Someone To Save Me

Stepping off the plane at 5am was pure torture. All I want to do is get to the hotel and sleep in the comfy bed with my fiancé. Fiancé, wow, that’s still crazy to think about. Sid wrapped an arm around me as he checked into the hotel where the rest of the guys would be, apparently they reserved huge suite. After a few minutes I felt him leading me in a direction that I assumed was the elevators.

“We can sleep when we get up to the room Katie. We’re the first ones here” he said holding my body to his. I nodded slightly waiting for us to reach the floor. I walked in a trance behind him towards the room and immediately to a bed, crawling in before he even set the bags down. I felt the bed dip and Sid pull me into his body. His warm soft chest visible, he always seems to sleep shirtless now - secretly teasing me. I ran my hand up his toned stomach feeling the contours of every muscle. I sighed dreamily thinking about how less than 12 hours ago he asked me to be his, forever.

“You alright Katie?” he asked rubbing light circles on my shoulder.

“I’m perfect . . .” I smiled into his chest. “I love you Sidney.”

“I love you too . . .”

“I can’t believe that Janie and Tanger are just getting married out of the blue. It’s oddly impulsive of them.”

“I know what you mean. I didn’t think he’d jump the gun like that. But I totally understand at the same time.”

“I would marry you in a heart beat but Nonie and Poppy would shoot us if we eloped. Charlie too.”

“That would put a damper on the whole marriage thing.”

“Yea. It would indeed” I said kissing the side of his neck making him swallow hard, he always had trouble controlling himself when I did this. “Next summer we’ll be the ones getting married and planning forever together.”

“Lets save the planning for after the honeymoon” he suggested with a soft laugh. “We haven’t gotten to celebrate at all really. I mean we’re engaged and we spend the entire night on a plane.”

“I know . . . On a plane to our friends wedding. In Vegas no less.”

“Sin city . . .”

“The land of hookers and booze . . .”

“That’s a nice one, come up with that on your own?”

“Yes as a matter of fact I did.”

“Impressive” he smiled looking at me with a smile. “The land of hookers and booze . . . It’s catchy. You should pitch it to the Chamber of Commerce.”

“I was thinking about it” I said as serious as I could making him laugh his real laugh, the uncontrollable from the belly laugh. I knew right then that we were both very tired and slightly slap happy because there was no way what I had said was as funny as it would seem to an outsider, hearing us laugh hysterically.

“What the hell is going on in there?” we heard from the other side of the door. Max. “Whatever it is can I join?”

“Shu-shut up Maxie! You fu-fucking prev!” I shouted though a chorus of laughter. “I need sleep!”

“Tell Sid to finish up then” he said.

“SHUT IT TALBOT!” I yelled throwing the door open staring him down.

“Well good morning sunshine” he said with a smirk. “Sid way to snatch her up for keeps before someone else swooped in and stole her from you.”

“Thanks man” Sid replied from his spot on the bed.

“Now Max if you don’t mind I would like a few hours of sleep since we flew all night and there was this damn kid that kept running up and down the aisle running into my armrest.”

“Night Katie-bug.”

“Weirdo” I said shaking my head after closing the door. “Sid your teammates are insane.”

“I know. I’m sorry” he yawned as I snuggled back into his chest. “Too many blows to the head. Hockey does that.” I let out a slight laugh as my eyelids fell heavily. “Sleep sweet my Katie” he whispered before I fell fast asleep.

“Katie Scarlett!” I heard as soon as I walked out of the room Sid and I took. I knew I looked like hell my hair was probably a mess and I didn’t have any makeup on, but Sid didn’t mind. “What the hell is on your hand?” Charlie asked as I rubbed my eyes.

“What are you talking about?” I said looking at her staring at my left hand along with everyone else. Sid and Max just sat on the couch with smiles on their faces. “Oh” I smiled “that, that’s an engagement ring.”

“HOLY FUCKING SHIT!” Meg shouted. “That is a huge rock!”

“Thanks Megs” I said smiling as my friends all gathered around me.

“When did this happen?” Al asked.

“Last night, at Sid’s birthday barbeque.”

“In front of everyone?” Charlie asked.

“Kind of, but not really.”

“How?” Janie asked.

“We were just sitting on this bench in the corner of the backyard and were talking then he goes into this amazing rant and then he was on his knee with this velvet box and asked me . . .” they all awed making the guys shake their heads.

“Don’t forget when you asked if I was sure and that I could take it back if I wanted” Sid said smiling.

“You didn’t” Megs said shaking her head in disbelief.

“I did. You know me . . .” I shrugged smiling at my fiancé. “Anyway its Janie and Tanger’s day, enough about me and Sid.”

“Katie, you don’t have to do that. We can enjoy your good news for a while” Jane said looking at me.

“We just did. Besides I’m sure there are a million things to do for you and I’m going to have to tell the story like a billion times” I said smiling at her. “I still can’t believe you we’re going to elope without having us here! WHAT THE HELL JANIE!”

“Sorry, we just wanted to do this fast and you know I’m not really a big wedding in front of a bunch of people kind of girl.”

“Yeah you and Tanger are definitely two of a kind . . .”

“And you’re responsible for this! So since you’re here, be my maid of honor?”

“Hell yeah I will! I got asked 2 important questions in less than a 24hour period, weird” I said sitting next to Sid. He instantly wrapped his arms around me holding me close to his body, instantly pressing a kiss firmly to my lips.

“Dear God get a room” Jordan yelled from the kitchen type area.

“Staal you lost the right to comment on mine and Sid’s sex life when you started hooking up with my sister” I said bluntly making Goose spit out his drink in laughter. “Besides we have one, you all can leave and Sid and I can finally celebrate our engagement if you’re that concerned pumpkin.”

“Please you’ve probably ‘celebrated’ enough already” Max said using quotations.

“Actually Maxie, no. You called just after we got to the house and then we flew all night to get here.”

“Well damn!” Max shouted making Sid laugh as he continued to kiss my neck.

“Now I really am sorry” Janie said quietly, tucked into Kris’ side. They were adorable together, I’m a kick ass matchmaker. Those two, Al and Goose, Megs and Max, Charlie and Jordan all adorable couples compliments of yours truly.

“It’s ok Janie” I said smiling over at her. I cuddled closer to Sid letting my body melt into his. “So my dear Janie, do you have a dress?”

“Umm, not really?”

“Well I think you should even if it’s just a quick thing in the land of hookers and booze” I said feeling Sid laugh slightly against me.

“You should Jane, you only get married once” Kris said looking at her with a smile. “And I want to buy it.”

“So it’s settled! We have a dress to shop for boys!” I said starting to get up from the couch until Sid pulled me back down towards him.

“Why don’t we let everyone get settled in their rooms before you plan a dress safari huh?” he said.

“You know me too well I would call it a safari” I said looking at him with a smile. “Mostly because it’s . . .”

“Hotter than hell out there” he finished.

“You guys are starting to creep me out with the clairvoyant shit” Jordan said wrapping his arm around Charlie.

“You’re starting to creep me out with the feeling up my baby sister in front of me shit but I’m letting it slide” I said with a coy smile as Charlie shakes her head at me. She decided to transfer to Penn State in the fall so she could be closer to Jordan and me, but lets be honest it was mostly because of the boy. He’s just as tender and kind to her as our father had been - at least that I remember- with the both of us, and we were both very lucky girls to have men in our lives that treated us like we were all that matters in the world. That the sport they love and play daily is just a side job, that what they really devout their time to is really us. Even Sid, being the captain, seems to know how to switch it off when he’s chilling at home with me, when we’re engrossed in each other in every way possible.

“How about we go back to our room and maybe they’ll get the idea and let us have 2 or 3 hours to ourselves” I whispered in Sid’s ear letting my lips brush the sensitive skin. He immediately stood up pulling me up with him before dragging me towards the room.

“Get It Sid!!” I heard Max yell through the door after I laugh loudly when Sid ran his fingers over my ticklish sides.

Less than 10 hours later we were standing witnessing the wedding of our dear friends, even thought it was in Vegas it was perfect for them. Short sweet and completely heartfelt. I couldn’t help but smile the whole time, grateful that Janie -being impossibly shy in high school and college- had found a man would brought out the Janie I knew. Kris brought out the best in her and she brought out the best in him for what I saw.

“What’s going on in that head of yours?” Sid asked wrapping his arms around me from behind. His head resting on my shoulder.

“I’m just happy for them. Janie’s always been so shy.”

“Tanger too.”

“And . . . I honestly don’t think that there is anyone who could be half as great for her as Kris” I added turning in his arms to face him. I placed a quick kiss on his lips. “Just like I’m convinced that there is no one out there who could be more perfect for me than you Sidney Patrick Crosby.” He smiled down at me before kissing me firmly. “And, I just have to add this- your stamina. It’s fucking amazing” I added making him laugh. “I legit can’t wait to be your wife, to spend an entire summer with you enjoying a long honeymoon, to have your babies -eventually, not for a little while, and to grow old and wrinkly with you. Because I know that you’ll still have that killer stamina.”

“We’re going to be that old couple that still has hot passionate sex on a daily basis.”

“Daily? How about hourly?” I teased.

“Anything for you baby” he smiled wiggling his eyebrows.

“Not now . . . Later” I said softly. “We have to all go to dinner with the newly weds. Then we can go back to our room.”