Purified

"Am I being fair?" Sienna asked a few days later as she and Gianna had a girls night in. James was busy with practices, and away games so she hadn't been able to see him in a few days.

"About what?" Gianna asked, grabbing a second piece of Chicago deep dish pizza.

"To James with this whole not sleeping with him thing," Sienna sighed, playing with the edge of her shirt.

"Don't," Gianna ordered, giving Sienna a look. "Don't you dare say that. You've made a choice to be a virgin until it felt right and you could trust the guy. James knows this, it's not like you're throwing this at him out of nowhere. He knows what the situation is."

"It just doesn't make me feel like a good person," Sienna sighed. "It makes me feel like I'm not being good to him."

"Don't let yourself feel bad about this! It's not like you held out all through high school and college for this guy," Gianna replied. "You've made a choice, and I'm proud of you for sticking to it. If James can't recognize it then dump that penguin and find someone else."

"No! He's so sweet," Sienna smiled, thinking of him. "He's such a gentleman, and he's kind. He makes me laugh and he makes me feel safe. I feel like I can be myself with him! Why else would I have told him I was a virgin if I didn't feel like me in front of him?"

"Somebody's smitten," Gianna sang, smirking at Sienna. "I love seeing you like this. You're so crazy about this guy! I love seeing you happy, it's been a long time coming."

"It has," Sienna smiled, her phone vibrated in her hand.

"Is that Mr. Wonderful?" Gianna smirked, taking a sip of her beer.

"Yeah," Sienna nodded, reading over the text.

"What's he saying?" Gianna asked, loving that her best friend had finally found someone who made her so happy.

"We're in Tampa and you're all I can think about. Here's hoping you don't throw me off my game tonight, girl. Talk to you soon. Miss you," Sienna read out loud.

"Fuck him," Gianna sighed. "I wish guys missed me! Text him back! Tell him you miss him, too and that you're wearing his jersey."

"I'm not wearing his jersey," Sienna laughed, looking down at her phone.

"Athletes love it when their girls wear their jerseys," Gianna smirked. "It's like they can stake their claim on you with their number and last name on your back."

"Gimme that," Gianna laughed, grabbing Sienna's phone and typing a text back.

"What did you write?" Sienna asked. "You're such a kid!"

Hey, Jay! I miss you, too. I'm thinking of watching the game tonight with my friend Gianna. Wish I could be wearing your number to give you extra luck ;)

"He knows that's not me!" Sienna laughed. "That's ridiculous."

Remind me to give you one the next time I see you. I'd love to have you in one of my shirts for during a game. You could be my new good luck charm.

"Somebody's smitten with Sienna," Gianna sang childishly. "Are you sure you haven't slept with him?"

"I'm sure," Sienna laughed. "Though I am caving a little bit, he's so sexy."

"He is pretty cute," Gianna agreed, nodding.

"No! He's sexy," Sienna emphasized. "He's got that gorgeous face, and that sexy hockey players body. And his hands, Gianna, I never wanted them off of me."

"Then why won't you sleep with him?" Gianna asked. "I'm not judging, I just want to know."

"Because I want to trust him fully," Sienna stated. "I want to be able to look at him and now that when we have sex for the first time he won't leave, and that this isn't just what he wants me for. I want a real connection to him."

"I admire that," Gianna stated. "It takes real courage to be bold enough to say that's what you want, and not settle."

"Thank you," Sienna smiled, replying to James.

I would love that! Text me when you can and good luck tonight!

...

James sat on the bus reading over the text message he got from Sienna. He couldn't help, but smile and let out a small laugh of triumph when she said that she wished she had his jersey on. He wanted nothing more than for her to wear his jersey. Just his jersey.

"Texting the girl?" Tyler Kennedy asked from beside him.

"Yeah," James nodded.

"How is she?"

"She's good," James replied. "Says she's going to try to watch the game tonight. Says she wishes she had my jersey on so she could give me extra luck."

"So maybe there is one thing sexier than a girl in a white dress," T.K smirked. "And that's a girl in your jersey. Sleep with her yet?"

"No," James replied. "And even if I did I wouldn't tell you, T.K. You'd just be jealous."

"I wanted the blonde," T.K laughed. "The brunette is all yours."

James laughed lightly and smiled a little, remembering the brunette that would (hopefully) be waiting for him back in Pittsburgh.

"But seriously," T.K asked, lowering his voice from possibly eavesdroppers. "How is it with her?"

"We're good," James nodded. "We're not exclusive or anything, but I do really like her. It's just really difficult not being able to sleep with her. I find her so beautiful and so irresistible, it's driving me crazy not being able to touch her the way I want."

"I think it takes guts for her to say what she did," T.K stated. "It takes a strong girl to say that."

"I think she's brilliant for that, but I'm dying," James sighed, resting his head back on the seat. "I need this girl in my bed and in my arms."

"I don't know what to tell you, bud," T.K shrugged. "Guess you'll have to find a way around it if you really like her as much as you say you do."

James nodded and looked back at his phone. He figured that until Sienna was ready he would have to learn to accept that perhaps fantasies about her in just his jersey was as good as it would get for a while.