Chapter 118 Soft
Gavin’s POV
The bar was loud. The music was pumping. People were shouting, the entire Titans team and coaching staff crammed into the VIP section, and drinks flowed freely.
They deserved every second of celebration because they worked hard for it and they earned it.
Jake Morrison stood on a table, with the championship trophy held over his head, leading the entire section in some drinking song I didn’t recognize. The rest of the team joined in,their voices blending into a chaotic but joyful noise.
I sat back in my seat, with a whiskey in my hand, and watched.
Rodriguez was doing shots with the coaching staff. Davis was trying to convince the DJ to play some obscure punk song. The goalies were in a heated debate about something that involved a lot of hand gestures.
And across from me, in the booth on the opposite side of the table, sat Melissa.
She’d been laughing with some of the younger players. Taking photos of everyone. just capturing moments because that’s who she was.
But now her camera sat idle on the table beside her drink.
And her head was starting to drop.
I watched her fight it, I saw her eyes close for just a second before she jerked herself awake. Smiled at something Rodriguez said. Nodded along to the conversation.Then her head dipped again.
She was clearly exhausted and a bit drunk.I set down my whiskey and stood up making my way around the table, weaving through celebrating players.
When I reached her, her eyes were closed again. Head tilted back against the booth. She looked peaceful despite the chaos around her.
“Melissa,” I said quietly.
Her eyes fluttered open. Unfocused for a moment before finding me.
“Gavin.” She smiled. Slow and soft. “Hi.”
“Hi, piccola. You’re falling asleep.”
“No I’m not.” She straightened up as if to prove her point. “I’m just resting my eyes.”
“Uh-huh.”
“The guys are having fun.” She gestured vaguely at the team. “I should stay.”
“The guys will have fun whether you’re here or not.” I extended my hand. “Come on. Let’s get you home.”
She looked at my hand. Then at me. Then back at my hand.
“Okay,” she said finally.
She placed her small hand in mine and I helped her to her feet.
She swayed slightly. I caught her around the waist, steadying her.
“How many drinks did you have?” I asked.
“Two. Maybe three.” She frowned, thinking. “Not that many. I’m just tired.”
“I know you are.”
Jake noticed us leaving. Raised his beer in salute. “Taking the photographer home, boss?”
“She’s exhausted,” I said.
“She earned it!” Jake shouted over the music. “Best damn photographer in the league!”
The team cheered. Melissa waved at them, smiling.
I guided her through the crowd, keeping her close. People congratulated us as we passed. Some slapped me on the back. Others praised the team.
I nodded and smiled and kept moving.Outside, the cool night air hit us both. Melissa breathed in deeply.
“That’s better,” she said. “It was so hot in there.”
Marcus had the car waiting at the curb. He opened the door without a word.
I helped Melissa inside, sliding in beside her.
The door closed. The noise of the bar muffled instantly.
Melissa leaned against me, her head finding my shoulder like it belonged there.
Marcus pulled away from the curb smoothly.We drove in silence for a few minutes. Melissa was quiet, but I could feel her occasionally shifting against me.
Then she spoke.
“Gavin.”
“Yes?”
“You’re very soft.”
I blinked. “What?”
“Soft.” Her hand came up, patting my chest through my shirt. “Right here. You’re soft.”
“I’m… soft.”
“Mhmm.” She nodded against my shoulder. “And warm. Like a big warm teddy bear.”
Marcus made a sound from the front seat that sounded almost like a laugh.
“A teddy bear,” I repeated.
“A mafia panda,” she corrected herself. “No wait. That’s different. You’re both. You’re a soft mafia panda teddy bear.”
“That’s quite a description.”
“It’s accurate.” She poked my chest. “See? Soft.”
“Melissa, that’s muscle.”
“Soft muscle then.” Another poke. “Very nice soft muscle.”
I caught her hand before she could poke me again. I brought it to my lips.
“You’re drunk.”
“I’m not drunk. I’m tired.” She looked up at me, her eyes heavy-lidded. “And you’re cute.”
“Cute.”
“So cute.” She reached up and touched my face. Her fingers traced my jaw, my cheekbone. “Especially your eyes. They’re like… like…”
She trailed off, thinking.
“Like what?” I asked, amused despite myself.
“Like the ocean,” she said finally. “But angry. Angry ocean eyes.”
“That’s romantic.”
“It is romantic!” She insisted. “The ocean is very romantic. And you have romantic angry ocean eyes and you’re soft and warm and I love you.”
My chest tightened.
“I love you too, piccola.”
“I know.” She settled back against my shoulder, satisfied. “Everyone knows. Even Tasha knows. That’s why she’s mean.”
The mention of Tasha’s name made my jaw clench.
“Don’t think about her,” I said. “She’s not worth your energy.”
“I’m not thinking about her.” Melissa yawned. “I’m thinking about you. And how soft you are.”
“So you’ve mentioned.”
“And cute.”
“That too.”
“And mine.”
“Always yours.”
She hummed looking very comfortable with her position. We drove the rest of the way in comfortable silence. Melissa dozed against my shoulder, her breathing evening out.
When we pulled up to the penthouse, she was fully asleep.
I lifted her carefully. She curled into my chest immediately.
Marcus opened the car door, then the building entrance. The doorman held the elevator.
I carried her up to the penthouse, her head tucked under my chin.
Inside, everything was quiet. Dark except for the city lights filtering through the windows.
I headed straight for her bedroom.
Set her down gently on the bed. She made a small sound of protest when I pulled away.
“Just getting you comfortable,” I murmured.
Her shoes came off first. Then her jacket.
She was wearing jeans and her Titans jersey still. Not ideal for sleeping but better than I expected.
“Arms up,” I said softly.
She raised her arms obediently, eyes still closed.
I pulled the jersey off, leaving her in a tank top underneath. The jeans would have to go too.
I unbuttoned them, sliding them down her legs. She didn’t wake, just shifted slightly.
“Bath,” she mumbled suddenly.
“You want a bath?”
“Smell like bar.” Her nose wrinkled. “And beer. Rodriguez spilled beer on me.”
I smiled. “Alright. Bath it is.”
I went to her bathroom and started the water. It wasn’t too hot and I made sure to add some of the bath oil she liked that made her always smell like roses.
When I came back, she was sitting up, rubbing her eyes.
“Gavin?”
“Come on, your bath is ready.”
I helped her to the bathroom, though she needed the wall for balance.Then she sank into the tub with a sigh.
“Better?” I asked.
“So much better.” She leaned back, eyes closing. “You take good care of me.” She opened one eye to look at me. “You like taking care of me.”
“I do.”
“Why?”
Because you’re mine. “Because I love you,” I said simply.
She smiled. “Soft.”
“So you keep saying.”
I washed her hair while she soaked. Her eyes drifted closed, completely relaxed.
When the water started to cool, I helped her out. Wrapped her in a towel. Dried her hair as much as I could.
She brushed her teeth while leaning against the counter, half-asleep again.
Then I guided her back to bed.She had pajamas somewhere but I couldn’t find them, so I grabbed one of my t-shirts from my room. It swallowed her completely.
She crawled under the covers, already mostly asleep.
I tucked the blanket around her and pressed a kiss to her forehead.
“Gavin?” Her voice was muffled by the pillow.
“Yes?”
“Stay?”
“I’ll be right back. Just need to lock up.”
“Kay.”
I made my way through the penthouse, making sure everything was secure.
When I returned to her room, she was completely asleep. Curled on her side, one hand tucked under her cheek.
I started to turn off the light when I noticed something on the floor.
Near the bathroom door. It looked like a pendant.