48. Cope

48

COPE

“Dude, where is your head at?” Frankie muttered as he ran a towel over his short hair.

I grabbed my tee from the locker and pulled it on, annoyance flickering through me. “It was a scrimmage. For kids.”

But I knew he was right. I’d played like shit, getting bested by people who normally didn’t have a shot.

“Just do us a favor and get your head on straight before the season starts,” Marcus clipped, grabbing deodorant from his locker.

“Worry about your own game,” I shot back.

Marcus grinned, but it had a sharkish quality to it. “I don’t have to. I’m too busy stealing yours.”

I flipped him off as I lifted my gear bag over my shoulder and headed out of the locker room. I only made it two steps before nearly running into Sutton. She looked so unsure, nibbling her bottom lip and twisting her fingers together as if she were wringing water out of a towel.

Fuck this.

I grabbed her hand and pulled her into an office with Manager on the door. It was a miracle it was open, given it was the weekend, and Arnie usually gave his management the time off. Flicking the light on, I closed the door behind us.

“I’m sorry,” Sutton blurted.

I moved into her space, my hand sliding along her jaw and into her hair. “I’m the one who’s sorry, Warrior. I should’ve told you about Angie. But I don’t even think about her anymore. Maybe that makes me a bastard, but it’s the truth.”

Sutton’s lips twitched. “Maybe just a little bit of a bastard.”

I chuckled. “There’s only one person who has ever slept in my bed, and that’s you.” Sutton’s eyes softened as my mouth ghosted over hers, and I dropped my bag to the floor. “Only you. Because you’re the only one I’ve truly let in. The only one who soothes my demons.”

“Cope,” Sutton breathed against my mouth.

“I don’t want you to ever doubt how much you mean to me. How much I love you.”

Those turquoise eyes searched mine. “Your world…it’s a lot. I might’ve had a mini freakout that I wasn’t ready.”

My fingers tightened in Sutton’s hair, a flicker of panic igniting. “Warrior,” I growled. “Tell me you’re not bailing.”

“I’m not,” Sutton said quickly. “I think I was just scared.” Her eyes glistened with unshed tears. “You’ve given me so much that the idea of losing it, losing you…it’s like I can’t breathe.”

“I’m not going anywhere. It’s you and me. Whatever comes our way, we’ll handle it together.” Because I knew exactly how Sutton felt. Just thinking about life without her had cinder blocks pressing on my chest and panic setting in.

Sutton stretched up onto her tiptoes. “I love you.”

I felt the words against my mouth—the vibrations, the heat. It was my favorite way to hear those words, as if they were bleeding into every part of me. “Fuck, Warrior.”

She pressed her body against mine, my dick hardening at the mere hint of her heat. “I love you.”

“Again,” I commanded, my fingers trailing up her bare thigh, diving beneath the cotton of her sundress .

“I love you,” Sutton whispered.

My fingers stroked her through the lace covering her core. “Nothing makes me harder than those words. They wrap around my cock just like your pretty little fingers. Like the promise of your lips. Your heat.”

Sutton’s hips flexed into my hand, seeking more.

“Is my girl greedy?”

“Yes,” she breathed. “Never get enough of you.”

Fuck.

I needed her. Needed to lose myself in her body, knowing she’d claimed my soul. Needed to feel the certainty of forever with her.

My fingers trailed over her skin, and I couldn’t resist cupping that perfect ass. Sutton moaned into my mouth as I squeezed the globes. God, those sweet sounds. I wanted to drown in them forever.

I forced my hand away from Sutton’s ass, my fingers twisting in the band of delicate lace at her hip. Sutton’s head pulled back, heat filling her eyes. “Don’t you dare, Cope. Not again . I will not walk about this arena underwearless.”

I grinned, leaning down so my lips hovered just against hers. “But that’s just how I want you. So whenever you feel a breeze, you’ll feel me, remember me moving inside you, remember what’s ours.”

Sutton whimpered against my mouth.

The sound was too much for me. I twisted the fabric, snapping the delicate fibers and sending the lace fluttering to the floor. Then my fingers were sliding home into that wet heat. My dick stiffened to the point of pain. It wanted all of her, just like the rest of me.

“You like the idea of that? Walking through the rink still feeling me inside you. Knowing I’ve marked you.”

The blue of her eyes danced and transformed with blistering heat as Sutton’s fingers gripped my hair, pulling my head back. “Only if I can mark you right back.”

“Baby,” I growled. “I’m carrying your nail marks on my back. I’d have Kye tattoo them on me, but you’re burned into my goddamned soul. I carry you with me every second of every day. ”

Those fingers tightened in my hair, pain flickering across my scalp. “Cope?”

“Warrior.”

“Fuck me.”

I lifted her, and her legs encircled my waist. “My goddamned pleasure.”

I strode to the desk, lowering her to the floor and then flipping her around so she faced the piece of furniture I wasn’t sure was sturdy enough for us. But if we broke it, I’d buy the dude another one.

“Grab the desk.” My voice had deepened, taking on a desperate edge.

Sutton drew in a breath but didn’t hesitate, simply bent over and grabbed the wooden edge. Her perfect ass curved in front of me, the cotton of her sundress caressing it the way I wanted to do with my hands, my tongue.

I trailed a hand down Sutton’s spine, and she shivered at the touch. The heat of her skin bled into my palm as I reached her ass. My fingers fisted in the fabric, and I flipped up the skirt.

“Fuck,” I growled. “Do you know how perfect you are?”

My fingers slid through her wetness, trailing it to her clit. Sutton let out a moan.

“I could stare at you forever. Play with you until that wetness trails down your thighs.”

Sutton’s chest rose and fell in quick pants. “Don’t tease me.”

My girl didn’t want to wait, and who was I to keep her from what she wanted? My hand left her heat, and I missed it instantly. The feel of her curving around me, her need pulsing into me. But I’d have it again. I’d have it all.

I shucked my shoes and pants, not even bothering with my damn shirt. It would take too long. My fingers slid through Sutton’s hair, wrapping it around my fist, giving her something to pull against, that bite of pain to increase the pleasure.

My tip bumped against her entrance, and my cock wept. Just the promise of her could bring me to my knees.

“Cope,” she breathed .

“Tell me what you want,” I gritted out, barely able to hold myself back.

“Fuck me. Make me feel you for days.”

I’d always give Sutton what she needed, but she gave the same right back to me. And right now, we needed to remember we belonged to each other. I gripped her hair and slid inside with one forceful thrust.

The sound I let loose had an animalistic edge, but I didn’t give a damn. All I could think about was the heaven of sliding home. To Sutton.

I took her again, each thrust deeper than the one before. Sutton pushed against me, seeking more, wanting me so deep I’d never leave. I powered into her, giving her everything I had.

Those perfect walls fluttered against my dick, telling me she was almost there. Everything in me tightened as I struggled to hold myself back.

“Finger on your clit, Warrior. Find it. Find it with me.”

Sutton let out a whimper, and one hand left the desk and slid between her thighs. There was no whimper when her finger met that bundle of nerves. There was a cry. “Cope.”

Her walls clamped down around me like a vise grip. It took all my strength to power through her hold. I rode each wave as she convulsed around me until my control shattered. Her name left my lips on a shout as I emptied into her. Everything I had, just like she wanted.

We rode the waves, easing as one. That was the thing about coming together. It didn’t matter if it was rough or tender; it always ended with us feeling like we were one. A team.

I released my hold on Sutton’s hair, brushing it off her neck and dropping a kiss where her spine began. And then I whispered against her skin, “I love you. Now. Tomorrow. Twenty years from now. Fifty. It’s never going to end.”

“Cope.” The word was barely audible as I slid from her body. She turned, her hand cupping my face. “Love you. Thank you for reminding me of what’s ours. ”

I kissed her, my tongue stroking hers, coming home. “Always,” I whispered against her mouth.

Breaking away, I quickly pulled up my pants and slipped on my shoes as Sutton giggled.

“What is it about us and desks?” she muttered.

I chuckled and grabbed a fresh tee from my bag, kneeling at her feet. “Think I could find a reason to put a desk in every room at the house?”

Sutton’s lips twitched as I slid the shirt between her thighs as gently as possible, her hands landing on my shoulders. “I don’t know. I think I’m partial to punching bags, too.”

My dick gave a painful twitch. “Hell. Please don’t turn me on again. I might die of a stroke.”

Sutton laughed. “Sorry. Can’t have you keeling over on me.”

I shoved the shirt into my bag, hauling the duffel over my shoulder and Sutton into my arms. “Hate to tell you this, but you’re stuck with me.”

She brushed her lips across mine. “Nowhere I’d rather be.”

Taking Sutton’s hand, I led us into the hallway. We headed toward the rink and found Frankie and Marcus along the way.

Frankie shook his head and grinned. “Sounds like you two made up.”

Sutton let out a squeak, shoving her face into my chest as I glared at my teammate. “Don’t make me deck you, asshole.”

“And here I thought I was the only one Reap liked to punch,” Marcus said with a smirk.

“I can make sure you get yours, too. Don’t worry,” I shot back.

“Geez,” Frankie muttered. “You’d think getting some would have put you in a better mood.”

I flipped them both off as I guided Sutton past.

“I’m never going to be able to look them in the eye again,” she said into my chest.

I just chuckled. “Trust me, they’ve done way worse.”

Sutton stole a look up at me, her cheeks pink. “Not in front of me, they haven’t. ”

I kissed the tip of her nose. “You’re cute when you’re embarrassed.”

“This isn’t funny, Copeland!”

I just grinned wider. “Warrior, never going to mind that people know we can’t keep our hands off each other.”

She let out a little huff of air.

“What?” I asked.

“Why do you have to be sweet when I’m annoyed?”

My grin widened. “I could always fuck you again to help with that.”

Sutton shoved at my chest. “Men!”

I laughed as she went in search of Luca, and God, that felt good. The release of the stress I’d been carrying around for the last few hours. But more than that, knowing we could hit bumps in the road and make it through every damn time.