Page 136 of Risking the Pucking Defense

“Fuck,” he gasps as I gather my hair up and place it over my shoulder so it doesn’t hide his name. “You’re mine.”

Yeah, I think I am.

39

HAILEE

It’s still early when I come to, and the first thing—hell, the only thing—I notice is the strong arm that’s wrapped around my waist and the hard body I’m pinned against.

“Please don’t freak out and run away,” Hayden whispers, his warm breath tickling over my neck.

A smile pulls at my lips as I remember that first morning and the panic that hit me.

But this morning, things are very different, and I snuggle back even more against him, accidentally—on purpose—grinding my hips against him.

A deep groan rumbles in his chest.

“It’s early,” he says, surprising me.

“Hmm,” I mumble, cracking an eye open to see that it’s still dark.

“Go back to sleep, baby.”

Unable to argue, I suck in a deep, Hayden-scented breath and do as I’m told, expecting him to do the same behind me.

I drift off again in seconds, and when I wake again, God knows how long later, I feel rested, and the sun is spilling into the room through his thin curtains.

Happiness rushes through me as memories from the night before flicker through my head before I roll over to find the man who made them all happen.

But…the bed is empty, and when I reach over, I find the sheets cold. He’s been gone a while.

Throwing the sheets off, I pad through to his bathroom.

The sight of our toothbrushes sitting side by side in the little cup on the counter does things to me.

It’s been a very long time since I’ve been the second half of a whole, and already this feels so different from my previous experience.

Last time, I was a trophy. Something to look good and do as she was told.

This time, despite it being early days, I’m an equal. Suddenly, I’m important; my thoughts and opinions matter. It’s a heady experience after always feeling unimportant and in the way.

As soon as I’ve freshened up, I slip out of the room and go in search of Hayden.

I hear him before I see him, and I can’t deny that his deep groan hits me right between the thighs.

I might be a little tender after last night, but hearing that…yeah, a little pain isn’t going to stop me from having him again.

My brows pull at the thought of him being out here alone, jerking off when he could be in bed with me. As hot as the image that pops into my head is, there’s also a little disappointment and confusion.

Why would he do that when⁠—

All my thoughts and concerns vanish when I round the corner and discover what he’s doing.

Holy shit.

He’s in a Pilates bridge, one leg pointed toward the ceiling, his hips pumping. Oh, and he’s wearing nothing but a pair of very tight, very small boxer briefs.

I swear, every muscle in his body is engaged, making the definition even more mouthwatering. His skin is glistening with sweat, and the small beam of sun that’s coming from the window makes it glitter deliciously.