9. Mikayla

CHAPTER 9

MIKAYLA

“And Galloway slips up, missing that shot by a mile. What is going through his head right now?” The commentator’s voice is starting to grate as I watch my man skate around the back of the goal with a frustrated frown.

“Come on, baby. You can do this.” I chew my thumbnail, watching the game on my phone because I’m supposed to be working, and my boss will be pissed if he catches me cheering on my husband when I should be proofing the contract on my desk for spelling and grammar.

At first I was stoked when he started giving me that job. I felt like it was a great chance to learn legal jargon and get my head around it all, but it’s actually painfully tedious. I can’t suggest any changes, other than a few typos, and every contract starts to look the same after a while.

I’m just another set of eyes to make sure nothing is amiss. After that, I’ll probably be sent off to do another coffee run and no doubt have to empty the dishwasher and clean the conference room after the meeting is over.

I want to be in that meeting, dammit!

I really need them to see me as more than just some pathetic assistant. I’m after responsibility, a chance to use my initiative. And the only way I’m going to get that is by doing my time. Yes, it sucks, but it’s all good practice for where I want to go. If I can work my way up in this company, the world will be my oyster. That’s what Ryan assured me, and I have to believe him. I’ve already given these guys over a year of my life on pretty pathetic pay. But I’ve been promised at the end of my second year that there’ll be a promotion in the works, and then I can finally start becoming the sports agent I always wanted to be.

Maybe I’ll even get back to those dreams I had in college. I snicker at my naivete and try to tamp down those lofty goals. It’s so easy to dream when you’re a student. The whole world is ahead of you, and you believe that anything is possible.

Then reality hits you like a Mack truck once you graduate and you realize that your sweet little internship won’t be enough to get you where you want to go.

Reality is so much harsher than I thought it’d be. But I’m going to get there. Sometimes you just have to pay the piper to get what you want.

Focusing back on the game, I watch the players whip across the ice and nearly jump out of my skin when someone touches my shoulder.

“Shit!” I drop my phone, and it clatters onto my desk as I whip a look over my shoulder.

“I’m sorry. Am I keeping you from the game?” Ryan narrows his eyes at me and I quickly sit up in my seat, tapping the contract and shaking my head.

“Nope. I’m nearly done here.”

“I should think so.” He winks at me, his smile cheesy and annoying. “Hey, after this, I want you to head out for a coffee run, and Sean needs his dry cleaning picked up.” He drops the stub on my desk. “Then when you get back, you’re all mine. We’ll spend the afternoon going through next week’s schedule, and then I need you to join me for drinks at Ryerson’s Hotel so you can take some photos for social media. I’ve invited some of our clients along, plus a few guys from that new sports label—Heracles. I want to feel them out, see what kind of sponsorship we can pull together. It’ll be mutually beneficial to get our athletes in their gear, so my demands will be high. If our guys are wearing their stuff, it’ll be good for business, right?” He smooths back his slick hair, and my insides roil.

“I can’t tonight, sorry. My husband is due home, and we’re having dinner together.”

“Not tonight.” He shakes his head.

My insides pinch with annoyance. “Yes, tonight. I haven’t seen him in a week.” His smile drops, and I take on his blue glare with one of my own. “You told me I could have this weekend.”

“But I need ya.”

“Anyone can take a photo.” My voice is getting weaker as my argument starts to flail. He could fire me on a whim. He may not be the big boss in this place, but he’s the guy holding my puppet strings, and it won’t take much for him to snip, snip, snip.

Sean will always side with Ryan because they go way back, and it’s obvious he thinks the sun shines out the sleazy agent’s ass. I’m pushing it by trying to argue with Ryan, and I need to shut the hell up or start packing my stuff.

He glances at my desk, eyeing the contract, then spotting my rings next to my pen holder. His lips rise into a smirk and I snatch them off the desk, shoving them on and giving him a baleful stare.

“You’ll be an hour late at the most. Come with me to the hotel, snap a few photos, and then you can be on your way. I’m sure hubby won’t mind.” He leaves before I can argue again, and I slump back in my chair, spinning the rings around my finger and wincing when the diamond scrapes my pinkie. I pull my engagement ring off, setting it down on the desk and staring at it. My wedding band is also studded with diamonds, and last time I wore it, I ended up catching it on my favorite ribbed sweater and pulling a thread.

Closing my eyes, I pull that one off, too, and gently lay it down on top of my engagement ring. They clink together, and I’m swamped with this emotion I can’t even identify. But it’s not good. It’s not happy, whatever the fuck it is.

Shit. Ethan’s going to be so pissed. I wanted to be at home waiting for him, but it looks like I’ll be walking in the door late yet again.

I grab my phone. “And fuck you very much!” I spit, dropping it back on my desk when I see the game is over and I missed the end.

Resting my head in my hands, I pull in a calming breath and feel anything but as I try to finish up the contract, then head out for the coffee run.

* * *

I’m nearly two hours late when I finally walk through the door. Ethan is waiting for me on the couch, glaring at the TV screen while he watches some inane show that I can tell he’s not concentrating on.

The table is set with take-out pizza that’s probably cold by now. I did try to keep him up-to-date on my movements with texts, but I admit, my last one said I’d be another thirty, and it turned into fifty-five.

“Sorry,” I mutter, dumping my bag and slapping down the folder in my hands.

“More work?” he mutters.

“Just some last-minute contracts I need to read over the weekend.”

Ethan tuts and shakes his head.

I clench my jaw, forcing a smile. “Welcome home.”

“Thanks.” His voice is gruff and sarcastic.

“I really wanted to be here when you walked in the door, but?—”

“It’s fine,” he cuts me off.

“It’s not fine. I can tell you’re pissed, and I tried to get out of going to drinks with Ryan, but he?—”

“Drinks, huh?” Ethan stands, shoving his hands into his hoodie pockets. He’s so tall and powerful, still so damn sexy it makes my stomach quiver every single time. But his tone dampens down my desire, his arched brow and pointed look making my stomach twist in a different kind of way. “Just the two of you?”

“Of course not.” I roll my eyes. “It was a bunch of people, and he wanted me to take photos.”

“Selfies, no doubt,” he mumbles under his breath, but I still hear him.

Snatching a cushion off the couch, I hurl it at his head. “Would you stop! There’s nothing going on between me and Ryan. Ugh!” I shudder. “Even thinking that for a second is grossing me out!”

The cushion comes hurling back toward me, and I snatch it before it hits my face and biff it right back at him.

Grabbing it out of the air with a growl, he huffs at me, slapping it onto the floor with a petulant grunt.

A snort pops out of my nose before I can stop it. I’m pretty sure Billy made that exact same noise last time we were hanging with Caroline and Casey.

I fight a laugh, shaking my head. “You’re being ridiculous.” I point at him. “You’ve seen you, right? Why would I want anybody else?”

He hitches his sweats, still frowning at me like a grumpy-ass bear. “It’s supposed to be our weekend. We get two days together, and then I hit the road again. And you’re late, plus you’ve brought home a shit ton of work!”

I flick my hands wide. “What do you want me to do?”

“Quit!” he shouts.

“I can’t do that.” My blood starts to boil as I grit out the words. “This job is going to get me to where I want to go.”

“What the fuck are you talking about? There are hundreds of sports agencies across the country.”

“And this is one of the best in Colorado! And I got a job there. Do you have any idea what a huge compliment that is? I can’t just turn my back on that.”

“Why do you have to work for ‘the best’?” He does irritating air quotes that piss me off even more. “Can’t you just get a job at a smaller agency that will treat you better? The one you worked for before was great.”

“They were small-time,” I mutter.

“But they treated you well, and it’d give you a chance to do your law degree part-time and?—”

“Would you shut up about my law degree?” I snap. “Why are you so obsessed with that?”

“Because you told me that you wanted to represent female athletes and give them the best shot, and right now you are nothing more than an unappreciated assistant at some agency that only represents men! You could be doing so much better!”

My anger flares. “I’m doing my time so that I have better opportunities later down the track! You don’t know anything!” I flick my hands in the air and go to walk away, but he vaults the couch and catches my arm before I can.

“I know you .” He stares down at me. “And you’re not satisfied in this job.”

I swallow, glaring up at him. “No, you’re not satisfied that I’m not more available, and it’s pissing you off.”

“You’re damn right I’m pissed off,” he growls. “I miss you and I’m sick of seeing you so stressed out all the time. I want you to be happy. Sorry for being the worst husband of the year.”

“You’re not—” I let out a soft growling screech and try to wrestle myself free of his grasp, but he keeps ahold of me, dragging me closer until I’m pressed against his chest and my senses are taken over by everything that is Ethan Galloway.

He’s such a presence. And my instincts immediately tune into him. I love his smell. I love his shape and texture and height and?—

My brain shuts down as my body takes over. I snatch the back of his neck, yanking him toward me. His lips crush to mine as I fist the back of his hair. Slashing my tongue against his, I inhale his very essence while trying to climb up his body. Cinching me around the waist, he lifts me off the floor, and I wrap my legs around him.

He backs us against the wall, my body hitting the solid surface and making our framed wedding photo rattle. Our chaotic kisses are turning more frenzied as he grips my thighs and then starts trailing his mouth across my jaw and down my neck.

“You’re so annoying,” I murmur as he sucks the sweet spot below my ear.

“You’re a pain in my ass,” he mumbles back, squeezing my butt and trailing hot kisses back up to my mouth. He sucks my tongue between his lips, then lightly nips my chin before swiping his tongue against mine. I groan, our argument fading to dust as I’m swept away by this tornado of want… no, need.

I need Ethan right now—all of him.

I need his body. I need this connection.

We obviously can’t resolve our issues right now, but we can have sex.

Hot, passionate, mind-blowing sex that will cauterize our ragged wounds and take the edge off this argument we can’t stop having.

Yanking at his shirt, I practically tear it off his body as he turns and drops me onto the couch. I land with a little bounce and drink him in as he pulls off his shirt in that sexy way men do—right over the top of his head. I drink in his perfect body, sitting up so I can skim my fingers down his hard ridges. His gaze is pure desire as he wriggles out of his sweats and vaults back over the couch completely naked.

His fiery look is turning me on faster than I thought possible as he kneels on the floor in front of me. I’m dripping by the time he tears my clothes off and throws them aside. Parting my legs, he flicks my feet over his shoulders and dives for my pussy.

I can’t contain my cries of pleasure as he makes quick work of sending my body into a frenzy. The tip of his tongue circles my clit while he squeezes my breasts, and I fight for air.

I want to tell him how much I’ve missed him, but I can’t form words. My body is too on fire to even make one syllable pop out.

But I have missed him. Not just his touch, his tongue, the way he can drive me to the point of insanity, but I’ve missed being around him, laughing with him, teasing him, snuggling with him on the couch.

We can get back to that place, right? Shit, we could snuggle right after this. Pretend our fight never happened and go back to the way things were.

I lift my head and glance down between my legs when Ethan pauses. Our eyes connect, and I’m locked in place, held still by his gaze that captured my heart all those years ago when I was just a clueless freshman and he was the guy I was trying to prank.

I miss those days. Not the whole pranking, sorority bullshit, but the stuff after that, when I lived at Hockey House and our biggest concern was making it to class on time and figuring out what to have for dinner.

My lips part, my breath catching as he glides his fingers inside me. His tongue flicks my clit, and I can’t hold his gaze anymore. Tipping my head back with a moan, I grip the back of the couch and let out a reckless groan that builds to a panting scream as he works my clit, thrusts his fingers a little deeper, and sends me over the edge.

“Fuck.” The word drags out of my mouth as I ride the wave, his fingers still working me as I struggle to regulate my senses. My hips jerk while I moan and pant, barely able to see straight as he climbs onto the couch with me, his fingers slowly pulling out of me and spreading my folds.

Biting my bottom lip, I hold my breath and wait for that pure moment of ecstasy. The anticipation is killing me, and I let out another raucous wail when he finally plunges into me.

“Yes, baby!” Gripping the couch, I lift my hips on his next thrust, and he grabs my ass, holding me up and rising to his knees so he can plunge into me again and again.

His thrusts are a little rough and reckless, but they’re exactly what I need. He’s filling me whole, disconnecting every circuit in my brain until the only ones still functioning are the pleasure sensors. They’re riding high, exploding like fireworks as Ethan’s ragged breaths soon match mine, his face distorting as the orgasm starts to build within him.

I can sense it coming and reach for his taut forearms, wrapping my fingers around his straining muscles as he starts to jerk, then plunges deep and hard.

His groans join mine, creating a chorus of ecstasy as he holds me up and empties himself completely. A fine sheen of sweat coats his skin, and as he starts to relax, he lays his slick body over mine.

I cup the back of his head, running my fingers through his messy locks when he nestles his chin into the crook of my neck.

“You know you are the best husband in the world, right?”

He rests on his elbows so he can look into my eyes. The impish grin on his face is adorable, and I touch his chin, smiling when he replies, “Love you, lil’ mouse.”

And those are the words ringing in my head as we drift off to sleep, still naked and wrapped in each other’s arms.

I wake around three in the morning, my mind alert as work worries filter into my brain. I need to get these contracts done before Ryan texts me in the morning to check that they are.

Ethan is still out for the count, and there’s no point in me lying here awake and worried when I could be using this time to get shit done.

I slip off the couch, careful not to disturb him. Grabbing the first shirt I can find, I slip it over my head and smile at the way Ethan’s clothes always dwarf me.

Grabbing that stack of contracts, I figure I can proof them by flashlight. That way, by the time Ethan wakes up, I’ll be free for the rest of the weekend… hopefully. If I don’t get any work calls to disturb me.

Flicking on my phone light, I start reading documents and don’t notice Ethan wake until he moves on the couch. His dark shadow looms, and I lift my light, checking his face with a grin.

But all I can see is a dejected frown.

He stands there before me in all his naked glory, and that awesome moment we shared on the couch turns to dust as he glances at me doing paperwork, then shuffles past the table. “I’m going to bed.”

His footsteps retreating up to our loft room say the rest for him.

You left me after we had epic sex.

You’re putting work above me yet again.

I close my eyes, swearing under my breath and trying to negotiate how to figure out this shit show.

I’m trying so fucking hard to make everything work and failing around every corner. I can’t help wondering if something is about to break…

I glance at the dark stairwell, a shudder running through me because I’m terrified that it might be the one thing that’s most important to me.