by G. K. Brady
But while she wanted to linger in that carefree state, real life was buzzing an annoying wake-up call, so she left Gage to his pre-game nap and returned to her quiet house.
With time on her hands before Ivy brought Daisy home, Lily stretched out on the couch, even though a mound of laundry cried for attention. She plucked out her wedding ring and slid it along her chain, staring at the distorted reflection in its gold surface as thoughts of Gage infiltrated her mind and crowded out most everything else. And no surprise. Even now, gone from him a mere hour, she craved the easy smile that lit her up, the deep voice that shot tingles through her, and the laugh that filled her hollow spaces like warm honey.
Having his body close to hers in the dark hours had made her feel safe and … whole.
But what really transported her was the tenderness in his mismatched blue eyes when he looked at her—as though she was the sun to his orbiting planet. No one had ever looked at her that way.
Suddenly, inexplicable fear rose up and grabbed her by the throat. For every moment spent with him, she was relinquishing another piece of her heart. A dangerous trade.
He was addictive. A potent drug that clouded her brain.
“No,” her rational mind argued. “You’re tired. Not thinking straight.”
Thinking straight or not, it wasn’t just about her. While Gage seemed genuine in his desire to weave Daisy and her into his life, Lily had to consider possible consequences. What if Daisy got attached and it didn’t last? What if she got attached, only to lose another man? Could her heart take being shattered again?
Too late. I’m already attached.
Chapter 24
I’m Going to … Dillon?
“Go, Mr. Cage, goooooooo!” Daisy shrieked as she bounced up and down in her chair. Gage was streaking down the ice toward the opposing net—he was breathtaking, and Lily couldn’t get enough of watching him. Entering the other team’s zone, he made a drop pass, but no one was there to pick it up. A defender corralled it and blazed in the other direction.
“What the hell was that, Nelson?” a fan bellowed behind them.
Gage was hot on the other team’s heels, playing chase. He’d been in that position a half-dozen times tonight. Fortunately, his linemate Quinn stole the puck back and lobbed it down the ice before they skated to the bench for a line change.
The fan continued his loud remarks, offering Gage helpful tips such as, “Get your head out of your ass, Nelson, and stop with the drop passes to nowhere!”
Ivy and she both craned their heads, but she couldn’t figure out which asshole was mouthing off. She turned back around, rolling her lips between her teeth and clamping down, feeling heat rising in her cheeks. You try skating while you’re holding on to the puck and dodging guys trying to knock you into next week, jerk-off!
Apparently, Jerk-off had more to say. “Jesus Christ, Nelson! Stop turning over the goddamn puck!”
How did Natalie and the other wives keep their cool? Now Lily understood why Gisele Bündchen had mouthed off about Tom Brady’s crap receivers.
Ivy squeezed her arm. “I got this.” Before Lily could stop her, Ivy stood, faced the seats behind them, and hollered, “He’s one of the best damn centers in the league. He’s in the running for MVP, for Christ’s sake! What more do you want? Give the guy a break.”
“Momma, why’s Aunt Ivy yelling bad words at that man?”
“Um …”
“You’re just saying that ’cause you’re wearing his damn jersey!” the man retorted. Gage had sweetly left jerseys for Daisy, Ivy, Parker, and her. “All of you just have a hard-on for six!” Jerk-off added as if just noticing they were a Wall of Gage.
“There are kids here, asshole,” another fan admonished.
“Mom?”
Lily pulled Daisy in close. “It’s okay, sweetheart. Aunt Ivy’s just—”
“Lady, sit down already! Some of us came here to watch the game.”
Ivy turned and lowered herself into her seat. The hubbub seemed to level off. She winked at Lily and dropped a kiss on Daisy’s head. “Aunt Ivy was sticking up for her team, Daisy-do.”
Jerk-off couldn’t let it go. “Try learning some hockey, red.”
Ivy shot up, faced backward again, and pointed at her head. “Try getting some glasses, jackass! It’s strawberry blond!”
A collective groan rose from behind them. The heat in Lily’s face spread to her neck and chest, prickling her skin. Her stomach churned like a concrete mixer turning over sludge.
Parker, who was seated on Daisy’s other side, reached a long arm across their laps to tug Ivy’s jersey. With a satisfied head bob, she sat as if it had been her idea all along.
“Hey, strawberry blondie,” Jerk-off sang.
Parker stood to his full six-three, EMT-buff height, casually tucking his shirt into the back of his pants. “Buddy, let it go. You don’t want to get in an argument with my wife. Trust me. I speak from experience.”
His good-natured approach garnered a few chuckles, along with another fan’s “shut it” aimed at Jerk-off. Parker re-took his seat slowly, giving Ivy an eye-roll and a headshake. His lips quirked as he obviously fought a grin.
“Mom, I’m thirsty,” Daisy said.
Parker patted her arm. “Why don’t you and I find some lemonade during intermission, Daisy-do?”
Bless him. Lily’s emotions were wound tighter than bobbin thread. She couldn’t untangle which bothered her more: the idiots behind her talking about Gage like he was a no-talent duster or the worry she was the cause for his less-than-Gagely play. A little gush dampened her panties as her mind detoured once again to last night, ratcheting up the guilt factor a notch.
“No doubt Uncle Parker needs another beer while he’s at it,” Ivy chided.
He grinned at her. “You know it. Especially if you’re going to get us into a fight. Is it safe to leave you two alone for a few minutes?” He reached for Daisy, who admonished him.
“We hafta wait, Uncle Parker. They’re not done playing yet.”
Despite her flaring emotions, Lily smiled inside. Gage was teaching her little rule-follower well.
“Wow,” Ivy whisper-shouted. “You-know-who’s really off his game tonight.”
Lily jabbed a finger toward Daisy and mouthed, “Shut up.”
Ivy mimed a lip-zip.
A horn sounded, signaling the end of the first period. Parker guided Daisy through legs and laps to the aisle while Lily craned to watch the ritual of Gage leaving the ice. She couldn’t remember being so interested in it before. He and T.J. stood on either side of the chute, fist- or elbow-bumping their teammates as they filed past into the corridor that led to the locker room. Gage was the last to leave, falling in behind T.J. He tapped hands dangling over the chute the entire way, and her heart ballooned. She could practically feel heat glowing in it.
Lily turned to her sister. “You-know-who asked if he could take Daisy and me to see the Dillon ice castles.”
Ivy’s face lit with a big-ass smile. “Nice!”
“I said I’d think about it.”
Ivy rapped her on the head. “Hello, earth to Lily! What’s to think about? Hot, rich guy—who also happens to be nice—wants to whisk you away. How can there be any answer but yes?”
Lily rubbed her head. “I don’t know. I mean … you see how Daisy idolizes him. What if we get close and it all ends up in the toilet?”
Fans excused themselves to get past, and Ivy and she stood to make way.
Ivy spoke out of the side of her mouth, her tone soft. “What if? If you’re ever going to take a chance again, he’s a great candidate. You said he’s really good with Daisy. And if she idolizes him, doesn’t that make things easier?”
Lily chewed her lip. “Maybe. Maybe not.”
“Hey, I get that it’s scary. But even if you pass on him, that’s not gonna change. The next one will be scarier, and the one after that until you’ve scared yourself into a lonely corner you can’t get out of.” She tugged a
strand of Lily’s hair. “And speaking of idolizing, I’ve seen the way that man looks at you.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means I think he’s in love with you. You have feelings for him too, right?”
Without a doubt. But Gage in love with her? Was she in love with him? “Yes.”
“So go with it. See where it takes you. Live a little.” Ivy wrapped an arm around her shoulders and squeezed.
Lily realized she’d needed validation, and Ivy had given it to her. Something akin to champagne bubbles rushed up from her belly and popped in her head, leaving her a little dizzy. “I guess I’m going to Dillon.”
Chapter 25
Parenting 101
Gage sat in his running car in the arena parking lot, shaking his head. He’d just played the shittiest game of his life. They’d lost seven-to-four, and he’d barely registered a shot, much less a point. His legs had felt like lead, and his precision had been so off it was in a different time zone. His brain had been stuck on an endless lazy river ride.
The only bright spot had been seeing Lily and Daisy in the stands wearing his jersey. It had done funny things to his insides and dosed him with a huge measure of pride.
His attention caught on someone walking purposefully toward his car. Hunter. Shit. Gage lowered his window, and Hunter leaned down when he reached him.
“Me and the boys are going clubbing. There’s a good chance we’ll wind up at the Sapphire. I figured after the shitty game you just had, you could stand some adult entertainment to take your minds off things.” Hunter gave him a smirk.
“While I appreciate your concern and the kind offer,” Gage’s voice dripped with sarcasm, “going to a strip joint is not going to help my mood.”
“Suit yourself.” With a shrug, Hunter loped away.
Gage dragged his hands over his face and through his hair, expelling a lungful of air. Going home to a cold, quiet house wasn’t going to do anything to lift his dark mood either. He thumbed Lily a text.
Gage: You still awake?
Lily: Barely. Someone kept me up all night.
That brought his first chuckle tonight.
Gage: And he loved every minute of it. He added a winkie emoji and kept going. Wish you guys could have stuck around till the end. Did Daisy enjoy the game? Other than me stinking up the ice like a boatload of fish?
He wasn’t sure why, but the question of whether Daisy enjoyed herself was important to him.
Lily: LOL. She was over the moon to be there watching her “Mr. Cage.” You’re her hero. And the jersey? A big hit. Thank you again.
Shoulders he hadn’t realized were tight eased, and his chest expanded an inch or two.
Gage: Looked a little big on her. Guess I got the wrong size.
Lily: She’ll grow into it. Literally. She won’t take it off. She wore it to bed tonight.
He laughed aloud. Seriously?
Lily: Seriously. You made one little girl very happy.
This pulled his spirits out of the dumpster.
Gage: Glad to do it. Did I make one big girl happy too?
Lily: Without a doubt.
Suddenly, he felt as if he was running on empty, and it wasn’t because he was tired. He missed Lily, and he wasn’t even home yet.
Gage: Can I come see you?
Lily: Now?
He cringed a little but fired off his reply. Yes, now.
Long minutes passed.
Lily: Hoping to get lucky, Professor?
Gage: Hoping you’ll sing to me and cheer me up. Just want to see your pretty face.
Lily: That bad?
Seeing her and holding her while he pulled in the sunshine scent of her hair were what he needed right now. They were the cure-all to his blues.
Gage: I’m only 10 mins away. Promise I won’t stay long.
So much time passed—at least it felt that way—that he started to back out of his parking space. The text he’d been waiting for finally chimed.
Lily: Then I’ll see you in 10.
His heart grew wings and started to fly. By the time he parked in front of her tidy little house, the recall of the awful game was fading. When she opened the door—still wearing his jersey—raised up on tiptoe, and threw her arms around him, the memory vanished from his consciousness altogether.
“Hey,” she murmured when she’d finally pulled away and closed the door behind them. Her curls were piled on top of her head.
“Hey. Thanks for letting me stop by.” I needed this.
The lights were low, lending the place a warm ambiance.
“Something to drink?” she offered.
“Bourbon, if you’ve got it.”
She crooked a finger. “Right this way.”
She reached into an upper cabinet, and that’s when he noticed her legs were bare. He took in the sight as the jersey hiked up, revealing her curvy ass hidden by short shorts. Mostly hidden. His hands itched to touch the parts that peeked out and teased him, causing him to rethink his promise not to stay long.
After pouring him a measure of amber liquid and topping off her white wine, she led him back to the living room and curled up on one end of a wide, deep, cream-colored couch in front of a cozy fire. He averted his eyes from the hallway shrine, locking it out of his mind as he lowered himself beside her. They clinked glasses. One sip, and the liquor burned its way down to his stomach. “I met Parker after the game. Nice guy.”
“You did? How?”
“He and Ivy were waiting to say thanks when I left the arena.” Another heat-filled sip. “Have you given the Dillon ice castles any more thought?”
She let out a little laugh. “I thought you said ‘take your time’?”
He dropped his arm on her leg, his thumb caressing circles on her smooth skin. “I did, but I figured it doesn’t hurt to ask. Plus, I’d like to have it squared away before I head out on the road.”
“Oh right. That makes sense.” Her eyes darted around the room. She seemed fidgety all of a sudden, and he expected her to haul out her necklace at any second.
He splayed his fingers over her thigh and canted his head to get a better look at her. “Hey, are we okay here? Did my asking about Dillon make you uncomfortable?”
A few twitches of her head told him no.
“Then what’s going on?” Inner alarms were rising, and he found himself hoping she wasn’t about to tell him she regretted last night.
She took a tiny sip of her wine. “I didn’t want to bring up the game, but do you think … I mean, it wasn’t your best game, and I wonder—”
“That’s putting it mildly,” he huffed. He scooted a little closer, pulling her legs across his lap. “I think I know where you’re going, and no, I don’t think last night had anything to do with my lousy game.” Her curls caught the light, and he had a hankering to tangle his fingers in them. “I have off games, and that’s what tonight was. An off game.” He reached out and pulled some of her strands loose.
“What are you doing?” she laughed.
“I guess I’m taking your hair down.”
“And you’re doing this why?”
He freed a few more curls and set his drink aside so he could devote both hands to the job. “Because I’ve never seen such soft, curly hair, and I love touching it.” It all came tumbling down, and he played with it as he arranged it on her shoulders.
“Better?” She gave him a knowing smile.
“Yeah. It makes it easier to do this.” He took her wineglass from her and placed it next to his half-full drink. Then he ran his hands in her hair and held her head, stroking his thumbs over her smooth cheeks while he drew her mouth to his. She parted her lips for him, and their tongues met for one long, lingering kiss. She pulled away, her half-lidded eyes on him. A lazy smile tipped her plump lips. He kissed her again, harder this time, and her hands wound around his shoulders to press him closer. He snaked one hand under the hem of her jersey while he continued holding her head in place. The kiss deepened, becoming mo
re urgent, and a mewl rose in her throat. Suddenly, his body was on fire. He broke away and trailed kisses to her ear. “Jesuuuus, Lil. The more I’m with you, the more I want you.”
She dropped her shoulder, giving him better access to her throat. “So I didn’t wear you out last night, Professor?” she breathed.
Between open-mouthed kisses up and down her neck, he murmured, “Not even close. You’re my superhero drug.” He nudged her collar, nibbling the skin at the base of her neck, while under her jersey his fingers dipped into her bra cup and fondled her soft flesh.
A wail rose from somewhere behind him. He was still turning to see what it was when Lily disentangled herself and sprang from the couch with lightning speed. Daisy stood between the living room and hallway, her face red, tears staining her cheeks, her eyes trained on him.
“Mommy,” she whimpered.
His heart nearly imploded. Had seeing him kiss her mom—and feeling her up—freaked the poor kid out? He rearranged his pants and stood.
Lily was on her knees, her hands on Daisy’s arms. “What is it, sweetheart?”
“I threw up.” She began to cry, her little body shuddering. All of him wanted to do something, but he had no idea what, so he shoved his hands in his pockets and stood there like a dumbass.
Lily rose, scooping Daisy into her arms, and shot him a backward glance. “If you need to get going, I understand.”
Shit! What’s the translation? “I want you to leave” or “If you want to run the hell away, I won’t hold it against you”?
“Is there anything I can do to help?” he called after her, feeling lamer by the second.
“No.” As she carried Daisy down the hall, he could hear the little girl’s voice. “Why is Mr. Cage here, Momma?” He should have left right then, but something wouldn’t let him.
The evening turned out far different than he’d ever imagined. Though it took time, he eventually wore down some serious Lily walls. Whether they were mama bear walls or stubbornly independent ones, he couldn’t say. When Lily finally caved, she let him help remake Daisy’s bed. At one point, he even read Daisy a few pages from Is Your Mama a Llama?—one he recognized from his own childhood—while Lily steam cleaned the rug in Daisy’s bedroom. He tried to infuse a lilt in his voice as he read, which seemed to work because Daisy burrowed into him. Probably needs the body heat. She said little but occasionally gave him a big-eyed stare, which he took to mean, “Why the hell is my hockey coach here?”