Center Chase

Chapter 36

Chase

I wonder if T.J. is getting sick of me asking how he's been sleeping. It's the only thing I could come up with to see if Lindsey and I have been too loud with our after-hours activities. It seemed weird just going up and apologizing to him every day.

What if he didn't actually hear anything? Then I'd essentially be letting him know that we were doing something, and the rest of his stay at our place would just be awkward.

So, instead, I opted to ask him each morning how he slept the previous night. He always says the same thing, 'fine.' Either he really has been sleeping 'fine' and Lindsey and I have been quiet enough he actually hasn't heard us, or he's just being nice and not bringing up the fact that he can hear us.

Either way, I'm grateful he hasn't said anything about what he has or hasn't heard. I really have been trying to keep my hands- and other body parts- to myself, but I just can't seem to manage when I'm alone with my girl. She brings out an insatiable side of me that craves to be closer to her in every possible way. And my girl is sexy as hell. Can you blame me for wanting her the way I do?

It's like her body is a magnet for mine, and I'm too weak to put up a fight- not that I've really tried. And when we aren't making a physical connection, we're making an emotional one. I can talk to her about anything and everything. And we have. We've talked about our favorite things, our hopes and dreams, our future together. She's easy to talk to, and she listens to me like no one ever has before.

The closer she and I become, the more I fall in love with her. Yeah, that's right. I'm in love with Lindsey. So, crazy over the moon, hopelessly in love with her. And I haven't found the right time or way to tell her yet, but I need to make sure that when I do, everything is perfect. She deserves nothing less than that.

I'm trying to think up the perfect way to tell her after leaving my meeting with Coach. He reminded me that the new guy would be coming soon, and he wants me to make sure he feels welcome. As team captain, it's a big part of my responsibility to make sure the new guys get acclimated without issue.

My phone buzzes, and I smile as I see my girl's name scrawled across my screen.

Me: Thanks for reminding me, beautiful!

Me: You are so sweet. You know that? How do any of us deserve you?

Me: Can't wait, babe!

Yeah, that's all it takes for me to start grinning like a fool. The guys keep giving me shit for being so 'whipped,' but I can't bring myself to care. As long as she's the one holding the whip, I'll gladly claim that title.

Hmmm, I wonder if she'd be into that... I try to pull my mind out of the gutter as I set course for the gym to meet the guys for a workout.

......

After an invigorating workout, Liam and I head back to the apartment. T.J. told us earlier that he wouldn't be around for dinner tonight and wasn't sure what time he'd be in later. He has a meeting with a rep interested in sponsoring him from a protein supplement company. I guess the rep made late reservations for the two of them, so T.J. said he was gonna stay at the rink and get in some more practice before heading that way.

When we get home, Lindsey lets us know that Taylor just got back and was taking a shower real quick before dinner. I can smell the delicious spread my girl has made up for tonight. She really is the best! There's lasagna, salad, garlic bread, bruschetta, roasted veggies, and two different kinds of dessert.

Liam inhales deeply. "Holy shit, Lins, that smells incredible!"

She beams at him. "Thank you! I wanted to do something nice for Taylor since she's been gone all week. A little welcome home dinner for her."