28. Xander

Xander

The door to our apartment shut with a soft click, and Ry leaned against it, his chest heaving from the exertion of the night"s game. His body was a canvas of bruises and aches – a testament to the fierce battle we"d fought on the ice against Edmonton. He'd also been pushing himself really hard during practice, which got me scared. Since his tense conversation with Connor, I could see the weight of worry on Ry's shoulders.

"Damn, that was rough," he muttered, forcing a smile despite the obvious pain etched on his face.

A knot of dread twisted in my chest, and my gaze locked onto him as he grimaced with each labored step. I"d been on the receiving end of brutal games before, but watching Ry bear the brunt of it stirred discomfort within me in a way I couldn't put into words. The sting of defeat was still fresh, making our journey back home heavy with silence.

The game had been an uphill battle from the start. Our defense was solid with Tank and Jester holding their ground like immovable fortresses, their skates carving angry lines into the ice as they fended off aggressive advances. Maestro was a wall in front of our net, swatting away puck after puck with an agility that was almost cat-like.

But then the power play for Edmonton began. Our team found ourselves a man down after Landon, one of our forwards, was called for tripping, and the pressure mounted. Ry sped across the ice, attempting to fill the gaps in our formation, but our opponents exploited our disadvantage with ruthless efficiency. Despite Ry"s lightning speed and valiant efforts, Edmonton managed to capitalize on the power play, netting three goals in quick succession. It was a frustrating turn of events, and as the goals piled up against us, the tension on the ice became palpable.

As for me on the left wing, I tried to break through their defense line only to be met with a brick wall every single time. The sound of the horn signaled the end of our struggle. It wasn"t just the physical exhaustion that weighed on us, but also the bitterness of defeat on our home turf that stayed with us long after we left the rink. With another game looming in just two days, there was no time to dwell on our defeat, though. We"d have to shake it off and get back on the ice tomorrow.

"Here," I said, guiding Ry towards the couch. "Let me help you."

I stripped him of his clothes and settled him onto the cushions. Determined to ease his discomfort, I fetched the ice pack, wrapping it carefully in a towel. Then I dimmed the lights and queued up a familiar comfort sitcom – a rerun of The King of Queens – hoping it would help him relax.

"Sunshine, I"m not ready for the retirement home just yet," Ry protested with a chuckle as I approached, but his eyes spoke volumes of gratitude.

"Shh." I applied a cold compress to his aching muscles. "Let me take care of you." Before knowing and loving Ry, those words would have felt foreign to me because I wasn"t one for grand declarations, but something about Ry made me want to be and do everything for him.

The time ticked by and his breathing slowed down. His eyelids dropped as the cold seeped into his weary muscles and hopefully offered some relief. When fifteen minutes were up, I gently removed the ice pack from his legs, hoping he wouldn"t wake up too abruptly. At that moment, Doug Heffernan was in the middle of one of his trademark rants about something trivial, providing a light backdrop to the room. Ry stirred slightly, his eyelids fluttering as if he was about to wake up. I held my breath, hoping he wouldn"t be startled awake by the sudden absence of the cold compress.

I slid in beside him, snuggling close. We were both tall and broad, but I didn't mind being crowded on the couch with him. I slung my arm around his middle, wanting to be close to him.

"Xander?" Ry whispered during a lull in the show.

"I guess I woke you up, huh?"

He raised my hand to his lips, pressing a soft kiss on the back of it, then another. "Thank you."

"Anytime," I replied softly, intertwining our fingers. "I've got to apply the ice pack on your muscles again in about an hour."

Ry"s gaze met mine; the intensity in his green eyes set my pulse racing. "Plan to do anything to pass the time?"

Laughter from the TV filled the room. Time slowed down as our faces inched closer, and my breath hitched in anticipation. I couldn't believe that after all of these months had passed, every hug, every kiss, every fuck felt like I was doing it with him for the first time. I hoped that feeling lasted for the rest of our lives.

"Sunshine?" His lips brushed against mine. The sensation ignited a fire within me.

I captured Ry"s bottom lip with my teeth, gently tugging at it. He responded eagerly, his tongue teasing the edge of my mouth, seeking entrance. I granted him access, and he explored every inch, leaving no part untouched.

"God, you taste so fucking good," Ry murmured against my lips, his voice heavy with lust.

"Likewise," I managed to gasp out, feeling my body flush with heat under his hungry gaze.

His hands roamed my body, tracing the lines of muscles beneath my clothes. I found myself moaning softly into the kiss as Ry"s fingers grazed over a particularly sensitive spot on my side. My heart pounded wildly.

"Well?" Ry asked, pulling back slightly.

"Well, what?"

"What are we going to do to pass the time?" He waggled his eyebrows. Yeah, I knew what my man wanted.

I shrugged, feigning ignorance. "Why don't you tell me?"

"Maybe you should sit on my dick."

"Weren't you the one in pain?"

"My muscles hurt, not my dick." Ry looked pointedly at his hardness. "Now sit on it already."

"Deal," I stood. "I'll be back in a few."

"God." Ry growled when I got back. His eyes hungrily roved over my nakedness. "You're fucking beautiful, you know that?"

I grinned, feeling a thrill of excitement course through me. "Oh, I think I might have an idea, Ry. You make me feel beautiful."

"Come here," Ry purred.

Crawling towards him, I couldn"t take my eyes off his gaze, which seemed to pierce straight through me.

I straddled his hips, feeling the heat of his body beneath mine. The air between us crackled with electricity as we shared a wicked grin.

Now that I understood the deeper meaning behind the intricate tattoos adorning his pecs, more than just for aesthetics or because it was a trend, I couldn"t resist leaning in closer. With a sense of reverence, I planted gentle kisses on each and every inked design, tracing my lips along the curves and lines. The rough texture of the patterns against my skin made my heart race with anticipation as I explored the art on his body.

Ry trembled slightly under my touch, his breath hitching as my hands roamed over his well-defined abs. I wanted to touch him everywhere at once. My fingers tangled in his hair, still damp from the shower he took at the arena after the game, pulling him closer as our tongues danced together. His hands found their way to my hips, gripping them tightly as he pressed me against him. Our bodies moved in sync, desperate for more contact, more heat.

"Fuck, you"re gorgeous," he murmured, leaning in for another hungry kiss.

"Keep talking like that, and I might fall for you all over again."

"Don't stop falling, baby."

"Can"t get enough of me, huh?"

"You have no idea." Ry's voice was thick with lust as he watched me intently. "Show me how much you want this."

I squirted some lube we'd left on the side of the couch that morning onto my fingers before slowly, deliberately circling my entrance.

Yeah, you guessed it. I'd taken Ry's eggplant up my ass a few times by then. Don't ask me to recount what it was like bottoming for the first time, which was right after the Orion Skye concert. Let's just say it was a comedy of errors that had a happily ever after ending.

With a shuddering breath, I pressed one finger inside, feeling the familiar stretch and warmth welcoming me. Ry"s voice, husky and raw, echoed in my mind. His words weren"t poetry or sweet nothings; they were raw and carnal. "Can"t wait to be inside you," he growled. "Want to shoot my load so far up in you, you'll taste my cum." And soon I added a second finger, then a third, each movement causing a delicious friction that made me crave more. A craving only Ry's dick could satisfy.

"Fuck, Sunshine," Ry groaned. "You"re so beautiful like this, getting yourself ready for me."

I coated Ry"s impressive length, my own desire growing as I imagined sinking down onto him. "I can"t wait to take all of you."

"God, yes. Ride me, baby."

"Just sit back and relax; I'll do all the fucking." Slowly, I positioned myself above him, feeling the head of his cock pressing against my entrance. Steeling myself, I took a deep breath before starting to sink onto him, our bodies merging together.

"Fuck," I whispered, feeling Ry"s thickness stretch me in an exquisite blend of pleasure and pain.

He moaned, gripping my hips as he urged me closer, deeper. "You have no idea how amazing you feel."

My breath hitched as I continued lowering myself onto him, my body trembling with anticipation and need. The connection between us felt like fire, consuming us both in its heat and intensity.

"Talk to me, Ry," I begged. "Tell me what you want."

"Hard, Sunshine." Ry's voice was thick with desire.

Taking his command to heart, I began moving my hips, riding him with an increasing urgency. The friction between our bodies sent intense waves of pleasure through me, and I moaned in ecstasy.

Ry gasped. One of his hands gripped my waist and the other my hip. "You feel incredible. So tight… so hot."

"Fuck, Ry." I panted, sweat coating my brow as I continued to fuck myself on his thick shaft. "Your cock feels so good inside me... like it was made for me."

"Damn right." He growled, his eyes locked onto mine, full of lust and passion. "I can"t get enough of this ass. You"re driving me wild, baby."

"Is that so?" I teased, smirking despite the overwhelming sensations coursing through my body. My muscles clenched around him involuntarily, drawing a deep groan from Ry"s lips.

"Argh! If you keep doing that, I won't last much longer." A sensual smile formed on his lips, betraying his enjoyment.

"Maybe that"s what I want," I replied coyly, increasing my pace as I bounced up and down on his rock-hard length. "I want you to lose control, Ry. I want you to come undone because of me."

"Fuck," he swore, his fingers digging into my skin as he fought to maintain his composure. "You"re going to be the death of me."

"Then let"s make it a beautiful death," I whispered, leaning down to capture his lips in a searing kiss. Our tongues tangled together, mirroring the fervor of our bodies" connection.

Ry moaned into my mouth, his breathing becoming more ragged. "I"m getting close."

"Me too." I felt the familiar coiling of pleasure in my core. "Come with me, Ry. Let"s."

"Yesss." Ry's hands slid up to cup my face as the intensity of our movements reached a fever pitch.

My man cried out, his body tensing beneath me as we both surrendered to the torrent of ecstasy that crashed over us. The heat of his release filled me, and the sensation pushed me over the edge as well.

My own climax stole the breath from my lungs. I collapsed onto Ry's chest, the aftershocks of our pleasure still coursing through us as we clung to each other, hearts pounding in sync.

"Damn," Ry murmured after a moment, running his fingers through my hair. "That was... something else."

"Best little death ever?" I joked weakly, earning a chuckle from him.

"Absolutely." He pressed a gentle kiss to my forehead. "But I"d like to stick around on this side and enjoy you for a long time."

"Deal," I whispered. I wanted to snuggle with my lover for a little while, but I had to clean us up and apply the ice pack on his sore muscles because we had practice the next day.