“What are you thinking?” I ask once I’ve had the chance to look it all over.
“I’m leaning towards the eight-ounce filet with a side of lobster mac and cheese. I’m sure that will be more than I can eat, but it all sounds so good.”
“Order one of everything for all I care,” I tell her.
“I’d be as big as a house if I did that.” She laughs, and I feel it down to my toes.
“Did you have fun today?” I ask after Jeffery returns with our appetizer and takes our dinner order.
“I did. It was the best-unexpected girls’ day that I didn’t realize I needed. We talked and laughed basically all day. My cheeks hurt from smiling so much while I was with Reese and Jillian. It was also fascinating, learning all about Reese and being a singer and about life on the road.”
“I can only imagine how hard that is, especially now that they have a kid.”
“Yep, she wasn’t sure exactly what that was going to look like once she goes on a big tour.”
“Lots for them to figure out before then. Did she say when that is? Austin said that she didn’t have one planned for this year.”
“She said probably next spring it would start, and go well into the fall.”
We fall into a comfortable conversation, a lot about Evie, but also a lot about the months to come. The food comes quickly, and we stuff our faces with a delicious meal.
“Can I tempt the two of you with dessert this evening?” Jeffery asks as he clears our plates away.
“I don’t think I can take one more bite of anything,” Riley tells him, and I agree.
“No problem, let me get this cleared away and I’ll bring the check,” he politely tells us.
“So, where are we off to after this?” she asks once it is just the two of us again.
“Well, I thought we could drive the few blocks over and walk around the Central Canal. There are usually artists out, and it’s lit up at night, so it’s a beautiful walk along the canal. Then I’m taking you back to the hotel where I have lots of naked plans for you tonight.”
“I’d be okay with skipping the walk and going right to the hotel…” she says, trailing off as Jeffery reappears at the edge of the table. I pull my credit card out faster than it takes for him to place the bill folder on the table. We need out of here and now. He whisks the card and bill away, returning only a moment later with the receipt for me to sign. I scroll my signature, along with a hefty tip for his excellent service on the bottom, before I practically drag Riley out of the restaurant.
“Do you know what you do to me?” I ask once we are back at my car. I pin Riley against the side of the car, dropping my lips to hers before she can answer me. Her hands sink into my shirt. I press against her a little harder, letting her feel just how hard I am. Letting her know just what she’s doing to me tonight.
“Take me to the hotel, Justin,” she whispers in my ear before sucking the lobe between her teeth—I about cum in my pants at that. I rapidly open her door, helping her in before I shut the door and round the front of the car as quickly as I can. Thank fuck the hotel isn’t that far away. Traffic is also on my side, and we swiftly make it.
After a quick stop at the front desk to check-in, we are in the elevator and on our way up to the suite level. With it just being one night, I didn’t think we needed the penthouse, although having that full private top deck would have been something. I could think of a few activities that we could have partaken in out on it, but that will have to wait until another time.
“You’re not tired, are you?” I ask as Riley rests her head against my shoulder on our ride up.
“Nope, I’m ready for whatever you have planned.”
“You sure you want to commit to anything?” I ask, raising my eyebrows in question.
“Bring it,” she fires right back at me as she moves to stand in front of me, so we are now facing each other. Our arms automatically wrap around one another.
“What if I wanted to tie you up and tease you all night?” I ask, just testing the waters, here. I notice her eyes dilate, and I know that she’s thought of a little bondage at some point.
“I’d be open to it,” she whispers, obviously a little nervous about the idea.
“Not happening tonight, but I won’t rule it out in the future.” I’ve never been into that scene, but hell, I’ll give almost anything a try at least once.
We finally make it to our room, and as soon as the door clicks shut, I drop our two overnight bags on the floor and scoop Riley up in my arms, carrying her over to the bed and depositing her in the center.
“Not so fast, mister,” she stops me, pushing against my chest.
I stand up quickly, never wanting her to think I would not stop when she asks. “Everything okay?” I ask.
“Yes, I just have a little surprise of my own for you, and I need to use the bathroom first,” she tells me as she slides off the bed and trails off to the bathroom, grabbing her bag along the way. I blow out a breath then walk over to the large windows overlooking the city while I wait for her to emerge from the bathroom.
As soon as I hear the click of the door opening, I turn around and about fall to my knees. Riley is standing in the doorway, covered in a few scraps of delicate lingerie. I waste no time closing the distance between the two of us. I want nothing more than to unwrap her like the present she is. “You are incredible,” I tell her, pulling her into my arms. I can’t not touch her when we’re this close to one another.
I slide my hands over her mostly exposed skin, taking my time to memorize the way she feels in this moment. Once my hands reach her bare ass cheeks, I lift her up until she wraps her legs around my waist. I take her back over to the bed, depositing her once again in the center. This time when I box her in, she looks up at me with nothing but lust in her eyes.
“I’m having so many thoughts right now,” I tell her as my lips find bare skin just above the swell of her breasts. I show no mercy, sucking her nipples through the lace of her bra cups.
“Justin!” She gasps my name as I grind my dick against her pussy. The friction the lace is providing is driving her crazy, I’m sure. That, coupled with not giving her direct contact where she wants it most, but we’ll get to that. We’ve got all night to lose ourselves in one another.
Evie might have turned my world upside down in a matter of minutes when Erica dropped her on my doorstep, but it was Riley that threw the curve ball I never saw coming, but I’m damn sure glad she did.
Epilogue
Riley
December
“Morning, pretty girl.” I flip on the light in Evie’s room and find her standing up in her crib. She’s gotten so big these past few months, and I can’t believe that she’ll be one in just a few more weeks.
“How’re my favorite girls this morning?” Justin asks as I walk into our room where he’s still lounging in bed. We’ve been enjoying our lazy mornings now that he’s in the offseason. The Lightning made it into the playoffs but just missed on making it to the World Series. I snuggle up to him, Evie between the two of us. She crawls from my arms and onto his lap, laying her head against his chest.
“I think we’re pretty good,” I tell him as I sit here watching them together. Nothing melts my heart faster than observing him as a dad. He’s so good with her, and you’d never guess he didn’t always want this life.
“Dada,” Evie chatters, pointing at Justin's face.
“Yes, baby?” he asks her, pretending to chew on her fingers and making her fall into a fit of giggles.
“Mama?” she says, pointing at me. I gasp in shock, and Justin's eyes fly to mine.
“What did you say, Evie?” he asks her.
“Mama,” she says, clear as day a second time.
We’ve never really talked about this yet. We’ve never referred to me as her mom, always Ry or Riley. Justin's eyes burn into mine, looking for clarification from me. I have no idea what to do. I don’t ever want to confuse her, but I’d be honored for her to t
hink of me as her mother figure.
“Mama, I kinda like the sound of that,” Justin finally says.
Tears. Tears spring to my eyes and roll down my face—the pure happiness in this little moment. One so private, so pure, so us. Just the three of us, together in bed and adding another first together. “Are you sure?” I ask through my tears.
“There is no one else I’d rather Evie look to as her mother. You’ve been here for her since she arrived on my doorstep. You’ve kissed every boo-boo, picked out almost every cute outfit she’s worn, pushed her countless times on the swing at the park, floated around with her for endless hours in the pool. So, to answer your question, yes. I’m sure that I want my daughter to look to you as her mother. A strong, confident, beautiful woman, who dropped everything in her life to make our lives as normal as can be. We love you so much and are so grateful for every sacrifice you’ve made for us. You could have easily thrown in the towel when things got tough, but you didn’t. You showed your strength and love for us by sticking it out during those times. Evie might not realize it now, but the way you showed complete grace when your name was dragged through the headlines, and people yelled at you and called you names at games, would show her how to be the strong woman I hope she one day grows to be. And there's no one better than you to show her that path.”
The tears fall faster down my cheeks at Justin's words. He pulls me closer to him, kissing my tear-soaked lips. “I love you,” I whisper against them before I’m pushed back by a squirming Evie. “I love you, too, baby girl,” I tell her as my tears turn to laughter.
“Evie and I have a question for you,” Justin says, pulling my attention back to his.
“Yes, I’ll make pancakes and bacon for breakfast,” I tease him, knowing exactly what he’s going to ask.
“That’s good to know, but that wasn’t what we were wondering,” he says, flashing a smug smile.
Justin leans over the bed and comes up with a small gift bag. I’m so confused by a few things. First, where in the heck was he hiding a gift bag, and for how long? Secondly, why does he have a present for me? Christmas is just a couple of weeks away, and it isn’t my birthday. “Here, open this,” he says as he sets the bag in front of me. Evie tries to lean forward and grab the tissue paper that is poking out the top, but I swoop it out of her reach just in time.
I reach into the bag and pull out a onesie, unfolding it to read the front. My eyes go wide as I take in what it says.
“Will you marry my daddy?”
My eyes snap to Justin, who is now holding an open ring box and attempting to keep Evie from grabbing it from him as she crawls all over him.
“We love you and want you to be part of our family officially. Will you marry me and become Evie’s mom for real?” Justin asks me, a huge smile covering his lips.
“Oh my,” I gasp, covering my mouth with my hand. “Yes!” I cry out, and he pulls me back into his arms, kissing me deeply as Evie smacks us in the face with her little chubby hands.
“We’ve got her forever,” Justin says to Evie as he shifts her to sit up higher on the bed between our pillows. He finally slips the ring out of the box and onto my finger.
“So, does this mean I can’t refer to myself as the nanny anymore?” I tease him, looking down at the enormous ring he just placed on my finger.
“I think fiancée has a better ring to it.” He winks at me. “And once I put your name on my bank account, do I really need to keep paying you?” He smirks.
“I’ve already told you that you could stop paying me,” I say as I plant another kiss to his lips.
“I know, but you wouldn’t let me put your name on my bank account, so will you now?”
“It kind of scares me to think of my name on an account with so many digits in it.”
“Why?”
“Because that’s a lot of freaking money. You know most people could only dream of making as much money as you do, right?”
“I’m aware.” He smirks—the jerk. “But I also know that I’m going to take care of my family for the rest of my life. Make my wife happy, maybe have a few more kids,” he tells me, and my eyebrows raise in question.
“A few, huh?”
“I missed that whole part of parenthood the first time around, and I know how much Evie has changed my life for the good, that I want that again. I want that with you. I want to see what Evie is like as a big sister, and, god willing, what she’s like as a teenager. I want it all, and I want it with you.”
“You sure are a charmer this morning,” I tease him. “You sure you’re feeling okay?”
“I’m feeling on top of the world. The best woman in the world just said yes when I asked if she’d marry me and become my daughter's mom.”
“Okay, way to make a girl cry again.” I wipe at my eyes because tears spring to them once again this morning.
“How about we go make those pancakes and bacon?” he asks, changing the subject. “You ready for some breakfast, Evie girl?” he asks her, picking her up and blowing a raspberry on her belly. “Let’s go, fiancée,” he says, smacking my ass just before he rolls off the bed. I watch as he walks out of the room, his daughter on his hip, and hear her call out, “mama” just as they clear the doorway.
Hearing her call me that takes my breath away again. I grab my cell from the nightstand where I’ve still got it plugged in. I snap a picture of my hand, displaying the massive rock on my finger, and text an image to Jillian and Reese in our group text.
Riley: So… this just happened!!! {Picture of the ring on my finger}
Jillian: OMG, CONGRATULATIONS!!!!! (And PS, about damn time he asked. He talked to your dad and Derek over Thanksgiving, and I’ve had the hardest time holding that information in.)
Reese: YES!!!! I’m so happy for you guys! <3
Riley: HE WHAT? And thanks! <3 I’m still in shock.
Riley: Also, I have to tell someone, and I know you will both love this. Evie called me Mama this morning. Not once, twice, but THREE times! <3 That girl has my heart in her little chubby hands.
Jillian: Awww, engagements, Mama. Dang, not much will top today for you.
Reese: Awww, that’s the best!
Reese: This calls for a girls' night soon. When will you be ready to leave that little man with Daddy and go out for some mommy time, Jillian?
Jillian: Maybe soon? Let's get over the holiday hump, and we’ll talk about it.
Reese: As long as it’s before I have to leave for my press tour and then straight into rehearsals for said tour.
Jillian: I promise to make time for you ladies before that.
Riley: We’ve always got Evie’s birthday party in January we can get together at!
Reese: That’s fine and all, but we need some kid-free, mommy time to celebrate you! I’m talking dinner, drinks ~ the whole works.
Riley: If you insist. :winky face: I’ll let you twist my arm and take me out.
Riley: Okay, gotta go. My people are calling for me to make them breakfast.
Jillian: Tell that fiancé of yours to make you some breakfast.
I pop into the bathroom quickly, running a brush through my bed head then pulling it up into a messy bun. I can’t believe that Justin proposed, in bed, while we both were in our PJs, bed head and all. Even with all of that, I still wouldn’t change it for anything. I wouldn’t trade it for the perfectly planned dinner out, public event, or anything else. We’ve done our damnedest to keep our relationship as private as possible, and I wouldn’t want this to be any different.
I join my little family in the kitchen. I find Evie already in her highchair, munching away on some dry cereal and drinking milk from her bottle. “You didn’t want to try the sippy cup?” I ask Justin as I start to pull out the ingredients for pancakes. I make them so often I don’t even need to look at the recipe anymore.
“Not really. She constantly throws it on the floor when I give it to her.”
I laugh at him. “You know she only does that for you. She knows th
at you’ll pick it up a thousand times.”
“I still don’t know how you’ve taught her that.” He looks at me like I’ve solved the world's greatest mysteries.
“I guess it’s magic,” I tell him, shrugging my shoulders.
“So, when are we going to tell people?” he asks.
“I already texted Jillian and Reese,” I tell him.
“Good, what did they say?” he asks, leaning against the counter with his back against it so that he’s facing me.
“They were both super excited and happy for us. Jillian was happy that you finally asked. Said that she’d had the hardest time keeping it from me. She let me in on the little fact that you talked to Dad and Derek about it over Thanksgiving,” I tell him, looking at him a little accusingly.
“Had to ask for permission,” he says, giving me a pointed look.
“I guess you did well. Was this morning how you planned to ask?” I question him.
“Nope, that was spontaneous. With Evie calling you Mama, I knew it was time, so I just went with it.”
“Where in the heck were you hiding that present, then, and for how long?”
“I just put it under the bed yesterday when it arrived in the mail. I was trying to decide between asking you sometime around Christmas or New Years. I was going to have Evie wear the shirt, but this morning worked out just as perfectly.”
“I’d have to agree with that,” I tell him, leaning over to kiss him. I break away from his lips to keep from letting the kiss get too heated. I pour batter on the grill, listening to the satisfying sizzle it makes when the batter hits the hot surface.
The Curve Ball (Indianapolis Lightning Book 2) Page 20