Love of the Game - The Complete Collection (Box Set)

by Shayne McClendon

  At her door, she took a moment to ask herself if she should run around like that while pregnant and realized she was completely ignorant about most aspects of being a woman.

  “I’m officially pathetic,” she murmured as she stepped inside her sanctuary.

  After she put some coffee on, she checked her messages while she waited for Claire. Half an hour later, there was a knock on the door. The little redhead had obviously been crying.

  “What happened?”

  “Demi…today, I need you to let me process. You’re picking Nik up in couple of hours and that isn’t enough time to get into this. Okay?” Demi nodded uncertainly. “Good. Let’s focus on your big news and the fact that I’m going to be the only aunt this kid has until your brothers stop being commitment-phobes.”

  Nudging her inside, Demi closed the door behind them. Her friend perched on the edge of a stool at her kitchen bar while she got them coffee. “Remember when I first started working for you. We were friends but I’d never been around the other people in your family or the company. I think maybe you even shielded me from them.”

  “Claire. I didn’t want anyone to take advantage of you. You were so shy and those guys, including my brothers, can be…a little much.”

  She nodded and her red curls bobbed. “I know. I was overwhelmed at first.” One side of her mouth lifted in a smile. “They sure are big.”

  Demi winked. “Especially for you.” At almost six-feet tall, she’d never been intimidated by the men around her but Claire was barely five-four.

  “At school, you were always so focused. Mentally, physically, and emotionally you’ve always awed me a little bit. Now you’re with Nik and I see you evolving. It’s magical and I don’t tell you nearly enough how happy I am for you.”

  Emotional herself now, she leaned over and hugged her best friend tight. “Thanks, Claire.” Sitting back, she gave her a small smile. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

  Claire grabbed Demi’s cheeks. “I’ll be fine. You know that about me. Now let’s discuss your big news.” She winked. “Burns a little that Nikolai was right to rush the wedding, huh?”

  “You have no idea. Plus, I had a period last month so…I was clueless.”

  “You’ve never had the most regular cycle anyway. At least it was the pill and not the shot. It will leave your system faster.” She tapped her chin with her finger. “Let’s coordinate your schedule…I can think of a few changes we definitely have to make, Demi.”

  She hopped off the stool, picked up her coffee, and led the way into Demi’s home office. They sat together at Demi’s desk as Claire entered her due date, estimated doctor appointments, and possible dates for throwing her a baby shower into her personal calendar. Then she overlaid the calendar with Demitria’s current commitments for work.

  “It isn’t as bad as I thought. We’ll have to reschedule the photo shoots unless they want to feature you pregnant. The charity marathons are all off the table, Demi. I bet I could talk one of your brothers into running in your place though. We can work with this.” She made several notes to the shared online calendar. “I’ll take care of that and get you a revision.”

  They talked about work, gossip, and shopping for everything her little wrestler would need. It started to sink in for Demi that she was going to have a baby.

  Glancing at her watch, Claire stood. “You have to get Nik, brat. I’m going to get out of your hair.” They walked arm-in-arm to the front door and Demi hugged her tight.

  “Whatever is going on, promise if you need to vent, cry, or just talk good stuff…you call me.” She nodded and Demi squeezed her shoulder. “You know my schedule better than I do. Make us a girls’ day.”

  She nodded. “I’m going to give you and Nikki a few days to absorb this huge news into your lives and then I’ll make time for us to talk.”

  Despite Claire’s obvious upset, Demi couldn’t wait to see her husband and tell him the news. She quickly changed into slacks, heels, and his favorite sweater. It was gray and ultra-soft. He liked to pet her often when she wore it.

  On her way to the airport, she called and invited her parents to brunch the next day.

  “You can even bring the spawn.” Her loving name for her brothers.

  She wasn’t grilled about the sudden invitation to spend time together, so she assumed her doctor had finally managed to hold in an explosive piece of news for once.

  The airport terminal wasn’t as packed as usual so she pulled along the curb in arrivals. At first she tried to just sit and wait, knowing he would be there within minutes, but airport security had other ideas. She ended up circling the pick-up area twice, since Nikolai didn’t like her walking through airport parking garages alone.

  As she came back around on her second trip, she saw her husband coming through the glass exit. Everything inside her lit up happily. He threw his bags in the hatch and slid into the passenger seat of her Excursion.

  “I missed you very much, Demitria.” She didn’t have a chance to reply as he gripped the back of her head and kissed her stupid. When security tapped on her window, they broke apart.

  “You guys don’t have a romantic bone in your body.” Demi muttered as she glared at the dour looking woman before signaling and pulling into traffic. “Are you hungry?”

  “I am. I very much look forward to a Demitria buffet.”

  The man made her tremble and sweat with almost zero effort. “Food, baby. Let me feed you first, then I will climb all over you so you know how much I missed you.”

  “This is fine. Whatever you want to eat, Demitria. You must chew quickly.”

  She laughed and drove them to their favorite restaurant that served steak and seafood.

  As they settled in at their usual private table, she was practically vibrating with excitement. Nikolai noticed because he read her better than anyone else in her life.

  “You look happy, my pretty wife. You must tell me what good thing has happened to light you up like this.” He put his elbow on the table and rested his chin in it.

  Demitria absorbed the sight of him, the nearness of him. This man loved her. He accepted her flaws and celebrated her victories.

  “I’m pregnant, Nikolai.”

  He sat up and the smile that broke over his face made her thankful, fucking grateful, that she had him as her lover, her friend, and her husband. She never wanted to forget this moment.

  “Truly? You are pregnant?” She nodded with a huge grin she couldn’t help. He took her hand and made her stand up. Guiding her around the table, he pulled her into his lap and wrapped his arms tight around her. “My wife is pregnant with my child!” His shout caused the staff and other patrons to cheer and clap.

  Gently, he leaned her back and placed his huge hand over her belly. “Our little one is growing in there, safe and warm, Demitria. You have made me so happy. Even happier than the day you became my wife.”

  Then he kissed her and kissed her until she forgot they were in public, in a restaurant they frequented often, in their hometown where everyone knew who they were. She forgot and she didn’t care because his lips and tongue working methodically with hers was everything.

  When he broke it, he didn’t loosen his hold or pull back far. Against her lips, he whispered, “I love you” in Russian and again in English. “You are my everything, Demitria. I will make you proud as a father. Thank you for this gift.”

  “I love you, Nikolai.” The words would never be enough.

  Cradling her in his arms, he placed his mouth close to her ear. “When we get home, I will spend hours worshipping your body. I will massage you then take my time kissing over every inch of your skin. Then I will eat you slowly, pushing you over the peak of orgasm again and again.”

  Demi’s heart raced and her breath panted between her lips at the visual he painted.

  “Only after I have given you much pleasure will I take you, sliding deep inside you. I will make love to you until you are able only to receive my attention. I will wait as long
as I can to take my own release. After, we will shower and I will bathe you. I will hold you while you sleep and wake you with pleasure again.”

  “Nikolai…”

  “First, I will feed you. You must eat, Demitria.” He stroked his hand over her hair. “Then, I will feast when we are alone.”

  He held her head against his shoulder as he ordered for them and she smiled that he always remembered the foods she liked. She wasn’t sure she would have been able to order for herself.

  “Tell me everything that has happened since I left.”

  Nikolai adjusted her so she was more comfortable and she gave an inner chuckle at the fact that he didn’t intend to let her return to her chair just yet.

  She wrapped her arm around his shoulders and played with his hair while she told him about her appointments and her work. When she asked him questions about his trip, he told her in detail but never took his palm from her belly.

  Their eyes met and she sighed at the love his broadcasted.

  “Demitria?”

  “Yes, Nikolai?”

  “Your ass feels wonderful against my cock.” He grinned at her. “You must not move or the others here will see just how wonderful.”

  “Would you be opposed to a quickie in the bathroom before our food arrives?”

  “I would feel selfish. I wish to thank you properly for such wonderful news.”

  “You can thank me after you fuck me over the sink. Let’s hurry. They know our habits. I actually think they’re holding our salads.”

  She stood and hid the front of his body from the room until he turned to walk down the hall. As they locked the only bathroom door, she put her finger over her lips.

  “No screaming this time.” Then she turned, shimmied her slacks and panties over her ass, and winked at him over her shoulder. He wasted no time loosening his belt and jeans.

  He slid home and she knew she was ridiculously wet. Their eyes met in the mirror over the sink. “I miss you when you’re gone but you’re homecomings are always so memorable, Nikolai.” She sighed. “Now fuck me like you mean it.”

  His smile showed his dimples and he gripped her hips in strong hands, his thumbs stroking over her skin as his cock filled her completely. “Brace yourself, Demitria.”

  Excellent advice.

  Breaking the Ice

  Shayne McClendon

  Chapter One

  Four years ago…

  Diesel LeBlanc skated to the edge of the big pond to watch her skate. The city cordoned off the hockey area to avoid kids getting hurt.

  The rest of the guys had taken off; exhausted after eight hours of hockey practice and drills. He’d stayed behind, always pushing himself.

  It was winter break; he was home for a few weeks from college before classes started up again. Most of his friends played for college teams. There were a few of his old high school teammates who hadn’t gone to college, but they still played locally and liked to stay sharp.

  When he was home, they spent a lot of time on the ice. During the summer, they used the rink in town. Winter meant fresh air and sunshine on one of the many ponds near their hometown an hour outside of Fargo, North Dakota.

  Running drills, he noticed when she drove up in a banged-up Silverado and parked in the plowed area close to where families skated about an hour ago.

  It seemed they were the last two out here. She got out wearing a ski jacket with her skates over her shoulder. On a fallen log, she took off soft boots and laced up her skates.

  Diesel watched as she gathered her long brown hair into a ponytail and stepped confidently out on the ice. She warmed up with lazy circles, soon removing the heavy jacket and tossing it to the log. A bulky sweater that fell to mid-thigh and wool leggings hid most of her figure.

  Moving faster, she started stretching her legs out behind her, extending straight out then bending them up toward the back of her head. Speeding, she made small jumps, then spins, looking more graceful the faster she skated.

  Around and around the pond she glided, forward, backward, side to side. Her legs were powerful, her posture precise. She did a series of jump combinations that had Diesel holding his breath, afraid she’d fall.

  He looked around and realized she’d come out to the middle of nowhere alone. What if she fell and hurt herself?

  She raced across the ice, leapt, landed sure, time and again, until she glided to the center. She lifted one skate over her head with one hand and lowered it smoothly. Her arms in an arch above her, she started to spin, getting faster and faster. She spun until he was dizzy watching her.

  A sudden stop, ice sprayed, and she struck a pose.

  Instinctively, he clapped and ended up scaring the hell out of the young woman. She jerked into a prim stance with her skates touching, hands folded in front of her, and watched him warily.

  Diesel didn’t blame her.

  He was big and dark with plenty of hockey scars…carrying a massive hockey stick. He was surprised to see more than an hour had passed while he stood here staring at her like a fucking stalker.

  “Not going to hurt you, hon. I’m…” he called across the small snowbank the city shoveled into place to separate the skating areas.

  She interrupted smoothly, “I know who you are, Diesel. I know you’re not going to hurt me. You just startled me. I normally skate alone.”

  Her voice had a tinkling bell quality beneath the huskiness that sounded familiar but he couldn’t place who she was. “You don’t remember me. It’s okay. People rarely do.” She skated slowly to the other side of the snow wall, not looking directly at him. “I’m MacKenzie Rhodes.”

  Oh, shit. For a long moment, he took her in. This was Kenzie Rhodes?

  “Kenzie, you’re…um, older than I remember.” He paced her along the wall to his gear and busied himself pulling off his skates. He needed to buy time. Seeing her up close was shocking. She’d been pretty jacked up the last time he’d seen her.

  She laughed but it wasn’t a happy sound. “Yeah, Diesel, older. That happens, I suppose. How’s your family?”

  They were both below the wall and when Diesel stood, he watched Kenzie take off her skates and put her boots back on. She wasn’t rushing exactly but she wasn’t taking her time either.

  “They’re good, real good. How…how’s yours, Kenzie?” he asked to be polite, knowing instantly it had been the wrong thing to do as she snatched up her stuff and turned away. He followed her around the wall and up the small embankment to her truck.

  Her smile was self-mocking as she yanked open the door. “My family? My family is great, Diesel. Peachy, in fact. Dad is still the town drunk but doesn’t endanger his family anymore because he can’t see to drive. Mom doesn’t get out of bed but we find we like it that way just fine. Cristiana and Katya left for college last year. Jaqueline went this year. Thadias and I are still home. Once he leaves home in the summer, I’ll head out.”

  She threw her skates to the passenger seat and turned to him with her hands on her hips. “Tell your family I said hello, Diesel. Good to see you.”

  Then she jumped up behind the wheel and tore out.

  Diesel stood staring after the truck for a long time before walking around the pond to his F150 parked on the hockey side. He stored his gear in the backseat and climbed up in the cab to drive back to his parent’s house. He sat there for a minute, thinking. Admittedly, it wasn’t common.

  Kenzie sure grew into her looks.

  When he parked, his younger brothers, Jon and Justin, came barreling out of the house. “Diesel! Man, why didn’t you tell us you were going to practice? We would’ve come to watch.”

  “Hey guys, I didn’t want you out in the cold for eight hours. Mom would kill me.” He ruffled their twelve-year-old heads affectionately. “Mom home?” They nodded and followed him like eager puppies inside. “Would you guys mind cleaning and oiling my skates? It would be a huge favor. I’ll give you ten bucks.”

  Whooping with joy, they hauled ass back to his truck and argu
ed over which of them was going to do the better job. The twins had been quite a surprise for his mom, coming eight years after Diesel, who’d been her youngest of four boys.

  All the older brothers were done with college and involved in their careers. Diesel was a junior in college and chomped at the bit to be done with the school.

  He found his mom in the laundry room and swooped in to kiss her cheek. They’d always been close because he’d been her baby for so long. They chatted for a few minutes before he got around to what he wanted to talk to her about.

  “I saw MacKenzie Rhodes out on the little pond today. Ice skating. She’s really good.”

  Jenna LeBlanc eyed her son knowingly before continuing to fold the warm towels. “Yes, she’s very good. Could have been an Olympic contender if her daddy hadn’t screwed up her life so bad. You know she’s the oldest of the Rhodes brood?”

  He nodded. “All her sisters are off at college. She was in my grade in school; I wonder why she didn’t go. She was always really smart.”

  “She still is. That girl has had all kinds of opportunities. She turned them down to raise her brother and sisters. Thadias is the youngest, he should graduate this year, I believe. Maybe she can escape then.”

  She tsk’d and added, “I sure hate to see a sweet girl like that waste her life in this town. There isn’t anything for her here.”

  “She looks…different than she used to.”

  “Yeah, Diesel, she does. It wasn’t her fault her daddy drove her home bombed out of his mind. Kenzie was thrown from the car, lucky she survived. Between the halo and various casts they had her in and out of, I’m amazed she can still walk, much less skate. Broke her jaw in three places. That’s what shed the last of the baby fat off her frame. She limps when it gets really cold; she must work the muscles and joints hard to be able to skate after being on her feet so much.”