Page 86 of Keeper
“Basically, I had to grow up a lot. And now I think I’m growing again.”
“How so?”
“Because of the slump. I’ve known I had to change something, but I didn’t know what it was. All I knew was that my approach hasn’t been working.”
“What approach? What do you mean?”
“With girls,” I said. “Girls didn’t care who the hell I was when I was toiling in the AHL and the ECHL. But once I made the NHL? Hey, what do you know—girls started coming out of the woodwork begging me to date them, and suddenly I’ve got a hundred girls professing their love for me and telling me what beautiful babies we’d make. But how could I trust any girl after what my ex pulled? I knew they weren’t into me; they were after my fame, my status, my money.”
She stroked my hair. “I think that’s understandable, given what you went through.”
“I’ll tell you the truth. Worrying about a relationship was thelastthing on my mind when I had a pro career to worry about. So I’d sleep with those girls, but anything more was absolutely off the table. I always tell them that, though. But I’ve found that, no matter how open I am about my intentions, theyalwaysend up wanting more and more until they get hurt. So like I said … once I’ve slept with a girl, it always ends the same: with them being disappointed because they want what I can’t give. And before long, the magic is gone.”
“Are you afraid I’m like that?”
“No. Not at all. The way we met and everything since—my shutout, running into you on that photo shoot—is a sign that you’re different. Iknowyou are, which is why I just want to be careful, and not … treat you like I’ve treated other girls. Because I’m realizing that I actuallydowant a relationship again someday. I just want one with the right girl. And I haven’t known how to find one until … well, until we met.”
Touched, she smiled. “Aw. Tanner.”
“I don’t want to fuck things up, Ainsley. I can’t really explain why, but I just have this feeling that we’re supposed to wait.” I wrapped a worried hand around the small of her back and held her tightly against me. “Is that okay with you?”
She answered with a soulful kiss.
“Ofcourseit’s okay,” she said at last, softly giggling.
“You’re not disappointed?”
“Honestly? I was a little disappointed at first—because you got mesorevved up and ready to go.” She bit her lip. “But after everything you told me, I totally get it. And I think it’s so sweet you want to wait.”
“Yeah? Sweet?”
“Very sweet.” She nodded profusely. “In fact, I think it’s kinda hot, too.”
“Hot?” I repeated, perplexed.
“Well, yeah—because we can still have fun inotherways, can’t we?” she asked, her hand playfully glancing against my bulge. “I mean, youdideat me out, so I’d hope you’re still willing to do that.”
The mere memory of licking her creamy pussy and sucking her swollen clit pumped hot desire into my cock once more.
“Definitely.” I grabbed a handful of her ass and squeezed. “I’m not giving that up.”
“It’d be pretty hard for me to give up, too,” she said with a quiet snicker. “But I wouldif you asked me to.”
I let out a growl of contentment. “Good girl.”
“Just imagine how crazy we can drive each other.” She walked her fingers up and down me, teasing the growing bulge in my pants. “Y’know. Since we’re not sleeping together yet and everything.”
Her touch was so seductive, her voice so sweet—I wanted her so bad.
A weakened groan escaped me. “You’re gonna test my resolve, aren’t you?”
“Maybe I will,” she admitted with a mischievous sparkle in her eye. “It’s too bad I can’t make you come, though.”
“Who said I can’t come?”
“I thought that was the whole point! You want me to give you blue balls again, don’t you? Isn’t that what you were saying—that you’re superstitious and everything has to be the same as last time?”
“God, no,” I said, shaking my head. “Not that again. Too painful.”
