[twenty-eight]

Max's POV

"Is everything okay, is she alright?" I looked over at Tanger who looked concerned. "She'll be fine, she's headed back to the hotel to get some sleep. I think she just agreed to move in with me though." A smile was plastered on my face, but I was still worried about her, the last thing I wanted her to do was relapse. There were still so many questions flooding my head about her past now. I didn't want to hound her, I knew that when she was ready she would tell me. Then it hit me like a rock to the forehead. She told me she loves me. I was in my own element skating around the ice, and I was thankful that the guys were allowing me to enjoy the moment and not ruin it by slapping pucks at me.

Flower and I snuck into the hotel room to see Lillianah was fast asleep on Flower's bed. "Yes!" Flower whisper shouted pumping his fist in the air. I glared over at him, "Vero would kick your ass after I would." I crawled onto the bed behind Lillianah and ran my hand through her hair, making her move around a bit. "Lil, I know this sounds ridiculous but we need to change beds." She rolled over and squinted her eyes looking up at me. "Why?" "Flower is superstitious, he can't sleep next to the window." "Oh okay." She sat up on the bed and wiggled her way to the edge of the bed. "I thought this was your bed, why are your socks all over the room?" She asked holding up a pair of Flower's purple and black horizontal stripped socks. "Those are Flowers." She looked over at Flower and laughed. "You guys wear the same kind of socks, candy cane socks, really?" "What can I say, Max wishes he was like me," Flower smirked as he pulled my pant leg up, as well as his own displaying our nearly matching stripped socks. She laughed and pushed herself off his bed, only to fall onto mine. "Did you want to go to the game tonight?" I asked as I kicked my shoes off and crawled into the bed next to her. "Would you be okay if I said no? I'm drained, I don't know if I would be able to stay awake." "That is fine, you can just stay here." I wrapped my arms around her waist and dug my face into the crook of her neck before falling asleep.

I crawled over her to give her one last kiss goodbye, not wanting to wake her up. I lightly pressed my lips to hers, only to have her deepen it right away. I opened my eyes in shock to see her forcefully kissing me. Not wanting to ruin an amazing moment, I kissed back, lightly flicking my tongue at hers. "AHEM!" I pulled away to see Flower holding his hand over his eyes. "You must of been having a good dream," I smiled down at Lillianah as she peaked her eyes open. "It was a very good dream, I wish you could stay so I continue it." I looked up at Flower with pleading eyes, "we have to be in the lobby in five minutes." He knows me too well. I hung my head in defeat and kissed her one last time before saying goodbye.

There was no better feeling than winning a game, and knowing when I got back to my hotel room that my beautiful girlfriend would be there waiting for me. Asleep or not, I didn't care, I got to sleep with her in my arms that night. "Can we say hi to your girl tonight?" Crosby asked from across the aisle from me on the bus. "If she's awake, yeah, I have no problem with that. She's been sleeping all day though." We all piled out of the bus and headed up to our rooms. I went into my room alone first to see Lillianah sitting on the edge of the bed with a huge smile on her face. "Did you watch the game?" "I did, and I actually yelled when Kris scored the goal." I couldn't help but laugh, she was starting to get excited over my sport, over my team. I brought the guys in and she hopped over to Tanger, pulling him in a too tight of a hug for my liking. I watched as he dug his nose into her hair. "Smells like strawberries doesn't it Tanger?" He saw the look on my face and immediately knew to back off. "Not to be a bitch or anything, but can you guys leave?" Yes! I love her!

Lillianah's POV

I crawled into the back of the cab still in complete shock. It was already bad enough I was an emotional wreck and nearly screwed up my life for good the night before. Now all of a sudden Max, my boyfriend, my first real boyfriend, asked me to move in with him. At least I think that's what he asked me. That's what it sounded like. "Move in with me." The cab driver looked in his rear view mirror at me as if I was crazy. "Sorry, but I think my boyfriend just asked me to move in with him." He laughed a little, I didn't find this funny at all. "How long have you two been together?" I looked down at my hands, counting with my fingers, "two and a half months." "Do you love him?" Ah the question of the century. "Yes, I do." "Then what's the problem?" I looked out the window. What was the problem? "I'm scared." "Someone once told me, 'to fear love is to fear life, and those who fear life are already three parts dead'. That will be twenty-five dollars please." I smiled and pulled out the wad of cash Max had given me for the cab ride. I handed over thirty-five and headed into the hotel.

I made my way up to the hotel room and laughed as there were clothes thrown everywhere already, and they had only been there for some twenty-four hours. Looking at the beds, I figured the one closest to the bathroom was his, since I saw his black and purple stripped socks he loves to wear. I kicked my one shoe off and crawled under the covers. I tried to lull myself to sleep, but it was no good, I was wide awake. Did he really ask me to move in with him? I tried to replay the whole conversation in my head, but I couldn't remember it fully. Better yet, if that is what he asked, would I really move in with him? Am I ready for that? Am I even ready for a serious relationship?!

I felt a strong hand weave through my hair and I rolled over a little to see the outline of Max above me. We moved beds and when he wrapped his arm securely around my waist I knew at that moment that maybe I should move in with him. He makes me feel safe and loved, something I'm not use to, but am quickly getting use to. I felt his lips on my neck and there was no where else I wanted to be at that very moment. As screwed up as my past was, my future was looking very bright.

I watched the hockey game, still barely knowing anything about the sport, but I did my best to try and understand. I pulled my cheat sheet out of my wallet and looked back and forth between it and the TV. 'Max, number 25. Eyelashes, goalie, number 29. Baby, number 87. Old Cutie, number 48. New Cutie, number 58. Euro, number 71.' Number 58 scored a goal a few minutes in to the second period and I quickly looked down. "KRIS!!" I couldn't believe that I was getting excited over hockey. As the game went on, no one else scored. Kris' goal stood as the winning goal and now I couldn't wait for Max to get back so we could celebrate. I heard the door slowly open and Max's smiling face appear in the hall. I gave him a quick kiss before telling him how excited I got over the game. He turned around and headed back to the door, bringing in Sidney, Kris, Marc and Tyler. I jumped up and pulled Kris into a hug, congratulating him on his goal. I felt his arms around my middle tighten and his nose dig in by my ear. "Smells like strawberries doesn't it Tanger?" Max asked and I couldn't help but laugh as I watched Kris blush. "Not to be a bitch or anything, but can you guys leave?" I looked around and they started laughing. "I was planning on staying with Crosby tonight anyways, you didn't have to kick me out," Marc said trying to act like he was hurt. As soon as the door shut and Max walked back in after locking the door I wrapped him up in my arms. "Did you really ask me to move in with you?" I couldn't help hide the smile that came on to my face. As emotional distraught as I was some twenty-four hours ago, there wasn't a single worry in the world right at this moment. "I did, I think you agreed, but I really don't know. Will you?" I went to kiss him but he pulled back. "That's what you did earlier, I don't know if a kiss means yes or no." I went for the next best thing, I kissed his neck, tugging at his dress shirt on his back, pulling it out of his slacks. "Yes or no Lil?" I pulled his shirt out and looked into his eyes. "That's a huge step Max, are you sure we're not moving too fast?" "I don't feel like we're moving to fast, I just want to be with you all the time, I want to come home to you in my bed-" "Our bed." A huge smile came on to his face and leaned down and kissed me. He quickly pulled back though before the kiss escalated. "No Lil, yes or no?" "Yes, of course, I feel safe with you. Being with you would keep me away from a lot of things that are bad for me." "Like your neighbor." A smirk came on to his face and he lifted me up and placed me on his bed. I felt his lips on my neck and I could only hope that we weren't rushing in to this and that I made the right decision.