Garrett

  I bob my head up and down on his shaft, using one hand to stroke at the thick base and my other to lightly stroke his balls. I want to touch them more, but they feel so delicate and I don't want to hurt him. I've not done this before, and there's so much I don't know. I only know that what I'm doing right now feels good to Garrett, because his breathing is harsh and he's thrusting upward into my mouth.

  "I'm going to come," Garrett pants, his grip tightening in my hair. He goes absolutely still and whispers in sharp bursts as he fills my mouth, "Fu-u-u-u-u-ck. Oh, fuck. So good."

  I immediately swallow, not totally digging the taste but completely loving what I just did to him. This is definitely something I'm going to keep on the agenda.

  I pull away from Garrett as he softly slips out of my mouth. Resting my hands on his thighs, I ask him, "Was that okay?"

  Garrett pulls on me, and since his hands are still plastered to the side of my head, I have no choice but to raise up. He brings me right to his mouth and gives me a slow kiss, pushing his tongue deep into my mouth for a leisurely mating with my own. When he pulls away, he kisses my lips softly and says, "There are no words to describe what that was. Possibly one of the best things that's ever happened to me."

  "I'm glad," I say with a beaming smile. "Because I really, really enjoyed doing that to you."

  "How about letting me return the favor right now?" he asks mischievously.

  I stand up all the way and give myself a slight stretch because that position caused a little ache in my lower back. "No can do. I have way too much work to do so I can get out of here on time."

  "Can I help?" Garrett asks as he stands and tucks himself back in his pants.

  "Absolutely," I say as I walk over and open the office door. "I'll have you cut all the new flowers that arrived today for tomorrow's work. That will give me a boost."

  Turning to walk out the door, I run smack into Stevie. He's standing there with his hands crossed over his chest and a knowing look in his eyes. "Having a private moment?" he purrs.

  Garrett walks up behind me and places his hands on my shoulders. "Just making out a little. I missed her and couldn't wait until tonight to get a kiss."

  "Mmmm, hmmmm," Stevie murmurs, but I can tell by the tone of his voice he doesn't buy the whole "we were just kissing" act.

  Oh, well. I'm pleased with what I just did, and I know damn well Garrett is, and I know if Stevie really knew what just happened in his office, he'd be pleased for both of us. But I'm not about to share those intimate details with him. That's for me and Garrett alone.

  --

  We've assumed the position. Garrett on his back, my head on his chest, legs appropriately woven in a proprietary pattern. My arm is lying across his stomach, my breasts pressed to his side. He strokes my arm with his fingertips and our breathing evens out.

  I am mellow and happy.

  I had another wonderful evening with my mom and my boyfriend, and it no longer seems odd to call Garrett that. We've been seeing each other three weeks exclusively, so I guess that is what he should be called. Lover just seems odd.

  Hello, this is my lover, Garrett Samuelson, I think inside my head. Yup, definitely too odd to introduce him that way.

  "What's going on inside that pretty head of yours?" Garrett asks, his voice rumbling within his chest as I lie upon it.

  Idly stroking the skin over his ribs, I say, "Just that it doesn't seem weird to consider you my boyfriend."

  Garrett chuckles. "Is that what I am?"

  "I guess. I played it out in my head, how I would introduce you to someone, and calling you my lover just doesn't seem kosher."

  Snickering, Garrett turns his face slightly and kisses me on my head. "Definitely sounds weird. I can accept boyfriend."

  Sighing with a smile, I listen to his heart beating strong and steady. That's Garrett...strong and steady.

  "I do believe I'm going to miss your mom when she's gone," Garrett muses. "She's a lot of fun to hang out with, but I am looking forward to being able to have wild and loud sex with you again."

  "I know...this quiet stuff is for the birds. I want to scream your name at the top of my lungs."

  We both start laughing, and we automatically tighten our hold on each other.

  "Olivia?" Garrett says once it gets quiet again. His voice is soft...hesitant.

  "Yes?"

  "I'm really worried about your next treatment. You know I'm going to be traveling over the days that the chemo is scheduled for, right?"

  "I know. I put all of your games on my calendar. But don't worry...Stevie and Sutton will take care of me."

  Garrett's chest rises with a deep breath he pulls in, and when he lets it out he says, "I know...but I want to be the one that takes care of you."

  I push up onto my elbow so I can look at Garrett. His face is filled with frustration and worry. "Hey," I tell him as my hand strokes his chest. "It's okay. You helped take care of me last time. Stevie and Sutton can handle it this time."

  "I know," he huffs. "I know they can do it. I just want to do it, and my fucking job is interfering."

  "Your world can't stop for me," I tell him firmly. "We'll just figure out how to work around it."

  "I know that too," he grits out. "I get all of that. But you know...I love hockey more than the air I breathe. Nothing has ever been a priority over it. I get all juiced up and excited over every single game. It's an adrenaline rush and the greatest high ever. But for the first time ever...I'm a little resentful of it."

  I roll my body so I come to rest on top of Garrett. His arms come up and his hands cover my ass to hold me in place. Crossing my arms over his chest, I rest my chin there and look at him. "I'm sorry. You know I don't ever want to stand in the way of your career. I want to support you in that as well, and I'm telling you right now...I totally want you to go play, and you can rest at ease knowing I'll be fine."

  "I'm just not liking it...being gone while I know how sick you're going to be."

  I push my body forward so my lips can meet his. I kiss him lightly and then nuzzle my cheek against his. "The mere fact that you care so much about it is enough to sustain me, Garrett. You are part of my strength in all of this."

  He smiles at me in gratitude and pride. "You actually inspire me. I see how amazing you are and how well you're handling all of this. You have so much courage. It makes me stronger."

  "So, what you're saying is that we make a nice couple. We complement each other."

  "I think we make a fucking fantastic couple."

  "Well, we got another week and a half before we have to worry about the next round of treatment. I know you have an away game next week, but I say we take advantage of our time together and try to kill each other with sex."

  "Mmmmm," he moans, and I can feel him start to swell underneath me. "I'm liking the sound of that. Ready for round two?"

  "Round three for you," I remind him. "You got a blow job this afternoon."

  "But you came twice this last time," he points out as he pushes down on my ass to grind me on his erection.

  "True enough. Regardless, I'm ready for the next round, but then we need to get some sleep. We have to be up early to get Mom to the airport."

  "That's going to be a problem," he says as he runs his tongue along my lower lip. "I feel like playing with you a little bit right now."

  Flipping our bodies, he presses me down into the mattress and proceeds to start kissing my body. I slide my fingers in his hair and sigh, so fucking happy with my life right now. Yes, I have cancer. Yes, I may die from it one day. But I can't even be too down about that, because I also have Garrett.

  Chapter 19

  Garrett

  My pulse is pounding in sync with the loud rock music blaring from the speakers. I transfer the weight on my skates, rocking from side to side with nervous energy. Alex stands just in front of me, tapping the blade of his stick against his ankle. We all have our little pregame habits...especially during a moment such as this. When we're getting r
eady to skate out onto home ice for the first game of the regular season.

  Except this time, it's like my adrenaline has been amped up tenfold and now I have butterflies swimming in my stomach. Because not only am I getting ready to step out onto the ice for the beginning of a new hockey season, but I'm going to be doing it under the watchful, and I hope adoring, eyes of Olivia.

  Sure, she came to last week's preseason game, but it's not the same. I didn't play but maybe a third of my normal ice time, and that's to be expected. Preseason is for the coaches to evaluate and gauge the effectiveness of the new kids on the block. It's their chance to shine, and I warmed the bench for most of the game.

  But tonight? Tonight is different because from here on out, every game matters. Every game won is just one step closer to our goal of making the playoffs. Every pass...every glide of the skate...every fucking check is of paramount importance. That's how I play my game...as if every single move I make is the most crucial move in the world. As if the lives of all mankind rest on my ability to help my team win.

  And now that I know Olivia's eyes are on me...sharing in that zeal...partaking of the fanaticism that permeates the arena, cheering me on like no other fan will ever do...well, it makes it all the more imperative to play my best.

  The gate to the ice swings open and we surge out. A cohesive unit...an unstoppable team. Nineteen thousand fans erupt into a frenzied cheer as we lap around the lower half of the ice...stretching our legs, getting our nerves under control during our pregame warm-up. As I skate by our penalty box, I let my eyes stray back three rows to where I know Olivia is sitting.

  And, damn...she takes my breath away. She's wearing my jersey...a present I brought to her yesterday, and by the look on her face, you'd have thought I asked her to wear my letterman jacket or something. It was fucking fantastic. She's clapping her hands and screaming wildly, her eyes alight with fervor as our gazes connect. She's even wearing her hair in those braids that I fucking love, and I can already imagine them twisted around my hand later tonight while I fuck her.

  I shoot her a wink and skate on by, turning my full attention to the ice. I've seen her...I know she's where she's supposed to be, and she looks amazing.

  And she's all mine.

  But now it's time to focus on hockey, and a win. For me, for the team...and, yeah, for her too.

  --

  "Dude, you are so fucking whipped," Zack says as he punches me on the shoulder. I jerk slightly and reluctantly take my gaze off Olivia to look his way.

  "What do you mean?" I ask as I take a swig of my beer and promptly look back at my girl. She's standing just ten feet away, sipping on her own beer and talking animatedly with Sutton and Gina. We're at Houlihan's, celebrating a 2-1 victory over Chicago. Yours truly had a goal, and I feel on top of the world. The only thing better would be if Olivia would quit chatting with the girls and get her sweet ass over here so I can touch her.

  "Fucking hopeless," Zack mutters, and Alex snickers.

  I blink and turn to look at them. "What? Why am I hopeless?"

  "Because you can't fucking take your eyes off of Olivia for more than two seconds," Alex jeers at me. Then he leans in toward me and murmurs with a mocking sneer, "Pussy."

  "Fuck both of you," I say haughtily. "And for your information, I can indeed take my eyes off of her for that long."

  "Good," Zack says, handing me an empty beer bottle. "Go get us some more beer."

  I tilt my own back and take three large swallows to empty the bottle. "Assholes," I say with good nature and head toward the bar. Stopping beside Olivia, I kiss her on her temple. "You girls want anything else to drink?"

  Gina and Sutton shake their heads, smiling coyly at me as they watch my uncharacteristic display of affection. I'm immensely pleased when Olivia just smiles at me with pure happiness and rests her hand on my chest lightly. "I'm good, but thank you."

  "Be right back," I tell the girls, and then I set out to prove Alex and Zack wrong. That I can, indeed, take my attention off Olivia for more than two seconds. Before I leave, I whisper to Olivia, "I'm going to have one more beer, then we can leave. I can't wait to get you home."

  "Good," she whispers back. "Because I can't wait to show you how proud I was of you tonight."

  Fuck. Who needs another beer? I'm ready to go now. I swivel my gaze back to Alex and Zack, and I give a sheepish grin when Alex mouths the word pussy at me. I flip him off and head toward the bar, intent on not looking back at Olivia for at least the next few minutes it takes me to get everyone's beer.

  I'm stopped twice on the way, fans clapping me on the back and asking for autographs, which I gladly produce. For the most part, that's a part of my celebrity that I don't mind. Most people are really cool and overly grateful when I give them my time.

  I make it up to the bar, but because it's postgame and Houlihan's is packed, I have to wait as the three bartenders back there run around like crazy trying to keep up with all the customers' orders. Unfortunately, my celebrity doesn't get me served any faster, so I just prop my elbows up on the bar and wait...thinking of Olivia, but refusing to turn around to look at her because I know Zack and Alex are just waiting for me to do that so they can rag on me some more.

  "Excuse me," I hear, and feel a tap on my shoulder. "Garrett...can we get an autograph and a picture?"

  As I turn around with a warm smile in place, the word sure is out of my mouth before I even see who is asking. I'm met by a vision of holy hotness as two women stand there with tight-as-hell Cold Fury T-shirts cut obscenely low and with plenty of silicone boobs pouring out. Just a mere month ago, I would have whispered a prayer of thanks to the big man upstairs for sending these two creatures my way, certain that I'd be banging the hell out of one of them before the night was finished. Instead, my stomach tightens and I glance past the women to see Olivia still deep in conversation with Sutton and Gina.

  I bring my gaze back to the women...one a brunette and the other a blonde, both very beautiful and looking at me with promise in their eyes.

  "Do you mind taking your picture with us?" the blonde asks as she bats her eyelashes at me.

  I give her a quick smile and say, "Sure, no problem."

  She steps up to me as she hands her phone to the brunette. I lift my arm to sling it companionably around her shoulders, but she uses that opportunity to press intimately into my side, bringing both arms around my waist and mashing her breasts against my ribs. The brunette holds the phone up and says, "Say cheese," and before I can raise my lips in a smile, the blonde drops her hand around my back and squeezes my ass. It takes all my self-control not to jerk away, but as soon as the photo is snapped I step away from her.

  The blonde just looks at me with blinking and innocent eyes, and then the brunette is wrapping herself around me for a picture. It takes only a few seconds, and thankfully I'm not groped by the dark-haired beauty.

  "Thanks so much," the blonde says in a seductive voice. "Can we buy you a drink? You know...to celebrate your win?"

  "No, thanks," I say with a smile. "I've got some friends waiting on me."

  "An autograph, then?" she asks.

  "Sure...no problem."

  The brunette digs in her purse and pulls out a pad of paper and a Sharpie marker. She hands it to me and says, "Can you make mine out to Lydia?"

  I nod and smile, hastily scrawling my name and number--72--on the paper and hand it back to her with the marker.

  The blonde reaches out and grabs the Sharpie, handing it back to me. She licks her lips and runs her gaze down my body. "I'd like an autograph too."

  "You got it," I say, eager to get this over with because it feels awkward to me to have this woman coming on to me with her eyes and actions with Olivia standing just a few feet away.

  Reaching back toward the brunette to get the pad of paper, I'm stunned when the blonde says, "Just sign here." Then she pulls the edge of her T-shirt down her chest, practically exposing her entire right breast to me. I can actually see the edge of her
areola peeking out from the material, and my jaw drops, marker poised in the air as I stare at her boob.

  My eyes slide to the left and I look back toward Olivia with almost a knot of dread in my stomach. And, fuck...sure as shit, she's standing there, watching me with eyes narrowed and her cheeks red. We look at each other, her eyes fuming and mine swimming in guilt to be busted in this compromising situation.

  I vaguely hear the blonde say something like, "Garrett...I'm waiting for my autograph," but I'm too focused on Olivia to see what she'll do. She just stares at me for a second more, then calmly turns away and hands her beer to Sutton, who is oblivious to what's going on. Sutton doesn't do more than take the beer, and continues talking to Gina.

  Olivia looks back at me one more time, and now her eyes are filled with disappointment and confusion, but I see them for only a moment because she turns away and heads for the exit of Houlihan's.

  Fuck. Not good.

  Shoving the marker back toward the brunette, I don't even give the blonde a glance, but push my way through the crowd in hot pursuit of my woman. She's quickly lost among the throng, and I try to be as polite as possible as I turn my body left and right to weave my way through all the partiers.

  When I make it to the doors, I burst through out into the warm, humid night and look left and right. I don't see Olivia at first, but then I see her making her way down the block toward the arena parking lot. She must have walked over here after the game.

  I take off running, and before she can even make it to the next intersection, I've caught up with her. Grabbing her hand, I give it a tug and say, "Whoa. Where are you going?"

  "Home," she says tersely, and tries to pull her hand free. She won't even look at me.

  "Wait," I say, pulling at her...stopping her in her tracks. She still won't turn and face me, so I take a step around her and lean down to put my face in her line of sight. "Don't go. Please don't be mad about that."

  "I'm not mad," she says, and her voice is tinged with sadness and fatigue. That makes me feel worse than receiving her anger.

  "Then why are you leaving...without me? Without at least saying goodbye?"

  Olivia takes a deep breath and shoots a glance back at Houlihan's before she looks back at me. Her chin raises and her eyes are firm. "I'm not sure I'm cut out to handle that kind of stuff."