As You Please

Two hours after Auston and I had kissed on the ice in front of his Toronto family, I found myself in the kitchen, peeling potatoes as Christina took them and cut them up next to me. In the beginning, we had a light conversation about what I did and where I was from. Halfway through the ten pound bag of potatoes, we had two glasses of wine in front of us and were exchanging awkward stories about dating and guys.

“You know,” Christina took a small sip of wine between slicing up the potatoes. “I had just ended an engagement when I met Patrick.” The blonde looked up at me with bright eyes as she reminisced. “It was not even twenty-four hours after I handed the ring back that I was sitting at a bar with my friends and he walked up to me.”

I could feel the smile on my face widen as I glanced up at her, those big blue eyes shimmering as she caught onto my smile. After a few minutes, I shrugged a shoulder and set the potato I was peeling down on her cutting board.

“Sounds familiar.”

“Right?” Christina chuckled, “We chatted, he walked me home, and I was too dumb and scared to get his phone number.” She rolled her eyes as she swiftly cut the potato. “I ended up running into him at the same bar a week later. We exchanged numbers, went out a few times, and not even a month after we were dating.”

“That’s adorable.”

“I just…” Christina let out a small sigh as she looked up at me, “I don’t want either of you to be afraid of how fast life moves.” I felt the smile fade from my lips as she gently squeezed my shoulder. “I believe everything happens for a reason and I can honest to God say I’ve never seen two people in their early twenties look at each other the way you and Auston look at each other.”

My heart was racing as I thought about all of the times I looked up at the brunette like he was the only person in the world worthy of my time. When I was with him, I couldn’t imagine spending my time with anyone else. I wanted to wake up to him every morning. I enjoyed sitting in silence and sipping coffee with him. Even when we were both getting ready this morning, I was in a better mood just knowing he was somewhere in the apartment.

“I’m just happy to spend time with him.” I whispered as I grabbed another potato and started peeling it. My eyes zeroed in on the the objects in my hand as I felt Christina’s stare burning through my skin. “I already decided no matter what happens, I’m happy I got to spend time with someone like him.”

Christina let out a long, dreamy, sigh as she looked up and then over at me. I couldn’t help but smile.

“Honestly, Tess, he’s never going to do better than you. I know it, he knows it, the boys know it. You’re one in a million, you’re honestly an amazing person, I can tell.” My cheeks were a bright red as I looked up at her and felt tears start to fill my eyes. “If he ever lets you go, I’m keeping you.”

“Chris, you’re going to make me cry.” I whispered as I sucked in a deep breath and let the emotions swelling inside of me start to settle. After a few deep breaths, I looked over at the blonde and laughed as she pressed her fingers into the corners of her eyes and laughed.

“I’m so happy I have someone to be emotional with,” we both laughed as we regained our composure and started going back to the light conversation about awkward things that happened during our dating years.

We shared a few more stories and sipped wine as we finished the bag of potatoes on the counter. Pulling the paper towel up with all of the peels on it, I walked it over to the garbage and went to head back over to the counter when I felt a pair of hands tightly wrap around my waist.

Gasping, I turned and watched as the brunettes big brown eyes came into view as he leaned down and pressed a quick kiss against my lips. When he pulled away, I felt every inch of my skin start to burn as he looked down at me and let out a laugh. Pushing some hair behind my ear, he sent me a smile.

“Did I scare you?”

“Mhm,” I offered as a response as I felt my heart rate start to calm down. “A little off guard.”

Auston shrugged as he pulled me into a hug and then looked over toward Christina who was smiling like a mad woman as she made believe to tend to something on the stove. Auston pulled his arms from me, grabbed my hand, and then walked us over to the counter. When the blonde noticed our presence, she turned toward us and sent me a quick wink.

“Another hour or so,” she said as Auston peeked at the pots on the stove. “Tess was a huge help.”

“Getting my girl drunk, Chris?” Auston laughed as he picked up my glass of wine and took a quick sip. “Oh, you broke out the good stuff too?”

“How can I not?” Christina joked as she grabbed the bottle and topped off our glasses. “There’s plenty of time and food to sober up. You know the rule, if it’s open it needs to be finished.”

“I like that rule,” I joked as I took the glass from Auston’s hand and took a sip. “Is that okay?”

Auston sent me a bright smile as he nodded and kissed my forehead. Putting his arms back around my torso, he pulled me back against his front and rested his chin down on the top of my head. Sucking in a deep breath, I looked up and watched the smile on Christina’s lips widen.

The brunette asked if he could steal me for a few minutes. When Christina nodded her head with a smile, Auston turned us toward the hallway and started to waddle us out of the room. As we both started to laugh, halfway to the door he quickly scooped me up in his arms and held me bridal style.

“Such a gentleman,” I joked as I managed to keep the wine in the glass from spilling. Shooting me a wink, Auston carried me down the hallway to a door that was cracked open at the end. Kicking it open with his foot, he walked us inside, kicked the door shut, and then set me down on the bed in the middle of the room.

My heart was racing as I set the wine glass down on the nightstand and watched as the brunette peeled off his sweater leaving him standing there in a plain black tee shirt and jeans. Biting down on my bottom lip, I felt the pit of my stomach turn into a ball of fire as he looked down at me and smirked.

“That blush for me?”

“What are you doing?” I breathed as I pressed my hands together and wedged them between my thighs. The calm feeling I had when speaking to Christina disappeared as I watched the tall brunette take a few steps closer to me and lean down. When his lips were inches from mine, all I could think about was kissing him and tearing that shirt off of his torso.

Why did I let Christina get me a little wine tipsy.

“You really think I’d let our first time be a quickie in Marleau’s house when everyone’s awake? Come on, Tess.”

I was speechless as my mind ran through his words. I could feel all of the blood in my body race to my cheeks as my eyes rose to connect with his. The fact that he had thought about it and wanted it to be special was enough for the water that had filled the back of my eyes while talking to Christina return. Biting down on my bottom lip, I took a shaky breath and let thoughts and images of Auston and I rolling around in my sheets flash through my head.

My fingers were trembling as Auston kneeled down in front of me and set his hands down on my knees. Looking up at him, I felt the urge to lunge forward and kiss him rush through me. I wasn’t sure if it was the wine or the idea that he held me so high in his mind, but whatever it was, it was making me feel something I hadn’t felt in years.

“Did I say something?”

I nodded, my fingers trembling as I reached out and set my hand down on his chest. When I felt the muscles tighten under my fingertips, I almost lost it.

“I want to rip your clothes off” I confessed with a small smile.

“Tess,” Auston laughed as he looked up at me, his eyes teetering on the line of filling with lust. Biting down on his bottom lip, he cracked a smile and gently ran his fingers along the side of my face. “Did Chris really get you that drunk?”

“No,” I whispered and watched as the bright brown eyes switched from a happy carefree to a dark lust. Shaking his head, he dropped his eyes down to his body wedged between my legs and sucked in a shaky breath. Running his tongue over his lips, he looked up at me with dark eyes and sighed.

“Are you fucking with me?”

“Nope.” I shrugged a shoulder and watched as Auston leaned forward, pressing his forehead against my shoulder and let out a long groan. When I reached out and wrapped my arms around him, he let out another long groan and set his hands down on my thighs.

When I shivered, I thought he was going to throw all of the words he had said earlier away. His fingertips were pressing into my skin as he pulled his face from my shoulder and looked up at me. His breaths were shaky as he dropped his eyes from my lips to his hands.

Swallowing hard, Auston pressed his thumbs into the inside of my thighs and gently pushed my legs further apart. When he looked up at me, he let out a shaky groan and pulled his hands from my thighs and put them on my shoulders. Pushing me back against the bed, he crawled on top of me and looked down at me with dark, hungry eyes.

“I can’t.”

“I know.” I whispered as I reached up and pressed my palm against his cheek. “I just… Wanted you to know, I guess.”

“I don’t want to ruin anything.” Auston whispered, his facial features smothered in worry as he looked down at me. “I’m terrified of it, actually.”

“You can’t.” I laughed as I pushed myself up and set a soft kiss against his lips. “It’s impossible.”

“You’re not helping the cause.” Auston groaned as he sent me a small smile and kissed the tip of my nose.

“Who said I wanted to help it?”

“Tessa!” Auston groaned as he crawled off of the bed and stood up. Running a hand through his hair, he paced across the room for a few minutes before turning to me and letting out an annoyed groan when he saw the wide playful smile on my face. “You’re playing with my emotions.”

“No such thing.” I snickered as I stood up and walked over to him. Putting my hand in his, I pulled his knuckles to my lips, kissed them, and then looked up at him. “Was there a reason you brought me into your bedroom?”

Auston blushed as he took a step closer to me and nodded his head a little. Slipping his hand onto the side of my face, he leaned down and lightly brushed his lips against mine. “I wanted to tell you Christina was right.” My heart was racing as he set a soft kiss on my lips, “I’ll never do better than you.”

“Auston, please… it’s only been-”

“I’m very aware, but it’s true,” he lightly slipped his other hand onto the side of my face. Melting into his touch, I felt my eyes flutter shut for a moment. Sucking in a small breath, I looked back up at Auston and watched as his eyes flickered through a few hundred emotions before he gently kissed me again. “You promise nothing I say can ruin anything?”

Swallowing hard, I nodded my head and watched as the worry in Auston’s eyes disappeared. With a single nod, he gently rubbed his thumbs against my cheeks and sent me a small smile.

“I’m falling in love with you.”

-----------------------

The dinner was amazing. The conversation was light and playful between all of us. The boys asked me questions about hockey and where I went to school. They asked if I could come over more often and play with them and Auston. When I agreed without a moment's hesitation, Auston, Christina, and Patrick gave me warm smiles. Trying to hide the blush, I shrugged my shoulders and glanced down at Auston’s hand in mine.

Near the end of the night, when we were gathering our things to head back to my apartment, Christina pulled me into a tight hug and asked if she could have my phone number. Agreeing with a wide smile, we exchanged the numbers. Seconds later, she looked up at me and asked a question that silenced Patrick and Auston’s conversation.

“What are you doing for the holidays?”

I was stunned for a moment as her big blue eyes held mine. Normally, I spent the holidays with Hunter or his family. My parents were notorious for keeping their plans under wraps until the week before Christmas when they would announce they booked another trip to a country in Europe. The last five years, I spent a half hour every Christmas Day on skype wishing my parents a happy holidays while they were sitting in a hotel or villa.

It never bothered me much. Once I headed off to college, my parents realized that they had their life back. They loved me more than anything in the world, and I knew that they needed to do things for themselves. Some days, I would be upset about not spending time with them, but between work and the cost to travel with them, I would shrug it off and make the best out of whatever plans I had.

This year, I found out a few weeks ago that my parents would be spending their 30th wedding anniversary and the holidays in Barcelona. Although I knew I would be alone, I wanted to make sure that Auston was okay if I did decide to spend it with him. Things may be moving faster than I ever imagined, but this was a bigger step than I anticipated.

“I have to check with my parents, but they usually spend the holidays at some place in Europe.”

“If you find yourself alone, please spend it with us,” Christina sent me a warm smile as she slipped her hand into Patrick’s. “It’s only two weeks away. We do a three day Christmas celebration, this year especially because the boys are home.”

Nodding, I thanked her a few times for the invite and then followed Auston through a line of hugs and cheek kisses as we bid goodbye. Opening the door, Auston motioned me out and then gently shut the door after one more wave to the family. Walking down the steps, he grabbed me hand and glanced at me a few times as we headed to the car.

“Were they a lot?” Auston asked as he opened the passengers side door for me. “I feel bad, I didn’t think they’d come on so strong.”

Smiling up at him, I shook my head and leaned back against the car. I felt weak as his big brown eyes held mine. “I love them, I really do.” I chuckled as I pressed my hands together. “I had a lot of fun.”

Nodding, Auston looked around and then put his eyes back in mine. “I know it’s a lot and fast and a big thing,” the burnette was nervous within in seconds, “but if you could spend the holidays here, I would really enjoy it. I know Christina would be even more excited”

“My parents are in Barcelona this year,” I whispered as I looked up at him, watching the nervousness disappear from his features, “I didn’t want to say yes before checking how you felt about it.”

Auston was stunned as he looked at me, his big eyes shimmering in the moonlight. Nodding a little, his lips curled into a smile as he looked at me with a adoring gaze. Pulling me into a hug, he pressed a few kisses into my hair and then pulled away.

“This is honestly one of the best days of my life.”

“Auston, don’t be so soft.” I joked as he stole a quick kiss and then headed to the other side of the car. Climbing in, I shut the door and went to turn to him when he leaned over the armrest and pressed a needy, fiery kiss against my lips. When he pulled away, I was breathless.

“You’re intoxicating.”

“Auston,” I breathed as I looked up at him from under my lashes. Heart beating against my rib cage, I dug my fingers into my thigh as the fire in my stomach started to spread to every part of my body. I could feel the heat between my thighs as he set his hand down on my thigh. “Can we go home, please.”
Auston bit down as his lip as he looked at me. His breathing was heavy as he nodded his head and tightly gripped the steering wheel. Letting out a deep sigh, he looked over at me and winced. “If you’re just playing with me Tess, this is the meanest one yet. It almost hurts.”

“Auston,” I whispered as my body shivered from the idea of his hands on my bare skin, “I want you so bad.”