A ripple of laughter spread through the room, the loudest laughs coming from her table.
“But most of all I’d like to thank three very special people who made tonight happen. First, Holly Hoffer. You might be more familiar with her husband, Josh Hoffer.” Screams and cheers filled the room—although I had a feeling that was more for Josh than Holly. “Holly was the one who choreographed the dance routine and got these guys in tip-top shape for tonight. And from what I’ve heard, it wasn’t easy. As superb as these men are on the ice, their skills didn’t amount to much on the dance floor.”
The players laughed and nodded.
“So thank you, Holly, for all you did to get these men ready for tonight.” The audience applauded, thoroughly agreeing with Fanny. If it hadn’t been for Holly—along with the players—tonight wouldn’t have been the success that it was.
“The second special person who made tonight possible is my grandson, Travis Hamilton.”
That resulted in the same reaction Josh had gotten. Grinning until my cheeks hurt, I cheered loudly, adding my own appreciation.
“I had joked a month ago that I wanted his teammates to dance shirtless for my eightieth birthday. Well, thanks to my grandson, I got the best birthday present a grandmother could ask for. Okay, second best present. I’m still waiting for those great-grandchildren.” The audience laughed as she winked at me.
I didn’t have time to react before Fanny was waving for me to join her onstage. I peeked at Travis to find him smiling. My heart thumped loudly in my chest, eager to break free and kiss him.
“I don’t have any granddaughters,” Fanny said, “but in the short time I’ve known Emma, she’s been like one to me. Only I don’t want her to be my granddaughter. I wish for her to be something more.”
I mentally cringed, hoping that she wasn’t about to announce to everyone that she wanted me to be her granddaughter-in-law. That was the last thing Travis needed.
Fortunately, she didn’t do that. “Okay, boys.” She nodded at the nine men.
A new song pounded from the speakers. Huh? Holly and Travis never mentioned anything about a second dance routine.
Not that I was complaining.
I took a step toward the stairs but didn’t get farther than that. Fanny grabbed my arm. “You’re not going anywhere, sweetie,” she said, the mic no longer on. “Sit back and enjoy the show.”
Before I could ask her what she meant, Mark Milone and Josh walked up to us. Mark was carrying a chair, which he placed behind me on the stage. Then he and Josh gently grabbed my arms and encouraged me to sit.
Fanny handed me a piece of paper and walked down the steps to rejoin her table.
I love you even on bad days when everyone else annoys me.
It was signed from Travis. I laughed…until the enormity of what it said hit me.
He loved me?
There wasn’t enough time to dwell on that as Mark and Josh strutted back to join the other guys, only to be replaced by two other players. The men moved in time to the music, much like they had with the last song. The audience ate it up—laughing and cheering once more. This time instead of handing me a piece of paper, they each handed me a red rose.
Two by two, the rest of the players followed suit, each handing me a sweet smelling rose. Travis was the last player to strut up to me. He handed me his flower, this one with a message attached, then straddled my thighs and lowered himself, almost sitting on my lap. He thrust his hips forward several times—no doubt violating at least one rule his team had laid out for tonight. Heat flooded my face. I giggled.
But the heat in my face was nothing compared to the ache between my legs. Luckily, no one in the pub was aware of that.
I read the message: Forever yours…
Then he lowered his lips and brushed them against mine. The crowd went wild.
“How about we go somewhere quiet to talk?” he said against my ear. “We won’t be long.”
“Okay,” I breathed.
“And then after we’re done here, I’m taking you back to your apartment and making love to you all night long.”
The ache between my legs gave a heartfelt sigh.
“Okay.” That was about all I was capable of saying—my brain cells having melted into a sticky goo.
Travis thrust his pelvis a few more times—much to the audience’s delight—then straightened himself off my lap.
As the music came to an end, he held out his hand and pulled me to stand. He nodded to Fanny and led me offstage. In the background, I could hear her say something in the mic, which made the audience laugh. I didn’t hear exactly what it was, but I could’ve sworn I had heard something about great-grandkids.
Travis led me back to what looked like the staff room. No sooner had he closed the door behind us than he was kissing me.
But unlike the kiss onstage, this one was thorough.
Passionate.
Sweet.
Our tongues made up for lost time, reminding us how much we had missed this.
Because Travis was still half-naked, I took the opportunity to run my hands over his hard muscles.
The moan?
It might have been me.
Or him.
Or us both—I couldn’t be sure.
Eventually, we had to come up for air. Travis rested his forehead against mine as we regained our ragged breaths.
“I love you, Emma,” he said, voice low, rough, tender. “I’m sorry it took me this long to figure it out.”
He looked deep into my soul. It was only then that I realized I had yet to tell him my feelings for him. He had opened himself this way—not just to me but to everyone who had helped him tonight.
And he had done it without knowing how much he meant to me.
Except there was still the one major issue…would I turn around one day and find myself alone again? History was a snooty bitch. And this bitch wouldn’t let go of that fear.
Travis ran his thumb against my lip, removing it from my teeth. I hadn’t realized I’d been chewing it.
“I know you’re scared that I’ll be like everyone else who you thought loved you. But I’m not walking away. I’m in this for the long haul—even if I get traded and you can’t come with me because of your store. I’ll always come back to you.” His beautiful hazel eyes told me he was telling the truth. “I realize that tonight, the small tokens of my love that I left you this week, and the key to my apartment aren’t enough…” He paused—long enough for his words to sink in.
“Wait a second,” I said, positive I had misheard him. “Are you telling me the key on the key chain you gave me yesterday is for your apartment?”
He nodded.
Oh. Wow.
I just figured it was some random key—because guys like Travis didn’t usually give their apartment key to girls.
“Sorry,” I said, “you were saying?”
“I realize that tonight, the small tokens of my love, and the key to my apartment aren’t enough for you to trust me just yet.” He stroked his thumb along my cheek. I shivered at his touch—in the best possible way. “But I’m hoping you’ll give me a chance to prove myself to you.”
“Those gifts were the best,” I said. They meant more to me than if he had given me expensive jewelry. “And yes, I will give you a chance,” I added, my heart cheering me on. “But that’s because I love you too, and because I believe everyone deserves a second chance.” I tenderly kissed him. “Especially you.”
And then, because I’d barely survived the last few days without him, I went back to kissing him again.
39
Travis
How did the rest of the evening go with the fundraiser?
No idea. Yes—Emma and I did return to it. Fortunately, everyone was having a great time, so they didn’t notice we had disappeared for a while. They kept it to themselves that Emma’s hair was a mess—thanks to my fingers that had been tangled in it while we were making out in the staff room.
After we re-em
erged, my teammates changed back into their street clothes. Beyond that, the night was a blur of events. The silent auction. The socializing. The stolen kisses whenever possible.
But now we were back at her apartment, our hair wet from the rain that had started on our way home.
Emma opened the door. Before she could step into the apartment, I scooped her up in my arms and entered.
“I think you’re just supposed to carry the bride over the threshold,” she said, laughing. “Not the woman you told a few hours ago that you love her.”
“Maybe I’m practicing for that day,” I said with a wink.
She didn’t say anything. Instead, the tip of her tongue traced along my jaw—reminding me just how much I wanted to taste her again. Christ, it felt like forever since I’d last done that. I had a lot of time to make up for.
I kicked the door shut and gave Emma a moment to lock it before I headed to her bedroom.
In her room, I lowered her to the floor and nodded at the bed—where a gift bag sat in the middle.
The corners of her mouth slid into a wide grin. “Another present?”
I teased her cheek with the stubble on my jaw, knowing how much it turned her on. “Maybe this one is for both of us.” My voice was rough and heated.
She trembled slightly in my arms. “I’m beginning to realize just how much I missed out on by not getting gifts for all those years.”
“Looks like I’ll have to help you make up for lost time,” I said as she removed the bag from the bed and peered in.
She blinked at the contents, then removed the pillar candle and sniffed it. Sandalwood. She had once told me the scent turned her on—not that she seemed to need it. I liked to think I was one hundred percent responsible for that.
She set it on the nightstand and removed the next item. Sensual Sunburst massage oil. “Wow, when did you get this stuff?”
I took the bottle from her and placed it next to the candle. “One of my teammate’s wives picked it up from your store for me yesterday.”
“Very sneaky of you,” she said, grinning.
“Wasn’t it?” I settled my hands on her shoulders and turned her around.
I slowly unzipped the back of her dress, my fingertips trailing down her soft skin. A tremor rushed through me. “And now for the next part of your gift.”
With a flick of my fingers, her black lacy bra loosened its hold on her luscious breasts. Then I peeled her sleeveless black dress and bra straps down her arms.
“Your present is stripping me?” she asked, smirking.
I laughed. “That would be more like a present for me. And no, that’s not part of your gift. That’s coming next.”
The fabric pooled around her feet, still in the black stilettoes, and she nudged it to the side with her foot.
For a moment, I imagined her legs over my shoulders, with me pounding into her while she was wearing those shoes.
But this wasn’t about me getting off on that fantasy. This was all about Emma.
I removed a matchbook from my jeans pocket and lit the candle. Then I turned off the bedroom light and indicated to the bed. “Lie on your stomach.”
While she removed the stilettos and did as I’d asked, I grabbed the bottle of oil.
She closed her eyes, her head resting on her folded arms. I opened the flip cap with a soft click, releasing the oil’s sensual scent.
After pouring some oil onto my palm and lightly rubbing my hands together, I positioned them on her shoulders. With firm strokes, I massaged her upper body…and then her lower back. At the sound of her erotic groans, I barely held back my own primal grunts.
Touching her like this was a mix of torture and satisfaction. Satisfaction knowing she was as affected by this as I was.
My hands slipped under the waistband of her panties and I massaged her ass. My fingers greedily cried out, Don’t forget her pussy!
I ignored their pleas. You didn’t rush dining on fine food and you didn’t rush this.
I peeled her panties off, gently parted her legs, and massaged each one in turn. I made sure my fingers went close enough to her core to tease but not close enough to touch.
She looked back at me. “Where did you learn to be a master—” The rest of the sentence was lost as my fingers finally brushed against her clit.
She moaned; I chuckled. “The master of you?”
“I was going for the master of massage.” She might have said that, but her eyes said that I was right. I was as close to being the master of her as I could get.
“I get massages all the time,” I said, “as part of my training.”
“I’m assuming they aren’t quite as intimate as this.”
I pressed a kiss on her lower back. “Definitely not. And for the record, you’re the first woman I’ve ever given a massage to.”
She lowered her head back on her arms. “For the record, you’re the only person who’s ever massaged me.”
I kissed her back again, a little higher this time. “Well, this won’t be the only one I give you. I plan to make up for all those massages you missed out on.” This time when my mouth touched her body, my teeth gave her shoulder a little nip.
A needy whimper slipped from between her lips and I smiled. I wasn’t the only one being tortured by this.
“Now roll over so I can do your front,” I said.
“Ooh. That sounds promising.” She flipped over—but then looked me over, her head tilted slightly to the side. “As my personal masseuse, it’s your duty to remove your clothes.”
That sounded fair.
She sat up and bunched the bottom of my T-shirt up my torso, her fingertips taking the opportunity to explore the muscles on my abs.
Before she reached my chest, I yanked my T-shirt over my head and tossed it onto the floor.
Apparently that wasn’t enough for Emma. Her fingers had the button of my jeans undone and the zipper pulled down faster than you could say, “Make love to me.”
She pushed my jeans and briefs to my knees. My cock greeted her, proud and ready to appreciate her fine heat.
I shucked off the rest of my clothing. She licked her lip, and just the sight of the need in her eyes almost had me over the edge in record time. Before I could warn her, she wrapped her hand around my near painful length. Pre-cum leaked from the tip and she spread it around the head of my cock with her thumb.
My balls tightened. Holy. Christ.
“Uh, uh. Not yet,” I said, stilling her hand with mine. “I haven’t finished your massage.” I gently pushed her hand away from me. The same heat boiling inside of me was reflected back in her eyes.
I brushed my thumb against her nipple. It puckered at my touch. Pride coursed through me at the effect I was having on her body. “I’ve missed these beauties.” I took the nipple into my mouth and sucked on it.
“They’ve missed you too,” she said in a part moan. “But do you think we can skip the rest of the massage for now? I really need you inside me.”
I hummed a response, her nipple still in my mouth, my fingers caressing her clit and pussy. Then I sat back on my haunches, reached for a foil square in Emma’s bedside drawer, and opened it.
She patted the mattress next to her. “I want to ride you.”
“Whatever the lady wishes…” I winked at her again and joined her on the bed, a pile of pillows behind me. She rolled the condom onto my length. That whimper? Definitely me.
“Hope you aren’t looking for hard and fast right now,” I said. “Because I plan to savor this.” I wanted something to remember once I was back on the road again with my team.
Something to jerk off to in the shower when she couldn’t be with me.
She smiled sweetly at me. “Savor away.” She straddled me and eased herself onto my thick length. My balls tightened some more. I wasn’t going to last much longer at this rate.
But I needed to last—for Emma.
“Fuck, I forgot how amazing it feels to be inside you,” I groaned.
&nb
sp; She moved her hips back and forth, riding me like I was a prize-winning bronco. Yee haw.
The rhythm was slow, but that didn’t mean it was any less intense than all those times it had been hard and fast. With us gazing into each other’s eyes and softly kissing, this was so much more.
But as we got closer to the moment we’d been heading for, I took control of the pace with my hands on her hips. Faster. Harder. And it didn’t take much before we were rushing headfirst over the edge with a chorus of “Oh, God,” “Christ,” and Emma’s and my names.
I gave Emma one long, lingering kiss, then she climbed off me and waited under the covers while I disposed of the condom.
I rejoined her a moment later and tenderly kissed her. Outside, rain pelted the bedroom window.
“It’s true,” she said.
“What’s true?”
“That when you’re in love with someone, they really are your sunshine on a rainy day.” She nodded at the window. “Even when it’s dark.”
I chuckled. “Where did you hear that?”
She stroked my chest. The steady pounding of my heart beneath her touch promised her I was worth taking a chance on. “It’s on my mug in the store.”
I settled my hand over hers and kissed the end of her nose. “Well, it does have a point. No matter what the weather or time of day, you’re my sunshine, my world…and always will be.”
Then a few minutes later, I proved it once more by making love to her again.
And again.
And again.
Epilogue
Emma
Six Months Later
* * *
Smiling, I unlocked my apartment door. Why was I smiling? Because even though it was April and almost the NHL playoffs, Travis wasn’t away on a road trip and he didn’t have a game tonight.
Which meant that once I walked through the door, I’d be able to make love to my amazing boyfriend.
And yes, I might’ve been fantasizing about that for the past two hours while at work.
Decidedly With Love Page 21