Chapter 14
CONNOR
Briggs sits on a sofa in one of the spare offices, with a yellow Lab puppy on his lap as he attempts to be the peacemaker after the game.
“Seriously, it may be the off-season, but if our captain or coach were here, then you two would be dead. What kind of shitty sportsmanship was that out there?” Briggs continues to lecture us as he continues to stroke the puppy.
“Dude, are you seriously going to keep that puppy on your lap as you attempt to get us to listen?” I point out the obvious as I adjust the ice pack on my shoulder and lean into the lounger.
He doesn’t stop. “Yep. This fluffball is like therapy. We should totally get a team dog.”
“Well, why don’t we have Connor ask his uncle since we know he has the connections,” Shawn throws out the shade as he touches his roughed-up arm.
“Fuck you, man, I earned my spot.”
“He kind of did. We need his skills,” my friend says, supporting me.
Shawn looks between us, completely unamused.
“Don’t say anything about my wife, and then we won’t have any future problems,” I suggest.
“Fine. But you realize I could say she’s standing over there in a turtleneck and you would lose it.
You are so fucking whipped it’s unbelievable.
You better get it together before next season or I will have no problem highlighting to the press about your Vegas accident, considering they are all shipping your romance as if it was years in the making. ”
“Go ahead. We’ll be the proof that you’re lying, you’ll see,” I promise.
Right on cue, there is a knock on the door and Hadley peeks in. “Sorry to interrupt, I came to check on my husband.”
Hearing her say husband, meaning me, is good. I’m already used to it.
Shawn shakes his head and stands. “You know, it doesn’t matter if you have a ring on her finger, you would have ended up in the penalty box for her even before.” He walks out, giving Hadley a fake smile.
“He might have a point,” Briggs adds before he too leaves.
Hadley patiently waits for them to exit before closing the door behind her. She approaches me with caution, reaching out and debating if she should touch my shoulder when I stand.
“You ended up in the penalty box during a charity game for puppies,” she states the obvious, with underlying amusement in her tone. “Was it because…”
I peer down at her as I adjust the ice pack, but she takes over with her hands and holds it just right. “Doesn’t matter.”
“Kind of does. Besides, Briggs already texted Isla about why you went berserk out there, so I know.”
I shake my head gently. Of course he did. “Siblings.”
“Want to know a secret that I really hate to admit?” She moves so she is squared off with me, our middles flush and her voice raspy.
I’m fully invested to discover her secrets. “Go on.”
“I don’t condone violence in any shape or form… but knowing you were maybe defending my honor slightly, then well...” She kisses my cheek. Who does that? The woman who knows any touch can send a man spiraling, that’s who. “It’s kind of hot,” her voice husks.
“Oh yeah?” My voice is mixed with desire, because her saying that motivates both my heart and cock.
I should kiss her, but her eyes twinkle in a way they did the other night, with adventure and chance glazing her eyes. I should let her lead this moment.
“I’m being cautious,” she states softly, with vulnerability seeping into her voice.
“As in?”
A slow delicious smirk begins to stretch on her mouth. “The husband-and-wife thing. We can try and see where it goes. The whole letting down our walls as if we actually enjoy one another part. I’m just not jumping fully in without hesitation, but okay, might as well make it bearable between us.”
I give up on the ice pack as it falls to the floor. “What are your conditions?” I grin because she wouldn’t make it this easy, and she shouldn’t, considering our history. I bring my hand to the back of her neck so I’m in position to slam my lips down on hers after she answers.
She steps forward and rises on her toes, drawing me in, bringing our mouths closer. I feel her breath, and it encourages me to brush my lips along her cheek.
“We might have consummated the marriage, and we might be sharing a bed.” Her sultry tone is a killer. “I might go to bed every night in next to nothing.” The image sounds like heaven. She’s reeling me in, and my thumb blots her bottom lip.
I swallow. “Uh-huh.”
“But Connor, no entanglements until you work for it. Woo the hell out of me. Show me why the women peg you as their romance hockey guy. Until further notice, you get nada except a kiss.”
My stomach sinks. She’s brutal. Vicious. And fine, I’ll do it because I want to see where we’ll go.
I groan a sound. “Fine.”
“Fine?” She doubts me.
“Yeah, fine. Are spankings off the table?” I tease her.
She hums. “I guess one or two would be fine.” She flashes her eyes at me. “Now kiss me.”
I slam my mouth onto hers and ensure that it’s firm, deep, and long. Inescapable is what I’m aiming for.
I love when she kisses me back. It only reconfirms that I’m not delusional, and maybe I’m right. I might have pushed her away over the years, but she always wanted to be mine, even if she couldn’t admit it.
Reluctantly pulling away, I enjoy how her arms hang around my neck. “You’re going to go all out at bedtime, aren’t you?”
“You mean wear your jersey and nothing else? Absolutely.” Her saccharine tone is already misery. Her chin tips down, and I know she’s looking at my hard cock. “Oops. Poor guy.” She fakes concern with that gorgeous grin of hers.
“We so need to adopt a therapy dog now. My dick is going to be so turned on by you constantly that I fear I may go blind since he has to wait.”
Her head falls back in laughter, and it is music to my ears. Hadley unhooks from around me, and all I can do is admire her, as I feel it in my bones that this has to be our time.
She glances over her shoulder on her way out the door. “I’ll give you a second and meet you out by the dogs.”
“How giving of you.” I roll my eyes.
A few minutes later and I find her by the same Labrador mix that I held earlier. Before I get a chance to tease her that she’s attached, the woman in her thirties who volunteers notices me.
“I was just telling your wife about Ace. He’s one of our older dogs. Only four, but too old for most. He’s up to date on his shots and he is chipped. He was abandoned in an apartment a few towns over.”
Hadley’s face turns sad and my own heart tugs. “That’s horrible. We also had a dog growing up that my mom adopted when he was older.” Hadley pets Ace’s head, with his eyes sullen.
I swipe a hand through my hair then pull at the back, struggling to walk us away. “I-I mean, surely, he could…”
Hadley shoots me a hard stare. “Don’t. You travel during game season.”
I shrug. “You wouldn’t be alone if we got a dog.”
Her eyes bug out. “Dogs are as big a commitment as marriage.” She ensures only I can see that her eyes flash, indicating that we’re already in new territory; why bring another into life to it?
“You’re right,” I calmly voice.
Her eyes bounce between the dog and me. “Maybe my mom and dad would be interested. They are surely ready to get another dog, my brother wants one.”
Ace wags his tail and angles his head to the side.
“I know, buddy, you had a connection to Connor.” Hadley’s melting. It’s made worse when his eyes travel to me.
“Boy, he likes you two,” the volunteer states the obvious.
My voice cracks because I’m caving at high speed.
“No.” Hadley pinches the bridge of her nose. “I’m supposed to use the wife card.” She winces as she says that.
The volunteer pipes in. “If it helps, you wouldn’t be able to take him home today.
We have a required waiting period to ensure that new owners think through their decision.
During the waiting period, he is on reserve.
But he also has to finish his basic training that all our dogs take part in before adoption, and that doesn’t end for a few weeks. ”
Hadley’s eyes shoot to me with hope, but she doesn’t want to admit it.
A dog wasn’t really on my radar, but this guy is calling to us with his wagging tail and pleading eyes. Maybe Hadley’s right, her parents are better suited.
“Come on, we should go.” It pains me to say it.
She nods, and we begin to say goodbye to the dog, but he stands on his back legs and rests his front paws on the pen.
Hadley and I look at one another, and in unison we blurt out, “Maybe.”
“I mean, even if we don’t work out, we can share custody. During the hockey season, I’ll take care of him.” Hadley speaks while she’s in the bathroom, with the door ajar to the bedroom as she does her nightly routine, which I noticed a few days ago requires a lot of creams.
I scoff as I scroll through my phone in bed, shirtless. “If we don’t work out. Thanks for the vote of confidence,” I call out.
She emerges through the door, turning the light off to the bathroom. I drop my face into my hand because this isn’t fair. Hadley is wearing an old cut-off Lake Spark Summer Festival shirt and panties, and the best part is that she doesn’t even make a big deal about it.
“Well, we can’t get Ace for a while, so maybe we will come to our senses,” she mentions as she crawls into bed.
“I feel like I’m betraying Puck.” I’m completely serious. He’s the family dog, although he has a special kinship with my dad.
She smiles at me as she fluffs her pillow. “By the way, I was kind of curious what that hockey wife said, so I checked my email and realized like three different coordinators from your team e-mailed me. Welcome emails, protocols, schedules, and they need a copy of my passport.”
“Yeah, probably for booking travel. Remember, I travel to that great country to the north for games,” I explain.
“You mean during game season, which is after the off-season.” The way she says that has me worried, and I turn my body to her.
“I thought we no longer have a timeline.” I narrow my eyes at her.
She slithers lower into the bed to get comfortable. “I said I’m being cautious and let’s see what happens if we make somewhat of an effort,” she corrects me.
“Well, I’m not worried.”
Hadley rolls to lie on her side. “I noticed. We are heading into dog-parent territory.”
I follow her indication and get into the same position in bed, facing her. “You’re in the lead here. Nothing beyond kissing, except you didn’t specify where.” I squint one eye.
She playfully shoves my arm, and I grimace from slight discomfort. “Shit. Forgot about your shoulder and defending my honor.”
“You said it was hot.”
“It was.” She hooks her leg over my hip and begins to stroke her fingers gently over my biceps. “You for sure earned cuddle time.”
I snort a laugh. “If that’s the only thing on offer then get closer, Sprinkles.”
Hadley shimmies nearer until our bodies meet, and she guides my arm over her. “Shh, don’t make a big deal that I’ve traded in ripping your throat out for cuddling.”
“It’ll be our secret. I have good arms for this, though.”
“I remember.” Her words hit me because I know she means all those years ago when we had a special night—up until the point I initiated our war.
My lips twitch. “It’s a different time now,” I promise softly and kiss the top of her head.
I’ll woo her like she requested and win, but I would just throw her over my shoulder kicking anyhow, because I have no plans of letting her go again. Our marriage may have been an accident, but divorce won’t be in our cards.