”

“Nice.”I keep my expression pleasantly neutral.“That’s good.Well, I’ll see you later.I’m going to stop at Starbucks on my way to the office.”

“Okay.”Her smile holds a hint of disappointment.“See you later.”

I feel like a giant turd as I drive to the arena.I’ve been away for a week and want to spend time with Lacey, and she’s obviously disappointed that I’m disappearing, but it’s better this way.I need to keep my distance.As much as I can, when we’re living together, sharing a bed.Sharing all kinds of things.

Of course I can’t stay away from her totally.I hate myself when she snuggles up to me in bed that night, but I’ve missed her so goddamn much and I want her with a blood-deep craving I can’t ignore, and she feels so fucking good—all long silky hair and soft skin and lush curves.I pull her closer and find her mouth with mine in the dark and lose myself in her, in her taste, her scent, her arms around me.

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