28. Mikayla

CHAPTER 28

MIKAYLA

Ethan plucks me off the ground, and my legs automatically wrap around his waist. I kiss his cheeks as he carries me up the stairs. I’ve never seen him cry before, not even on our wedding day. But seeing those tears trail down his face as I stepped away from him was a revelation. I swear I’ve never loved him more than in that moment. His pain over the thought of losing me was so freaking humbling. He loves me. He was willing to quit hockey for me.

I’ve never felt so important to anyone in my life. I don’t even know what to do with that. Trailing my fingers into the ends of his hair, I lightly play with them as I press my lips to his and drink in his taste, that familiar flavor of him.

How many times have we kissed in the past six years?

How many times has his tongue swept across mine?

Yet this time feels new, different somehow.

It’s deep with meaning, like my soul is seeking out his, desperate to connect on a level we’ve never experienced before.

We reach the bathroom, and Ethan pops me down to turn on the shower.

I start unbuttoning his shirt—so big and cumbersome on me, but I love it just the same. He gently flicks my fingers away and takes over, delicately pushing each button through the hole until it’s spread apart, my body on display. I didn’t bother putting on a bra this morning. I got home so late last night, and Ethan wasn’t here. I wept some more, pulling out his shirt and crying into it before putting it on and finding a perch on the couch. I barely slept. With the curtains open, I watched the sun lighten the sky while I sat on the couch and wondered where my husband was.

I could have called him, but I couldn’t bring myself to turn my phone on. After the string of abusive texts from Ryan after I walked out of there, I switched it off. It was tempting to throw the thing in the trash can, but I kept it in my bag, buried deep and untouched.

Waiting for Ethan to return was pure torture.

But then he arrived.

And now he’s standing in front of me, gazing at my naked body like he’s in awe. Like he can’t believe he’s lucky enough to call me his.

Lifting my hand, he brushes his lips over my tattoo, smiling down at it and murmuring, “I really love this, you know? Think I might have to get myself an M .”

I want to grin up at him, but emotions are still riding through me. I feel raw and fragile, so I step against him, rising to my tiptoes and kissing his lips again. I need this connection. I have to be with him. To seal this new start with a physical act. I can’t talk anymore. There are no words, only hands and hearts and bodies.

Scrambling to pull his shirt off, I quickly unbuckle his belt. My movements turn frantic, a little whimper popping out of me.

“It’s okay, lil’ mouse. I’m not going anywhere.”

Tears burn my eyes again, and I can’t look up at him. Instead, I let him unzip his pants and watch them fall to the floor. His boxer briefs follow, and I drink in the glory that is Ethan Galloway.

My man.

My husband.

My future.

Resting my hands lightly on his hips, I look up at him and wobble out the words, “I love you so fucking much.”

He grins, cupping my face and kissing me deeply. Wrapping his arm around my waist, he lifts me off the floor and walks us into the shower. The hot spray kisses our skin, and I groan at how good it feels. Every part of me aches, like my muscles have been carrying my stress and burdens for the last year and are finally starting to release the toxic energy I’ve been functioning on.

“Relax, baby,” Ethan murmurs against my cheek. “I’ve got you.”

His hands glide lightly down my arm, and he bends to kiss the bruises. I tense, closing my eyes as the tip of his tongue caresses my tender skin, then start to relax when he reaches my shoulder, his gentle kisses trailing up my neck before finding my mouth again.

Sinking into him, I press our wet, naked bodies together and revel in the hard planes of his muscles. I love every curve and taut ridge.

His hard cock presses into my belly, but when I go to reach for it, he stops me.

“Let me wash you first.”

Spinning me around, he faces me toward the shower spray, and I tip my head back, soaking in the heat, letting the warm steam wrap around me as he lathers up his hands and starts to wash off the grime I’ve been living with.

His hands are smooth and tender, gliding over me in a fluid motion. He massages my shoulders, working out the knots before trailing around to my front. His soapy fingers tease my nipples, and I groan, sinking against his torso.

I feel like he hasn’t touched me in months.

My mind ticks, seeking out the memory of the last time we were together, and I can’t even find it.

No, wait, it was…

Shit, we haven’t been intimate since that angry sex we had on the couch back in… when even was that?

Weeks ago. Months, even.

It’s a travesty.

Pressing my hand against the wet tiles, I steady myself as he presses into me, his cock wedged against my back as his finger finds my aching clit and lightly massages it.

I moan, closing my eyes and panting as he works his magic.

He knows me so well. We’ve spent years discovering every crack and crevice of each other’s bodies. We know our hot spots, what makes us quake and moan the loudest. He knows just how to make me writhe and whimper with pleasure.

“You’re so sexy, baby.” Brushing my wet hair aside, he kisses the back of my neck. I thrust my hips back into him, grinding our bodies together as my blood starts to boil with desire.

I’m so hot for him.

I’m probably dripping wet too.

In fact, I know I am.

I’m so ready for him to plunge into me, but he’s making no moves to do that. Right now, his sole focus is pleasuring me, and I’m going to let him. Because this feels too fucking good to stop.

Leaning forward, I brace myself against the shower, the hot spray soaking my head, swallowing my cries when he pushes his fingers into me from behind. With one hand working my clit and the other thrusting into me, I’m undone within minutes.

I crack apart, splintering through the middle and crying against the shower wall. My entire body is buzzing with an electric current I’m not sure I can handle.

“That’s it, baby.” Ethan wraps his arm around my waist, holding me up when my knees buckle, his fingers still inside me, working me until I am nothing but a limp mess, too weak to do anything but fall back against him.

The shower clunks off, and he lifts me off my feet, sweeping his arms beneath my legs and carrying me to the bed.

He leaves a trail of wet footprints in his wake, but he’s too busy embedding his tongue in my mouth to notice. I drink him in, gripping the back of his neck and silently begging him to never let me go.

He places me on the bed like I’m a delicate petal, and I gaze up into his eyes. He’s never treated me so gently before, but right now I’m tissue paper on the verge of disintegrating, and he somehow knows it.

Kneeling before me, he parts my legs, his eyes rich with affection as he crawls between them. His fingers are soft in my hair, brushing strands off my face as he hovers over me. He’s silently asking for permission, the way he always does, and I softly smile, giving it the way I always do.

With a soft grunt he slips into me. It’s a slow, languid movement, yet I still catch my breath. He fills me, wonder and ecstasy splashing through me as he stretches my core, filling my soul with warmth and my body with passion.

His eyes are still locked on mine, and I drink in his gaze as he moves within me. I match his rhythm, this slow dance of ours holding more meaning than it ever has before. Emotion clogs my throat, burning my eyes, and he stops, resting his hand on the bed and checking on me.

“Baby, what?”

“I just love you so much.” I sniff, blinking at my damn stupid tears. “Shit, I never want to lose you, and I nearly did, and?—”

“You’ll never lose me,” he cuts me off. “I promised to love and cherish you until the day I die.” He moves inside me again, a slow thrust that takes my breath away. “You’re mine and I’m yours forever, lil’ mouse. You’ve gotta believe that.”

“I do.” I brush my fingers down his cheek, then tip my head back with a groan when he plunges deeper.

He kisses my chin, laughter bubbling in his throat. “I love you,” he whispers, then plunges again. “I love you so fucking much.”

His pace picks up, his thrusts coming harder and faster. I lose the ability to speak. All I can do is feel him inside me, taking over every sense and breath. Owning every one of my heartbeats.

“Look at me, baby.”

My eyes pop open at his soft command.

Drinking in his gaze, I can feel his love all the way to my soul, then smile as his eyes start to glaze over.

“Oh fuck,” he groans, his ass clenching as he drives into me.

I can sense his orgasm building and start to pant in time with him. His hand scoops beneath my ass, pulling me even closer as his thrusts take on an uncontrolled jerking quality.

His eyes snap shut, but I coax them back open.

“I want to look into your eyes when you come. Let me look at you, baby.”

As soon as his gaze hits mine, I start to smile. Then his mouth pops open, another grunt firing out of him as he thrusts deep and hard. We stay connected as he finally lets go, releasing inside me with a musical groan that warms my heart. Our wet, slippery bodies press together, and I hold him tight as he tucks his chin into the crook of my neck and rides out the last of his high.

Wrapping my legs around him, I dig my heels into his ass and hold him inside me. Aware that he’s squashing the breath out of me, he rolls us over. Our bed is wet, but I don’t care. I continue to lie on his chest, clinging to him because I can’t let go.

I have no idea how long we stay like that, but we just hang on like we’re making up for lost time. Like we need to hold each other and soak in this bliss because life is fragile, and we’ve wasted too much of it being at odds with each other.

“I’m sorry I didn’t listen to you sooner. I’m sorry I let that shitty job own me for way too long,” I whisper.

“Hey.” He nudges my chin up, so I perch my arms on his chest and start drawing patterns across his collarbone. “I should have been there for you. Been a better husband. And I’m sorry that I spent too long yelling at you and not enough time trying to support you.”

My expression crumples, and he swipes his thumb beneath my eyes, but there aren’t any tears to catch right now.

“It’s over, Mick. It’s done. We’re gonna move forward from here.”

“Yeah.” My voice shakes and I nod. I’ve obviously still got more processing to do. I’m still feeling so weak and vulnerable. I really hate it.

“I feel like I’ve lost myself somehow.” I frown. “Do you think I’ll ever get me back?”

“You’re still in there.” Ethan cups my cheek, resting his thumb on the end of my chin. “And whether you believe it or not, right this second, you’re a stronger version than you were before.”

My laughter is a soft scoff. “I so don’t feel like that right now.”

“Yeah, I know. But you will.” His eyes are so beautiful, and I drink in his gaze when he smiles. “We’re gonna be stronger too.”

“Yeah.” I nod, my smile growing to match his.

“I’m with you every step of the way. Whatever you decide to do.”

“Ditto.” I sniff. “I know I’m not quite ready to start up my own agency yet, but that’s the long-term goal, you know? I just need to find a different way of getting there.”

“You could always contact some of your favorite agents and ask their advice. And if you need to move to have one of them as your mentor, I’ll move with you, baby. It can’t just be about my career.”

I perch my chin on my hands and grin at him. “Wow. You really do love me.”

“I adore you. And I know I don’t always have a say on who I’ll play for, and I have binding contracts I have to stick to, but never forget that you’re more important to me than anything. If I have to move for you, I will. I’d find a way so that we can always be together.”

I swallow, the sweet sentiment making me smile. “Ditto.”

He kisses me again, then rolls me over when I start to shiver. Wrapping his arms around me, he tucks me against his side, then grabs the throw blanket off the bottom of the bed. We snuggle beneath it, and I finally drift off to sleep, wrapped in Ethan’s arms and feeling at peace for the first time in months.