Sequel: Flying High
Status: Finished! I hope everyone enjoys this story! Look for the sequel STARTING OVER

You Never Know

13. Air-O-Plane

13. Air-O-Plane

The next morning I wake up to the sounds of my alarm going off. Max groans next to me and stretches before pulling me closer to him. I giggle and try to move his arm but he just holds on tighter.

"Come on Max we have to get up."
"Whyyyy," he groans again.
"We can't be late to the airport silly. We're going on the air-o-plane."
"But I'm sooo comfy," he breathes into my hair, making me shiver

. He chuckles at me, knowing how easily he can turn me on. What can I say, he's a very sexy man. I roll over and kiss him and then say, "seriously we have to get moving." He sighs but agrees and starts getting dressed. 

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We make it the the runway just in time. We give our luggage to the attendants and go to find our seats. This is my first road trip with the team so I don't really know where to I can sit. Max pushes me down the isle from behind and then hops next to Kris.

"Nic, here," I hear Geno say from right behind them. I smile at his and slip in next to the window. 
"Max no good. He not sit with girlfriend."
"Hey! I would but I know how jealous Kris gets," Max says leaning over the seat.
"Ha! You can have him," Kris chirps as he too turns in his seat.
"Max is an ass," Marc calls from across the way, next to Sidney.

Sidney laughs as only he can and Max joins the rest of us too.

"It's alright. I know how superstitious hockey players can be." 

Just then the captain comes on over the speaker letting us know that we're fixing to take off. I reach to buckle up and the guys all turn back the right way. We take off with no problem and the seat belt light turns off signaling that we can move about. 

An hour into the flight, I decide I need to get up and move some. Geno lets me out and I walk to the back of the plane. I'm going back to my seat when we hit some turbulence. I lose my balance and fall onto one of guys.

"Well hello to you too," I look up at a very cheeky Jordan.
"Max not doing it for you?" He says, trying to get a rise out of me. I roll my eyes and try to get up but he wraps his arms around my waist. 

"Hey Max!" He yells to the front. Max turns and spots us and Jordan continues, "your girl said she wanted a real man.
" My mouth drops but Max just laughs and says, "then why is she sitting with you?"

The plane erupts in laughter as Jordan turns bright red. 
Paul Martin comes over and rescues me from Jordan and says, "in that case you need to come sit by me."

"Ha ha real funny guys," I say and make my way back to my seat.

"Awe come on Nic we were just playing," Jordan says from behind me.

I ignore him and slide into my seat next to Geno and put my ear buds in. Max looks my way but I ignore him too and stare out the window. 

I feel Geno move a little bit later and I turn to see Sidney taking his place. Max had gone to the back to play a card game with some of the other boys. Sidney signals for me to take my ear bud out so I do.

"What's wrong," he asks.
"Nothing."
"Bull, you've been sitting over here by yourself glaring out the window. Something is wrong so what is it." 

I look at him and then look back at the guys and sigh.

He picks up on it and says, "don't worry about what they say Nic, no one thinks your a puck slut."
I give him a look and say, "you guys don't but the world does."
"What do you mean?" He ask confused. I hold out my phone and let him see the head line, 

'PENS PLAYERS, MORE THAN FRIENDS?' 

It had a clear photo of Max and me at the dog park and then another of me as Sidney eating lunch together. 

"Nic....."

I cut him off, "you don't have to say anything Sid. I know people are going to criticize me and make a big deal out of everything I do. It comes with the territory and I get that. It just hit a sore spot when they were joking."

He nods and says, "if you need anything, even just to talk, I'm here for you Nic. I know how you feel on this sort of thing," he motions to the screen and then gives me a hug.

"Thanks Captain."

"Any time." 
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We land a short time later and exit the plane. There is a bus waiting to take us to the hotel. We all board and I sit by Geno again. Coach is the last to board and spotting me comes over.

"Don't worry about the headlines Nicole. Those people are just trying to sale papers."
I smile and him and say, "thanks Coach. Sid said the same thing."

He nods and turns to go to his seat but quickly turns back to me, "by the way, the league ordered that you have your own room. Mario disagreed and persuaded them that your responsible enough to stay with one of the guys, so your rooming with Pascal."

"Sounds good thanks Dan." 

Max turns around when he walks away and asks, "what headline?"

I sigh and explain what I had found on the website. The more I explain the more visible pissed Max gets.

"That's complete bull!" He exclaims, "so what if we're together. It's no one Else's business anyway!"

The guys closest to us are all silent as Max and I talk.

"It's just how things work. Like Dan said they want to sale papers and something like this is considered scandalous enough for people to buy it."
"Well it's crap," he says.
"I agree. You two are old enough and, in Nic's case, mature enough to date a fellow player," Pascal says from behind me.
"Hey!" Max exclaims as Pascal and the rest of the guys laugh at his expense.
"Thanks Duper," I say giving him a hug over the seat.

Just then we arrive at the hotel. All the guys exit to get their stuff and as I go to get up Max grabs my arm. I turn to face him and he smiles down at me.

"you know I'm in this with you right?"

He asks me. I pause long enough that his smile faltering just for a moment.

"I know, Max," I say smiling at him.

His smile grows brighter, it actually reaches his eyes. He leans down while taking my face in his hands and gently kisses me.

Just before things get heated, Flower jumps back on the bus and yells for us to hurry up. We brake apart and go to exit the bus and the whole team is waiting for us. They start cheering, cat calling, and in Geno's case, makes a kissy face at us. I feel myself blush and, as Max goes to grab my bag.

Kris comes up next to me and says, "good thing your rooming with Pascal. Neither one of you would be any damn good tomorrow."

My face heats up even more as he and several others burst out laughing. 
♠ ♠ ♠
Sorry I've been MIA guys! Hope this makes up for it let me know!