Bridge over troubled waters

41| After All This Time

Bailey

I am not a morning person. I hate mornings. If it was up to me I would make sure nothing starts until at least 10 am and that's still pushing it. So whenever Corey thinks that whatever is happening is important enough to be knocking on my bedroom door I really want to kill him. I do.

"Jesus Christ Corey please go away" I groan.

"Baileyyyyy" he whines.

"I wish I never gave you a key to my place" I pout as I throw a pillow at the bedroom door.

"Come out or I'm coming in" he threatens.

"Eat shit" I yell.

I hear my door open before letting out another groan. He crawls into bed with me and I roll over. He was all smiles and I was all about going back to bed.

"I have some news" he claims.

"Is it that I'm going to kill you" I ask.

"No. That's not news. You always want to kill me" he claims and I smile. He's not wrong.

I finally sit up in bed and pull my hair out of my face. I was wearing nothing but my sleep shirt I stole from him and a pair of underwear as I try to stay under the covers.

"What do you want Corey" I ask.

"My agent called this morning and told me that he got a extension with the Blackhawks done. I would be here for the next three years" he claims.

I was suddenly feeling very awake as I smile up at him. "Corey! That's amazing oh my god" I cheer as I jump up. I wrap my arms around him as I pull him close. I squeeze him tight to tell him congrats and that I'm so proud of him. 

"But I don't know if I'm going to take it" he finishes.

I quickly let him go as I look at him like he's crazy. "Why the hell not" I question.

"Because if you're not going to be here next year then neither am I. I don't want to do anything without you. Wherever you're going I'm going" he claims.

My eyes get big as I feel my heart beat faster. I knew he felt strongly towards me but not this strongly. "Corey, it's you're dream to play here, it's your dream to win here. This team is nothing without you and they want you here. I can't take you from your calling because you're scared to be around someone who isn't me. This team is great, this city is beautiful, you can't leave all this behind" I demand.

"You're my greatest dream Bailey" he argues.

I sink into my bed as I looked at him. I know he meant what he said. I know he is really considering not signing to go wherever I go but I cannot let that happen.

"Corey I need you to listen to me" I beg. "You cannot go around this life following me around. Trying to think like I do and do like I do. You belong here in this city with this team" I insist.

"I belong with you" he demands as he moves in closer. I stand my ground as he softly grabs my face. I get chills when his skin touches mine making me free so weak yet so strong. "You did a lot to come be here with me and it's only right that I do the same for you."

My blue eyes meet his brown ones and I forget what I'm trying to say. I get lost in his eyes as our faces inch closer and closer.

"I can't stop you from playing hockey" I whisper.

"I can't go on without you" he argues.

"I'm here for you Corey. Forever" I promise.

"Even if I sign here" he asks.

"Of course. You deserve to become a staple of this organization. You were in the minors for years working your ass off to be here and I'm not letting you walk away. They need someone like you who they know they can rely on. Someone they don't have to worry about going anywhere" I explain.

"Then stay with me. You can work at the UC and continue to make a name for yourself in the art community. We can always go back to where it all started but all of this" he says pointing to everyone around us, "this can be ours" he promises.

"How" I ask.

The next second he presses his lips to mine and I jump a little. After all this time I never thought this moment would be here, and here we are. His lips made mine tingle as he deepens the kiss. His hand moved behind my neck as he pulls me in closer than I've ever been. I crawl into his lap as I keep my lips on his. I was almost shaking I was so nervous but every part of me wanted this to happen. Needed this to happen.

His fingers get tangled in my hair as mine get wrapped up in his shirt. I pull him closer as I feel like all the breaths leaves my lungs. It feels like my whole life was leading up to this moment and it did not disappoint.

Finally we break apart but the only thing that did was our lips. I still had his hold on him and he still had his hold on me as we sit there for a moment. My heart going a million miles a hour as I try to calm it down. But I don't think it ever will.

"Can I say it now" he whispers softly. I can feel his breath on my lips as we stay impossibly close.

"Yeah, you can say it" I assure him.

"Bailey... I love you" he says and I finally look at him. He looks up at me as I sit in his lap. I slip my hands up his shirt and I feel his muscles tense under my touch.

"How much do you love me" I wonder as my hands wonder his body too.

"Every inch. Every second. Every moment" he promises.

I place my lips back on his as I grab his shirt. I lift it over his head and toss it to the side. His body was so toned as I hold him in my hands. I feel his hand resting on my lower back and I thought my legs were going to give out.

"Are you gonna say it" he asks and I smirk. Sometimes it was too easy with him.

"Maybe" I tease as he smiles.

"I don't want to cry right now. Please don't make me cry" he begs.

"Corey" I say as I place my hands on his cheeks. "I love you" I smile.

He quickly rolls us over so I'm under him and I let out a squeal. I giggle as he moves my hair out of the way. Once he can see me again he looks down and he looked so happy. The happiest I've seen him since Christmas before everything fell apart. "So you're going to sign right" I ask.

"You're gonna stay right" he counters and I smile.

"Only if you stay" I insist.

"Then it looks like we're staying" he announces.

"Good. Now come here" I demand as I wrap my fingers around his neck and pull him down. I pull him into a kiss and he happily kisses me back. I grab my shirt and toss it to the side with his. He leans over so his bare skin was against mine and I thought my stomach was going to flip.

He stops for a second to look me over and I start to blush. I try to hide my face with my hands but he grabs them. "Don't hide" he begs.

"Sorry but we just went from friends of 18 years to you seeing me like this really fast" I defend.

"We don't have to do this" he promises. "I understand if you don't want to."

"No" I beg. "I want to. It's just different is all" I explain.

"If it makes you feel any better, you look like you were sculpted by the goddesses" he accuses. He runs his hand across my curves and I feel my skin tingle at his touch.

"It helps a little" I admit.

He kisses my skin and I bite my lip trying not to make a lot of noise.

"You're not going to hurt me right" I ask.

"I will never, ever, ever hurt you" he promised.

And I believe him.