Page 71 of Face Off
Jetlagged as fuck and tired as hell, I make my way to Hayley’s hotel room. To say Coach wasn’t pissed when I came to him and told him where I truly needed to be… ah, who am I lying to. He was fucking pissed. But thankfully, Mr. Richards, who was summonsed to his room during our little pow wow, okayed it all.
I raise my tired fist and knock quietly on the door.
A couple minutes pass before I knock again.
Nothing.
As I pull my phone from my pocket to send her a quick text, I hear shuffling from the other side of the door. As a last-ditch effort, I raise my fist, knocking quietly on the door once again.
The safety chain slides from its groove just as the door opens quickly. There she stands, eyes hooded with sleep. Her hair is thrown into a messy bun, pieces falling into her face as she clasps a white plush robe tightly to her body.
“Brooks?” she says, voice filled with gruff. “W-what are you doing here?”
A small smirk tugs at the corners of my lips as I watch her come awake with the realization that I’m here in front of her. “Yeah, about that… It just didn’t feel right letting you come here on your own.”
“Brooks.”
“Hayley.” I say her name, taking a step toward her. “Hayley, Hayley, Hayley. The playoffs will happen with or without me. But being here to support you and Camden; that’s something that I won’t let happen without me.”
“But the team—”
“They’ll kick ass tonight on the ice, and they’ll forgive me. They know the score,” I say, taking another step closer to her, my loafers now toe to toe with her bare feet. “Plus, you left without giving me a parting gift.”
She looks up at me through her thick lashes, her bottom lip caught between her teeth. God, she looks gorgeous unput together. My hand pushes a chunk of hair that has fallen out of her bun behind her ear before cupping the back of her head, while my other hand snakes around her waist. Pulling her close to me, I inhale her intoxicating scent. My entire body relaxes. This. This right here is where I needed to be.
With her.
With Camden.
“And what parting gift did I forget to leave behind with you?” she purrs as we grow closer to one another. Our mouths inches apart.
She darts her tongue out to moisten her lips. Her gaze dropping to mine before meeting my eyes again. Back at the cat and mouse game we go. But this time, we both know the score.
I slowly walk her back into her room, our gaze never moving from one another. “You gonna invite me in, Red?”
“Depends.”
“Oh yeah? “I say, kicking the door shut. “Depends on what?”
She pushes to her tippy toes, her breasts brushing against my chest. Her warm breath kisses the skin of my neck as she whispers in my ear, “Depends on how quiet you can be.”
And just like that, my mouth finds hers in a toe-curling kiss. A kiss filled with so much emotion and passion. It’s whatmovies would dream of capturing. The chemistry combusting between us.
I break our kiss for a moment, pressing my forehead against her as she gazes into my eyes. “Question is, how quiet can you be?” I counter. My hands move slowly down her sides, gripping the back of her thighs. Lifting her up, I carry her to her side of the suite. Dropping her on the bed before turning to shut the enclosed door.
???
Halloway: Dude? Seriously? I can’t fucking believe you up and left like that.
Halloway: Like do you understand this is the game to lock us into the playoffs?
Halloway: I swear to God, I will punch you in the jaw if we lose this game tonight.
Halloway: How’s Hayley holding up?
My phone pings nonstop on the nightstand like rapid fire as the morning sun shines through the blinds of the hotel room. Hayley’s head rests on my bare chest, stirring slightly as I reach to read the string of texts from Halloway.
“Let me guess, Channing?” she murmurs, eyes still closed as she rolls onto her back and out of my warmth.
