Hayes (A Carolina Cyclones Story)

39.

Maggie

It's rare that I find myself awake before Hayes. Even when I can tell he's spent from whatever it is his day has entailed, his body seems to be so accustomed to constant motion that he has a hard time sleeping in. He seems to make up for it during his team mandated naps though.

In these uncommon instances where I find myself awake while he sleeps I can't help but watch him. When he's sleeping he looks at peace. Gone is the sag in his shoulders and crease in his brow that seem ever present, especially lately. I wish there was something I could do for him. He's already done more than I can explain for me.

Being spotted with Hayes has given my artwork an insane boost. I've had more sales in the past month than in the year before I met him. At first, I worried over the fact that more than likely my sales were improving just because of my proximity to Hayes and not due to anyone actually appreciating my work but I'd made my peace with that. A sale was a sale.

It's Monday, so as much as I want to stay here, in this bed, watching Hayes in his most relaxed and tranquil form, I know Landon will be calling soon and I want my brother's opinion.

I change into a pair of shorts and a t-shirt plucked from the drawer of my things I've started in his dresser and pad down the stairs into the kitchen, grabbing a coffee cup from the cabinet and setting to work making myself a latte with Hayes' fancy coffee machine. I've stayed here enough that I've finally learned how to work the contraption myself and I'm just taking my first sip of my perfectly made drink when my phone vibrates with Landon's incoming call.

"Hi, baby brother!"

He groans in response to my infantilization but then lets out a light chuckle. "Hi, Magpie."

"How are things?" I ask, my voice tentative. The last time he and I spoke he'd told me he had reached out to Talia, his ex-girlfriend and was hoping to find some kind of peace with their breakup.

"I mean, it's not great but I'm making it. I talked to Talia."

"And?"

He breathes out a heavy sigh and my heart clenches in my chest. I'm a bit of a romantic, especially with Hayes in my life, and it hurts me to know my brother is hurting.

"She's settling in to New York. Said she's already made some friends and found a job that will pay the bills while she takes some auditions. She sounded happy."

"And how did that make you feel?"

"I don't know, Maggie." He sighs again and in my mind I can practically see him scrunched up in the front seat of his truck, his head leaned back against the headrest, his eyes misty and I have to do something to help him.

"Why don't you come to my place tonight? We can play video games and I'll cook or order out and you can finally meet Hayes. Maybe it'll help get your mind off things."

"I don't know Mags, we're behind on a few projects but I'll see what I can do. I can let you know for sure by lunch, okay?"

"Yeah, that works."

"Everything all right with you? I feel bad we seem to only talk about my woes in our chats recently."

"Yeah, everything is fine. Hayes is super stressed with the playoffs and then Jax has been acting a fool which only makes him more stressed out and I hate to admit it but I'm kind of ready for the season to end just so he can relax. He's so wound up all the time."

"Isn't it your job to fix that for him?"

"Okay, ew. I will not be discussing my sex life with my baby brother."

"I'm just saying there is a sure fire way to help any man blow off some steam."

"Yeah, I'm gonna pass on the rest of this conversation. Let me know about tonight. I love you, loser. Bye!"

"Landon doing okay?" I jump, startled by Hayes' voice since I didn't hear him approach.

"Yeah, he's still hung up on Talia but he sounded better than the last time I talked to him. I invited him over to my place tonight, hopefully it will get his mind off it for a while plus I thought the two of you could finally meet."

"Ooh, meeting the brother. This must be getting kind of serious." He teases as he snakes his arms around my waist and pulls me towards him until his lips can press gently to my forehead.

"Think it was pretty serious once you gave me a key to your house."

"A key you still rarely use." He says pointedly.

"Just don't want to run you off by overstepping." I admit, opening myself up to him and showing him my vulnerability. I like to think of myself as a pretty independent person but in relationships I tend to grow attached quickly and it was something my previous boyfriend cited as a contributing factor to the end of our relationship. With Hayes I'm treading carefully because I truly see something with him and I don't want to contribute to my own demise. That's becoming increasingly harder with each passing day. My feelings for him are so clear, and seem to deepen every day but I'm hesitant to share them with him when I'm not sure he feels the same way. When I jump off the proverbial cliff, I want to make sure he's going to be there to catch me.

"You could never overstep, Maggie.I want you around, every minute of every fucking day if you want to be.I–jesus, Maggie. I–" The air in the room suddenly turns tense, Hayes steps towards me, his eyes focused on mine. He studies me, his tongue darting between his open lips to wet them as his throat works and my heart in my chest beats with the cadence of a thousand drums and I wonder if he's about to say the three words I think he might. The same three words that have been daring to spill from my own mouth over the past few days.

Instead, he pulls me against him once more, letting the rest of whatever he was going to say remain unspoken. Our bodies meet at every possible intersection as he crashes our lips together. The natural draw to him is still there and I give in to his kiss, allowing him to lift me up onto the counter and begin the removal process of my clothes but along with it there is a slight twinge of disappointment that he didn't say what I so wish he would. Even if I suspect he might feel the way I know I do, I need to hear it.

Hayes lifts me again, allowing my shorts and panties to slide to the floor before he carries me to the couch and drops me down, discarding his boxers, the only clothing he was wearing, and kneeling over me.

His hand, the palm rough and calloused slide around my neck, the pad of his thumb slowly working over my cheek as he stares at me with the most tender look that pulls at every one of my available heart strings.

Maybe he hasn't said the words yet, but as Hayes slips inside of me, our bodies moving together on instinct like this is what we were born to do. I know without a doubt that something has changed between us. This isn't just sex, it's making love and I know it's true, even if he can't bring himself to say it just yet. Or at least, that's the hope I cling to.