by Toni Aleo
Shot after shot, Jensen took, only letting a few through here and there until his hands were aching and his groin was dead. But in a good way. It was a great workout, just what he wanted and needed in a way. Dropping his gloves, he lay on the ice as Vaughn did the same, sliding toward him. Looking over, he found Vaughn watching him.
“What if she says no?”
Jensen shrugged. He hadn’t thought about that. “Then that will suck.”
“You know it’s ’cause she’s scared. She’s such a pansy. This whole ‘I hate love’ shit is wack. She doesn’t hate it, she loves it. It just keeps fucking with her.”
“Because she chooses shit to fall for.”
“Wells tells her the same thing constantly.”
“She doesn’t listen.”
“She’s stubborn.”
“Yeah, but I like that.”
“You like everything about her.”
“I do, except that she’s making me wait for her to decide what the hell she’s doing.”
“Have you reached out to her?”
“No. I’m giving her space.”
Vaughn nodded, tossing his gloves in the net as Jensen slowly undid his goalie pads. “Brie said the dude, the father of the baby, told her she wasn’t trophy wife material.”
Jensen glanced over at him, his brows furrowing as anger shook his body. “What the fuck does that mean?”
“Probably a dig at her weight.”
“She’s not even big. Thick, yeah, but she’s been thick her whole life. She’s a strong girl.”
“Yeah, but dickheads don’t see that.”
“I fucking hate dickheads. Give us good guys a bad rep.” Vaughn agreed as Jensen threw off his pad, starting on the other one. “I was thinking about that time, out at NateWay1 when I fell for her—”
“Dude, please don’t tell me the story again. It’s sickening.”
“I’m not, asshole. Listen,” Jensen said, a grin pulling at his lips. “Also, remember I helped you write out messages in sausage on pizza for Brie.”
“Hey, that was sweet.”
“And so is my story of the hammer on that hot—”
“Please don’t.”
Jensen smiled for the first time in the last two days. He could still see her hair blowing in the summer breeze. It was one of his favorite memories. He loved the sweat dripping down the backs of her thighs and the wide smile on her beautiful, round face. “I should have told her I had a thing for her then.”
“That was right after Ophelia, though.”
“Yeah, but I knew,” he said simply. “I always knew. I was just too scared she wouldn’t have me.”
“Why? You ain’t ugly.”
Jensen smirked. “I’m aware, but I couldn’t shake that I wasn’t man enough for her.”
“Dude. Really? It’s not like you’re the only dude who can’t have kids. Plus, not all women are like that whore. Especially Wren, she wouldn’t do that to you.”
“Still, it fucks with you.”
“I get it, but still.”
“Yeah, but then again, I’ve always been scared Wren didn’t see me as any more than just a brother.”
“Maybe she thinks the same thing?”
“Probably. My fault.”
Vaughn nodded. “You know, way back when, before I admitted to myself that I loved Brie and wanted her, knocked her up, and all that jazz, my best friend told me that his dad always told him, ‘You can’t be a coward and be in love. You’re not allowed. You gotta choose one before you’re a coward and alone.’ And you, my friend, have been the coward and alone, a perfect example of that. Ready to change it?”
Jensen laughed. “Wow.”
“I know, I’m amazing.”
“And cocky as fuck.”
“Oh, yeah, totally that.”
“So I should call her.”
“You should go to her office or her place.” Vaughn sat up, looking down at him. “And you say, ‘Woman, you’re marrying me, and I’m gonna be that baby’s daddy! And you’re gonna love me!’”
Jensen sputtered with laughter as he sat up. “Yeah, we both know I’m not gonna say that.”
Vaughn shrugged. “Hey, worth the try.”
Nodding, Jensen sucked in a deep breath. “Yeah, but you’re right. And please God, don’t let that go to your head.”
Looking over at him, Jensen found Vaughn grinning. “Too late.”
“So she’s pretty booked?”
Wren’s assistant, Leah, glanced up from her computer. “I mean, she has like a fifteen-minute window between the appointment she has now and her next, but everyone is coming in today since they are either leaving or going on vacation.”
Jensen nodded. The food he was holding from The Southern was burning his hand, and the flowers he held in his other hand were making him want to sneeze, but he didn’t care. He was going to see Wren. “Can you put me in for those fifteen minutes?”
She looked skeptical. “She usually eats—”
He held up the food. “I know, I’m trying to surprise her.”
Her brow perked and then she smiled. “Yes, Mr. Monroe, I’ll put you in.”
“You rock, Leah. If she doesn’t tell you that enough, it’s true.”
Her face reddened before Jensen flashed her a winning smile. “You’re sweet. Have a seat, it shouldn’t be much longer.”
“Thanks,” he called back to her before taking the seat that was right in front of Wren’s office door. His chest hurt, his heart was pounding so hard, but he had to know. Right now. Yes or no, if they were doing this. God, he hoped she said yes. But a part of him was pretty sure she was going to say no. He didn’t know why, but he just felt it. She was a hard sell, and he understood she didn’t want to hurt him. They had too much history, but man, he really wanted this. He did. More than he thought he would.
Not to mention he was pretty sure it went past more than him just wanting to help her.
He wanted her to love him.
Biting the inside of his lip, he tried to inhale and exhale slowly as he waited for the door to open. He felt jumpy. Almost like he had a couple of weeks ago during the play-offs. He felt like he was watching game five all over again. He really didn’t want that feeling. She was Wren. His buddy’s baby sister and he knew her. He shouldn’t be nervous, but then it was Wren. Someone he had been very awkward around for most of his life.
He was pretty sure the only time he wasn’t nervous around her was when he was married to Ophelia. But that was only because he was trying to let Wren go. To love only Ophelia. He should have known that would have happen, though. He’d always had a place in his heart for Wren. Ophelia was constantly a little jealous of Wren, and it was probably because he would drop everything to help her. Wren knew that, so why was she holding back?
When the door opened, he stood just as Tate Odder came out. “Monroe.”
Jensen smiled. He hadn’t seen Odder in a while. “Odder, how you doing? Any news on when we can start training together?”
Tate looked away and then shook his head. “No, sorry. No news.”
Jensen’s shoulders dropped. “Well, that sucks. I’m excited to get out there with you.”
Tate looked apprehensive as he nodded. “Me too. I’ll see you?”
“Yeah, see ya,” Jensen said since Tate was already walking away. Huh, that was weird.
Taking a deep breath, Jensen pushed the office door open just as Wren looked up, her eyes widening. “Jensen.”
She looked beautiful. Her hair was up in a bun, her makeup soft but bringing out her eyes gorgeously. She was wearing a low-cut dress or shirt, he wasn’t sure. All he knew was her boobs looked great and, crap, he was staring. Was his mouth open? Shit, it was. She stood and the dress was loose, but he could see her bump. Her child. The child that could be his.
Moving her hands across the baby hairs along her forehead, she then ran them down the front of her dress, nervousness coming off her in waves. “I wasn’t expecting you.”
> Snapping his jaw up, he held her gaze before he, like an idiot, squawked, “Yeah, hey, I came to see what the hell we’re doing.”
He was pretty sure there was a better way he could have said that.
Maybe he should have gone with what Vaughn had said to do.
“Oh.”
“Yeah. I brought food. And flowers.”
Wren smiled. She couldn’t help it. He was just adorable. Standing there, arms full of food and flowers with a look of pure uncertainty on his face. He was nervous, which was understandable. So was she, but she knew he was doing this for her. Swallowing hard, she nodded as her heart pounded against her ribs, which woke up kiddo, and now he was kicking. But her son’s kicks were a little hard to pay attention to when Jensen’s eyes were locked with hers. They were such a demanding dark brown that struck her right in the middle of her soul.
Lord, he was pretty.
She had done so well her whole life, ignoring her feelings for him. Yeah, she was attracted to him, but she wasn’t going to fling herself on a guy who’d showed no interest in her until now. If that’s what he was even doing. She’d thought she was sure, but his terms to their agreement suggested that he was into her, which still blew her ever-loving mind.
“I can see that,” she somehow choked out. “Thank you, but—”
“I know you’ve only got like fifteen minutes, which is why I bought you like, seven dishes because I figured you could snack on them all day when you got time.”
“Oh, wow. That’s sweet.”
“Yeah,” he chuckled, his laughter a little laced with nerves as he laid everything down on her desk. “And I know you’re not really a flower chick, but I figured these would make you smile.” Looking up at her, he gestured toward the vase of marigolds.
Her heart almost came out of her chest at the sight of the beautiful gold flowers. “These are the ones I have outside my bedroom window at home.”
He nodded. “I know. I remember when that late winter storm hit that one time and killed them all. You cried for days since you loved them so much, so Dad had us out there replanting brand-new ones.”
She beamed, a little flabbergasted. “You remember that?”
“I remember everything.”
Her heart fluttered as she gazed at the side of his face. They really had known each other their whole lives. She shouldn’t be surprised, but she was. His cheeks were a little red, the hair on his face a little longer than she liked but it was the off-season, so it was expected. His shoulders looked so big in his tank, but all she could stare at was his lips.
Pursing them, he met her gaze. “You look beautiful today.”
She blushed. “Thanks, but—”
“Take the compliment, Wren.”
She snapped her lips shut and grinned. Her stupid heart was in a frenzy as he held her gaze hostage with his. “I wanted you to see what it was like to have me as your husband.”
Her grin grew. “Trying to buy me off with food and flowers? I think I’m supposed to buy you off.”
“You don’t have to,” he said with all seriousness, and her grin stalled.
“Well, then.”
He chuckled as he leaned on his arms, his gaze burning into hers. “It would be good.”
“Maybe, but it’s scary as fuck.”
“Of course it is. I’m asking something of you that you don’t think you want.”
“I don’t think. I know.”
“So you think.” She glared at his total dismissal of what she felt was a valid point, but he just smiled. “But it will be worth it.”
She blinked as her lips started to tremble, her heart in her throat. “I don’t want—”
“If you say you don’t want to hurt me, I’m taking the food back.”
Her eyes widened. “But I’m hungry.”
He smiled. “Then don’t.”
“Fine. I won’t.”
“Because you won’t.”
She eyed him uncertainly. “You don’t know that.”
“I do, and if that’s what’s holding you back, let it go. Because I trust you wouldn’t do that to me. We’ve been very honest with each other, and we’ll continue to do so. The great thing is that we were friends before this.”
She swallowed hard. His logic was sound, and she should just agree with him. It was what she needed, if maybe not what she wanted, but that was beside the point. She was running out of time, and he was offering her the world. She’d be stupid to turn it down. Even if it did scare her to the depths of her soul and made her want to run the other way.
“So you’re fine being the father of a baby that’s not yours, lying to my family and yours, mind you, and going into this with no guarantee that we’ll work.”
“Yes.”
“Just like that. No reservations?”
“None.”
“Jensen.”
“What? It’s you. I’d do anything for you.”
Her heart skipped as she tore her gaze away, shaking her head. “So you want this?”
“I do.”
She scoffed. He was crazy! “Out of all the women in the world, you want to do this with me?”
Looking up, she found him watching her, his eyes trained on hers as the heat gathered all throughout her. Swallowing hard, she watched as he nodded. “All the other women don’t matter.”
His statement was simple but meant so much. As she got lost in his eyes, she almost didn’t know how to respond, but something inside of her was going nuts. Call it her own insecurities, but she just couldn’t believe that. He was a great-looking guy, women loved him, and here he was in her office with food and flowers begging to help her. This was bold and completely out of his wheelhouse. He usually stood back, didn’t say much. But he was saying more than enough now, and it was hitting her right in her gut, leaving her breathless.
“Jensen—”
But his gaze was off to the side, at her computer. “Jesus, you’re still doing these pros and cons lists?”
Her stomach dropped. When she looked to where he was staring with his perfect vision, she saw her computer screen that held her list she had been working on before Tate had come in.
“Well, fuck,” she muttered, and he laughed as he started to move toward her computer at the same time she tried to reach for the mouse.
Knocking it out of her hand, he said, “You’re doing one on me? I gotta see this.”
“Jensen, no,” she groaned, trying to stop him, but he blocked her as he read the items out loud. “You’d block a pregnant woman?”
“Yes! I need to see this.”
“I can’t believe you,” she yelled, but she was laughing as he sat in her seat, with his arm across her chest, holding her back. He was so strong and manly, and he smelled like a woodsy lumberjack.
Yum.
“Let’s see here, I should take a picture and send it to Vaughn and Wells. They’d get a kick out of this.”
“Jensen Monroe, I’ll kill you.” He laughed as she pushed his arm down, crossing her arms over her belly. “I don’t like you right now.”
“Ha, this list is so pro heavy. I’m basically amazing.”
“Okay, Vaughn Johansson.”
He scoffed as he leaned back in the chair, looking up at her. “I love the con of falling in love with me, though. That’s what you’re supposed to do.”
“Says you.”
“Exactly, because that’s what you do when you marry someone and raise a baby with them.”
“I wanted a fake husband, remember?”
“Yeah, nothing fake about me, baby.”
She let out a harsh breath. “I’m about to add annoying to the list.”
He laughed as he shrugged. “We both know I’m not annoying.” She rolled her eyes at that, and he sent her a grin. “And we’ve kissed!”
Her face twisted. “When we were younger and it was a stupid dare. You basically just licked me.”
“I did not! It was meaningful.”
She sputtered with laughter
. “It was maybe a second, and you poked your tongue on my lip and then backed away.”
“I did not!”
“You did. It was pathetic.”
“That’s rude.” She laughed, and he smiled. “I was like fifteen.”
“Yeah. But my first kiss was a dud, for sure.”
His grin grew as he gazed up at her. “I was your first kiss?”
“Yeah, and it was horrible.”
He gave her a dry look. “Shit, Wren, my ego.”
She giggled some more as he shook his head, leaning back in toward the computer again. He sat up then, reaching for the keyboard and mouse. Highlighting the fall in love with him bit, he moved that to the pro side, and he deleted the getting hurt part before he started to type away under the section he had just moved.
Would love me more than I could ever handle.
Her skin started to tingle as he hit enter and pushed the keyboard away before rolling back in the chair. She stepped out of his way, and he stood, his big, beautiful body right in front of her as he turned to look at her, his lips turning up in a little bit of a smirk. “Only one thing left.”
“Huh?”
Before she knew what was happening, he pushed her against the windows of her office, his knee coming between her legs to spread them for his body, forcing away every single breath she had inside of her. Taking her wrist, he lifted it above her head as his eyes burned into hers, while his other hand moved a strand of hair out of her eyes. “The kiss.”
She gasped. “The kiss?”
“Yeah,” he said before his tongue came out, wetting his lips while he tipped her chin up. She held her breath as his lips moved at the speed of turtles down to hers, his eyes watching hers intently. Angling her chin up just slightly, she closed her eyes, and he came crashing in. When their lips touched, she swore it was like a huge wrecking ball knocking her out of this universe. His body pressed to hers, her stomach touching his groin as his hand moved from her wrist to take her hand in his, while her other hand grasped his bicep. Time stood still as their lips moved, and when his tongue glided along her bottom lip, she opened her mouth, letting him run his tongue ever so slowly along hers. Fire, that was all she felt. Almost like a good, long shot of brandy. He felt damn good. Tasted like a dream too. Her body was feverish. Between her legs, she was dripping wet, and she swore he could take her right there and she wouldn’t mind one damn bit.