Love Never Felt So Good

Sidney grinned as he entered Bailey’s apartment, clutching a bottle of wine in his hands and kicking off his shoes in the entryway. He’d told her a million times to lock her front door, but he knew she’d keep leaving it open.

He could smell dinner cooking and was thankful that he had brought a change of clothes. They had won their game against the Sabres in an early evening game and she had invited him over for a late dinner.

“Hey you.” He said, stepping into the kitchen where she had music playing and Belle was laying in her bed beside the fridge. Bailey turned on her toes, walking right up to Sidney and placing a kiss on his lips.

“I caught the last period on the radio driving home from class. Heard you did good.” She winked. Sidney rather enjoyed her post-dance class outfits of homemade short shorts cut from sweatpants, a midriff baring top and a bright colored sports bra. Her hair was piled on top of her head and she donned red lipstick. She looked incredible in his opinion. She tried to turn her back to him, returning to the stove, but she didn’t get far as he wrapped his arm around her waist.

“Wait a minute, bring that back here.” She loved when he was confident with her. She turned to face him again as he dipped his head down and kissed her again, a hand spanning the width of her back. He blindly set the bottle of wine on the counter to his right as she looped her arms around his neck, deepening their kiss. Rising up on her toes, she kissed the corner of his mouth and his cheek.

“You’re good at that.” She grinned.

They had two other dates since they shared their first kiss at the park. Sidney was finding that he wanted to spend all of his spare time with her – leaving his big suburban mansion vacant more often than not as he perused the city with Bailey. She had yet to come see his home.

“I’m going to go change and hang this up.” He pulled away from her. “What’s for dinner?” He asked.

“Bowtie pasta with bacon and peas.” She replied. Sidney nearly purred in contentment, heading into the hall bathroom as he carefully took off his suit and draped it over the shower curtain rod before changing into a pair of lulu lemon sweatpants and a Penguins tee. “Come and get it!” She called, bringing her two plates into the dining room. Sidney could feel Bailey’s eyes on him as he walked into the dining room, carrying two wine glasses from the kitchen counter.

“That smells amazing.” He said, pulling out her chair.

“This is like one of three things I can make,” Bailey laughed. “Other than breakfast food.” She added.

“I eat toast for breakfast… pretty much every day.” Sidney grinned. “They tried to teach us how to make a few things when we were drafted as like a rookie bonding thing. I’ve burned so many eggs.” He explained.

“My Mom is an awful cook, but my Dad is the best ever. The one thing I could never get the guts to work up was the grill, especially when the ignition button was broken and he tried to get me to stick the lighter in it instead.” She shook her head, “no way, not going to happen.” She laughed.

“The grill doesn’t bother me, just never ask me to work an oven.” He said. “I once put a bowl of batter in the oven to bake my mom a cake.” He began, “a plastic bowl.” He said, scrunching up his eyes, making Bailey laugh as she set down her fork. “Totally wrecked the whole stove and oven, we had to get a new one.” He explained.

“How old were you?” She asked incredulously, still giggling.

“Twenty.” Sidney mumbled making her giggles start again.

“Sidney!” She laughed, throwing her head back. “Did you not know that plastic melts?!” She asked.

“I thought it was plastic you weren’t supposed to put in the microwave, not the oven! I had seen silicone stuff go in the oven, so I thought it was fine!” He tried to justify, knowing how ridiculous he sounded.

“Note to self, keep you away from ovens.” She said out loud, “and maybe plastic bowls, too.” He shook his head again in embarrassment. “If it makes you feel any better, I once put a Chinese take out box in the microwave with a little medal handle on it.” She said. “One moment my brother and I were getting ready to eat some kung pao chicken and then the next there were sparks flying out of our microwave. My parents weren’t that mad, though, they wanted a new microwave anyway.” She laughed.

“Is your brother older or younger?” He asked casually, eating another big heaping of pasta, eyeing up the garlic bread on the table.

“Older by two years, we’re really close.” She nodded, taking a sip of her wine. “Do you have any siblings?” She asked.

“A little sister, she’s a senior in high school now at the same school I went to in Minnesota.” He added.

“That’s got to be pretty entertaining for her.” Bailey grinned.

“What makes you say that?” He asked.

“Having you as an older brother – any guy who wants to date her knowing that her big brother could probably murder him with his thighs.” She added.

“Oh, she doesn’t date anyone.” Sidney shook his head. “I would know about it.” He finished. With a pause of silence he looked up to see her smirking at him. “She doesn’t!” He insisted.

“So she’s away at school, probably just as pretty as you are, if not even more gorgeous…” She trailed with a grin, “and you think she doesn’t have any cute Canadians knocking down her door?” She asked with a drink of her wine.

“She said that she is always studying unless she’s playing hockey, plus we FaceTime every week, she tells me everything. She takes school really seriously.” He was still quite adamant.

“I’m pretty sure I told my brother the same thing.” She winked.

“And you lied?” He feigned a gasped. “Is Bailey even your real name?” He asked, making her giggle. It was refreshing to hear someone laugh at his jokes that he knew were often cheesy and lame.

“There’s been something I’ve been meaning to tell you…” She said seriously, waiting a blink before bursting into giggles. She reached for the bottle of wine, topping off his glass before hers.

“Any more wine and I’m going to fall asleep at this table.” Sidney insisted, “I’m already up an hour past my bedtime.” He explained, making her smile.

“Same, but I don’t have class tomorrow and my plans include walking to Einsten’s for a bagel and getting my nails done.” She explained. “What are your plans?” She asked.

“Well, probably a work out, I have an afternoon meeting with my agent, Pat, and I need to go grocery shopping.” He explained.

“So, nothing urgent?” She asked, crossing her legs under her table.

“I mean, the grocery issue needs to be addressed, I’m running out of peanut butter.” He said seriously.

“Well,” she said in a light, airy voice, “you’re more than welcome to join me for breakfast in the morning.” She shrugged innocently, taking another bite of her pasta.

Sidney’s honey-obsidian eyes snapped up to hers as she slowly pulled her fork from her mouth.

“I mean, I don’t know how you feel about bagels, but…”

“I love bagels.” He said insistently. Bailey grinned, popping her last piece of pasta in her mouth.

“You know the rule in this house, Crosby?” She asked, leaning back in her seat and cradling her wineglass in her hand.

“What’s that?” Sidney asked, scraping the last bit of his bread against the bottom of his plate before popping it in his mouth.

“I cook, you clean.” She pushed her plate towards him with one hand.

“Fair enough.” He sighed with a grin, “but you have to keep me company.” He added. Bailey nodded, happy to follow him anywhere – including the kitchen.

“The pans have already been soaking, so they shouldn’t be too much trouble.” She insisted, though she wouldn’t mind watching him flex those muscles. She took a seat on the kitchen island behind the sink, swinging her legs and taking another sip of her wine. God, his butt was immaculate.

“Hey, where do you –” He paused as he noticed she definitely wasn’t looking at his eyes. “Eyes up, Bradford, I will not be objectified,” He wagged a finger at her, though it was hard to take her seriously in her yellow kitchen gloves.

“Right were I like my men, barefoot and in the kitchen.” She sighed contently, earning a loud, honking laugh from him. It wasn’t long until Sidney was finishing the dishes, only a few were dirtied from making dinner. Bailey hopped down from the counter, bringing an open palm down on his ass. “Good work, Crosby.” She giggled, opening the fridge to put away the leftovers. A squeal erupted from her mouth as she was pulled away from the Kitchenaid, lifted from her feet and set on the counter.

“That’s enough out of you.” He was rather pleased with himself for catching her off guard. His cold fingers brushed against the warm skin of her ribs from under her cutoff. “This is not a shirt.” He commented.

“Yeah, well, your pants aren’t fair.” She countered. “Your ass looks better in lulus than mine does.” She pointed out, making him laugh again. She loved his laugh. Leaning down, he kissed her softly. When she pulled away after just a moment, he frowned. “I have to pee.” She confessed, making him laugh as he set her back down on her feet. “Go make yourself comfortable.” She said, making her way to the bathroom.

After a split second and the quickest hand washing of her life, she exited the bathroom.

Bailey sauntered over to where Sidney sat on her couch, his feet up on the ottoman and Belle watching him from her bed beside the television, settling herself in his lap and her arms around her neck as her knees straddled his thighs. Looping her arms around his neck for the second time that night, she pressed her lips to his, feeling the remote drop to the couch cushion beside her.

Sidney’s hands slid from up her back under her tee, just tucking under the band of her sports bra. He rather enjoyed the taste of her chapstick.

“Bails.” He murmured, bringing her body closer to his as she tightened her arms around him.

“I really like kissing you.” She mumbled against his lips. “You’re very good at this.” She added.

“I think you’re the first person to ever tell me that.” He countered, making her giggle and press her forehead to his. His heart stilled as her deep brown eyes gazed into his. “I want to spend all my time with you.” He said, feeling very exposed.

“I very much enjoy our time together.” There were those dimples. “Let’s kiss some more.” She said, fusing her lips to his again. Sidney made a deep, guttural noise as she rocked her hips into his. “Mm, take your shirt off.” She insisted. Sidney was happy to comply. “Wow you are pretty.” She admired his bare, alabaster skin, trailing a hand down his defined abs.

“You are the pretty one here.” He pecked her lips, making her laugh. She pressed her forehead against his once again as she let out a big yawn, ending with a feminine squeal. Sidney glanced at his watch. “Bedtime.” He said, giving her a comical frown. “It’s past ten.”

“Stay.” She suggested innocently. “I’ll behave.” She insisted.

I don’t think it’s you that will have a hard time behaving. Sidney weighed his options. Tomorrow was Sunday, no real plans, no skate, no game. He was staying.

“Only if you promise to behave.” He teased. She climbed off of his lap, looking to Belle who was now snoring loudly on her bed. Bailey giggled as Sidney stood from the couch, a tent forming in the front of his sweatpants.

“You’re easy.” She shook her head as she took his hand and lead him back to her bedroom, it was his first time staying over.

“I’m a guy and you’re gorgeous, I get a semi when you look at me a certain way.” He justified, surprising even himself as he spoke so candidly with her. He kept an eye on her as he crawled into the bed, watching as she walked toward her closet, stripping off her top, leaving her in her homemade shorts and sports bra. She tugged on the elastic holding her hair up to let the waves tumble down her back and she disappeared into the bathroom for less than a minute. Returning fresh-faced, she smiled as he held his arms open for her.

“Get over here.” He insisted.

“Kay.” She smiled bashfully, setting her phone on the nightstand, getting under her white comforter. She shimmied her backside right up against his front and he comfortably draped an arm across her middle after brushing her hair over the front of her shoulder.

“Your hair is soft.” He commented.

“Your dick is hard.” She replied, screaming as he pinched her side with his hand. “I’m sorry!” She laughed.

“That mouth…” He trailed.

“I’ll be quiet.” She finished, twisting her head back and pecking his lips.