67. Hayden

CHAPTER 67

HAYDEN

"What about this one?" Darcy points at a chair in the furniture store I pulled her into after brunch.

My mind races with images of us together over the past twelve hours—the moans she made when she was close to orgasm, the peaceful way she looked before I woke her up this morning, and her low sigh of pleasure as I washed her hair in the shower. The life-altering feeling of being buried deep inside her tight, warm, wet pussy, and the way her mouth falls open in surprise and enjoyment at the first thrust.

"Hayden?"

I stare at the chair. "All I can think about is having sex with you on this chair." She'd sit on top, facing me, riding my cock while I suck on her neck and slick my fingers around that tight bud of nerves that makes her lose it.

A surprised laugh bubbles out of her and her eyes glow bright.

"Are you sore?" I ask, pulling her closer, running my lips over her temple. She smells incredible. How did I control myself for eight years? I can barely go five minutes without touching her now.

Her mouth twists. " A little."

I make a low, sympathetic noise and smooth a hand over the back of her soft hair. "I'm sorry."

"No, um." She shakes her head, cheeks going the same pink as the moments before she's about to come. "I kind of like it." She sends me a hesitant glance, biting her lip. "Is that weird?"

A breath rushes out of me, and I grin down at her, settling my arm around her shoulders. "I like it, too."

With every moment I spend with Darcy, she becomes more entwined in my DNA. She becomes a bit more mine.

God, I hope she feels the same way. It's getting more difficult not to spill my feelings all over her.

Her phone rings with a call from one of the other analysts. She mouths one second and heads outside.

I smile at her through the windows, where she's talking a mile a minute with bright eyes. The Storm are going to playoffs and the analysts are working overtime, but Darcy couldn't be happier about the long hours. It's everything I wanted for her—to finally love her job, for her to be excited to go to work in the morning.

Jamie and Pippa's wedding is in a couple of days, and worry knots behind my sternum. Darcy seems happier than ever, but I can't be sure. I've been wrong in the past. I never knew how unhappy she was with Kit.

"Hayden?"

At the sound of my name, I turn, and my gut drops through the floor.

"Jess." I probably look like I've seen a ghost from the way my jaw goes slack. I blink in surprise, but I recover and give her a shaky smile. "Hi. How are you doing?"

Jessica Haley, my high school girlfriend, gives me a huge, pleased grin. "Better now. Fancy running into you here. What are the odds? "

My pulse picks up and uncertainty weaves through my gut. "Yeah. Life's funny like that."

"I just moved back to Vancouver from Saskatoon," she says with a smile, attention lingering on my arms and chest. "You look amazing." Her gaze drags up and down my form, and an unwelcome, uneasy feeling settles in my stomach. "What's new?"

"You know. Hockey."

I glance to the windows where Darcy is still on the phone. I've just started to shed the player stereotype with her, and I don't want her to look over and think that the second her back is turned, I'm hitting on other women. I'm trying to show her I'm boyfriend material.

I don't even see other women.

Jess nods, eyes moving over me with admiration. "Yeah, I've watched you on TV with the Storm." She laughs to herself. "All my girlfriends know that I lost my virginity to the Hayden Owens."

Something unpleasant yanks in my stomach, and I fight a disgusted expression. "Uh. Yeah."

We're ten years older, but I feel seventeen again, trying to act cool and unaffected as she tells me she had fun with me, but that she'd rather date some other guy.

She steps into my space and lowers her voice with a secretive smile. "I forgot how big you are."

I clear my throat and involuntarily take a step backward. "Uh. Yeah. Always been tall." I rake a hand over my hair.

The tone of her voice leaves no room for interpretation—she's interested. I glance around for Darcy, who's no longer on the sidewalk.

"We should exchange numbers," Jess says with a smile.

"Look, I don't want to be rude, Jess, but?— "

"Hi." Darcy's hand slips into mine and she leans against me, gazing up at me with a pretty smile.

Immediately, I relax.

She doesn't even look at Jess, she just keeps her affectionate gaze locked on me. "I missed you, baby," she says in a soft voice.

Baby ? My brain starts to slur, wading through warm, sluggish feelings as I grin down at her, probably wearing a dopey, stupid expression.

"I missed you, too," I say.

What is happening? I'm not sure, and I don't really care. I just want Darcy to call me baby again.

Darcy turns and meets eyes with Jess. "Hi." She sticks a hand out. "I'm Darcy, Hayden's girlfriend."

Confusion rolls through me, but I'm still smiling, and when I catch the hardened edge of Darcy's faux-friendly smile, it dawns on me.

She's staking her claim. She's jealous . Amusement whirs through me and I smile, feeling the back of my neck go warm. I stifle the urge to laugh. Finally, she's getting a taste of how it feels to watch her get hit on. I shift her hand to my other palm and bring my arm up around her shoulder, tucking her into my chest.

"Jess." She sticks out her hand to shake Darcy's and looks between us. Her eyes bug out. " You have a girlfriend?" she repeats to me.

Against me, Darcy stiffens, and a sick feeling spikes inside me. This is it, the moment where Darcy turns to me like she's seeing me in a new light and goes oh yeah, you're right, Jess. Why would I ever commit to this guy?

Instead, she smiles at Jess, and something in her gaze feels predatory.

"We're just looking for some things for our apartment." She holds Jess's gaze. "Where we live. Together. And share a bed. "

The knots in my chest loosen with relief. Not mad, not changing her mind about us, but territorial like I've never seen her. I like this side of her. My grin widens as I look down at her. What a little tiger.

"Okay," Jess says, looking weirded out, glancing between us. "I didn't think you were the girlfriend type."

"I am." I suck in a deep breath, squeezing Darcy's hand.

"I mean, I know you thought you were," Jess starts, laughing a little. "But a guy like you?" Her eyes move over me, eyebrow arched, and I tense. "No way. But," she shrugs, perking up, giving Darcy a bright smile, "maybe people change."

Nausea gathers in my gut and I swallow hard.

Darcy smiles up at me, innocent as a kitten, but with protective rage in her eyes. "We should get going, baby."

There's that word I like again. I swallow the weird feelings and nod. "You bet." I give Jess a tight smile. "Nice running into you."

"You, too." Jess watches us with a puzzled expression as Darcy gives her a quick wave, slips her hand into mine, and pulls me out of the store.

"Girlfriend?" I ask on the sidewalk.

She shrugs like it was nothing, but she doesn't let go of my hand. "I didn't like the way she was talking to you."

Warmth radiates through me. "Jealous," I tease.

Her eyes flick up to mine. "What if I am?"

My eyebrow goes up, along with my smile. "Thought we were just having fun, Darce."

Her cheeks go pink and she looks away, but my fingers come beneath her chin, tilting her face up so our eyes meet.

"Thank you," I tell her. "No one's ever gotten protective of me like that." I give her a smug smile. "It was nice. I could get used to it."

She studies me for a long moment, sadness rising in her eyes. "You deserve it, Hayden." She glances at the furniture store half a block away. "Who was that? And what did she mean, she didn't think you were the girlfriend type?"

The muscles in my chest pull tight, but her hand smooths over them, and the look in her eyes is so caring and curious that my heart aches.

It's time to tell her the truth.