Chapter Forty-three

She was lying there nestled in his arms, her favorite place in all the world.  She couldn’t remember ever being so happy. She played with the velvety soft hair on his chest. She had not forgotten how much she loved to run her fingers across his beautiful body. She felt his fingers in her hair and knew that he had not fallen asleep. She kissed his chest and took a deep breath. She sat up and their eyes met.

“So, what now?” she asked quietly.

He grinned at her and raised his eyebrows.

“We could do it again,” he suggested.

She laughed at him and shook her head.

“That is not what I meant.”

“I will be in New York next week,” he said, clearly knowing exactly what she was referring to. “We have two games, Rangers and New Jersey Devils. You think you have time for me then?”

He brushed the hair away from her face and he closed her eyes as his fingers touched her cheek.

“I will have time,” she whispered, leaning in to kiss his soft lips.  She looked into his eyes, a slight fear stole over her. “Alex, are you sure?  I am still not Russian, you know.”

“Zoey,” he breathed. “There were many things that Olga told you that are not true. But, I will not lie to you. Many people will not like it that you are not Russian,” he sighed. “Maybe even my family. But I love you.  I have learned what it is like to live without you.  I will not be without you anymore. Not if you love me.”

“I do, Alex. I love you with all of my heart, with all that I am.  I will not be without you either.”

With a quick smile and a kiss, he lay her back down on the bed again.

A vibrating buzz surprised them from the nightstand.  Zoey’s phone was alerting her to a text message. Zoey reached over and grabbed the phone.

“Oh, my God!” she exclaimed.

“What?”

“Madison! She is coming back to the hotel! It is later than I thought!”

Zoey scrambled out of the bed and furiously began pulling her clothes on.  Alex grinned, lying back on his pillow with his hands linked behind his head.

“Alex, get dressed!”

“What is hurry? Come back to bed.”

“No, Alex. She will be here any minute! Get dressed!”

“Why? She will know what we have been doing anyway,” he smirked at her.

Zoey’s eyes narrowed at him. “Because, you are the sexiest man I have ever seen. And I will not have my best friend see you in bed like that.”

He laughed and she sat back down on the bed, grazing her fingers across his chest.

“That is for me.”