Forever Player

Chapter 27

Brett

“Yes, baby, damn that feels good,” I groan as I watch Willow’s head bobbing up and down under the blankets. She decided to wake me up this morning with a blow job as a thank-you for waking her up yesterday morning with my head between her thighs, licking her sweet pussy.

Willow groans too, I love how she gets turned on by sucking my cock. Although my injury sucks, being home the last four days with my girls has been the bomb.

Her suction on my cock grows stronger, her head bobbing hungrily, “I’m going to come, Honey.”

I notice her hips thrusting under the blankets. “Are you getting yourself off too?”

“Yes,” she groans out and then her tongue runs over the tip of my cock before she gets back to taking my shaft down her throat.

Little moans begin to escape her. I lift the blanket off us, just so I can take in what is happening now that I am more awake.

“You can turn around to me and I’ll eat your pussy,” I offer. She shifts, turning herself around, and spreads her legs on each side of my shoulders, her pussy landing on my mouth. I take hold of her hips, drawing her in to me as I begin to lick her. I flatten my tongue along her clit and move my way down her seam, and she begins to moan as she moves fucking my face.

It doesn’t take long for us to go at each other with a hunger that can only end with both of us coming, and that is exactly what we do. I blow my load down her throat as I lick up all her juices, and she fucks my face.

When we are both sated, she shifts and stands. Her lips are bee-stung swollen, her hair is a mess, and she looks beautiful as hell.

“I can’t be late for work,” she says, shifting off me. She leans in and kisses me and then pulls away. I have just enough time to smack her ass as she makes her way to the bathroom.

“Can I keep Maylee with me today?” I ask since she is going in to work.

She’s brushing her teeth as she walks back into the bedroom. “It’s better we keep her on routine. Besides, I need to nurse her on my breaks. It’s easier than pumping at work.”

“Fine,” I concede.

She’s been working the last few days and I’ve been bored out of my mind. Besides my mom calling and listing her house for sale, there isn’t anything going on. My ankle is going to need a few more days to heal, at minimum.

“Sorry,” she mutters as she walks back into the bathroom.

“It’s fine. I’ll go to the arena and meet with the therapists,” I say, even though Willow has been treating me at home too. I just need to get out of the house before I go stir-crazy.

While Willow gets dressed, I head over to Maylee’s room since she was talking away on the monitor. I use my crutches to walk there and lean on the doorframe, limping a few feet over to the crib.

“Good morning, pretty girl.” I lift her up and change her diaper. I take her to the kitchen using only one crutch and holding her on my opposite hip. I place her in her high chair and turn the kettle on to prepare her morning cereal.

I take the little lunch box Willow bought her for day care, and I pack up the carrot soup Willow made her since our baby is now eating vegetables too.

Willow walks into the kitchen and heads straight for the coffee maker. She’s wearing a pair of olive-green leggings and a tight-ass shirt that crosses in the front. I know she likes to wear those kinds of tops because it gives her easy access to feed Maylee, but she looks sexy as hell. Her long hair runs down her back and her ass looks so round and full, I picture her riding me.

“Brett.” She turns and watches me staring at her ass.

“What?” I laugh. “You have a fine ass.”

She laughs too. “I need to get going. Are you sure you don’t need your car?”

“I’m positive. It’s easier for me to Uber,” I assure her.

She gets Maylee bundled up and they walk out the door, leaving the house too quiet. It feels like they have always been here with me. That’s how connected I feel to both of them.

I decide to go to the main room and do a small workout. I do some sit-ups with my hurt ankle in the air in tabletop position. I switch it up to push-ups leaving my hurt ankle in the air. Then I turn back on my stomach for some planks.

My cell rings so I slowly push myself to get up. I hop over to the coffee table and answer.

Our goalie Connor’s name lights up my screen.

“Connor, what’s up, bro?” I ask.

“Not much. We’re on the road. Wanted to check in and see how you’re doing. I know what it’s like to get stuck at home,” he guffaws.

“Yeah, well, you shouldn’t be complaining, you got yourself a wife out of that ordeal,” I remind him.

“I ain’t complaining now. How are you doing, asshole?” he asks.

“I’m bored as hell,” I complain.

“Exactly how I felt until Ellie came along.” He chuckles. His now wife started off as his daughter’s nanny until some lines apparently became blurred.

“Willow is back at work, and she has Maylee with her, so yeah, I’m going batshit,” I whine.

“She really is a cutie,” he says. I introduced the guys to my daughter at the last game, but I didn’t make it to the end of the game because of my injury. We didn’t have time to talk about the meet and greet.

“Are you talking about my woman?” I joke since Willow was at the game too.

“No, numbskull, I’m talking about your baby girl. She’s softened you up,” he says.

“Damn straight she has,” I answer proudly. “I was kidding about Willow; I just couldn’t help myself.”

“You’re such an idiot.” He laughs.

“Thanks, bro,” I reply. “I think I’ll head to the arena for some therapy. I need fresh air. Say hi to the guys for me.”

“Will do,” he says.

“Assholes, Noble says hi,” he hollers out to the bus.

I hear all the guys saying some sort of hello.

“Okay, bro, talk soon,” he says.

“Bye,” I say.

We end the call and I head to the bedroom to change. Then I head down in the elevator and call an Uber.

One arrives in a few minutes, and I head to the arena to meet with one of the therapists. We slowly work on some exercises. Truth is, I’m feeling a lot better, and the swelling has come down somewhat. After my little session, I sit with an ice pack and watch some plays from teams we will be playing next week.

By the time I leave the arena it’s already late afternoon, so I stop by a local florist and buy some flowers. Next to the florists is a chocolatier and I buy chocolate. I hop in an Uber to the fitness club where Willow works, hoping she’s up for a little visit.

I enter through the main doors on my crutches, with the flowers and chocolate attached to one of the crutches in a bag. I swing my way over to the main desk. A young woman smiles at me and blushes when she takes in the flowers and chocolate. Behind her is a doorway that is open. I see Willow speaking with a man in an office. He is sitting in front of his desk and Willow is on a chair. They look very comfortable with each other.

She stands and the guy pats her shoulder. I am seeing red. Why is he standing so close to her?

“Can I help you, sir?” the young woman at the desk finally addresses me.

I don’t look at her because my eyes are glued to the interlude in front of me.

“I’m looking for Willow Heaton,” I say loud enough that she hears me and spins around.

“Brett?” She looks and sounds surprised as she leaves the dude’s office and walks to me, flashing a brilliant smile. The dude follows her out.

She hugs me and pulls back. “This is a nice surprise.”

I pass her the flowers and chocolate. “Thanks so much.”

The guy is now stopped beside her as he watches us expectantly.

“Oh, Silas, I didn’t see you there,” Willow says, blushing.

What the fuck is going on here? I usually save my temper for the ice but right now I am feeling pumped.

“Silas, this is Brett,” Willow says. She doesn’t say my boyfriend, Brett. She just says Brett.

“I know who he is. It’s an honor, I’m a huge fan.” He reaches to shake my hand and even though I don’t like him already, I always shake hands with fans.

“So how do you two know each other?” he asks, moving his index finger between Willow and me.

Oh, hell no. I’m fuming now.

I glare at Willow, waiting for a beat for her to answer. When she doesn’t, I say, “She’s my girlfriend.”

“I didn’t know you were seeing someone.” This asshole has the gall to say with a stupid smile.

Willow grins, giving him an impish smile, and she shrugs her shoulders.

That’s it? No confirmation?

“Well, it was great to meet you,” Silas says to me. “You have yourselves a good evening.”

“You too,” I mutter.

“See you tomorrow,” Willow chimes.

He turns back to his office.

I grit my jaw so hard I think it may snap.

“I’ll go grab my purse and jacket. We can pick Maylee up together,” Willow suggests awkwardly.

I nod because I’m too wound up to speak.

The young woman at the front desk is still staring at me with a wide smile. “Mr. Noble, would you mind signing this? I wish I had a jersey or puck for you to sign but . . .” She pushes a blank page across the counter with a pen.

“Sure.” I use my usual signature. “There you go.”

“Thanks so much. Willow is so lucky to be dating you.” She bats her lashes at me just as Willow returns wearing her coat and holding her flowers and chocolate. “This was such a nice surprise, Brett.”

“Ahum,” I mutter.

I follow her on my crutches but I put some weight on my ankle, which is doing a lot better. We enter the day care.

“Hi, Jodi, this is Maylee’s dad, Brett,” she says, introducing me to the caregiver.

“Nice to meet you,” I say.

“Maylee is such a doll. We love having her.” She smiles.

“Thanks.” My words are too caught up in my emotions right now to actually engage.

Willow goes about collecting Maylee’s things and then she bundles her up in the snowsuit and we leave the day care. We head out to the SUV and Willow gets Maylee settled in her car seat. I get in on the passenger side and place my crutches beside me.

Willow gets in and starts the car.

“Were you in the neighborhood?” she inquires, as if nothing is wrong.

“I went to the arena for therapy,” I explain, not looking at her. “I thought it would be a nice surprise.”

“It is a nice surprise,” she retorts.

“Right,” I snap.

“What is wrong with you?” she says, snapping back.

“Me?”

“What’s with the ’tude?” she clarifies.

“Well.” I tap my chin with my fingers. “Let’s see, I come to surprise my girlfriend at work with flowers and chocolate, only to find you cozied up to your boss. He didn’t know you were seeing someone, and you sure as hell didn’t clarify that for him. Why is that, Willow?”

Now I’ve raised my voice a few notches and I am not proud of it, but I am fuming. I’m jealous and angry and not used to feeling this way about anyone. I don’t know if I am handling this well, but I am following my feelings on this.

“Are you freaking kidding me, Brett? I was not cozied up with Silas,” she says in a way that tells me she is mocking my voice. “He is my boss, for goodness sakes, and I know he’s a bit of a flirt, but it’s harmless.”

“No, it fucking isn’t. He didn’t know you had a boyfriend,” I retort.

“Because that is my professional life. I don’t see a reason to tell people I work with about my personal life. I mean, I’m friends with Devney, she’s a trainer, and I told her, but I didn’t see a reason for Silas to have that kind of information.”

What she says makes sense.

“Why didn’t you introduce me as your boyfriend then?” I ask.

She’s driving so she can’t look at me but if she did, she’d realize she hurt my feelings.

“I was caught off guard. I’ve never dated anyone seriously before. I’m out of my element, Brett.”

“Oh, that’s fucking good to know because you know I am a professional at this relationship stuff.”

“Would you relax?” she says as we reach a red light.

“I’d really like to, but I’m pissed right now. This is new for me too, and I thought I was doing something nice. I missed you and Maylee, and I thought flowers and chocolates were a nice gesture.”

“It was very sweet of you. I love that you’re being so attentive, but you know me, Brett. I’m very protective of my inner circle. I don’t share a lot of myself, but I’m grateful for you. More than you know.”

Her words cause my anger to melt somewhat.

“Your boss wants you. I don’t like it.” I grind my jaw.

She laughs. “I really don’t care what he wants because I don’t want him. It takes two to tango, you know?”

I contemplate her words.

“You were jealous, huh?” she questions with a victorious smile.

“I was an ugly green monster. I wanted to punch him out.” I snicker as I hold the handrail above my head.

“That’s kinda sexy.” She giggles.

“You can’t be serious. I’m pissed at you right now,” I snap.

She frowns. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to make you feel insignificant. This is how I’ve always been. I compartmentalize my life.”

“You need to make it known that I’m not just your boyfriend. I am here to stay and I am your baby daddy.”

“You’re here to stay, huh?” she repeats. “I like the sound of that. A month ago, I was scared shitless of coming to town with you and now look at what you made me do.”

“What’s that?” I ask.

“I’m in serious like with you,” she declares.

“I’m in serious like with you too, and it’s clearly made me lose my mind.”

Her laughter bellows throughout the car, and I take a deep breath because I know exactly what is happening here. I’m falling in love with this woman.

* * *

The next day I head to a car dealership in town. I want to get Willow a car. I decide on a Genesis SUV and I ask for it to be delivered to the apartment tonight with a red ribbon. After my purchase, I head to the arena.

My cell rings and Mom’s name lights up the screen.

“Hi,” I answer.

“Hi, darling,” she replies. “How is that ankle of yours?”

“Doing a lot better. I’ll be back to playing this weekend, I think. I’m just headed to the arena now.”

“Good, I’m glad to hear. How is my granddaughter?” she asks, her tone filled with so much love.

“Just as amazing as she was when you were here last week,” I chuckle.

“Smart-ass,” she deadpans. “I want to enjoy my grandkids. Don’t make fun of me.”

“My bad. You should enjoy them,” I agree. After putting up with my alcoholic father for so many years, she deserves an easy life.

“The reason I’m calling is we got an offer on the house,” she says cheerfully. “It’s a solid offer, but I just wanted to run the numbers by you,” she explains.

Mom goes over the offer and tells me she has a little mortgage to pay off.

“How is that possible? I paid off the mortgage eons ago,” I state.

“I needed a little money a while back. It’s no biggie. I didn’t want to bother you,” she says.

“You know it isn’t a bother.”

“So, what do you think? Should I take it?” she asks.

“It’ll be nice to have you in the city,” I note.

“You say that now because you need a babysitter,” she jokes.

“It’ll be good to have the family together. Now we just need Henry to find a job once he defends his dissertation,” I say.

“He loves Yale, and he isn’t too far away,” she exclaims.

“True,” I agree.

“Will also sold his house. He got a good offer. We’re going to put our money together and buy something. . .”

She pauses.

“Mom?”

“Ya, sorry, I hope you’ll be happy for us, Brett, but we’ve finally decided to get married,” she shares. I hear how happy she is. Dad took off on us all the time when we were younger. He’d disappear for years at a time and Mom had been so lonely. She never told us about Will. She kept that part of her life separate. Dad never divorced her and Will seemed content to be living separately all this time.

“I’m happy for you, Mom. You deserve to be happy. Let me know if I can help in any way,” I offer.

“You’re such a good son, Brett, and you’re turning out to be an amazing father too,” she praises.

“Thanks,” I sigh. “I’m doing my best.”

“That’s all we can do. I can see how much you love that little girl of yours, and Willow too.”

“I’ve never felt this way before. I don’t know what I’m doing, and I don’t want to screw this thing up. I think Willow is the best thing that has ever happened to me,” I confess.

“I think so too,” Mom agrees.

“I love her, but I’m scared to say it. She’s like the female version of me,” I scoff. “A skittish cat when it comes to relationships.”

“I don’t think you’re a skittish cat anymore. I think it was just about you finding the right woman,” she says.

“True, but I also learned a lot with Dad dying. I want my life to be meaningful. I want people who are important to me to be close. I want to take care of Willow and be with her always.”

Mom sighs and I hear the smile in her tone.

“I want that for you too. If she is nervous, for whatever reason, then take things slow. No need to rush. Look at me and Will.” She laughs.

“Mom, I’m not waiting two decades to marry Willow. I’d lose my mind. I want to make her mine,” I declare.

Mom squeals. “You don’t know how happy it makes me to hear you speak this way. I think Willow has strong feelings for you too. She just needs reassurance.”

“I’m working on that.”

“Good, so I’m selling the house, and we’ll talk soon. Good luck with Willow.”

“Thanks, Mom,” I say, and we end the call.

That evening Willow walks in exhausted with Maylee in her arms.

“How are my girls doing?” I ask, coming to the door.

“Good,” she sighs. I take Maylee from her arms and walk her over to the couch to take off her snowsuit.

Willow unloads and runs off to the bathroom. When she returns, she looks a little more relaxed.

“You’re walking without crutches,” she observes.

“I’m feeling pretty good,” I admit.

“That’s great news,” Willow says.

“Come here, beautiful,” I say, opening my arms.

I wrap an arm around her and kiss her.

When she pulls back, she has a serious look on her face. “Silas has been hitting on me for a while, and I never thought anything of it because I don’t have those kinds of feelings for him. But today he rubbed my shoulder, and it didn’t feel like a professional gesture, so I told him I wasn’t comfortable with him physically touching me. I told him we are in a serious relationship and you’re Maylee’s father.”

“Thank you,” I say and when she looks back into my eyes, I see how much she cares. She’s in deep too.

“I have something to show you,” I say.

“Okay.” She watches me like she isn’t following. I pick up Maylee and hold her on my hip. Then I slip on a pair of slides. “Come.”

“Come?” Willow repeats.

“Just put on your slides. We aren’t going outside.”

She does as I ask, and we head out to the elevators. I have the fob for the new car in my pocket since it was dropped off a couple of hours ago.

“Why are we headed to the parking garage?” Willow asks once we are on the elevator.

“Because I want to show you something.”

“In the parking garage?” she clarifies.

“Yes.”

“It’s kind of scary down there. In movies you always see people getting attacked or murdered in parking garages,” she says nervously.

“Honey, neither of those things is happening right now. I got a surprise for you.”

We head out of the elevator, and we walk toward my parking spot.

“Did I not park your car properly or something?” she asks as we get closer.

“Looks like you did just fine,” I confirm since we are a few feet away from my car now.

I take the fob out of my pocket and unlock the doors to her new SUV. The lights flash and Willow looks to me with confusion.

“Why did you just unlock your neighbor’s car?” she asks.

“That’s your new car, Honey,” I say.

Her jaw drops followed by a “Fuck me.”

“Anytime you want,” I quip.

She gives me a piercing look. “What have you done?”

“I bought you some wheels,” I clarify.

“Wheels?” Her voice is high-pitched. “That is a luxury vehicle and completely unnecessary.”

“That is a vehicle, as you put it, with a five-star safety rating,” I say of her Genesis.

“Holy shitballs.” She places her palms together and brings them up to her mouth. “This is too much.”

“No, it isn’t. You need a car to get around and it needs to be safe,” I explain.

“It’s too much,” she insists.

“It’s a gift. You don’t get to decide if it’s too much. I wanted to gift this to you.” The car is a pearl white and looks classy and perfect.

“Thank you,” she says. She throws her arms around my neck, and it feels like she inhales when she buries her head in the crevice of my neck.

I give her a questioning look.

“What? I like your scent,” she says.

A low feral growl escapes me. “You know exactly what you just did,” I accuse, giving her a warning look because this woman knows exactly how to press my buttons.

“Maybe I want to get you all riled up,” she retorts, heat filling her gaze.

“Not with Maylee awake,” I groan because she is going to make me hard.

“Well, then I guess you have something to look forward to tonight,” she teases.

I smack her ass and her eyes gleam as she laughs.

She opens her mouth to say something and then snaps it shut.

“This was so nice of you,” she says.

“Come on, Honey, I’m starving. We need to eat.”

“You’re talking about food, right?” She giggles.

“I’m starving for you too, but I didn’t have time to eat lunch and I am famished,” I declare. I wanted to have lunch when I got back from the arena, but then I was dealing with the car delivery and having it before Willow came home.

We make our way back to the apartment. Willow is smiling wide. Her mood is light and I don’t often see her like this.

When we walk through the door, I say, “Now go relax and I’ll make dinner.” Willow is tired after working a whole day. She feeds Maylee in the middle of the night and she is exhausted.

“No way, just because you’re doing a little better doesn’t mean you should spend a lot of time on your feet,” Willow scolds. My bad for trying to one-up a physical therapist.

“You’ve been making dinner all week. You’re exhausted,” I point out, as if she didn’t know.

“I’m taking care of you, Brett. It’s what I want to do,” she says with so much love dripping from her gaze.

I want to tell her I love her.

“I am really in like with you,” I say instead.

She places her hand on my chest, just over my heart. Can she feel how strong my feelings are for her?

“I’m really in like with you too,” she answers. “And we need to take care of each other.”

Her words make me concede. “Since you’re making dinner, I’m giving Maylee her bath.”

“Is everything a negotiation?” she jokes.

“That depends, what’s on the table?” I ask.

“You have a one-track mind,” she teases.

“I won’t argue that,” I snort.

After dinner I give Maylee her bath, feed her a bottle, and put her to sleep.

When I walk out to the family room to turn off the lights, Willow is asleep on the couch, curled in a ball. She is probably going to be pissed at me for lifting her because of my ankle, but I do it anyway because I want her in bed with me. She finally agreed to move her clothes in here and now this is our bedroom. I don’t want to sleep in bed without her.

“I’m sorry,” she mutters from sleep.

I don’t answer because I think she may be sleep talking. I place her under the covers in our bed.

“I love you,” she murmurs, and I freeze.

She’s talking to me, right? No, she’s sleeping, but who would she love? She must love me.

I want to whisper I love her back but I hold off because when I do tell her for the first time, I want her to be awake.