Even though Coach told Jamie, Tyler and Klinger that they didn’t have to be back for practice on Monday, Jamie thought otherwise. He being the great captain that he is figured that even if he wasn’t going to skate with the team, he at least wanted to be there with the team and Tyler being the good teammate that he is didn’t argue. Klinger being the young gun in the group didn’t get a choice; it was either fly back with Jamie and Tyler or wait and find your own ride home. That is how I found myself being woken up from my slumber by a bark somewhere in Tyler’s house just after nine on Monday morning.
I groaned as I tried to roll over but my body didn’t seem to move. Trapped between something behind my back and a warm body that my arm was wrapped around. I stretched my arms over my head leaning as far back as I could and opened my eyes ever so slightly. Light streamed in from the huge bay windows across the living room.
Another bark was heard and this time a voice with it, “Marshall Boy, calm down.”
I sighed as I ran my hands over my face and sat up on Tyler’s couch. A yawn escaped my lips as I heard heavy footsteps on the wood floor before I was greeted by an all too familiar face.
“Brittany,” Tyler smiled as he rounded the corner into the living room, suitcase in hand as he pulled at the tie around his neck.
“Tyler,” I yawned as I leaned my arms over the back of the couch and rest my head on them.
“You know when I said you could stay here I didn’t mean you had to stay on the couch. You could have just slept in my bed or one of the guest rooms.”
“I know,” I said, and if I wasn’t so tired I probably would have rolled my eyes. “I just fell asleep out here after the game last night.”
“With my dog?”
“With your dog,” I smiled as I patted Cash on his head from where he still laid next to me and he wagged his tail.
“I can’t believe my dog likes you better then he likes me.” Tyler shook his head as he laid his tie on the counter and made his way over to the couch.
“Can you really blame him though?” I smirked as Tyler bent down so that his face was level with mine.
“No, I guess I can’t.” His brown eyes twinkled as he leaned in and covered my lips with his.
I smiled into the kiss as I wrapped my arms around his neck and he leaned in closer. His lips were eager, as if he was a dying man eating a piece of chocolate cake for the last time. “I’ve been waiting to do that all weekend,” he mumbled against my lips before he slowly pulled away.
“You have, have you,” I laughed as I ran a hand though his brown hair. It was a little longer then he normally lets it get, but I liked it.
Tyler’s smile grew as he leaned his forehead against mine. “I have.” He admitted as he leaned in once again, covering his lips with mine and even though we had our chests pressed against each other it still wasn’t enough for Tyler. I laughed against Tyler’s lips as he crawled over the back of the couch, causing Cash to jump off, as he pushed me down and rolled on top of me.
Tyler gave me a lopsided smile as he pulled away. “Words can’t even describe how much I’ve missed you Brittany?”
“Well they do say actions speak louder than words so…,” I snorted.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You called me every day.”
“So,” he raised one dark eyebrow as he hoovered over me.
“Tyler,” I laughed as I twirled the hair at the base of his neck around my fingers, “you were only gone three days.”
“Well then I guess you know that I really, really, really missed you.” Tyler’s eyes held a soft glow that I never seen before.
I ran my hand over his cheek giving him a quick peck on the lips and maybe it was the way his brown eyes glowed as he looked at me, but I could feel the three words that Tyler was trying to get me to confess all weekend escape my lips. “I’ve missed you too.” I took a deep breath knowing that I couldn’t take the words back now.
Tyler only grinned down at me. “I told you I’d get you to confess.”
“Yea,” I sighed, still too stubborn to loss. “Well your home now so it doesn’t count.”
“That is so not true.” Tyler laughed as he pushed himself up so that he straddled me.
“It so is…” I told him as I replayed the conservation we had…
“Tyler,” I greeted with a roll my eyes as I dropped onto Tyler couch. I just took Marshall and Cash on a walk around the block and if I was alone I probably would have been okay but when you have two dogs pulling you every which way your body will tend to ache.
“So do you miss me yet,” Tyler voice rang though the speaker of my phone.
“Tyler,” I laughed because Jamie offered to pick up Klinger and Tyler and drive them to airport for the 8:00 flight they had. “You just left this morning, I haven’t had time to miss you.”
“I know, but we haven’t actually seen each other since last night so…”
“So, it’s still been less than twelve hours since we’ve seen each other,” and even though it was a little strange to wake up in Tyler’s bed with just Cash next to me, I don’t think I can officially say I missed Tyler yet.
“So you’re saying by tomorrow when it’s been more than twelve hours that you’re going to miss me.”
“That is highly unlikely.”
“Not even a little bit.” And even though I couldn’t see Tyler I could picture the sad puppy dog look that was covering his face right now.
“Tyler,” I shook my head with a roll of my eyes.
“I’m going to get you to admit you’ve miss me.”
“You are, are you?”
“I am,” I could hear the grin spread on Tyler’s face as he spoke.
“And if you don’t?”
“Well we don’t need to worry about that Brittany.” Tyler was as cocky as ever. “I’ll call you later.” He said before the line went dead.

---

“Okay fine,” I rolled my eyes dramatically before my eyes met his once again. “You win.”
“Thank you,” Tyler’s smile grew and I tried to push him off of me, but he didn’t budge. “So does the winner get to collect his prize now,” he raised one dark eyebrow, “or later?”
I sighed my hands still resting on his chest. “Did we ever discuss a prize?”
“No, but I pictured it something like this…” he beamed as he leaned in and placed butterfly kisses on my neck.
“Tyler,” a soft moan escaped my lips as Tyler’s lips made their way down to my collarbone. “You know you’re still not getting that lucky right.” I told him as I felt his hand slid under my shirt.
I could feel Tyler’s breath on my neck as he exhaled. “I wasn’t really thinking about that,” he said as he pushed up onto his forearms and stared down at me. “I was thinking maybe we could make out a little bit, maybe take off our shirts and you know….” he shrugged, “see what happens.”
I smiled up at him with a shake of my head. “Yea, we’ll see what happens.” I told him as I attempted to get up the couch but Tyler didn’t move.
“Tyler,” I sighed, “we’re going to be late for practice if we don’t get going.”
“Well then we can be a little late.” Tyler grinned as returned to my neck.
“Or we can wait until later when we have more time…”
Tyler slowly stopped and tilted his head to look up at me. “And we can take our shirts off.”
“And we can take are shirts off,” I sighed.
“Okay,” Tyler gave me one last peck on the lips before he rolled off of me.

Notes