Mister Hockey (Hellions Angels #1)(52)
She peered up from the bottom drawer that she had half filled with jeans. “‘I have too many shoes’ is something no girl has said ever. Besides, didn’t hear any complaints last night.”
“When you stripped down to your stilettos?” He gripped his chest and pretended to stagger. “Remember that I’m recovering from a head injury, a weak man.”
“Mmm-hmm.” She erased the smile from her lips and crawled onto his king-size bed, reaching for her phone. “On that note, I have an idea.”
He set down the box next to his walk-in closet and collapsed next to her. “What are you up to now?”
“Just jumping onto Amazon to order a dirty nurse costume,” she answered with studied nonchalance.
He gave a lazy chuckle. “Sounds good.”
“What do you think of this one?” She held up the screen. The dress was short, white and barely covered the model’s nipples let alone her hoo-ha. “Comes with a garter belt, but stocking sold separately.”
“What?” His eyes flew open in surprise. “You’re being serious?”
“As a heart attack.” She activated her one-click finger while setting her features to an expression of mock concern. “After all, snookum, if we’re going to be living together, then you’re going to have to accept a few things. Like the fact that I plan on looking after you.” She finger-walked her hand over to the gap between his khaki shorts and worn gray shirt, swirling her finger around his belly muscle. Her chest burbled with a repressed moan as he automatically flexed from the gentle tickle, revealing a ladder of muscle.
Quick as a wink, he grabbed her hand. But rather than coaxing her to keep up the dirty, flirty fun, he laced his fingers with hers, lifted her hand to his lips and planted a gentle kiss between the knuckles. “You happy about having a new change of address? I know how much having your own place meant to you.”
He was fishing, and it was adorable. “It did. And still does. But Margot’s coming back and needs a place. The timing is going to work out perfectly. Bonus points for the fact that I can playact being the mean old landlady.” She gave her chin a musing rub. “I should stick a no-threesome clause in her contract. Remember there’s that church at the end of my street, she is liable to give the congregation a heart attack. Or start deflowering all the virgins.”
“Your friend sounds adventurous.”
“Hey now!” She smacked him with a giggle. “Don’t get any fresh ideas, Don Juan. I don’t plan on sharing.”
“Hell no. I’ve got my hands full right here.” He rolled her onto her side and pressed up behind, the big spoon to her little. He planted a shiver-inducing kiss behind one ear. “Heart too.”
She wiggled back against him. “I think the coach idea might be great. You are good at building people up.”
It was one of the post-retirement ideas that floated his way. The University of Denver hockey team needed a new coach. The timing was right. He’d be going in next week to have a sit-down and learn more. Staying connected to the game had appeal, the idea of quitting cold turkey didn’t sit right. Besides, he genuinely liked helping people work hard to find their best self.
“You got to stop being cute or how am I ever going to finish packing. I also need to review the winter stock order.” Itsy Bitsy Books was making a name for itself, the clientele growing by the week.
“Hey. I want to take you up to the mountains tonight. After you get everything done for the shop. What do you say? We can stay in an old hotel and spend tomorrow hiking, skinny-dipping in lakes.”
“Brrrr, that sounds chilly,” she murmured, unwilling to stretch her mind beyond the comfort of his arms, this perfect cozy moment.
“Don’t worry.” He nuzzled her neck. “I’ll keep you warm.”
“This is going to take some getting used to.” She hesitated, keeping her gaze trained on the charm bracelet she kept twisting on her wrist.
“What’s up?” He smoothed the worry lines cutting the space between her brows.
“My life used to be ordinary. Get up at seven. Work. Home. Netflix. Read. Repeat.” She glanced over one shoulder. “Like that was my day. I wasn’t a gal who wore stilettos and nothing else. And certainly didn’t head out to hike for the weekend. But deep down, I had that potential. You saw that in me, Jed. Things that I hadn’t known about myself. Things no one else noticed. You found parts of me that I didn’t know existed.”
He gave a slow nod. “That feeling goes both ways. I was going adrift and everything in my life was about to change. You saw me for more than the game, more than the player. And that anchored me.”
They shared a long, sweet kiss before she pulled back, pressing her forehead to his. “So . . . about this whole walking on trails in the mountains idea. Why not? Life is short and everything that I never do, I want to start doing with you.”
“I can’t promise you an easy life, or perfection, but I can promise to give this relationship my all, because the difference between extraordinary and ordinary is that little bit of extra.”
“I’ll always go the extra mile.” He braced her face in between his big hands, tilting her head back for a kiss. His lips covered hers as he breathed into her mouth. “You’re nothing ordinary, Breezy Angel. You’re my game changer.”