When my name is finally called, Taylor screams and squeezes my hand tighter. My mom cries, tears streaming down her cheeks. Chloe’s clapping and beaming with delight. Dad holds up his hand for me to slap it.
It takes me a second to process the reality of the situation. All of the years of pushing myself to the limit have come to fruition. And then I let it all sink in again, realizing the news is better than I ever could have imagined. Because I was picked by the San Jose Sharks, which is a little over an hour drive from our house in Berkeley.
Taylor and my family rise from their seats along with me. My girl is practically attached to my body. She’s holding onto me so tight I’m wondering if I will have to drag her up to the stage with me.
“You made it, Drake,” she says with fresh tears now spilling from her eyes. “I’m so proud of you. I knew they’d call you.”
I chuckle and press a kiss to her lips. “Thanks, baby. You make all of this worth it.”
A blush spreads across her pale cheeks. She mouths, I love you, and I say it back, before I hug the rest of my family and make my way up to the stage.
Time feels frozen when I put the Sharks hat on my head, adjusting it over my hair. I say my thank you’s and smile for the cameras, my eyes fixed on Taylor the entire time. Even in a crowd, I can find her. I’m so drawn to her, always have been, and for that reason alone I know I will always find my way back to her.
Chapter Twenty-One
Taylor: Six months later
Bex and Preston are in San Jose for the night. I’ve missed my bestie so much that my chest hurts at the thought of her leaving tomorrow. With the best seats in the house, we cheer for our men, each of us wearing different jerseys this time.
Preston thought he’d lost his shot at playing professional hockey after he was kicked out of the college league. But he lucked out and got a phone call from a Pittsburgh Penguins’ scout. Now, he’s here in Cali playing against Drake and his new team.
“It feels weird to watch them on opposing sides,” Bex says.
All of Drake’s former teammates except for Jamie are now in the NHL. Jamie opted to skip the Draft and work on his video game at his father’s new company.
“Yeah, I know. It sucks with all of us being in different cities. It’s so hard to get together. And the three-hour time difference between us doesn’t help.”
Bex shrugs. “It’s only three hours. Coach has me working every night. I’m up so late now that I work at DMG, I’m lucky if I get a few hours of sleep.”
“And instead of sleeping, you’re up talking to me.” I laugh. “Which makes me late for class.”
She slaps me on the arm and chuckles. “Hey, don’t blame me. I have no problem getting up for work after staying on the phone with you all night.”
I smirk at her comment and pull my jacket closed. No matter how many times I sit rink-side, my body can’t adapt to the temperature. But at least once I’m outside, I have the warmth of the California sun.
Everything worked out for Drake and me. We both get to pursue our dreams and still have each other for support. I know he’s overwhelmed by his first year in the league. He’s not the starting goalie, at least not yet. But we both have faith he will some day.
We watch the game for a few minutes in silence, the score so close I hold my breath.
Bex leans over, her elbow invading my space. “How’s school going? Did you pass that exam you were freaking out about the other day?”
I nod. “Piece of cake.”
She chuckles. “Didn’t sound like one when you were sweating it the other night.”
“This program is hard,” I admit. “But I knew it would be before I applied.”
“In less than five years, I’ll be calling you Dr. Donovan,” she quips.
“Drake hasn’t proposed,” I shoot back. “He’s not allowed to ask me until after I graduate and his career is situated.”
Bex covers her mouth with her hand, intentionally flashing the giant rock Preston gave her last month. Talk about bling. That thing could pay for a brand new car.
“Drake wants to marry you. You already know that. If you would let him propose, he would probably marry you right here on the ice.”
I cock my head at her. “Like Preston’s parents?”
She leans back in the chair and smiles. “Don’t tell me you wouldn’t love to get married somewhere like the Wells Fargo Center. That’s pretty sweet.”
“Didn’t Tucker and Trent’s mom have Ava at Coach’s wedding?”
Bex nods. “Her water broke on Jamie’s parents’ feet. Regan thought Kennedy peed on her shoes.”
We both tilt our heads back and laugh.
It’s so nice to have Bex with me. I don’t want her to go back to Pittsburgh with Preston. Living with each other for four years became so natural to me that I could have attended Strick U until they threw me out on my ass. I’m one of those weird people who likes going to school. I’d be a professional student if it were a job.
The graduate psychology program at UC Berkeley is five years. I’m six months into my classes, and right now, another four and a half years feels like an eternity. Drake was okay with waiting to get married. I’m only twenty-two and not even close to being ready to settle down and have a family.
My mom said she lost herself when she married my dad. Her dream to become a nurse fell by the wayside once she realized she would have to move every few years to accommodate my father’s career. Drake doesn’t want that for me. Even if he gets traded to another team, he doesn’t want me to follow him like a lost puppy. He doesn’t want me to wake up one day and hate him for sacrificing my goals for his. And I would never want him to do the same for me.
San Jose wins the game, the arena erupting into a fit of cheers, which is a welcome relief. Bex’s nose scrunches in irritation, though she does clap and give her congratulations.
Drake and Preston didn’t play much. They both knew their rookie year would be rough. Less money and little playing time are part of the game when you’re fresh meat.
A few hours later, I’m sitting on the back patio of our new house, curled up next to Drake on the oversized chair. Bex and Preston are opposite us in a similar cushy chair. They’re busy cuddling and whispering into each other’s ears. I never thought we would end up here. We weren’t the type of girls either of them went after, and yet here we are after all this time.
When I first met Drake, I never thought I would let him kiss me, let alone become my world. I never expected him to make every effort to impress me. And he shocked the hell out of me when he stole my heart and held on so tight I knew I was a goner.
Drake takes a sip from his beer, the cold bottle sending a shiver down my spine when it grazes my cheek.
Drake notices and hugs me close. “You cold?” I nod, and he cloaks me with his big body, his thick arms and muscular chest crushing me. “How about now?”
I chuckle, my lips brushing against his arm. “You always warm me up.”
“Preston asked me to be in his wedding,” he says in a hushed tone. “Looks like I’ll need your help picking out a tux.”
Fisting his shirt in my hands, I gaze up at him. The heat sizzling between us sends a ripple of warmth down my arms. “The thought of you in a tux does things to me…”
He laughs and then dips down to give me a peck on the lips, but it becomes more. I can taste the beer on his tongue when he slips it into my mouth.
Once our lips separate, I whisper, still out of breath from the passion behind his kiss. “Well, you already know I’m the maid of honor. Too bad you won’t be the one to walk me down the aisle.”
“Nope. Jamie gets to do that since he’s the best man.”
“I love weddings. We can drink tons of champagne, eat lots of food, and dance until our feet hurt.”
“I hear the women at weddings are easy prey,” he jokes. “Especially the maid of honor.”
I nudge him in the side and laugh. “Watch your mouth, buddy. Or you won’t be
getting the maid of honor’s panties off.”
“I’ll just rip them off,” he growls against the shell of my ear. The heat from his breath sends a ripple of pleasure down my spine.
I squirm in his arms, tempted to drag him into the house. He’s torn my panties off so many times since we’ve been together. Drake is insatiable. Sometimes, he acts like such a caveman in the bedroom. But I love it, and I can’t get enough of him.
“No dirty talk in front of guests,” I whisper.
He kisses me once more, his lips soft against mine. We stay wrapped up in each other, our bodies twisted together until Preston clears his throat to get our attention.
“I want to have the bachelor party in Vegas,” Preston says to Drake. “You down?”
Drake looks to me for confirmation, and I urge him with a slight tip of my head. It’s not like he would ever cheat on me. I have nothing to worry about when it comes to Drake. He’s mine.
“Vegas, baby,” he says, his voice so deep and loud it rumbles in my ear. Drake raises his beer in the air, and Preston does the same.
“We’re going, too,” Bex chimes. “Girls weekend. You in, Tay?”
“Hell, yeah,” I say, beer in hand. “Count me in.”
Drake kisses my cheek, his arms so tight around me I can’t move. And I don’t want to… because I’m right where I belong.
Epilogue
Drake: Five years later
Taylor graduated a few months ago with a Ph.D. in Psychology. She worked her ass off for the last five years to make her dreams happen. I’m so proud of her. Whatever she sets her mind to, she accomplishes.
Now that she’s working at the hospital, I decided to stop by and take her to lunch. Her last patient was thirty minutes ago, and when I sneak into her office, her head snaps in my direction. Shock scrolls across her face, her mouth falling open.
“Drake,” she says while getting up from behind the desk, pushing her chair behind her. “What are you doing here? I wasn’t expecting you home until tomorrow.”
“Surprise.” I throw my hands out at my sides. “I got back early from Boston. Thought you might want to eat lunch with your husband.”
I proposed to Taylor at her graduation party. She wanted to wait until she was finished school. The second our marriage license was approved, we flew our friends out to California and got married at a winery in Napa Valley. Much like our relationship, it was perfect. Taylor was the most beautiful bride that ever walked down any aisle ever. And I was the luckiest bastard on earth because I got to marry my best friend. The only woman I have ever and will ever love.
She lunges at me, her fingers digging into my back as she hugs me. “I missed my hubs.” Pressing a kiss to my cheek, she sighs. “So much. A week is too long without you here to keep your side of the bed warm.”
After five years in the NHL, I’m now the starting goaltender for the Sharks. My first two seasons were hard, the adjustment almost unbearable compared to college hockey. What hit me the hardest was the schedule. Taylor had trouble with it at first, but now she’s used to me being on the road. Years of practice has helped us find our groove, though the pain from the temporary loss never fades no matter how many years pass.
“Well, now I’m here.” I slide my hands down to her hips to feel her curves. A simple touch awakens the carnal need inside me. I’ve been dreaming of her all week, and now that she’s in front of me, I want to bend her over the desk. “Paging, Dr. Donovan,” I whisper against the shell of her ear, “You have a hard cock that needs medical attention.”
“Drake, I’m at work.” She covers her mouth with her hand and giggles. “We can’t…”
I spin her around so her back is facing me and bend her over. She clutches the edge of her desk and sighs, looking over her shoulder at me. “I’m serious. Not here, okay?”
Taylor sits on her desk and peeks up at me with those wide, blue eyes that slice through me every time. She’s so damn gorgeous that sometimes I can’t catch my breath when I look at her.
How did I get this lucky?
“I have to tell you something.” The seriousness in her tone startles me. Taylor reaches into her desk drawer and holds a white stick in the air for me to see. It’s a pregnancy test. She points at the blue lines in the window. “I know we just started trying, but apparently, you have some killer sperm.” Her smile illuminates her face to the point she’s glowing. “You’re going to be a dad, Drake.”
Until today, I thought the happiest day of my life was our wedding day. Not even the NHL Draft could compare to marrying Taylor. She’s my everything, my world, and now we’re about to have a family.
Neither of us had to sacrifice our dreams to be together. It’s been a partnership from the start. We worked together every step of the way, and because of that, I know we can navigate any obstacles life throws at us.
Unable to contain my excitement, I lift her off the desk, her feet dangling in the air and smacking my shins. “We’re having a baby,” I say, almost in tears.
“And to think all of this was possible because of your dirty mind and one too many dick pics.” She laughs on my shoulder, and I lower her enough to smack a kiss on her lips.
“Speaking of dick pics…” I set her on the floor and wiggle my eyebrows at her. “I could still use some medical attention. I hear you can die from blue balls.”
She shakes her head, laughing. “No, you can’t.” Taylor glances to my left to check behind me. “But since no one is around, I think Dr. Donovan can see you now.”
A smirk tugs at the corner of my mouth, and then I suck her bottom lip into my mouth, stealing her last breath like I need it to survive. Because I do.
Thank you so much for reading the Face-Off Legacy Series! If you loved this series, I have good news. I’m continuing the original Face-Off Series. Get ready for more of Alex Parker, Tyler Kane, Carter Donovan, and Jameson O’Connor… and some new hockey hotties to love.
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Also by Jillian Quinn
FACE-OFF SERIES
Parker
Kane
Donovan
Jameson
Ethan
Dean
FACE-OFF LEGACY SERIES
Pucking Parker
Keeping Kane
Teaching Tucker
Jocking Jameson
Kissing Killian
Defending Donovan
STANDALONE ROMANCES
On Call
Curveball
Chasing Ella
One More Chance
For more information, visit JillianQuinnBooks.com.
About the Author
Jillian Quinn is the international bestselling romance author of the Face-Off and Face-Off Legacy Series. She’s from Philly, a city girl to the core, now living in Southwest Florida, where she still hasn’t adjusted, though she’s not opposed to the warm weather or lazy days by the pool.
Jillian sets all of her books in her hometown, dreams of getting her hands on a real cheesesteak, and still cheers for her local sports teams. She’s a lover of sports, especially those involving tackling, checking, and men in tight pants. A self-proclaimed Coffee Queen, Jillian practically lives at Starbucks, where you can find her most days, drinking all the coffee.
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Defending Donovan Page 17