Page 29

CHAPTER 29

Tristan

H olding Jordyn’s hand as I drive, I’m grinning like a fool. I can’t believe I’m this happy, especially as we inch closer to the anniversary of the tragedy that ripped everything from me.

It’s all because of her.

My gaze moves from the road to Jordyn as we stop at a red light. Her smile matches mine as she searches my eyes. “I’m really sorry for the way I’ve acted.”

I lift our joined hands, kissing her knuckles. “I’m the one who started it, Jordyn. You have no idea how much I regret the way I acted when I returned from my run.” Blowing out a breath as the light turns green, my gaze flits to the road before I accelerate, then back to hers. “I’ll explain more when we get home.”

“Home. That sounds nice.”

We grin like lovesick fools. When I reach a stop sign, I squeeze her hand. “I know I was an ass, but I never stopped caring for you.”

Her eyes are luminous in the darkness. “I never stopped caring for you, although I wanted to hate you. Especially after Josh brought up Janelle and…” Her lip trembles, and she turns her head away.

“Look at me, kitten.” My voice is commanding yet full of emotion. Her eyes lift to mine. “You don’t have anything to worry about with her. She means nothing to me.” I pull into the driveway and park Chelsea’s vehicle. Turning to her, I whisper, “I never meant to fall for you. I didn’t believe I deserved love after the tragedy that destroyed my world.” He swallows audibly. “But you… You’re everything to me, Jordyn.”

She rips her seatbelt off and throws herself onto my lap. I wince as she crashes against my ribs. According to the trainer, they are bruised, not broken.

“Sorry. I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you.” She tries to pull back, but I won’t let her.

“Kitten, you can hurt me like that anytime. I don’t care if I’m in fucking traction. Lay on me. I can take it.”

She laughs before I silence her with a kiss that has her moaning into my mouth and her hands fisting my shirt. My hands rub over the back of my jersey that she’s still wearing.

Mine. She’s all fucking mine.

When I finally pull back, I whisper, “What kind of books do you like to read?”

Her cheeks flame red. “Why?”

I smirk. Although many of the books on her bookcase have discreet covers, I took photos of them and read the blurbs on Amazon. I didn’t tell her I bought a Kindle Unlimited subscription. “Do you have any smutty books?”

She’s blushing to the roots of her hair as she fidgets with the hem of my shirt. “Ummm… why?”

“Cause if you do,” I tilt her chin so she’s looking into my eyes. “I’d like you to read me a scene while sitting on my face.”

Her pupils blow wide with lust, her body trembling. “ Good, Lord.” Raising a shaking hand to her forehead, she mutters, “I think I’m overheating.”

“Good. You can think about which smutty scene you wanna read to me while we walk to the house.”

“But I thought you wanted to talk?”

“Oh, I do. But after I grovel and then tell you my sad story, I intend to worship every inch of my bookworm thoroughly and properly.”

“Oh, fuck,” she mutters, grinding herself over me. “Are you sure we can’t start with that?”

“Positive. I don’t only want your body, Jordyn. I want all of you.”

Thirty minutes later, Jordyn is lying on my bed, wrapped in my arms. I told her about the conversation with Coach Jensen that helped get my head on straight.

Jordyn’s apologetic face lifts to mine. “Before you begin… I just want you to know. I never went to the clinic after I saw you. The things you said before you left and the look in your eyes… I knew you were telling me the truth.”

A smile curls my lips. “Good. And can I tell you one more thing? Please don’t be mad… But I overheard you outside talking to Chelsea after my run.” She blinks at me, her mouth forming a little O shape. “I didn’t mean to. I was thinking about my family, and I couldn’t breathe. I went outside, and before I knew it, you were coming around the corner, on the phone. I didn’t have time to go inside.”

She shakes her head. “As if you would’ve gone inside.”

I chuckled, squeezing her against me. “You know me better than I thought.” Kissing the top of her head, I laugh as she swats my arm.

Pulling back slightly, I tip her face to mine. “After I’m finished telling you what happened to my family, will you tell me about your dad?” Providing you don’t believe I’m nothing but a dark cloud of bad luck and run away, screaming.

“Of course.”

“Okay,” I brush a strand of hair away from her face and blow out a shaky breath. “I hope this doesn’t change your opinion of me.”

“It won’t, Tristan. I already know it won’t.”

We stare at each other, the silence lingering between us as I lie there on the bed, choked by grief and guilt. Fear reaches out, dragging a cold hand along my spine. Everything is on the line.

I take a deep breath, then quickly exhale as pain shoots through my bruised ribs. Jordyn lightly rubs her finger over them. My breath hitches from the gentle, caring way she touches me, and a pained hiss shoots out of me.

“Sorry.”

I give her a grin. “Don’t apologize. That hiss was worth it. The way you touched me…” Tears fill my eyes from the thought of me telling her about my family and her leaving me, never touching or looking at me like she’s in love with me again.

“Tristan. Stop it. Telling me what happened won’t change things.” Her eyes widen. “Oh, God. Did you have a girlfriend, and she broke up with you because of what happened with your family?”

I stroke her hair, chuckling. “No, that’s not it. Tamara, whom I’d been dating since high school, and I called it quits during my first year of college. She was attending the Art Institute of California in Los Angeles, and I was here, playing hockey. The distance proved too much, and when she came to visit me one weekend, she called it quits. We parted on good terms, though. ”

“I’m sorry, Tristan. Did she fly here to see you play when you were together?”

I stare at her, shocked. “No. She claimed that leaving campus meant missing out on clubs, parties, and activities that ultimately helped her make connections and aided her future career.”

Jordyn looks puzzled. “She couldn’t have done that during the week? I mean, I get it if it’s an occasional thing, but didn’t she come to any of your games before the two of you separated?”

“A couple.” I’m flabbergasted at her expression. “Would you do that?”

This time, she’s the one staring at me in disbelief. “Of course. Your goals would be as important to me as they are to you, and I’d be willing to make sacrifices to help you achieve them. I mean, my goals would still be very important, and I’d continue working on them. But if you’re committed to someone, you find a way to make it work.”

I pull her against me, my lips capturing hers before she can get another word out. She kisses me back with just as much passion and intensity.

When we finally part, I grin at her. “You’re pretty damn amazing, kitten. You know that?”

She grins. “I don’t know why that makes me amazing. I’m just… me.”

“And you’re fucking amazing. All of you.”

Her finger runs down my face. “You’re amazing, too.”

I swat her ass. “Let me get this out before you distract me.”

“Yes, captain.” A flirtatious grin covers her lips.

“Not helping.” I wiggle my brows at her, making her giggle.

“Okay, I’ll get serious. Now, tell me what happened.”