Chapter 17

Cindy

Snuggling and making out with Tyler on my couch is like nothing I've ever felt before. He isn't even trying to make the moves. I seem to be doing that for us both.

I'm sure it's premature to even think I could be falling for Tyler, but I can feel the way I'm drawn to him.

I told him more tonight than I've told anyone this quickly.

Okay, not about the stalker campus guy and an attempted mugging on campus, but the whole Damon situation isn't exactly an icebreaker. But Tyler made me feel comfortable in talking about it and why I have my reservations. I meant what I said to him, I don't want to drag it around with me going forwards. Not everyone is a cheater and a liar.

"You know, I could just call you BB for short," I joke, giving him a poke in the ribs.

"BB?" he quizzes, catching my hand and bringing it up to his mouth to kiss it again.

"Bad boy."

"Something tells me you like it?" He tilts his head.

"Maybe I do."

"A walk on the wild side with Tyler Peterson, huh?"

"Hey, I'm not some piece of meat," he laughs, giving me a wink.

"Do you want to touch me again like you did in the car that night?"

"Is this a trick question?"

I laugh lightly. "We can make out and fool around, Ty. I'm not a total stick in the mud."

"I never thought you were."

I love the fact he's not pushing for us to get naked. I can't do the whole casual thing, but maybe in time, when I get to know him a little better, we could take things further. I need to know what we are first.

I made that mistake with Joel, and I'm not going to do it again.

"I'm very comfortable with you," I confess. "That's really something new for me."

"I'm glad I make you feel that way." He smiles, brushing my hair out of the way. My breathing feels labored from just watching him. My body is humming and I want to be close to him so badly. "But I scared you off that night in the car, Cind."

"That was me getting in my own head," I say. "Getting close to someone again. The guy in college, Joel, and I didn't work out. We didn't connect the way I thought in the beginning and he ended up moving. He was the first guy I slept with, Tyler."

He brushes my hair out of the way with his fingers, touching my collar bone lightly as he listens.

"There hasn't been anyone else."

I leave that hanging there for just a moment.

He swallows. "You've just been with one guy?"

"Yes," I sigh. "I kind of felt it was time, and I really liked Joel. I loved him actually, or thought I did. But we were really better off as friends."

I search in his face for some indication he's going to find that weird or alarming, but there's nothing. He stays completely neutral.

"So that's what you were freaking out about?"

"Yeah, I guess I was. It's not exactly a normal thing."

"You haven't fooled around with anyone else?" He doesn't balk as such, but he's clearly surprised.

"Only Damon early on, but that was just kissing and feeling each other up through our clothes. My upbringing wasn't like most people these days. My parents weren't accepting of that kind of thing. You had to wait for marriage."

"I understand," he says. "You don't even know how damned sexy I think you are for that."

I lift my head up from his shoulder to look at him.

"You find it sexy?"

"I'm not like other guys, babe. I don't care about that shit. I care about what makes you happy."

I lean in to kiss him. They're about the best words I've ever heard. And I'm hoping it's not just one of his lines he uses, but I doubt it given what's at stake with us both taking such a risk outside the team walls.

When he reciprocates, he pulls me closer to him by the hip, and I squeal as I press my body into his side. Slowly edge up over him to straddle his legs.

I glance at Henry snoozing away in his spot and look back at Tyler. I'm surprised at myself, but even more shocked when I scoot into him and feel his hardness pushing against me.

"Ohh." I close my eyes from the sensation of his erection so close to me. I bite my lip to save any more noises coming out of my mouth.

"I'm a guy that finds you very sexy, baby. Can't you tell?"

"I can tell," I breathe, folding myself into his arms and breathing into his neck. His scent is so hot and spicy it sparks butterflies within me and spreads warmth through my entire body, leading from my core. "Ty, you smell so good." I push against him and he lets out a low, deep moan in his throat.

"You look so good sitting on me in that jersey," he breathes as I pull back to look at him. His heated eyes send my insides into a spin. My arms wrap around his neck as his hands rest on my hips.

I reach down to kiss him, my entire being melting under the scorch of his lips.

I grab his hands in mine and drag them up to my breasts, holding them there. "You can touch me, Ty. We can sort of keep our clothes on."

He glances at my chest and gives both breasts a squeeze. "You're so fucking perfect," he mutters.

I watch him, feeling the heat and the wetness between my legs. "Ty, you really turn me on." I've never spoken like this to anyone before. Not Joel, and certainly not Damon. This is a whole new experience for me.

"I love that," he says, almost like he's in pain, kneading my breasts as I slowly rock my hips against him. The friction feels like a sweet nectar to my senses. His erection is also hitting me in my most delicate spot.

I lean forward as he breathes into my shirt, holding both breasts to his nose. Then his thumbs rub across my hard nipples, which he can no doubt feel through the thin jersey and my bralette.

"Ty."

He pulls gently as I rock against him. "Yeah, baby."

"That feels good."

"You like that?"

I press my lips together as he rubs his nose over my left nipple, kneading the other one. Then his mouth moves over the fabric and I feel his warm breath as he slowly tugs with his teeth.

"Ohhh," I breathe, needing more. Through my shirt just isn't enough. I pull it up under my armpits revealing my white lace bralette. I take a huge amount of satisfaction at the look he gives as he stares at my breasts hungrily. They are quite large.

I still from my rocking for a moment. It's so hot sitting on top of him.

"Can I play?" He asks, giving them a gentle squeeze.

I practically convulse from those words alone.

"Yes," I murmur, looking down to my perky and needy breasts, which he rubs again, plucking my nipples. I don't even know what I'll do if he takes one in his mouth.

I watch as he pulls the fabric back on one side, revealing my very hard, pink peak.

He swears under his breath, which sends another shock wave through me, because it sounds so hot when he uses dirty language when he praises me.

He sits forward as I watch in anticipation when he brings his face to my chest. He moves his head, his lips finding my nipple. Then I feel his tongue and I can't help but gasp and then moan loudly over his head. The feeling is so out of this world I'm practically on fire.

"Ty," I whisper as his lips caress each nipple, then there's the glorious suckle. His tongue licks me softly all the while and swirls around. I push my hips against him as he looks up at me.

"That good, baby?" He pulls the fabric away on the other side, so both breasts stick out, the straps falling down my arms as he moves his head.

"It's so good."

"I like you in that jersey," he murmurs, pulling back, but only to speak. "So beautiful, Cind. Did you wear that just for me?"

"Yes," I breathe, not being able to help myself, moving my hips back and forth more vigorously. Loving the friction I'm getting through the cotton pants I'm wearing as my sweet spot hits his hard length. I can feel my orgasm building. It's going to be another first for me with a partner. "I love everything you're doing, Ty. I love your dirty words, too."

"That you're hot as fuck?" He says, playing with his tongue, glancing up at me, teasing my nipple.

"Ty…" I squeeze my eyes shut as my hips move faster. He takes his hands to my hips and maneuvers me back and forth faster as he keeps sucking my nipples, my breasts bouncing against his face. It's the sexiest thing I've ever seen. "I'm going to… oh Ty… ohhh." I can't hold on, and I don't want to, even if I can't believe this is happening.

I keep watching him as he sucks and pulls gently with his teeth, and it's all I need to send the sparks spiraling through my body as I let go and my release takes over.

I'm lost in our bubble, but I'm aware that I'm moaning out loud and my breathing is ragged. I squeeze my eyes closed, enjoying every wave that passes through me until I finally come to a halt. Tyler lifts his head from my breasts and our eyes meet.

I smile shyly, knowing my face is flushed and I'm a little wobbly.

He releases his hands from my hips and wraps his arms around me.

My lips reach for his and we kiss long and deep.

"Wow," I breathe, when we pull apart.

"You're wow," he says, looking down at my exposed breasts on display for him.

"We didn't even get naked," I giggle. "You're amazing."

"You have a beautiful body." He even folds my bralette back over my breasts, giving them a last brief brush of his knuckles. I let the jersey fall to cover me again.

"You make me feel so good, Ty. No one has done that before."

He pulls back to look at me. "You mean, literally, or no one has made you feel good?"

"I mean literally."

He presses his forehead to mine. "I like I was the one to do it."

I smile shyly and glance down. "What are we going to do about that?"

He chuckles. "It will go down, eventually."

"Ty…"

He presses his fingers to my lips. "It's about you right now Cinds, and I want you to be comfortable before we take things further, if we take things further."

I bite my lip, feeling a little bad if I leave him high and dry.

"I didn't know tonight was going to go like this," I confess.

"Honestly, me either," he says. "But you are beautiful, Cindy, and if no one has told you that before, I plan to rectify that too."

"I think you already have."

"You ain't seen nothin' yet."

"I like your confidence."

"I like that you even let me into your apartment in the first place. And I think your dog likes me, he hasn't moved a muscle."

We glance at Henry laying with his paws stretched out like he has no cares in the world, and realistically he doesn't.

"He looks pretty comfortable," I laugh, shaking my head. "That's a good sign, you know."

"I bet it is."

"Considering I haven't had any guys over here before."

"No one?"

"Nope. Only had a few dates since college, and I wasn't inviting any of them back here."

The corner of his mouth turns up, and if I didn't know any better, I'd think he was happy about that. "I think you and Henry make a good team," he says. "He's a good little protector."

"He is," I agree as I slide off his lap and pull him with me so I'm laying on my back as he hovers over me. "I like being close like this."

"I do too."

"Did you think we'd end up like this and all after winning the Stanley Cup?"

He chuckles. "No, I just think I hoped we would."

He makes me feel so damned safe. I love the way he's hovering over me now, looking down at me but holding his body weight off. My body is still buzzing from my orgasm and I can feel the flush still burning my cheeks.

I pull him closer.

"Cindy," he warns.

I scrunch my forehead in confusion. "What?"

"You're not ready for that."

"How do you know?"

"Trust me."

"How do you know I'm not?"

He smiles a small smile and dips down to kiss me softly. "From what you've told me, I think I have a fair idea."

"I don't think what we just did is exactly taking things slow."

"Baby steps," he says, moving some stray strands of hair from out of my face.

"Lay with me at least," I say. "My body is still humming."

He chuckles and falls down at my side, pulling my back to his front and wrapping his big arms around me. "I'm glad about that, Cind."

"I like how you call me that."

He breathes into my neck, kissing me softly, the faint stubble on his face brushing my skin lightly. I can't say I've ever felt more at home or more safe.

Especially when Henry trots on over to us and snuggles up right in front of me.

"He definitely likes me," Ty muses. "I just hope his mama does, too."

I laugh faintly, closing my eyes and enjoying this moment. "Do you even have to ask?"

* * *

The aftermath of the Hawks winning the cup is a marathon, I realize, not a sprint.

And there's all kinds of press conferences and interviews that I didn't know about afterwards.

Tyler ends up spending the night on the couch with me. We genuinely fell asleep watching the rest of the movie and after some coffee and a round of toast in the morning. I dropped him off back at his car at the stadium. There was no more funny business because we woke up late and he had a meeting with the team and some interviews to attend, which means my dad is going to be busy most of the day as well.

I'm still reeling at Ty being in my apartment at all, much less spending the night. I know I need to talk to Susie ASAP and try to get my feelings under control. And a little bit of bestie"s time might be the best way to navigate that.

I don't for one minute think it was wrong, but it's not something I'm used to.

The way he made me feel last night was like nothing else I've ever experienced, and not just from the mind-blowing orgasm he gave me with my clothes on.

The guy has skills. That's all I can say.

But it's obviously not just that with him. We have a connection, and he's a very decent man. Especially because he was clearly turned on and wasn't expecting me to do anything in return.

We literally snuggled and watched the rest of Sweet Home Alabama before we both fell asleep cuddling.

I smile, thinking back to our coffee and toast encounter this morning.

"No one would even believe you were sitting at my counter right now if I told them, you know."

"I think we would surprise a lot of people," he said. "Speaking of which, after the charity game, I think we need to talk to your dad. That at least gives me a couple more weeks to figure this out."

"I think that's a good idea," I told him. "It's been hard enough trying to navigate this as it is. Sneaking around out of sight won't be a problem then."

"Though it does kinda make it exciting," he said with a cheeky smile. "Being it's kinda forbidden and all being a workplace romance."

"As well as the coach's daughter," I reminded him, like he could forget.

"Almost makes it like forbidden fruit," he mused, kissing my forehead.

He was still very cuddly in the morning and seeing him moving around my apartment was kind of a shock. Especially when the events of last night unfolded in my head.

The part that shocks me the most is how comfortable it all feels with him and how quickly it has all come together. And I love it. It feels natural. Even if I was a little embarrassed about last night and my reaction to him. Plus, some of the things I admitted were intense, but again, it's not enough for me to get scared or want to stop.

I even told him about Damon! It's not something I've ever divulged just off that bat like that, but Tyler listened and was perfectly understanding.

He seems to like me for me and that's the part I'm really digging the most.

"Let me know when you're free over the next couple of days," he'd said when I dropped him off at his car. It felt very risqué even doing that, knowing he spent the night.

But it was exciting all the same, and that thrill has not stopped running through me ever since.

"I think you're gonna be the one who's busy for the next million years," I joked as he kissed me goodbye. He gave Henry a ruffle around the ears, as he insisted on sitting on Ty's lap the whole way to the stadium, and we parted ways for the time being.

He wasn't kidding when he said Henry likes him a whole lot. And it's a good thing because Henry is my baby, and I'd be wary if he didn't take to him, or if it seemed like Ty wasn't a dog guy. My little Frenchie has been my life since I got him, and he's helped me a lot when the world has gotten too much. If I've had a stressful day at work, or when there's been times I've been thinking about the past, or fighting with mom, Henry has been there without any judgment.

If only humans were the same. Goodness knows what Mom will think about me and Tyler. But the fact is I'm old enough now to make my own decisions and I won't be swayed anymore by her opinion. And I know already it won't be a good one. It never is. She hassled Caitlin for the first six months of her seeing Liam, only easing off her when Caitlin put her foot down. I don't understand how she can't see that we're intelligent women, and we're good people. I guess control is the only thing she's ever known after being involved so heavily with the church for so long. It kind of became ingrained. But she doesn't see the practical side of things, that sometimes things aren't forgivable no matter what Pastor Dan might say. I wish for once she would just acknowledge that she didn't support me back then when I needed her, and that Damon did the wrong thing. But she will never do that. Her standing with her church friends, because his parents have a lot of sway in the community and organize all the fundraising activities for the church, outweighed supporting her daughter.

There's no point brooding about it. What's done is done.

I have to put it behind me, and one of these days return her call.

I'm sure all will be okay again when she's had some time to settle down. Though I'm not sure I'll be able to live down the profanities that came out of my mouth that day in the restaurant. Mom was not impressed by that, and it probably wasn't my finest hour.

I walk Henry when I get home and grab a latte at the corner cafe near my apartment.

Angelique texts me later that morning to see if I want to come over and have dinner with them tonight. We haven't caught up in a few weeks with the finals and Dad being back and forth with the team. A family catchup with them and Caitlin is just the thing I need. Henry loves going over to their place too.

I get a jolt of excitement during the day, every time I think about Ty and the last twenty-four hours. It's all a whirlwind. And I can't keep the stupid grin off my face.

I know I'm going to have to contain it for going to Dad's place. I don't want him to be too suspicious before we get a chance to talk to him. Though I'm sure he will probably think I'm on a high with them over the Stanley Cup. And I am, to some degree.

One thing is for sure though, I can't be wearing Tyler's numbers in public just yet, or around to Dad's place for dinner.

That part has to remain a secret for just a little while longer yet.