by Kat Mizera
“Guess who’s going to be in charge of training?” Dani said.
Sara grimaced. “I’m guessing me.”
They chuckled together.
23
Practice was long and grueling. Laurel had them running drills over and over, even though that wasn’t usually their routine on a day like today. Aaron didn’t mind, though. He was in good enough shape to take a ball-busting practice session without complaining and he had a gorgeous brunette on his mind as he walked back to the locker room.
“What the hell was up Coach’s ass today?” Kane asked him as they walked.
“No idea, but it’s all good. Some of the younger guys need to be prepared for days like today. Keeps them on their toes.”
“True enough.” Kane nodded. “What are you doing after this?”
“Taking Sara to lunch.”
“Yeah?” Kane raised his eyebrows. “Like, a lunch date, or just, you know, food?”
“Wouldn’t you like to know?” Aaron wasn’t hiding anything, just having a little fun with his friend since the guys had been telling him to date Sara for at least a year.
“You suck!” Kane called after him, laughing.
Aaron showered and got dressed in record time, texting Sara as he got his bag.
AARON: Wanna do lunch?
SARA: Can we do lunch in bed?
AARON: How did I not know you were a nympho?
SARA: Best-kept secret in Anchorage.
AARON: LOL Come on, I’ve never taken you on a real date.
SARA: You can take me out to dinner. Tomorrow.
AARON: Fine. Naked it is. Meet me at our place?
SARA: I’ll be there.
Aaron overslept the next morning and though he would have to hurry if he wanted to eat before heading to the morning skate, it had been worth it. They’d had sex all afternoon, taken a short nap, and then gone at it for half the night. They hadn’t stopped to eat or shower or anything else, and after nothing but a salad for lunch, he was starving. He didn’t eat junk, but he needed a lot more protein than a salad and some chicken to stay in shape.
He rolled over and nuzzled Sara’s bare shoulder, running one hand down her back.
“What time is it?” she murmured sleepily.
“Almost eight.”
“Mmm.”
“Come on, I need breakfast.”
“Don’t you have a morning skate?”
“Yes, which is why we have to get moving. And I have to nap this afternoon, none of yesterday’s shenanigans on a game day.”
She smiled sleepily. “Okay.”
“We might as well shower together, so get your sweet ass in gear.” He pressed his lips to hers and then got out of bed. He turned on the water in the bathroom to warm up the room a little and brushed his teeth.
“Are you coming to the game tonight?” he asked her as she joined him in the bathroom.
“Of course.”
“Whatcha gonna wear?” he teased, meeting her gaze in the mirror.
She grinned. “I don’t know. I have the most awesome red lace bra and panties. I was thinking—”
“You’ll wear that for me,” he growled, turning to pull her against him. “I’m talking about what you’re wearing that other people can see.”
“Jeans?”
“And on top?”
“My Blizzard hoodie?”
He laughed. “I was thinking there’s a certain goalie who might like to see you wear his jersey.”
“Does Donovan have a crush on me?” she deadpanned.
He pinched her ass. “Very funny.”
“So you’re saying you want me to wear your jersey?”
“The other wives and girlfriends do.”
“The fangirl in me wants it autographed, but that’s probably not cool.”
“I couldn’t give two shits what’s cool,” he laughed. “If you want me to sign it across your boobs, I’ll do it in front of the whole team.”
“Wow. That’s kind of intense.” She grinned as he bent his head to kiss her.
“I’ve got something else that’s intense.”
Her mouth opened beneath his and he kissed her long and deep, not even a little surprised when his cock immediately sprang to life. His libido had always been good, but it was out of control with Sara. They’d probably had sex ten times yesterday and that was something of a record, even for him.
Before he knew it, he was sitting on the closed toilet seat and she was in his lap, grinding against him. Without hesitation, he slid into her with one firm thrust that made her eyes roll back. He loved watching her face when they made love, especially when she came. Her cheeks got red, her mouth opened, and though she wasn’t a screamer, the sounds she made were the hottest thing he’d ever heard. It had been years since he’d been bare inside a woman, since before his marriage ended, and it was fucking heavenly. Which was probably why they were doing it every five minutes.
“Damn, baby, this feels too good,” he ground out, his hands gripping her ass as she rocked back and forth on his lap.
“Harder,” she rasped. “Please, fuck me harder.”
He lifted her by the hips and then slammed her back down on him, over and over, bottoming out and watching as her thighs started to shake from the intensity. They were breathing hard, the sound of their bodies slapping together drowned out by the shower running in the background.
“Oh, fuck, Aaron, don’t stop!” Her shriek was loud and brought him over the edge with her.
For a few minutes neither of them moved and she rested her forehead against his.
“Wow,” she said softly, nestling against his chest. “What was that?”
“Fucking awesome,” he said, kissing the side of her face.
“I’m thinking it’s a good thing you have to work,” she said, “or we might never get out of bed.”
He pushed her damp hair out of her face and kissed her. “I’m thinking it’s going to be a fun summer when I don’t have to work.”
“What if I have to work?” she countered.
“I guess we’ll figure that out when the time comes,” he said, “but other than helping out Dani and Sergei when we’re on the road, I was thinking you don’t have to work unless you want to.”
She frowned. “But I can’t just live with you and do nothing all day.”
“I’m off all summer, so how is it going to work if you’re working at a day job all week and I’m home doing nothing? Most of the other wives don’t work.”
“But I’m not your wife,” she said quietly, meeting his gaze intently. “We just moved in together.”
“Yeah, but this thing between us has been a long time coming and I’m making up for all that.” He paused. “I thought this was what you wanted?”
“I do. I just want to take things one step, one day, at a time. Let’s get used to being a couple. Let me figure out what’s next in my life. There are a few other schools I applied to that I haven’t heard from. Minneapolis was my first choice because I could live at home, but Chicago is still a possibility. And even if they don’t pan out, I need to work and make my own money. I can’t just live off of you.”
“Why not?”
“Because we’re not married and we’re still new. I want to spend time falling in love, doing what couples do. I don’t want to skip any of the steps. That’s part of what makes it fun.”
“You’re right. I’m sorry. I guess I’ve just done a lot of dumb shit when it comes to you and I don’t want to lose you now that I’ve got you.”
“I’m not going anywhere.” She leaned in and kissed him. “Now stop thinking so much and let’s get in the shower before you’re late.”
“Let’s do it.” He didn’t know what was wrong with him. He knew she was still waiting to hear from a few schools and that she would still want to work. This sudden need to be a stereotypical, overbearing male had come out of nowhere. It was totally out of character for him and he hoped he hadn’t upset her.
“I’m sorry,” he repeated, resting
his chin on her shoulder once they were under the hot spray of water. “I don’t know what I was thinking. I guess it’s been so good the last couple of days, I was thinking ahead to when I don’t have to work. I’m truly not a Neanderthal.”
She smiled up at him. “I know you’re not. And we’ll figure everything out for next summer. One step at a time, right?”
“Right.” He said the word but wasn’t sure he meant it and that scared him. He truly had no comprehension what they would do if she went away to school. Though he would never keep her from following her dreams, how would they be together if she went to Minneapolis or Chicago or some other place? And why the hell hadn’t he thought about all this before he asked her to move in with him again?
24
Since Aaron had to rest that afternoon and she couldn’t ride to the arena with him, Dani picked her up at two o’clock and they went to her and Sergei’s house to check on repairs and give Sergei time to rest as well.
“I’ll be so glad when everything is done,” Dani said to her as they walked into the house. “We’re living here again but they’re still working out back and it’s noisy and messy.”
Sara nodded. “I’ll bet.”
“Did you talk to Aaron about bringing Mama home with you?”
“Ah, shit, we wound up having sex and then we were late and I forgot.”
Dani shook her head. “Girlfriend, you better sort that out.”
“Well, if he says no, I’ll be disappointed, but there was a waiting list of people for the puppies, so Mama will go to a good home too.”
“But you want her.”
“Oh, I totally do. She’s the sweetest thing ever. And Dr. H will fix her so she doesn’t get knocked up again.”
“Yeah, I don’t know how we’d find homes for another dozen or more puppies,” Dani said.
“Aaron will be okay with it, but I honestly don’t know if there’s room for a bird like Merlin and a dog Mama’s size in that apartment.”
“You two should start house-hunting.”
Sara bit her lip.
“Uh-oh. I know that look. What’s wrong?”
“I’m trying really hard to live in the moment, but Aaron said something about me not working next summer, and I don’t know if I can do that.”
Dani cocked her head. “Why not?”
“What are you going to do when you get pregnant?” Sara blurted out.
Dani looked startled. “What do you mean?”
“I mean, you can’t be a team trainer when you’re nine-months pregnant.”
“Why not? Obviously, I’ll have to be less intense with the workouts and won’t be able to physically do anything strenuous with the guys, but on the bench? I can stitch up a cut or put ice on someone’s shoulder nine-months pregnant just as easily as now. And once the baby comes, I’ll take six weeks maternity leave, just like I would at any other job, and come back to work. If you’re not going to be here to watch him or her, I’ll find another nanny. My career won’t be impacted unless and until Sergei gets traded, but he plans to retire here. He doesn’t want to play more than a few more years.”
“And then?”
“We’ll have to reassess. Nothing is set in stone. We want more kids, but obviously that may not be in the cards. Whatever happens, I love my job and don’t want to quit, but I’m off during the summer when he is, so that part isn’t an issue with us. Sergei may look into becoming a scout, but he doesn’t want to be gone all the time and miss the kids growing up, so we’ll figure it out as things happen.”
“In my heart, I think Aaron and I will figure things out as they happen too, but my gut is screaming that he’s not going to be happy if I leave.”
“Because you’ve only been a couple for, like, ten minutes. You don’t know where this is going.”
“That’s just it, we do. We’ve been best friends for a long time and now that we’re romantically involved, except for my uncertain future, everything is really easy and natural. He’s already talking about what the other wives do and stuff, like it’s a given.”
“And you’re not down with that?”
“I am. I just…” Her voice trailed off. “I don’t know what to do, Dani. I don’t want to lose him, but if I get accepted somewhere…”
“It didn’t occur to you to talk to him about all this before you moved in and got all serious?”
“I love him.”
“Then it shouldn’t matter. If he loves you the way he should, then it’s all going to be fine. Just wait and see what happens. You have no way of knowing what the other schools are going to say anyway, so why stress about something you have no control over? You’re together now. Throw your energy into that and see what happens.”
“But you didn’t. You threw yourself into hockey and waited for him to decide he loved you enough to chase you.”
“But you’re not me and Sergei and Aaron are different. Sergei and I had literally only known each other a few months. You and Aaron have had two years to build this relationship. The sexual part is new, but the friendship has a solid foundation. Sergei and I didn’t have that.”
“You’re right. I don’t know why I’m being so wishy-washy.”
“Adulting sucks sometimes. Believe me.”
“Oh, I do.”
As if fate had listened to her conversation with Dani, when she went to the mailbox before they left for the game, there was a letter from the school in Chicago with another rejection. She stuffed it in her purse and didn’t say anything to anyone. Not because she was sad this time, but because she had a lot of thinking to do. When they got to the arena, there was still a lot of time until the game, so she wandered up to the executive suites and asked Gage’s secretary, Rose, if she could borrow a pad of paper. Then she sat in a chair and started running some numbers.
The two schools left were in New York and Georgia. Pulling up the information on her phone, tuition, fees, and room and board would cost a little more in New York, but while the Georgia school was less expensive, it was also a lot farther away from Alaska and not a state she wanted to settle in long-term. Doing the math, the amount she would have to pay back in student loans was staggering and she drummed her fingers on the pad. It would leave her in debt for a long time, and even though she’d probably find a job relatively quickly, veterinarians didn’t make the kind of money most people thought they did. First-year vets usually averaged about sixty grand, and while that was a respectable salary, it would take her years to pay off the six-figure loans she would need to finish school.
Maybe it was time to let this dream go. She loved being a vet tech and could do that anywhere. Especially if anywhere meant staying with Aaron. He made a lot of money, millions of dollars a year, but that wouldn’t last for much longer since he was turning thirty-three this year and probably didn’t have more than five years left as a player. She also didn’t expect him to pay for her loans, so she didn’t want to bring that kind of debt to a marriage if things went that far.
It was kind of liberating to let go of all the pressure, she realized as she stared down at the numbers in front of her. Even though it was a dream, it was also dragging her down, pushing her to a level of frustration that nothing else ever had. In a pinch, she could finish her master’s degree in a year with minimal debt, and get a corporate job to pay the bills. Otherwise, she would continue working with animals and children, occasionally filling in when Gage needed her, and doing the things she loved with the man she loved. How was that a bad thing?
With a spring in her step, she tore off the pages she’d used and returned the pad to Rose before wandering down to the concourse in search of a pretzel. She felt a million pounds lighter and a lot happier. Once in a while, things actually fell into place and it looked like it was her turn to have a little good fortune.
The Blizzard lost that night and Aaron was in a foul mood as he and Sara drove home.
“The coaching situation is becoming a problem,” he complained. “I mean, Laurel’s great, and we re
ally like Coach Riser, but Laurel’s slowing down and Coach Riser just got here. He’s still getting used to the guys and our routine. The other new guy that just showed up from Juneau is a fucking prick and he has no idea what he’s doing. I don’t know what Gage was thinking.”
“He’s thinking that, so far, no one seems to want to move to Alaska. He’s doing the best he can.”
“Well, it sucks for us. This season is already going to shit.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Not your fault. I just needed to vent.”
“No worries. You could’ve gone out with the guys, you know. Dani would’ve brought me home.”
He glanced at her. “Go out with the guys or spend the night buried between your legs? That’s a no-brainer.”
“What if I’m not in the mood?”
“If that was true, it would be no problem, but you started squirming the minute I mentioned being between your legs, so I’m thinking it’s not an issue.”
“You know me too well.”
“We’ve been friends a long time. I’d hope I know you pretty well.”
“Speaking of knowing me well, I need to ask you something.”
“Shoot.”
“Would you be highly opposed to adopting Mama?”
“Our canine baby mama?” he asked with a fond smile. “Of course not. I meant to bring it up the night of the fundraiser but you had a lot on your mind and we got distracted.”
“Yeah, I kind of forgot about it the last couple of days too.”
“Between Merlin and Mama, we’re going to need more room.”
“Probably.”
“You want to start house-hunting? I hate living in an apartment, so this is the kick in the ass I need to get out of there.”
“If you want to, sure. It would be better for me if we were fairly close to Dani and Sergei because I need to be able to get to Niko and take him to school and stuff.”
“There are a lot of great neighborhoods out that way. That’s why I bought a house there when I was married. We can do some searches online and maybe you can contact a realtor to see a few? Once you’ve narrowed it down to two or three, then I can see them and we can decide from there. I just don’t have the time during hockey season to go from house to house.”