Page 37

Rio

Whiskey in hand, I sink into the hot tub, making sure to align my body with the jets. We just got home from a two-game road trip where both of them went into overtime, and thanks to the added minutes on the ice, my body is aching.

It always does around this time of the year, though. We’re at the mid-point of the season with games, practice, or travel happening almost daily.

So even though I should probably be getting some sleep, seeing as it’s close to two in the morning, I know it’ll be a futile attempt until Hallie gets home from her shift at the bar. She was cleaning up to get out of there around the time our plane landed, so Zee dropped me off at home to wait for her here.

With one arm spread wide on the ledge of the hot tub, I grab my whiskey and take a long pull, letting the liquid burn as it goes down.

I fucking need it.

I called my mom today and tried for what felt like the hundredth time to explain Hallie’s side of things. She wouldn’t even let me get past her name. I understand she has so much resentment built up towards my dad and the whole situation in general, but she’s taking her anger out on the wrong person.

Same as I did.

If she heard Hallie’s side of things and saw the big picture, she’d be a lot more gracious and understanding. I know she would be. But I don’t think she wants to understand anything when it comes to my dad’s affair.

They’re the two most important women in my life, and it’s stressing me the fuck out.

It’s not like Hallie is asking me to choose between them. Shit, she doesn’t even know how bad it’s been between me and my mom lately. But if there ever comes a time that I need to choose which relationship to keep safe, I won’t make the same mistake twice.

I’ll choose Hallie every time. I just hope my own mother doesn’t put me in that situation.

And then there’s Boston.

Because yeah, I think that’s happening.

My agent got quite the insight during our last home game. Boston’s front office is making way for me to join their lineup. Which is my dream. It’s everything I’ve ever wanted.

But there’s another part of me that doesn’t quite believe that anymore. Because I recently got everything I’ve ever wanted, and those dreams are wrapped up in one single person, not in a career achievement.

Fuck me. I’m exhausted.

I’ve been on this endless loop of what-ifs whenever it’s quiet and I’m forced to think. My brain hasn’t stopped spinning since I was home last, so I take a long swallow of my whiskey and hope that’ll be enough to quiet things until Hallie gets here.

The steam billows around me as the jets go to work on my sore and aching muscles. I sink into the water, trying to tune it all out for a moment, when a flash of headlights bounces off my back fence, the way it does whenever someone turns down our street, and I instantly know it’s her.

By the sounds of it, Hallie pulls into my driveway and parks my truck there.

I hate that she gets home this late. I hate that she’s working a second job, but even more, I fucking hate the reason why.

I’m about to get out of the hot tub to go find her inside, when, through the back-door slider, I spot her marching through my house, straight towards me. She opens the back door, and the force in which she does tells me something is wrong.

“Rio DeLuca.”

Oh, she’s pissed. At me, it seems.

She stops at the base of the stairs that lead up to the hot tub, arms crossed and hip cocked out with attitude.

“Hi, baby.” My tone is cautious. “I missed you.”

She simply raises a brow, as if she’s expecting me to explain myself.

“So much?”

“What the hell, Rio?”

I stretch my arms out wide on the ledge of the hot tub. “I’m going to need you to be a little more specific.”

“Do you want to explain to me why I went online to make a loan payment, only to find that it’s fully paid off? In fact, both of my loans are.”

I should probably be concerned that she’s clearly upset, but I really enjoy it when she’s feisty like this. She also looks so fucking cute, fully bundled up in her wool trench coat and beanie pulled down over her ears, only allowing about an inch of the ends of her hair to peek out.

“Hallie, let’s go inside and we can talk about this. It’s freezing out.”

“No.”

Her quick defiance is fucking hot, so I stay seated, tracing the rim of my glass with my fingertip. “Then get your ass in here.”

She seems thoroughly unimpressed with the idea of joining me and judging by the way she doesn’t move to do that either, I know she’s not going to give up until I give her an answer.

“Fine.” I take a long swig of my drink. “I get that you feel prideful when it comes to money, especially towards me. But we aren’t on opposite teams anymore, baby, so put down the armor.”

I watch as her shoulders loosen an inch.

“I had every intention to pay them off the morning after we got back from seeing your dad, but I didn’t want you to think I was trying to buy your forgiveness. Because I wasn’t. I’m still not. But, Hal, if I was around when your dad got sick in the first place, the way I should’ve been, I would’ve taken care of the financial aspect anyway. You know that. And I think that’s why you were so against my help before.”

Her features begin to soften, and it’s the confirmation to know I’m right.

“I would’ve told me to fuck off too,” I continue, and I watch as a spark of a smile lifts on her lips. “But this isn’t me swooping in like some kind of knight in shining armor, trying to save you. To be frank, I fucked up that opportunity years ago and I’m so fucking sorry.”

“Rio,” she interrupts, shaking her head. “I need you to stop apologizing.”

I allow that request to sink in. I know she doesn’t want to hear it because she’s long forgiven me, but it’s different from my perspective.

“You should know I’m partly doing this for me,” I continue. “I’m trying to forgive myself for past mistakes I made, and watching you work as hard as you’re having to work isn’t helping that. I feel guilty when I sit at the bar and watch you serve drinks all night. I feel guilty when you get home after two in the morning, knowing that in a few hours you’re going to have to wake up to do it all over again. So, while yes, I paid them off so you won’t have to worry about them anymore, I also paid them off for me.”

Her stance shifts, softening from the defensive mode she was in.

“Because I should’ve been there, Hallie. I should’ve been there to take care of it then, so I’m taking care of it now. And I need you to let me.”

Once again, I stretch my arms up over the ledge, taking up the entire corner of the hot tub. Absent-mindedly, I swipe some of the condensation off my whiskey glass as I wait for her answer, but we both know I’m not backing down when it comes to this. There’s no compromise in this situation.

She hesitates for a long while before she finally says, “Okay.”

I give her a single nod in agreement. “Now get in here.”

She exhales a disbelieving laugh. “You’re out of your mind. It’s too cold out.”

“I’ll keep you warm.” I bring the whiskey to my lips. “Take your goddamn clothes off.”

Hesitating for only a moment, she complies.

She slips the buttons of her jacket through their looped counterparts before peeling it off her arms and tossing it onto a nearby snow-covered table. She does the same with her beanie and the rest of her clothes, kicking her shoes and socks off last.

She’s left wearing only this little dark-red matching set and a million goose bumps painted on her skin.

She’s a fucking stunner in red. Stunner in every color under the sun, if we’re being honest.

“Holy fuck, love.”

Her bottom lip quivers but it tilts with a shy smile.

“It’s no wonder I’ve been obsessing over you for fifteen years.”

Her laugh is small as she quickly bounds up the stairs to join me in the warm water, and her shivering stops almost immediately when she sinks her shoulders below the water’s surface.

She wades over to me, straddling my lap when she gets to my far corner, slipping her hands behind my neck.

“Hi,” she says softly.

“Hi, baby.” I run a hand over her back, pushing her ass down onto my lap because she’s so fucking buoyant right now I can hardly feel her.

She rolls her hips against mine as soon as they make contact. “I missed you.”

“I missed you.”

“Thank you.” She holds eye contact. “I never would’ve let you pay those off if you asked.”

“I know. And that’s why I didn’t.”

“I’m not sure you understand how much that means to me.” She inhales deeply through her nose, as if she were taking her first breath without a heavy weight sitting on her chest. “I don’t know how I’m ever going to be able to say thank you enough.”

Which is exactly what I don’t want. I didn’t do it to hold it over her head.

“Let’s make a deal.”

Her brows cinch. “What do you have in mind?”

“You’re not allowed to thank me for it anymore, and I’ll stop with all the apologies.”

A slow smile lifts on her lips. “I like that deal.”

“Good.” Slipping my fingers through her hair, I pull her in for a kiss. “Can you quit your job now?”

She chuckles against my mouth. “I haven’t thought that far. I make good money there.”

“You’re working too much, and I want you at more of my games. To hang out with my friends. To come to family dinners.”

“Let me think about it.”

“Fine.” I kiss her again. “So would now be a good time to also tell you that I bought you a car?”

She freezes, her lips still on mine, before she pulls back to look at me. “Rio!”

“Hallie!”

Her eyes narrow. “Stop trying to be cute right now.”

“I’m not trying. It just comes naturally to me.”

“Well, then...” That smile she was trying to fight breaks free. “Stop being naturally cute.”

“Will it make you accept it quicker if I tell you I didn’t do it for you?”

“You did it so I’d stop stealing your truck?”

“Fuck no. I literally get hard just thinking of you driving my truck, but if I do end up back in Boston, you need something to drive here, and I need the peace of mind that you’re safe.”

She waits for a moment, her eyes bouncing between mine before she simply says, “Thank you.”

I shake my head. “No more saying thank you.”

“Fine. Then instead of saying it, I’ll show you.”

The tempting little smirk toying on her lips in combination with the way she rolls her hips against me has me instantly fucking hard. Her arms tighten behind my neck, pulling her into me and pressing her tits right up against my chest.

The warm water. Her warm body. Fuck me, this is heaven.

Reaching behind her, I unclasp her soaked bralette and toss it aside, letting it float away in the water. Eyes raking over her, I bring my whiskey to my lips and take a drink.

She tracks the drip that lands on my lip, but before I can clean it off myself, she leans in and drags her own tongue to do so.

“ Fuck ,” I groan, head falling back to the ledge behind me.

“Mmm,” she hums. “Tastes good.”

“Yeah? Do you want some more?”

Biting her lip, she nods.

I put the whiskey in her hand, but before she can even bring it to her lips, I stand from my seat, taking her with me and turning to sit her on the corner ledge. Wet skin, heated hazel eyes, peaked nipples, and spilled whiskey running down between her tits.

Bracing my arms on either side of her body, I lean down and lick it off her with a long, rough slide of my tongue.

“Holy shit,” she murmurs under her breath as she watches me.

“You’re right. That is good, but there’s something else I want to taste. Spread your legs for me, baby.”

She does as she’s told, placing one foot on the ledge on either side of me.

“Good girl, Hallie. Now drink that whiskey to keep you warm while you’re out of the water.”

She’s almost compliant when she brings the drink back to her lips, but then I see the mischievous tilt in her smile behind the glass. Before the rim makes it to her mouth, she pours a bit down the center of her body instead.

“Oops.”

It’s the least innocent sound I’ve ever heard and I’m fucking feral for it. My eyes are glued to the liquid trail as it takes a direct path down her chest, between her tits, and over her stomach. Before it can reach her belly button, I lick her clean, dragging my tongue all the way up her body, until I take her mouth with mine to let her taste how deliciously it burns.

She’s writhing beneath me as I kiss her, my tongue sliding against her own.

Between us, I drag my thumb slowly over the center of her panties and the moan she hums into my mouth feels like a direct line to my dick, the way all my blood rushes in that direction.

She’s desperately seeking more friction, pushing her hips to meet my hand in pace when she pulls away from my mouth to look at me with heavy eyes and swollen lips. My attention is glued on her heaving chest when she spills more whiskey right over her body for me to taste.

I do as I’m told, sucking it off her tit and circling over her nipple, but I meet her gaze when I use my tongue to flick it, exactly how I’m about to do to the spot between her legs.

“That’s so good,” she cries, rhythmically rolling her hips into my hand where I haven’t stopped creating stiff little circles on her clit.

She pours more whiskey over her other nipple, and I do the same to that one, circling with my tongue and lightly biting between my teeth.

“ Oh my God .” She throws her head back. “I want to come. Will you make me come?”

“Of course, baby.”

“Yeah?”

“Mm-hmm. I’ll make you come if you quit your job.”

She laughs but it’s interrupted by a little moan. “Fuck you.”

I smile against her skin, biting and sucking on her tits. “Give me what I want, Hallie, and I’ll return the favor.”

When she doesn’t answer, I lighten my pressure on her clit to barely a brush.

“No,” she whines. “More.”

“Tell me what I want to hear.”

She swallows, trying to catch her breath, and I can’t help but run my lips over the curve of her throat.

“Fine,” she finally agrees. “But I’m only quitting because I was planning to once I paid off those loans, and not because you told me to.”

“Works for me.”

“And I’m putting in a two-weeks’ notice.”

I chuckle against her, kissing a path over her stomach as I drop to my knees. “So responsible of you.”

She’s trembling as she looks down at me between her legs.

“Drink that whiskey, Hallie, and I’ll make you come so you stay warm.”

This time she does as she’s told, bringing the rim of the glass to her lips to take a sip, and it’s so fucking sexy, I’m gritting my jaw to keep from coming myself.

I rip the center of her panties in two, opening up the lace to give me access to her perfect fucking pussy.

I place a quick kiss on my favorite freckle on her inner thigh before I bury my face between her legs. She’s fucking soaked and not from the water. Her clit is swollen and only becomes more so when I suck it between my lips.

She makes this pretty little sound of approval, so I do it again and watch her reaction. I watch the way her chest heaves and the way her stomach quivers. I watch the way her legs try to tighten around my face.

“Oh God,” she whines, fingers threading into my hair and gripping hard.

I circle her entrance with my fingers before I push two inside. She’s already convulsing, her pussy squeezing me tight.

“Damn, Hallie, you’re going to come already.”

She nods frantically, chasing her orgasm as she rides my hand and face.

“That’s it, baby,” I encourage from between her legs. “Take what you need.”

Pumping in and out of her, I feel her walls tighten around my fingers while I lick the rest of her.

“I’m close. I’m close. I’m close,” she chants. “I didn’t touch myself once while you were gone.”

I hum against her core and watch her whole body shiver. “You waited for me, Hal?”

She nods frantically. “It’s not as good without you. Only you.”

Fuck, I love that.

“Always only you, Rio.”

I’m going to fucking come apart in my swim trunks with my tongue on her pussy and my name on her lips.

I stroke her two more times before I feel her come apart around me. And fuck, is she pretty when she does. Flushed chest, trembling muscles, lip tucked between her teeth.

I stand as I let her ride it out, keeping two fingers inside her and replacing my tongue with my other thumb. And I swear, I’ll never get over watching this woman fall apart.

But then she does something to remind me I’ll never get over this woman, period.

She reaches out and slowly traces the lines of her tattoo.

I slowly pull my fingers from her cunt, but she’s pulsing so hard, I can hardly remove them. All it does is make me eager to feel her tighten around my cock.

Pushing my swim trunks down enough to free myself, I wrap a fist around my dick while Hallie continues to follow the lines of her tattoo.

“Fuck, baby.” I stroke myself. “I love when you do that.”

We stay there for a moment, her recovering from her orgasm as I pump myself while standing between her spread legs.

Eventually, those legs wrap around me, pulling me into her. Opening the torn lace of her underwear, I run my cock over her center, coating me in her release, and letting the torture build. Letting the anticipation turn unbearable.

She’s still gripping that almost empty glass in her other hand, the one that’s not running over the inked lines, so I take it from her and down it in one go. Then I grip the back of her head and pull her mouth to mine to give her the last taste on my tongue.

“You ready?” I ask against her mouth.

“Please,” she whispers. “Put it in.”

I tap my cock over her clit a couple of times before I push down on the head and drive inside of her.

Her mouth pops open and I watch as she loses her breath. Her nails are practically drawing blood in the way they’re digging into my flesh, and I’d typically check on her and ask if she’s okay, but I know she is.

Sometimes we’re sweet together in bed, but sometimes the vibe calls for something different. Right now, it feels like the latter. Like she doesn’t necessarily want me to be soft and sweet.

I drop my face to hide in the crook of her neck, concentrating on not finishing too soon. But she’s still fucking pulsing from her previous orgasm and it’s enough to make me come if I allow it. But if she wants me to fuck her the way I can tell she does, then I need to hold it together.

“Jesus, Hal. The way you’re pulsing over my cock right now.”

As soon as the words are out of my mouth, I feel her tighten even more, gripping my cock with her pussy.

“Fuck, baby. This is going to be over way too fast if you do that again.”

And she does it again, like a brat who wants to test the theory, and I fucking love it. I love when she does what I tell her to, and I equally love when she doesn’t.

Honestly, I just love her. But that’s nothing new.

When I pull back to look at her, she’s smiling wickedly.

“You’re not being a very good girl tonight.”

She shakes her head no.

“Do you want me to fuck you hard? Is that it?”

That smile turns up. “I want you to take what you want.”

And so, I do, pulling my hips back before snapping them forward.

Hallie’s lips are formed in the perfect O, and the little lines between her brows are creased.

Gripping the side of the hot tub with one hand and the back of her head with the other, I set a steady pace, watching myself rock in and out of her. It’s fucking mesmerizing, the way she takes me, the way she meets me, the way she fucking cries my name.

She grips onto my forearm with everything she’s got and it’s not long before she’s tightening around me again.

“You going to come on me, Hallie?”

She squeaks out this desperate noise, so I don’t change my pace or position.

Hallie reaches between us and circles her clit with her fingertips, which I’d do for her if I didn’t already have my hands full with keeping us upright on the ledge of a hot tub.

“That’s it,” I encourage. “Fuck, Hallie, you feel incredible. Do you know that? Do you know how lucky I am to be with you?”

She grips the back of my head with her other hand, pulling my lips down to meet hers, and as soon as my tongue plays with hers, she comes, every muscle in her body tightening at once.

Because, yes, it’s fun to fuck, but we always end up here, kissing slowly, giving praise, letting hands roam and wander before they end up intertwined with one another.

I keep a consistent pace until I feel her starting to come down and once she does, the moment changes to something more tender. She wraps her arm around me as we kiss, and her fingers find her tattoo again while I keep a languid tempo with my hips. It doesn’t take long before I join her, falling right over the edge and coming inside of her.

She continues to run her fingers over the ink.

“You like that, don’t you?” I ask through hard-earned breaths.

She nods against me.

“You like that you’re permanently under my skin.”

“I love it. It feels like you’re branded and mine.”

“That’s because I am.”

Her smile turns possessive, which is well-deserved. I’m completely and undeniably hers.

Pulling back to rest my forehead on hers, I know we’re a tangled mess of damp bodies and shared breaths, but her hazel eyes are locked on mine trying to tell me something she hasn’t said in six years.

It’s okay that it’s one of those unspoken things. I know that Hallie loves me the same way I love her.

Slowly, tortuously slowly, I pull out of her and watch as my cum drips down between her thighs.

It’s fucking hot, seeing her full of me. It makes that possessive side roar to life when I clean it up with two fingers and push it back inside of her.

Lips on hers, I whisper, “Still mine.”

She kisses me as our breathing evens out until she giggles this cute laugh.

“What’s so funny?” With a smile on my face, I pull back to look at her.

“I’m absolutely freezing right now.”

Chuckling, I tug her down into the water with me as I fix my swim trunks, making a mental note to drain the hot tub tomorrow. But fuck it, it was fun and completely worth it.

I bring her with me to the steps but have her wait while I get out and grab a towel. Wrapping it around her naked body, I quickly carry her inside the house with me. I don’t care that we’re leaving a trail of water behind us, I start to take her right upstairs and into the warm shower.

She’s dotting languid kisses along my neck when she quickly sits up and looks around.

I pause halfway up the stairs. “What’s wrong?”

She takes in her surroundings before her attention is back on me. “What do you think of the house?”

Even more of the renovations have gotten done since I was home last. Walls have begun to get painted. Flooring will be installed next week.

I keep my focus on her and not on the space around us. “I love it.”

And you.

Her grin proves she’s so proud of herself and I fucking love that too.

She should be proud. Her designer eye, her time management, her organization. She is so good at what she does, and I don’t think she fully understands that yet.

Hallie renovating this place and putting her touch on every square inch of it is reason alone that I wouldn’t sell, but there’s plenty more reasons too.

She’s going to need a place to live once Wren’s house next door sells.

I need somewhere to stay when I come to visit her and my friends, but my stomach sinks when I picture Hallie living here without me. Living here alone. That was never the plan for this house. We were supposed to live here together. Rooms were supposed to be filled.

“Thank you for giving me the chance to do this,” she says quietly. “You basically let me design my dream home.”

This is her dream home, and that’s the whole fucking point. I don’t know how she hasn’t put the pieces together yet, but that’s the final and most important reason why I won’t sell. Six years ago, even after things fell apart between us, I bought this house for her.

It’s everything she told me she wanted, and there was a part of me that hoped if both it and I were here waiting for her, she’d somehow find her way home.