Chapter 26

ALEXIS

Owen stood in the lounge area, perusing the smorgasbord of food spread over the floor. I’d made a pillow nest in front of the TV, and Alicia graciously left the apartment to us for the night—after not so subtly hinting that we could be as rowdy as we wanted.

Since her crude insinuation, I had turned skittish. I hadn’t dwelled on the potential sexual component of our date… Well, that’s a lie.

But I pushed those thoughts to the corner of my mind, choosing to get swept up in the thrill of the date instead. And I was not left disappointed.

Our day was magical. Filled with laughter, subtle flirting and, at times, light petting—which had me tuned in and turned all the way on.

Letting him work alongside the Cyclones physiotherapist was a great opportunity for both of us. For Owen, he received an amazing career experience and networked with some of the best in the game. It also gave me a well-needed breather from the electrifying sexual tension.

I sat amongst the cushions, twisting one in my lap. “I thought since we’ve had such a busy day, you might want to stay in and watch a movie? But if you’d prefer to go out, we can—”

“No!” he blurted. Dropping down beside me, he laid a loose hand over my fidgeting one. “No. Lex, this is perfect.” Then, he mumbled something under his breath that I didn’t quite catch.

After we ate, cleaned and showered, we met back on the comfortable, cushioned floor, a random movie playing in the background. It was all very domestic, old memories blending with the new.

It felt fresh. The untouched environment gave us a secluded space where we could keep each other company without any external pressure.

Soon, evening turned into night as Owen regaled his session with the Cyclones team. He was eager, his words spilling over as he radiated with passion.

We talked for hours, neither one of us wanting to break the bond. But sleep would not be denied, the pesky bitch pulling on our consciousness.

Inadvertently, we found ourselves entangled in one another. Owen reclined on his back with me snuggled into his side, my head laid heavy on his chest.

My hand found a home at the base of his neck, his steady heartbeat thumping against my fingertips. If I was alert enough, I probably would have removed myself from the precarious position, but when his fingers began running through my hair, there was no way I was moving.