‹ Prequel: If You Could Love
Sequel: Scenes From an Elevator: James and Alex ›
Status: It's been too long, friends....
Him and I
It’s Him and I, Him and I
On the last day of June, Alex and James had Steven, John, and PK over to hang out after the guys got in their workouts in the morning. Alex had lunch waiting for them when they arrived and then they spent most of the day lounging around the pool and doing nothing. As the day started to turn to night, James and PK started the grill to make dinner while Steven and John were floating in the pool and Alex read a book. She put her book down and stood, starting towards the house.
“Alex!” Steven called out.
“What?”
“Will you bring me a beer, please?”
She rolled her eyes and continued inside, returning a moment later with a bottle for him and stooped down at the pools edge to hand it to him.
“Thanks, Alex,” he grinned, wrapping his hand around her wrist. She started to stand but Steven held on.
“Steven,” she warned.
He looked up at her with a playful grin. “What?” He asked innocently.
“Don’t even think about it.”
From across the yard, PK nudged James. “Stammer is about to regret his life choices.”
“It’s his funeral,” James smirked.
A splash and then Alex’s voice yelled out. “Steven fucking Stamkos!”
Steven laughed right up until Alex shoved him off the float he was on. John steadied the float she had vacated Steven from as she hoisted herself on to it. He high fived her as Steven surfaced.
“Steven?” Alex said sweetly.
“Yes?”
“Can you grab me a beer please? Some asshole made me spill mine in the pool.”
He grinned and lifted himself out of the pool and started towards the house. “Steven?” Alex called out.
“Yeah?”
“Bring one for my best friend Johnny too.”
After dropping beers off with Alex and John, Steven ambled over to James and PK. “I liked it better before Tavares and Alex were best friends.”
“Get used to it, I have,” James replied. “Besides, if it has to be anybody, I’m glad it’s John. He’s one of the good ones, you know? I mean, the guy took down a mugger for her, kept her safe. Not everyone would do that.”
“Did he ever get that girl?” PK asked. “He doesn’t say.”
James shrugged. “Don’t know. Alex doesn’t say either.”
“Better question,” Steven spoke up. “Does anyone know what he decided about free agency?”
“He told me and Alex a little bit about the presentations the teams made to him when he was in LA.”
“Yeah, I talked to him a little about those too,” PK said.
“What about you, Nealer? You gonna re-sign in Vegas?” Steven asked.
“Don’t know,” he shrugged.
“Well wherever it is at least you’ll have Alex and her cupcake truck.”
He shook his head. “My neighbors do not know what to make of a food truck in my driveway by the way.”
Later that evening, well after the sun had set for the day, Alex and James, along with John and PK, were relaxing around the fire pit. Alex had insisted they buy a sectional outdoor sofa at the end of the previous summer and PK was stretched out along the long end while Alex was snuggled against James’s side, her head resting against his shoulder on the shorter side. John was in a chair across from them.
Their silence was broken up as Steven ambled over, his arms full of bottles of beer. He passed one to everybody before taking a chair beside John for himself and looking at him expectantly.
“What?” John finally asked.
“Where are you signing? You haven’t told us. The least you could do is tell your best friends where you’re going to play next season.”
“What makes you think Alex doesn’t already know?”
Steven’s eyes swung to Alex. “Did he tell you and not us?” He gasped.
She rolled his eyes. “He’s deflecting because he hasn’t decided.”
“Hasn’t decided?!” Steven exclaimed. “What do you mean hasn’t decided? Free agency starts in,” he paused, glancing at his watch and then back up at John, “twelve hours. How do you not know? You've heard the pitches, the money being offered, and I know you’ve considered those teams rosters thoroughly.”
“It’s not as easy as snapping your fingers,” John replied.
“It is actually,” Steven insisted. “Look at the teams courting you, dude. You can go anywhere, do anything.”
“I bet he has pros and cons lists for each team,” PK spoke up. John flushed and PK crowed. “I’m right, aren’t I?”
“There are definitely lists,” James spoke up. “I’ve heard Alex on the phone with him.”
“I can’t decide, okay?” John said. “It’s hard to explain but I’m torn and every time I think I know what I’m gonna do I second guess myself. There’s been a lot of pacing and hair pulling all week.”
“It’s simple, man,” Steven told him. “Where do you see yourself winning the cup? Which team has what it takes right now?”
John sighed. “It’s more than that though. I mean, hell yes I want to win the cup, that’s the biggest goal, but I’m torn.”
“Between what?”
“Love and loyalty,” James spoke up. “Your heart and your head are in different places, am I right?”
John nodded. “Yeah.”
“I get that. My heart wants to stay in Vegas and make another run with that team, but my head says I need a long term deal. I want to be somewhere for more than a season or two. I’ve already played for four teams and I’m done with that.”
“Did Vegas make an offer?” PK asked.
“Three years,” James replied. “But I want at least five so I’m listening to other offers.”
“And how do you feel about that, Alex?” PK asked.
“I go where he goes, no matter what.”
James pressed a kiss to her hair. “I’ve talked over every offer with her. We’ll decide together.”
“I’m glad you two are figuring it out together and blah, blah, blah,” Steven said, “but I still want to know what Tavares is thinking. Have you narrowed it down at least?”
“Yes.”
“And??”
“Do I go home, or am I already home?”
There was a beat of silence and Alex stood, crossing to John and giving him a hug. In between conversations with family, she had been one of the friends he had turned to to talk out the decision that lay ahead of him. She understood the conflicted emotions and the back and forth constantly running through his mind.
“You just have to do what feels right in your heart,” she said as she sat back down beside James.
“I feel like no matter what I do I’m letting someone down.”
“That’s just life,” PK replied. “Can’t please everybody so you do what makes you the happiest.”
“I grew up in Long Island; I became the person I am today because of my time there. How do I turn my back on the people who followed us so faithfully, that never gave up hope? It feels like I’m stabbing them in the back.”
“It sounds like you know what you want to do but you’re scared to actually do it,” Steven said. “Don’t let fear rule you or you’ll regret it.”
The next day free agency opened and James spent a lot of time on his phone going back and forth with his agent while Alex stayed glued to the couch to alternate watching coverage on TSN, and texting with John.
An hour in, James fell onto the couch beside Alex. “Did he pick yet?”
“Nope,” she replied.
“Does he realize that an entire country is waiting on bated breath for him to tell the world he’s going to Toronto?”
“How do you know he’s not going to stay in New York, or go to San Jose?”
“For starters, there’s no way you’ll let Tavares go play for the Sharks after how they, and I quote, ‘did Paul dirty’. Second of all, Tavares is the most sentimental guy I know. He’s a Toronto boy through and through. He may have an attachment to the Islanders as the team that drafted him but his heart has always been a Maple Leaf.”
“What about you? What does your agent say?”
He sighed. “I don’t think it’s gonna happen with Vegas. We should weigh the other options.”
“James, go wherever your heart tells you. I don’t care where we go because home is anywhere with you.”
“Is that a line? Are you trying to seduce me, Alexandra Gates?”
She moved to straddle his lap. “Have I ever told you how much I love it when you say my full name?”
“Is that so?” He asked , wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her closer.
“Mmm-hmm,” she purred, rocking her hips into his.
He groaned just as free agency coverage cut in to announce that John was signing with the Leafs and Alex’s phone rang.
She kissed him quickly and grabbed her phone as she settled back on the couch beside him. “Hi, Johnny! You’re on speaker with James.”
“Nice contract, Tavares,” James said.
“Thanks. God this was stressful; how in the hell did Stammer stay so calm about this last summer?”
“I think Steven knew, he just liked stringing everyone along,” Alex replied.
John chuckled. “You’re probably right. Anyway, I just needed a minute to talk to someone sane before I leave for this press conference.”
“Are you getting lots on congratulations messages?” Alex asked.
“From people I barely remember,” he admitted. “It’s nice, but overwhelming.”
“Well that isn’t going to end anytime soon, you know that right?”
“Comes with the territory I suppose.”
“Not my territory,” James spoke up. “And that is a-ok with me.”
“What’s going on with Vegas?” John asked.
“Looking like it isn’t going to happen. But my agent has a couple other options on the table.”
“I hope everything works out the way you want it to.”
“It will,” Alex said, squeezing James’s hand. “Now you need to get yourself together for that press conference because I’m sure you’ve been pacing around all morning in gym clothes because you probably pushed yourself to the limit at 5 am this morning.”
“Guilty as charged,” John replied sheepishly.
“Turn your phone on silent for twenty minutes and take a shower to collect yourself and then rock that press conference. We’ll be watching,” she promised. “Everything’s going to be awesome, Johnny.”
“Thanks, Alex. And you too, James.”
“You’d be nothing without us, Tavares,” James replied.
John laughed. “Probably true. I’ll see you guys in a couple days for the Fourth of July party.”
“Fourth of July slash belated Canada Day celebration,” Alex corrected.
“I can’t believe I let you talk me into a Fourth of July party,” James said.
“It’s our tradition, James.”
“We’ve done it once.”
“And now we’re doing it a second time so tradition. And we’re gonna keep alternating this party between July first and July fourth each year.” James groaned.
“It’s fun man,” John told him. “Let her have fun.”
“You know you don’t always have to take her side,” James told him.
“You’re right, I don’t, but why would I go against her when she’s not wrong?”
“And that’s why we’re besties, John Tavares,” Alex grinned. “Now get ready for your big moment.”
“Bye, guys,” he replied.
“Talk soon!” Alex said as they hung up.
She set her phone aside and turned to James. “Now, where we before?”
The next day Alex was baking in the kitchen when James got home from his workout. He was on the phone with his agent and had disappeared up the stairs as soon as he entered. While Alex waited for her cupcakes to bake, she texted with Steven, James, and PK.
Fifteen minutes later, James appeared in the kitchen, his phone in his hand.
“Hey,” he said as he slid the phone onto the counter. “Those smell good.”
“They’re lemon, and I’m gonna make a lemon curd to put in their center and then top them with a lemon and raspberry buttercream.”
“Sounds good too.” He watched her for a beat as she moved around the kitchen, smiling to herself when she answered an incoming text message.
“Tavares?” He asked.
“Group text with Johnny, PK, and Steven,” she replied, turning her phone towards him. “They wanna know where you’re going to sign.”
“Alex’s Harem? Really?”
“PK and Steven named it. They think they are hilarious.”
“They’re something alright.”
“They were your friends first.”
“Don’t remind me.”
“I need to make a beer run later to stock up for Wednesday. Wanna come with me?”
“Sure. When does Paulie get here?”
“Tomorrow. Nate’s on the same flight with Paul and Lilly.”
“And Craig?”
“Flies in Wednesday morning. He’s staying at the same hotel again. And baby Subby is coming with PK, Jordan too.”
“Only you would convince Canadians to celebrate the Fourth of July by the way.”
“Need I remind you that this is a joint celebration of two beautiful countries?”
“You keep telling yourself that.” She stuck her tongue out at him and turned to the oven as the timer on her cupcakes went off. As she pulled the tray out of the oven, he continued. “What are you going to do with yourself when you have to live full time in Canada anyway?”
Alex froze in place and after a moment set the tray down and turned to face James. “Personally, I think you’ll be spouting off Canadian phrases and develop an accent by the end of the year,” he told her with a grin.
“You decided?”
He nodded. “I picked Calgary. Is that okay?”
She rushed towards him and threw her arms around him. James held her tight. “Of course it’s okay. A new city to explore, and I’ll be with you.”
“You’ll be even further from your family in Dallas, from Kat in Nashville.”
“But I’ve still got you. And I get a new Johnny.”
“I’m sorry, what?”
She smiled up angelically at him. “Johnny Gaudreau, you know, the adorable American on your new team?”
Janes groaned. “Really?”
“Also, I don’t know if you know this but Sean Monahan?”
“What about him?”
“He definitely has better hair than you.”
James pulled her body flush to his. “Is that so?”
“Hate to break it to you, Neal, but that kid has total sex hair.”
“Maybe I’ll shave all of mine off then, avoid the embarrassment of trying to compete with that then.”
Alex’s eyes widened with horror. “No! Not your hair.” She reached up and ran her fingers through his locks.
“Oh, so you like my hair then?”
“I love your hair. I love running my fingers through it, I love swooning over it during warmups, and I really love tugging it when you’re between my legs giving me the best orgasms of my life.”
“But it’s not sex hair.”
“It’s the best sex hair on the planet. I just wanted to tease you.”
“I think you like teasing me.”
“Love it actually,” she smirked.
“And whys that?”
“Because when I get you all worked up then you have to prove why I’m wrong and that always leads to the most earth shattering orgasms of my life.”
James chuckled. “Alexandra Gates, you will be the death of me.”
She wiggled out of his hold and sauntered towards the stairs. “What a way to go,” she winked over her shoulder. James rushed towards her and with a giggle she started up the stairs. He caught her halfway up and tossed her over his shoulder.
In their bedroom he dropped her onto the bed and covered her body with his, kissing her softly. “I love you, even when you drive my crazy,” he said, resting her forehead against hers.
“That’s good because I equal parts love you too and driving you crazy and I’m planning on doing that for a long time.”
“Good, because I’m planning a long time with you too.”
“Forever?”
“Maybe. You might hate Calgary and run off to Florida.”
She smiled, brushing the hair that had fallen over his forehead back. “I could never hate anywhere where I’m with you.”
“Never?”
“Never.”
“I’m going to hold you to that.”
“Go right ahead. In fact, I expect you to.”
“And what do you expect of me?”
“That’s easy,” she answered, leaning into him and brushing her lips across his. “You. Only you. Now and for always.”
“Always I can do, Alex. I’m yours, now and always.”
She smiled again. “Me and you, Nealer. Now and always.”
He pulled her close and whispered in her ear. “You and me, Alexandra. Now and always.”
FIN
“Alex!” Steven called out.
“What?”
“Will you bring me a beer, please?”
She rolled her eyes and continued inside, returning a moment later with a bottle for him and stooped down at the pools edge to hand it to him.
“Thanks, Alex,” he grinned, wrapping his hand around her wrist. She started to stand but Steven held on.
“Steven,” she warned.
He looked up at her with a playful grin. “What?” He asked innocently.
“Don’t even think about it.”
From across the yard, PK nudged James. “Stammer is about to regret his life choices.”
“It’s his funeral,” James smirked.
A splash and then Alex’s voice yelled out. “Steven fucking Stamkos!”
Steven laughed right up until Alex shoved him off the float he was on. John steadied the float she had vacated Steven from as she hoisted herself on to it. He high fived her as Steven surfaced.
“Steven?” Alex said sweetly.
“Yes?”
“Can you grab me a beer please? Some asshole made me spill mine in the pool.”
He grinned and lifted himself out of the pool and started towards the house. “Steven?” Alex called out.
“Yeah?”
“Bring one for my best friend Johnny too.”
After dropping beers off with Alex and John, Steven ambled over to James and PK. “I liked it better before Tavares and Alex were best friends.”
“Get used to it, I have,” James replied. “Besides, if it has to be anybody, I’m glad it’s John. He’s one of the good ones, you know? I mean, the guy took down a mugger for her, kept her safe. Not everyone would do that.”
“Did he ever get that girl?” PK asked. “He doesn’t say.”
James shrugged. “Don’t know. Alex doesn’t say either.”
“Better question,” Steven spoke up. “Does anyone know what he decided about free agency?”
“He told me and Alex a little bit about the presentations the teams made to him when he was in LA.”
“Yeah, I talked to him a little about those too,” PK said.
“What about you, Nealer? You gonna re-sign in Vegas?” Steven asked.
“Don’t know,” he shrugged.
“Well wherever it is at least you’ll have Alex and her cupcake truck.”
He shook his head. “My neighbors do not know what to make of a food truck in my driveway by the way.”
~*~*~
Later that evening, well after the sun had set for the day, Alex and James, along with John and PK, were relaxing around the fire pit. Alex had insisted they buy a sectional outdoor sofa at the end of the previous summer and PK was stretched out along the long end while Alex was snuggled against James’s side, her head resting against his shoulder on the shorter side. John was in a chair across from them.
Their silence was broken up as Steven ambled over, his arms full of bottles of beer. He passed one to everybody before taking a chair beside John for himself and looking at him expectantly.
“What?” John finally asked.
“Where are you signing? You haven’t told us. The least you could do is tell your best friends where you’re going to play next season.”
“What makes you think Alex doesn’t already know?”
Steven’s eyes swung to Alex. “Did he tell you and not us?” He gasped.
She rolled his eyes. “He’s deflecting because he hasn’t decided.”
“Hasn’t decided?!” Steven exclaimed. “What do you mean hasn’t decided? Free agency starts in,” he paused, glancing at his watch and then back up at John, “twelve hours. How do you not know? You've heard the pitches, the money being offered, and I know you’ve considered those teams rosters thoroughly.”
“It’s not as easy as snapping your fingers,” John replied.
“It is actually,” Steven insisted. “Look at the teams courting you, dude. You can go anywhere, do anything.”
“I bet he has pros and cons lists for each team,” PK spoke up. John flushed and PK crowed. “I’m right, aren’t I?”
“There are definitely lists,” James spoke up. “I’ve heard Alex on the phone with him.”
“I can’t decide, okay?” John said. “It’s hard to explain but I’m torn and every time I think I know what I’m gonna do I second guess myself. There’s been a lot of pacing and hair pulling all week.”
“It’s simple, man,” Steven told him. “Where do you see yourself winning the cup? Which team has what it takes right now?”
John sighed. “It’s more than that though. I mean, hell yes I want to win the cup, that’s the biggest goal, but I’m torn.”
“Between what?”
“Love and loyalty,” James spoke up. “Your heart and your head are in different places, am I right?”
John nodded. “Yeah.”
“I get that. My heart wants to stay in Vegas and make another run with that team, but my head says I need a long term deal. I want to be somewhere for more than a season or two. I’ve already played for four teams and I’m done with that.”
“Did Vegas make an offer?” PK asked.
“Three years,” James replied. “But I want at least five so I’m listening to other offers.”
“And how do you feel about that, Alex?” PK asked.
“I go where he goes, no matter what.”
James pressed a kiss to her hair. “I’ve talked over every offer with her. We’ll decide together.”
“I’m glad you two are figuring it out together and blah, blah, blah,” Steven said, “but I still want to know what Tavares is thinking. Have you narrowed it down at least?”
“Yes.”
“And??”
“Do I go home, or am I already home?”
There was a beat of silence and Alex stood, crossing to John and giving him a hug. In between conversations with family, she had been one of the friends he had turned to to talk out the decision that lay ahead of him. She understood the conflicted emotions and the back and forth constantly running through his mind.
“You just have to do what feels right in your heart,” she said as she sat back down beside James.
“I feel like no matter what I do I’m letting someone down.”
“That’s just life,” PK replied. “Can’t please everybody so you do what makes you the happiest.”
“I grew up in Long Island; I became the person I am today because of my time there. How do I turn my back on the people who followed us so faithfully, that never gave up hope? It feels like I’m stabbing them in the back.”
“It sounds like you know what you want to do but you’re scared to actually do it,” Steven said. “Don’t let fear rule you or you’ll regret it.”
~*~*~
The next day free agency opened and James spent a lot of time on his phone going back and forth with his agent while Alex stayed glued to the couch to alternate watching coverage on TSN, and texting with John.
An hour in, James fell onto the couch beside Alex. “Did he pick yet?”
“Nope,” she replied.
“Does he realize that an entire country is waiting on bated breath for him to tell the world he’s going to Toronto?”
“How do you know he’s not going to stay in New York, or go to San Jose?”
“For starters, there’s no way you’ll let Tavares go play for the Sharks after how they, and I quote, ‘did Paul dirty’. Second of all, Tavares is the most sentimental guy I know. He’s a Toronto boy through and through. He may have an attachment to the Islanders as the team that drafted him but his heart has always been a Maple Leaf.”
“What about you? What does your agent say?”
He sighed. “I don’t think it’s gonna happen with Vegas. We should weigh the other options.”
“James, go wherever your heart tells you. I don’t care where we go because home is anywhere with you.”
“Is that a line? Are you trying to seduce me, Alexandra Gates?”
She moved to straddle his lap. “Have I ever told you how much I love it when you say my full name?”
“Is that so?” He asked , wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her closer.
“Mmm-hmm,” she purred, rocking her hips into his.
He groaned just as free agency coverage cut in to announce that John was signing with the Leafs and Alex’s phone rang.
She kissed him quickly and grabbed her phone as she settled back on the couch beside him. “Hi, Johnny! You’re on speaker with James.”
“Nice contract, Tavares,” James said.
“Thanks. God this was stressful; how in the hell did Stammer stay so calm about this last summer?”
“I think Steven knew, he just liked stringing everyone along,” Alex replied.
John chuckled. “You’re probably right. Anyway, I just needed a minute to talk to someone sane before I leave for this press conference.”
“Are you getting lots on congratulations messages?” Alex asked.
“From people I barely remember,” he admitted. “It’s nice, but overwhelming.”
“Well that isn’t going to end anytime soon, you know that right?”
“Comes with the territory I suppose.”
“Not my territory,” James spoke up. “And that is a-ok with me.”
“What’s going on with Vegas?” John asked.
“Looking like it isn’t going to happen. But my agent has a couple other options on the table.”
“I hope everything works out the way you want it to.”
“It will,” Alex said, squeezing James’s hand. “Now you need to get yourself together for that press conference because I’m sure you’ve been pacing around all morning in gym clothes because you probably pushed yourself to the limit at 5 am this morning.”
“Guilty as charged,” John replied sheepishly.
“Turn your phone on silent for twenty minutes and take a shower to collect yourself and then rock that press conference. We’ll be watching,” she promised. “Everything’s going to be awesome, Johnny.”
“Thanks, Alex. And you too, James.”
“You’d be nothing without us, Tavares,” James replied.
John laughed. “Probably true. I’ll see you guys in a couple days for the Fourth of July party.”
“Fourth of July slash belated Canada Day celebration,” Alex corrected.
“I can’t believe I let you talk me into a Fourth of July party,” James said.
“It’s our tradition, James.”
“We’ve done it once.”
“And now we’re doing it a second time so tradition. And we’re gonna keep alternating this party between July first and July fourth each year.” James groaned.
“It’s fun man,” John told him. “Let her have fun.”
“You know you don’t always have to take her side,” James told him.
“You’re right, I don’t, but why would I go against her when she’s not wrong?”
“And that’s why we’re besties, John Tavares,” Alex grinned. “Now get ready for your big moment.”
“Bye, guys,” he replied.
“Talk soon!” Alex said as they hung up.
She set her phone aside and turned to James. “Now, where we before?”
~*~*~
The next day Alex was baking in the kitchen when James got home from his workout. He was on the phone with his agent and had disappeared up the stairs as soon as he entered. While Alex waited for her cupcakes to bake, she texted with Steven, James, and PK.
Fifteen minutes later, James appeared in the kitchen, his phone in his hand.
“Hey,” he said as he slid the phone onto the counter. “Those smell good.”
“They’re lemon, and I’m gonna make a lemon curd to put in their center and then top them with a lemon and raspberry buttercream.”
“Sounds good too.” He watched her for a beat as she moved around the kitchen, smiling to herself when she answered an incoming text message.
“Tavares?” He asked.
“Group text with Johnny, PK, and Steven,” she replied, turning her phone towards him. “They wanna know where you’re going to sign.”
“Alex’s Harem? Really?”
“PK and Steven named it. They think they are hilarious.”
“They’re something alright.”
“They were your friends first.”
“Don’t remind me.”
“I need to make a beer run later to stock up for Wednesday. Wanna come with me?”
“Sure. When does Paulie get here?”
“Tomorrow. Nate’s on the same flight with Paul and Lilly.”
“And Craig?”
“Flies in Wednesday morning. He’s staying at the same hotel again. And baby Subby is coming with PK, Jordan too.”
“Only you would convince Canadians to celebrate the Fourth of July by the way.”
“Need I remind you that this is a joint celebration of two beautiful countries?”
“You keep telling yourself that.” She stuck her tongue out at him and turned to the oven as the timer on her cupcakes went off. As she pulled the tray out of the oven, he continued. “What are you going to do with yourself when you have to live full time in Canada anyway?”
Alex froze in place and after a moment set the tray down and turned to face James. “Personally, I think you’ll be spouting off Canadian phrases and develop an accent by the end of the year,” he told her with a grin.
“You decided?”
He nodded. “I picked Calgary. Is that okay?”
She rushed towards him and threw her arms around him. James held her tight. “Of course it’s okay. A new city to explore, and I’ll be with you.”
“You’ll be even further from your family in Dallas, from Kat in Nashville.”
“But I’ve still got you. And I get a new Johnny.”
“I’m sorry, what?”
She smiled up angelically at him. “Johnny Gaudreau, you know, the adorable American on your new team?”
Janes groaned. “Really?”
“Also, I don’t know if you know this but Sean Monahan?”
“What about him?”
“He definitely has better hair than you.”
James pulled her body flush to his. “Is that so?”
“Hate to break it to you, Neal, but that kid has total sex hair.”
“Maybe I’ll shave all of mine off then, avoid the embarrassment of trying to compete with that then.”
Alex’s eyes widened with horror. “No! Not your hair.” She reached up and ran her fingers through his locks.
“Oh, so you like my hair then?”
“I love your hair. I love running my fingers through it, I love swooning over it during warmups, and I really love tugging it when you’re between my legs giving me the best orgasms of my life.”
“But it’s not sex hair.”
“It’s the best sex hair on the planet. I just wanted to tease you.”
“I think you like teasing me.”
“Love it actually,” she smirked.
“And whys that?”
“Because when I get you all worked up then you have to prove why I’m wrong and that always leads to the most earth shattering orgasms of my life.”
James chuckled. “Alexandra Gates, you will be the death of me.”
She wiggled out of his hold and sauntered towards the stairs. “What a way to go,” she winked over her shoulder. James rushed towards her and with a giggle she started up the stairs. He caught her halfway up and tossed her over his shoulder.
In their bedroom he dropped her onto the bed and covered her body with his, kissing her softly. “I love you, even when you drive my crazy,” he said, resting her forehead against hers.
“That’s good because I equal parts love you too and driving you crazy and I’m planning on doing that for a long time.”
“Good, because I’m planning a long time with you too.”
“Forever?”
“Maybe. You might hate Calgary and run off to Florida.”
She smiled, brushing the hair that had fallen over his forehead back. “I could never hate anywhere where I’m with you.”
“Never?”
“Never.”
“I’m going to hold you to that.”
“Go right ahead. In fact, I expect you to.”
“And what do you expect of me?”
“That’s easy,” she answered, leaning into him and brushing her lips across his. “You. Only you. Now and for always.”
“Always I can do, Alex. I’m yours, now and always.”
She smiled again. “Me and you, Nealer. Now and always.”
He pulled her close and whispered in her ear. “You and me, Alexandra. Now and always.”
FIN
♠ ♠ ♠
Thanks for tagging along on this one even though it took me forever to get posted. I have a short Jordan Eberle story I’m posting right now but once I’m done with that, I don’t know when I’ll be back. I’m planning on one more story with James and Alex, and I’d like to write the Tavares story I’ve started to setup but then he had to sign with Toronto and mess up my idea so I have to re-plot it now. Basically I’m just waiting for a muse but whenever one turns up, I’ll be here to share.