43. Sawyer

CHAPTER 43

SAWYER

I'm pretty sure I've entered the stage of our relationship where I want to do nothing but be with her twenty-four-seven. I hate when Monday comes around, and she has to be at work all day and I hate when I have away games and she can't be there with me. I do, however, love that we've spent every night together since the night she told me to take her home. We've split the time between my place and hers, but I'd sleep on the grass in the bitter cold as long as I got to have her by my side—and you know, we didn't freeze to death.

I've just landed from our game in Boston and am racing against the clock to make it home to shower and get ready before Shane's birthday celebration at Taylor's house tonight. The guys may make jokes about it, but I don't mind having Leah tell me what we're doing. It makes me feel like I'll get to spend the rest of my life hearing her tell me all the parties and plans we're meant to attend—and knowing we'll be going together makes it all worth it in my mind.

No more longing for her from across the room.

When I finally reach the house, my heart begins to race when I see Leah's car parked out front. As soon as I step out of the truck, she runs out of her car to greet me, jumping into my arms and wrapping her legs around my waist.

"I missed you," she whispers into my neck.

Music to my damn ears.

I inhale as deep as my lungs will allow and kiss her neck. "I missed you too, Dove." When she finally pulls back, I reach up and kiss her, letting my lips reacquaint themselves with hers.

"What are you doing here?" I ask, after several parting kisses before planting her feet back on the ground.

"I wanted to be here when you got home. I thought we could ride to Taylor and Tucker's together." I wrap my arm around her shoulder as we walk up to the house.

"I'd love that. I just gotta shower and get dressed first." After tossing my keys on the counter I turn to see her cheeks burning red.

"Okay." Is all she says, but I can almost hear the wheels turning in her brain.

"Care to join me?" I wrap my arms around her from behind and lean in closer, nipping at her ear before she turns to me with sheer enthusiasm in her eyes.

"I don't need a shower though."

"But I need you in the shower."

Her teeth sink into her bottom lip, and she smiles. "Can't argue with that."

I stand up and slap her ass, leading her down the hall to the bathroom. "That's my girl."

Needless to say, after spending forty-five minutes in the shower with Leah, we're late to Shane's birthday gathering. And I do not give a single fuck about it.

Cece is walking around babbling into her Minnie Mouse phone, Poe is bouncing in some contraption on the floor by Ruby, and Hendrix, as always, is right in the middle of the guy's huddle. Some of the girls are chatting and mixing drinks when we finally make it to the kitchen.

"Catch you later, Dove." I wink at her as she joins them, and I mosey over to where the guys are sitting around the table playing cards.

"Go-Fish." Hendrix smirks from his place at the head of the table.

"How's it going over here?" I nod to Max and fist bump Tucker and Tank.

"Hendrix is wiping the floor with us, as usual," Tucker grumbles, making Hendrix wag his eyebrows at me.

"At Go-Fish?"

"Don't even ask dude, he and his mom are wizards or something because they are undefeated at this stupid game," Tank explains.

"Alright then." I glance over at Leah, somehow pulling her attention straight to me, and she winks at me.

God, I'm so in love with her.

I smile at the gesture then we both turn our attention back to our surrounding groups.

After singing happy birthday and eating some cupcakes, someone turns the music to a slightly above a background noise level as we sit around the living room talking.

"How's everything been at the Veterans Center, Tank?" I was sure that questions would make him perk up like a puppy, but instead he lets out a sigh.

"Things are good I guess; we're just trying to find a couple of more donors so we're able to keep things running smoothly at both locations. The old building is needing some major maintenance repairs right now and as much as Asher and I have tried to manage on our own, we just have to get some outsourced help at this point. Not to mention needing to be able to keep up with the supplies we need replenished on a regular basis."

"How much are you guys looking at needing for long term upkeep?" I ask, tapping Leah's cup to ask for a drink. She giggles when I take a sip of the margarita before handing it back to her.

"I haven't really sat down to calculate a long-term number, but right now we're needing around ten grand to cover the HVAC alone." I whistle in response.

"Tell me about it. These residents deserve the best, man. They fought for our country and some of them have lost so much, the least they deserve is a place with people who are going to take good fucking care of them." Ruby rubs his arm to comfort him. "Sorry, it's just—" he scrubs a hand down his face. "They just deserve more. It's fucking outrageous that athletes make as much goddamn money as they do, while people who have defended our country are barely making it by. While serving and once they're out." The room falls silent, and it takes a moment before Tank's eyes fall shut.

"Shit, man. I am so sorry. I didn't mean—" he instantly begins apologizing, but I'm not the least bit offended.

"Don't apologize. I completely agree with you. You guys do deserve way more than what you're given. Excuse me." I stand up and make my way to the kitchen, shooting a text off before I feel hands wrap around my waist.

"Hey, you." Leah kisses a spot on my back before I turn around to face her.

"Hey yourself." I lean down to kiss her lips.

"Tank means well. He's just used to being around guys that… get it . You know?"

"I do. I'm not offended. I meant it, I agree with everything he said," I assure her with a kiss to the forehead.

"I know this may not be the kind of night you're used to having but thank you for coming anyways."

My brows draw in. "What do you mean?"

She shrugs and looks back towards the living room.

"I don't know. The intimacy of these little parties, the conversations about work. I just… I don't know what you're used to doing. If it's all glamorous nights out at fancy clubs and talking about hockey 24/7—" I can't help but laugh, making her stop and look at me with mock annoyance.

"Baby, I love nights like this. The only thing I could want more than this is being home alone with you. But I like hearing about the Veterans Center, and what's going on with the bar expansion. I enjoy annoying Taylor any chance I get and getting to do all of it with you in my arms. I've never really liked night clubs and have had plenty of hockey talk to last me a lifetime. There is nowhere I'd rather be, I promise." She smiles up at me as Shane yells for someone to turn the music up from the living room.

I wrap Leah's legs around my waist and begin dancing with her, making her head fall back in laughter until we're both singing along to the lyrics and deliriously happy.