Coming Up for Air (cole caufield x oc)

BONUS CHAPTER 4

∆ Tate ∆

Tate couldn't say how long she stayed like that-her head against Josh's chest and his arms around her. But when she leaned back again to look at him, her cheeks were damp with tears and her eyelids were heavy.

She didn't know why, but she didn't want to leave. The night had drained her, torn her to shreds, and she didn't feel like she had any reason to be as upset as she was. After all, it was Freya that had every right to be hurting.

As if he could see the uncertainty inside of her, Josh prompted, "What are you thinking about right now?"

Tate ran a hand through her hair and shrugged. "It's just been a long year," she mumbled.

It was true-she'd packed up everything in a week and moved her whole life to a new country. Now, she was back in her home state, just an hour from where she'd grown up, and it didn't feel safe like it used to. Now it just felt sad.

When Tate glanced up, she could see every one of Josh's emotions painted across his expression: sadness, fear, hurt-all on her behalf. It wasn't something Tate had ever seen before-someone who saw openly and unapologetically showed exactly what they were feeling at any moment. She admired him more deeply than she could have expressed then, so she just tried to shake it off. Tate wasn't sure she'd ever felt such comfort, such closeness with a man she'd just met-maybe any man at all, for that matter.

"Well," she murmured, "I guess I should head upstairs. I'm sorry for keeping you up."

Neither of them made any move to go. Instead, Josh asked, "Is there anything I can do that would make you feel any better? I promise it's no trouble."

Tate considered it a moment, flashing a glance down at her outfit, which she'd worn to the nightclub and all the way back to the hotel. "Honestly," she began, "all I really want is a shower." She let out a huff and added, "Frey is a heavy sleeper, but I don't want to wake up Riley."

Josh didn't hesitate. "Of course-it's all yours. I can leave and just come back in an hour or so."

"No, it's okay," Tate assured him with a chuckle. "You can stay." She cracked her knuckles, suddenly nervous. It wasn't like her to ask a man for help-to ask a man for anything at all. But for reasons she couldn't explain, she trusted Josh, and she wanted to hold on to the security he provided. "Is there any chance I could borrow a change of clothes? All of our stuff is back at the hotel we were supposed to stay at, and I don't know how much longer I can stand this crop top and-"

Josh was already at his suitcase on the other side of the bed, flipping through several neatly folded piles of clothes. When he'd found something, he brought it back around and set it delicately on Tate's lap. Fortunately, neither the t-shirt nor shorts bore his team's logo-so she hopefully wouldn't have to explain anything to Freya or Riley when they saw it in the morning.

"Are you sure you don't want me to go while you're in there?" Josh asked, still standing.

His kindness was welcome but unnecessary, so Tate offered him a grateful smile and shook her head. "Thank you," she whispered, rising to her feet. With both of them between the beds, it was hard for Tate not to notice the closeness of their bodies, the way Josh's chest rose and fell with his breath.

Scared of the feeling it sent through her bones, Tate stepped away and headed into the bathroom.

-------

𝙹𝚘𝚜𝚑

Josh couldn't sit still on his hotel bed. The shower had been running for ten minutes by then, and he felt like he was going to have a heart attack. He had no idea what to do when Tate came out in his clothes-look away? say she looked nice? This was so far out of his regular routine that it made him nauseous.

With no better ideas, he pulled his phone out of pocket and tried someone he hoped would be awake at three in the morning eastern time.

Messages

Conversation with Sir Quinn Hughes

Josh
hey are you awake? no worries
if not.

Sir Quinn
yes sir. late night? don't you
have a game tomorrow lol

Josh
it's a long story. i need your
sage advice

Sir Quinn
i am known for that. what's up?

Josh
i've got a girl in my shower.
that makes it sound like i kidnapped
her.
also she is an adult girl

Sir Quinn
sometimes called a woman

Josh
right yes

Sir Quinn
norris you dog 😏

Josh
no it's not like that
i don't think
oh god do you think it's like
that?

Sir Quinn
what? now im just confused

Josh
never mind, too hard to
explain. pretend i never texted

Sir Quinn
if i wake up and see on the news that
an unnamed hockey player has taken
a chick hostage, i'm gonna have a lot
of questions

------

At this, Josh heard the bathroom door open. He hadn't even noticed when the water stopped running. He tossed his phone to the side in a hurry, trying-probably to no avail-to look as casual as he could.

When Tate stepped around the corner, Josh's breath left his lungs entirely. Her hair was damp and hung over the shoulders of the t-shirt he'd given her, which was at least three sizes too big. It was big enough that it swallowed the upper part of Tate's legs, so that only the bottom inch of his shorts were visible beneath the bottom hem. Her cheeks were rosy, and when her eyes fell on Josh, he was ready to do anything for her.

Instead, he cleared his throat awkwardly and rose to his feet. He wracked his brain for an excuse to keep her there longer, to stay and talk and laugh-but he knew better than to keep her up. She was probably ten times more exhausted than he was.

"Thank you," Tate remarked as she approached. "That helped a lot."

"I'm glad," Josh managed, though he wasn't entirely sure how he ever found the words. Tate was just a foot from him-he could have reached out and touched her.

Tate beat him to it: she nudged his arm gently and prompted, "Will you walk me back downstairs? Then I promise I won't bother you anymore."

"You could never bother me," Josh hurried, and Tate smiled, glancing down at her feet. Still, Josh didn't miss the little flush in her cheeks when she did it.

At this, Tate led the way to the door, all the way to the elevator, and back to her own room. There, she seemed to hesitate, her keycard in hand. Josh waited, raised his brows at her. After another moment, she whispered, "Thank you again."

She strained onto the tips of her toes to press a gentle kiss to Josh's cheek. Before he even had time to process what had happened, though, the door was closed, and Tate was gone.