Sincerely, The Puck Bunny (Totally Pucked #2)(37)

Not that I’m thinking of being with Briggs in any type of way, of course not. I groan out loud and look to the ceiling then squeeze my eyes tightly shut.

No, the last thing I should ever do is get involved with my baby daddy. That’s the worst idea that there is, and when I suggest to him that co-parenting is the best route for us, I have no intention of ever crossing that line.

No matter how handsome he is, or how amazing his biceps look when they flex around the tight sleeve of his t-shirt. Or the way that the dimple in his cheek pops when he smi-

“Maddison?”

Briggs' voice on the other side of the door causes me to jump.

“Yes?”

“Just wanted to check on you and make sure you’re okay. I think our girl is getting hungry, she’s kind of sucking on her fist and I don’t uh... have the right parts to feed her.”

I laugh quietly. Of course you don’t, you silly man.

“Be out in just a sec,” I say.

Not letting my mind wander back to Briggs, I quickly run conditioner through my hair and wash my body, then slowly step out of the shower. I’m not in pain as much as I was at the hospital, but my body most definitely needs time to bounce back to what it was before.

I quickly dress in an old t-shirt and sleep shorts, and drag a brush through my hair, getting out any tangles, then brush my teeth and open the door. Briggs must not hear the door open because he continues to talk to Olive in a hushed whisper.

“I hope your mama lets me stay around, little girl. I want to, so badly. Yeah, I know, I have no clue what the hell I’m doing, Wait, I shouldn’t say hell, sorry. But… I want to try. I’ll probably mess up, a lot. Definitely have no clue how to change a diaper or make a bottle or anything, but I love you. That matters right? I love you so much already.”

My heart picks up speed as tears well in my eyes. The last thing I expected was the six-foot-three professional hockey player, baby daddy to be so… soft, and kind, and gentle. Like Olive will break in his hands anytime he picks her up. Olive’s tiny hand is wrapped around Briggs’ finger as he talks to her, and the entire thing has hot tears wetting my cheeks and me sniffling.

Sensing my presence, he looks up, alarm written on his face.

“Sorry I didn’t hear you come out. Just having a little talk with Olive.”

I nod, offering a watery smile. Obviously my hormones are haywire since I’m crying over something so obviously small. It doesn’t feel small, though. It feels so much bigger. A moment I’ll remember, even if things don’t work out with Briggs.

“No, it’s okay. I’m going to feed her really quick, then put her down in the bassinet. Do you want to hang out for a bit, give us the chance to talk once I’m finished?” I chew my lip nervously. Aside from the first night, I’ve never been alone with Briggs. Truthfully, there’s so much that we don’t know about each other. Seeing him here, in my tiny, threadbare apartment, makes me suddenly feel smaller, and wish it was in a better part of town, or just looked nicer.

“I’d love to, if that’s okay. I can help with whatever you need, Maddison, I mean it.”

“Thank you. For being here, and for being so...nice.”

He laughs quietly as he transfers Olive back into my arms. “The media paints their own picture of me, but I’d like to think I’m a good guy.”

His words make me feel like I have lead in my stomach, and it’s heavy and weighing me down.

When Olive begins to wake, I tuck her into my chest and run my nose along her face, inhaling her newborn scent. Briggs sits back on the couch, his large frame taking up most of the tattered, worn furniture, and I leave him with a small smile before shutting my bedroom door behind me.

The second it shuts, I press my back against the cool wood, desperately trying to gather my bearings. My eyes flit to my daughter who’s hungrily gnawing on her fist, and I walk over to the bed and sit against the headboard to feed her. The entire time she suckles, I watch her, so many thoughts running rampant through my head.

Once she’s fallen asleep, still attached to me, I quickly set up her bassinet next to my bed, place her inside, and then walk out to where Briggs is still sitting on the couch, his phone in his hand.

I clear my throat nervously. “Hi.” My greeting comes out a whisper, and I’m not sure why, but I’m even more nervous now that Olive is no longer between us.

He glances up and smiles. “Hi.”

Even now, after not seeing each other in nine months, his handsome face still causes a flurry of butterflies to erupt in my stomach, without even trying.

Walking over, I grab the monitor I set on the counter, turn it on and sit on the other side of the couch, which isn’t much room, considering he takes up the majority of it.

“Soooo…” I trail off, fingering the still damp ends of my hair nervously.

“Never been a beat around the bush kinda guy, Maddison,” he says. “I can never tell you just how fucking sorry I am that Conrad did this. I want you to know that I fired him.”

My eyes widen, and he nods, his jaw clenching as he grits his teeth together.

“He will never be an issue again. I’m so fucking sorry. I…. I want to be in Olive’s life. I want to be her dad and be there for her.” He runs his large hand down the scruff on his face in anxiousness. “She’s my daughter, and I hope that you’ll allow me the chance to be a part of her life, even after what’s happened. I need you to know that if you do allow me to be a part of your lives, I will do everything in my power to protect you and put you both first.”