Doesn’t mean I’m not going to do special things for her, but the fact that she doesn’t need that from me makes her even more stunning, in my book.

“I want you down on the ice,” I say as I lean down to give her a sweet kiss. “I want to be able to see you cheering me on. I’ve never had someone there just for me…I mean, outside of the times my family comes to visit.”

Olivia squeezes me tight and lays her cheek against my chest. “All right, then…I’ll be the one down on the ice screaming the loudest for you.”

I’ve definitely been anxious for the season to start. I flourish in the adrenaline and competition. Hockey season is the happiest time of my life. But I don’t think I’ve ever looked forward to a game more in my life than the one on Tuesday…because I know Olivia is my biggest fan and will be there to support me. It makes it a million times more exciting to me.

Chapter 18

Olivia

“If you look at your watch one more time with that annoying sigh of frustration, I’m going to smack you,” Stevie grumbles as he walks by on his way out to the front to help some customers.

I sneak another glance and see that it’s only three-forty-five P.M. and I have a little more than two hours left until I get off work. It’s Friday afternoon and the store is pretty busy at this time of the day. Our order list for the weekend is long so Stevie’s been manning the front while I’ve been doing all the arrangements.

Garrett flew back in today, and in fact, the team plane should have landed a few hours ago. We made plans to go out to dinner tonight, my mom insisting we go out on a date together since our time has been limited this week. I am so damned excited to see him that I can’t stop looking at my watch, which is moving at the speed of molasses.

This past week has been just amazing. It’s been such a comfort to have my mom here, and I’m sad she’s going to be heading back tomorrow. She promised to use the rest of her vacation time to come back out during one of my treatments, as she wants to be there for me when things are bad. I figure between her, Garrett, Stevie, and Sutton, I’ll be well taken care of.

Garrett did, in fact, stay at my house the first part of the week. He’d meet me there after I got off work, and my mom would have dinner ready for us. Then we’d talk for a while or watch TV, and eventually Mom would wander off to bed. Then it was on…the race to get inside each other’s pants while trying to be as quiet as possible. We learned very quickly that my bed was too squeaky, so Garrett fixed that by pulling my mattress to the floor and tossing me down on it.

One night, though…after Mom went off to bed, Garrett and I just stayed out in the living room and watched a movie. He lay behind me on the couch and wrapped one arm around my waist while the other cushioned my head. We were quiet for the most part, unless it was to make a comment about the movie, and every so often he would brush his lips against the back of my head. When the movie was over, he murmured, “It’s late. Let’s get some sleep.”

Then he walked with me hand in hand to my bedroom, where we did nothing more than take our clothes off and slip into bed together. We assumed our usual sleeping positions, with my head on his chest and one of my legs twined between his. It was the first time we didn’t have sex before going to sleep, and yet it felt natural too. It made me realize that while our sex is off-the-charts hot, it’s not what’s at the center of our relationship.

Garrett did, however, make up for it the next morning by pulling me out of bed and taking me up against the wall. He had to clamp one hand over my mouth to keep me from crying out, it felt so damned good. And yes, I’m very much looking forward to seeing him tonight. I’ve never thought about sex much, but with Garrett…I think about it a lot. I’ve never been with someone who is so giving and has made my body feel so good. I think I might be addicted to him.

I hear the bell over the door out front tinkle on a few occasions and figure Stevie is in over his ass out there, but he can handle it. He’ll flit around the store, helping to make efficient decisions, all while never making a customer feel left out or rushed. He’s a whiz at that stuff, because he’s more social butterfly than human.

Burying my attention in a set of bridal bouquets for a wedding tomorrow, I become lost to my thoughts of Garrett and baby’s breath flowers.

“How do you get sexier every time I see you?”

My head does a slow raise up and I’m already smiling before I make eye contact with Garrett. “What are you doing here? Thought you were going to be at my apartment at six-thirty.”

“Just couldn’t help myself. Needed to see you,” he drawls, and before I can stop myself, I’m shooting off the stool and rocketing toward Garrett. I manage a perfectly aimed leap, he catches me smoothly and I wrap my legs around his waist. We’d so kill it on Dancing with the Stars, I bet.

I manage to start kissing Garrett as well as flinging my arm out to catch the edge of the door that separates the front and the back, and swing it shut. Garrett just turns his big body and then pins me up against the door, mashing his lips to mine in a brutally hot kiss.

“God, I missed you,” he says when he lifts his mouth to pay attention to my neck. I can feel him hot and hard between my legs, and I’m flooded with wet arousal.

“Put me down,” I gasp. Groaning, Garrett pulls his head up and looks at me with curiosity, but then lets my body slide south. I quickly grab his hand and start pulling him through the shop, back past the floral design area and the coolers. Right into a little room that says OFFICE on it.