Total pages in book: 107
Estimated words: 99723 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 499(@200wpm)___ 399(@250wpm)___ 332(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 99723 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 499(@200wpm)___ 399(@250wpm)___ 332(@300wpm)
“Ooh, I like that plan!”
Later, after we’ve eaten long chicken nuggets (because they were fast) and had a more luxurious, loud lovemaking session in the bed (because it’s comfortable), we’re lying in the dim lamplight. Wrapped in each other’s arms, with Briar snuggled into my chest, I relax. Tonight was great, tomorrow is going to be even greater, and Sunday will be the greatest because Harley comes home.
“I love you,” I murmur, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. She wiggles happily, snuggling in even closer.
“I like hearing you say that,” she admits, “but what I like even more is feeling how much you mean that.”
Thinking she’s complimenting my sexual prowess, I curl my hips toward her. “Oh, I’ll make sure you feel it.” Even spent and soft, my dick perks up at the smallest hint of a tease that it might get another chance to be inside her.
She giggles, patting my chest. “No, seriously.” Lifting up so she can meet my eyes, I see that she’s gone thoughtful. “I didn’t think this kind of life, this kind of love, was real. Until you.” Her voice goes quiet as she adds, “Thank you. For everything.”
After all we’ve been through, on some deep level, I think she still isn’t sure quite how she ended up here, with me, like this. She worries, she overthinks, she hurts, but she also smiles, makes the mundane a bit extra special, and loves hard and deep, throwing herself full throttle into me, trusting that I’ll catch her every time. And I will.
Because while she thinks I changed things for her, the truth is, she changed everything for me. I was floating through life, dedicated to hockey and not much else, but one conversation with Briar had me changing course quickly. To whatever road led me to her.
I push her hair out of her face, wanting to see her pretty eyes. “Briar, I knew this was real. I’ve seen it my whole life and knew I would never settle for anything less. So thank you for making what we have possible. For making life more than hockey. For giving me a home and a family.” Cupping her cheek, I say, “For giving me your heart and taking mine.”
Her smile blooms slowly and gradually, growing brighter until her eyes are lit up from within with her happiness. I feel like a god for being able to do that for her. I want to be the reason she smiles every single day for the rest of her life, because she will certainly be the reason I do.
“No take-backsies, though,” she teases. She surprises me and leans down, licking my chest. “I licked you so you’re mine.”
I laugh out loud. I have no idea where that came from, but I like it. And I will never want my heart back from this woman anyway. It’s hers, forever. We might be lying here, naked and postsex, but that’s the true intimacy we share . . . in sharing our pasts, ugly as they have sometimes been; in opening our hearts, damaged as they may be; and planning our futures, as weird and silly and wonderful as we can make them.
As long as they involve knee socks. And maybe some cargo shorts.
“You can lick me anytime, Briar. Anywhere too.” I catch her eye with a quirk of my brow. “Same goes for you. I’ll lick you anytime, anywhere.”
She squeaks in embarrassment, burying her face against my chest again. But I can nearly hear her thinking . . . about licking me, about me licking her.
Once upon a time, this woman accepted less than the bare minimum as her fate. With me, she’ll never know less than all I can give her. The sun, the moon, the stars, maybe a fucking planet or two. And all of me. Every single bit.
And that’s a pretty good deal. After all, I’m Dominic Motherfucking Lee.
Literally.
Epilogue
Dominic
“Who’s gonna kick the Hawks’ asses this time?” Sabine calls out through the locker room.
“We are!” the chorus of guys answers.
“Especially Honey’s,” Pacholek says, holding up a fist to Sabine. They bump, ready to hit the ice with power, focus, and aggression.
Tonight is a redemption game for us all. Last time we played the Hawks, we were still figuring our shit out. Now, we’re solid. Well, I’ll say 90 percent solid, with that last bit being Anderson. He’s still getting on board with the whole brotherhood thing, but he’s a work in progress.
Now that Coach is growing and the team dynamic is shifting to something healthier, better, and fuller . . . Anderson is finally shifting too. It’s a gradual process, especially since he’s not prone to sharing his feelings, claiming he doesn’t have any—other than annoyance with me when I start up the team’s theme song, “Don’t Stop Believin’.” But I’ve seen him bobbing his head a little, so I think he secretly likes it, though he’d never admit it. Or maybe it’s just that it’s a catchy tune?