of the picture because I don’t expect him to wait for me. It could be years. But I want this. I want this freedom.
“And thank you for letting me look at you in that sexy uniform.”
Chapter Nineteen
Ryker
“Are you sad your team isn’t in the playoffs?”
The one scenario that would kick us out of the wild card game, happened. The other team won, beating us out of the playoffs.
I should be fucking furious. But I can’t muster up the feelings when I know the only reason I met Aspen is because of my suspension. And now I have her all to myself this week with no interruption.
But hell if I’ll admit that. To anyone. “Yeah, it sucks. You give everything you’ve got for sixteen weeks, physical and mental exhaustion. It all makes it worth it being at the top.” This is the first time in four years, I’m not.
“This probably wasn’t a good time for me to be here.”
The sound of regret in her voice pisses me off more than not making the playoffs. I grab her hand from her lap and place it on my leg. “You being here wasn’t the reason. I didn’t lose.” My replacement lost. All three games. But that’s on me. “Having you watch me play, I had fun showing off.”
Her laugh fills the car. “You’re definitely good at that.” Her eyes shift to the side of the highway. “Where are we going, again?”
“A small town in Upstate, New York. You’ll love it.”
She’s so fascinated with the snow, what better way to enjoy it than renting a cabin in the mountains? When I found the property, it was perfect. And after the city’s disappointment with our team, it’s best to leave town for a couple days to let them simmer down.
I switch the radio to an eighties channel and she immediately turns it up, singing and dancing in her seat, not giving two shits that she sings out of tune or looks crazy to the cars passing us. Between her singing outbursts and riding in comfortable silence, I’ve never been this content with a woman before. I don’t need to pretend to be anything but myself.
The only stop we make is to get some groceries. Pulling into the snow-covered grounds, Aspen’s eyes twinkle as we park in the driveway.
“It’s a treehouse,” she exclaims.
I have to admit, it’s wicked cool.
The suspension bridge we cross to get to the front door of the two-story house, situated in the trees, has a fresh coat of snow across it. I’m as excited as her crossing it.
Her eyes are the size of saucers as she looks out from the porch at a sea of white fluff. “Let’s hurry and get the groceries inside so we can come and play in the snow.”
“Do you know what snow is good for?” I ask, watching her throw handfuls of powdery snow in the air and dance around it as it falls to her face. Flakes catch on her eyelashes. She looks up through them, blinking them away.
“What?”
She lets out an audible gasp as I land a snowball right in her shoulder. “Ryker! That is so unfair. You throw balls for a living.” I bark out a laugh as a flicker of revenge crosses her expression before she bends over and grabs a chunk of snow.
“Whiskey, all is fair in love and war.”
“Is that right, Ball Boy?”
“Give it all you got, babe,” I prod, holding my arms out wide.
“If you’re that confident I’ll miss, close your eyes.” She packs the ball in her glove covered hands. I bite back my response of go ahead because she could very well hit me. She lifts a brow, waiting.
“Alright,” I say, closing my eyes. I’ll probably regret this, but the odds of her hitting me from where she’s standing is slim. I’ve seen her throw before. When I hear snow crunching under boots, I open them back up. “You’re cheating, woman.”
She flashes a sly smile but holds her empty hands in the air as she gets closer to me. “I couldn’t hit you from back there.”
I narrow my eyes. She’s up to something. When she stands in front of me, she lifts on her toes and kisses me. I feel the smile play on her lips. As soon as I pull back, a fistful of snow falls down the front side of my pants and she runs off.
My stomach muscles tense as the cold makes its way down to my dick. Shaking my pants so the ice moves