Chapter 38
Miles
September
Summer camps at the rink were a massive success.
Xander ended up hiring two more coaches because families were driving from as far as Winston-Salem just to enroll their kids.
Madison—the little girl Penny promised to help if she kept her grades up and managed to recruit enough girls for an all-female hockey team—came through.
The Ice Queens had an incredible first summer camp and would officially start their fall season in a couple of weeks.
Tomorrow, we’re hosting a private event at the rink to thank all the coaches and staff for an amazing first summer and kick off the fall and winter programs.
It's the kind of problem I've always wanted to have—too much success and not enough hours in the day.
So when I pull into the driveway after work, I'm looking forward to nothing more than seeing Penny.
Except her car is nowhere to be seen.
I frown and take out my phone to check the shared calendar to make sure I didn’t forget an appointment or activity.
Nothing.
A knot forms in my stomach. Where the hell is she?
Instead of spiraling into worst-case scenarios, I call her.
She answers on the second ring. “Hey, hotstuff.”
Relief hits me the second I hear her voice. But she sounds drained.
“Hey, sugar. Everything okay? Where are you?” I stay parked in the truck just in case I need to pick her up somewhere.
She exhales loudly. “I finally had the conversation with Gio.”
I tense up.
“I had to tell him I can’t keep working as his financial advisor full-time. The baby’s coming soon, and I want to slow down and take at least six months of maternity leave.”
“How did he take it?”
Not because I think Gio would react badly, but because I know how much Penny’s job means to her. She loves what she does.
“He was shocked initially, but once I explained what you and I want to do moving forward, he understood.” She laughs quietly. “He said he might have to stop being a billionaire because there’s no one else he trusts with his investments.”
I snort a laugh, and she joins in a second later.
“Knowing Gio, he’d probably survive being downgraded to regular millionaire status.”
“Yeah, because being just a millionaire is such a hardship,” she says, pressing the back of her hand against her forehead like she’s suffering.
I laugh harder.
“Ha. Says the millionaire.”
“So,” I change the subject, already impatient to see her, “are you on your way home or do you want me to come get me?”
“Aw. Her voice turns playful again. “Are you antsy to see me, Mr. MacAllister?”
“Always.”
“Aww, hotstuff. If we weren’t already together, I’d think you were trying to get in my pants.”
“Way ahead of you, boss.” I smirk. “Already in your pants and your heart.”
She laughs softly before going quiet for a second.
“You know what I’d love tonight?” she asks. “Mexican food. Specifically tacos.”
I make a quick mental rundown of what we have in the fridge.
Yeah, we definitely don’t have enough ingredients for her favorite carnitas tacos.
“How about this,” I offer. “You head home and get in a bath while I run to Pine Knoll and grab tacos for you, love?”
“You spoil me, baby. Thank you.”
“My pleasure, sugar. Drive safe. I’ll see you soon.”
“Boss?” I call as I walk into the primary bathroom.
“Here.” She lifts her head from the tub with a sweet smile.
“Ready for supper?” I ask as I grab her robe from the hook and open it for her.
“So ready. I’m starving.”
She rises from the water, drops sliding down every gorgeous inch of her body.
“What?” she asks with a knowing smirk.
“If you weren’t so hungry,” I murmur, “I’d spend the next hour licking your body, making you come so many times, you’d beg me to stop.”
She presses her legs together, her nipples hardening.
“You’d like that?” I ask as I let the robe slip to the floor.
“Very much so.”
Her hands drift toward her breasts.
“Enough.”
She freezes.
“Only I get to play with those,” I say, my voice dripping with hunger.
I lift her out of the tub, and she giggles as she wraps herself around me.
“Promise me this will never change,” she whispers suddenly.
“What do you mean?” I ask, my brain in a lust fog.
“That you’ll still look at me with the same hunger when my boobs are saggy from breastfeeding our baby, when I have a pouch on my belly, when stretch marks and cellulite cover my legs.” Her voice breaks as she rests her forehead against my shoulder.
I carry her to the bed and lay her down as gently as I can.
Then I quickly strip out of my clothes.
“Do you see how worked up I am just touching you?” I ask as I palm my hard cock slowly. “Kissing you? Tasting you?”
Penny bites her bottom lip, her tears forgotten for the moment.
“I want to make something very clear, Penélope,” I start as I kneel in front of her and press a kiss against her pussy. “I have never craved a woman the way I crave you.”
I drag my tongue slowly up her slit, from entrance to clit.
Her body jolts as a moan slips free.
“The bigger your belly gets, the more I want you.” Another slow lick. “The more time I spend with you, the more I realize how fucking lucky I am that you asked me for a one-night stand on that Colombian beach.”
I alternate between teasing licks and gentle nips until her fingers bury themselves in my hair.
“I got it, I got it,” she pants. “Please just get inside me.”
I chuckle against her clit, the vibration eliciting more pleasure as she starts yanking my hair.
“Nuh-uh, sugar. I’m not done lecturing you.” I slide one finger inside her while my thumb circles her clit.
“Then talk faster,” she whines breathlessly. “I need you.”
I smirk, feeling like a fucking king.
“No matter how saggy your tits get, they’ll still be my favorite pair.” I pump my finger deeper. “No matter how many stretch marks or cellulite you get, they’ll just remind me what your body went through to grow our baby.”
She moans, hips lifting toward my hand.
“And that belly pouch is going to be a sexy reminder of the baby you grew and carried inside you.”
I press hard on her clit as her hips start bucking off the bed.
“So don’t ever think even for a second that I’ll stop finding you sexy again, Penélope. Because every change in your body tells the story of our love.”
A broken cry leaves her lips as pleasure washes over her.
I slow my movements while she catches her breath, then pull my hand away and lick my fingers clean.
“Ready for my cock, sugar?” I ask, already dripping for her.
“So ready,” she whispers with a dazed smile.
“Then come ride me.”
I help her onto my lap before settling back against the bed.
When she lowers herself onto me, I sigh in sweet relief. “Fuck…”
She starts rolling her hips slowly.
“I love you, Miles MacAllister,” she says. “I’m so incredibly grateful you said yes to that one-night stand.”
I laugh softly, but the sound dies in my throat when she starts moving faster.
“You’re thoughtful, kind, an amazing cook, the best masseuse I’ve ever had, ridiculously hot…” She smiles down at me. “And best of all? Mine.”
I sit up just enough to capture one of her nipples with my mouth.
Her moan echoes through the room as her movements become frantic.
“I love you, baby,” she gasps.
“I love you too,” I manage, my voice rough.
I nip lightly at her nipple and feel her walls tighten around me.
And right then, with this woman in my arms and our future growing inside her, I know one thing for certain.
I swear on everything that’s holy, I will never get tired of loving Penélope Levine.
“Hey, Mama. Where’s Granny?” I ask as she walks into the ice rink’s concession area.
“She hasn’t been feeling well lately. She decided to stay home today.” Mama tries to sound casual, but her expression is too careful.
My stomach drops.
“I thought she was joking last time she said she was getting old and slowing down.” My head starts spinning at the thought of Granny being seriously sick. She’s been a constant in my life.
“I’m sure she just needs to do less around the house,” Mama says lightly.
“Good luck with that.”
I sling an arm around her shoulders as we head toward the rest of the family and the rink staff gathered near the bleachers.
The moment the twins spot us, they take off running.
“Nonna! Nonna!”
They latch onto Mama’s legs while I stand there pouting.
“No hugs for Uncle Miles?”
Both kids ignore me completely.
I’m about to fake being wounded when the main doors slam open behind us.
I turn around, and my eyes widen.
“Well, look who decided to show up.” I grin. “Hey, little wizard.”
Merlin glares at me, which only makes me laugh.
“How did you get here? Don’t you have a game today?”
“I played Wednesday. We don’t fly out until Tuesday for back-to-back games on the West Coast.”
“Well, I’m glad you could make it.”
“Yeah, yeah.” His tone turns dry. “You’d think my siblings would know my schedule by now, but I guess that’s asking too much.”
He sounds bitter, which makes me feel like shit.
Damn, pregnancy is making me soft too.
“Hey, I’m sorry,” I tell him honestly. “Penny’s the one who keeps the calendar updated, and I’ve been working nonstop lately trying to get ahead before the baby is born.”
His expression softens as understanding dawns on him.
We’re about to join the others when the doors burst open again.
“There he is!”
A woman holding a microphone rushes in with a cameraman sprinting behind her.
“What the fuck?” I mutter.
“Merlin MacAllister, are the rumors true?” the reporter asks, shoving the microphone in Merlin’s face.
“What rumors?” I ask, completely lost.
Merlin just stares at her silently.
“Wait.” The cameraman tilts his head. “Is that Penny Levine?” he asks.
The reporter’s head whips toward Penny.
“Oh, my gosh,” she breathes. “This is even better news. Do you see her belly?”
The two of them take off toward her.
“Hold on a minute,” I snap as I move after them. “This is a private event.”
They ignore me completely.
I quickly close the distance, needing to get between them and Penny before this turns ugly.
“Penny Levine,” the reporter says brightly, shoving the microphone toward her chest. “What a surprise to find you in this godforsaken town.”
“Do I know you?” Penny asks calmly.
“No, no. We’re Carolina correspondents for ShowBiz.”
Fuck, a tabloid?
Why the hell would they care about Penny?
“Well,” Penny says coolly, “then you’re talking to the wrong person. There’s nothing about my life to publicize."
“Oh, I couldn’t disagree more.” The woman smiles sharply. “You were supposed to marry Easton Ryan in what the media dubbed the wedding of the year in Charlotte.”
Penny’s posture stiffens slightly.
“And now,” the reporter continues, her eyes dropping to Penny’s stomach, “you’re visibly pregnant, living in a small town, no ring in sight.” She tilts her head with fake sympathy. “What happened? Were you cheating on Mr. Ryan?”
Venom drips from every word.
Penny's smile falters for a second.
I’m at her side before the expression fully disappears.
“That’s enough,” I say sharply. “This is a private event, and you’re making everyone uncomfortable. Leave before I call the cops.”
The reporter slowly looks me up and down, from head to toe.
“Oh.” Her lips curl. “And who do we have here? Are you the other man?”
She turns the microphone back toward Penny.
“Did you leave Easton Ryan—one of the most wealthy bachelors in the country—for this guy?”
“That’s it.” Penny steps forward, anger radiating off her in waves. “Get the fuck out of here.”
The sharp click of her heel as she stomps her foot against the concrete echoes through the rink.
I’ve never seen her this angry.
“Boss,” I murmur, trying to calm her down. “They’re not worth it.”
“No.” Her voice shakes with rage. “I won’t calm down until these people leave. They have no business being here.”
A vein pops out at her temple.
“Boss—”
But she’s done listening.
Within seconds, Xander, Gio, River, and Merlin surround the woman and the camera guy.
“I’m going to ask you one last time to leave,” Xander says coldly. “This is private property. I own this rink, and I don’t want you here.”
Gio casually lifts his phone. “And I already have the police ready to dial.”
For the first time since barging in, the reporter finally seems nervous.
“Fine,” she snaps. “We’re leaving. But if any of you touch us or try to delete our footage, I’ll sue.”
“Cool story,” River mutters.
The two of them powerwalk toward the exit.
I sigh in relief as they leave, not caring what they got on tape.
“Boss.” I cup Penny’s face gently. “Are you okay?”
“Absolutely,” she says.
But her trembling hands betray her as she wipes a tear from her cheek.
I pull against my chest without hesitation, and she sags against me.
“I got you, sugar,” I whisper into her hair. “You’re okay. Everything’s fine.”
Then I hear something.
A splashing sound before water hits my boots.
I frown and look down.
“What the—”
“Fuck,” Penny breathes. Her eyes go impossibly wide as she grips my shirt.
“My water just broke.”