“Okay, go,” the sound guy booms beside me.
Taking the microphone with me, I head out onto the empty ice. A spotlight follows me, and the dull roar from the crowd quickly dims. I have to take a deep breath because this is where my anxiety kicks in. I knew what would happen when I planned this, so I have to overcome. I’m proving a point to myself and to the woman I plan to spend the rest of my life with.
I go right for center ice and come to a stop, turning my attention to Noelle, who is sitting beside Ellie and Bianca in the first row at ice level. Her mother is in the seat beside Bianca, my guest for the evening. It was the least I could do to keep Marie from spilling the beans. I know Ed’s somewhere up in the press box, watching it all from up high.
“I have a question that I have to ask. I know I should probably wait until after the game”—I let my eyes graze the stands—“but I thought maybe I could get a little help.”
The fans cheer, obviously looking to help me out.
“Thank you,” I tell them. “This isn’t easy for me. I’m a little nervous.”
“We love you, Optimus!”
“I love you, too,” I call back, chuckling.
That was the perfect segue, so I turn to look at Noelle again. She’s behind the glass, grinning at me.
“And I love you,” I tell her. “I love you more than I ever thought possible.”
I notice my sister’s shocked face as she turns to look at Noelle. I can see tears streaming down Marie’s face already, and I haven’t really said anything.
Grinning, I let my eyes travel over the stands once more. “You see, guys. I met this girl. Well, actually, I didn’t meet her. I’ve known her for years. She happens to be my sister’s best friend. Her name’s Noelle, by the way. In case you’re wondering. Anyway … Noelle believes in the power of positive thinking. It just so turns out, that stuff works. Positive thinking. I’m serious. You should try it. Her positive thinking worked out really well for me.”
There’s some laughter.
“And tonight, I’m out here baring my soul because I want to ask this incredible, amazing woman to be my wife.”
I skate over to the glass and put my hand on it.
“Sweetheart, I have a question to ask you. Do you mind if I do that in front of all these people?”
She’s crying and I’m getting choked up myself. This is a hell of a lot harder than people make it look.
Ellie nudges Noelle. And yes, my sister’s crying, too. So is my niece.
Noelle gets to her feet.
“Follow me,” I tell her, urging her with a nod toward the stairs.
As she walks, I skate alongside her.
“Sir,” I call out to the security guard standing beside the hall that leads to the locker room. “Yes, you. Please help her out here.”
The man opens a small gate and Noelle emerges.
I stop her before she gets on the ice. I don’t want her to fall.
I go down on one knee, lay the microphone on the ice, and hold up the ring that’s in my other hand. I plan to do this right.
“Noelle Dexter, will you marry me? Will you make me the happiest man in the world?”
Tears are streaming down her face as she nods.
I take her hand and push the ring onto her finger before standing up and pulling her into me, crushing my mouth to hers.
The stands erupt in chaos. Laughter, cheers, catcalls. It’s incredible.
And it’s in that moment that I realize that winning the Stanley Cup isn’t the only way that I can end this season with a bang.
I never thought anything would be better than winning the Stanley Cup.
But this…
So much better.
Noelle
“I CAN’T FREAKING BELIEVE YOU didn’t tell me!” Ellie squeals when I return to my seat. “You dirty hussy.”
I laugh, allowing my best friend to hug me close. People in the seats behind ours are calling out congratulations.
“Does this mean I get to call you Aunt Noelle now?” Bianca asks.
“It does,” Ellie confirms. “Oh, my God! It does. You’re marrying my brother.”
I’m marrying her brother.
Funny how the universe works. And yes, I still believe in the power of positive thinking. Maybe even more now than before.
I glance over at my mother. Her smile is so wide I’m surprised her cheeks don’t crack. I’m so glad she was here for this. I have to think that she knew about it. I did find it strange that she came to the game when she never comes to the games, preferring, like me, to watch them on television to hear my father’s voice.
“Did you record that, Mom?” Bianca asks Ellie.
Ellie looks at Bianca, then at me. “I didn’t. But that’s okay because I’m sure ESPN did.”
Only then do I realize what Spencer did. He went out on the ice in front of all those people, despite the fact that it was probably hard for him. And he proposed.
More tears slip out.
“We’re gonna have some wine after the game,” Ellie notes. “And you’re gonna give me all the details. No way am I gonna believe that this happened overnight.”
“I never said it did.”
“I knew something was up with you two. Knew it.”
I guess this was one way of letting the secret out of the bag.
48
Noelle
Thursday, March 16th
“I STILL THINK THIS FEELS so sudden,” Ellie notes as she moves through my closet, taking small items from the top shelf and putting them into the box.
“That’s because you’ve been too caught up in your own world to know about us,” I tell her.
Her head pops out from behind the wall. “Um … I think someone purposely kept the details from me, thank you very much.”
It’s obvious she’s trying not to smile. I know my best friend is excited that Spencer and I are together.
“There was that,” I say with a giggle.
“And now you’re moving in with him.” Ellie shakes her head. “I still can’t wrap my head around it.”
“The universe is telling her to.”
I glance over to see Spencer wandering into my bedroom, a huge grin on his face. I immediately give him the signal to shut up.
“The universe?” Ellie asks, stepping out of the closet, her eyes locked on me.
“Yeah, you know, her whole secret,” Julie adds as she joins us.
Holy crap. Why did I ask these people for help?
“Secret? You’ve got more than one?”
I shake my head. “Of course not.”
Julie holds up my book for Ellie to see.
I feel my face heat from my embarrassment. Spencer’s arms go around me and he pulls me against him. “Don’t worry, sweetheart. It’s all good now.”
“True,” Julie notes cheerfully. “At first, we thought she had a pretend boyfriend. What with all the cooking for some imaginary guy.”
“I was not cooking for anybody!” I holler, pinning my sister in place.
“Oh, right. Just adding extra place settings.”
I’m honestly going to throttle her.
“Don’t forget the extra toothbrush, alarm clock, men’s shampoo,” Spencer adds, his arms tightening around me when I try to pull away from him.
Ellie, of course, is laughing. “That does sound like you.”
I shrug. Seriously, I can’t deny it.
“Would y’all stop picking on me, please?”
“Never,” Julie answers before heading back to the kitchen, where she was supposed to be packing up dishes.
“I’ve got your back,” Spencer assures me.
When I look up, I see Ellie staring at us, a genuine smile on her face. “This is real, huh?”
“It’s real,” Spence
r says, the confidence in his tone making my heart beat faster. I love him. I really, really love him.
“Maybe one day I’ll get used to seeing the two of you together.”
Spencer turns to me, then in a move that shocks me, dips me backward and kisses me hard. He brings me upright just as quickly, laughing.
“Okay. I’m not sure I’ll get used to that,” Ellie notes as Spencer heads out of the room.
I can’t help but smile. My life is complete, and I honestly believe the universe had something to do with it. There’s something to be said about a positive outlook. No matter what or who you believe in, I think it’s important to believe.
“I’m so happy for you,” Ellie says softly. “And for him. The two of you are perfect for each other.”
“I wouldn’t go that far. But we’re definitely compatible.”
Ellie sighs. “I still can’t believe you didn’t tell me.”
“You figured it out,” I counter. “I know you did.”
“I thought something was going on, yes. But I didn’t know for sure.”
“You two better hurry up in there,” Spencer calls from the other room. “The universe is tired of waiting for this to happen.”
I laugh. It’s only been two weeks since he proposed, yet Spencer has been hassling me to move in with him. I have absolutely no reason to say no, plus, I was getting a little tired of the layout in this apartment. Moving was imminent. I figure I might as well only do it one more time.
“So, the universe, huh?” Ellie’s eyes dance with mischief.
“Shh,” I say quickly. “You don’t want to jinx it.”
Her eyes widen and she looks sincerely concerned. “Can that happen?”
“I would think so.” I try to sound serious. “But just in case, we should never mention it. Ever, ever again.”
Spencer
MY TEAMMATES ARE GOOD SPORTS. It only took me promising them beer to get most of them to help move Noelle from her apartment to my house. It took a lot less time than I expected, but I think that’s because I’ve been hassling her and she’s been secretly packing for the past week.
Now that she’s officially here, I’m walking on a cloud.
My sister and Kingston left half an hour ago and Noelle insisted on taking a shower. I wanted to join her, but figured I’d make dinner first. For one, I’m starving, and two, I’m not sure I’ll get out of bed once I get her naked and beneath me. At least not for several hours.
“Can I help with something?” she asks when she joins me.
I peer at her over my shoulder and pause.
Okay, so I’m not sure this living together thing is going to be as easy as I thought. If she’s going to walk around looking like that … I’m not sure I’ll be getting a whole hell of a lot done.
And I thought the lingerie she’d had on the night she showed up at my place was sexy. This puts that to shame.
Crazy thing is, she’s completely covered.
If my jersey counts.
“What do you have on underneath that?” I ask, curious.
“You don’t get to know until after we eat.” Noelle presses her hand to her stomach. “I’m starving.” She grins and I can tell she knows how she affects me. “I can cook faster than that.”
“I thought you didn’t cook?”
“I can use a microwave like nobody’s business,” she answers, walking over and glancing into the pan.
“It smells fantastic.”
“Well, don’t get too excited. It came out of the freezer.”
“I’m not picky. Trust me.”
Right. I chuckle to myself. Not picky.
An hour later, I find Noelle curled up on the couch. After dinner, she insisted on cleaning up while I took a shower. The whole damn time I was in there, the only thing I could think about was what she has on underneath that jersey. Or rather, what she doesn’t.
Her eyes immediately track me and she smiles. I have to say, seeing her there on my couch is so damn satisfying. Knowing that I have her to wake up to, to come home to, to spend time with … honest to God, I’m the luckiest bastard on the planet.
“Are you just going to stand there?” she asks.
“I might.”
“Hmm.”
My eyes instantly lock on her hand, which is slowly sliding up her thigh, causing the jersey to rise higher and higher and…
“Son of a bitch,” I grumble, practically lunging for her.
Just as I thought, she doesn’t have anything on beneath that jersey, but as hot as I find that, I want her naked.
Unable to resist, I spread out over her, claiming her mouth with mine. Her hands are soft and smooth as they instantly trail over my back. I’m not sure I will ever get enough of this woman.
“I need this off you,” I mumble, tugging the jersey up toward her neck. “Need to see you. All of you.”
Noelle assists in pulling the jersey over her head, and while she’s at it, I lean down and take one pebbled nipple into my mouth. I remain in place when her fingers twine in my hair, holding me there. I love listening to her soft moans, the way her legs wrap around my hips, drawing me closer to her. If it weren’t for my damn sweat pants, I’d be inside her right now.
Then again, if I were inside her, I’d miss out on making her come with my mouth.
Which I fully intend to do.
I manage to move lower, trailing my lips and tongue over her smooth skin until I’m perched between her thighs.
“Put your leg on the back of the couch,” I instruct, wanting her to open herself to me.
When she does, I suck in air, my body overwhelmed by lust, my dick begging to be freed. I manage to ignore my body, more intent on making Noelle scream my name with my mouth buried in her pussy. When I lean down, blowing air against her, she once again links her fingers in my hair.
“Now,” she whispers. “Stop teasing me. Please.”
I give her what she needs, sliding my tongue against her sensitive flesh, teasing her clit but not trying to rush. I could do this for hours, tasting her sweetness, listening to her rapid breaths.
I don’t think she’ll go for that, but I fully intend to push it as long as I can.
Noelle
THE MAN IS GOING TO kill me. I know I’ve said that before, but I’m serious this time.
Really, he’s going to overload my circuits with so much pleasure I’m going to cease to exist.
My body coils tighter with every flick of his tongue until I can’t stand the pressure anymore. My orgasm washes over me, making my skin tingle, my body heat. It’s more than I can stand, yet I still want more. I want to feel Spencer inside me, filling me, fucking me.
It seems he’s in the mood to tease, so I not-so-gently tug on his hair, forcing him up so that he’s over me once again. When his mouth fuses with mine, I taste myself and that only makes me hotter, more desperate for him. I try to focus, but it’s not easy when I’m attempting to shove his sweat pants down, eager to get him inside me.
Spencer’s head lifts, his eyes meeting mine. He’s smiling and I know he’s laughing at me.
“We’ve got the rest of our lives. We don’t have to hurry,” he whispers, grinning.
“Not for you to make me come, we don’t,” I argue, wrapping my fist around his erection.
His eyes roll back and I silently cheer my success, guiding him right where I want him.
“Oh, yes,” I moan when he pushes in deep. “Fuck me.”
I almost laugh when his eyes widen. I know I haven’t been all that vocal before, but there’s something about this moment, something that makes me want to scream at the top of my lungs. Not that I will. I’m not that brave yet, but one day…
Spencer’s hips retreat, then thrust forward. My arms tighten around him as I hold him to me.
I know I’m hindering his a
bility to truly give me what I want, but I don’t want to let him go yet. Even if he’s going to send me soaring into the abyss. I just want to savor this moment. Right here, right now.
His eyes meet mine and I see everything he’s feeling. I swear my heart is beating in time with his.
“I love you, Noelle,” he whispers.
“I love you, too,” I tell him.
“Good.” His grin widens.
“Why good?”
“Now that we got that out of the way, I’m going to fuck you until you beg me to stop.”
A tremor races through me and I release him. “Give it your best shot, big C.”
Of course, I probably should know better than to dare this man. He easily goes to his knees, his hands landing on my shins. He practically folds me in half and does exactly as he promises. He owns me. He owns my heart, my mind, my body. He even owns my soul.
Before I can think, my body shatters, my orgasm slamming through me, making it hard to breathe. Spencer doesn’t stop; he continues to pound into me, the sensations building again, the waves of pleasure threatening to consume me.
“Spencer!” I cry out as another, more powerful orgasm nearly levels me.
He leans forward, his mouth finding mine. “That’s exactly what I wanted.”
I purposely squeeze my internal muscles, making him groan.
He groans, a low, sexy sound. “I’m right there, sweetheart. Do that one more time and…”
I do it.
“Fuck yes.”
I feel him pulse inside me and I sigh, relaxing into the cushions and holding him to me.
We’re both quiet for a few minutes, and when my breathing returns to normal, I glance at him. “I think I’d like to christen every piece of furniture in this house.”
“Yeah?”
“Since we’ve already tackled the dining room table, your bed, and now the couch, I don’t think it’s an unreasonable goal.”
“I like the way your mind works.” Spencer kisses me softly. “But you’re gonna have to give me a few hours to recuperate.”
Kaufman: The Season (Austin Arrows Book 2) Page 31