Chapter 20 #2
“No…” She moves a hand over her midsection. “My stomach is still kind of weird.”
She sticks her tongue out, and I give her a knowing look before taking a sip of the beverage Gigi gave me. It’s actually pretty damn good, and she’s right, it does warm me all the way to my toes.
“Who’s this kid?” A big man walks over to where I’m standing, slapping me on the shoulder.
I straighten to my full six-foot-two height, but I’ll be damned. This guy’s got two inches on me.
“Grizz!” A petite woman runs up behind him and jumps on his back. “Are you trying to intimidate my son’s best friend?”
He catches her under the legs, yelling, “Get off me, Banshee!”
A dark, curly head peeps around his shoulder. “Are you the Gavin Knight I’ve heard so much about from my little boy?”
Her amber eyes twinkle, and I’m immediately at ease. Mav’s mom reminds me a lot of Elaine. She sticks out a hand from over her giant brother’s shoulder.
“Yes, Ma’am.” I reach up to shake it. “It’s really great to meet you all. Mav’s told me so much about all of you. I had no idea he was such a good cook, and Gigi said we have you to thank.”
“That’s my little ginger snap!” Dylan calls to our other roommate, who looks up from where she’s swiping on her phone to give us a happy wave.
“That’s my daughter Gina.” The big guy glares down at me. “Don’t be getting any ideas, hockey boy.”
“No, sir.” I shake my head, taking a step back and holding up both hands. “Gigi is safe with Mav and me.”
From the corner of my eye, I see Haddy’s hand cover her laugh quickly, but I hold my expression steady. He has no idea how safe his daughter is with me.
His brother’s daughter, on the other hand…
“Stop being a party pooper, Grizz.” Mav’s mom tilts her head to the side, then hops off her brother’s back. “You kids have fun. You’re only young once.”
“That’s terrible advice,” Grizz the Giant complains.
“You’re one to talk!” his petite sister argues.
“Come on.” Haddy catches my arm, pulling me away from the group through a screen door in the center of the dining room.
She doesn’t even try to hide our exit, which I take as a good sign, and I follow her out to a playground facing the bay. It’s enclosed by a fence, but she leads me through it, down to the water, where we take off our shoes and dip our toes in the surf.
“You left your parents on Christmas day to come here?” She squints up at me. “What did you tell them?”
The moon is bright in the sky, and I look up at it then out at the waves tipped in silver. I have no idea what my dad told them.
“My dad said I should be here with you, so I came.”
She stops in her tracks, turning to face me. “You told your dad about us?”
“Yes, and no.” I tilt my head side to side, but I can see she’s worried. “I told him we knew each other from college, and I had strong feelings for you. He said in that case I should be here, with you, and I decided he was right.”
Her chin drops. “You have strong feelings for me?”
“You know I do. I haven’t tried to hide it.”
She starts walking again. I follow her, and we take several steps in silence, the only sound the shushing of the tiny ripples on the water.
“I’m glad you’re here.” Her voice is quiet.
“I’ve been thinking about all of this so much, trying to understand how it happened.
Based on where I was in my cycle, I should not have gotten pregnant when we were together…
although, there have been studies that show females will ovulate if they’re aroused by a suitable male. ”
Her scientific approach is too much. “Are you saying I make you ovulate, Princess?”
She looks up at me, wrinkling her nose. “I think it’s possible. I would never have disregarded common sense like that if I hadn’t been significantly aroused.”
“I was pretty horny for you, too. I never have sex without a condom.”
“We’ve been having nothing but condomless sex since Halloween.”
“It’s true.” I give her a wink. “You make me reckless.”
She exhales a teasing scoff. “You don’t need my help to be reckless.”
The return of Sassy Haddy makes me smile. She’s adorable, and fuck, I’m glad I came here. I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else right now.
“I’m glad I came, too. It helps me understand you better, why you aren’t afraid to do this.”
Her chin lifts, and she looks out at the water. “It’s hard to be afraid of anything in Newhope.”
“I get that. You’ve got this incredible mob of family in your corner, but I can give you something they can’t.”
“What’s that?” A sly grin is on her lips.
Reaching out, I catch her arm, pulling her close. Her hands are on my chest, and I lean down to kiss her. Our mouths seal and part, and I sweep my tongue inside to curl with hers.
A soft whimper slips from her throat, and her body relaxes in my arms. It feels so good. Cupping her chin, I tilt her head so I can kiss her deeper.
Her back arches, and her soft, perfect breasts press against my chest. I groan, tracing my lips to her cheek, closer to her ear. “I can definitely give you that.”
“Hmm…” She takes a step back, her blue eyes stormy. “I’m not sure we can do that here. Not without getting caught.”
“I bet I can sneak it in.”
“I don’t know, it’s pretty big.”
That makes me laugh out loud, and she reaches up to cover my mouth with her small hand, shushing me.
“They’ll hear you.” Shaking her head, she exhales a soft growl. “How did I end up with so many secrets? I’ve never been good at lying. I’ve always said I’m glad I wasn’t here when Mav was sneaking around playing hockey. If anyone would’ve slipped up and told Aunt Dylan, it would’ve been me.”
I lean against a large oak tree, crossing my arms and smiling at her cute frustration. “You won’t have to hide for much longer. Mav and I are leaving tomorrow.”
“Then I’ll be alone again, watching everything I say.”
“You’re never alone, Hads. I told you, whatever you need, I’ve got you covered.”
“I don’t know how you can say that with your schedule the way it is.”
“Trust me. If you call, I’ll be there.” I take a step closer, tracing my thumb along her jaw. “We can make this work.”
She looks up at me, and a little smile curls her lips. “I believe you.”
“It might be easier if we at least start dating—with Mav and Gina, I mean.”
“Won’t that put us all over the gossip sites?”
“Hockey’s a pretty insular community. We might be hot for a week, but I expect it’ll cool off pretty fast. I’m not as big a star as your cousin…”
Poking my chest with her finger, she says the last word at the same time as me. “Yet.”
My stomach tingles, and I huff a laugh. Damn, this girl. I haven’t smiled or laughed this much in a long time. I’ve got to do what Dad said. I’ve got to show her I’m not the man she thinks I was.
I’m committed, and I’m going to win her.