Page 79 of Playing to Win

“Thanks. The girls told me the same thing. I’m not good at saying things, but I appreciate everything you’ve done. For me.”

When she said that, I felt good. What I did on the ice, that made me proud. But this was a different kind of pride. Something warmer, softer, more compelling. I wanted to do anything for her. “You’ve done a lot for me too. Especially after I made an ass of myself in that video. Showed me how privileged I was, even when I thought I wasn’t. You came with me to meet Frank and helped me with Faith. And…”

Did I want to say more? We’d said we weren’t fake anymore, but this…

“Are you going to leave me hanging here, Mitchell?”

Yeah, I might just as well put it out there. “I’ve been totally focused on hockey. I mean, I did have to work hard to get to the Inferno. I thought that hockey was enough. I thought ithadto be enough. But I’m playing for the BlazeandI’ve got you, and being with you makes it better. I get to have you and hockey both, and I didn’t think I could do that.”

She didn’t answer. The seconds ticked by, and maybe I’d put my foot in it?

Fuck.Maybe I had assumed we were more than we were. “Sorry, did that come out wrong? Or is it the wrong time to say that? Did I mess things up?”

“No. That wasn’t wrong. It just—well, it hits in some weird ways. I only had hockey, and now I don’t, but I have you. And would we work if I was playing? Did I have to give that up to get here?”

Shit.“No, Jayna. No, never. I wish you were still playing. I don’t care if you have to train and travel and can’t work everything in your life around me. I’d be stoked to have my girlfriend burning up her league and I’d be in the front row to watch you in the Olympics. I don’t, not anywhere, think that you hurt and not playing is a good thing.”

She sighed. “Two hockey players would make things more difficult.”

“It would be worth it. Totally worth it. If next week the doctors came back with some way to fix your knee, I’d take you to them and I’d want it to happen.”

“Fuck.” Her voice was a growl. “Why the hell do you have to be in Florida tonight? I want you here. I want to make you feel so good. I want my mouth on you and your hands on me. I want you inside mesobadly?—”

My dick was hard as a post, and I wanted to make her feel good too. Phone sex might not have been why I called her, but if she wanted it, I was more than happy to help.

“What would you do, Jayna?” My voice was low. We’d never done this together, and I’d definitely never done it with anyone else. I could figure it out, right?

“I’d kiss you first.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah. I’d ravage your mouth. Pull your hair, spread you out below me.” I shoved the covers on the bed down. My erection was tenting my underwear.

“I can almost feel you. What would you do next?” She whimpered and I’d bet she was touching herself.

“I’d kiss my way down your chest. Bite your nipples, lick your abs.” My hand followed her imaginary path, and I swear I felt her. I groaned.

“You like that? Are you hard?”

“Like you wouldn’t believe.”

“That’s what I’d do next. Suck you. Use my mouth and my hands?—”

My hand moved down to my cock, pulled it out of my underwear. “That feels so good, babe.”

“Are you touching yourself?”

“I’d rather touch you, but you’ve got me hot just talking.”

“I’m wet. And I’m touching myself.”

She was killing me. Absolutely murdering me, and I loved it. “Wet enough for me? Ready for me to fuck you?”

“Oh yeah.”

“If I was there, first I’d go down on you. Make sure you were really ready.” This time she was the one moaning. “Touch yourself like it’s me. Like I’m there, licking that pussy. Owning it.”

Her breathing was fast and erratic. I shuddered, stroking myself, picturing her doing the same.

---