He knew he broke everything good in his life, which is why he never got close to anyone.That said, it was like Aspen’s decision weighed on his heart as heavy as the water that crushed against his body, his soul, as he searched the depths of the lake for his sister all those years ago.
No woman had ever affected him this way, so why now?Why her?
Maybe it was because of her laser-focus on her business, but his hook-ups were boardroom broads successful in their own rights, so that disavowed that theory.
Maybe it was her take-no-shit, I-can-do-it-all demeanor that called to him.
Possibly.
Then it struck him; it was Aspen’s genuineness.In her presence, he was good enough, talented enough.Shit, she thought he hung the moon when he fixed the baseboard the other day.The fact that she appreciated him for him—if only for his handyman skills—spoke volumes and touched a deep part of him he thought was long dead.
“Okay, Connor,” a smile touched her pouty lips made puffier by their impromptu make-out session.
“Good,” Wolfe offered with a firm headshake, still holding their dinner dishes.“Let me put these in the sink and I’ll be right back.”
It was comical to Wolfe.Other than offering endless orgasms to the handful of women in his life, the thought of providing more than a peck on the cheek, let alone dish duties, surprised the hell out of him.
Speaking of a smooch...with one last lingering kiss on BB’s oh-so kissable mouth, Wolfe made quick work of the dishes and found himself returning to the beauty.
Except she was now Sleeping Beauty.She was slumped against the corner cushions of the couch, a throw pillow featuring some orangey flower pattern tucked to her chest.To add to her sweetness, she lightly snored.
Wolfe couldn’t resist touching her.He brushed his knuckles across her cheek before whispering in her ear.
“Wake up, sleepyhead,” he said with a gentleness that surprised the shit out of himself.
She mumbled something inaudible then sighed, cuddling deeper into the pillow.
Wolfe longed to be that fucking pillow at the moment.
“Sorry, “ she murmured, stirring from her sleep.“I wake up at three...”her voice trailed off and back to dreamland.
Something that was as foreign to him as offering an opponent praise during a game, Wolfe collected BB from the couch and held her body close to his as he tracked his way to her bedroom.
He could have flown to the moon by flapping his arms when she cuddled against him.Relishing in the quiet moment, Wolfe held her with one arm as he shifted the million pillows that rested atop her bed to pull back the spread and sheets.
He gently laid her on the bed and left a lingering kiss on her forehead.
“I’m sorry, Connor,” she said and snuggled into the sheets.
“Don’t be sorry,” he whispered and tucked the blankets around her perfect, curvy form.He offered one last glide of his fingers across her face because of his need to touch her.“Sleep.I’ll lock up behind me.”
His cock was as hard as a rock, raging at his unfulfilled desire, but a small corner of the empty space that used to house his heart thawed just a little.He was happy to be able to do something kind for his boss baker.
Nothis boss baker, he reminded himself.
Knowing sleep would elude him, Wolfe did the only thing he could, outside of begging the woman sleeping in her bed to play with him.
He texted Dante.
Wolfe: Working out.Meet at the arena gym?
Dante: See you in 30.
For reasons he would ponder as he bench-pressed roughly two hundred pounds, he had no desire to call the waiting and willing women who looked to Wolfe for their sexual releases.
If he couldn’t have BB, he didn’t want anyone at the moment.
And that thought scared the holy hell out of the toughest player in the NHL.