Hockey Tales: Enforcer

Chapter 3

Ok so I've been waiting for people to tell me that they actually want to read the story. Well I wasn't getting anyone until just recently. I want to thank purpleheart689 for pulling me about into writing this. I know this upload is short but I only liked half of it. I'll try to get a longer chapter next upload. Thanks again for liking this.

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Chapter 3

I watched as Ayla looked out the window processing what I just told her. Her eyes were lost in the sea of orange and yellow light covering the buildings. I watched as she closed her eyes on a weary sigh. Her hands tightening around the coffee mug. I almost told her to forget what I had just said. I wanted to reach out to her and pull her into my side. Tell her that we didn't even have to see each other in the next two weeks. That I would go home with her and pretend to be the most devoted fiancé she had ever seen.

When the idea first popped into my head, I thought it was the perfect idea. My chance to show her how things would have been had I not walked out that morning. After that morning, Reece had warned me to stay away. That Teagan and Ayla were starting a Ryan Haters Club. So I stayed away. Never trying to track her down and explain that morning. But I was tired of thinking of her so much and not having her. I fell more and more in love with her every thought that I had about her.

I put my arm around her shoulder and pulled her into my side. I could feel her stiffen a second before melting into me. That had to be a good sign but with her eyes still closed and her face still thoughtful I couldn't help but doubt my conditions. I would rather have her hate me for that one night then for a month of nights.

“Ayla, I'll....” Her fingers slid over my lips stopping me from finishing my sentence. The satin feel of her fingers turning my body into one big hormone. I felt her shift slightly under my arm, making herself more comfortable. I tightened my arm around her loving the feel of her body next to mine.

“Ok, Ryan. We'll be a couple for a month.” she said looking out over the morning again. My heart jumped into overdrive. She was actually agreeing to being a couple. I have a month to prove to her how much she means to me. “But with conditions on top of your conditions. We have to lay down some ground rules if we are going to do this.”

I couldn't have been more happy. I knew she would put her own conditions in effect. And I could work with that. I just needed the time to get her to realize how much I regretted what I did.

“Ok! We can come up with boundaries over breakfast.” I said standing up and pulling her up with me. “I'm starving and your coming with me. It can be our first outing together.”

I heard her chuckle and murmur “a little excited, aren't we” as I lightly pushed her towards her room. She had no idea how excited I was. There was no way she understood what was riding on this. Reece was going to kill me but I couldn't care less. My future is standing less then two feet away from me and I'm not running this time.

I watched as she went around getting her clothes ready. I knew she had showered already. I could smell her shampoo and body wash. The mixture of milk, honey, and tangerines drove me crazy. Every time she was around, I just wanted to bury my head in her neck and inhale until I could get my fill. Which was useless because I could never get enough of it. I had become pathetic enough to buy candles that smell like her. I burn them every night before I try to sleep. And the dreams the produce are amazing.

I felt something hit my shoulder. I looked over to see a t-shirt fall to the floor and Ayla standing there with her hands on hips smirking at me. She had obviously caught me in my thoughts.

“You're not watching me change.” She said, looking at me like it was my intent to stay and watch her. Not that I wouldn't enjoy the show. “You should go change.”

“I have to go get my things from Reece's.” I turned to walk away. “I be back in a little bit.”

I heard her sign. “Ask them to join us for breakfast. They should know about our agreement.”

I couldn't help the small smile as I walked out of the door. She was already trying to put a buffer in the plans. But I wouldn't allow her to.

“So she agreed to all of this,” Reece said as he placed my black hockey bag in the spare room. He has been asking me the same question for about fifteen minutes. When I had run up to get my bags, I told Reece and Teagan about my plan to win Ayla back. Reece had gone all protective big brother on me. When he finally realized he words were not going to sway me, he looked at Teag for back up. She had just looked at me intensely for a few seconds before a smile broke out on her face. She walked up and gave me a hug whispering in my ear, “It's about damn time.”

When she pulled away, Reece just stood there glaring at me. I smiled and walked to get get my bags. “If you help, I'll explain it all to you. I'm sure your wondering what my plan is.” And with that I had begun to explain how we were going to date until we got back from this trip home of hers. Reece had made sure to keep quite when Ayla was around. Teagan had dragged Ayla out to some shop before we met up for brunch. Which made telling my plan easier.

Reece had listened to my plan and when I was finished asked if she agreed. And he has been asking me every five seconds it seems like. I was starting to get irritated by it.

“Listen Reece, I messed up big time when I left that morning. But can you seriously tell me that you didn't freak out in the least when you realized you were falling for Teagan?” I asked, finally breaking down. “I freaked, man. It's not like I had the best of examples to go by. Mom was with a different guy almost weekly when we were growing up.” My mother was a subject I didn't like to get into. Reece knew it too.

“First, I never freaked when I found out I was falling for Teag. It was quite the opposite actually.” Reece said smiling as he was probably remembering how much Teagan tried to push him away. “And two, I just don't want Ayla to get hurt again. She was pretty sure she would hate you forever.”

I smiled, “She's still not very fond of me but I'm working on that. I still don't know why she's so obsessed with this reunion though. I mean she's gorgeous and successful. Why would she want to have someone come home with her?” I looked up at Reece to see his eyes go soft and sad. It was the pity look that got me curious. “Tell me Reece.”

“Teagan's told me a bit about growing up. Her and Ayla went to this snooty private school. Teagan because her dad was the head master and Ayla got in on scholarship. Well just like everywhere else, scholarship kids are treated like the plague because they don't have money. Ayla didn't get picked on a lot because she was Teag's friend but there was a pretty bad incident that involved a guy when she was a senior. If she wants you to know about it then she can tell you.” He shook his head before continuing, “She isn't athletic either, so that didn't help. The school was practically a college scouts wet dream. But there was poor, artistic Ayla.” He chuckled.

“She made something of herself though.” I said, admiring what she had accomplished. “She's probably got more money then all of them combined.”

“You never truly lose the insecure side, Rye.” He said, a small sad smile on his face. “I mean look at you. You ran for her cause you were scared.”

I had never really thought of it that way but he was right. I was insecure about my ability to keep her love. I made a promise to myself right then. I would never let Ayla feel insecure about herself again. I would shove her accomplishments in any doubter's face. And I would win her love. And I will keep it.