Breaking the Ice

by Shayne McClendon

  “I say you are the mother-in-law that outshines all others. Thanks. You’re too good to me.”

  MacKenzie hugged her and Jenna dashed upstairs to freshen up.

  This baby on the way was likely their last. The ultrasounds hadn’t been conclusive about the sex yet, but she was hoping it would be a girl. She’d insisted they could not have more children than bedrooms for them to sleep in.

  Right now, she had two guest rooms left out of the original five Diesel had when he bought the house. They had to keep at least one guest room. She loved their house and living in Boston…she wasn’t changing it or moving unless Diesel changed teams.

  He would likely stay with the Bruins until his retirement. He was still a pivotal part of their offense. They’d won the Stanley Cup the year before and a huge picture of the team holding it was displayed prominently in their basement sports bar.

  Kenzie had told him to put it in any room, wherever he wanted. He’d chosen the man-cave she’d changed the finished basement into for him when they’d been married a year, his favorite room in the house. That had been when Dalton started school and she had David.

  With nothing to do, she’d organized the house. Then changed a few spaces, created a small office for herself off the kitchen, and transformed the basement for Diesel.

  He and the boys played video games down there and watched action movies together. The soundproofing she’d had installed gave her countless hours of peace and quiet when Diesel insisted it was ‘guy day’. Wearing ratty clothes and refusing to bathe, they’d play pool, drink root beer, and vegetate all day.

  She took them wings and fries, burgers, and ice cream sundaes…and soaked up her solitude.

  When she’d found out she was pregnant with the twins a year after David was born, she decided she needed something to do.

  Diesel begged her to quit the bar the day he put a huge ring on her finger. Asked her to take some time from school and decide what she really wanted, what she’d love to do more than anything else.

  So she’d written a cookbook filled with recipes for hungry hoards of men. Based on her family, making healthy selections they didn’t know were healthy and giving them big portions to keep them from ‘starving to death’.

  Her witty commentary throughout the cookbook had made them extremely popular. Her husband and kids were pictured with her throughout. When the first one was published, she’d considered it a hobby. When it shot to the top of the New York Times Bestseller List, she passed out and Diesel brought her around with kisses.

  She’d done three more since, to Diesel’s great pride. For everything he’d done for her, she found an old ice rink that had been closed for years and gave it to him as a thank you, bought with her book proceeds. The upkeep wasn’t nearly as bad as she thought it might be and gave them all a private place to skate whenever they felt like it.

  He’d been very appreciative that she’d barely been able to sit down the next morning. His thank yous tended to be very thorough.

  Kenzie was fairly certain that was the night she’d gotten pregnant again.

  As if summoned, she heard the front door open and Diesel yell, “Troops, I’m home!”

  The stampede began. Deacon and Drake charged naked from the den, wrapped themselves around their father’s legs, David charged down the stairs with his big brother and jumped from the third step into waiting arms, Dalton jumped on his back.

  MacKenzie had her camera going non-stop on silent, no flash, so she could record every minute. Her men: the best husband and four sons a woman could wish for. She focused in on Diesel’s face, the faces of the boys, all of them together as they laughed and played and wrestled in the foyer.

  Spotting MacKenzie in the kitchen entry with her camera, he looked up and she got the perfect angle of his face. Meeting his eyes, she saw her own hunger reflected. Scooping up the twins and letting Dalton and David dangle from his neck and shoulders, he came toward her.

  The boys all turned away in disgust when their parents kissed.

  “Hi, pretty princess, how was your day?”

  “Excellent, getting better all the time.” Glancing down at the twins she said, “I thought I told you to go find your clothes, boys.”

  They looked at her in confusion. “We did. They’re in de den where we took ‘em off.”

  “Mm hmm…sweeties, go put them on. David, are you going with Dalton, or are you too tired? Grandma wants to take you for pizza after.” Turning to Dalton she added, “Your mouth guard is on the strainer in the kitchen, de-cootied. Am I forgiven for laughing?”

  Dalton jumped off Diesel’s back, gave him an extra hug, and came around to hug his mom. “Another inch or two and I’ll be taller, Mom.”

  “You are not allowed to be taller than me at ten, Dalton,” she said firmly. “You’re going to be off to college before I know it.”

  Dalton stroked her face and smiled. “I have lots of time before college. You already know I’ll be bigger and taller than you. I forgive you for laughing because it was funny but if you show anyone those pictures…you’ve already shown grandma, haven’t you? No one outside this house…fine, no one outside our family. You’re terrible but I love you so much.”

  A horn honked out front and he looked at his little brother. “David, you going with me buddy?” David nodded and dropped from Diesel’s neck after kissing his cheek.

  “Dad, you have to be there on Friday, come straight from practice. They’re talking about new positions and you know I hate when they start jacking with what works. Right now, Mom gets that hormonal protective thing going…she’s ready to fight everyone so you have to run interference.”

  Diesel nodded and ruffled his oldest son’s hair. Both older boys gave Kenzie a big kiss, then Dalton grabbed his gear bag and they were out the door.

  The twins still clung to their father. Naked.

  Kenzie’s voice was firm, “Do you plan on going to the birthday party? You need to get dressed before grandma comes down…hurry, hurry. Naked butts need to be covered.” They jumped down and shook their behinds before running off to find their clothes.

  “Hello, baby, I’ve missed you.” Diesel pulled Kenzie into a hug and dropped his mouth over hers. Slipping one hand into the hair at the base of her neck, he stroked the other over her stomach. “How are you feeling today, Kenzie?”

  “Good, better now.” She wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed against his hard body. “You smell good…how was practice?” Touching the newest scar along his cheek then kneading his shoulders, she sighed in contentment.

  “We have a couple of new rookies who show real promise.” Diesel scooped her up and carried her to the sun room, sitting on the couch with his wife on his lap. “The new coach they brought in is willing to ask for help and he’s a nice enough guy.”

  He stroked her belly and nuzzled her neck. “I love you, MacKenzie. Seeing you pregnant gets me every time. You’re even more beautiful.”

  “Thank you. Wait until you see the pictures of Dalton and the twins. I almost pee’d myself, Diesel. It was so wrong of me. I finished the new cookbook, I wanted it done before our newest addition comes. I have my next ultrasound tomorrow at two…I hope it’s a girl, but I’m so used to boys, I won’t mind another one.”

  She was absently stroking his chest and arms. “I love you so, so much, Diesel. I love our life and our family. Sometimes it seems like a dream.” She held out her hand to gaze at her wedding rings. Inside was engraved for me, there is only you.

  “Not a dream…our reality.” Diesel put his lips against her throat and stroked up to her ear. “I can’t believe it’s been five years and I still need you all. the. time. We were just together this morning.”

  His teeth scraped lightly over her pulse and she clutched him.

  “Diesel, I can’t tell you how badly I want you,” she said quietly. “The minute you left the bed this morning, I wanted you again. I don’t think that’s normal. Even when I’m big and pregnant and don’t want to look
at myself, I want you.”

  “There is nothing more beautiful on the planet than you pregnant, MacKenzie. My lord…am I to understand the house will soon be empty?” She nodded. “Mmm, I can think of lots of things for us to do.”

  “Can you two give it a rest for five minutes? Not that you can get into more trouble just yet, huh, Sissy?” Jackie was laughing in the doorway, her son Devon on her hip.

  Kenzie squealed happily and tried to scramble up awkwardly. Diesel laughed and helped her to her feet. “Kenzie honey, you’re carrying different this time…maybe it really will be a girl. You had that dream about a baby girl.”

  Kenzie lifted Devon from her sister’s arms, Diesel stood behind her to help support his weight. “Easy baby, LeBlanc males are all too big for pregnant women to be lifting. Speaking of which, how are you feeling, Jackie? You look great.”

  “Excellent, I felt the baby move this morning. I will never tire of that feeling. Dean is crazy, blocking me in grocery stores and stuff, like I’m going to get mowed down.”

  She tilted her head and asked, “Have you talked to the other girls? Do you know?”

  “I heard, for both of them. We are doing the world a huge favor, populating the planet with virile LeBlanc men. Between the four of us, we should have that shortage of good men problem handled in no time.”

  The sisters laughed and Diesel scooped his nephew up to put him on his shoulders. The same age as Deacon and Drake, their nephew was more subdued like David, who was his favorite cousin to play with.

  They all headed in the direction of the den and Kenzie was glad to see her boys were dressed. Jenna came down and they all chatted as she hustled everyone out of the house.

  Diesel and Kenzie walked them out and assisted on loading up the group, giving proper kisses all around. Waving, they didn’t wait until the car was all the way down the drive before he lifted her and walked resolutely inside.

  He shut and locked the door, took the stairs two at a time to their bedroom, and set her on her feet beside the bed. He stripped his own clothes off fast and she waited, knowing he liked to undress her when he was in a certain frame of mind, like unwrapping a gift he’d waited for all year.

  Caresses over her shoulders and arms, up and over her breasts, always fuller when she was pregnant, down her sides, until he pulled her in for a kiss.

  The hem of her sundress was lifted inch by inch in his fists, tugged up her body and away from where it hugged under her breasts. A pretty white lace bra and panties underneath were outlined by his fingertips. Diesel lowered himself to his knees, kissing her rounded tummy and placing his ear against it as if to listen.

  He planted gentle kisses over her skin as he ran his palms over her legs and ass, looking up to smile at her. She put her hands on his face, traced her thumbs over his lips, and smoothed his shaggy black hair back from his forehead.

  Never taking his eyes from her face, he removed her bra and panties, stroked his knuckles over her mound, and watched the level of desire ratchet up.

  He carefully nudged her back to sit on the edge of bed and followed her on his knees. Diesel pushed her to her back, lifted one of her legs over his shoulder, and placed his lips over her clit. She moaned as he sucked gently, his fingers petting her slow and easy.

  One huge hand stayed on her stomach, smoothing back and forth as he licked and lapped at her. She was trembling when he slid one finger into her pussy, moving in and out lazily.

  Diesel was never in a hurry when he went down on her; he enjoyed playing with her as much as she enjoyed doing it to him. After David was born, he hadn’t been able to make love to her but he’d licked her like this every chance he got until she was cleared for ‘regular’ activity.

  She’d gotten equally good at sucking him, knowing every move that drove him so crazy he couldn’t last, or how to draw it out until he was begging her to let him come.

  Each knew when the other wanted to make love and when they wanted to fuck. Making love was usually when she was pregnant because he worried about hurting her.

  Fucking usually got her pregnant again…twelve-hour sex marathons until they were slipping and sliding over each other and dehydrated.

  Diesel knew every inch of her body, every scar, every freckle and worshipped her often. She knew every scar and ache of his athlete’s body and loved to rub heated oil into him, giving him deep tissue massages until he was limp and drowsy.

  Diesel curled his fingertips inside her and she arched hard, grinding herself on his mouth. He never slowed, continued lapping at her, moving his fingers inside her until she came again saying his name, her hands over his on her belly and in his hair.

  He kissed her several times then licked her essence off his fingers as he rose to lay by her side. “I missed you today.” Diesel kissed her, the flavor of her body on his lips. “Do you have any idea how much I love you?”

  “I wasn’t sure at first…I had that little voice in the back of my head that still wondered why in the hell you’d choose me, of all people. Then when David was born, the first time I’d ever seen you cry, I knew for sure, with my whole being, how much you loved me and our children. You are such a good father and husband, Diesel.” She kissed him, “I need you…I want you so badly.”

  He rolled her away from him on her side then moved them up to the center of the bed, tucking her ass against his pelvis. Sliding her hair out from between them, his bicep under her head, he positioned his cock at the entrance of her pussy, and slid home, lifting her top leg over his.

  “There is nothing like making love to you, MacKenzie. Nothing in the world compares, baby.”

  “Winning the Cup had to come close, Diesel, I’m pretty sure I came when you made that goal. Our entire family there in the box and I’m trying not to moan and touch myself.”

  He laughed. “Kenzie…I love you, woman. No one talks about hockey like you do.” His thumb flicked over her nipple and his strokes were steady and deep, touching her right where she needed it.

  “No, hockey is great…watching you play hockey makes me hot. Even when you retire someday, you have to promise to still play for fun, even if it’s just with the boys. The way you move on the ice is the same way you work me over in bed…confident, strong, graceful, thorough.” He pumped twice more and felt her tightening around him, “Yes, Diesel, yes. Always so good.”

  “I feel the same way watching you do just about anything, Kenzie.” His body so warm behind her, his thrusts faster now. “Watching you cook is very sexual…you’re always tasting things, making sure something is just right. The heat makes your hair stick to your temples, you smile constantly.”

  His hand moved to her stomach, she placed hers over his, their fingers twined. When the baby moved, they both went still. “Was that…?”

  She nodded and he felt when her tears hit his arm. He pulled her against him snugly, kept loving her while they felt their fifth baby move inside her.

  They came together and he whispered, “MacKenzie, I love you so much, baby.”

  They stayed like that, talking and laughing, until they heard their family coming in downstairs. With one more deep kiss, Diesel said, “Until later, pretty girl.”

  Then he pulled out of her, sighs of regret easing from both of them. He carried her into the bathroom and they took a quick shower, threw clothes on, and headed downstairs to play with their kids.

  When they were all in the den, watching a Disney movie together, Diesel kept his hand on her stomach, waiting to feel the baby move again. The little bumps against his hand made him smile.

  “Kenzie, I think we have a figure skater in there…not a hockey player. This baby is much gentler; the boys kicked the hell out of you from day one.”

  Her entire face lit up. “If not, we may have to try one more time, Diesel.”

  He winked, “You know me…I’m happy to go for the goal, Kenzie.” They snickered together quietly and Dalton glanced back, rolling his eyes with an indulgent smile.

  Stay tuned for the nex
t story in the “Love of the Game” series…here’s an excerpt. By the way, this was inspired by a real life story I heard on the news two or three years ago.

  Time to Make the Doughnuts – Excerpt

  by Shayne McClendon

  Prologue

  The smell was killing him. His mouth was watering, his stomach growling, and he couldn’t concentrate on anything but getting a fucking doughnut.

  He’d gotten out of his Escalade in the parking garage of his building and the scent of heaven hit him right in the face. On a shredding diet for the past six weeks, he hadn’t had a carbohydrate other than brown rice pilaf.

  He loved carbs…loved them.

  He followed the smell in a daze to the alley entrance of the parking garage and saw the backs of the retail stores that leased the first floor of his building.

  Walking down the alley, he stopped at the door the smell was drifting from and peeked inside. No one was around. He opened the tight screen meant to let the bakery oven heat out while keeping out bugs.

  Stepping inside, he peered around and still didn’t see anyone.

  He was literally aching for a doughnut at this point, his back teeth grinding together. Moving through the spotless kitchen, he looked through the small window leading to the front. No one around, huge platter of doughnuts on the countertop.

  He pushed open the swinging door and had his hands over the pastry when he heard the unmistakable cocking of a gun behind him.

  “I was dying for a doughnut. I was going to leave money for it. You don’t open for…like, hours. I was overcome. I’m sorry.”

  He started to turn and a woman’s voice said behind him, “Please don’t move. Don’t make me shoot you over a fucking doughnut.”

  “Not moving. Swear to god, lady. Not moving an inch.”

  They stood in silence for ten seconds when he heard the sound of a siren. Oh shit. The police came through the kitchen with weapons drawn.