Chapter 17
Arianna
There’s nothing worse than waking up, still warm and comfortable where you lie, and not being able to fall back to sleep.
I don’t know how much time has passed since I actually woke up, since I’ve been spending every conscious second trying to convince my brain to shut back off. I’m not even sure what woke me up in the first place, considering how cozy I am right now.
At some point after I dozed off, Dean must have found a way to get me under the covers because the blanket now covers my bare bottom. So I didn’t wake because it got too chilly. Plus, the heat radiating off Dean right now would make being cold impossible.
A distant thud outside the room makes my eyes fly open. I hold my breath, letting my eyes adjust to the dim lighting in the room while straining my ears to figure out what I heard. When the thud happens again, I curse under my breath.
Well, there’s my answer as to why I woke up.
This time, when it happens again, I can tell it sounds like someone struggling to open their room door. My eyes flick to the digital clock on the nightstand between the two beds and I silently curse.
Dean and I have been asleep for almost an hour and a half. Meaning my brother will be heading back to this room anytime now.
Not wanting to wake him, I carefully slip from Dean’s arms, making sure to pull the blanket up over his arms. Thankfully, my pants and underwear are easy to find at the end of the bed. Once dressed, I grab my things from the dresser, place a kiss on Dean’s cheek, and tiptoe out of the room.
When I’m halfway out the door, with my hand still on Dean’s to make sure it doesn’t slam closed, I look toward my room and freeze.
The sound that woke me up, the sound of someone struggling to get in a room, is coming from a man in a hoodie trying to get into my hotel room. Before I can even think to say anything, not that I would know where to start, the sound of a bolt being unlocked in front of me draws my attention away.
My throat dries at the sight of Greyson standing in the doorway across the hall, an ice bucket in hand as he watches me with an unamused stare. Swallowing thickly, I turn back to my room, ready to point out the man, only to find the hooded figure disappearing around the corner.
Dude’s probably drunk and thought it was his room.
I turn back to Grey, finding his gaze locked on the door behind me, and finally realize what he’s seeing.
Me sneaking out of Dean’s room.
Shit. Tell him you were with your brother. No. Idiot. He would find out in the morning that Landon was out all night with some of the other guys.
“Umm…this isn’t…I wasn’t…I was just,” the words tumble out in a whisper.
Grey just stares at me, eyes darting behind me once more, but he remains silent.
Not wanting to wake anyone up and risk being spotted by anyone else on the team as they come back to their rooms for the night, I carefully let go of the door, wincing as it latches closed, hastily grab Greyson by the arm, and drag him into his room.
He follows along, forcing me to let him go once we’re fully in the room so he can lean against the bathroom doorframe while I continue farther in. Immediately, I begin pacing.
On my pace back in his direction, I notice he left the door to the room open just a crack.
“That wasn’t what it looked like.” I start, stomping away and hoping my words will trigger him to say something. Anything to help break the awkward silence growing between us.
When he doesn’t, I pivot on my heel to face him. Greyson rests easily with his arms crossed and a single eyebrow raised at me. His lack of verbal response only causes me to ramble more.
“Okay, well, maybe it was what it looked like. I mean, not really what you think but probably pretty close.”
Still, he stands there like a fucking statue.
“Fine! Okay, it was exactly what it looked like. But fuck, Grey, you cannot tell my brother.”
Both his eyebrows shoot to this hairline and while it is not the time for it, I mentally pat myself on the back for getting a reaction from Greyson Moreno.
I sigh, plopping down onto the closest bed, and drop my head into my hands. Before I can say anything, though, the bedroom door opens, making my head snap up just as it hits Grey with a soft thud.
Even still, the fucking man barely grunts in response.
So much for thinking that Stella softened him up.
Dean pokes his head through the opening in the doorway, eyebrows adorably furrowed as he tries to find what he hit. When he does, he opens his mouth to say something, only for his eyes to widen almost comically when he spots me on the bed.
Dean doesn’t hesitate once his attention is on me, and he barely spares Greyson a second glance as he rushes over to me.
Dropping to his knees, his hands find my thighs while he scans me from head to toe.
“What’s wrong? Are you okay?” he asks quickly, hands rubbing up my sides, to my shoulders, then back down to my hips as he checks me over. Before I can answer him, though, he fires off another question. “Is something wrong with the baby?”
“Baby?”
My heart drops at the sound of Greyson finally saying something. I shoot him a half-assed glare over Dean’s tense shoulder, only to end up barely stifling a giggle at his expression.
I’ve seen Greyson in a lot of different settings.
From his excellent resting bitch face that he reserves for when he’s on the ice, to the secret goofball hiding beneath the surface that only comes out for his daughter.
But the look of pure shock he’s wearing right now?
It’ll be one that I remember for a while.
His hands hang at his sides as if they fell the moment he heard the word baby. His mouth is hanging open and his eyes are wide in shock.
Dean drops his forehead to my thighs, grumbling a curse word under his breath. My hand finds his back automatically and starts rubbing.
“It’s okay. We’re both fine. Grey was out in the hall when I left your room and I was trying, and failing, to explain but…”
“But I just gave him more information than you would have.” Dean peers up at me, his long lashes batting as he practically pouts. “I’m sorry. I saw you in his room and panicked.”
I shrug, glancing at his teammate, and grimace when I realize Grey still hasn’t moved.
“I think you broke him,” I whisper, nodding in his direction.
Dean finally tears his gaze from me and peeks over his shoulder. With a sigh, he pushes back to his feet, pausing to gently kiss my forehead before turning to face Grey.
“Any chance you’ll act like you didn’t hear that?” Dean asks with a forced laugh.
Greyson shakes his head, glancing at me quickly before slamming his mouth closed and running a hand through his long hair. “Dude, you’re more likely to find a snowball in hell.”
“That’s what I figured.” Dean sighs.
“How long have you two been…” Grey trails off, and if I’m not mistaken, there’s a faint blush dusting his cheeks beneath his beard.
“Um, like two years…”
“Shit…” Greyson stares at Dean with that same shocked expression before he manages to shake it off. “While I feel like I already know the answer, I gotta ask. Does Landon know?”
“No,” I answer before Dean can. “And I’d like to keep it that way for now.”
Greyson opens his mouth, the protest clear in his expression, but I hold up my hand to silence him. I only feel a little guilty for what I’m about to ask, but it’s the one thing I was adamant about with Dean.
“It’s still early, just shy of eleven weeks early.
While all the tests have shown us a healthy baby, I don’t want anyone knowing until we are out of the first trimester.
” I relax as the words hit their mark. Greyson might not like the idea of keeping a secret from his captain, but this isn’t his decision.
“We’re going to tell him. About the baby, about us, but for a couple more weeks, this is something we are trying to keep to ourselves. ”
Luckily, Greyson nods. “I get it.”
Just like that, all the tension leaves my body in a physical swoop. Relief courses through me and I offer him a smile. “Thank you. I promise we’re going to tell him. Not that I’d be able to keep a baby a secret for long…”
Grey shrugs before crossing his arms once more and grumbling under his breath. “You’d be surprised.”
I wince, knowing he’s thinking about the fact that he didn’t know about his daughter for just over four years. Before I can apologize, though, Grey turns his focus back to Dean.
“You’re happy, though? About the baby?”
Dean’s nodding and looking back at me with a wide grin on his face before the words are even finished. “Yeah, it was a surprise. But finding out I’m gonna be a dad unlocked a whole new level of happiness. One I didn’t even think was possible.”
My cheeks flush at his words and my stomach swoops at his admission. The fact that he feels that because of me and this baby causes pride like I’ve never known to pump through my veins. It’s a heady and terrifying feeling.
“Good,” Greyson states simply before aiming his next words to me. “If you need anything, I feel comfortable enough to say that Stella is there if you need someone to talk to about that…stuff. And she’d be discreet.”
“Thanks. I planned on reaching out to her after we told my family.” I chew my bottom lip, keeping the fact that I’ve almost spilled the beans to her hundreds of times since I found out.
Vivian has been a phenomenal friend through all of this.
Listening to everything and anything that happens with my pregnancy.
But she’s never been pregnant or had a kid.
There are just some things that she doesn’t fully understand.
Which is perfectly okay and doesn’t bother me.
But it would be nice to talk to someone who does get what I’m going through.
Clearing my throat, I point to the door behind Grey. “Well, now that the secret is out, I think I’m gonna go see if I can kick Dominik out of my room so I can get some sleep.”
Greyson steps into the bathroom, motioning for me to go ahead. Dean follows close by, pausing to offer a quick ‘thanks’ to his teammate. I don’t miss Grey telling him they’d talk more about ‘this’ later, but I ignore it for now and turn to head back to my room.
When we’re just outside of my room, I finally turn to Dean, who immediately starts word vomiting.
“I’m so sorry I slipped up like that. I should have given you a second to speak up or say something before running my mouth like that. I didn’t mean—”
“It’s okay.” I silence him by pushing to my feet and kissing him on the lips. Dropping back to my heels, I smile up at him. “Shit happens. If anything, now you have someone to talk to for the next two weeks before we tell everyone else.”
He sighs, pulling me into his arms and almost smushing me in a tight embrace.
“I only ever needed you.”
I nuzzle into his chest to hide the goofy smile that’s undoubtedly on my face. “Well, you have me and Greyson now.”
I squeeze my hands between us, then place my palms on his chest and gently push him away.
“I was serious, though. I desperately need sleep. While I might have had a random burst of energy to get from your room to here, this baby is draining me.”
“Right, yes. Go.” He bends forward to sneak in one more kiss to my lips before pressing his lips to my forehead. “Text me in the morning?”
“First thing,” I promise, smiling like a teenager as I pull out my keycard and slip into my room.