Page 119 of Coach Me
When I turn and don’t see Lucie, my blood pressure goes through the fucking roof. Swinging her room door open, I find her in leggings and an oversized T-shirt, lying back on her bed like she’s going to fucking sleep.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?”
Lucie shoots up. “Dex? I thought you were going to rest with Miles?”
“No, his mom’s got him for a minute, Luce.”
Her shoulders rest down. “Dex, if you want to be with Miles right now, I’m not?—”
I cut her off by picking her up and throwing her over my damn shoulder. “Come with me.”
“Wh-what? You’re not giving me much choice now, are you?”
“You’re right, I’m not.” I carry her out of her room andright out of our suite. When I told Olsson we needed to go back to the hotel, Beck caught me before I could leave the dugout.
“What are we doing?” Lucie huffs.
“Beck gave me his room key so we have a place to talk privately.” I step across the hall and swipe the card.
“Can’t yelling at me, wait until after we all get some rest?”
Oh, I’m about to yell at her alright.
I carry her inside, letting the door shut on its own before setting her down in front of the bed.
“No, it can’t wait. Dammit, Lucie. After the day you’ve just had, you think I don’t want to talk to you? That I don’t want to have you next to me?”
Lucie’s shoulders drop as she stares at her feet. “Dex, I’m so sorry for today, it was all my?—”
I grab her face gently and thread my fingers through her hair. “Don’t you dare say it was your fault. It was an accident, Lucie.”
The corners of her mouth drop. “But I didn’t even come tell you about it. Dex, I’m okay if you’re upset with me right now. I told you I was patient.”
Fuck, now I’m mad at her.
“Should I recount the whole afternoon for you? Luce, you organized a complete search party for Miles. Kate came and told me, and yes, I needed to know, but you kept Miles as your priority. Then, on top of that, you stepped to the fucking side because you thought it would be best for Miles to have his parents together in that moment.
“I say this in the best way possible, I’m fully convinced that you love my son more than me. It’s what has made me fall so fucking in love with you so damn fast because I’venever seen anyone—anyone, Lucie—take care of him the way you do. The way you take care of everyone! You fucking found your dad today. A man you haven’t seen since you were a kid, but you took it in fucking stride during a crisis. And guess what? It doesn’t stop there. You proceeded to take care of your older brother because you knew he couldn’t face his father alone. Don’t ask me how I know that. I know you. You think you don’t know who you are, but that’s bullshit. Your siblings are caretakers because they felt like they had to be, but not you. You’re the most genuine, nurturing, self-sacrificing caretaker I’ve ever met. You find joy in other people’s happiness and love being the reason it’s there to begin with.”
Lucie closes her eyes as she lets out a deep breath. Her hand holds on to my wrist. “Dex…”
I tilt her face so she can meet my eyes. “You’ve put everyone above yourself today. I know it’s just who you are, baby, but damn it—I need you to be selfish for just one fucking minute. Yell every single stress at me, Lucie, I can take it. Speak unfiltered, because I know you’ve never felt like you could before. There’s no one else here but me and you, baby, soplease, be so fucking selfish.”
I can see the fight in her eyes, then I see the moment it slips away. “Kiss me, Dex, then remind me how you don’t want to stop.”
That I can do. Pulling her to me, I kiss her with everything in me. She wants to be reminded of what she means to me, then I’ll show her.
I pull her shirt over her head before reaching for mine. “Take your fucking clothes off, baby.”
Lucie listens, ripping every stitch of clothing off while I do the same. Scooping her back up, Lucie’s legs wraparound my waist and our kiss feels like a damn frenzy. All her tension, all her stress, and all her emotions are coming out in this kiss.
I lay her down on the bed. Her hips seek me out, lining us up. I can’t tell if she’s rushing because she wants to get back over to our suite or if it’s because she needs it now. If it’s the latter, I’ll give it to her, but this isn’t about anything other than her right now.
“You can be whatever you want to be with everyone else, but with me—baby, with me—I want you to be selfish. No other thoughts right now. No other wants but yours. Tell me what youwant. Not need—I’ll give you every fucking thing you need for the rest of your life. Here and now, tell me what you want.”
Lucie’s chest rises and falls. “I want to feel you. All of you. I never want your lips to leave mine—ever. Dex, I think I’ve wanted this for averylong time.”
“I’m glad you think that, baby. I’ll work on making you know that. I fucking know I want it.”
