Alex throws that board to the ice, and I'm looking at what I believe is the last message he's got for me tonight.
Please say you'll give me another chance.
Before I can even comprehend Alex's request, Glenn is diving under his seat and he pulls out two poster board cards, slightly smaller than the ones that Alex has on the ice. I take them from his hands, noting that his smile is lit up with excitement.
"You're in so much trouble," I growl at him, but he just grins wider.
Looking down at the cards, I see one says "Yes" and the other says "No."
I do a slow look around me, and most of the people are smiling at me as they clap. A chant starts up, Yes, yes, yes, yes.
Standing up from my seat, and looking down at the cards, making sure I have the right one, I hold it up for Alex to see.
Yes.
His face breaks out into a smile filled with relief and happiness. I can tell by the look he is giving me that this is a choice that I will never regret.
Surprising me further, Alex pulls his last message away, revealing another underneath.
Do you still love me?
Tears start to fill my eyes. I nod my head as I hold the Yes card up again, and the crowd roars in approval.
I'm shocked when Alex drops that card to the ice and the next one says, You won't regret it.
Before I can even look up at him so he knows that it's not even possible for that to happen, he drops that board to the ice.
Don't you think Garrett is a big girl for watching Love Actually?
The crowd goes nuts and it's at this point that I see this whole scenario is being shown on the Jumbotron above. I give Alex a disapproving look and hold up the card No for him to see.
To show how well Alex knows me, and knew what my answer would be, I can't say that I'm all that surprised when he drops the top board and his next one says, Great. Guess I'll have to watch it with you at some point.
I nod my head at him with a smile, not even bothering to hold a card up for him to see.
Alex skates forward, coming up to the glass. I step forward to rest my hands beside my head and get as close to it as I can without fogging up the smooth surface.
Before reaching me, he drops another board and I look down to read the next one, Gotta go play hockey now.
Okay, I mouth at him.
He drops the last card and his hands are empty. Coming right up to the glass, he places his hands opposite mine and I swear I can almost feel his touch even through the barrier.
Alex stares at me with such love, my legs feel like jelly. The sound of the crowd dies down again, not because they have stopped cheering, but because I have chosen to focus only on Alex.
I've chosen to look at this man, who loves me and whom I love in return, and I'm overwhelmed with the knowledge that nothing else matters except what we have.
Holding my gaze for just another brief moment, Alex mouths the words I love you to me before giving me a wink and skating off.
I don't even get to return the words before he is gone.
That's all right. I'll make up for it tonight after the game.
***
"Oh, Alex," I moan as he sinks into me with one sure push, my hands gripping his shoulders hard. This is going to be some stellar sex, I can tell. Not only have Alex and I reconnected and claimed our love very publicly, but the Cold Fury kicked some major ass tonight, winning 6-2. Alex had two goals and two assists, and yes, I'm really proud of him.
Leaning down, he gives me a soft kiss then pulls back just enough to look into my eyes. He's lodged deep within me but he doesn't move a muscle. "I love you."
He doesn't give me a chance to reply with the same, because he's kissing me again. A little deeper this time but still in a leisurely fashion. He hasn't moved an inch otherwise.
I taste myself on his lips, because when I opened my front door to him tonight, he made short work of carrying me to my bedroom and stripping me naked. After he pushed me back onto the bed, he pushed his face between my legs and didn't surface again until he had made me come twice.
Then he pulled himself up my body, sank into my wetness and told me he loved me.
Now his kissing is becoming a little more urgent and a whole lot deeper. He makes a tentative move of his hips and damn … he goes just a little deeper still.
Pulling back once more, he looks at me again. "I'm so sorry."
"Don't," I whisper and place my fingers against his lips. "It's all forgiven."
He looks down at me from above, his dark hair hanging forward and his eyes glittering in the soft glow of my lamp. Tilting his hips back, he pulls out of me and then pushes back in slowly … all while holding my gaze.
He does it again … pulling farther out, pushing back in just a little deeper.