Page 92 of Aftersome
Until lines began to blur and I had her in my arms again. Staring at me like I was someone she was finally beginning to unfold and see. Like I was someone of worth.
And for a minute there, I let everything around us fade away. Hockey, my shoulder, Hayes, I pretended like it was just Doe and I. With no pasts that could intervene, no anything.
But the moment I had caught her eyes stray down toward my mouth, I knew I was done for. I knew I wouldn’t be able to stop her or tell her how terrible of an idea it was because I wanted it just as bad, if not more than she did.
Even nervous and a bit shaky in my arms, this brave girl never shied away from me. Never faltered when I dropped my stare onto her lips and slowly began to close the distance between us. Instead, her eyes twinkled so fucking brightly thatI almost said fuck the kiss and watched the expressions on her face.
Her eyes had fluttered closed as I inched my way closer. I never thought anything to be adorable until now.
I broke out into a grin.
Just kiss her already,my mind kept telling me.
I was nearly there now. Only a breath away and I’d have her lips against mine. Pink and plump, they were inviting me in with every innocent swipe of her tongue.
A motion I had no business seeing or wishing to see more of, but right now, I was being selfish.
No regrets.
Then closing my eyes, I finally leaned in. She was so close, I could taste her breath, but the second I was about to make contact, the door was swung open wide.
“Oh shit,” Trevor said, causing Doe to quickly pull away from me as if I were on fire. She tried getting off the table entirely, but I held her in close, not wanting her to leave yet.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to walk in… I should have uhh, I should have knocked,” he rambled off with a bright red face and eyes that darted between Doe and I.
“What do you want now?”
I gave a warning-like glare that Doe couldn’t see and he must have taken that to heart right away because he never looked at her again.
“I just wanted to check on you and make sure you were still icing your shoulder.”
Wren immediately turned her head to look at me.
“Mal, seriously? You were just injured less than an hour ago and you’re already not listening to what he’s telling you to do?” she berated, causing my chest to ignite in warmth.
I didn’t care that she was scolding me like a child. Seeing her all worked up was sexy as hell, but it was more so gratifying to know that she was concerned about me.
“I am listening, I’m just choosing to not ice my shoulder because I think it’s a waste of fucking time.”
She rolled her eyes.
“Ice, bed rest, your arm sling, and heat therapy. If you want a chance at returning on the ice at around a month, then you need to do all of those. Not just one. Not just a few minutes a day. You need to do them all, Mal,” Trevor began to scold, but he wasn’t as near as heartwarming and accepting as Wren. “It’s important, so if you don’t think you can do it alone, then I suggest you have someone with you who will be more proactive about it.”
This motherfucker.
If I wasn’t injured, I’d show him exactly how proactive I could be.
As if she could sense my impending rage, Wren placed her palm over my racing heart in an attempt to calm me.
“You need to listen to him. He’s only trying to help you so you can get back to doing what you love.”
What I love.
More like what I used to love.
Or what I thought I loved. Now I wasn’t so sure anymore.
“We can get you some anti-inflammatory drugs too for the pain,” Trevor added.
