Where You Belong

Tyler wasn’t exactly sure why he had agreed to this, but as he stepped into the shower that morning with a serious case of morning wood, he remembered that he was doing this for Anna. His Anna.

He had a game tonight, he shouldn’t have been up this early, fixing himself a little plate of peanut butter toast, he wolfed it down followed by a glass of orange juice before pulling on his trainers and watching a split second of the morning news.

It wasn’t until he had heard her front door slam shut did he hop up from his couch and hurry out the door to see Anna stretching in her driveway, clad in a pair of spandex shorts and another Nike tank.

“You know you’re crazy for this, right?” Tyler stifled a yawn as he stretched his hamstrings.

“Oh come on, it’s good for you.” She insisted, not missing a beat as she leaned over to touch her toes, making Tyler groan inwardly at the way her legs grew out of her tiny shorts, making him wonder if she was wearing any panties under those things. “Besides super star, this should be nothing for you.” She crossed the tiny patch of grass separating their homes, placing her hand on his shoulder to balance herself to pull up her socks. “Warm? Ready?” She asked, crossing one of her arms across her chest, her breath visible in the cool morning air.

“As I’ll ever be.” He sighed with a smile as he took off in front of him. Letting his eyes wander her body for just a moment, before focusing on the mission ahead. “So.” He began, wondering how he was going to keep a conversation while running.

“So.” She laughed in return, her blonde ponytail flicking about her shoulders.

“Ever call that telemarketer back?” He tried to instigate the conversation with a joke. Anna simply laughed and shook her head.

“Too quick for that one, huh?” She asked.

“I mean, I know I’m just a hockey player but I do know a thing or two about a thing or two.” He shrugged as they set into a comfortable jog.

“I have an ex that keeps calling, I guess he doesn’t understand the concept of breaking up.” She laughed. “I tried just ignoring him cold turkey, but then it got more persistent, so I have to wean him… does that make sense?” She blushed.

“Kind of.” Tyler nodded. So she was single? Or… “So he’s an ex-boyfriend.” He stated.

“Right.” She nodded, “I mean, I don’t even know if I would go as far as to call him an ex-boyfriend, more of an ex-fling. He took me on a few dates, two were nice, and the other two were weird and awkward. I told him that I wasn’t really ready for a relationship and that’s when the calling started.” She explained. They rounded down the street further and further from their neighborhood.

“So now he’s stalking you?” Tyler asked as they jogged into a main drag of their suburb with a few shops and landmarks.

“No, not stalking, just… excessive calling.” She insisted. “I don’t think he’d actually have the nerve to show up at my house.” She finished. “But enough about me, what about you?”

“What about me?” Tyler asked, his breathing increasing as they had now been jogging for a solid fifteen minutes.

“Any sweet little things biding their time till you make it back to Canada?” She giggled.

“Why do you have to say Canada like that, huh?” He teased.

“It just sounds so cliché, some girl waiting for you up in the north for her dreamy hockey player to come visit.” She laughed. She called you dreamy.

“No, there’s no damsel in distress waiting for me in Canada.” He replied. “The last date I went on was do Prom and even then I went with a friend.” He explained. “I don’t know, there were just no girls that could hold my interest I guess.” He shrugged.

“Well you have to – oh my God.” She stopped running and immediately burst into giggles at the sight of a nine-foot-tall Tyler plastered on the front windows of a Dunkin’ Donuts.

“Oh, so those went up.” He mumbled, feeling terribly embarrassed to be standing next to a giant projection of himself.

“Wow, take my picture.” Anna quickly grabbed her phone from her armband, handing it Tyler before hitting several poses with the window advertisement. Tyler blushed and hoped no one around at five in the morning saw them taking photos with his own image. Ears turning bright pink, Tyler refused to take a picture as Anna smacked her hand on the giant Tyler’s crotch and covering her mouth in a feigned gasp with the other hand.

“Way too explicit.” He shook his head as she burst into giggles.

“Don’t be so lame.” She teased, “but really, that is… something.” She insisted.

“My agent says it’s good for my image.” He smiled sheepishly.

“Fifty bucks says someone draws a penis or mustache on that thing by tomorrow morning.” She replied.

Tyler simply shook his head as they continued their jog, but all he could really think is how to get Anna to crawl all over him like she did his poster-self.

•••

“You need help.” Anna laughed as she watched Tyler attempt to cut up some chives that would eventually go into a batch of twice-baked potatoes. “The short way.” She stood beside him, putting her hands over his and showing him the correct way.

“I was doing it just fine!” He laughed with his eyebrows raised, insisting he was right, but not fighting the way her soft hands felt against his.

“No, this is right, you’re the student, I’m the teacher.” She informed, making a slew of dirty thoughts fly through his mind. “So finish these, then you get to mash the potatoes, muscles.” Tyler would be lying if he didn’t get the tiniest ego boost whenever she called him that.

“Goodie.” He stuck out his tongue as she moved to the fridge.

“Be nice to me, and I’ll let you have some!” She waved the bottle of red wine from side to side before setting it down and grabbing two wine glasses from the cupboard on top of the fridge. Pouring two glasses, she slowly pulled one across his face and under his nose as he worked over the potatoes with the plastic IKEA masher.

“Supplying booze to minors… what would your mother say?” He grinned, finishing up the potatoes and watching with wide eyes as she dropped in nearly a stick of softened butter.

“Hush, mash.” She gave him a ‘good game’ pat on the butt as she scooted her way up on the counter beside the stovetop and monitored his work while sipping her wine. Soon, the potatoes were pushed back the south burner to stay warm while Tyler slowly sipped his wine as well.

Now they waited while the whole chicken she had taught him how to stuff was cooking in the oven, slowly browning deliciously.

“You look so cute sipping that.” She teased. “You’re going to get carded until you hit forty-five.” She insisted.

“Okay, it’s not that bad.” He insisted with a sigh as he stood beside her, hips leaning into the counter space beside her thigh.

“It so is.” Anna giggled her soft, tinkling laugh that made him smile up at her. “Plus I don’t think you could grow any facial hair if you tried.” She put her hand up to his impossibly soft cheek. “But this is cute.” She pressed her pointer finger into the small mole on his chin before sliding down from the counter, dragging the hem of her sundress up the back of her thighs, giving him a very brief – but appreciated – view of the curve of her ass. “Heavy cream…” She mumbled to herself, all of Tyler’s senses so far on overload that he felt just the tiniest bit disoriented while she uncapped the dairy and poured a fair amount into the potatoes before carefully folding it in.

“Yum.” He all but whimpered.

“Taste.” She insisted, scooping the tiniest bit onto her finger and raising it to his lips.

Sweet baby Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. He folded his lips over his teeth before swiping the treat off of her finger, worried that if he actually allowed his tongue to touch a part of her body, he’d pop a boner in half an instant. The look she was giving him was almost lusty – that is – until the doorbell rang, snapping the both of them out of their moment.

“You had to call in back up? I didn’t know I was that hopeless.” He tried to tease but worried when her eyebrows knit together.

“I didn’t invite anyone over tonight.” She insisted.

“Let me check.” Tyler said, “stay here.” He placed a hand on her shoulder for a split second before making his way to her entryway. Sure, he may have a baby face, but his size spoke volumes. Not bothering to check the peephole, he couldn’t help but feel like a permanent fixture in the home, standing in the doorway casually with his glass of wine and a relaxed expression. “Hello.” He greeted casually.

“Uh, hi, is Indie here?” He asked, peeking around the tall forward.

“Sorry, but no one by the name if Indie lives here.” Tyler shrugged. “Wrong address.”

“Well her car is in the driveway.” The man insisted. Tyler could take him if need be, sure he didn’t have a lot of fighting experience, but this guy was five-eight on a good day and maybe one-thirty soaking wet.

“Look, there is no one named Indie that lives here, so if you don’t mind, we’re in the middle of dinner.” Tyler said with a final tine.

“Well, if you see Indie, will you tell her that Henry stopped by?” The man asked, retreating from the front steps.

“All over it.” Tyler assured, raising his glass to the stranger before closing and locking the front door.

“Is he gone?” Anna poked her head out from behind the arch that separated the family room from the entryway.

“Yeah, wrong address.” Tyler informed, “looking for someone named Indie.” He added, watching as Anna bit her lip. “You don’t have a roommate, right?”

“No.” She shook her head, “but some people call me Indie.” She finished, making one of his eyebrows perk at the statement as he walked towards her.

“I can see how people would get Indie from Anna.” He grinned, following her into the kitchen as she slid on two oven-mitts.

“Well my legal name isn’t Anna,” she began, making him even more interested in what she had to say. “But my real name is embarrassing, so I usually just go by Anna.”

“Well you can’t leave it at that.” Tyler gave her a pointed look.

“No, it’s really embarrassing, Ty.” She countered, setting the bird on the dining room table before grabbing a serving bowl form the counter to plate up the potatoes.

“It can’t be that bad.” He pressed. Anna heaved a sigh before pausing her ministrations and looking up at him, worrying one of her plump lips between her teeth.

“My real name is Indianna.” She confessed.

“That’s pretty.” He said softly, “what’s so bad about that?”

“My last name is Jones.” She rolled her eyes, not wanting to see his face lest he burst into laughter.

“Indianna Jones… well that’s definitely different.” He shrugged, “but it’s nothing to get your panties in a twist about. People have way more embarrassing things.” He added.

“Like what?” She asked plainly, not believing him. “What’s embarrassing about cute, little Tyler Seguin?” She pressed, grabbing her wine glass before joining him at the table.

“Well…” He racked his brain. “Promise not to tell anyone?” He asked before taking a big sip of his wine

“Scout’s honor.” She giggled, holding up three fingers, sending a whole new train of dirty thoughts through his mind.

“I hate cats.” He confessed.

“That’s not embarrassing you jerk!” She squeaked, smacking his harm with her oven mitt. “All guys hate cats!”

“No, no, no, I mean… I hate cats because they freak me out. I’m scared of cats.” He pressed, waiting for her reaction.

“You’re afraid of cats?” She asked, a very interested look on her face and a tiny grin pulling at her lips.

“Yes.” He nodded, “I don’t know, something about how my Grandma would always tell me that they suck the breath out of people when they’re asleep just hit home with me and stuck.” He explained.

“Muscles, you’re afraid of a precious little kitten?” She asked, eyebrows raised when she realized just how serious he was, fighting to keep her slightly drunken giggles to herself as they enjoyed their dinner.

“You promised, no laughing.” He insisted with a small smile. Anna motioned to zipping her lips shut as she speared a tiny piece of chicken with her fork.

“Mm, good job on dinner, Ty.” She complimented.

“Because I did so much.” He rolled his eyes, willing his nerves to stop firing off at the sound of her guttural moan, something he’d much rather hear when his face was buried…

“You’ll definitely need another lesson or two, but you’re coming along nicely.” She winked, breaking him of his thoughts. Anna insisted on doing dishes, no matter how many times Tyler tried to snatch the plates from her grasp, but complied when she requested that he pour the both of them another glass of wine. He was glad he didn’t have practice until late afternoon the next day.

They settled on the couch on her family room, flipping through to see that nothing was on TV, so Anna settled on a music channel instead and grinned as she swirled her wine in her glass.

“What are you so smiley about?” He asked, leaning his back against the arm of her couch as his long legs stretched out in front of him across the cushions, mimicking her stance as her feet reached the inside of his calves.

“Your feet are like… huge.” She giggled, “literally, it looks like you have flippers on under your socks.” She giggled even harder.

“Okay, Indianna Jones, don’t make fun of my feet.” He said, giving her a pointed look.

“Hey!” She whined, laying the pout on thick. “You promised.”

“I did no such thing.” He shook his head.

“Meow!” She giggled even harder, throwing her head back and letting him drink in the long, silky skin of her neck. Tyler had crossed the space between them before he could realize it, his knee anchoring on the couch between her thighs as she suddenly became of his proximity as well. “Tyler…” She trailed. “I thought you said you were going to stop trying to kiss me.” Her eyes flickered back and forth between his eyes and lips.

“I lied.” He managed out before pressing his lips to his in a much-awaited kiss. Her lips felt like heaven against his and he wasted no time in twisting his head, pressing urgent pecks to her lips before tracing her bottom lip with his tongue. He could taste more wine on her tongue while one of hands grasped the back of her head after winding through her silky tresses. Leaning her even further back against the arm of the couch, Tyler rested his forearms on either side of her head, eyes closed in ecstasy as she reciprocated the kiss. Her small, warm tongue probed his mouth while her hands explored his hard chest.

Unfortunately, there was a growing problem between Tyler’s leg’s that he knew would not be addressed that night.

“No, no, a little more.” She wrapped her arms around his neck, bringing his lips back down onto hers for another wine-induced kiss.

“A-Anna.” He stuttered out as her hands traveled from his chest down to his stomach. “I…”

“Oh.” She giggled, kissing his lips one more time before releasing her hostage grip on him.

“I – I gotta go.” He stuttered out, hopping up from the couch and grabbing his shoes on the way out of the condo, not bothering to put them on as he dashed across the small distance between their doors before throwing himself inside. He didn’t even make it all the way up the stairs before he had to free himself from his jeans, laying against the steps as he tugged and groaned.

It wasn’t fair.

Why did he have to be the good guy?