Page 100 of Him

His hand tightens on mine. “You can’t be serious.”

I turn my head against the little wooden wall where we’re sitting. “I’m dead serious. It’s mylife, and yours. I’ve loved you for years, babe. If the NHL can’t deal with it, then that’s just the way it is.”

Jamie’s expression softens. “That will be a really bad day, though.”

“No. A bad day is you giving up on me.” I rake one hand through my hair, and he suddenly captures my wrist, his brown eyes narrowing.

“When did you get this done?”

He’s looking at my new tat, and I feel sheepish as I answer, “Couple days after I left camp.”

Rough fingertips skim the line of black ink. “What are these coordinates for?” I’m not surprised he’s figured it out. My man is smart.

“Lake Placid,” I tell him.

His eyes lock with mine. “I see.” He clears his throat, but when he speaks again, his voice is still lined with gravel. “You really do love me, huh?”

“Always have.” I swallow hard. “Always will.”

It’s not clear who moves first. But a second later our lips brush, then press together. I moan even before Jamie’s tongue parts my lips. I kiss him hard, and he gives as good as he gets.

Time slips. Once we start kissing we don’t stop. My lips are swollen and I’m so hard it’s painful. But this isn’t about sex. Each kiss is a promise of more to come. I know we need to stop. There are plans to make, and there’s a dinner I have to get to, but each time I tell myself thatthisis the last kiss, I go back for one more. And then one more.

I pull back eventually. “You have to live here,” I blurt out.

“Wha?” Jamie says, looking dazed. His cheeks are flushed and I’ve tousled his hair.

“A twenty-two-year-old rookie might have a roommate,especially an old hockey friend. It would actually be weirder if you were coming and going all the time.”

He smiles, and I think he’s going to make a joke aboutcomingand going. “Did you just ask me to move in with you?”

“Well…yeah. Would you?”

Jamie’s eyes sweep the room. “I can’t afford this place.”

I’m already shaking my head. “That is not going to be an issue. You can pay the utilities or some shit.”

“I can’t…”

“Yeah, you can. Consider it a gift for putting up with ten months of hiding.”

“I can’t paynothing.”

“Fine. Contribute what you would otherwise budget for rent money.” I stand, offering him a hand. “Come on, let’s have a tour.” I don’t want to talk about money. Fuck that.

Jamie takes my hand and follows me to the little hallway off the kitchen.

“We’ll put a bed in this room, but it’s not going to be our room. You can have a desk in here, though, if you need one for your job. It will give you a place to work.”

This all seems so easy now. Toronto just became a place I really want to be. “And this is our bedroom.” I walk him into the big room, which is slotted into a corner of the building. “See how private? When we fuck, nobody can hear us.” I risk a look at Jamie, and his eyes are molten.

Fucking hell. Shouldn’t have said that. I’m hard, and there’s no time to do anything about it. “Wait. What time is it, anyway?”

He checks his watch. “Six.”

Shit! “I have to be at this restaurant in a half hour. And my hotel is on the other side of town…” I look down at what I’m wearing. Track pants and flip-flops. Great. I’m going to be late for my first team event.Goddamn it. I chuckle, because it’s either that or cry. And I’ve already done the latter today.

“Babe, do you want to wear this?” Jamie indicates his suit.