Page 58 of Wrap Around (Forbidden Goals #7)

GIDEON

It’s been six weeks since the shooting.

After just over a week in the hospital, I was finally discharged.

We had to wait another two weeks before I was cleared to fly, and I’ve been going to physical therapy appointments twice a week since we got home.

I’m finally able to move without much pain, and today, I got cleared for something I’ve been bugging every doctor and nurse about for weeks.

Sex.

Fuck. Yes.

They couldn’t have gotten me out of that office any quicker if they’d lit a fire behind me. To say I’m eager is an understatement. I want Silas inside me, or my cock inside him, more than I want to play hockey next season.

Suffice to say, I’m down to fuck in the most desperate way.

Granted, I’m supposed to be on my back, propped up with pillows, and go slow, but I don’t care.

I’ll take what I can get. I can’t imagine that Silas is much better off, considering I’ve been at the receiving end of most of the hand and mouth action that’s happened between us in the past few weeks.

He’s played it a lot more cool than I have, but I know he wants me just as bad.

I’m not the only one that’s little more than a walking boner these days.

I’m practically vibrating with anticipation by the time Silas walks into the bedroom.

He stops in the doorway, eyes raking over my body. I’m naked and spread across the bed like I belong in a magazine shoot titled: Gideon Shepherd is Cleared for Impact.

His mouth twitches. "Are you sure you're not gonna pull a stitch?"

"Shut up and get naked."

He laughs, but there’s hesitation in his eyes. "You really got cleared? I wouldn’t put it past you to lie just to get dicked down.”

"I swear on the river rock. I'm fine. Just have to be gentle, or whatever."

“Or whatever,” he snorts. He narrows his eyes, still a little skeptical, but his hands go to his waistband anyway. The proof he’s not as hesitant as he thinks he should be is rapidly tenting the front of the athletic pants he’s wearing. “I showered at the gym,” he assures me.

“I don’t give a fuck. Get inside me. Like, now.”

Silas chuckles as he steps out of his pants. “Eager are we?”

“Don’t pretend you’re not,” I say, eyeing his cock, hard and jutting out from his body like it’s reaching out for me. Aww, I missed you, too, buddy.

Before Silas can make any more jokes, I spread my knees apart, letting him see me in all my glory. His eyes zero in on my little surprise for him, and his mouth drops open .

“Is that…”

“I’m prepped and ready for you, baby. Figured I would save you some time since you have to do all the work.”

“I don’t mind,” he says, eyes softening.

“Yeah, well, I don’t plan on being your little pillow princess for long. But I’ll enjoy it for now.”

“Anything you want,” he says breathily as he crawls onto the bed and over my body. “Anything you need. As long as you’re mine.”

Just when I think he’s about to get sappy, which he’s done a lot since the day we both confronted our parents and I ended up in the hospital with a near-fatal gunshot wound, he skims his fingers over my skin, diving down between us to press against the plug.

I moan, deep and low, betraying just how much I need this, and how close to the edge I am already.

“Look, I’m going to come the second you’re inside me. Don’t stop, okay? I need this.”

I gasp as Silas pulls the plug from my body, fucking it in and out of me slowly before pulling it out entirely. I’m not empty for long. Silas reaches for the lube on the bedside table and then he’s lining himself up, teasing my crease with his tip.

As he presses against me, the fat head of his cock popping through my stretched muscle to breach me for the first time in what feels like forever, he groans.

“Don’t think I won’t be long behind you, little wife,” he rasps against my lips.

“I need this too. I’ve missed you.” He thrusts inside me, slow and smooth, eyes fluttering closed.

I let out a shaky breath. “Missed being inside you,” he thrusts again.

“Missed feeling you tight around me.” Thrust. “Missed feeling you stretch me open and fill me up.” Thrust .

That’s all it takes for me to come undone.

The pressure and movement of him inside me, the friction of my cock being pressed between our stomachs, and his words.

I come all over us both with a pathetic whimper.

I want him to keep going, but he was right, he’s not far behind me.

He comes with a moan, muffled into the crook of my neck.

“Give me another five minutes, and I’ll do you next,” I say, ridiculously out of breath for someone who laid here and got serviced before blowing his load in two minutes flat.

“And how are you going to manage that?”

“Well, obviously, I’m going to lay here like the princess I apparently am, while you ride my dick.”

“Obviously.” Silas chuckles, collapsing next to me on the pile of pillows. “I think I might need more time than that, it might have been quick, but I came hard.”

“Hmmm. Me too.” My eyes are starting to droop. I really should not be this tired after minimal effort.

“There’s no need to push yourself. We’ll make up for lost time, I promise.”

The next morning, I wake up sore in the best way.

I wander into the kitchen, planning to make coffee, but the pot is already full. Lily's sitting at the counter, tapping away on her laptop.

"You're up early," I say.

She looks up, eyes still a bit bleary from the early hour. “Video chat with Zac. He’s helping me apply to the University of Calgary. ”

“No shit?”

“After our visit home and talking with Zac about how stupid and ignorant we were, I decided that I want to teach Health Sciences to middle schoolers. Zac is helping me find the best degree programs to apply to.”

“That’s something ,” I say, referencing a conversation we’d had before. “It’s nice of him to help.”

“He’s been a good friend.”

He has, and I know it. I can’t help but be a bit wary of their friendship, something I know Silas feels acutely.

But we talked about it, and I know he’s right.

We can’t make her decisions for her, or protect her from everything.

All we can do is trust that everything will work out, and so far it has.

Zac has been keeping to his promise, talking to Lily once or sometimes twice a week on video chat.

He’s definitely curious about Addy, and completely charmed by her, as anyone would be.

But he’s not trying to push himself between Silas and his daughter.

I nod. I’m glad she’s finding something for herself. Something more, like she wanted.

Lily glances at me. “You still have that meeting with Coach Dempsey today?”

I frown and take a deep swallow of my coffee. “Yeah.”

“You seem… excited.”

I huff a laugh. “Not really. But it’s the right thing to do. I owe him an apology at the very least, and I know there’s exit paperwork and stuff that still needs to be done.”

“Well, good luck.”

“Thanks, sis,” I say, kissing her temple. “See you later. ”

I’m really not looking forward to this. But I scheduled it all the same. It is the right thing to do, the professional thing to do. And Dr. Shelton thinks it might help me mend some bridges and get things back on track. It’s time to move forward.

The drive to the arena is quiet. When I arrive, the building is empty, the team long gone for post-season break. Team members are likely to come in on and off to keep up their workout regimens and stay conditioned, but it’s not mandatory right now.

I walk the halls slowly, until I reach the glass overlooking the rink. I stare down at the sheet of ice, taking a deep breath of the cold air. The distinct smell of freshly zambonied ice infiltrates my lungs and helps me sink into a relaxed mindset.

Hockey gave me purpose. It gave me structure, an outlet for my stress and the rage I carried for a lot of my life.

And while I don’t know what the future holds, I know hockey will always be part of it.

Maybe I won’t get to play at this level again, but I can try out.

Maybe I’ll coach peewees. Maybe I’ll teach fundamentals to bored kids in the suburbs.

Maybe I’ll do something totally different and be perfectly content cheering on Silas as he cuts up the ice with the Calgary Flames.

Whatever the future holds, I know this: I’m still standing. I have my family by my side, and we have each other’s backs. Life is far from over, even if I never touch ice again. I hope I do, though.

Coach Dempsey materializes beside me. I hadn’t noticed him walk in.

“The first time I saw you out there, you skated like something was chasing you. Kept your head down, didn’t talk much, just kept running from whatever you were escaping from.”

I nod, unsure what to say.

“Suffice to say the past always catches up to us, yeah? Doesn’t matter how fast or tough you are. ”

With a huff of laughter, I shake my head. “Don’t I know it.”

He gestures. “Come on.”

I follow him to his office, grinning to myself at the memory of Silas first getting the news that he’d been called up. The way I’d stood here like an idiot waiting for him, giving myself away to anyone that was paying attention.

“I was sorry to hear about your accident,” Coach says. “Glad you pulled through.” No doubt he heard about it from Silas, who was in here a couple of weeks back to let Dempsey and the team owners know his decision about Calgary.

“Thank you, sir.” Then, before he can get another word in, I get out what I need to say.

“I wanted to apologize. For the unprofessional way I behaved, and for leaving the team in a lurch the way I did. I wasn’t in a good place, but that’s no excuse.

I let you and the team down, and I’m truly sorry for that. ”

Coach folds his hands. “Despite all that, we’ll miss having you around, son. You’re a hell of a hockey player when you get your head out of your ass. But things being what they are, it’s out of my hands."