Chapter 36: Naughty & Nice: Chapter 36

The past few days have been incredible.

Hendrix moved into my room the morning after we returned home, and we’ve pretty much been in that one room ever since.

In fact, we’ve barely left the house.

We’ve had all our food delivered, and there have been days where we haven’t even gotten dressed.

It’s been heaven.

Just me and my boy.

He makes me so happy. I’ve never laughed so much in my life.

I didn’t realize how much we were both holding back by keeping our feelings for each other a secret, but now we’re crossed that line, everything is just… so much more.

We’re closer than we’ve ever been, and I love it.

I love him.

I love who I am when I’m with him.

He brings out a side of me that I didn’t know existed.

I’ve always been the quiet book girl. But with him, I can tap into something else.

I can be the kind of wild girl I read about in my books. And not only that, but he’s the perfect boyfriend.

He’s everything I always knew him to be, but now, so much more as well.

He’s so gentle and yet… also not.

He can make love to me in a way that brings tears to my eyes, but he can also fuck me until my throat is sore from screaming.

Any fleeting concern I may have had that Hendrix wouldn’t be enough on his own was obliterated that first night.

He is everything.

More than everything.

But that being said, it doesn’t stop my mind from wandering.

We haven’t heard from Wilder since the incident outside the team’s house.

I’ve tried to prompt Hendrix to message him, but he’s still pissed at him for what he said about me.

I get it. I’m mad too, but I think there’s more to it than Wilder just being an asshole.

He was hurting while we were away, that much was obvious. At least to me. He opened up, even if it was just a little bit.

Us returning home affected him in a way that I don’t think Hendrix understands.

Hell, I’m not entirely sure I understand either. But I do enough to let go of the anger.

Wilder is… complex. He hides his feelings behind his humor and partying. Everyone thinks he’s a gives-no-shits kind of guy, but that’s far from the truth.

He’s a little bit broken by the past, just like Hendrix and me.

We get it. We lived the same bullshit lives. But Hendrix and I have each other.

Sure, Wilder has us. He has his twin.

But it’s not the same. Not when he drowns his feelings and issues with alcohol and loses himself with jersey chasers.

Something bitter sloshes in my stomach as I think about him being with someone else.

But it’s something that I’m going to need to get used to.

If Instagram is anything to go by—yes, I’ve looked—then he went straight back to his old ways.

For the briefest of moments, I wondered if he’d slow down. But it was a silly thought.

He’s spent more than enough time taking it slow with us.

Heavy footsteps head my way, dragging my head away from his twin in favor of focusing solely on him.

“Everything okay?” Hendrix asks when he finds me sitting on my bed with my book in my lap, obviously abandoned.

Thankfully, I finished the one I was reading at Christmas before we left. I’m not sure I’d have been able to carry on with it now.

I’m pretty sure I’m going to be off why-choose books for a while, if I’m being honest.

“It’s New Year’s Eve, and I’m spending it with my favorite person in the world. What could possibly be wrong?” I ask, smiling up at Hendrix.

“Well, when you put it like that…” he says with a smirk playing on his lips.

He stalks closer, passing me the mug he’s carrying.

“Where’s yours?” I ask, eagerly taking it. My mouth waters at the sight of the whipped cream and melting marshmallows before me.

“I don’t have one. I’m too busy.”

I raise a brow. “Doing what, exactly?”

He stands a little taller. “It’s a surprise.” He grins so wide it hits his eyes.

“Oh?”

“Yep. Enjoy that, I’ll be back in ten minutes with the first part,” he instructs.

“It’s got more than one part?”

“Of course,” he says before dropping a kiss on my lips and backing away once again. “Relax. I’ll be back.”

And then he’s gone again.

Lifting the mug to my face, I breathe in the scent of rich chocolate.

He’s used my favorite.

I don’t know why I’m surprised; Hendrix always pays attention to the things I like.

I take a sip, but the silence allows me to drift off into my thoughts again.

My cell sits on my nightstand, taunting me.

Lori and I exchanged a handful of messages earlier.

I tried to play everything off and not cause her any more stress than necessary when it comes to Wilder, but I’m not sure she really bought it.

She said she hadn’t really spoken to him. He’s been too busy, apparently.

I bet he has…

She and Kian only have a few more days of their vacation, and I dread her turning up here so that we can talk properly.

She’s going to dig deeper than anyone else would. And she knows me well enough to know exactly which buttons to press to get the truth.

What is the truth?

I release a heavy sigh that doesn’t relieve any of the tension pulling at my muscles.

I’m so incredibly happy right now. Hendrix is everything I’ve ever wanted. Our relationship is so much more than I ever could have dreamed of.

But…

I don’t want to say something is missing, because then that would sound like Hendrix isn’t enough, and he is.

I just…

The sound of water running gives me a hint as to what Hendrix is doing.

Excitement stirs in my stomach as I think about what he’s planned for tonight.

We’ve spent New Year’s Eve together for years. But this one is different.

This year, we’re celebrating the start of a new chapter of our lives.

I’m so excited to find out where the next year will take us and where we’ll be a year from now.

The only thing I know without a doubt is that we’ll be together.

Hendrix and I are the real thing. Soulmates.

“Finished?” Hendrix asks a few seconds later when he pokes his head around the corner.

“I’ve barely started,” I confess, lifting my mug for a sip.

A quiet moan rumbles in my throat as the rich, sweet hot chocolate hits my tongue.

He waits until I’ve finished, then he pulls me to my feet and tugs me toward the main bathroom.

Inside, I find exactly what I was expecting: a bathtub full of fluffy white bubbles.

Spinning around, I wrap my arms around his shoulders and stretch up to kiss him.

“Thank you,” I whisper, already eager to sink into the hot water.

Reaching for the bottom of his hoodie, I attempt to pull it up his body, but he stops me.

“Hey,” I complain with a pout.

“This one is just for you,” he explains, making me pout more.

“But—”

He cups my face, staring down into my eyes as if I’m the most precious thing in the world. It makes my heart beat even faster.

“I’ve still got a surprise to finish off for you.” His eyes twinkle happily, and it makes my stomach flutter.

I want to argue, but I can’t. He’s so excited by whatever he’s doing that I can’t stop him.

“Okay, but as soon as you’re done, I want you up here,” I tell him.

“As if I could refuse an offer like that. Keep the water warm for me.”

“You got it.”

He doesn’t leave straight away. Instead, he helps get me naked—which doesn’t take all that long, seeing as I’m only wearing his hoodie and nothing else. Once I’m settled, he backs away from me.

He might be choosing not to join me, but I can see the longing in his eyes. It makes the whole situation a little better to know that he’d rather be lying right here with me.

“I won’t be long,” he says from the door. His fingers are wrapped around the doorframe as if physically holding himself back.

“Are you sure?” I taunt, lifting my leg from the water and resting it on the edge. I make a show of sliding my hand down my body, and his eyes follow with more than a little interest.

He clears his throat. “I won’t be long,” he repeats before disappearing from my sight.

I can’t help but laugh when his groan of frustration rumbles through the air.

“I love you,” I call out.

“I love you too.”

Hendrix was gone for less than thirty minutes. Apparently, the lure of my naked, wet body was too much, and he hurried through whatever he was doing so he could get back up to me.

I happily pointed out that it was his own fault. The bath was his idea.

He was aware, and he punished me for my sass by sliding beneath me and then impaling me on his cock.

Pretty sweet punishment, if you ask me.

Once the water is cold, and mostly on the bathroom floor, he lifts me out, wraps me in a fluffy towel, and then sets about getting me ready for our New Year’ celebrations.

We’d already agreed to stay in, not that there needed to be any kind of discussion about that, so I’m not surprised when he pulls one of his hoodies over my head and leaves it at that.

Perfect evening in, if you ask me.

Being the amazing boyfriend that he is, he even brushes and blow-dries my hair before taking my hand and leading me downstairs.

It’s mostly in darkness, but the flickering light from the living room gives me a clue about what I’m going to find.

But I soon find that my imagination pales in comparison when he guides me into the room.

“Wow,” I breathe, taking in all the candles and the couch that he’s transformed into a huge bed.

It’s covered in pillows and blankets, and there’s a tray of snacks waiting for us.

“Do you like it?” he asks a little nervously.

“I love it. It’s the perfect way to ring in a new year.”

“I’ve ordered your favorite. It’ll be here soon. All we’ve got to do is select the movies.”

I let out a contented sigh and lean back against his hard body.

His arms wrap around me and I close my eyes.

I always wondered what it would be like if we got together. But I never could have imagined something this perfect.

As promised, all of my favorite Chinese dishes arrive just over thirty minutes later, and we eat on our makeshift bed with the movie playing in the background.

Much to Hendrix’s delight, I’ve moved on from the cute Hallmark Christmas movies in favor of something with a little more action and less cheese. Not that he’d ever complain about my choices.

With all the food eaten, Hendrix abandons the containers in the kitchen and we snuggle down together to enjoy the rest of our night.

We watch two more movies before we begin glancing at the clock.

Midnight is coming, and there is only one person I want to be kissing when the clock strikes twelve.

Our movie ends with just over five minutes to go, and Hendrix finds a TV channel that will count down to the big event before turning to me and pulling me tighter into his body.

“This is how I want to spend every New Year from here on out.”

“I think I could get on board with that idea,” I tease.

His lips find mine, and whatever is happening around us fades into nothing as we lose ourselves in each other. At least, until the front door slams back against the hallway wall and heavy footsteps pound our way.

We jump apart before Hendrix dives in front of me, ready to protect me from whoever just stormed inside our house.

But it’s not necessary. I already know who it is.

There is only one other person with the key.

And not three seconds later, I’m proved right when a harassed-looking Wilder appears in the doorway.

His hair is a mess, his eyes are wild, and his chest is heaving as if he just ran here from the team house.

“I’m sorry,” he blurts. “I’m really fucking sorry.”