Our main characters are above 18. They are male so if this is not what you are looking for then please do not continue. This is the continuation of a story and I would suggest reading the previous chapters. Additionally there is some violence in this chapter, not a gratuitous amount but I feel as if I should let you know. Thank you and I live for your comments - Artie
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I recognize that Buffalo is not the hottest place in the world; even at the end of summer it only gets up to the mid-seventies on average. Nevertheless, it was way too hot to even consider wearing a turtleneck to hide the massive hickey that had blossomed on my neck. Humiliation at my parents reactions stayed with me but overnight the mark had deepened. I put iron on my mom's grocery list, maybe if I could be less anemic I wouldn't bruise as easily.
The hope for a less colorful future wasn't going to help me at school so I tried on the few polo shirts I possessed but they came nowhere close to concealing the blemish. Irritation warred with the pleased knowledge that Owen had marked me. It might seem primal but I liked the idea of him claiming me however the rational side of my mind was pissed.
I briefly considered getting into my mother's make up to try and conceal the mark. That idea went out the window when I imagined the ass kicking I would get if Liam or Kyle thought I was wearing make-up even just to make the mark less noticeable. Full leg casts are never a good look.
So with a grin and bear it attitude I waited for Owen to come pick me up in a normal t-shirt with my neck fully exposed. As his car pulled down the street I debated whether I should show him I was annoyed. I decided on slightly peeved, remembering his anger from yesterday. No need to poke the sleeping bear with full blown annoyance.
Slipping into the car, Owen's clean masculine scent washed over me. Damn him, he looked like sin incarnate. With a black t-shirt from a band I had never heard of and a pair of black jeans, he looked like the temptation he was. Completing the look, his stubble had grown in darkening the area around his full lips.
He leaned towards me eyes bright and I allowed myself to be kissed. Well, not so much allowed as was a full party to the kiss. He tasted fresh, like a toothpaste he could easily be doing ads for. He broke the kiss with a chuckle before sitting back looking at me appraisingly.
"Got you good," he said starting his car with a hint of self-satisfaction coloring his tone. I groaned, I had only been in his presence for moments and he already had noticed the hickey. I was doomed to the scrutiny that would come at school and he didn't seem in the least bothered.
"You aren't seriously proud of yourself, are you?"
He chuckled, pulling out of my driveway smoothly, "I'm not mad at myself." His bearing was edging on cocky and I had to remind myself that I was annoyed. His pleased looks were easily battling my ire.
Trying to not look like a pouting child, I turned my back on Owen and watched the trees as we whizzed down the streets. Sure giving someone the cold shoulder wasn't the most mature thing I could do but if I had looked at him for too long I would have stopped being mad.
Pulling into the relatively deserted parking lot, I finally sucked it up and turned to him. I was shocked that he looked slightly contrite—still amused—but slightly contrite. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have given you a hickey where people could see it."
"My parents saw it," I told him dully still holding on to the last bit of annoyance though his apology had obliterated most of it. He dutifully tried to look sorry but his face got red as he forced back his smile eventually he gave up and started laughing. Owen's laughter, against my will, was contagious.
His mirth made his blue eyes alight and his handsome face look even more attractive, I leaned in kiss him, running my hand along his jawline. I only got a brief brush of the lips before he pulled away. I looked at him questioningly, "I told you, I was going to prove that I want you for more than sex. That means we aren't having sex."
Devastation filled me, how could he cut me off like that? In the past two days I had gone from not having even my first kiss to being fully ready for whatever Owen wanted. With dread in my stomach I argued, "Kissing is not the same as having sex."
"True," he murmured looking me deep in the eye, "but if I kiss you, I'm going to have a really hard time not having sex with you."
That didn't sound at all bad to me, I leaned toward him my intent clear. He laughed, ducking my lips brushing his across my cheek before opening his door. "Nice try."
I'd like to say that I handled being relegated to light kisses well. I didn't. We went out to lunch on Wednesday and Thursday, both times to Whole Foods. To make him happy I even got some vegetarian curry once: not as good as pizza but it wasn't horrible. He held my hand as we walked around the store; I saw a few girls shoot me disparaging looks but I was over the moon: they could suck it.
I learned more about him like his proudest moment: scoring in the shootout of the World Juniors Championship, about the worst day of his life: the day of his mom's funeral. I learned about his triumphs and his tribulations as well as the inconsequential facts like his affinity for scarves and the color blue. He was someone that I could really admire, who worked every day to achieve his goals and was proud but humbled by his accomplishments. He listened well, and asked relevant questions to my own answers. It was such a change having someone really listen to me.
Enjoying his company more than I would like to admit to, I was pleased when he asked me to spend Saturday with him. "I'm going up to Toronto to shoot around at their pre-season camp. I'd love it if you'd come with me." I had trouble swallowing that damn veggie curry, with the shock that filled me.
"The Leafs camp?" I asked tentatively, my eyebrows almost at my hairline.
He didn't seem to notice my disbelief, "Yeah, I got invited being a prospect. I have a few good friends up there too." He looked up when I didn't say anything smirking at my slack-jawed expression. I don't know why I was so taken aback; I knew that he was good but to be invited to practice with a NHL team and that he was friends with them awed me. Hiding my blush at his skill, I told him that I would love to go.
