ONLY FOR LOVE, page 25
part #1 of Only For #2 Series
“Lexi,” I say and she holds up her hand.
“I have a big family,” she says.
“I know, I met most of them on the ice and some off the ice.”
“And we are extremely close and sometimes overbearing.”
“Okay. The only family member I have is Kylie. She’s the only one I have and I would never stop having a relationship with her for anyone. She’s a bit overbearing and she’s in my business all the time. Does that bother you?”
“Of course not.”
“Because it’s normal,” I say. “It’s normal to speak to your family. It’s normal for them to be in your business if they love you. It’s also normal, and more importantly, extremely healthy for the other person to also be involved with your family.”
“They are coming down for Matty’s game, and we usually have Sunday lunch.”
“Okay,” I reply, not sure I want to know where this is headed. “You better not be asking me if you can go,” I huff out, “because—”
“I’m not asking you if I can go. I’m going.” I smile at her forcefulness. “I’m just not sure it’s a good time for you to come.”
“So I don’t come,” I say, trying to let her know I’m okay with it. “It’s not going to be the only time I can meet them. When you feel ready, then we take that step. I plan on being here with you for a long, long time”—my whole life, I almost say—“I don’t mind taking things slowly.”
“Just like that?” she asks, shocked.
“Just like that,” I assure her. I take off my towel. “Now, I’m off all day today and my goal is to continue getting to know every inch of your body.” She nods at me, trying not to smile but then smirking and her blue eyes light up. “But I think we should go and get something to eat and then come back here, so I can get started on that.”
“Fine.” She rolls her eyes, getting on her knees. “If you have to.” She walks on her knees toward the end of the bed. “But I need to stop by my house and change my clothes.”
“We can do that, but only if you grab something to wear to work tomorrow.”
“Are you asking me to sleep over again?” She gets off the bed and bends to collect her panties.
“I’m hoping I can persuade you,” I tell her as she puts on her panties.
“Is that so?” she asks me, taking off my shirt and tossing it to the side. “And how is that?”
“I mean, I could tell you, but it’s so much better if I show you.” I lunge for her, and after what feels like an eternity but is really thirty-five minutes, we are heading out and toward her house.
I walk out of the elevator with two cups of ice coffee in my hands, headed toward the office door. Opening it and stepping in, I look around and see that both lights are on in the office. “Hello!” I shout out and then hear a groan coming from one office while in the other office is a laugh.
“Ugh, you again?” Kylie moans. “You were here two days ago.”
I shake my head and head toward her office first. “Does that mean you don’t want the iced coffee I bought you?” I ask her and she looks up from her desktop. “If so, I can enjoy it.”
“Give me the coffee.” She extends her hands and then winces. “Fucking Pilates workout,” she mumbles. “Lexi, your boyfriend is here again.” I shake my head. “He’s being really annoying too.”
A laugh comes from Lexi’s office and I just smile and walk toward her. “Hi,” I say, sticking my head into her office. She looks over her shoulder before she turns her chair around and my eyes travel up her legs that are crossed. “I was in the area.”
“You were in the area?” She gets up and I take her all in. She’s wearing a tight tan skirt around her hips that flares out and falls to the middle of her thigh, with a white short-sleeved, button-down shirt. “Is that so?”
“You weren’t wearing that this morning when you left.” I wrap an arm around her waist and pull her to me.
“I was wearing workout clothes,” she states, putting one hand on my chest and the other hand on my shoulder. “You think I come to work in workout clothes?”
“She should!” Kylie yells from her office. “She comes into the office and looks all official each day. It’s not good for the morale in this office.” Lexi closes her eyes and laughs. “We’re going shopping after work to buy me a whole new wardrobe.”
“Is that so?” My eyes are on Lexi and her eyes are on me.
“That is so. I need a dress for tomorrow’s casino night,” Lexi says, taking a sip of her coffee before kissing my lips and moving away from me.
“So you are coming with me?”
“Obviously she’s going with you,” Kylie says. “She’s got to make sure no one gets next to her man.”
“That is not the reason, but yes, I’m going to go with you. Although, I am hoping to get lucky.” She winks at me.
“The walls in this office are very thin and I just threw up in my mouth!” Kylie hollers.
I walk over to the couch area and sit down. “How is everyone’s day going?”
“Good,” Lexi says, sitting down in her chair.
“Did she tell you what she did today?” Kylie asks, and I look over when I hear footsteps coming into Lexi’s office.
“I didn’t tell him yet,” Lexi huffs, “but I will tell him since I need him to post on his social media.”
“I’ll just give you the login,” I tell her and she gawks at me.
“We can answer all those dm’s that say I love you?” Kylie mocks. “Like yeah, you love him why? Tell me the reason?”
“I would never do that,” Lexi informs her, “but you can be next to me, and if you answer them, then that is between the two of you.”
“Okay, what did you do?” I ask Lexi.
“Well, I figured that a bunch of my family members will be down in a couple of weeks, so I’m going to ask them to bring me, like, a jersey or a stick. I’ll get it and we can put it up for auction on the foundation website to bring in extra funds. So, like, not a big fundraiser but still something.”
“That sounds good,” I say. “If you want, I can ask a couple of the players to donate also.”
“Look at us,” Kylie says, “the dream team.”
I get up then, walking over to Lexi and putting my hands on her armrests. “You coming over tonight or am I coming to your house?”
“I don’t know when I’m going to be done shopping, and what about Jefferson?”
“She’ll be fine.” I smirk. “When you left the bed this morning, she came to sleep on your pillow.” It’s been a full week since we’ve started this thing between us and every single night we go to bed together. Usually it’s been at my house, but once I showed up at her house after the game and she let me in.
“What time do I have to be ready tomorrow?” Kylie asks me as I kiss Lexi softly.
“We’ll pick you up at six thirty,” I tell her and then move away from Lexi. “See you tonight.”
“Maybe”—she shrugs—“or maybe not.”
I shake my head laughing as I leave, and four hours later, she’s pulling up in my driveway with her outfit for the next night and a bag for the rest of the weekend.
“I’m going to need you to zip me.” I look over and see Lexi walking into my walk-in closet at the same time as I fasten my cuff links in my white shirt. “I got it halfway up but I can’t get it the rest of the way.”
My pulse speeds up when I see her wearing a black lace dress. The sleeves are long and show her skin through the lace. The front goes high up to her neck, where there’s black solid fabric backing the lace until her midriff and a few inches of her skin peeks out, making my mouth water. It’s solid from there until her mid-thigh where two rows of ruffles accentuate her toned legs. Classy, with a hint of spice. Just like her.
She turns around and my cock springs up as if we didn’t just fuck forty-five minutes ago. Her back is completely bare, the lace is the only thing covering it until the base of her back and then it’s solid black again. She moves her hair to the side, giving me access to zip her up. I finish zipping her before I grab her hips and pull her against me. “My cock really likes this dress.”
She laughs and looks over her shoulder at me. “Wait until I put on the shoes.” She winks and walks back out as I readjust my cock and then slide on the black suit jacket. She comes back in with sky-high heels, a strap around her toes and then another strap around her ankles. “Aren’t these sexy?”
“So sexy I’m going to fuck you bent over wearing just those shoes.” I slap her ass as I walk past her and out of the closet. “Now if we don’t leave, I’ll forget that we have to get my sister, and I’ll fuck you against the closet wall.”
I look over, seeing her assess the room. “I’ve never been fucked against a closet wall.” She comes to me, grabbing her black handbag. “Maybe we could try it tonight.”
“Lexi,” I moan, “you can’t just say things like that.”
She laughs as she walks to me and slides her hand in mine. “I’m sorry, but I think you banging my brains out against the wall would be a lot of fun.” She shrugs. “Now let’s go before we’re late.”
She pulls me out of the room and somehow we make it in time to get Kylie. We pull up in the parking lot and see Clive dressed up in a suit instead of his red jacket. He smirks, pulling open my door when someone opens Lexi’s and Kylie’s. “Look at who decided he was going to join us.”
I laugh. “I’m right on time,” I tell him and see Lexi walk around the car and Clive’s eyes come to mine. “Be nice,” I mumble to him. “Lexi, this is Clive.”
“Lexi”—Clive extends his hand—“it’s a pleasure.” He nods at her, then smiles big at Kylie. “Aren’t they beautiful?” he says. “I have a son.”
“They’re not interested,” I retort, slipping my hand in Lexi’s and walking into the arena.
The locker room is closed, as well as all the office doors, as we walk toward the ice, which has been covered by a wooden floor. “Look at how fun this is,” Lexi states, taking in all the casino décor. I look over to see Jaxon standing there looking at me, and then his eyes go to our hands that are linked. “Okay, there is Ariella. I’m going to go and say hello.”
“Okay.” She lets me go and she and Jaxon cross each other on their way. She stops and smiles at him, giving his cheek a kiss. I watch her until Jaxon is in my eyesight, his head shaking from side to side.
“Wow.” That’s all he says, standing beside me and my eyes find Lexi, who now has her head thrown back and she’s laughing. Her eyes are light and her whole demeanor is free, so unlike the woman I first met. She’s come so fucking far and I’m so proud of her. “You sure about this?”
I look back at him before looking back at Lexi, my answer coming so clear. “About as sure as my next breath,” I vow, looking at him, “and I love to breathe.” I nod. “So yeah.”
thirty-one
Lexi
“Well, well, well,” Ariella says to me once I get closer, “isn’t this a surprise?” She smirks at me before coming in and giving me a hug and a side air kiss. She then turns to Kylie. “What the fuck?” She rolls her eyes. “It’s enough that this one over here”—she points to me—“is all sexy and class, but then you come in as if you are queen of the fashion show.”
“What are you talking about?” Kylie asks her. “It’s just a skirt and a top,” she says of her outfit, but it’s more than that. It’s a mini black-and-gold sparkly skirt, the gold shimmers in the light and shows off her ridiculously long, toned legs. The silk top has long sleeves tucked in, but is slightly open all the way down, showing off the black satin bra she has underneath it. It’s barely open, but if she moves right or left, you get a glimpse of it. The strappy black heels on her feet that make the outfit complete. “You are the one wearing red.” Kylie stops talking when one of the servers comes over to us and offers us champagne, and we each take a glass except Ariella.
“I can’t, I’m still breastfeeding,” she groans, “but the minute Jagger and I cut ties with breastfeeding, I’m going to have a whole bottle of wine. Not one glass, but the whole bottle.” She smiles. “Even if I have to drink it by myself in a bathtub.” I look over at Kylie, trying not to laugh at Ariella as she holds up her glass to her.
“I will then have to drink for both of us,” Kylie announces. “It would be my honor.” She takes a sip of her champagne, downing half the glass.
“Okay, so what’s going on here?” Ariella turns back to me. “What does this mean?” she asks me, motioning with her chin toward the guys, and I can’t help but put my head back and laugh at her.
“It means I’m here with him,” I tell her, taking my own sip of champagne and avoiding putting a label on whatever this is. “We’re friends,” I say and Kylie, who is taking another sip of her champagne, starts to cough, making me roll my eyes. Friends who sleep with each other occasionally, I think instead of saying it out loud.
“So you don’t mind if I set him up with someone?” The question earns her a little glare, at the same time the champagne I just took a sip of starts to feel like the bubbles are coming back up. “There is a super nice girl I know. I met her in yoga class; she’s new in town.”
I cough and almost choke on my spit, turning to glare at her and the notion that she would set him up with someone else makes me see red. Looking at her I see she’s fucking with me as she tries not to laugh at my reaction. I put the glass to my lips again and can’t help but smirk at her. “You don’t do yoga.”
“No.” She shakes her head as she grabs a bottle of water from one of the trays that is being passed around. “I don’t, but now you know that you don’t want anyone else dating him.” She untwists the cap and puts it to her lips. “You’re welcome.”
“Oh,” Kylie adds, “that was a good one.”
“That was not a good one,” I disagree with Kylie. “That was not good at all.”
“I don’t know,” Kylie pushes, finishing her champagne. “She was like, can he date my friend, and then you went all breathing fire out of your nose like a bull.”
“I was not.” I try to defend myself.
“Oh, you were.” Ariella laughs. “Your face drained of color and then your jaw got tight and your hand gripped the glass.”
I just stare at them, not bothering to say anything because they might be right. I was not happy thinking of him dating someone else; in fact, I sort of got this feeling I’ve never had before.
“Hey.” I hear Jaxon from beside us, followed by Kirby, who stands beside me with his hands in his pockets, his shirt pulled across his chest, and I have this sudden desire to walk up to him and kiss him. My lips tingle thinking about it. I’ve never felt this need before. I’ve been to countless events with Trent and I smiled when I was supposed to smile and talked to a few people, but I never had this need to be beside him. I drink the champagne when I think about the reason why, telling myself it’s crazy.
“How are you doing?” Jaxon puts a hand around Ariella and pulls her to him. “Are you okay?”
“Why wouldn’t I be okay?” She looks up at him with a semi-smile on her face, then it goes into a full-blown smile.
“Okay, this was fun,” Kylie states, staring at the four of us, “but I’m going to go mingle.” She puts her empty glass of champagne on a tray and then takes another one. “I’m drinking for two tonight,” she says to her brother, “and I’m going to go gamble.” She looks around. “So I just tell them your name and they’ll front me chips and you pay for it?”
I can’t help but laugh. “Story of my life,” he says with a sigh. “You know, you probably have more money than I do.”
“Yes.” She winks at him. “How do you think the rich stay rich? They spend other people’s money.” She smiles big at him and he wants to be annoyed with her, but the love on his face makes it hard to believe he’s that annoyed. “Also, thanks for the outfit.” She turns and walks away.
“Are you going to warn any of the rookies that Kylie’s off-limits,” Jaxon mumbles as we watch her move through the crowd.
“You think she’s going to give them the time of day?” Kirby shakes his head. “She’s a viper.”
“If you think that, you would be wrong,” I say and both of their eyes come back to me and Kirby gets what I’m saying.
“She looks soft on the exterior,” he explains, “but she’s locked up so tight, I just hope someone can get in there.”
“I have faith in her,” I reply as a man comes over to them. Kirby takes his hand out of his pocket to shake his hand.
“Martin,” he says to the guy, “this is Lexi Petrov.” He puts the hand that was just shaking the man’s hand on the base of my back. “This is my coach.”
“Petrov,” the man says right away, “Matty.” His eyes go into slits. “Viktor.”
“They would be my brother and my father,” I say proudly, extending my hand to him.
“It’s nice to meet you,” he says to me and then Kirby’s hand slides down from my back, and I slip my hand in his.
“Matthew Grant is—” he starts to say and then stops. “Holy shit, Cooper Stone.”
“That would be my grandfather,” I reply with a fondness in my voice.
“Legacy,” he declares. “It’s an honor.”
I look up at Kirby shyly, who is looking at me with the biggest smile on his face, and I can’t help but lean into him a little bit. “Well, I have to go and talk to everyone,” Martin says. “See you guys later.”
“Let’s go and see where I have to be,” Kirby suggests, pulling me away from Ariella and Jaxon, who laugh.
We stop when he spots a couple of guys he knows. “Hey,” he says to them, his hand never leaving mine as he introduces me to them. They all nod their heads, a couple of them do a double take when they hear the last name.
“Don’t we play Matty next week?” one of them says and he snickers. “I’ve got your back.”
