Love or Glory

It's Saturday night and Chloe was stoked to head out to the local hang out spots. She's in a new city with a new roommate and now she's excited to see what the locals are like. Natalie had a game plan. She didn't want to take Chloe to the same local bars that most college kids frequented. She wanted Chloe to get a taste of what Pittsburgh is like and toughen up the Californian brunette.

Natalie had grown up in Pittsburgh all her life. Her Barbie doll exterior did not match her independent, tough interior. She was quick with her words and could hold a conversation about any topic. Her political science major suited her real well with her personality. She was definitely a charming individual and could persuade anyone to do anything for her. When Chloe asked her why she didn't go away to college, Natalie expressed that home is where the heart is. Pittsburgh was all she really needed and that she had her whole life to explore new places. Now that she's with Beau, she wants to focus on her studies and make her relationship work.

They met up with Beau before heading off to a bar near their place. Chloe watched as Natalie snuggled up against Beau's arm and his head gently laid on hers. Chloe took out her phone and snapped a picture of the moment. She would use this someday she thought to herself. A day when Natalie forgets the kind of relationship she had with Beau.

"So, uh, Robby has been asking about you," Beau turned around and smiled crookedly.

"Don't embarrass her!" Natalie added jokingly.

Beau raised his eyebrows and shrugged at the two girls. Chloe hadn't put much thought into Robert since Friday morning. When she realized that the person in the tv was the same guy sitting in her living room, nobody else seemed to care as much as she did. She didn't react in fear of looking strange to her new roommate and her friends.

When they both left the apartment that day, Natalie explained that both Beau and Robert played for the Pittsburgh Penguins and how they were already starting their preseason. Natalie grew up in a hockey household. Her younger brother is a prospect for the Toronto Maple Leafs. So for her, she was quite used to the hockey lifestyle Beau had and understood how to deal with the pressure and fame.

"Ha, my brother is not famous yet," she threw into the conversation, "but if he keeps it up, I think he'll get a first look at by the Leafs coaches. He just needs to keep his focus."

It's Saturday night and Chloe was stoked to head out to the local hang out spots. She's in a new city with a new roommate and now she's excited to see what the locals are like. Natalie had a game plan. She didn't want to take Chloe to the same local bars that most college kids frequented. She wanted Chloe to get a taste of what Pittsburgh is like and toughen up the Californian brunette.

Natalie had grown up in Pittsburgh all her life. Her Barbie doll exterior did not match her independent, tough interior. She was quick with her words and could hold a conversation about any topic. Her political science major suited her real well with her personality. She was definitely a charming individual and could persuade anyone to do anything for her. When Chloe asked her why she didn't go away to college, Natalie expressed that home is where the heart is. Pittsburgh was all she really needed and that she had her whole life to explore new places. Now that she's with Beau, she wanted to focus on her studies and make her relationship work.

They met up with Beau before heading off to a bar near their place. Chloe watched as Natalie snuggled up against Beau's arm and his head gently laid on hers. Chloe took out her phone and snapped a picture of the moment. She would use this someday she thought to herself. A day when Natalie forgets the kind of relationship she had with Beau.

"So, uh, Robby has been asking about you," Beau turned around and smiled crookedly.

"Don't embarrass her!" Natalie added jokingly.

Beau raised his eyebrows and shrugged at the two girls. Chloe hadn't put much thought into Robert since Friday morning. When she realized that the person in the tv was the same guy sitting in her living room, nobody else seemed to care as much as she did. She didn't react in fear of looking strange to her new roommate and her friends.

When they both left the apartment that day, Natalie explained that both Beau and Robert played for the Pittsburgh Penguins and how they were already starting their preseason. Natalie grew up in a hockey household. Her younger brother is a prospect for the Toronto Maple Leafs. So for her, she was quite used to the hockey lifestyle Beau had and understood how to deal with the pressure and fame.

"Ha, my brother is not famous yet," she threw into the conversation, "but if he keeps it up, I think he'll get a first look at by the Leafs coaches. He just needs to keep his focus."

"How do you deal with being the 'girlfriend'?"

"Well first of all Beau's not my first boyfriend!" Natalie joked. "Not my first boyfriend who played the sport anyway. He's a nice guy so he'll always have some girl trying to flirt with him, but that's just how it goes."

"Chloe?" Robert called her.

"Sorry?" She replied.

"Uh, hey," he said with a breathy laugh. "You okay? Seems like you were about to start a fight with that lamppost with the way you were staring at it."

"Was I? Sorry I just thought it looked familiar. Like, I've seen it on my television screen before."

Robert smiled. He knew what Chloe was referring to. He had a long day at practice. Trying to get rid of the little kinks in his game. He had been working real hard over the summer to make the squad. He wanted to show Coach Byslma the kind of effort and game he'd bring to the table. With so much talent and skill riding his coattail, he wanted to stand out. He's a humble guy with humble beginnings and for once, he just wanted to stand with the rest of them and play.

"I'm glad you came," he said. He emphasized it slowly enough so Chloe could understand just how genuine he was being.

"Beau told me you've been asking about me!" Chloe inquired as her face got closer to Robert's. It was getting louder as more people started to walk in.

Robert threw his head back, laughed, and shook his head in disbelief.

"Ahh, I knew he would say something. If you're wondering..." Robert crouched down to Chloe's level and whispered in her ear, "yeah, I've been thinking about you."

Chloe didn't say anything. She stared into his eyes as he stayed in that crouched position. His brown eyes were glazed from the smoke and heat in the room. As they walked across the bar, he walked behind her with his right arm across her body to protect her from being pushed around the crowded place. She could feel his strength with every step. His arms flexed and tightened around her waist anytime someone got too close and he would lightly push reluctant drunks away from their path. Chloe hadn't felt this type of sensation over a guy since her freshman year at college.

When Natalie asked if Chloe wanted to hop to another bar, Chloe turned to Robert and shook her head at Natalie.

"Thanks, maybe another night. Robby and I are going to get some food and head home."

Natalie smiled, put on her jacket and kissed Chloe on the cheek. "Use protection," Natalie whispered into her ear before walking off with Beau.

As Robert and Chloe walked out of the bar, he grabbed her left arm. He pulled her closer to his body and ran his hands down her arm till he got to the most perfect position. Their hands were entwined. Chloe couldn't look up at him for fear that he would witness her huge embarrassing grin that spread across her face.

"I like it when you call me Robby."

"So then that's what I'll call you," she said softly.

They walked in silence to a small burger joint around the corner. Both of them grabbed their late night snack back to Robby's apartment. His apartment was in a state of mess. Robby apologized and explained how Beau and he had just moved in and they were trying to fix it up. Chloe could only imagine the kind of parties the pair would be throwing and the loud noises being heard by all the neighbors.

"Nice bachelor pad irregardless of the mess. You know, for yourself at least since you don't have a girlfriend."

"What makes you think I don't have one?"

"For one, your girlfriend wouldn't let you live in this disorganized mess for more than a day!"

He chuckled. "Truth is, I did have someone back in Ontario. We drifted apart and never really got back together. It's hard to keep someone around when you're traveling and practicing all the time, you know?" He stopped and contemplated for a moment. "What kind of girl wants to be alone all the time?"

"Natalie seems to be fine about it."

"I'm sure she's not," he quickly added.

"How would you know?"

He thought about an answer for a while before shrugging at me. His way of saying: "I don't want to say the wrong thing, so I forfeit."

"Some women are not as dependent on their partner as you think. For me, I'd love it if I had someone who wasn't around 24/7, but that's just me. Sometimes I just like my solitude and that's okay. I think distance can make the bond grow stronger."

Just as Chloe finished saying that, Robby reached over to her face and pulled her close to his. Their lips met. Chloe relaxed her body and shifted into a more comfortable position. As she did so, their lips tightened their hold on each other. Caressing each other in every movement. Robby laid her on the couch and started kissing her neck. His hands touched every inch of her body. His fingers trickled down to unfasten her pants. She let out a soft moan as he started to pull them off of her. As they undressed each other, their passion grew stronger. Sooner or later, they were both laying naked on the couch. This was not what Chloe had planned, but she felt a hot desire for this moment ever since he whispered into her ears earlier in the night. They gazed into each other's eyes before intertwining each other in a loving position. Chloe felt his strength once more. With each movement, she fell harder and deeper for his touch. As her moans grew louder, he began to let go of himself as well. He loved watching her straddle him down. With each thrust of her hips, he never wanted her to stop. When the pressure mounted over and they couldn't go any further, Chloe collapsed on top of him and let out a playful laugh. She felt like a whole new person and it's been a while since she has laid with another man. As their fingers played with each other, she quickly fell into a slumber.

Robby laid there and felt Chloe's every breath. Her petite frame warmed his body like a blanket and he loved the feeling of her hands enclosed in his. He had grown enamored with someone whom he hadn't even known for a week. The feeling took him by surprise because he never considered himself to be that kind of guy. He's falling for Chloe and he could never deny that.