The Compromise

"You have no idea how excited I am that you guys do an ugly sweater Christmas party," Jess exclaimed as she walked ahead of Sid through the racks of the local discount clothing store. She had succeeded in finding a bright green snap close cardigan with pockets shaped like Christmas presents and pink snowflakes covering the rest of the sweater. Sid thought she look absolutely ridiculous in it. So she figured it would be five dollars well spent.

Now she was attempting to find Sid a complementary sweater of equal ugliness.

"I really don't think there is going to be a Christmas sweater in the men's department. Can't I just get any old ugly sweater?" Sid whined. Scouring the racks for a sweater early on Jess’ first day of winter break wasn’t what he had hoped to be doing. But Jess insisted she wanted to do it early so they could spend the rest of the day relaxing before the party at the Fluerys’ later that night.

"Ah ha! I found one! Now what size? Large? Better be safe than sorry!" Jess said in a sing-song voice. Sid rolled his eyes at his girlfriend all the while laughing. He managed through the holidays, but Jess' excitement for this party and the holidays following was starting to rub off on him. It was a bit infectious.

"Jess, I don't need a sweater," Sid started as she held the piece of clothing up to his muscular frame. As if just holding it there would show that it would fit or not.

"Sidney! Come on! Humor me a bit. Look at this great find!" He had to smile when she showed him the front of his potential sweater. It had a large Santa Claus head on the chest with intricate maroon and white weaving throughout.

"That is pretty ugly," Sidney said in a monotone voice. Jess gave a toothy grin, threw her arms around his midsection and squeezed him as tight as she could.

"Eek! Let’s go! I'm buying them!" Jess grabbed his hand and dragged him to the checkout. His whole body reacted to her touch and he couldn't help but feel a grin spread across his face. She had no idea what she did to him.

As Jess handed the two items over to the checkout clerk, the teenage girl did a double take when she saw Sidney standing right behind Jessica. She didn't say anything to the couple until Jess reached into her purse for her debit card.

"What? Can't your boyfriend pay for it?" The young girl attempted to joke. But her comment came across as mean.

"Excuse me?" Jess asked. She thought she didn't hear the girl correctly.

"Isn't he worth millions of dollars? Can't he fork over the 10 bucks to pay?" Now her tone was filled with an attitude that Jess didn’t like.

"Wow, you're really out of line here," Jess said. Sidney pushed around Jess and handed the girl a 10.

"Just so you are aware, I am going to your supervisor," Jess said as Sid took the receipt and bag from the cashier. He was embarrassed by the whole transaction and wanted to leave.

"Babe, let’s just go," Sid whispered as they turned away from the cashier. "That girl looks like she needs to work; she doesn't need to lose a minimum wage job over something she said."

Jess was not happy. She never experienced that before when she would be out with James. She walked ahead of Sid towards her car, having driven because Sid had been experiencing some headaches as of late.

She climbed into the driver side and started the car before Sid reached for the passenger side door. She glanced to her right and noticed he wasn't at the car at all. Panicked, she turned to get out of the car when she caught sight of him in her rear view mirror. He was squatting next to a little boy wearing a Penguins jersey. The boy's mom was snapping a picture of the pair. Sid looked genuinely happy to be making that little boy's day. And all anger she had about the clerk in the store or how Sid intervened melted away.

As Sid walked towards the car she knew that what he just did for that boy was one of the countless reasons she was falling in love with him.

He climbed into the passenger seat and gave Jess a brief glance and noticed the look she was giving him.

"What?" Sid asked cautiously.

"You are probably the nicest professional athlete I've ever met. You just made that kid's life!" Jess was beaming with pride.

"It's just part of my job. I'm not going to tell the kid no. Creepy old people, maybe," Sid joked, "Are you calmed down now?"

"Yeah, I've just never experienced someone doing that before! I mean, I'd gone out and shopped with James before, and paid for my own stuff, but never had a person speak to us like that."

"Yeah, everyone who knows anything about Pittsburgh sports knows how much money I make unfortunately."

"Regardless, that girl was out of line. She should be fired for speaking to the customers like that regardless of who they are. But you're right. She probably does need the job."

Sid nodded in agreement. Before Jess put the car into drive to head back towards Sidney’s house he stopped her. She turned to look at him.

“Jess, things are going to be a lot different than when you were with James,” Sidney began.
“Yeah, I am realizing that now,” Jess looked out the window, a car pulled in to the spot in front of them.

“I try to remain as anonymous and private as I can. That is why I love coming down to you because we can go to the grocery store and not get mobbed by people,” Sid continued.

“But it’s not always going to be that way I know,” Jess understood. She wasn’t dating a hockey player anymore. She was dating the face of the NHL. She could only imagine what it was like in when he was home with his family.

“Let’s get out of here. Are you hungry?” Sid asked, changing the subject. He knew that she would try to adjust to the different dynamic their relationship was taking on.

“Not really, but if you are we can stop somewhere. If you want that is,” Jess said. She looked distracted now.

“Just go back to my place. I can find something there to fix for lunch.” Jess just nodded her head and proceeded in the direction of his house. The remainder of the drive was spent in silence, with Sidney occasionally studying Jess’ facial expressions. He couldn’t get over how expressive she was even when she wasn’t talking. She always wore her emotions on her sleeve and when she wasn’t talking she always seemed to be thinking about something.

“What are you thinking about?” Sidney asked finally as she turned onto the street that leads to his house.

“Nothing really,” Jess replied. He knew she was refraining from telling him though. When she parked he got out of the car first and dashed around the front to the driver’s side, catching Jess off guard. She had been so zoned out that she didn’t notice him move to her side so quickly. He closed the door behind her and pinned her against it with his bare hands resting against the cold roof. She looked up at him startled by his actions.

“You aren’t second guessing us are you?” Sidney asked bluntly. He didn’t wait for her response, “I know this is a bit overwhelming, but if you trust me and truly want to be with me we can make this work. Because I know I want to see where all of this is heading.” He ran his frosty cool fingertips along her cheek. Jess’ eyes fluttered close as his touch, her head leaning into his hand. “I’ve dated girls before, but I’ve never truly been in love with someone before. These feelings are amazing and I can’t imagine losing these feelings ever. I don’t know if I’d ever get them back,” Sid spoke softly.

Jess’ eyes opened to see Sidney’s face inches from hers. Her hands reached up and gripped the collar of his jacket, pulling his face even closer until their lips met. The kiss was slow and sweet, full of promise that she wasn’t giving up on them after such a short time. “What happened back there wasn’t some sign of what the future holds. I won’t allow the public to jeopardize what we have here. She was just a bitch about it.” Sid threw his head back and laughed loudly. “We just have to be cautious about what we choose to do. To be perfectly honest, I like just staying home and watching a movie or playing a board game.”

Sid smiled conspiratorially. “You know I am pretty competitive.”

“Naturally, but I have been called a card shark. Ask my college roommates,” Jess said. Sid backed away from Jess to allow her to move away from the car.

“Alright, I’ve got a deck of cards. What do you say; want to play a hand of poker?”

“Only if its strip poker and you are already in your boxers,” Jess said as seriously as she could muster.

“You’re on Wade. What does the winner get?”

“Oral pleasure?” Jess suggested without considering other options.

Sid had started walking towards the front door when she suggested what the prize would be. He doubled back to her and said, “You’re on!” He threw her over his shoulder and walked swiftly to the door in anticipation of the game he knew he would win.

One hour and five hands later Sid was regretting taking on Jess in poker. He sat at the island in only his boxer briefs, having been swept by his girlfriend. She was still fully clothed.

“Aaaaaaaaaand my royal flush beats your four of a kind. Which makes me the winner and you a naked, albeit incredibly sexy, loser,” Jess smiled smugly at Sid and stood from her stool and went to retrieve a bottle of water from the fridge.

“I have no idea what the hell just happened,” Sid was staring at their hands in disbelief, “You really are a card shark!” Jess nodded as she sipped the cool beverage.

“You’d think I’d be better at math,” Jess said as she returned the cap to the top of the bottle.

Sid couldn’t help but laugh at how unexpected Jess’ card playing abilities were.

“Are you good at all card games?”

“Pretty much.”

“Euchre?” He started shooting off names of different card games.

“Yep.”

“500?”

“I’d school you in as many hands as I just did in this game of poker.”

“Black Jack?”

“Taught my dad everything he knows.”

“You don’t do something you could get arrested for in Vegas, do you?”

“Ha! No, I don’t read cards. I am just gifted at the sport.”

“You should enter some tournaments or something.” Sid wouldn’t let it go. Jess rolled her eyes and leaned over the island across from Sid.

“Don’t you have some pants to be losing?” She asked. Sid arched his eyebrow as he stood from his seat.

“Oh you mean these?” He asked as he hooked his thumbs in the waistband of his shorts. She nodded silently as she watched his next move. He started to push them down over his hips revealing part of his bare ass; Jess licked her lips in anticipation. She glanced up at him with an expectant stare.

“Lose them Crosby. Stop trying to delay the inevitable,” Jess said. She wanted to see him in all his glory, then gloat that he is like that because he lost big to a girl. But he was around the island and standing in front of her before she could react. He lifted her to a sitting position on the island and pushed her thighs open to stand in between her legs.

“Don’t I have to give you your prize?” He whispered seductively.

“Huh,” Jess was at a loss for words. Sid didn’t care; he attacked her neck with his lips as he unzipped the front of her hoodie. She let the hoodie pool around her waist on top of the island as her head fell back exposing her cleavage to the torrent of kisses Sidney was providing. He wrapped his hands around her hips and pulled her ass closer to edge of the island, meeting his growing member with her heat.

“You feel what you do to me?” Sid murmured against her throat. Jess’ fingers were wrapping through his hair. He dragged his lips up her chin and crashed them against hers. Her moan only enticed him to grip her hips and help her grind against him. Jess pulled away from their kiss and looked at Sidney. His hands found the hem of her camisole and he raised it up over her head swiftly.

“You went out with no bra?” Sid asked as he was met with her erect nipples rather than material covering her breasts.

“I had enough layers on,” Jess said nonchalantly.

“Yeah okay, but had I seen your nipples I probably wouldn’t have held back as much,” Sid said matter-of-factly. He immediately captured a nub in his mouth while Jess leaned back on the palms of her hands. His mouth traveled down her stomach to the waist of her jeans. He worked to remove her pants lifting her hips with one hand and using the other to pull the offensive material off of her smooth legs. He groaned loudly once he got a look at her.

“See, if only you had won you would have learned that I wasn’t wearing panties a lot sooner too,” Jess giggled.

“You can bet I am not giving you your prize,” Sid said, “How did I not notice you get dressed this morning?” Sid asked as his lips trailed kisses across her abdomen and back towards her breasts. Jess wrapped her legs around Sid’s waist.

“Better question, how are you still dressed and I am completely naked already?” Jess feigned anger and attempted to push his boxers down with her feet to no avail. Sid stopped massaging Jess’ backside and thighs and reached down to help rid him of his clothing too.

Jess sat up straight and pulled Sidney flush against her. Touching foreheads, the couple never lost eye contact as Jess gripped Sidney’s length and lined him up to her entrance. “This is an even better than my prize, which I still expect to be given at some point.” Sid let out a breathy laugh and looked down as he pushed the head of his cock inside of her wetness. “That is so hot,” she whispered. Sid could only nod his head.

“So perfect,” Sid said. He began moving slowly as they adjusted to the angle and new position. “Jess I really just want to let go.” In response, Jess laid back on the countertop and spread her legs wider.

“Fuck me baby,” Jess said as her own hands traveled up her torso to give her breasts attention. Sid let loose. He pulled out slowly and in one fluid motion slammed back inside of her. The force of the motion forced Jess to arch her back off the granite giving Sid the opportunity to lean over her small frame and bite down on the supple flesh of her breasts. He slipped his arms around her back and forced her to sit back up. He wrapped her legs around his waist and lifted her off the counter support all together. He guided her to bounce up and down on his dick while he turned and slammed her up against the wall next to the fridge.

“Yes, baby! Just like that,” Jess moaned into Sid’s ear as he continued to pound into her. “I’m gonna come Sid.” Sid knew this already as he felt the tightening of her already tight pussy.

“Yes, let go baby, I’m close too,” Sid panted as his thrusts became more erratic. It only took a handful of thrusts for the lovers to lose it together moaning each other’s names and holding onto each other to stay upright.

As they started coming down from their high Sid’s legs started to give and the pair fell in a heap on the cool tile floor, Sid on his back with Jess splayed out on top of him. All that was heard was the sound of their heavy breathing.

“Well that wasn’t what I expected,” Jess finally said through deep breaths. She sat up, straddling Sid. His semi-hard dick still buried inside of her. Sid rubbed his hands up and down her thighs, admiring the view of his freshly fucked girlfriend, her mussed hair, plump lips, erect nipples and ivory soft skin.

“I love you,” Sid said abruptly. It may not have been the perfect time to tell her, but he knew he couldn’t wait much longer. He knew what he felt in his heart, and he knew she wouldn’t run off if he said it already.

Jess’ golden green eyes glassed over. Her lip trembled and she smiled.

“I love you too,” she finally said. Hearing her reciprocate those feelings made his heart swell. Sid sat up and brought her lips to his. She broke the kiss, and much to his protests as his arousal was growing again, stood and took his hand in hers. She didn’t turn to grab their clothes scattered throughout the kitchen. Instead, she led him towards the steps to the upstairs.

“Where are we going?” Sid asked as he followed her.

“You still owe me my prize, lover,” Jess said seductively. Sid smiled mischievously, grabbed her around the waist and hurriedly carried Jess the rest of the way to his room, her lips attacking his exposed shoulder along the way.

Notes