Total pages in book: 54
Estimated words: 52975 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 265(@200wpm)___ 212(@250wpm)___ 177(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 52975 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 265(@200wpm)___ 212(@250wpm)___ 177(@300wpm)
I love it all. His voice, his smile, his arms around me. The sweetness only I get to see, and the sexy, commanding man that’s also only for me.
If I wasn’t already waist-deep in researching the human microbiome, I’d study the love hormones like serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine. Vasopressin is particularly fascinating. It helps the human body conserve water and regulates sodium levels, but it’s also part of people—especially men—forming long-term emotional attachments and protective behaviors.
I’ve read about these things and thought of them in clinical terms, but now I get to feel them.
Bash gets checked into the boards by a St. Louis player. He recovers quickly and gets back to playing, seeming unfazed.
“These seats are unreal,” Eric says. “I can see their sweat.”
It is pretty incredible to be so close to the action. The man who gently stroked a hand over my hair and kissed me on the forehead before leaving home early this morning drives his shoulder into an opponent, knocking him off balance.
Bash quickly regains control of the puck and shoots it into the net. The arena erupts, horns blaring and people cheering. Alana claps, oblivious to the chaos with her noise-canceling headphones on.
The goal Bash scored ends up being the only one in the game, and the mood in the room we sit in to wait for him after the game is high. Alana was exhausted by the third period, so Callie took her back to Bash’s to go to bed and now it’s just Eric and I waiting.
When he walks into the room in a dark suit with a white shirt and a light-blue tie, Bash’s gaze goes right to me. I stand up, my heart racing with excitement.
He’s wearing the hell out of that suit. His hair is still damp from the shower and I take in his familiar amber-and-pine scent as he hugs me and kisses me.
It’s a soft, chaste kiss, probably because my brother is two feet away.
“Great game,” I murmur in his ear.
“Thanks.”
He grins at Eric and shakes his hand. “You made it.”
“Wouldn’t miss it. Hell of a game, man.”
The others are going out, but we’re going home. We’re getting up early tomorrow, so we stay aligned with Avana’s sleep schedule. And we’re going to take Eric and his family to a few of our favorite Cleveland places.
This city is quickly starting to feel like home to me. Or maybe that’s just Bash that feels like home. Either way, if he wants me to stay when my semester is over, I’m in.
I can do research from anywhere. Maybe not as part of a large team, but that’s okay. There’s only one Sebastian Stone, and now that he’s finally mine, I go where he goes.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Bash
* * *
“Seriously, there should be a hole in that suit.” I rake my gaze up and down Lainey’s body in her costume. “Like long underwear. An access flap I can open to fuck you and then close again so we can mingle at this party.”
She rolls her eyes, feigning aggravation. Because honestly, she loves too horny to live Bash and we both know it. She’s pure smoke in her Catwoman suit, and even though we spent an hour in bed earlier this afternoon, I want her again already.
“It’s the ears, isn’t it?” She makes a kissy face, teasing me.
“Yeah, I’m sure that’s it,” I say dryly.
Her tits look incredible in the outfit, even though her chest is completely covered. I probably should have put her in a frumpy Robin outfit instead of getting us these expensive custom-made Batman and Catwoman costumes because every guy who sees her tonight is going to have his tongue on the floor.
When she puts on the mask and holds the whip that came with the costume, Lainey looks like a high-dollar dominatrix. Her bright-red hair, flowing around her shoulders, only adds to her appeal. Normally I’m in charge in our bedroom, but for a change of pace, I’d lick her shiny black boots and take orders.
“We’re so much smarter than Carter and Suki.” I grin. “They’re bacon and eggs. Those costumes will be useless in their bedroom tonight.”
“It’s cute, though.”
My dog sitter River comes into the kitchen from the backyard, Bruce on his heels.
“Hey, you guys look awesome,” he says.
River has long, scraggly blond hair and he doesn’t shave much, so his beard comes down to his chest. He’s wearing a tie-dye T-shirt and he’s definitely stoned. His skin is bronzed from his summer backpacking in Patagonia.
Living in my guest cottage for eight months a year during hockey season to take care of Bruce when I’m traveling is River’s main job. It works well because he takes great care of him, and he’s able to travel during my offseason.
“That sourdough is ready to eat. Help yourself,” Lainey says.
River grins. “Amazing. Thank you.”