Rushing the Goal (Assassins #8)(141)

She should have just stayed home.

“What’s wrong with you? Are you nervous or something?”

She looked over at him. “What?”

“You are nervous. Why? Everyone is great. I promise.”

She shrugged. “I’m kinda standoffish, and what if I embarrass you?”

He laughed. “Just have fun. I know you won’t. Now come on, let’s get to the ice,” he said, standing and helping her up. She was hesitant, but she made it out on her own. She even skated a bit before she went crashing down in a heap of legs and arms. Standing above her, Benji shook his head. “That was pathetic.” She glared up at him as Jayden came to a stop beside them. “How does your sister not know how to skate, but your niece does?”

“’Cause she wouldn’t go. It’s all her fault!” he accused and skated off, going after Angie.

Bending down, Benji helped Lucy up as she grumbled, “I told you I suck at this.”

“Come on,” he said laughing, kissing her cheek before they skated together. He was patient and sweet, encouraging her. But she could see it in his eyes, he found this hilarious. As they skated, his big hands holding her, she decided she was okay with not being good. It meant he had to hold her, and she liked that a lot. Leaning into him as cheerful Christmas music played in the arena and children’s laughter was at every turn, Lucy couldn’t be happier.

But the nerves were back full force when he stopped where a group of women stood by the bench Baylor was sitting on. Lucy held on to the side as all the ladies looked over, their faces brightening as they called Benji’s name.

For a guy who claimed he wasn’t a ladies’ man, these Assassins wives sure did love her boyfriend.

And she would not be jealous of that.

Nope.

Okay, she was.

A little.

Just a smidge.

Elli Adler beamed. “Well, aren’t you two just absolutely adorable!”

Lucy smiled as she looked up at Benji, who was just grinning like a fool. “He is, isn’t he?”

“Wait? Are you two together?” one of the ladies asked. Lucy was pretty sure it was Piper Titov, Reese’s twin sister, who was Jude’s wife’s Claire’s aunt.

Wow, mouthful there.

“Yeah, Piper, we are,” he said, cuddling her closer as Piper squealed.

“About damn time!” she decided, smacking the boards. “Though, now I worry you won’t come cook for us.”

Benji laughed as Lucy smiled and offered, “You guys will have to come over for dinner, then.”

Hey, she was doing well! Go, Lucy, go!

Piper loved that as she nodded. “We would love to! Is that your darling girl, the one with my daughter, Katarina?”

Lucy looked out where Angie was on her knees, playing with a sweet little girl who had a spurt of hair on top of her head. “I think so.”

“Well, isn’t she just adorable?”

“Thank you, I was thinking the same of yours.”

Piper beamed as Benji cleared his throat. “Okay, let me introduce you to everyone,” he said, pointing to Elli. “You know, Adler, my boss. You know your sister-in-law. Now, Piper, who is married to Erik Titov. Then we’ve got her sister, Reese, but you know her because of Claire, Jude’s wife?”

Lucy smiled as Reese grinned over at her. “We do.”

“Okay, cool, then we have Audrey. You just met her—”

“And I love her,” Audrey decided, which made everyone laugh.

Lucy grinned as Benji nodded. “And then we have my boy Karson King’s wife, Lacey. She’s the one who owns the lingerie store, y’know, for breast cancer survivors?”

Lucy met Lacey’s gaze and nodded. “Yes, I love your work.”

“Well, I love your design for Reese’s house. I need your number for some changes to our house,” she said, moving her blond hair off her shoulders before rubbing her belly. She must have been pregnant, though, she didn’t look it. “Sorry, I’m queasy today. Found out we’re expecting.”

“Oh, congratulations!”

“Thanks,” she beamed as her lips quirked. “You have a lot of catching up to do once y’all marry and start. We average about three kids a family.”

“You guys are also insane,” Lucy said simply, and that had everyone chortling as Benji grinned. She wasn’t joking, but they had to be—not only for the number of kids, but hadn’t they just met her? How did they know she wanted kids and marriage with Benji?

“She’s funny, right?” he teased, skating over to a very tall and very muscular woman who was holding a baby on her hip. “Anyway, this is Kacey, my boy and roommate on the road, Jordie’s, wife and her little nugget, Ella. Let me see her,” he said, taking her and kissing her loudly on the cheek, which made her giggle adorably as all the women grinned back at him. “These are the core Assassins wives who run shit and the woman in charge of it all.”

“Basically,” Reese laughed as everyone agreed.

When Benji skated off, Lucy wanted to chase him, but knew she wouldn’t get far as Kacey said, “I guess I’m not getting my baby back.”

“Probably not,” Baylor replied as Benji skated.

“He just loves kids,” Piper added while everyone watched him. He was great, skating with Ella before handing her off to the really big mountain man she knew to be Jordie Thomas and then chasing after Angie.