One Timers

“Are you coming out with us tonight?” Brooks Laich asks as the guys pull off their gear after a well-fought win over their rival Penguins.
“Yeah! Celebrate beating Crosby!” Ovechkin yells.
Tom laughs at his captain’s antics. He loves beating Crosby more than anything, and since Tom scored the game-winner he has a feeling Ovi wants to celebrate with him even harder.

“I can’t tonight, guys. Sorry.” Tom says vaguely.
“Dude why the hell not? Mr. Game-Winner has to go out!” Mike Green yells from the other side of the locker room.

Tom sighs. This could go one of three ways. He could suck it up and go, hoping he doesn’t get smashed and miss tomorrow’s festivities. He could lie and try to avoid going out with some made-up story. Or he could tell the truth.

Sucking in a breath, he decides to go with the third option. Well, half-truth.

“My fiancee is graduating from Georgetown early tomorrow morning. I don’t want to be hung over. Or miss it completely.” He admits.

The locker room is silent. They didn’t even know he had a girlfriend, let alone a fiancee.

“Are you fucking with us?” Ovi asks.
“No.” Tom answers, honestly.
“We thought you were single, but here you are with a fiancee?” Laich asks.
“Yup.” He leaves it at that as he heads out to his car with a simple good night to the rest of his team.

He feels bad not telling them the whole truth. But in all honesty, they probably wouldn’t get it. Yeah, he likes Chloe. A lot. They’ve been best friends since they were kids. Their entire families are best friends. But neither of them wants to get married to each other.

It’s not really their choice, though, as their parents had signed a legal agreement with each other that they would eventually get married as soon as they found out that her parents were expecting a girl and his parents were expecting a boy. Tom and Chloe always knew about the agreement, but never really had a problem with it until they were old enough to realize exactly what was expected from this relationship. Last summer, at their annual Canada Day celebration, Tom was practically forced to propose.

The only reason they’re even entertaining this idea is because there’s a five-year clause. If, after five years of marriage, they’re both unhappy with the situation, they can file for a divorce. They’ve agreed to tough it out until then, pretending to really be trying. And in the meantime, they’re both allowed to have casual relations with whomever they want. Which means he’s often found himself waking up in some girl’s apartment on the road. He’d never do that at home though, out of respect for Chloe.

He sounds like a complete ass. He really does love her. She’s probably his best friend in the entire world. He actually had a crush on her for a couple years in grade school. And as far as future wives go, he’s really not missing out. She’s brilliant, graduating from an ivy-league college a year early. She’s the reason he passed high school at all. She’s absolutely beautiful, the kind of girl you’d expect to be with a professional hockey player. And of course they get along really well. That kinda comes with the whole ‘best friend’ title. In fact, if they hadn’t been best friends since they were in diapers, they probably would have ended up dating at some point. Maybe even seriously.

But it’s the stigma of an arranged marriage that has them both put off. The idea that their parents just decided that they were going to spend the rest of their lives together, have kids together, without even knowing what they were going to be like. I mean, what if she grew up to be a complete bitch? Or if he was a criminal? What if one of them was gay?

Tom sighs as he pulls into his garage next to Chloe’s piece of shit car. He wishes she would let him buy her a new one, but she insists that he doesn’t spend his money on her. She feels like it makes her a cheap whore. He just wants her to realize that he cares about her and wants the best for her. Besides, it’s just a car. He’s got plenty of money so what’s the big deal?

“Honey, I’m home!” He jokes, shutting the door.
“In the kitchen!” She yells back.

He heads towards the kitchen where he finds Chloe sitting on the counter, staring at the graduation gown hanging over the door. She sighs when she sees him.

“What’s up?” He asks, opening the refrigerator to grab leftovers to heat up.
“I can’t believe I’m graduating tomorrow.” She says.
“I can.” He says, surprising her.
“What?”
“You’re so smart, Chlo. It doesn’t surprise me that you’re graduating a year early. I’m proud of you.”
“Thanks.” She blushes. “You played a fantastic game. Amazing goal.”
He smiles. Even though they agreed she wouldn’t go to his games to avoid the inevitable questions, he still loved that she watched them and cheered for him.
“Did you wear your Wilson jersey?” He asks.
“Of course. I always have. Even in juniors.” She responds, sticking out her tongue.
“Well then that goal was for you.” He smiles and sends her a wink.

She eyes him suspiciously.
“Why are you sucking up?” She asks, narrowing her eyes.
Her uncanny ability to call him out on his shit has always been one of his favorite things about her. And one of his least favorite.
“I-uh... I might have let it slip to the guys today that I’m engaged.”
He turns towards the microwave to remove his food, hiding his face from her.

“Wait. You what?” She asks, sliding down from the counter.
Despite his extra foot in height, he felt himself cowering slightly from her. This woman has always intimidated him, mostly because she knows all his weaknesses and can destroy him in a fight in seconds. She’s done it on numerous occasions throughout the years.

“They wanted me to go out to celebrate the win tonight and I said no. I knew they wouldn’t believe any lie cause I’ve been lying so much lately to get out of going out so I can be here with you. And I didn’t want to go out and then be hungover for your ceremony tomorrow. So I kinda just told them that my fiancee is graduating college tomorrow morning and then left.”

She looks at him, bewildered.

“You’ve been blowing off going out to be with me?” She asks.
“That’s all you got from that?”
“No. You didn’t want to be hungover so you told them about me. I heard all that, and we’ll talk about it. But you’ve been lying to your team- to your extended family- to be home with me?”
“Yeah?”
“Why?”
“Because you’re my fiancee. You’re my best friend. Because I enjoy spending time laying on the couch watching a movie with you much more than I enjoy being out at a bar or club without you. Sure it’s fun for a little while. But then girls just throw themselves at me and it’s pathetic and all I do is sit there and wish I was here with you.” He responds, honestly.

“Tom.” She breathes, tears in the corners of her eyes. “That’s so sweet.”
He reaches out and grabs her cheek, stroking it with his thumb.
“Chloe, I know we didn’t choose this situation. But I honestly can’t complain about anything other than the fact that it’s arranged. You’re my best friend, and I know I’m lucky as fuck to be marrying you. In a way, I’m pretty sure I got away with something illegal because I get to be with you without even trying that hard.”

Suddenly her lips are on his, hungry and needy. It’s their first kiss, and it sends an electrical impulse through his body. Well, it’s their first real kiss. They’ve shared small pecks here and there at random family functions, to maintain the appearance that they’re okay with this. But holy shit this kiss. It’s- it’s phenomenal.

Tom pulls Chloe flush against his body, enjoying the heat radiating between them. He licks her bottom lip slightly and she parts them, allowing his tongue to explore her mouth. She tastes like strawberry ice cream. With chocolate sauce.

Why didn’t they ever do this before?

Breathless, they pull away from each other and he stares into her brown eyes.
“Wow.” She whispers.
“Yeah.”
“Tom-”
He silences her by pressing his lips to hers again, instantly deepening it. He suddenly finds himself craving the feeling of her lips against his, and just has to have that again.

“Sorry.” He whispers, pulling back.
“Don’t be.” She pants.
“I-I had to feel that again.” He admits.
“I’m okay with it.” She blushes.
“You’re a really good kisser.”
“So are you.”

It’s his turn to blush. What is he, fourteen? What the hell did he just say? Why is she suddenly making him so nervous?

“Tom?” She asks, pulling him from his thoughts. He looks at her. “I-I might not be so against really trying to make this work.”
“Me neither.” He admits.

One flick of a glance at each other, and their lips are molded together again, exploring each other like they’ve never even met before.

Notes

Requested.

This might be my favorite one-shot I've ever written. I love it.

So I hope you guys like it too.