Underneath It All (Storm Series) (16 page)

“Ow!” He grinned.

She rolled her eyes.
“Yeah, I’m sure that hurt the big, strong man.”

“You started
this whole thing, you know.”

One of Alaina’s eyebrows rose. “Started what?”

“The goofiness. With your scrambled comment.”

“Fine.
” She scoffed. “I take full responsibility. You sound like one of my kindergarteners.”

“Ouch.”
Rob was surprised, but pleased she felt comfortable enough to joke around after sex.

She rolled onto her side and regarded him.
“Don’t look like one, though.”

Her gaze wandered down his body
, and he had a strange urge to flex for her but figured she’d laugh if he did. He checked the time. “Do you mind if I take a nap? Dealing with this thing,” he indicated his shoulder, “isn’t exactly making for comfortable sleep.”

There was no way he was going to admit how much pain the sex had caused. She’d never sleep with him again.

“I can imagine. Go ahead, you need your rest.”

Alaina started to get up
, and Rob asked, “Where are you going?”

“I was going to
take one of those things out of the freezer so we can have dinner when you wake up.”

“You’re
not going to stay and cuddle?”

“Do you
actually
want
me to stay and cuddle,” she raised an eyebrow, “or are you saying what you think I want to hear? Men never want to cuddle after sex.”

“You’ve obviously been seeing the wrong people, then.”
Huh. And when did
I
become a cuddler?

“Obviously.”

“Come back soon, okay?”
Fuck, could I sound any more pathetic and needy?

Giving him a strange look he couldn’t interpret, she
said, “Sure.” Then Alaina grabbed her clothes and walked into his en suite bathroom.

When she opened the door once more
, she was fully dressed, and he shifted, rubbing the back of his neck. Why had she re-dressed? And what was with the location change to do so? She’d been naked and riding him a minute ago. The mystery was pretty much gone.

He
couldn’t ask her, though. She was definitely a private person, and he refused to intrude where she hadn’t invited him, especially inside her thoughts or psyche. At times she was comfortable and relaxed, smiling and joking, but then she’d withdraw into herself, and Rob had no idea what brought on the two sides. Certainly he had no idea how to predict which one he’d see at any given time.

Alaina left the room
, and Rob pinched the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger, digging into the dull ache of his headache. Closing his eyes, he blew out a loud breath. Rob couldn’t remember feeling this melancholy after sex and was at a loss to explain the mood.

Several minutes later
, Alaina returned and he was almost asleep flat on his back. He liked to curl up on his side, and favored his left over his right, but with his left arm in the sling that was impossible. The sex, even though he hadn’t done much, had leeched what little energy he’d had and all he wanted to do now was sack out. Alaina got back in bed and snuggled up to his right side, putting a thin arm around his waist and her head on his chest.

Yeah, this
I could get used to.

When Rob awoke more than an hour later, Alaina wasn’t in
the bed. He heard noises in the kitchen and assumed she’d started dinner. At least she’d stayed. Honestly he hadn’t been sure she would.

His stomach rumbled
, and he slowly rolled to a sitting position. His shoulder was sore, but considering what he’d been doing, that wasn’t a real surprise. Despite the stabs of pain radiating down his arm, Rob couldn’t wait to have Alaina again. His head had nearly blasted off his shoulders during that orgasm.

But that thought needed to be put on hold.
He threw on boxers before taking care of bathroom needs then padded to the kitchen. “That smells good.”

Alaina looked over her shoulder. “Hi
, sleepyhead.”

“Yeah
, yeah. Someone wore me out.”

“Wore out the professional athlete? Unlikely.”

I wonder why she keeps mentioning that.

Turning her head once more, she stirred whatever was in the pot then faced him. “By the way, you snore.”

“I do not.”

“Do too.” She stuck her tongue out at him
, and his groin stirred as he thought of all the things that tongue could do.

“Now who’s the kindergartener? Besides, Seb would’ve told me if I was a snorer.”
He might be too sore to have sex again, but he’d certainly never say no to getting each other off in other ways.

“Maybe
because you were on your back. But yes, you were snoring. Good thing I wasn’t sleepy.” Her wink said she was teasing, and he went with that.

“Abused cruelly in my own ho
me. You’re killin’ my buzz, woman.”

“Buzz?”

“Yeah. Don’t you feel re-energized when you wake up from a much-needed nap?”

She shrugged. “I never really thought about it.”

“I guess maybe I’m more aware since the team naps before every game.”

Alaina c
rinkled her nose. “You seriously sleep
before
a game? Why?”

“To be well-rested, and yes,
I really do. Not all the guys can sleep, but those who don’t, read or do something else quiet.”

“That’s actually pretty fascinating.”

Rob chuckled. “Not exactly the word I’d use. I’m sure in today’s case, the sex helped in the buzz department too.”

“I would hope the nap wasn’t the only reason. That wouldn’t say much about my prowess in
the bedroom.”

She was obviously trying to make a joke, but Rob detected the kernel of worry underneath the statement.
“You have nothing to be concerned about. If I were less hungry and more of a horn dog, I’d be trying to convince you that practice makes perfect.”

With a chuckle and a nod, she pointed to the stools at the counter. “Sit.”

As he watched her work, something occurred to him. “You know, I could take you to a practice someday. Usually injured guys do their rehab after practice, but if you wanted to see how the team works, I’m sure we could make arrangements.”

Interest lit her eyes.
“Really?”

He smiled.
“Yes, really.”

Alaina’s expression sobered. “I can’t go, though. T
he practices are in the morning and I have school.”

“They
practice on the weekends, too.”
They?
Was he already so removed from the guys he was starting to refer to the team as “they”?

“
You’re kidding. Do you ever get days off?”

“Not often
during the season.” He shifted on the bar stool, trying to find a comfortable position to keep his slinged arm in. “Even professional athletes need to constantly improve. Sometimes a split-second decision can mean the difference between winning the Cup and going home with your tail between your legs.”

They were quiet for a moment
, and then Rob said, “I have a schedule on the fridge. Can you check and see if we’re playing tomorrow? I can never keep track of when the games are, since we have so many of them.”

Alaina went over. “Doesn’t look like it. They play Monday, Thursday, and
next Saturday.”

“Lemme call Sebastian and see what time practice
is tomorrow. They usually start at ten thirty, but sometimes they need to move it. Location can also vary, depending on what’s going on at the arena. We can have breakfast and talk about the foundation then go watch practice. Sound good?”

“Yeah.” With a soft smile, she walked over and palmed his face. “You’re a good man, you know that?”

His face flamed, and he looked away. “Thanks.”

Why am I so embarrassed?

His brain taunted him.
Because you actually give a shit what she thinks of you.

Clearing his throat, he continued
, “I’ll go call Seb.”

“You do that.”

He left the room to make the call. Why, he had no idea. They weren’t trading team secrets. After disconnecting, he returned to the kitchen as Alaina was spooning something into bowls using a ladle Rob hadn’t even known he had. “That smells great.”

“
Lemon chicken rice soup. One of my favorites.”

They sat at the counter and ate, mostly silently, but
it wasn’t awkward. With the dinner dishes done, they watched television, and then Alaina proposed they go to bed. Rob had been fighting sleep for a while, but he didn’t want to always be nodding off on her, so he hadn’t put forth the suggestion himself.

Th
e whole getting-ready-for-bed process
was
awkward. Alaina helped him take the sling off and barely batted an eyelash when Rob cried out like a little girl as his shoulder twisted funny. Finally, they settled down, and Rob fell asleep quickly, the pain pill doing its magic.

Waking with Alaina at his side was weird but strangely peaceful, and he gingerly maneuvered his head to look at the time.
Four AM?
How had he managed to sleep soundly all that time—nearly six hours by his count? His bladder was showing its displeasure, and Rob wondered if he would’ve slept all night had that not been the case.

After taking care of business, he fell back asleep.
The next time he woke, it was eight and Alaina was waking too.

S
he rose, looked at herself in his T-shirt, and shook her head. “I didn’t plan this well.”

“What do you mean?”
Rob yawned. The pills made it hard to wake up, and he shook his head, trying to clear it.

“
I have no clothes. Or any of my shower stuff.”

“No worries. I keep a ton of travel stuff around
—you can’t count on the hotel to have the things you need, so I take my own just in case.”

“Never
would’ve occurred to me.”

“Well, when you spend a good portion of every year on the road somewhere
, you learn how to take care of your own needs.” Rob closed his eyes but couldn’t fight the smile as Alaina giggled beside him. “That’s not what I meant.”

“Oh, I know. But
the fun I have teasing you.”

He opened one eye and looked at her. “Why?”

“You have
such
great reactions.”

“Great reactions…I’m not sure I like the sound of that.”
What was this? She was razzing him and he didn’t even mind. Rob rolled away from her, giving an exaggerated sniff, and was surprised when his shoulder didn’t protest the movement much.

“Come on. We need to go if we’re going to stop by my place on the way to practice
. Can you shower?”

Turning back, he said,
“Yeah, I take the sling off and be careful. I’m really not supposed to get the stitches wet, but it’s impossible to keep it dry.”

“Do you,” she gestured toward him, “need any help?”

Rob grinned. “Are you offering to wash my back?”

Alaina snorted.

“My front?”

“Okay,
lover boy. Do it yourself then.” She scooted out of bed. “Show me where this menagerie of toiletries is.”

“I’ll confess right now that I don’t have anything that smells as good as your shampoo does.
Everything is guy-scented.”

“Sweaty socks?
” She smirked. “Gas?”

“Ha
-ha,” he deadpanned.

“I think I’ll get by
with whatever you have.”

Soon after
that, they were in Alaina’s car on the way to her apartment. She changed quickly, and then they continued on to breakfast.

Rob contemplated the menu. He really did need to watch what he was eating or he’d go from a stocky player to a
n overweight one. As much as he wanted the big man’s breakfast of eggs, home fries, toast, bacon, and pancakes, he ordered an egg white omelet with spinach and mushrooms. Alaina asked for French toast.

Mmm
. Maybe I can sweet talk her into giving me a couple of bites.
He was like a crack addict for sugar. A wee bit wouldn’t hurt, though, right?

Sighing, Rob told himself he didn’t need the calories, but the craving remained.
The server left and Rob leaned back in the booth. “So I wanted to give you an update on the whole charity foundation thing.”

“Okay.
” Alaina folded her hands on the table and leaned forward. “I’d love to know more.”

Rob took a deep breath.
“I talked to a lawyer. Actually, I retained one. He’s going to help us sort out all the paperwork. We need to file a whole pile of things with the IRS and some other places to get official non-profit status. He said we’d be looking at becoming a 501 (c)(3) organization, whatever that is.”