All Hands on Deck

Sidney dropped Tessa off at her apartment, kissing her gently in the stairwell after she let him haul her bag up the stairs. “I’ll call you after I talk to Letang.”

Tessa only nodded, the shock of the situation having worn off and was now replaced by contemplative worry. How could this have happened when they had been so careful? And why hadn’t she in the very least planned a story in advance, just in case? The answer to the second question was one she could answer: where Sidney was concerned she was starting to have a very hard time thinking rationally about anything. Her lust had turned to infatuation and it was a slippery slope, one that she was still navigating.

He understood her silence and merely wrapped her up in her arms. Tessa pulled him closer with her hands on his back and breathed in his scent. She eventually mumbled something against his shoulder.

Sidney pulled back. “What was that?”

“I said…I still want this. Isn’t that stupid? This is such a terrible idea, nothing but trouble, but…I still want it.”

“Tess, I’m gonna make this ok. We’re ok. Nothing’s going to change.”

She took a deep breath, pushed him a little further away from her, shook her head. “Sid…you need to tell me that this has to end. You have to do it, because I can’t. Even though this is even worse of an idea than I ever imagined and it has to stop, I just can’t do it. Tell me that you don’t want this, that it’s not worth it. Please.”

He stared at her hard, unable to speak for a moment. His voice was rough and low when he told her, “I’m not walking away from you. If that’s really what you want, you’re gonna have to do it yourself.”

Tessa let out a choked laugh. “I hate both us right now, I swear to God…”

Sidney came forward, pressed her back against her apartment door, his face only inches away from hers. “You tell me. Tell me you don’t want me, Tessa, and I’ll never bother you again. You can have your old life back if you want it. If you’d like things to be simple again, tell me you don’t want me and I’ll walk away.”

She clutched at his coat, met his dark gaze. “You know I can’t honestly say that.”

“Then why do you think I can?”

“Because someone has to be strong enough to see this thing clearly.”

“Fuck that, I see perfectly clear. This thing is complicated and messy and maybe Letang knows and maybe this is how it comes out. Maybe you lose your job.” He paused to let her think about this, voicing the one thing he knew was foremost in her mind. “Maybe. You told me that even if that happened, worst case scenario that you’d still want me. Was that a lie?”

Tessa straightened, jutted her chin stubbornly. “I never lied to you.”

He shook her, not aggressively, just enough to command her attention. “Then stop talking like this is over, because it’s not. Even if Letang tells everyone…I’m not done yet. And neither are you. Are you?”

“You know I’m not.”

“Listen to me…this might become the thing we’ve been trying to avoid, maybe not, but I’m not worried, because even if it all goes to hell there will still be you and me. That’s all I care about. Right?”

“Yeah. Yes.”

“I’m…we’re both tired, Tessa. I’m gonna go home and call Kris and figure this out. Ok?”

She gave him a small smile. “Ok.”

Sidney kissed her again, less gently than he had before, more demanding, asking so much of her, which she was of course willing to give. When he was gone, Tessa fell into bed, curling her body around a pillow, lying there not sleeping. She thought about Sidney asking with aching hurt in his voice if she had lied to him. When she had told him weeks ago that she would still want him if she lost her job, it had been the truth. However, it’s easy to make promises when times are good. Faced with that possibility now coming to fruition filled her with fear, doubt, maybe a little bit of regret. Still, she had meant what she told him before he left, even knowing how it could turn out, maybe soon, she couldn’t let him go, not yet.

However, she also considered that maybe on some level she did want her life to simple again, to be free of worry and dread, find some nice normal guy to date, where it wouldn’t matter if anyone knew. She flipped over, disgusted that any part of her brain would even consider that as an option. Sidney was…something rare, something she didn’t want to give up. And yet, she had been working towards a job in the NHL since college, maybe even earlier, since she first put on a pair of skates. That part of her, the professionally driven, independent woman was screaming out that he was great, but so not worth all this, that he still had nothing to lose, that she was the only one risking anything, asking how she could possibly consider giving up everything, asking how she could be so stupid as to think she’d still want him if he cost her her dream.

Tessa, almost literally torn in two, spoke out loud to herself. “Oh, shut up.” She flipped over again, folding the pillow around her ears as if to drown out that voice of reason, which made a fair point. She eventually fell asleep, but woke every hour or so, tossing, turning, thinking, doubting. She was so caught up in her own thoughts that she didn’t even realize she had missed Sidney’s call until the next morning when she got his message.

While Tessa was haunted by her own misgivings, Sidney went home, wracked with guilt. He had done this to her, he was the selfish bastard who wouldn’t take no for an answer, he was the one who booked that trip, picked the airport; this, everything, was his fault. He took small solace in the fact that Tessa hadn’t been unable to say she didn’t want him. She was there with him, unable and unwilling to walk away, but still…she had told him once and he never forgot it: he had nothing to lose, she did. He was selfish and greedy, but he was still not able to care enough to break it off. While he was pissed off at himself, the idea of losing Tessa was more upsetting.

He called Letang while he was driving, no answer. When he got home, he took a long, hot shower in his spacious bathroom. As he rubbed a towel on his hair he called Letang again, no answer. Finally, Kris texted him that Alex was throwing a fit and could they meet for coffee in the morning before practice? Sidney called Tessa to let her know, no answer. He left a message. “Hey, baby, Kris is gonna meet me for coffee tomorrow. I’ll call you after that. Don’t worry.” Sidney paused, words caught on the tip of his tongue. “I…I’m sorry, Tess. Good night.”

He slept like shit, too, and when Sidney walked into the Starbucks the next morning, Letang greeted him with a smile, and much needed coffee. “Hey! Ordered you a triple shot cappuccino. Figured we could all use some extra caffeine for our first practice back.”

“You keep this up you’re gonna be eligible for sainthood soon. Thanks.” Sidney sat down and took a drag of the coffee gratefully. Then, he tried to casually feel Letang out. “So…family have a good time in Nashville?”

Letang stared at him for a moment, his face unreadable. “Sid…how long have we known each other?”

“A lot of years.”

“Yeah, a lot of years. Do me a favor then, as my friend, don’t bullshit me.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Why don’t you start by telling me how long you’ve been sleeping with Nessie.”

Hearing him say the words, finally having it out in the open, it was strange, but it was almost a relief to Sidney. Letang knew, so now Sidney knew what he was dealing with. He told him quietly, “From the start, since she filled in for Jack the first time.”

Letang looked like he wanted to spit. “Fuck.”

“I know -”

Kris sat forward, pointing harshly at Sidney, keeping his voice down even as he scolded him. “No, you obviously don’t know, if you did you wouldn’t be doing it.”

“Kris -”

Letang threw his hands in the air. “Don’t bother with your excuses, there is no way you can justify this. I don’t even know what to say to you. You can have any girl you want, take your pick, and yet you go after the only one who’s off limits. I should have known, too, how shitty you were being to Beau and then suddenly he has a girlfriend and you’re best buds again? You’re about as subtle as fucking firecracker.”

Sidney just sat there, waiting for Kris to finish since clearly he wasn’t done. He started again, “Do you have any idea how stupid this is? Not for you, no, of course not, who gives a shit who you bang in the locker room. But for Nessie…come on, man, you know she doesn’t deserve this.” Kris sat back in his chair with a huff. “Then again, it’s not like you’re forcing her so I should probably be asking what the hell she thinks she’s doing. Goddamn I thought she was smarter than this.”

Sidney spoke up now, leaning forward, his voice low, but firm. “You can say whatever you want about me, but you leave her out of your rant. She’s brilliant and sweet and this doesn’t change that. Keep her out of this conversation unless you wanna have a real problem with me.”

His eyes went wide and a laugh was forced from Letang’s throat. “Huh. Maybe I was wrong.”

“What are you talking about?”

“You’re not just sleeping with her. You care about her.”

“Of course I do. You really think I’d be doing this if I just wanted to get laid? She’s worth so much more than that, even you can see that.”

Letang’s voice softened. “Do you love her, Sid?”

Sidney looked up, met his gaze evenly. “No…not yet. But she’s a woman I could love, Kris. You know her, you know how incredible she is.”

“Yeah, she’s wonderful, and brilliant and sweet, just like you said.”

“Then you can understand why this happened.”

“No, I can understand why you might have been tempted, but for fuck’s sake, are you that selfish? You know what’ll happen to her if this gets out. And trust me, stuff like this always gets out, eventually. If you care about her, how can you do that? How can you ask her to risk her career for you?”

Sidney became defensive now, insisting, “I never asked her to do that.”

Letang wasn’t buying it. “Maybe you didn’t ask, didn’t say the words, but I can imagine how you encouraged her, how you came on strong with your charm and pretty face and that ‘awe shucks aren’t I just the nicest guy’ line until she opened up and let you in. Then you probably pushed and pushed until she told you what you wanted to hear, until she agreed that it was worth the risks, whether she believed it or not.”

“Fuck you, Letang.”

“Fuck yourself, Crosby. If I’m the asshole here, tell me I’m wrong. Tell me how it really went down.”

Instead, Sidney took a sip of his rapidly cooling coffee and watched commuters pass by outside the window as he brooded over the accusations. He thought about how strong he had come on to her the first day they had met, how insistent even he had been about seeing her again, and he remembered that day in her kitchen when he had asked and asked again what she would do if someone found out. She had only told him she would still want him if she lost her job after he had done just what Letang said, pushed her towards it until she had told him what would put his mind at ease.

Sidney let out a sigh and turned back towards Kris. “I don’t know what’s pissing me off more, the fact that you’re right or the fact that I did it in the first place.”

“Sid…you’re my brother and I love you, but I know how you are. I’ve seen you with women. You’re overwhelming on a lot of levels and it’s easy for them to fall into it. Tessa might be amazing, but she’s still just a woman and you’re still you.”

“She’s not just some woman. She’s…I don’t know, something else. She’s all I ever think about. She’s the only person I wanna see most days. She…feels like home. She makes me so happy.”

Letang’s voice was filled with empathy now. “I understand, but you hear what I’m saying to you, right? This is not good. You, you’re bad for her.”

Sidney shook his head slowly. “I think you’re wrong. We’re great together. And she wants this. I know she does.”

Kris rolled his eyes, frustration taking over as if he was trying to reason with his tantrum-throwing son. “I’m not saying she doesn’t want to be with you, but that doesn’t mean it’s the right thing to do. She’s probably so caught up in you and the, I’m sure, fantastic sex that she can’t see straight. If that’s the case then you need to pull your head out of your ass and do the right thing.”

Sidney’s reply, whatever it might have been, was stopped short before he even began. Letang had just said the exact same thing Tessa has said last night when she told him she couldn’t see clearly and then asked him to walk away. Sidney hated that Letang might be right. “The problem is, if I’m the one who has to end it, that’s never going to happen.”

Letang’s voice took on a warning tone. “Sid…”

“Kris, you don’t understand.”

“Like hell I don’t. I’ve known plenty of beautiful women and -”

“No, you don’t get it. What if this was Catherine and I was you? What if you met your wife in a situation when you couldn’t have her, when being with her was harmful to her career, if it would fuck up her life. Would you be able to just walk away?”

“Don’t do that, Sid, because she’s not Catherine and I’m not you.”

“Answer the question.”

“No, ok? I wouldn’t give her up, not for anything. But you just told me you’re not in love with her, so it’s not the same thing. I’m telling you right now, you need to ease off before you’re in too deep.”

“I think it’s too late for that already.”

“Seriously? Honest to God, Sid? You’re not going to stop?”

Sidney shook his head again, gave Letang a sad, half smile. “I can’t, not until she pushes me away. And even then I’m not sure I could leave it alone.”

Letang nodded, finished off his coffee, let out an exasperated and dramatic sigh. “You’re more hard-headed than my son, you know?” The two old friends shared a smile finally. “Alright. Well…I’ve said all I can say about it. Don’t come crying to me when this goes down the toilet.”

Sidney chuckled. “I won’t.”

“Really though, man, what do you need from me?”

“You can’t tell anyone, Kris. No one can know, not even Catherine.”

“Obviously. But don’t think that has anything to do with you. Because unlike you, I actually care if Nessie loses her job. If you’re not going to break it off…I haven’t said anything, I won’t say anything.”

“Thank you.”

“You should be thanking me.”

“Jesus, I just did.”

“I’m just saying.”

“I get it, I’m an asshole and you’re doing me a favor I don’t deserve.”

“I’m doing Nessie a favor, you, the asshole, just get to benefit from it.”

“Hey, I thought we were friends.”

“We are, that’s why I get to tell you you’re a fucking moron.” Letang stood, grabbing their empty cups and tossing them in the trash. “Come on. We got practice and I can’t wait to see Coach run your ass ragged.” Sidney laughed and held the door open for Letang as they stepped out into the cold. “By the way, where did you two run off to during the break?”

“Tahiti.”

“Fuck off, now I’m mad at you and jealous.”

“How was Nashville?”

“It wasn’t Tahiti, I can tell you that much. Have a good time?”

Sidney grinned and squinted in the sunlight. “There are no words to describe how good of a time we had.”

Letang held up his hand. “You know what, I don’t need to hear about it. I wanna be able to look her in the eye without imagining…whatever the hell you did to her, do to her, God.”

“Fair enough. I’ll see you at the rink.”

“Later.” The boys slapped palms and parted ways. Sidney pulled out his phone and dialed Tessa.

“You better have good news because I’m cranky and tired.”

Sidney had to smile, even when she tried to sound mean she still managed to come off as adorable, like a nipping little lap dog that you still wanted to scratch under the chin even as it growled at you. “He knows, he knew.”

“Oh, shit.”

“It’s fine, Tess. He’s not going to say anything.”

“How do you know? I know you have a bromance with half the team, but really how do we know?”

“Because he told me flat out he was keeping quiet for you, not me. He doesn’t want to see you lose your job.”

“Really?”

“Yes. Believe it or not, I’m not the only one who likes you a whole lot. He wouldn’t hurt me or you by saying anything and he has nothing to gain by telling anyone anyway. I told you, it’s all ok.”

He heard her blow out a huge breath. “Ok, I trust you and you trust him, so that’s good enough. And a weight off my mind.”

“I’m glad.”

“You were right, Sid.”

It was good to hear her relieved, to almost feel the stress lifting. “You know I have practice this morning, but can I come over after?”

Now he heard the smile in her voice. “You always do.”

“I know, I just…I’ll see you later, ok?”

“Of course. You alright? You sound weird.”

“I’m good, just wanna see you. I gotta go, but I’ll be over soon.”

“Ok, bye, baby.”

“Bye.”

Later, after a brutal, grinding practice, Sidney found Tessa at home, sprawled out on the couch, lost in the world of YouTube on her phone, comfy in old sweatpants and a t-shirt. “Hey.”

After stripping of his coat he plopped down at the other end of the couch, pulling her legs onto his laps. “Hey, cutie. How you doing?”

“Good. Rough practice? You look like hell.”

Sidney wasn’t surprised by her comment, he felt like complete shit. He ran a hand through his unruly hair that was getting saggier by the day. “Yeah, getting back into the swing of it’s always hard after a break. Need to get my legs back underneath me.”

Tessa nodded and gave him that sweet smile. When his hands unconsciously started stroking her legs, Tessa just watched him and felt so stupid for all her worrying the night before. How could she have ever doubted that this was good, that Sidney wasn’t worth the stress, the risks? They were ok, they were going to be ok. She told him, “I’m glad Letang wasn’t upset.”

“Oh, he was pissed, at me anyway. He would never hurt you, though. I know he wouldn’t.”

“What did he say?”

Sidney’s head was resting on the back of the couch and he rolled his neck to face her. “Basically what you told me last night, that if you couldn’t see straight that I had to end things.”

“Sid…I was upset, panicking. I wasn’t thinking.”

“I know.” His voice was quiet, pleading. “Now? You still want me to be the strong one and push you away?”

“No, not even a little. Do you?”

“No, I want you, this, us.”

She reached forward, grabbing his hand to hold in hers. “Me too. I’m sorry for acting crazy, it’s just…talking about what I’d do if someone found out and actually having to face it are two very different things. I was scared, I admit that. I don’t want things to change. I thought about it, about you and me, pretty much all night and I know now that I meant what I said, even with all the risks, I can’t stop, don’t want to stop. I want this. I had a moment, a bad night, but don’t doubt that, ok? I’m here.”

Sidney nodded, squeezed her hand. “He also said I’m overwhelming and that I probably pushed you into accepting risks you wouldn’t normally take.”

Tessa pushed herself up a little. “Meaning what?”

“That I’m an asshole and you’re too good for me.”

“No, overwhelming how? Like I’m some vapid idiot who was so mesmerized by meeting the Sidney Crosby that I was willing to go along with whatever?”

“I don’t think he meant it like that, but…sometimes women…act a little strange around me. Maybe I have way of making people do things they wouldn’t do on their own.”

Tessa quirked an eyebrow at him. “Like sleep with you?”

Sidney laughed out his nose. “Maybe, I don’t know, I guess.”

“Is that what’s bothering you, that Letang thinks you’re manipulative?”

He shrugged slightly. “Nothing’s bothering me, Tess. I’m happy it’s all ok and we can get back to normal.”

“Don’t lie to me, do it to anyone else, but not me, Sid. I can tell you’re off. Is that it? Letang’s got you thinking you tricked me into this?”

His brown eyes were darker than normal, heavy. “Didn’t I?” Tessa tisked at him disbelievingly, but he continued. “Really, I pushed you hard, Tess, from the very start. I wouldn’t drop our conversation until you told me you’d still want me if you got fired over us. I know I can be…possessive and difficult and stubborn. I just don’t want you to feel like I’m controlling the situation.”

Tessa shook her head and released his hand, shifted her body until she was straddling his thighs, stroking his neck with her palms. His hands came to grip her hips as he met her eyes. “Listen to me, really listen. I’m thirty goddamn years old, I’ve been around hockey players my whole life, and I’ve been massaging half-naked athletes for almost ten years. I know who I am, I know what I want, what I don’t want, and no one, not even Sidney fucking Crosby could make me do something I didn’t want to do or say something I don’t mean.”

She reached between them, palmed his now half hard cock. Sidney let out a soft groan, but didn’t remove his eyes from hers. She was almost whispering. “I knew the risks long before you ever grabbed my hand and let me touch your dick. If I hadn’t wanted you, I wouldn’t have kissed you or met you in your car or gone to Tahiti with you. You are something otherworldly, Sidney, and I can see how some people might be intimidated by your presence. But I know what I’m about and I’m not some simple-minded person who can be controlled.” Here, she gave him a sly smirk. “Unless of course we’re talking about sex, because in that case I absolutely love it when you get on top and show me who’s boss.”

Sidney had started panting as her hand worked his cock and her mouth set him straight. He slid his hands to her ass, squeezing hard and he breathed out, “Oh, yeah? You like that, huh?”

“Yeah, baby, I do. But more importantly, you hear me right? I know what I’m doing.”

“I hear you. I should have known all along. You’re stronger than any woman I’ve ever met.”

“Good.” Tessa moved both her hands to his chest now, stroking the hard muscle over his shirt. “Now, you wanna take a nap? You look tired.”

His eyes were heavy with lust as he shifted his hips slightly. “No. How about I boss you around a little instead?”

Tessa let out a little whimper. “Please do.”

He nodded, smiled that sassy school boy smirk of his. “You can stay on top, for now. Take your shirt off.”

With a grin, Tessa grabbed the bottom of her t-shirt and peeled it off. She was braless and her nipples, which had started to tighten and harden during their conversation, were now rock solid. Sidney brought his warm palms to cup both breasts before he reached up and pulled her hair down from the ponytail it had been in, letting her dark brown locks fall around her shoulders. He snaked his fingers in the tangled mess at the back of her neck and fisted his hand tightly, licking his lips as he eyed her up and down.

“Awaiting my orders, Captain.”

“Damn, I love when you say that.” Tessa bit her lip and Sidney barely stopped himself from kissing her. He still wanted to tease her a little more. So instead he told her, “Touch your breast, tell me how hard your nipple is.”

Tessa kept one hand on his shoulder and used the other to knead and massage her breast, rubbing the nipple against the thin skin of her palm. “Tight, so tight and tender.”

“Pinch it for me.” She did so, enclosing the peak between her thumb, forefinger, and middle finger, throwing in a little twist at the end, letting out a wanton moan. “Harder, Tess. I know how you like it hard.”

Tessa listened, pinching and pulling her nipple as Sidney freed his hand from her hair before clutching her face. “Now, I want you to put it my mouth.”

Coming up on her knees, Tessa leaned forward while lifting her breast. Sidney didn’t move, but just let her guide the hard nipple between his lips as she put her hand on the back of his neck. At first, he just barely opened his lips to let it inside, moving his head slightly to create just a whisper of friction.

However, when Tessa pressed forward, forced the nipple against his tongue with his lips pressed against the soft globe of her breast, he then bit down. Tessa let out a simmering groan at the contact before moving forward even more until his teeth were nibbling the flesh of her breast around her areola.

“Christ, Sid…”

Just how he knew she liked, he pulled back slightly, rolling her nipple between his front teeth before biting it, pulling it away from her body with his teeth as she gasped and writhed in his lap. Her hips jerked forward, thrusting mindlessly as she let her head fall back in pleasure. With one hand she stroked his hair, pulled his face closer to her skin. Sidney licked and nibbled her nipple, savoring the sweet taste of her skin and getting drunk on her moans.

He release the nipple, telling her with a rough voice, “Give me the other.”

Once again, she lifted her breast and guided it toward his mouth until his teeth and tongue latched onto it. As he sucked, Sidney reached between them, working his hand under the waistband of her sweatpants to palm her mound, letting his fingers rest over the moist triangle of her panties. He clutched her ass roughly with his other hand. “You’re always so wet for me, Tess.”

“Just for you, Sid.”

“Mmm, damn right, you’re just for me.”

“Yes, yes.”

His mouth briefly returned to her nipple before he decided he had had enough. He removed his hand from inside her pants. “Stand up, take these off.”

On shaky legs Tessa did as he asked, watching as he stared at her hard and worked off his own athletic pants, leaving him a pair of boxers and his t-shirt. He smiled sweetly at her. “Panties, too.”

Tessa returned his smile and turned around so her back was towards him. She peeled down her rather plain cotton panties, bending at the waist, baring her ass to him. Before she could straighten up, Sidney’s hands were on her hips, pulling her back towards him, positioning her so she was straddling one mammoth thigh.

His hands brushed her hair to one side, leaving her neck exposed, but he still didn’t kiss her. Instead, he bucked his thigh between her legs and put his mouth against her ear. “I wanna feel how wet you get like this.”

“Oh, Christ, Sid.”

“Mmm-hmm, show me how wet you are.” Tessa pressed up on her toes for leverage and worked her hips forward, rubbing her bare pussy against Sidney’s quad muscle. She felt his baby fine hair tickling her inner lips as she spread her thighs wider to create more friction. His hands snaked around her body, cupping her breasts or stroking her throat. His breath was hot in her ear and Tessa’s own breathing was labored.

Sidney flexed his thigh under her body and she let out a strangled moan. She gripped his other thigh for balance as she continued to thrust her pussy against the solid mass of his leg. And, God above, the feel of his strength against her core was incredibly sexy. She clenched in anticipation and felt her arousal flow from her body onto his skin. She asked him, “Can you feel what you do to me?”

Sidney cursed under his breath, trying to maintain control when Tessa was making it exteremling difficult. Even when he was in charge, she still managed to overpower him at times. Which, he would admit, was one of many things he liked about her. “I feel you, baby. Give me a little more though.”

Sidney leaned back on the couch, bringing her along with him, her now sweaty back sticking to the front of his t-shirt. Reclining, he watched her hips circle around his thigh, felt her absolutely dripping pussy hot against his skin, and breathed in the familiar scent of her apartment, of her: always roses and sex.

“Sid…please. Touch me…or let me do it.”

A growl emanated from his throat at the sound of her neediness and he squeezed her hips with both hands. “No, I want you to come like this.”

Tessa nodded and reached down between her legs, just using two fingers to spread her lips more, open up her pussy wider to feel more of Sidney’s skin against it. She leaned forward, putting a hand on each of his knees and tilting her hips until her clit made contact his thigh. A squeaking moan fell from her lips as her mouth opened in gaping appreciation for the contact.

“Nice, baby. Now let me feel you come.”

“Yes, oh yeah.” Tessa’s whole body undulated as she worked her pussy against him, but Sidney’s kept himself still, his hands remained on her hips. The hard pressure of his glorious thigh muscle rubbed every inch of her wet center and as she circled her hips again and again, she felt the tension build to a peak until she let go, coming with a shout and finishing herself off with awkward, messing thrusts against him. “Ugh, good God.”

He grabbed and turned her body until she was sitting on lap, legs draped perpendicular over his. Now, he kissed her, pressing his lips gently to hers as he felt her breathing slow to a normal rate. “You do a good job following orders.”

“Captain, you do a fine job giving them.”

“Well, years of practice helps.”

“You telling me you boss the guys around like this?”

“Not like this, this is just for you.”

“Right…me and -”

Sidney laughed. “Don’t even say it.”

She didn’t finish, but just kissed him again before replying instead, “Nap time?”

“No, but it is time for bed.”

“Sounds good. Only when we get there, I’m in charge.”

Sidney raised both eyebrows at her, looking sceptical. “Oh really?”

In response, Tessa stood and sashayed towards the bedroom, laughingly telling him, “Trust me, Captain, you might bring me to my knees, but I have you by the balls while I’m down there.”

Sidney let out a booming laugh as he rose to follow her, thinking how good it was to have his joyful Tessa back and how he would do anything to keep the smile on her face.

Notes

I had to write a lot of dialoge for this one, which admittedly is not my favorite thing, so naturally I wrote some nastiness at the end, of course born of my intense obesseion with Sidney's unnaturally large thighs. Bless them.