Page 119 of Those Three Little Words
Taters is caught up in the drama that is his ex-girlfriend.
From what I heard, Posey has a crush on a girl he can’t even fathom asking out. Not sure why, but that’s all I’ve heard.
Pacey and I have been recovering from what happened between us earlier.
And the playoffs are always hard on Halsey because of his brother.
You’re looking at five guys who can’t get their heads out of their asses.
But now that we’re home, we’re looking to turn things around. It’s a seven-game series. We have some work to do, but we aren’t out of it yet.
With my bags over my shoulder, I make my way up to Penny’s apartment, and I take my key out of my pocket to unlock the door.
Once again, it’s late, so I’m not expecting her to be up. I’m just glad to be back. I thought I’d miss my apartment more than I have, but I’m starting to realize that it’s not the place I go home to, but having someone there when you arrive.
I walk through the door and lock it up behind me. The living room is dark other than the one accent lamp she left on for me. I turn it off and make my way to the bedroom, where I slip through the door, trying to be as quiet as possible. When I spot her in the bed sleeping, I gently set my bags down and go to the walk-in closet, where I strip out of my suit. In the dark, I sift out my toothbrush and tiptoe to the bathroom, where I brush my teeth, leaving the light off the whole time. She must be tired if she isn’t stirring. I spoke to her every night, and she said she’s been apartment hunting, working on a list with her mom of things she’s going to need for the baby and, of course, working. I’ve noticed how tired she is in her eyes.
I slip out of the bathroom and don’t worry about plugging in my phone since we could charge it on the airplane. Instead, I quietly move to my side of the bed just as she shifts. She rubs her eye and says, “Hey, you.”
“Hey, I’m sorry I woke you up.”
“It’s fine. I have to pee.” She throws the blankets off her, revealing a silk pajama set that I haven’t seen yet. A thinly strapped tank top and matching shorts that barely reach her upper thigh. It’s, uh . . . it’s really fucking sexy, especially when her hair is all mussed up like that. “How was your flight?” she asks as she walks up to me.
My eyes are glued on the way her tits sway against the silk fabric of her shirt. Is it me, or have they gotten bigger?
“Uh, it was good,” I say just as she puts her arms around me. I sink into her embrace and hug her back, moving one of my hands up to the nape of her neck. “Glad that I’m back,” I say truthfully.
“Me too,” she says as she presses her cheek against my bare chest. “It’s not the same without you.”
And then she releases me and goes to the bathroom, leaving me in a state of bewilderment. I wasn’t expecting her to say that, nor was I expecting the welcoming hug.
Nor was I expecting the warm feeling spreading through my veins from both her words and her embrace.
I’m glad for technology like FaceTime. But it doesn’t compare to being here in person. I miss so much while I’m gone. It hasn’t sat well with me that I’ve missed every single doctor’s appointment. And now I also missed being her shoulder to lean on when she told her parents about us.About our baby.
And this is only the beginning. How much more will I miss when the baby is actually born? Yet this beautiful, sleepy woman greeted me with a hug, telling me she missed me.She is fucking awesome.
Clearing my throat, I walk to my side of the bed and get under the covers. The bed is warm, and the silk of her sheets comfort me as I sink into her mattress. I used to love my bed when I’d get home from an away trip. I sought it out, looking for that bit of home after being gone for so long, but now, this bed is what feels right. A little lumpy in spots but cool to the touch and warm from the person next to me. I sleep my best here. And that’s a scary realization because I know being here is only short term. Things will change once the baby is born, and the unknown is starting to make me panic.
Penny emerges from the bathroom and slips under the covers as well, facing me. From the distant light of the moon, I can catch glimpses of her beautiful face.
“Good?” I ask her.
She nods against her pillow. “Yeah.”
“How has it been with your parents?”
“Okay. Mom said I looked frail, which didn’t bode well for me.”
I frown. “Have you been eating?”
“Not as much as I used to, but now that I’m feeling better, I’m able to stomach some things. My mom also said I have a little bump.”
“Really?”
“Yeah.” She grabs my hand and places it on her stomach. “You probably won’t be able to tell, but there’s something in there.” She smooths my palm over her stomach, but all I feel is her warm skin. “I’ll try to show you in the morning. I think it just looks like I’m bloated.”
“I’m sure it doesn’t.” Instead of moving my hand, I keep it in place, holding her stomach gently.
