Twenty-Seven

Allison

“It’s freaking freezing,” I say to myself as I walk down the mat to the outdoor arena for the warm-up skate. “Who said this was a good fucking idea?” I ask no one since I’m all alone as I continue to the outdoor rink. The sun is shining, which makes you think it’s warm, but guess what, it’s a lie. I watch as the guys skate on the ice, getting used to playing outdoors. Some of the guys are taking pictures while others skate around with winter hats on their heads. I look around at the stadium that we will be playing in. Over fifty thousand tickets have been sold and the news crews are setting up their booths. There are people everywhere doing something. I walk to the boards and stand there while Ryder and Nico come over

“Hey, Aly, Nico wants to know if you’re dating anyone special,” Ryder asks as Nico pushes his shoulder.

“Um,” I start saying as I hear a familiar voice.

“Don’t you clowns have other things to do?” Max says as he gets to the board and takes the bottle of water and drinks some. “Beat it,” he says to them and they just shake their heads at him and skate away.

“Now that wasn’t very nice.” I lean my hip on the board. I grab my phone out of my pocket and raise it in the air. “Smile, Mad Max,” I say as he gives me a brooding smirk. I turn and look at him as he finally smiles and I capture it. “Wow, did that hurt your face? You did smile. Your face might crack.”

“So funny.” He takes off again and I stand here taking pictures of the team for the website. When I almost can’t feel my fingers anymore, I walk back inside and wait for the guys to be finished. I update our Facebook page, as well as our Instagram.

“So you ready for tonight?” I hear Doug from beside me as he comes to my makeshift office, which is a desk and a chair with one wall.

“As ready as I can be. The DJ apparently just got there and is setting up. I spoke with the manager this morning to clarify that it is a dry party, so as long as they are in the ballroom it’s water and soda. I can’t guarantee for when they leave.”

I lean back in the chair. “I just want to tell you what a great job you’re doing, and I know we only have you for one year, but hopefully you will love it and want to stay.”

I smile at him. “What about Mindy?”

“Let’s just say Mindy isn’t fond of the traveling, or leaving her child behind.”

“How about you ask me after the break? I get through this week and then next week it’s Vegas and a five-day break. I think I might stay in Vegas for a bit,” I say, thinking about maybe booking us into a nice suite, party by the pool, sex all night.

“Okay, fine, I’ll wait for after the break to propose to you another contract.” He smiles and then turns around.

By the time we make it back to the hotel it’s almost close to five before we walk off the bus.

“Okay, we start at seven sharp,” I say to them as they all scatter around. I make it back to my room as Max opens the doors to his and then comes into mine and collapses on the bed.

“I’m ready to say Netflix and chill.”

“Well, you can do that, but I’m going to get my shower and then dress up, go downstairs, drink nonalcoholic champagne, and then get that kiss at midnight,” I tell him as I get up and start the shower. “How about you come in the shower and I, um, wash your back?” I wink at him as he looks up and jumps up.

“Will you wash it really good?” he asks, whipping his shirt off and tossing it on the bed. He’s standing there in his jeans as he tries to kick off his shoes, and I just look at him. The ink that I’ve been mesmerized by each and every single time.

“I love you,” I tell him as he unsnaps his pants button. He walks to me, his hands going in my hair as he pulls my head back. “Never loved someone so much in my life.”

He kisses me, consuming me, a kiss that makes my knees weak and makes me a puddle in his arms. He picks me up and carries me into the bathroom, sitting me down as he opens the water, comes back to me as he gets on his knees in front of me, and pulls off my shoes then my socks. He pulls my sweater off me and undresses me till I’m naked in front of him as he kisses my cheeks and then my lips as he undresses himself in front of me, both of us not saying a word. We watch each other, our eyes never moving from each other as he holds out his hand to me and I take it in mine and get up.

“I love you, angel, and if you let me I want to spend every single day showing you,” he says in a whisper as he opens the shower door and we step in and he makes love to me, slow, so slow he pins me to the back of the shower, the tiles cold on my back, as he leans down and kisses me as the water from the rain shower runs down around him as our lips never let go of each other. He dips lower as my leg goes up over his hip so he can enter me, slowly, softly. He takes my other leg and my legs lock in the back of his. My back moves up and down as he thrusts into me, my hands going into his hair, brushing it back. I kiss him, giving him all of me, as he pours himself into me.

Our bodies together, our hearts beating together, chest to chest. It is something that will forever stay with me because it is in that moment I know that no matter where he goes I will go with him. No matter what happens, I will be next to him and there isn’t anything or anyone that can take me away from him. We come together, both of us moaning out in each other.

We let each other go, both of us not saying a word. I was too scared to talk, scared that I would beg him not to ever leave me, scared to scare him away with my confession of my undying love. It is so much bigger than even I am. So we each get ready, him in his black suit, as I put my black bra and panties on. My gold sequined skirt fits exactly mid-thigh, with the black sleeveless top clenching at the waist and then flaring out. The gold belt finishes off the look. As I sit on the bed putting on my shoes, he comes out and whistles.

“We are coming back here right before midnight?” he asks as I stand up and brush down my shirt.

“Yes.” I smile at him. “I’m getting my kiss at midnight!”

We walk out of the same hotel room again, but this time no one is there to see us. We make our way to the reception hall where the noise is already seeping out. Kids running everywhere, chasing each other with balloons. We walk in and I look around.

“Where are you sitting?”

He shrugs his shoulders as his hands go to his pockets. I see Zoe and Zara run up to us.

“Aly, you look stunning. I need to borrow those shoes,” Zara says as Zoe adds in, “I need to borrow that skirt.”

I laugh at both of them and then they turn to Max.

“Hey, my mom said that you’re sitting at our table,” Zoe tells him, which surprises us both.

“Oh, there’s Nico,” Zara says and they both take off.

“Well, I guess that settles where you’ll be sitting.” I smile at him as he continues to look around. “I’m going to go and see my mom. Want to come?” I ask him as he shakes his head.

“I’ll get something to drink.” He smiles and then makes his way over to the bar area that is surrounded by all the men.

I walk to where I see my mother standing talking to Karrie. “Hey,” I say to them.

“You look amazing,” Karrie says while she sips water. “I think I’m going to yack.”

“Well, then I guess I look really, really amazing if it’s making you want to yack,” I joke with her.

“Ugh, your brother knocked me up again,” she says, looking like she really is going to throw up. “I just haven’t told him yet.”

“He’s going to be so happy,” Mom says from beside her.

“Seriously, you guys need to not take the ‘Netflix and chill’ so much to heart. Four kids. Four,” I say, laughing.

“Yeah, I know, but this one is really an accident,” she says as she yells out, “Franny.” And we all look at where Franny is trying to pull down a boy’s pants.

“So,” Mom says, “how long are you going to keep Max a secret?” she asks as Karrie giggles.

“I need to be there when you tell your brother. He is such a dumbass. It’s right in front of him.” She shakes her head.

“I guess I just want to be us for a little bit longer before I have to gear up for war.” I look at both of them. “I hope I have their support, but regardless I’ll stand by him proudly,” I say, blinking tears away from my eyes, because the thought of having to choose is so big my heart hurts.

“You will never ever have to choose,” my mother says as she comes to hug me. “Ever.”

I don’t have time to answer because the DJ asks us to take a seat for our dinner. I look around the room to see where Max is and he’s standing by the bar with all the other guys as they all make their way over to their tables. I see him look up at me as I walk to him, meeting him halfway.

“I think we are table number five,” I say as I point to the table in the corner. He puts his hand on the lower part of my back as he escorts me to the table. We sit next to each other as Matthew and Karrie argue over who is at fault for Franny trying to pull the little boy’s pants off.

“I told you before it would come back and bite you in the ass, no one pants anyone.”

Matthew blows out a big breath and says through clenched teeth and a hiss, “How else was I going to explain why you had your pants down and so did I?”

I throw my head back. “Ugh, I’m going to be sick.”

Karrie glares at me as Matthew points his finger at me. “You try having sex with three kids running around. It’s damn near impossible.”

“Are we really discussing your sex life at a table with Mom and Dad?” I laugh at him as he looks over at Mom, who is shaking her head, and Dad, who tries to look down at his utensils. The rest of the dinner goes off without a hitch, no one blaming anyone for the sex. My phone beeps in my purse, so I take it out to see it’s from Denise wishing me a happy New Year.

I check my phone, smiling, while I answer her and then Matthew chimes in. “Are you sexting at the table with Mom and Dad?”

“Actually, no, because my guy just said he will be here right before midnight, so I’ll be leaving very shortly to go to him.”

“Why can’t he come here?” Dad asks and Matthew nods. “What is the whole mystery? I’m telling you I don’t have a good feeling about this.”

“Okay, fine, I’ll talk to him about meeting you guys after the break.” I look at both of them. “Now are you happy?”

They don’t have time to argue because the DJ starts with the music and the kids pull everyone up to dance with them. The hours fly by and when I look down I see it’s almost ten minutes to midnight.

“I have to go,” I tell them as I kiss everyone and wish them Happy New Year as I look around to see Max and see he isn’t anywhere to be found. I walk to the elevator, taking out my purse, and calling him.

“I’m upstairs in the room,” he says and I tell him I’m coming.

I open the door, walking in, and stop as I see the room has a yellow glow. The curtains are open, but it’s the hundred candles that he has placed all around the room that give it the yellow glow. The television is on and I see there are seven minutes before midnight. “What is all this?”

“When I was younger everyone used to say that whatever you’re doing at midnight when the ball drops is what you’re going to be spending the year doing.” He gets up from the bed he was lying on. His suit jacket gone, his tie gone, the two top buttons opened, his shoes, and socks also gone. “So I decided that is exactly what I’m going to be doing.”

“Really?” I ask, watching him as he comes closer to me. “And what is that?”

“Loving you,” he says right before he takes my lips.

I let out a sigh right before my tongue meets his. His hands go to the back of my neck and pull the zipper down on my shirt. I use my hands to untie the belt as I cross my arms to take off my top.

“You are the most beautiful thing I have ever seen,” he says again before kissing me, this time my hands working the buttons of his shirt as it opens for me and my hands rub on his chest, and he moans into my mouth. I push the shirt off his shoulders. I stop kissing his lips to lean down and kiss his right side of his chest.

“I love you,” I say right before I peel my skirt off and step out of it, I’m about to take off my stilettos when he tells me to stop.

“Leave the shoes on,” he says as I nod to him and he pulls down his pants and his boxers all at once. I reach out, grabbing his cock in my hand and moving my hand up and down, my body already calling for him. He leans in and unsnaps my bra, and it falls down my arms as my nipples get hard from the cold. He bends and picks me up, his hand under my legs and one around my waist. He gently places me on the bed and then slides between my legs. Kissing me slowly, my back arches up and he rips my pants off. The delicate lace never stood a chance. My legs open more, allowing him to fit, as he takes his cock in his hand and rubs it up and down my wet slit, sliding into me as if I am made for him.

I put my head back as my body accepts him. He gets on his knees when he is fully inside me. His hands grab mine as he puts them above my head and our fingers wrap around each other as he leans down and kisses me while he makes love to me. My legs go back, tilting my hips so I can get him deeper in me. He slams into me gently over and over as we both hear, “Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one, Happy New Year.” And then the sound of popping from the fireworks outside.

“Happy New Year, angel,” he says when his lips move from mine.

“Happy New Year, love,” I whisper to him as I look into his eyes and he still moves in and out of my body. My body takes over and my hips thrust up, meeting his as I beg him, “Harder.” My body shakes for the release he can give me. He finally slams into me, grinding his pelvis against my clit, and I come at the same time that he grows even more inside me and he also goes over.

He pulls me to the side as my head lies on his arm.

“I want to tell my family about us after the break,” I say to him as he looks down at me.

“It’s time.” He nods as he kisses my lips and my eyes close and I drift off, only waking the next morning when there is a knock on Max’s door. I sit up as the sheet rolls down my chest, and I grab it to hold it back to me.

Max gets up, going in his room, and closes the door, then comes back with a room service tray. “I ordered breakfast since we need to leave in about three hours and it’s going to be a long day.”

I smile up at him as he sets down the tray and then goes back to get another two and he finally sits down on the bed and the robe opens. “How many things did you order?” I ask him as he pours two cups of coffee.

“I pretty much ordered everything that they had.” He opens the lid to the five covered plates, showing me eggs, pancakes, waffles, French toast, and oatmeal, as well as yogurt with fresh berries.

“This is the best ever,” I say, sipping the coffee that he handed me and leaning over to kiss him. The coffee tastes on his lips also. “So,” I start saying as I grab a fork and cut a piece of pancake. “Want to stay in Vegas for the break?” I look at him as he is eating the scrambled eggs and he shrugs his shoulders.

“Whatever you want, angel,” he says. “Let me know. I’ll make the reservations.”

“You know reservations is my thing, right?” I look at him and smile. “Where do you want to stay? I’ll make the reservations.” I take a bite of the waffle. “The pancakes are way better.”

“Angel, you want to stay in Vegas, I’ll handle it,” he says. “End of story.”

“You know I’m a planner. I need to know where we are going, what we are going to be doing. I can make reservations for some shows. I can talk to the concierge and see what they sugges—”

He puts his hand on my lips. “Let’s wing it.”

I put my eyebrows together. “Max, I don’t wing it.” I scratch my neck. “Just the thought is giving me hives.”

“Allison, it’ll be fine, like a surprise,” he says as he smiles, then looks up at my face. “It’s going to fine. Breathe, angel.”

I roll my eyes at him as he finishes eating and we start getting dressed to go to the rink. I dress in my warm clothes since the game is outside today. “I don’t know how people are going to sit outside with this cold and watch the game,” I say as I tie my big boots.

“Now give me a kiss good luck,” he says as I stand up and suddenly feel like the Michelin man.

I go on my tippy toes. “Love you,” I say as I kiss him. “Break a leg, love.”