Master of Timing

Lyndsey sat on the hard plastic chair, bouncing her knee nervously. Her entire shift had been anxiety ridden, and even though it was her regular 12 hours and most non-eventful, it was quite possibly the longest she’d ever worked in her life. Claire had rushed over the afternoon before, roaring and ready to go with a draft resignation letter written in the notes of her phone. Lyndsey laughed and the sat down at the kitchen table, editing it to only ask for a temporary leave of absence. Not a resignation, like Claire wanted, no matter how much she begged.

Said letter was in her hands, shaking with every bounce of her knee. She had called Sam, asking him to meet her before her shift. As luck would have it, he was working the nightshift up in paediatrics and once she’d told him what she was planning to do, he started at her for what felt like an eternity and slowly smiled, reaching out to hug her tight and tell her how proud he was.

She didn’t need him to be in the meeting with her, but she was thankful when he volunteered. Lyndsey was under no illusion that the hospital administration would be thrilled with her request – especially with no notice and definitely (at least to them) no legitimate reason, so having Sam there to help her through it was enough to settle her nerves.

Most of them anyway.

He came running around the corner, phone in hand and a look of relief flashing across his face when he saw her still waiting.

“Oh, thank God.” He sat in the seat next to her, adjusting his stethoscope from where it had slid down to one side.

Lyndsey smiled tightly. “Thank you, again. And sorry for making you stay back on your day off.” He waved her apology away, sitting back and resting his arm behind her.

“Never mind that. Let’s go over what you’re going to say.” He reached for the letter and read it over, nodding halfway through. “Okay, they’re going to ask what you intend to do with your time away - don’t give them any details.” He stared her down and Lyndsey nodded. “Just because they pay you, doesn’t mean they have a right to your personal life. You just simply say that you are requesting a leave of absence for personal reasons and intend to be back after 8 weeks. And that you are super sorry it’s sudden but that you didn’t expect it.”

Lyndsey nodded again, taking back the letter. “What if they don’t accept it?”

Sam cleared his throat and shrugged a shoulder. “That’s always a possibility. And knowing them,” He lowered his voice, jerking a thumb back behind them, “They won’t be happy. They will probably tell you they can’t accept it.”

She gulped, frowning. “But… so they’ll make me stay?”

He nodded. And then shook his head. “Or put you in a position where they’ll force your hand.”

“Meaning?”

He sighed, rubbing an eye tiredly. “They’ll ask for your resignation instead.”

“But-” She paused. Some super small, tiny part of her brain thought that it might have been an option. Not one she wanted to take - she knew she was right when she told her best friends that quitting her job wasn’t an option. It might all work out well and good in Pittsburgh, but she didn’t have any working rights in America and if Sidney wanted her to stay, she would have to come back to Canada to apply for all the visas and that wasn’t fair to her or to her Mom. They had bills to pay and everything had been co-signed, the house, the car, the insurances. So if Lyndsey lost her job and defaulted on anything, it would affect Lorraine too.

Not what she wanted to think about.

“Okay,” She said, meekly. Her palms were sweating more.

Sam reached over and placed a hand on her wrist, squeezing it gently. “If that happens, don’t freak out. Just tell them you need to think about it and ask for a good time to set another meeting. And, well,” He grinned, not easing her nerves at all, “If you up and quit, I will write you the best recommendation letter anyone has ever had. So don’t worry about it.”

She huffed out a single laugh, turning her neck so quickly she gave herself whiplash when a manager walked up to them both. She motioned toward her office, and Lyndsey shared one more glance with Sam before they both stood, walking into the lions den.



“… You okay?”

Lyndsey took a deep breath and kept walking, her hand clutching the strap of her bag slung across her chest. She could only hear the sound of her heart pounding in her ears, the fast thud thud thud echoing louder than her hurried footsteps on the hospital floor. Sam was keeping pace next to her, and it wasn’t until she was outside and could feel fresh air on her face that she slowed down, coming to a stop at the bench near the small garden beds at the front of the hospital.

“I’m sorry but I can’t do that. I don’t have another option here, that’s why I requested the leave.”

“Well,” The administrator - Sarah - clasped her hands together and leant on her desk, levelling her with a stare. “We can’t approve leave for that long for someone in your position. You either stay or you go.”

“You do realise there is a shortage of nurses, right?” Sam interjected, his eyebrows furrowing. “Is there no leniency? Y’know, so that the good nurses we do have we can keep?”

“Doctor Michaels, with all due respect, you are here as a support person for Lyndsey. Not a mediator.” Sarah leaned back, tapping her thumbs together. “Yes, there is a shortage of nurses. We would like to keep the ones we have. I can give you two weeks, but no more.”

“But I…” She sighed, looking at Sam, feeling helpless. And frustrated. “I realise it’s a massive inconvenience. I love my job, I really do, I just… I need this time off. I really wish I could’ve given you some warning, or made a plan but it’s-”

Sarah held her hand up, silencing the nurse in front of her. “I can appreciate that. And we are thankful to have staff work here as long as you have. Although, given your tenure I would’ve though you’d understand the process for these types of applications.”

“I’ve never had to take this much time- I didn’t even when I was in my accident!”

“I’m sorry but this is the procedure I need to follow."

“Fine. I quit.”

She stared at the pavement in front of her, barely noticing Sam sit down by her side. Her hands were still clutched tight around her shoulder strap, knuckles turning white. “I can’t believe I just did that,” She whispered, eyes wide and unblinking. She stared at Sam. “What did I just do?”

Sam held up his hands, placing them gently on her shoulder and smiling softly. “It’s okay. Just take a deep breath.”

“I just quit my job.”

“You did.”

“Quit.”

“Yes.”

“I’m unemployed.”

“… Technically, that’s correct. You’re still not breathing, C’mon. In, out. In, out,” Sam made motions with his hands, but she couldn’t focus. Not on him, not on anything in front of her. She felt numb.

“I’ve been a nurse here for nearly 9 years.”

Sam sighed, leaning into her and wrapping an arm around her shoulder. “Yes. Which is why they should’ve been more flexible. But, instead, they’re assholes.” He flicked his middle finger towards the building, pulling her in tighter to him. “Breathe.”

Lyndsey took a deep breath, closing her eyes and unclenching her hands, resting them in her lap. She focused on Sam’s quiet voice, the tight squeeze of his hand on her shoulder, the sounds of the world waking up around her.

Or she tried to. Before long, she felt herself getting dizzy and her vision went blurry and then all she could see was her feet, a pressure on the back of her head pushing her forward and telling her to breath in for 4 counts and out. The voice was counting out loud, which helped.

And then there were shoes in front of her shoes, and hey. Sam. In front of her.

“What am I going to do?”

“Calm down, focus on me. Look at my finger, follow my finger,” He had pushed her back up to sitting, waving his index finger in front of her eyes, moving it slowly side to side. Still counting out in lots of four. When he decided her eyes were working fine, and her breathing had calmed down, he rested both hands back on her shoulders and looked her directly in the eye. “You’re going to be okay.”

It was what she needed to hear. But it didn’t help. She looked up at the hospital doors, then down at her scrubs and all of a sudden her eyes were filling with tears, blurring her vision. “What did I do?” She gasped out from behind her hands, muffling her sobs as Sam came forward and wrapped her up in a hug, rubbing his hand gently up and down her back, letting her cry on his shoulder. She had just quit.

She had quit her job.

Her literal job.

That she’d had since she left college and now she didn’t have a job and how was she going to help pay rent and buy groceries and she didn’t have a job.

“Okay, let me…” Sam trailed off, pulling back and reaching for her bag, one hand still holding her against him. She looked back in time to see him pulling her water bottle out of her bag, undoing the top and handing it to her, sympathetic eyes and smile helping to calm her down a little. She took small sips, holding it tightly against her chest as she leant back on the seat. She took the tissue the doctor offered, nodding in thanks as he moved to sit back beside her. He waited a few more minutes, but when she did nothing but hiccup and wipe away a tear, he asked “You okay?”

She nodded, not trusting herself to speak just yet. She took a few deep breaths, in through her nose, out through her mouth and checked her watch for the time. 8AM. 10AM in Pittsburgh.

“Did I do the right thing?” She asked meekly, not looking up. She felt Sam move beside her, not resisting when he moved to hold her hand. She watched his thumb brush back and forth.

“Quit your job on a whim because you want to go visit your boyfriend for an undisclosed amount of time and they didn’t give you the time off, you mean?”

He laughed gently at the glare she sent his way, but when he wiggled his eyebrows and it made her laugh, she figured that’s what he was after all along anyway.

“Okay, no. Seriously. Yes I think you did.” He nodded when she raised her eyebrows. “Lyndsey, this place has treated you sort of like shit. At least since I’ve been here. The pay probably sucks, you’re constantly working forced over time, all staff training is always at an inconvenient time of the day and they chastise all of you night staff for not making it, and don’t even get me started on how they handled your accident.” He waved his hand. “You should still have all your annual leave, if it was up to me. You’re a fantastic nurse, and one they are sorely going to miss and I know it might take a few days to let it really sink in but please know that you are so much more deserving than this place. So much more.”

Lyndsey swallowed, waiting a few moments before leaning to the side, grateful for the bear hug he wrapped her up into. It was what she needed to hear, and what she knew all along was true anyway.

“Thanks, Sam,” She said quietly into his scrubs.

“Anytime,” He murmured back, pressing his cheek into the top of her head, tightening his arms.



Lorraine took the news better than Lyndsey expected. Like always, she was pragmatic and helpful once she was over the shock and reminded her freaked out daughter that if things didn’t work out, she had the work history and experience to apply at another hospital.

And, there was a shortage of nurses. She would be able to get a job. Lyndsey didn’t say anything, sat on the couch in the living room while Lorraine made her breakfast, putting peanut butter toast and a hot mug of tea next to her. She ate it in silence, barely listening to a word coming from the TV, her Mom’s mindless commentary fading into the background. She went through the motions in a daze; washing her dishes, then showering, then getting into her pyjamas and by the time she zoned back into the present, she had her phone screen unlocked and Sidney’s contact card pulled up, ready to be dialled.

With a swallow, she tapped on his name and waited for the call to connect.

“Hey,” She heard, his voice tinny through the receiver. “How are you?”

“I’m okay,” She answered, biting her lip. “Have you got a second to talk?”

She could hear voices in the background and checked her watch. By now it was closer to 11AM his time, and as an afterthought she remembered that he had Pascal’s retirement press conference that morning. She cringed when it was clear he’d moved to another room, somewhere more private.

“Yeah, I’ve got a couple of minutes. They’re just setting up the room.” She could hear the resignation in his voice and her heart ached, wishing she could be there to hold his hand, offer him support.

“Okay, I’ll be quick - I just, well. I had a meeting this morning at work to see if I could take some time off.” He was silent for a minute, long enough for her to check the phone call was still connected. “Are you still there?”

“Why would you do that?”

She frowned. “Because… well, you scared me when you called the other night-”

“What night?”

“The night you FaceTimed - you said you didn’t want to be alone in your house,” She reminded him, confused as to how he couldn’t remember.

“…I never- oh. Fuck, sorry, I forgot about that,” He replied and she tried not to take it personally. Or panic that she had just ruined her entire career for nothing. “It’s okay, I’m good y’know? I… things are going okay.” She didn’t believe him for a second.

Taking a few breaths, she crossed her legs and cleared her throat. “Well, I remember it. And it made me realise that I’ve been a bit of an idiot and-”

“No, don’t say that.”

“No, I have,” She carried on. “I have and it’s not fair to you, or to me and anyway I went into this meeting and asked for time off, but they wouldn’t give me any and there was sort of some arguing back and forth and in the end I ended up quitting, so I guess-”

“WHAT? Lyndsey, how could- why- you quit your job?” His voice was raised and in complete disbelief, which she didn’t blame him for. She would’ve reacted the same, had she been in his position. “But, you love your job. I’m- no, don’t do this for me. I’m okay, I promise. I was just super tired and couldn’t sleep and frustrated-”

“Sidney,” She interrupted him calmly, waiting for him to pause and take a breath. When he didn’t continue, she said, “It’s done. And… maybe it’s the right decision. Or the right time for it anyway. So, when do you want me there?”

There was silence for a beat.

“You’re serious.”

“Yeah,” She replied softly, hoping it hadn’t all been a mistake. “If you still want me to come, I will.”

“Of course I do, what are you talking-” He broke off, his voice muffled as if speaking to someone in the background. “The press conference is starting, I’ve gotta go but. Can I call you back straight after?”

Lyndsey smiled. “Yeah. Don’t- don’t rush. I know that today’s…” She trailed off, not knowing how to comfort him.

“Yeah. I, uhm. Listen, I’ll call you, please don’t fall asleep. I really want to speak to you about this.”

“I won’t.”

“Okay. It might be, like an hour or I dunno-”

“I’ll be here, I promise.”

“Okay,” He repeated and just when she was getting ready to hang up, he cleared his throat. “I love you, you know that right? I… Lyndsey, I love you.”

She grinned, nodding at nothing and feeling tears come to her eyes, but ones that felt like happiness. “I know. I love you, too.”



He couldn’t stand still. He felt like he hadn’t been able to stop moving since Lyndsey had called him two days before, letting him know that she was out of her mind and completely crazy and said the words he’d been wanting to hear for the better part of six months. He had felt completely guilty when she explained in detail what had happened at the meeting with her work and instantly started to ballpark a figure he could transfer into her bank account to help pay her mortgage while she…

While she moved to Pittsburgh for a couple of months. To be with him.

When he stopped pacing the room for the millionth time to think about it, he almost couldn’t breathe. She had been serious. He could tell by her voice, quiet, timid and unsure that he knew he would have to do everything in his power to remind her that it was okay; that they were going to be okay. He would do what it took to take care of her, to take care of her Mom and her life in Edmonton because even though he’d wished it, he knew that she wasn’t ready to give it up forever just yet.

And that was okay.

It was a day full of conflicting emotions. He and the rest of the team had stood at the side of the room, side by side and watched as one of the most respected men in their locker room gave his retirement speech, full of poise and admiration for his team mates that if it wasn’t for Lyndsey’s news making him so happy, he knew he’d been struggling to hold back the emotion. As it was, he felt himself get choked up when Duper brought up the special memories, the Cup memories, and it was in that instant that Sidney made a promise to himself that Duper was always going to be apart of his careers at the Pens, skates on or not.

The guys had mingled after the press conference, some making plans to go out to lunch, others heading home to be with the wives and children. It was, after all, a bleak reminder to many of them that they weren’t too many years off giving potential speeches like that of their own. When Pascal reached him, Sidney brought him into a hug and held on, letting him know without words just how thankful he was to his winger, for everything they’d been through together.

Pascal had declined invitations to go out, wanting to go home with Carol-Lyne and the kids. He promised, the team would be invited over for a big barbecue before the season started, but at that moment he needed to be with the family.

As soon as he was in his car, Sidney had called Lyndsey back. She had picked up, just like she’d promised and he asked her again to tell him that she was serious. He had her on speaker and booked flights for her then and there, for two days out at her suggestion, so that she could pack up some things and make a plan for while she was gone.

The next 48 hours had been some of the longest of Sidney’s life. He barely slept - he was unsure if that was because his head still wasn’t completely right, or because he was nervous and anxiously counted down the minutes until he could get into his car and drive to the airport. His hands were shaking slightly as he waited at baggage claim, cap down low and hands tucked into the pockets of his jeans. Mostly out of comfort but also to hide that he was nervous.

He checked his watch, trying to calculate the time it would take for her to deplane and make her way through to him. Though it didn’t matter, because when he looked back up he noticed her, looking directly at him and making her way through the crowd of people all lining up for their bags. He felt a wave of calm wash over him and before she’d even had a chance to take her hands out of her hoodie pockets, he pulled her into his chest and wrapped his arms around her shoulders, breathing deeply and holding her tight.

“Hi,” Her muffled voice came from between them, her cheek resting on his chest. Sidney squeezed his arms tighter, rocking them side to side ever so slightly, thankful that the bill of his cap and her let down hair were hiding their faces from everyone around them.

“Hey,” He muttered back, not letting himself believe she was actually coming until she was in front of him. He felt her wriggling around and just as he was about to let her go, he felt her arms around his waist, moving so that they could stand even closer together. “How was your flight?”

He felt her shrug and hummed in agreement when she told him that being anxious to land made it seem like it took forever. He knew exactly how she felt.

“How many bags have you got?”



He let her go, resting his hands on her waist when she pulled back to look at him with a smirk. “Only one.”



“One?” He frowned, looking at the carousel. They had been hugging for long enough that half the passengers had disappeared, only a few bags left on the train as it made it’s way around the belt they were standing near. “But, I thought…”

She smiled, reaching up to brush her thumb between his eye brows, cupping his cheek in her palm when he felt his face relax. “It’s mostly clothes, I figured it would be easier to get toiletries and stuff here.” When he sighed, he nodded and moved his face to kiss her palm, reaching up to hold it between them. “Since taking me shopping is like, your favourite activity.”



He rolled his eyes, unable to help wrapping his free arm around her shoulder and pulling her in closer again. “It is not.”



“The expensive dress in my wardrobe says differently.”

“That was…” He trailed off, exasperated. “I like to treat you, is that such a crime?”



She agreed that it wasn’t, letting him take her carry on and walked over to pick up her suitcase. They waited for it to make itself around again, and Sidney didn’t feel like letting her go so he snuck his arm around her shoulder again, gently playing with strands of her hair. When she pointed out the spotted purple suitcase he owned, he picked it up and pointed in the direction of the exit, smiling down at her hand as it curled around his bicep. He kept his head down as they moved towards his car, doing what he could to avoid being spotted. Not that anyone was expecting him to be there, but he really wasn’t in the mood to be stopped. He was anxious to get home, to get Lyndsey home, to have her unpack her things into the drawers he made space for.

He had a plan. He knew that asking her to be here was a lot - more than a lot, but he didn’t have the words. He knew they needed to speak about her job, or what was going to happen for the next few weeks, or how he was recovering or what the beginning of the season looked like or what might happen between them in the future.

“Can you, in my-” He gestured with a thumb down to his front pocket, unwilling to let her bags go to unlock his car once they’d reached it. She grinned, reaching for his keys and pressing the button for the trunk, stepping back as it opened automatically. He rested her backpack on the side, bending down to lift her heavier case and slide it in, grinning back at her as he reached up to press the button to lower the door.

Except right then was when his brain decided to stop playing the game, clouding his vision and sending everything black. He felt himself stumble and reached out an arm to catch himself on the edge of the door, Lyndsey’s voice distant in the background. He could feel her hands on his shoulders, and then he was sitting on the edge of the trunk, regaining some balance now he no longer felt like he was falling.

“I don’t…”



“Sssh, it’s okay. I’ve got you.” Her voice was soft, gentle, like her touch to his face. “It’s okay, keep your eyes closed. Take some deep breaths.”

He nodded, licking his lips where they felt dry, reaching up to slide his cap off. He took a breath deep into his lungs and peeked one eye open when he could feel the cold finger tips of his girlfriends hand on his wrist, watching as she checked his pulse. He stopped feeling dizzy, and tested his vision with both eyes open, glad to see that everything was the right way up in front of him.

“Here,” She had dropped his hand into his lap, reaching to pick up her water bottle from her backpack and unscrewing the lid. He took it gratefully, sipping slowly and smiling at her appreciatively.

“Thanks,” He said gruffly, clearing his throat and rubbing his eyes. The headache came on all of a sudden, and he groaned against the light of the parking garage.

“What’s wrong?”



“Headache,” He answered, and he tried not to let the cool touch of her fingers to his temples shock him too much. He answered ‘no’ when she asked if he’d taken any painkillers already and before he knew it she had pressing Tylenol into his hand, still smiling. He knocked them back with another gulp of water, praying they wouldn’t take too long to kick in. “Sorry.”

She frowned, moving to stand in between his legs, resting her hands on his knees. “What for?”

He made a ‘for all this’ gesture, closing his eyes when she stepped even closer and pulled him into a hug. He could hear her heartbeat under his ear, and took a deep breath of her perfume as one hand moved up and down his back, the other softly through his hair.

“I hope your other patients don’t get this kind of bedside treatment,” He joked, snickering when she gently hit his shoulder, moving to put his arms around her so she wouldn’t run away. “I’m kidding, I’m kidding.”



“I can safely say, only you are this lucky.”



“Mmh, that’s good.” He moaned when she scratched his neck softly and turned his head to look up at her. “Thank you.”



“Of course,” She said softly and when she bent her head down slightly, he moved up to meet her, kissing her slowly as his arms moved to grip her hips. Her hand was still in his hair, running through it hypnotically and just as he brushed her lips with his tongue, she pulled away, smirking at his groan of disappointment. “C’mon, let’s go home.”

“I think I’m good here?” He tried, sighing when she raised an eyebrow and stepped back. He stood up off the trunk slowly, holding her hand when he felt another head rush. “Okay, we’re good.”



“Yeah, no chance,” She laughed, pulling him away from the car and closing the trunk, guiding him towards the passenger door and helping him in. She handed him her water bottle and got into the drivers side once he was settled, making a point of having to move the seat forward so that she could reach the peddles. He grinned, leaning his seat back. “Don’t fall asleep on me, I need directions.”



He waved at his GPS. “It’s in there, first one programmed.”

She started the Range Rover, quickly figuring out the system and putting the car in reverse. “Do you have people chauffeur you around often enough that you need to put your home address in?” She joked, paying attention to the exit signs of the parking structure, constant left turns to get them out of it.

He hummed, reaching into his center console to pick up the parking ticket the machine spat out at him at the entry gate. “Depends.”



“On what?” She took the ticket out of his hand, pulling up to the boom gate, pressing the down button on her window.

“On if I’ve driven to a game, and get hurt and can’t drive back home,” He answered, suddenly sleepy. He missed the look of concern on her face as the car slowly pulled forward, instead reaching a hand across the arm rest to place it on her thigh, smiling to himself as he dozed when he felt her fingers link with his.



“…ney. Sidney, wake up.”

He breathed in quickly, opening his eyes and looking around in confusion. She was standing at his side and after a few moments he realised that they were home, parked in his garage.

“Fuck,” He muttered, sitting up and pressing the heels of his palms into his eyes. “Sorry.”

She shook her head with a smile, holding out a hand. “Can we go inside?”

He nodded, unbuckling his seat belt and remembering to grab her water bottle at the last minute, feeling infinitely better after what must’ve only been a thirty minute ride back from the airport. She’d already grabbed her suitcase, and he hushed her protests when he picked it up, carrying it in and upstairs to his bedroom.

She followed him silently, smiling when he put the case on his bed, turning to look at her.

“So, I’ve cleared out some space…” He trailed off, opening a couple of drawers in his dresser and turning the light on inside his massive walk in closet. “Take up as much room as you want. Move my shit if you need more, I don’t care.”

She raised her eyebrows. “How much do you think I have in there?”

He shrugged. “It doesn’t matter. Take up the whole thing.”

“The whole closet.”

“Yep.”

“I don’t think I even own enough clothes to fit in half of that thing.”

“Well,” He grinned, sauntering over and hugging her again. He couldn’t keep his hands off her, just in case she ended up disappearing again. “I have a credit card that can-”

“Don’t even start,” She rolled her eyes, turning back to her suitcase, letting out a giggle when he pulled her back into his chest. “Do you not want me to unpack? Take up all that space you’re bragging abo- AH!” She cut herself off when he bent down to pick her up bridal style, grinning as she laughed when he threw her gently on the bed, trying to wiggle herself away when he climbed up too.

“Get back here.”

“Don’t you even dare.”



“What?” He asked innocently, the smile still on his face. She held out her hands, grabbing hold of his fingers as he moved closer.


“If you tickle me…”



“I won’t,” He lied, delighted by the shriek she let out as he kissed her neck, his hands breaking free from hers and finding her rib cage. “Whoops. Slipped.”



“Sidney!” She cried out laughing, not putting up much of a fight, unable to stop giggling as he tickled her, making obnoxious kissing noises all across her neck, her face, her nose. He caught her hands again and pinned them above her head, her hair splashed across his pillow, her face tinged pink and lips shining.

He bent down and kissed her, holding both hands in one as the other cupped her face, brushing her cheek gently with his thumb as she whimpered, kissing back with as much enthusiasm. He softly brushed his tongue against hers, getting lost in the sounds of their lips meeting, the harsh breaths coming from both of them. He slipped one leg between hers, revelling in her moan he swallowed, casually rolling their hips together. He moved the hand on her cheek down her chest, slipping his fingers under her hoodie and shirt and pushed it up, caressing her bare skin as he started kissing down her neck.


Her smell was intoxicating. And even though it had only been a month since he’d had her in his arms, he still couldn’t believe that it had been four weeks. It felt like four years, with how he was aching just to hold her and never let her go.

“Whoa, hey, hey,” She panted, breaking a hand free and stopping them from going any further. He pulled back, eyes dancing over the blissed out expression on her face, her neck red from his beard and lips and tongue wreaking havoc on her skin.

“What?” He asked, just as breathless. She shook her head, turning on her side with enough strength that had him doing the same.

“Take it easy there, tiger.” Lyndsey reached across them, their legs still tangled together, to run her fingers back through his hair. “Do you not recall almost fainting not too long ago?”

He rolled his eyes, moving to rest on his pillow, pulling her into to lie down on it too so she could snuggle into his chest. “I’m fine."



“Mhm, sure. Sex isn’t going to make your symptoms go away,” She pointed out, turning her head up to look him in the eye.


“It might?” He tried, laughing when she rolled her eyes, pulling her into a hug. “Sorry,” He murmured into her hair again, “I’ll be good, I promise. It’s not my fault you look…”

When he trailed off, she raised an eyebrow. “Go on.”



He shrugged, kissing her forehead, willing parts of his body to calm down. “Hmm, you look like everything I’ve wanted for the last six months.”