Chapter 26
MATEO
“So, when are you going to tell us that Josie knew before we did that you had a girlfriend?” Landon asked, leaning beside me against the boards.
“Love that my wife knew before I did,” Wyatt said from my other side. The three of us stood there watching the kids skating on the rink. Lydia hovered near Kai as she clumsily moved around. To think Lydia didn’t even know how to skate six years ago and pretty much refused to get on the ice.
“I wasn’t hiding it from you guys,” I answered. “Josie’s like a conversational wizard. She got it out of me within seconds.”
A giggle from Jayden drew my eyes down the rink to where Steven stood behind him, bent over to hold his little waist as he gently pushed Jayden forward.
If Wyatt didn’t get his son into hockey, Steven sure would.
Trevor and Bryton stood like sentries on the ice, eyes glued to the kids in case they needed saving.
My mom, along with Mila and Tasha sat in the stands off to the side, talking and watching everyone else skate. It came as no surprise to anyone that Trevor pretty much forbade Tasha from setting foot on the ice, claiming the mother of his children would not fall and get hurt on his watch.
We all knew that caveman mentality wouldn’t last long with her. She was pregnant, but she wasn’t helpless. There was no telling Tasha Hall what to do.
“You guys haven’t been together long.,” Landon pointed out. He knew this, thanks to last night’s dinner when Emmie told everyone how we met, yet I could hear the underlying skepticism in his voice.
It wasn’t his place to question it, but that never stopped him before. Not when it came to me. Landon looked out for me longer than anyone, long before I even knew how to do it myself.
“Does it matter how long we’ve been together?” I questioned. Like a moth to a flame, my eyes were drawn to Emmie where she was squatted down in front of Wrenley, talking softly while Josie watched.
When she came through the doors twenty minutes ago, something was different. She looked more relaxed, like a weight had been lifted. But I saw the red ring around her eyes like she had been crying.
When I asked her how breakfast went with her dad she just simply said good. I wanted to know more, but Josie and the others swooped in on her before I could, so I guess it would have to wait until later. I was still anxious to know what happened.
“It just seems a bit soon to have her meet the family.” If Landon was trying to be nonchalant about it, he was failing.
On my other side, Wyatt shifted but stayed silent. Is that why they were here next to me, to warn me about Emmie?
“I would appreciate it if you kept whatever you’re thinking to yourself,” I said.
“Well, I, for one, am not thinking anything,” Wyatt said, bracing his forearms on the boards.
“Uh huh.” I glanced over at Landon. “And you?”
“I’m…” He seemed to be looking for the right words. “Just looking out for you.”
“Yeah, okay,” I snarked.
“I just want you to be happy,” Landon defended.
“I am happy.” And it was the truth. For the first time in a long time, I actually was. “And before you go on about her wanting me for my name, Emmie has built a name for herself already. If anything, she’s too good for me.”
“You’re right about that,” Wyatt chuckled.
“Gee, thanks.” I elbowed him in his side.
I could still feel the skepticism rolling off Landon. I didn’t blame him for being protective of me. I knew it was his way of showing his love, but it could be stifling at times.
“You know that feeling you both had when you met Josie and Lydia?” I looked at both my brothers. “From one glance, you just knew she was the one and nothing else mattered?”
Wyatt looked over at his wife, an expression that I could only describe as adoration covered his face. Even after eight years together, my brother looked at Josie like she was the best thing to ever happen to him.
“Yeah,” he said softly.
Landon stared out at his wife and daughter on the ice, a soft smile gracing his face. A smile we rarely saw before he met and fell in love with Lydia. They both knew exactly what I was talking about.
When Wyatt met Josie, he was still finding his way back from a season-ending injury.
He wasn’t himself for the longest time, but somehow, she brought that part of him back to life.
And Landon… He’d always been the grumpy one, carrying the weight of everyone else like it was his sole purpose.
Until Lydia walked in, and for the first time, he chose himself.
“I know it sounds crazy, but that’s how it feels with Emmie. I know the two of us have only been together for a short time, but I really like her.”
I wanted them to see that. To see that I wasn’t a seventeen-year-old kid anymore that didn’t know what he was doing. I could look out for myself and make decisions, whether they turned out good or not.
“I like her. She’s going to keep you on your toes.” Wyatt straightened, slapping my back.
I glanced back over at Emmie. Her smiling at Wrenley made my heart pound.
“Well, she seems like a really nice girl,” Landon finally said. His eyes flicked to mine, sharp and accusing. “And you don’t get many chances with someone like that.” It was the closest thing to approval I’d ever get from him, and somehow, it meant more because he didn’t hand it out easily.
Plus, he wasn’t wrong. Someone like Emmie didn’t come around a lot. I’d be an idiot to ruin it.
When Josie helped Wrenley up and started toward the ice, leaving Emmie there, I pushed off the boards. “I’ll be right back.”
I left my brothers and approached her.
“Hey, you,” I greeted.
She smiled up at me. “Hey.”
I squatted down in front of her, balancing back on my heels. “Wren seems to be taken with you.”
“She’s really cute and sweet. She wants to learn how to figure skate.”
“Look at you, influencing the younger generation.”
Emmie shrugged. “I’m amazing, what can I say?”
“Yes, you are.” I placed my hands on her knees. “Need help lacing your skates?”
Before she could say no, I grabbed her foot that was already in a skate, pressing the blade against my thigh.
“You know I can do them myself,” Emmie remarked but didn’t move.
“I know.” I glanced up at her, a teasing smile settling in. “You couldn’t make me do this.” I tugged lightly at the laces. “I’m choosing it.”
Her lips twitched like she was fighting a smile. “Choosing, huh?”
“Yeah,” I murmured, tightening the laces. Her eyes tracked my fingers. “Don’t act like you hate it.”
Emmie rolled her eyes, but her hands came to rest on my shoulders. “I don’t.”
I glanced up at her from under my lashes. “If you ever want me on my knees for you, just ask.”
The way her eyes flared and mouth parted open made me smirk. I loved how reactive she was.
“Careful. I know all the dark, hidden places here,” she said softly, hands gripping my shoulders as I moved to the next skate.
“You want to pull me into a closet and have your dirty way with me?” I teased. “With my family here? What a dirty minx you are.”
Emmie’s cheeks flamed as she hissed at me. “Mateo.” She glanced over to make sure no one heard what I said.
“Hey, you implied it, not me!”
“You’re incorrigible. You know that?”
I finished tying her skates but kept my hand on her left ankle, softly rubbing my fingertips under the edge of her leggings.
“Maybe, but I’m all yours,” I said.
Her hand came up to trail along the side of my jaw, eyes locked onto mine as she spoke. “Mine.”
The way she said it, voice low and husky, sent a visceral reaction through my body. It was like she staked her claim on me. Not an ounce of me was upset about that. I was hers. She didn’t know just how much, but I was.
When she brushed her thumb across my lip, I nipped at the pad. Her pupils overtook the green in her eyes. Damn it. Maybe I should find an empty closet to fuck her in. Who cared if my family was here?
“Okay, you lovebirds, you coming?” Trevor yelled from the ice, breaking the moment between us.
“Yeah, this was your idea. Get out here,” Bryton added.
I closed my eyes, willing the hard-on in my pants to go down. I rested my head on the top of Emmie’s thighs as she giggled, hands running through my hair.
“My family is a bunch of cockblockers,” I muttered.
“You okay?” Emmie raked her nails against my scalp, which did nothing to help the situation in my pants.
“I’m going to need a minute. How about you go first?” I pulled away from her lap and sat back on my heels. Emmie’s eyes went straight to my crotch and the sizable tent I was sporting.
She chuckled as she stood. “I’ll give you two a moment.”
“You evil creature.” I pressed a kiss to her stomach. “Go be with my family, I’ll be right behind you.”
Emmie pecked my head before moving around me and heading for the ice. I forced my eyes away from her ass and took a few deep breaths, trying to conjure images in my head to make my hard-on go away.
I sat on the bench Emmie just occupied, my own skates sitting on the floor. The sound of laughter, paired with the picture of my brothers and mother, helped cool me off. I made quick work of putting my skates on.
When I reached the little opening in the boards to get onto the ice, I paused, taking everything in before me. My entire family was out on the ice together, even my mom who rarely skated. Including Emmie felt right. It was like she’d been a part of my family for years, not just a few hours.
I watched as she held Wren’s hands, bent at the waist as she gently skated backward, and pulled her along.
Josie and Wyatt started teaching the kids to skate over the summer, so Wren wasn’t too afraid, but she also wasn’t that sturdy on her feet yet.
With the way she beamed up at Emmie, you’d have thought she was flying across the ice.
I couldn’t hear what Emmie was saying but whatever it was had Wren nodding, her little legs shuffling her blades across the ice.