WANTING THE WINGER

JACOB CHANCE

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 Copyright © 2023 by Jacob Chance
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DEDICATION

If you know me, you know this dedication is long overdue…

To bacon for providing me with energy, inspiration, and moral support

through every book I’ve written.
I can’t wait for our next collaboration.
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 CONTENTS
1. Darius
2. Evie
3. Evie
4. Darius
5. Darius
6. Evie
7. Evie
8. Darius
9. Evie
10. Evie
11. Darius
12. Darius
13. Evie
14. Darius
15. Evie
16. Darius
17. Evie
18. Darius
19. Evie
20. Darius
21. Evie
22. Darius
23. Evie
Epilogue
Changing The Player
Prologue
Chapter One

Acknowledgments
About the Author

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CHAPTER 1
DARIUS

ADRENALINE COURSING through every muscle in my body, I

race for the puck speeding across the ice. My stick barely makes contact
when a player from the opposing team leans in with his shoulder and body
checks me into the boards. I don’t have time to think about the pain caused
by the bone-rattling hit as the two of us fight for control of the puck.
Hockey sticks and skates crash together as we lock up. My helmet bangs off
the plexiglass as we battle for the small black disc as though we’re fighting
for our lives.
I finally manage to knock it free and shake off my opponent, but he’s
close as I race toward the goal. I pass the puck off to my teammate Kaiden.
He fires at the net with no hesitation and the power of a small cannon, all
the while making it look effortless.
The crowd shouts, jumping from their seats, as the goal lamp lights and
Kaiden raises his stick in the air.
Skating over, I wrap an arm around his neck. “Great shot.”
“Hey, you set it up perfectly for me.” He’s quick to share the credit.
With only five seconds left on the game clock and our team up by two,
it’s safe to say we’re walking away with a win.
When the clock hits zero, my teammates and I celebrate briefly before
we head to the locker room.

“Great game, boys,” Coach Carling calls out, gaining our attention inside
our team’s locker room. “It was a solid win and you all played hard. Take
tonight to soak in this victory and then we’re moving on to the next game.”
The entire team choruses the second half of the sentence along with him. A
man of few words, our coach says the same thing after every win, so it’s not
a surprise. The only time his speech changes is if we lose, and when that
happens, there isn’t a single one of us who isn’t affected by the disapproval
in his tone or gaze. He may not say much, but he commands a deep respect
from his players. We go to battle on every sheet of ice for him as much as
we do for ourselves and our teammates.
“Coyotes, how do we feel about our win?” Kaiden, who is our team
captain, asks.
The entire team choruses back, “Ooooh, yeah!”
We all disperse, moving to the edges of the familiar space, revealing a
giant white Charleston Coyotes logo in the center of the black matted floor.
My teammates begin to take off their skates and gear.
I sit down next to Kaiden on the built-in wooden bench that wraps
around three sides of the large room. “That last goal was a thing of beauty.”
I slap him on the back.
“Thanks,” he replies. “But like I said before, you’re the one who set it
up for me.”
“You both played a part,” Ryder, another of our teammates, agrees from
next to me. “It sure feels great to get the win against the Thunder. I fucking
hate that team.”
I nod. “Yeah, me too. Talk about a bunch of dirty players.”
“The refs have selective sight when it comes to them,” Kaiden adds.
“I don’t get it. We can’t get away with half of what they do. What are
we doing wrong?” Ryder asks as his fingers rapidly unlace each skate.
“Our record is better than theirs, so I guess we’re doing some things
right,” I say, tugging my sweat-soaked jersey over my head.
“We just need to focus on ourselves and keep the level of our play up.
That’s all we can control. If we play our best, we’re unbeatable,” Kaiden
reminds us. He has a way of focusing on what matters, which is why he’s
the leader of our team.
I finish removing my gear and skates and take a quick shower. Once
I’ve dried off and am dressed, I head to meet my parents, as I do after every
home game. The room where they wait is designated for our team’s family
and friends and, as always, it’s filled to capacity.
My mom holds her arms out to me. “Agóri mou.” My boy.
 I’m twenty-six years old and she still calls me that.
“Mom.” I wrap her in my arms and squeeze. And then my father is
hugging me tight enough to break a rib or two. “Dad.” I groan and he
laughs.
“Nice game.” He pats me on the back before releasing me.
“Thank you for coming.”
“As if we’d miss it,” my mom says. “Are you coming home with us? I
have makaronia me kima leftover from last night.”
“No, I wish I could, but I have somewhere to be.”
Reaching up, she briefly cups my cheek in her hand. The thick gold
rings on her fingers are cold against my skin. “Come by tomorrow. I’ll save
the makaronia me kima for you.”
“I can’t be sure I’ll make it, so you two should go ahead and have it. I
don’t want to be the reason your delicious food goes to waste.”
“Your mom’s cooking never goes to waste, Darius.” My dad winks at
me and rubs his still flat stomach. Looking at him, you’d never know how
much he can eat. He’s blessed with good genes, and hopefully I’ve inherited
them. So far, so good at least.
“Don’t forget about the party,” my mom says, reminding me about my
sister Calista’s birthday eight days from now. I’m sure she’ll remind me at
least four more times leading up to it too. “Turning thirty is a milestone.”
I smile. “I’ll be sure to wear all black. I’ll grab some black balloons and
streamers too.”
My dad chuckles. “I’m sure she’ll appreciate that.”
We all know exactly how much she will not appreciate that. Calista is
ridiculously sensitive about getting older. I’m not sure why because thirty is
still so young. But she had dreams of being married with a couple of kids
by now.
Pursing her lips, my mom shakes her head. “I really expected to be a
grandmother by now. I don’t know what all my children have against
marriage.”
My mom’s well-known desire to be a grandmother doesn’t help the
situation any.
“And on that note, I need to get going,” I joke. I don’t need her to start
in on me and my lack of a girlfriend. I don’t have the time or energy to
devote to a relationship.
 Tugging up the cuff on my button down, I glance at the watch on my
wrist. Shit. I’m running behind schedule. “I really do need to leave. Come
on. I’ll walk you both out.”
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CHAPTER 2
EVIE

FIFTEEN MINUTES TO CLOSING.

My eyes sweep from the clock on the wall to my new friend Brutus
sitting next to me. “I know we just met, but I feel like I can share with you.
Maybe it’s your kind eyes or the way you make me feel like I’m the only
woman here. Whatever the reason, today’s been a shitshow. And no, I’m
not exaggerating or being dramatic.”
Brutus gives my leg a supportive nudge and I take it as a sign he wants
me to continue.
“Does it ever seem like the universe is testing you to see how much crap
you can take? Because that’s what I’m starting to think. I’ve always tried to
be an optimist, but I’m not feeling it today, my friend. No siree. Can I call
you my friend? Are you okay with that, or am I taking liberties I shouldn’t
be?”
“Uh… hello,” a deep voice interrupts.
My head swings toward the open door and I find a tall man moving
toward the reception counter. “Oh, sorry. I didn’t hear you come in.”
“I don’t want to interrupt your conversation with… uh…” his words
trail off and he rubs the back of his neck.
Oh jeez. This guy thinks I was talking to myself.
“I wasn’t talking to myself,” I clarify.
He holds up a hand. “No need to explain. I do it sometimes too.”
“Then I guess that makes you the strange one.” I laugh.
His dark eyebrows lifting, he aims a questioning look my way. “Yeah,
sure. I’m here to pick up my dog.”
“Let me guess, Brutus?”
He nods.
 “I was starting to wonder if he was coming home with me tonight,” I
say.
He rakes a hand through his longish hair. “Yeah, sorry about that. I got
here as soon as I could.”
Slipping from the metal stool, I grab Brutus’s leash and lead him around
to the front of the counter.
“What the hell have you done to my dog?”
I beam. “Doesn’t he look fabulous?” I lead Brutus in a small circle so he
gets the full effect.
“That’s not the word I’m thinking of. Fucking ridiculous is more like it.
You gave my male dog a rainbow-colored, leopard-printed tramp stamp.”
In an instant, I go from smiling to scowling. “Sexist much? And it’s not
a tramp stamp.” I huff. “It’s a band of rainbow-colored leopard print on his
lower back, as you requested.”
“Look, I don’t know what you’re talking about. I dropped my dog off
earlier to have a bath and get his nails trimmed. Not to—” At a loss for
words, he waves his hands around.
Realizing he’s serious, I frown. “Oh.”
“Is that all you have to say? You don’t have any idea how this
happened?”
“No, but I’ll see if I can figure it out.” I hand off Brutus’s leash and
scurry back behind the counter. Tapping the keyboard, I pull up today’s
schedule on the screen and read over all the notes next to each appointment.
Sure enough, next to Brutus’s name it says bathe and trim nails. My
stomach flips. I’m going to get fired. Fuck you, universe. I’ve had enough
of this shitty day.
“It seems like there’s been a mistake,” I say.
“Ya think?” Sarcasm drips from him.
I meet his displeased gaze. “I’m sorry. I’m not sure how this happened.”
“I’d like an idea of how it did,” he snaps.
“I must’ve gotten my orders mixed up.” I know it’s not the answer he’s
looking for but it’s all I’ve got.
“Ya think?” he repeats. His condescending tone reminds me of my
father. Which reminds me of my all too many shortcomings that he points
out any chance he gets and my eyes sting from the urge to cry.
Frustrated, I slap the counter with my palm. “Stop saying that.” And
then, to my horror, I burst into tears.
 Brutus lets out a whine while his owner stands there frozen in shock.
Leaning forward, I rest my elbows on the counter and cover my face
with my hands. Whatever it is that’s causing me to be so emotional, there’s
no way to stop the deluge of tears. They just keep flowing.
A large hand awkwardly pats my back. “It’s okay.” Pat, pat. “You can
stop crying now.” Pat, pat.
Ugly, snotty crying face be damned, my head pops up. “I… can’t… flip
a… switch… and… stop.” Chest shuddering, I suck in a shaky breath.
“That’s… not how… it works.”
Brutus leans into my leg, offering his own brand of silent comfort, while
his owner couldn’t look more uncomfortable. He’s obviously at a loss when
it comes to crying women.
Watching me, he tugs on his earlobe. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make
you cry.”
“It wasn’t just you. I’m having a shitty day of epic proportions. I’m
sorry you had to witness this mess.” I point at my tear-streaked face.
Smiling, he plucks a tissue from the box on the counter and hands it to
me. “You might want to use this.”
“Thanks.” Dragging in a shaky breath, I swipe at the makeup that’s sure
to be streaking down my face. Crumpling up the tissue, I toss it in the small
trash can under the counter. “I’m really sorry about Brutus’s grooming mix-
up. I’ll pay for it myself.” I don’t know how, but I will.
“That’s not necessary. I’ll pay for the services he got. It looks like a lot
of time and effort went into that tramp stamp.” He winks and, for the first
time, I notice how handsome he is.
But I’m not one to be swayed so easily. I cock an eyebrow at him.
He grins. “Sorry. Too soon?”
“Maybe.” Returning my attention to the screen, I tally up the total, then
hesitate to tell him the amount. Is he going to flip out over what I consider
to be an exorbitant amount of money? I wouldn’t pay this much to have my
own hair done, never mind my dog’s. I mean, if I had a dog.
“What do I owe you?” he asks, putting an end to my stalling.
“F-f-five hundred dollars.” I stutter for the first time in my life, then
hold my breath, awaiting the explosion of what the fuck that’s sure to come.
He pushes his credit card into the slot without even flinching and taps
some keys on the pad. He must have a better paying job than I do. Good for
him.
 When he’s finished, he returns his card to his wallet and sets a hundred-
dollar bill down on the counter in front of me.
“This is for you.”
“What? No. No.” I shake my head emphatically. I messed up and he
wants to tip me? He must feel bad about me crying.
“Yes, it’s yours.” He pushes it closer with a blunt-tipped finger.
“We’re not allowed to accept tips,” I lie. I can’t in good conscience take
this money when I already cost the man an extra three hundred dollars.
“Well then, I guess you’ll have to grab a coffee with us.”
“Huh?” Did I hear him correctly?
“It’s closing time, right?” he asks.
“Yeah.”
“Lock up. Brutus and I are taking you for a coffee.”
“That’s not necessary.”
“We want to.”
“That’s nice of you, but I’m going to pass.”
“Come on. I feel bad for upsetting you. You can’t leave me alone with
my guilt.”
“You won’t be alone, you have Brutus.”
“As awesome as he is, I’ll still feel bad. You don’t want that on your
conscience do you?” One side of his mouth arcs up in an endearingly
crooked grin.
Dammit, he’s making it damn near impossible for me to say no.
I shake my head but find myself agreeing. “Okay.”
His smile extends across both sides of his mouth, and I’m reminded of
how attractive he is. Reaching down, he scratches behind Brutus’s ears.
“This guy loves the cafe one block down. They sell cookies for dogs.”
“That’s a popular spot. With this place being so close, we can walk,” I
say, as I move around, making sure everything is as it should be. “Give me
one minute to check the back.”
“No problem.”
I pass through the swinging doors and flip off all the lights at each
grooming station and also the overhead ones, plunging the large area into
darkness. When I return to the front, I grab my purse and keys and walk
around the counter.
“All set?” he asks.
 “Yes.” Flipping off the lights, I set the alarm before we step outside,
then lock the door once we’re through. Tucking my keys into my purse, I
sling the small leather bag over my shoulder.
“I haven’t had a chance to ask you your name,” he says.
“Are you asking now?”
His eyes flick to me. “Yes, I am.”
“It’s Evie.”
His lips press together and he nods. “I like that.”
“Thank you.”
“Aren’t you going to ask for my name?”
“Nah, I thought I’d just call you Brutus’s dad.”
He shrugs. “That works.”
“I’m kidding. What’s your name?”
“Darius.”
“That’s different. I like it.”
“Thanks, but since I didn’t choose it, I’ll give the credit to my parents.
Here we are.” He stops outside the cafe. “If you don’t mind sitting out here
with Brutus, I’ll go in and get everything.” He hands the leash over to me
and I choose a seat at one of the small iron tables out front. “What would
you like?”
“Ooh, a venti iced coffee, with extra ice, skim milk, white chocolate
mocha, caramel drizzle on the inside of the cup, and vanilla cold foam.”
He shoots me a questioning look and I feel compelled to answer. “What
can I say? I really love coffee.”
He nods, gripping the door handle.
“My mother told me to never accept a drink from a stranger,” I tease.
He peers over his shoulder. “You’ll have a clear sight line of me the
entire time if that helps.”
“And I’ll be watching you.” I point two fingers at my eyes and turn
them toward him.
He smiles. “Take care of my dog.” He opens the door, then pauses. “I’m
not going to come back to zebra printed legs or anything, right?”
I wave my hand at him. “Hush yourself and get my coffee.” If he gets
my order right it will be a small miracle.
The sound of his laughter gets cut off when the door swings closed.
“Brutus, don’t listen to your dad. You’re just as badass with your new
look. You’re a Pit Bull, you’re going to look intimidating no matter what. I
think your new dye job makes you look more approachable and you should
get more belly rubs from strangers. Isn’t that every dog’s goal?”
Darius returns with his hands full. I take the drinks from him and set
them on the table. He rifles through a bag and gives Brutus a cookie before
sitting across from me.
“This one’s yours.” I set his coffee in front of him.
“Thanks.”
“No, thank you. I appreciate this.” I tap my fingernail against the plastic
cup.
“It’s the least I could do after upsetting you.” He sips his coffee,
watching me over the rim.
“It wasn’t really you. It had more to do with my day being rough as a
whole.”
He lowers the cup. “Want to talk about it?”
“No, thanks.” I pop the straw through the hole in the cover and take a
sip of my coffee. Swallowing, my eyebrows pop upward. “You got the
order correct,” I breathe out in awe.
“Come on. Brutus is a fantastic listener. And as you can see”—he
gestures toward my coffee—“I’m not bad either.” His smile is charming
and, as surprising as it is, I find myself wanting to share.
“Okay, but you’ll probably regret asking. I graduated last spring and I
can’t find a job. Well, a job using my degree,” I clarify.
“Which is?” he asks.
“Bachelor of Fine Arts.” I take another sip of my sweet coffee and lick
my lips. “Go ahead. You can say it.”
His thick, dark brows dip inward. “Say what?”
“That it’s a useless degree.”
“Why would you assume that would be my reaction?”
“I’ve heard it a million times, especially from my father.”
“I’m assuming you’re passionate about art.”
“I am.”
“What’s your medium?”
“Paint.”
His eyes drop to Brutus lying on the sidewalk next to him. “I should’ve
guessed.”
I smile. “Yeah, but I prefer painting on canvas to painting living
creatures,” I droll. “But pickings are slim.”
 “What would your dream job be?” he asks.
“I’d love to work with children in some capacity.”
“Like an elementary school art teacher?”
“Maybe. But schools are cutting art programs to make their limited
budgets work. I think I’d prefer to work with an organization that helps at-
risk youth. I’d like to show them how amazing art is. How therapeutic it can
be.”
“Then you should.”
“I wish it were as easy as you make it sound.”
“It’s like that saying, where there’s a will, there’s a way,” he says.
“I get that. And I know with hard work and determination I’ll get to the
place I want to be.”
Leaning forward, he rests his forearms on the table, showing me I have
his full attention. “Then what’s got you so stressed out?”
“Mostly my boss. She’s horrible to work for.”
“Can you find another pet salon who’s hiring?”
“Probably, but this one is conveniently located. And it’s not like I want
to do this for the rest of my life. This is just a filler job while I’m working
toward my dream job. But I need to keep a roof over my head. Dog
grooming doesn’t pay very well. On top of that, this morning my car started
making a god-awful noise. So now I need to get it in the shop to figure out
what’s wrong before I break down somewhere. In anticipation for the repair
bill, I asked my boss for more hours at the shop but she doesn’t have any
available.”
“Can you go to your parents for help?”
He must have a good relationship with his own parents if this is his first
suggestion. Not all of us are so lucky.
“And get another lecture about my poor career choices? No, thanks. I’d
rather eat ramen only for the next year. But enough about me. What do you
do for work?”
He shifts on the seat, adjusting his long legs under the small table. “I
work with athletes.”
“Are you a trainer?” My eyes glide across the width of his shoulders
before taking in the way his button-down shirt hugs his muscular arms.
“I wear a few hats, but that’s one of them.” He doesn’t elaborate further.
“Nice. Have you been doing that for long?”
“Yes, right out of college.”
 “Congratulations on choosing a better career path than yours truly.” I
stretch my hand out and he takes hold for a quick shake, and I notice the
time on the large face of his shiny watch. “I hate to cut this short, but I need
to get going. I’ve got an early morning shift tomorrow and I have a week’s
worth of laundry to take care of.” Standing, I hook my purse over my
shoulder and dig out my keys.
Darius rises to tower over me. He really is a large man.
“I’ll walk you back to the shop. My truck’s parked there too.”
Nodding, I reach down, stroking my hand along Brutus’s silky furred
back. “He was a doll for me the entire time I worked on him.”
“He loves pretty ladies.” He reaches down, patting Brutus’s head.
“Don’t you, bud?”
He thinks I’m pretty?
The walk back to the shop is made in silence. There are only two
vehicles in the small lot—my beat-up sedan and his large, shiny truck.
Ironically, they’re parked side by side.
Pausing behind my car, I hold up my still half-full cup. “Thank you for
the coffee and for lending an ear.”
“It was the least I could do after making your day worse.”
“Well, now you made it better, so you’re off the hook. No more guilty
conscience. Oh, and in case you’re wondering, the dye I used on Brutus is
all made from dog-safe ingredients. It will last for a couple of washes and
should fade away over time. Please don’t let my screwup with Brutus keep
you from bringing him back again. You can request another groomer.
They’re all very capable.” I give Brutus a quick head pat and walk along the
side of my car to the driver’s side door.
“What if I decide to keep the rainbow-leopard tramp stamp?” he asks.
“Then I’m your girl.”
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CHAPTER 3
EVIE

UNLOCKING THE DOOR, I step inside the large mudroom,

hanging my keys and purse on one of the coat hooks. I’ve barely slipped my
shoes from my feet, when I’m slammed into by a small bundle of energy.
“Mommy, you’re home.”
Wrapping my arms around Tillie, my seven-year-old daughter, I smile
down at her. “Yep, I’m home. Did you miss me?”
“I always miss you, but I had fun with daddy.”
“Well, I missed you too.” I press a kiss to her head.
“Daddy wants you to come in and have dinner with us,” she tells me.
Ryan, my ex, is always trying to feed me, and a lot of the time I let him.
He’s a much better cook than I am. “That sounds wonderful.” I follow her
inside to the kitchen.
“Hey.” Ryan offers a brief smile. “How was work?” He closes a cabinet
and sets plates and silverware on the counter.
I shrug. “It was work.” Moving to the fridge, I grab the pitcher of water
from inside and pour water into the three glasses on the round table.
“Thank you, Mommy.”
“You’re welcome, honey.” I place the pitcher in the middle of the table
and wander over to Ryan. He’s dishing food onto Tillie’s plate. When he’s
done, he passes it to me and I carry it over, setting it down in front of her. I
return to grab the silverware from the counter and he carries our plates of
food to the table. These days, we function like a well-oiled machine, but
that hasn’t always been the case. It took years for us to get to this point.
Joining them, I drop onto a chair and immediately dig into the mound of
spaghetti and meatballs. Ryan is from an Italian family and he habitually
overestimates my appetite.
 “This is delicious,” I say.
“Mmm-mmm-mmm,” Tillie sings, rocking side to side.
Ryan smiles. “I’m glad my girls are enjoying it so much.”
“Mommy, what kind of doggies did you see today?”
Tillie is slightly obsessed with dogs and has been begging for a puppy
for some time now. Whenever I come home after work, she likes to hear
about the different breeds I’ve groomed.
“Well, I gave baths to a German Shepherd, a Lhasa Apso, and a Boxer.”
“Aww. I wish I could give doggies their baths,” Tillie says.
“I also gave a Pit Bull a bath and added some rainbow-colored leopard
print to his fur.”
“Awesome,” Tillie shouts.
Ryan laughs. “Was the dog well behaved for you?”
“Yeah, he was a doll. Very sweet and well behaved. However, the owner
wasn’t as sweet when he saw his dog.”
“He didn’t like what you did?” he asks.
“I may have confused his order with another one.”
“He didn’t want the…” He trails off.
“The rainbow-colored leopard print?” I finish for him, and he nods.
“Nope. I messed up. His dog was only supposed to have a bath and get
his nails trimmed.”
“Oh shi-oot.” He catches himself before he utters the swear. Even after
seven years we still slip up.
“Yeah, it was a big mistake. I offered to pay for all the work, but he
refused.” And then he still tried to give me a tip.
“How did it end?” he asks.
“He was more understanding than I would’ve been. That’s for sure. He
didn’t even blink at the cost, even though the work I did added on an extra
three hundred.”
His eyes widen. “Three zero zero?”
“Yep, you heard correctly. Crazy, right? With the ridiculous prices we
charge, I don’t know how the shop has so much business all the time. But
I’m not complaining. It’s a steady job, albeit an uninspiring one.”
“It’s the best job, Mommy,” Tillie corrects.
“Hey, I thought my job was the best,” Ryan says.
“Yours is second best,” she clarifies.
 I snort out a laugh. Ryan’s a video game designer, and he makes a very
nice living from it. And he gets to work from home, which is extremely
helpful to me. Whenever I’m working and Tillie isn’t in school, she’s with
him. While things may not have worked out romantically between us, he’s a
fantastic father to her. And he also happens to be one of my closest friends.
“It’s good to know where I rank,” he jokes.
“How’s the new game coming along?” I ask.
He winces. “It’s been slow going, but I’m making progress.”
“Tillie, how was your day?” I ask.
“Billy took my pencil.”
“Did you get it back?”
“Uh huh. I told him I was going to junk punch him and he gave it to
me.”
“Jesus,” Ryan mutters under his breath.
I place my hand on Tillie’s arm. “We don’t say junk punch. We also
don’t threaten to punch someone. That’s not polite.”
“Auntie Wendy told me if a boy messes with me to junk punch them.”
Ryan releases a sigh and pinches the bridge of his nose. “My sister is a
menace.”
“What’s a menace, Daddy?”
“Did you have your spelling test today?” I ask, changing the subject.
Being parents is like being a professional wrestling tag team.
“It’s tomorrow.”
“Finish up your dinner and we can go over your words a few times.”
“I already know how to spell them all,” she states confidently.
“That’s great, but we’re still going to review them.”
Tillie doesn’t look happy, but I’m trying to make sure she forms solid
work habits at a young age. My parents didn’t do that for me. They were
both busy with their own careers, especially my father, who traveled a lot—
and still does.
As I’ve gotten older, I’ve learned the importance of having a strong
work ethic, and, out of necessity, I’ve learned how to best manage my time.
“Do I have to?” Tillie whines.
“You heard Mom,” Ryan backs me up.
“Okay,” she agrees, her lips puckering into a pout.
We finish dinner and Ryan cleans up while I head upstairs with Tillie. I
set her pajamas on the bathroom counter while she showers. Moving on to
her bedroom, I choose her school clothes for tomorrow and set them out on
top of her dresser.
Tugging my phone free from my pocket, I sink down onto her bed and
find the screenshot I took of her spelling list.
Tillie walks into the room and my eyes raise from my phone. “Mommy,
will you please do my hair?” She hands me a bright pink comb.
“Of course I will. And I love those manners you’re using. Keep it up,
sweetie.” I set my phone down and carefully begin to untangle the knots in
her wet locks. I try to be as gentle as possible. When I’m finished, her
blonde hair lies in a smooth, straight sheet to the middle of her back.
Dividing it into sections, I fasten them into a braid, securing the end with an
elastic.
“Did you brush your teeth already?”
“Yep. I just did.” She blows her fresh breath in my face to prove it.
Smiling, I shake my head. “Come here.” I pull her onto my lap,
wrapping my arms around her. I press a kiss to her cheek. “I love you so
much.”
“I love you too, Mommy.”
I rub my cheek against hers. “Hmm, you smell so clean.” Pressing my
nose to her neck, I repeatedly sniff like a dog, and she giggles.
Ryan comes into the room. “How’s the spelling word studying going?”
“Daddy! Why did you remind Mommy? I think she forgot about them.”
I tickle her side with my fingertips, and she laughs. “I didn’t forget.”
Picking up my phone, I show her the screenshot of the list. “But your dad is
right. We need to run through them.”
“Aww.” She pouts.
“If you get every one correct on the first try, you’ll be done,” I say.
She nods eagerly. “Okay.”
Every single word I read from the list, she spells right, and we’re
finished in less than five minutes.
“Okay, pumpkin, it’s time to get in bed,” Ryan tells her.
“Can I watch an episode of Rescue Riders?”
“Not now. Get under the covers.” Ryan uses his no-nonsense voice and
she scrambles from my lap, crawling up to the top of her mattress.
Standing, I walk around the bed and brush a loose strand of hair from
her eyes. “I’m going to head home. Let me have a kiss.”
 She puckers her lips and gives me a loud, smacking kiss. “I love you,
Mommy.”
“I love you more, sweetie. Sleep tight.”
While Ryan says goodnight, I head downstairs to make sure everything
is put away. He’s already taken care of all the cleaning up, so I head to the
mudroom and grab my keys.
Ryan leans against the door jamb. “You want to have a glass of wine?”
“No, thanks. I need to get some laundry washed before I go to bed.
Thanks for dinner. It was delicious as usual.”
He smiles. “Who would’ve thought I’d learn how to cook?”
I laugh. “Not me.”
When we were younger, I never could’ve imagined Ryan would be the
on-the-ball man he is today. Back then, we were both rebellious and didn’t
think much about consequences. Becoming parents as teenagers changed all
that.
“Safe home, Evie.” He smiles.
I snort. “Night.”
He closes and locks the door behind him as I move across the mudroom
to the entrance to my half of the duplex. Ryan purchased this property a few
years ago, and I pay rent to live here. I know he doesn’t charge me half of
his mortgage, and if he did, I wouldn’t be able to swing it by myself. Not on
a dog groomer’s salary anyway. The salon might be bougie as fuck, but my
salary doesn’t reflect that.
Once I’m inside, I lock the door behind me and toss my keys in the
basket on the small table. I wasn’t lying when I told both Darius and Ryan
there was laundry to be done. I throw a load of wash in, then move to the
kitchen to unload the dishwasher. Such a wild life I lead for a twenty-four-
year-old. I smile to myself. Just another glamorous day in the life of Evie
Bruschi.
I might not be out partying or hitting bars with my friends, but I
wouldn’t change a single thing, because if I did, I wouldn’t have Tillie.
She’s brought immeasurable joy to our lives. Ryan and I have found a way
to co-parent without being a couple, and in the process, we’ve become best
friends.
I’ll paint a million dog asses for Tillie. Her happiness is all that matters.
OceanofPDF.com
CHAPTER 4
DARIUS

BY THE TIME I arrive at my parents’ house, my entire family is already

there. With so many vehicles filling the driveway, I end up parking
curbside. Walking up the stone path, I shift the bags in my arms and look
over my childhood home. A modest colonial style with a front porch, I’ve
always loved this house. Growing up, it was filled with chaos, noise, love,
and the delicious aromas of my mother’s cooking.
I step inside to the sounds of loud laughter and the scent of all my
sister’s favorite Greek foods. No matter what may change in my life, it’s
nice to know this place is the one constant for me.
I place one of the bags down on the entryway table and hook the
handles of the other over my finger.
I amble to the spacious kitchen at the back of the house. When my
parents built this home, my mom wanted to be able to keep an eye on us
kids while we played in the backyard. So, instead of upper cabinets, the rear
wall is filled with large windows, and there’s also a sliding glass door that
leads out to a back deck.
“Darius,” my dad calls out, and all eyes land on me.
I smile. “Dad.”
He pulls me into a hug and then my mom is hurrying over.
“Agóri mou.” Leaning down, I kiss her cheek and give her a quick
squeeze. At least that’s the intent, but my mother has other ideas. “Give me
a decent hug, for God’s sake,” she orders.
A disgruntled sound leaves me, but I do as she wishes, like the good son
I am.
“Let poor Darius go,” Calista says.
 “Poor Darius?” Orion, my brother who’s closest in age to me, huffs.
“He’s Mom’s pet.”
My mom releases her hold on me and turns toward him. “I don’t have a
favorite.”
He laughs. “Sure, Mom.”
I shake hands with Orion and hug my sister. “Happy birthday, Lis,” I
use the nickname I gave her when I was too young to say her entire name.
“Thanks.”
“How’s it feel to be old?” I ask.
“I’ll let you know when I get there,” she sasses back.
“If you need any help operating your cell phone or computer, let me
know,” I tease.
“Shut your face. I understand technology just fine,” she says.
“Here’s your present.” I hand off the purple gift bag.
“Aww, you got me something.” She smiles.
“I always get you something,” I remind her. “Orion’s the slouch who
never does.”
“Hey, not all of us make a gazillion dollars like you do,” Orion defends
himself.
Calista pulls the Coyotes sweatshirt from the bag with a squeal. “It’s so
soft and it’ll be so warm.” Flipping the hoodie around, she snorts when she
sees the name on the back. I know she expected it to say our last name, but
instead it has my teammate Ryder’s last name. My sister has a thing for
him, but she’d die before admitting it. And I’d murder him if he so much as
looked her way. But it’s fun to have some ammunition to tease her with.
“This is why you’re my favorite brother.” She hugs me with one arm,
the other one still gripping the sweatshirt.
My older brother, Christos, steps forward and we bump fists. “How’s it
going, man?” I ask, acting like I didn’t just talk to him earlier today when
we discussed the birthday surprise we planned out for our sister.
“It’s all good, bro. The Coyotes have been looking strong lately,” he
says.
“Yeah, but the playoffs will tell the real tale,” I say.
“True, but at least your team is on an upward trajectory.”
“As of now.” I knock my fist against my head. “Knock on wood. We
know how quickly that can change.” I’m always superstitious about anyone
complimenting me or my team. Especially as we get closer to the playoffs.
 “Why don’t we all sit down and have some dinner,” my mom suggests.
“Give us a few minutes. I want to show Orion and Christos something.”
“Don’t get lost. I don’t want the food getting cold,” she tells us.
I tip my head toward the front of the house and both of my brothers
follow me. I wait until we’re in the entryway to speak.
“I got the t-shirts we talked about.” Opening the paper bag I left on the
table, I pull them out and hand one to each of my brothers. I hold mine up
in front of me, and we all snicker. I had them made using an unflattering
picture of Calista that Christos unexpectedly snapped after she woke from a
drunken night a few years ago. Her tousled hair looks like a bird built a nest
somewhere in the dark strands, and her expression gives new meaning to
the phrase “resting bitch face.” An oversized version of her head floats in
the middle of a sea of black material with the words “THRILLED TO BE
THIRTY” written across the top.
The three of us yank our shirts off and replace them with the prank
ones.
“Five bucks says she rolls her eyes when she sees us,” Orion says.
“I’d be dumb to accept that bet, even if it’s only five dollars. She rolls
her eyes at most things we do,” Christos points out.
I nod. “True. We should get back before Mom yells at us.”
“Wouldn’t want to upset Mommy.” Christos pinches my cheek,
mocking me.
“Fuck off with that. You guys are just as bad, if not worse than I am,
about disappointing Mom.” Neither of them acknowledges their agreement,
but they know enough not to deny it either.
“Are we doing this or what?” Christos asks.
“Hell yeah. I’ve been wanting retribution ever since Calista barged into
my room when I was about to get a blow job from Sheryl Noe,” he says,
mentioning a girl who was quite popular in the neighborhood when we
were teenagers.
“I don’t remember hearing this,” Christos says.
“You were away at college,” Orion explains. “And after our dear sister
left my room, so did Sheryl Noe. It was the hottest blow job I never had.”
Christos chuckles, looking like he has something to say.
“What?” I ask.
He scratches his chin. “That girl could suck a golf ball through a garden
hose.”
 Orion lets out a choked sound. “Sheryl and you?”
Our brother nods with a satisfied curve to his lips. “You missed out,
little brother.”
“Well, I didn’t,” I say, grinning at Christos. He holds up his hand and I
slap my palm against his.
“Wait. What? You too?” Orion’s shoulders droop from disappointment.
I shrug. “Sorry, not sorry.”
“Boys!” My mom’s shout reaches us, and we immediately start
retracing our steps to the kitchen.
“I can’t believe you both got head from Sheryl Noe,” Orion mutters.
“That’s Sheryl N.O. to you,” Christos says. Orion scowls while I laugh.
It’s hilarious how gutted he is about something that happened ten plus years
ago.
“Boys, really?” My mom catches sight of our shirts. Her voice sounds
disapproving, but she rolls her lips inward, hiding her urge to smile.
Calista rolls her eyes, as we anticipated. “Ha ha, you guys are a bunch
of comedians.”
“Thank you,” I say, bowing.
“Where did that image come from?” she asks.
“I had it in some old pictures.” Christos snickers.
“Burn it and your shirts,” she says, waggling her finger at the three of
us.
“No way. This is my new favorite shirt,” Christos says.
I roll my shoulders. “Yeah, it’s really comfortable.”
“Where’s mine?” My dad jumps in on the teasing.
Calista shakes her head. “You too, Dad?”
“Behave and set a good example.” My mom pats his chest. “It’s no
wonder these boys are so unruly.”
“Unruly?” Glancing between Christos and Orion, I mouth the word.
“Mom, do you know what that means?”
She nods. “Yes, out of control.”
“We’re not unruly, we’re hilarious,” Orion corrects her.
“Timeout. How about we sit down to eat?” Calista asks. “It’s my
birthday and I’m starving.”
“That’s the first good idea you’ve had since you turned twenty-nine.” I
nudge her arm. I’m pretty sure she stepped in to put an end to our
shenanigans on her last birthday too.
 She rolls her eyes. “Why do I think nothing will change before my next
birthday?”
We all settle down into chairs around the dining room table.
“You never know, one of my sons might meet a nice girl sometime
soon,” my mom says.
“I meet a lot of nice girls.” Orion winks. His definition of nice is the
opposite of our mom’s.
“If I were you, I wouldn’t get my hopes up.” Christos pats her on the
shoulder.
Evie, the beautiful dog groomer, pops into my thoughts. It’s been just
over a week since I met her, and I haven’t been able to keep her from
making unexpected appearances in my mind throughout my days and
nights. She’s the first woman to catch my eye in a long time. But the
playoffs are coming up and I’ve got enough on my plate without adding
more.

My brothers and I meet up on the sidewalk and enter the Blarney Brewery.
We head to the bar and grab beers before we look for the guys. It’s easy
enough to find my large and loud teammates. We always try to find a table
in the back corner to attract less attention. It doesn’t always work, but for
right now there’s no one else hanging around the table.
“Hey, fellas,” I say.
“If it isn’t the Kastellanos brothers, all looking too cool to be sitting
with us,” Murphy says.
“What are you talking about?” I ask.
“With you three here our chances of hooking up with anyone goes down
exponentially.”
The three of us sit in the remaining empty chairs around the table.
“I’m not looking to hook up with anyone. So your chances just
improved,” I say.
“What have you two been up to lately?” Kaiden nods toward my
brothers. My teammates have met them both before and have even hung out
with them a few times.
Christos shrugs. “I’m in the groove.”
 “What the fuck does that mean?” Ryder asks.
“It means I’m stuck in the groove of being a responsible adult—eat,
work, sleep, and do it all over again.”
“You forgot to add ‘fuck’ in there,” Murphy mentions.
Orion laughs. “No, he didn’t.”
Christos slaps the back of Orion’s head. “Who asked you?”
I glance back and forth between my brothers. “Can you two take it
down a few notches? We’re in public.” The last thing I want is to be front
and center in someone’s TikTok video or Instagram reel.
“Are you sure you’re the youngest of the family?” Kaiden asks. “You
come across as the oldest brother.”
“That’s easy with these two. It doesn’t take much to appear more mature
than them.”
“How was the party?” Kaiden asks.
Ryder’s head raises. “You had a party and didn’t invite us?”
“It was for our sister’s birthday. Nothing you’d want to be a part of.”
“Was there Greek food?” he asks.
I nod. “Yeah.”
“Was there cake?”
“Yeah”
“Those are two of my favorite things, so of course I’d want to come.”
“Sorry, Ryder. Next time I’ll keep that in mind.” I won’t really, though.
My sister has it bad for him, and I’m not planning to put them in a situation
where she could potentially fall for his charms. Not that it would take much
for him to win her over. He’d just have to crook his finger and she’d go
running.
“Our mom is an amazing cook,” Christos says. “You should have her
cook for them sometime,” he tells me.
I shake my head. “That probably won’t happen. As much as I love Mom
and Dad, I like to keep my work as separate from them as I can. They come
to my home games, but they don’t need to be close with my friends.”
“Being in your twenties is all about adjusting to being an adult. Then in
your thirties you try to establish clear-cut boundaries with all your family
members, but it doesn’t go well,” Kaiden says.
“Why not?” I ask.
“Because you’ve gone without them for too long. It’s hard to define
them in an already existing relationship.”
 “That makes sense. So, what you’re saying is try to have strict
boundaries as early as possible?” I ask.
“No, I’m saying you’re fucked no matter what because parents won’t
allow you to set clear-cut boundaries.” He laughs.
“I think you might be right,” I agree.
He raises his bottle toward his lips and pauses to say, “I am,” before
taking a sip.
“Did you tell these guys about what happened to Brutus at the
groomer’s?” Orion asks.
“No, I didn’t.”
“Is he okay?” Murphy asks.
“Yeah, he’s great.”
He nods. “Good. I love that dog.”
“I know you do, but nothing bad happened to him.”
“Nothing great happened to him either,” Orion says.
“What’s going on, then?” Kaiden jumps in.
“I dropped him off at this expensive pet salon to have a bath, and when I
went by to pick him up he had rainbow-colored leopard spots painted in his
fur around his waist. I have a picture of it.” I pull my phone from my pocket
and scroll through my album of most recent pics. “Here it is.” I hold up my
phone and the guys let out a collective groan.
“What the fuck? Did you want that?” Ryder asks.
“No.” I laugh. “The groomer made a mistake.”
“Did you get your money back?” Murphy asks.
“No. She tried to pay for it herself but I didn’t want her to.”
“Why not? Is she hot?” Ryder asks.
“She’s got beautiful blue eyes,” I say, thinking about just how stunning
Evie is.
“And small tits,” Ryder adds.
“Actually, her tits aren’t small. Why would you say they are?”
He shrugs. “I figured if you knew what color her eyes are, her tits must
not have been worth looking at.”
I shake my head. “Someday you’re going to meet a woman who’s going
to kick your ass for the things you say.”
“It hasn’t happened yet. Odds are in my favor it won’t,” he boasts.
“I just hope I’m there to see it,” Kaiden says, and we all laugh.
OceanofPDF.com
CHAPTER 5
DARIUS

LEANING BACK AGAINST MY TRUCK, I watch the entrance

of Pawsitively Pampered Pooches Salon. It’s coming up on closing time and
I’m waiting for Evie. She has no idea I’m here.
With the amount of time she’s been occupying my thoughts, I decided
to stop by. And it’s not only when I’m looking at Brutus that she comes to
mind. Although I’d be hard pressed not to think of her whenever I see his
rainbow spots.
During some of the quieter moments of my work day I find myself
wondering how she’s doing. Has she thought of me at all, or has she already
forgotten about me altogether? Since there’s only one way to know for sure,
here I am.
The lights click off in the reception area of the salon, and seconds later
the door opens. Evie steps outside, locking the door behind her. Turning,
she takes a few steps in my direction before noticing me. She pauses with a
questioning look on her face.
“Hi, Evie.” I smile.
“Hi, Darius.” She doesn’t smile back, but at least she remembers my
name.
Pushing off my truck, I move to meet her, stopping with a couple of feet
of distance between us. “I’m sure you weren’t expecting to see me again, at
least not without Brutus.”
“Is he okay?” she sounds concerned.
“Yeah, he’s great.”
“What brings you here?”
I’m sure she’s wondering why I’ve reappeared out of the blue,
especially when it’s been exactly two weeks since we met.
 I shove my hands in my front pockets to keep from fidgeting. “I’m
hoping you’ll have dinner with me.”
“Now?” she asks.
I nod. “Yes.”
She looks down at her black pants and the Pawsitively Pampered
Pooches shirt she has on. “I’m not really dressed for dinner.”
“You look great to me. There’s a pizza place a couple blocks over if you
don’t mind walking.”
“I don’t even know your last name yet and you want me to take a walk
at night with you?” Her lips tease at a smile.
“It’s Kastellanos. But let me remind you how we walked to the coffee
shop before.”
“Yeah, but Brutus was here to protect me from you.”
“What makes you think he’d be on your side?”
“He and I had some deep conversations before you picked him up. I can
tell he’s a true gentleman.”
I laugh. “I’m glad you and my dog are such great friends now. So what
do you say?” I tip my head in the direction of the restaurant.
“If you’re good with your dinner companion smelling like a wet dog,
I’m good with you feeding me.”
Leaning forward, I exaggeratedly sniff the air. “You smell fine to me.”
“You should be good as long as you don’t get too close.”
“Noted.”
Is she warning me off? Maybe she’s telling me she only wants to be
friends. Or maybe she’s trying to make sure we take things slow.
This is why I don’t bother dating anyone. An occasional hookup is so
much simpler. I don’t have to wade through all the complications and veiled
signals. It’s just two people with one thing on their minds, and when that’s
taken care of I can leave.
But Evie intrigues me on a deeper level, and that’s new for me.
We progress toward the waterfront, the smell of the sea filling the air. I
inhale a cleansing breath and notice Evie doing the same.
“There’s nothing like the air on the coast. I can’t get enough of it,” I say.
“Hmm, I agree.”
Strolling along, we pass the Waterfront Park. “Brutus and I come here
on our walks. There’s a fenced area that’s just south of the park for dogs to
run freely. It’s one of his favorite places.”
 “I bet it is.”
“Do you have any pets?” I ask.
“No.” She shakes her head. “I’ve always thought it would be nice to
have a dog, though. Maybe I’ll get one at some point.”
“They’re great company.” I point toward the pizza place just ahead.
“Have you been here before?”
“No, I haven’t, but it already smells amazing.”
“You’re in for a treat.” Opening the door, I usher her inside before me.
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. We can sit wherever we want.”
“How about near the windows so we can see the fountain light up?” she
suggests.
“Great idea.” I follow her to a table and pull out her chair.
She sits and murmurs, “Thanks.”
Taking the seat across from her at the small table, my eyes never leave
her stunning face.
“What do you recommend?” she asks.
“They have subs and other things, but the pizza is all I ever get. It’s
New York style and they get the crust just right.” I kiss my fingertips.
“Sounds good to me.”
The waitress takes our order and hurries away.
“I realized I don’t know your last name, and now I’m wondering if it’s
safe to be here with you,” I tease.
She lets out a quick laugh. “It’s Bruschi.”
“Like Teddy?” I ask, and she looks confused. “Teddy Bruschi, the
defensive lineman that played for the New England Patriots.”
“Pfft.” She waves her hand. “I don’t follow sports.”
“Really? Not at all?” I can’t fathom this. I love all sports, but hockey is
my favorite, of course.
“Nope. Not a single one.”
Now it makes more sense why she has no idea who I am. That’s also
new for me, and it’s a welcome change. It’s nice to be anonymous, to meet
someone and there’s no preconceived notions of what I’m like.
“What do you watch on television if you’re not watching sports?”
“This will sound weird, I’m sure, but I don’t watch much TV. I’ll binge
an occasional Netflix show, but for the most part, I paint whenever I have
free time.”
 “What do you paint?”
“Whatever inspires me. Sometimes it’s people, sometimes it’s
architecture. It varies depending on my mood or if I’ve seen something that
interests me. The smallest thing can catch my eye and I’ll have to duplicate
it on canvas.”
“I’d love to see some of your art sometime.”
She snorts.
“What?”
“That sounded like a bad pick-up line.”
I hold my hands up. “Hey, I legitimately meant it.”
“Well, I don’t share my art with anyone.”
“No one?”
“Very few.”
“Okay. Then I guess I’ll have to earn that privilege.”
Her eyes are filled with skepticism. “That would take more time than
you probably have to give.”
“I’m not afraid to play the long game.” I wink. “But for now, we can
just enjoy tonight.”
“That works for me,” she agrees.
The waitress shows up to deliver our waters, and with her is a waiter
carrying a massive pizza. He sets it down on a stand beside our table. “The
pan is very hot,” he warns as he places a single slice on plates for each of
us.
“Thank you,” I say, dismissing him. I watch as Evie takes the first bite
and chews. Her eyes close with a satisfied hum falling from her bow-shaped
lips. When they open once more, she notices me watching.
She swallows. “What?”
“Just watching you enjoy your first bite. It’s an experience worth
appreciating.”
“It’s heavenly.”
“Tastes more sinful to me.” I wink, biting off the end of a slice.
She takes a sip of water and blots her lips with a napkin. “I can’t believe
I’ve lived in this area for my entire life and I’ve never been here.”
“It’s close to your work, so you can get it whenever you want.”
“Yeah, I don’t do takeout very often, but if I do, I’ll know where to
come.”
 We settle into silence as we both continue to devour the pizza. I eat
three slices for each one Evie has. She takes small bites and chews slowly,
as if she doesn’t want it to be over too quickly. But if she’s on a limited
income and doesn’t get takeout often, she would want to make the most of
it.
When Evie excuses herself to use the ladies’ room, I flag down the
waitress and order another large pizza to go.
My phone dings, alerting me of a text. Tugging it from my pocket, I
glance at the screen to see my mom’s name.

I made some stifado if you want to stop by.

I smile.

That’s nice of you, but I can feed myself.

Agóri mou, I know how busy you are.

Not too busy to eat. lol.

I love you.

I love you too.

Evie drops into her chair once more. “Everything okay?” she asks.
“Yeah. My mom was texting me.”
She arches one eyebrow. “Your mom?”
“Yep.”
“Are you a momma’s boy, Darius?” Her lips curve.
“Maybe.” I flash her a grin. “Actually, I’m close with my entire family.”
“That’s nice. Do you have siblings?”
“I have two brothers and a sister. They’re all older than me.”
“Uh oh, the baby of the family,” she says.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You’re the spoiled child.”
“Ha. I got all the hand me downs and my siblings beat the snot out of
me until I got bigger than them all.”
She rolls her eyes. “Poor baby. It sounds horrible.”
“You have no idea.”
 “I don’t know, I think I’d like having a big family.”
“Are you an only child?”
She nods. “I am. There was no one else besides me to disappoint my
parents.”
“I can’t imagine you being a disappointment to them.”
“I was a rebellious teenager and, unfortunately, no matter how much
time passes, they never let me forget it.”
“Aren’t most teenagers rebellious?”
“Not according to my parents.”
“How did you rebel? Partying?”
“Yeah, I did my fair share of that, but I dated someone they didn’t
approve of.”
“Is it possible for a parent to think anyone is good enough for their
child?”
She drags in a long, drawn-out breath, as if she’s boosting her courage.
“Their dislike of Ryan, my high school boyfriend, wasn’t only because he
was rebellious. I got pregnant at sixteen.” Pressing her teeth into her bottom
lip, she watches me for a reaction.
As surprised as I am, I don’t react. “That must’ve been extremely
difficult to deal with at that age.”
“It was. My parents wanted me to give up the baby for adoption. Well, it
was my dad who wanted that. My mom just goes along with whatever he
says, whether she agrees or not.”
“What did you end up doing?”
“I kept her.” She smiles, and it’s filled with joy.
“What’s her name?”
“Tillie, and she’s seven.”
“Where is she now?”
“With her dad.”
“You two have a good relationship?”
“We do. He’s actually my best friend.”
“There’s no romantic involvement?” I’m not looking to get caught up in
some triangular situation with her and her daughter’s dad.
She laughs. “No. None. We haven’t been together romantically since
Tillie was two. He’s a good guy and a wonderful father to her, but he and I
are only friends. Trust me.”
 Being a professional hockey player, it’s difficult to open up to someone
I’ve recently met. Trust is not something I give lightly. I’m not sure why,
but I believe Evie. I’d like to think it has more to do with my instincts that
tell me she’s a good person than how physically attracted I am to her. But
I’ve been known to lead with the wrong head before, so time will tell. For
now, I’ve got a good feeling about Evie, and I want to get to know her
better.
OceanofPDF.com
CHAPTER 6
EVIE

WHEN DARIUS ASKED me to dinner, I didn’t plan to tell him

about Tillie. There was no reason for me to. But when we started talking
about our families, I surprised myself by how comfortable it was opening
up to him. God knows, I don’t trust people easily, but everything in me is
saying Darius is a good man. So far, he’s been kind, and I’ve never had a
more attentive listener when I speak. He seems genuinely interested in
learning about me, and all the while he’s been a perfect gentleman. So much
so, I’m starting to wonder if he sees me as only a friend. I hope that’s not
the case.
Not that friends aren’t nice. I just don’t have the time or energy for
many of them.
Having a child at seventeen and finishing my senior year by doing
online classes was extremely isolating. All my classmates were getting
ready to go off to college, so there was no longer much common ground
between us. I don’t blame them for drifting away. I had a baby to take care
of while they had no real responsibilities to speak of. They were busy
partying while I was nursing my newborn and reeking of baby vomit. I
know hearing about my life was a downer for them.
I wasn’t surprised when the calls between my friends and me grew
further apart until they died off altogether. I didn’t have time to be sad when
caring for Tillie occupied all my time. The moment the doctor placed her in
my arms, she became the most important person in my life. And she always
will be. Nothing and no one will ever change that.
Darius thoughtfully rubs his chin, and I wonder if the short, dark beard
covering his skin is as soft as it looks. “I’m impressed that you and your ex
have been able to stay friends. So many couples who split can’t stand each
other.”
“That wasn’t an option in our case. We may have been young, but we
knew no matter what happened between us, we’d always do what was best
for our daughter. If that meant sucking up our pride or letting things go that
may have hurt each other’s feelings, we would do it. And we have. That’s
why the end of our romantic relationship didn’t affect our friendship. We
couldn’t allow that to happen because it would’ve been detrimental to
Tillie.”
“You’ve both been so mature. Especially considering how young you
became parents.”
“Thanks, but we didn’t have a choice.”
The waitress appears with a large pizza box and our check.
Rising, he grabs his wallet from his back pocket. “Here you go.” He
hands her some cash.
“Can I at least take care of the tip?” I ask him.
“No, it’s all set.”
“Thank you for a wonderful dinner.” I stand and push my chair in. My
eyes land on the pizza box and I snicker.
“What are you laughing at over there?”
“You got a pizza to go. Is that your midnight snack?”
“Actually, I got this for you to have.”
“You did?” I’m stunned by his thoughtfulness. “When did you order
this?”
“When you went to the ladies’ room.” He looks proud of himself.
“Aren’t you sneaky? Well, Tillie is a big fan of pizza, so I know what
she’s going to have for lunch tomorrow.”
“Good.” His lips curve in a closed-mouth smile. Carrying the large box,
he comes around to my side of the table. With a hand on my back, he
directs me toward the exit but still manages to open the door for me before I
can.
“Thank you.” Once we’re outside, I ask, “Did your mom teach you your
good manners?”
“Both of my parents did. My dad is very solicitous toward my mom.
She’s the love of his life and he makes sure she knows it.”
“That’s so sweet. It sounds like you had a great example of how a
healthy relationship works.”
 “I did. But when you have parents like that it can also make you wonder
if you’ll ever be able to be that happy with someone. They’re a hard act to
follow.”
“I can understand that. Relationships are hard work.”
“Hey, what do you think of taking a detour to the fountain? I know we
sat by the window because of the view, but I forgot about it. I was too busy
looking at my beautiful dinner companion.”
I don’t know how to gracefully accept a compliment, so, of course, I
make a joke. “I think you were too busy looking at the pizza.”
He catches hold of my hand, surprising me. “You can pretend that’s the
reason, but we both know it's not true.”
Side by side we walk, our hands clasped and our arms brushing. Darius
doesn’t seem to mind carrying the pizza box. Entering the park, we follow
the path until we’re standing in front of the brightly lit, pineapple-shaped
fountain.
He releases my hand and wanders a few steps over to place the box
down on a bench. Returning, he stops next to me, taking hold of my hand
once more. I lean my head on his arm as we watch the fountain. It’s
stunning, especially against the backdrop of the fading sunset. While the
peak time has passed, it’s still a sight to see with the vivid streak of orange
above the horizon fading to a light pink before deepening into the darkening
blue of the evening sky.
The breeze off the water sends a chill rippling through me, and I shiver.
Darius spins me toward him, wrapping me in his strong arms. His hands
stroke up and down my back while urging me closer. With my cheek
pressed to his chest, I breathe in his masculine scent. I don’t know much
about men’s cologne but whatever he wears smells delicious. Anyone who
doesn’t think scents can play a role in arousal has never smelled anything as
good as Darius.
“Are you warm enough?” His voice sounds hoarse. I hope he’s as
affected by me as I am by him.
“Mhmm.” I nod, my cheek rubbing against his shirt. Underneath the
soft material, his muscles are solid as a rock.
He bends over, pressing a kiss to the top of my head. It’s such a sweet
and unexpected gesture. I raise my face, and our eyes briefly connect before
his mouth lowers toward mine.
He’s going to kiss me.
 And I want his kiss more than I can ever remember wanting one before.
My stomach whirls with anticipation like a mini cyclone has been let
loose inside.
The first touch of Darius’s lips on mine is brief and whisper soft, as if
he’s testing the waters. His face hovering close to mine, I push up onto my
toes and connect my eager mouth to his. My hands hook around the nape of
his neck and I sink my fingers into his thick, black hair.
His tongue teases the inside edge of my lower lip before fully sweeping
in and tangling with mine. One of his large hands cups the side of my face.
His fingers wrap around the back of my neck, gently holding me captive as
his talented mouth makes every nerve ending in my body come alive.
His arm that’s still wrapped around me, tugs me closer and my breasts
flatten against his chest. An ache of longing settles between my thighs. If
we weren’t in the middle of the park, I’d be begging him to ease my pain.
It’s been far too long since I came by anyone’s hand besides my own.
Darius brushes his lips against mine one final time before raising his
head. “Wow.” He smiles.
I love how he’s not pretending our kiss was average, because there was
nothing fucking average about what we just shared. My knees are still weak
from it.
“Wow,” I echo back, returning his smile.
He takes hold of my hand, studying it before his eyes meet mine. “Will
you go out with me again?”
It takes a few seconds for his question to register. And when it does,
part of me thinks I must be hallucinating or imagining he wants to spend
more time with me. Darius is strikingly handsome and well mannered.
Although we haven’t spoken in detail about his job, the truck he drives and
the amount he spent to have Brutus groomed, lead me to believe he’s
successful. What could he possibly gain by dating me, a single mom who
hasn’t been on a date in years?
“Evie,” he calls my name, pulling me from my musing. When he sees
he has my full attention, he gives my hand a gentle squeeze. “I’d really like
to take you out again. What do you say?” His dark eyes stare earnestly into
mine.
I nod. “I’d like that.”
“Do you work tomorrow?” he asks.
“No, I have Sundays off.”
 “I don’t want to take you away from Tillie, so how about I pick you up
after her bedtime?”
“That would be perfect.” There are nights when I’m working late and
don’t get home before she’s asleep. I like to be there to kiss her goodnight
as often as I can.
He releases my hand, then passes me his phone. “Add your number and
address, please.”
I type in my information and give his phone back.
His thumbs rapidly tap against the screen before I hear the beep of my
own text alert. Tugging my phone from my back pocket, I glance at the
screen.
Unknown: Hi, beautiful.
“Now you have my number too,” he says.
“Oh, that was you?” I joke, looking up at him.
“Feel free to call or text me anytime you want,” he tells me.
“I’m not big on talking on the phone, but I might be inspired to text you
depending on how my day is going.”
“I’m going to warn you now, I’m a fan of texting, so don’t be surprised
if you hear from me before tomorrow night.”
“Thanks for the warning.” I wink, pushing my phone down into my
pocket.
Darius retrieves the pizza box from the bench and captures my hand
once more. “Let’s head back.” We take our time, walking slowly. It seems
as though neither of us is in a hurry for our time together to be over.
When we finally reach the parking lot, he escorts me to the driver’s side
of my car.
“I’ll touch base with you tomorrow,” he says.
“Sounds good.”
Leaning down, he presses a soft, slow kiss to my lips, then steps back to
open my door. I slip behind the wheel and turn the key in the ignition.
“Drive safe,” he calls out as he closes my door. I watch him walk over
to his truck, all the while checking out his backside. And I’m happy to note
it’s one hundred percent as appealing as the rest of him.
Pulling out of my parking space, I beep the horn as I pass behind his
truck. I drive all the way home with a smile so wide, my cheeks are sore by
the time I arrive.
OceanofPDF.com
CHAPTER 7
EVIE

“AND ALYSSA never told a lie again. The end.” Ryan closes the book,
setting it on Tillie’s nightstand.
My eyes land on the large digital numbers displayed on her clock. I’ve
got forty-five minutes until Darius picks me up, and I haven’t even
showered yet. Of course tonight of all nights, my stubborn little daughter
would be awake later than usual.
“Can you read another one?” Tillie asks.
“Okay, it’s time to go to sleep,” I say, cutting off any chance of Ryan
picking up another book.
“Your mom’s right. You have school in the morning. It’s time to get
some sleep.” He leans over, pressing a kiss to her forehead. “I love you,
Tillie Bug.”
“I love you too, Daddy.”
Ryan moves back and I slide in to press another kiss on her forehead. “I
love you so much. Sleep tight and I’ll see you in the morning.”
“Can I sleep in my other room tomorrow night?” she asks, referring to
her bedroom on my side of the duplex.
I brush a blonde strand of hair from her forehead. “Yep. I’m working
during the day, so I’ll be home early.” I know to some people the
arrangement Ryan and I have would seem unorthodox, but it works for
Tillie, and that’s what matters. Living in this duplex allows us to be as close
as two exes can without being romantically involved. Tillie sees both of her
parents together every single day, and even better, she sees us getting along.
This is all she’s ever known, so for her, this is the norm.
“Night, night,” I say before I slip into the hallway and wait for Ryan to
finish saying goodnight. “All set?”
 He nods. “I think she’s finally ready to sleep.”
“Thank God,” I say, moving away from her room and hurrying down
the stairs with Ryan right behind me. “I have to go get ready for my date. I
don't know where we’re going. I don’t know what to wear. I don’t—”
“Relax.” Ryan gently squeezes my upper arms. “This isn’t your first
date. I’m pretty sure I was there for that.” He smiles.
“Yeah, you were there for it, all right. And the fifteen-year-old version
of me was just as nervous that night as the adult one is now.” I release a
loud sigh.
“It’s okay to be nervous. That means you’re excited, right?”
“Yeah, I am, but I’m also fucking nervous.”
He laughs. “Calm down. You’re a grown woman who’s a mother.
You’ve had years of life experiences since we went on our first date. Think
of how much more you have to talk about now than you did back then.”
“That’s a good point in theory, but it doesn’t help if my brain goes numb
and I can’t remember anything to say.”
His hands slide down to grip both of mine. “When have you ever been
at a loss for words?”
When I’m staring at Darius Kastellanos’s perfectly handsome face.
“Evie?” Ryan prods me to answer.
“Darius is breathtakingly good looking. He’s got stop-you-in-your-
tracks kind of looks.” I wave my hand from my head to my toes. “And
I’m… me.”
“I happen to think you’re pretty fucking fabulous.” Ryan’s always quick
to remind me of my self-worth.
“I know you do. But you’re a gay man, who likes taut abs and dick.”
He shrugs. “Guilty. But as a man, I still have an appreciation for the
female form, and you are beautiful. Everyone can see that, except you.”
“You’re so sweet.” Tugging my hands free of his hold, I wrap my arms
around his lean waist and rest my cheek on his chest. “Why did you have to
realize you’re gay? We could’ve had a great life together.”
His chest bounces under me from laughter. “We have a great life
together, Evie. We’ll always be best friends. I think you and I both know it’s
time for you to get out there and date.”
I look up at him and arch a brow. “What about you?”
“That’s a little more complicated, and I’ll get there in time.”
“How do you figure? Because of Tillie?”
 “Of course. She’s always at the forefront of every decision I make.”
“I worry about introducing her to someone too. Obviously I’m going to
hold off until I know he’s worthy of meeting her. Wouldn’t you do the
same?”
He nods. “Absolutely.”
I playfully poke his chest. “Then you have no excuses to keep you from
dating.”
“Speaking of dating, don’t you need to get ready?” he asks.
“Oh, shit. I don’t know what to wear.”
“Wear your favorite jeans and a sweater. You’ll be warm enough if
you’re outside and you’ll be comfortable.”
“Why can’t you be one of the fashionable gay guys who offer their best
friends solid clothing advice?”
He laughs. “No one’s perfect.”

I’m waiting in the mudroom when Darius’s truck pulls into the driveway. I
dart outside, locking the door behind me. I’ll introduce him to Ryan some
other time. That is if he even wants another date with me after tonight. I
come with a lot of baggage that a lot of guys would be intimidated to take
on.
Darius steps from the driver’s side, smiling, and meets me in front of his
truck.
“Hi.” He catches one of my hands, drawing me closer. His strong arms
briefly close around me, gently squeezing. My hands slide along the soft
plaid material of his shirt to wrap around him. We hold each other for an
extra beat before he steps back. His dark gaze skims over me.
“You look amazing.”
My fingers clutch the bottom of my V-neck sweater, tugging down. I’m
already regretting listening to Ryan. I’d be more comfortable in a loose
hoodie, but I know that’s hardly second-date-worthy clothing.
“Thanks. So do you.” I’ve never been a fan of beanies, but the black one
covering his hair looks sexy on him. His eyes seem even more piercing
without his hair falling across his forehead. He wears his flannel shirt
untucked and unbuttoned over a black t-shirt. He looks uber manly, and I
like it a lot.
Who knew I had a thing for lumberjacks?
Opening the passenger side door, he assists me on my climb up. I settle
onto the smooth leather seat before he closes me inside.
A wave of panic hits me. Why am I going on this date? I’m probably
wasting his time as well as mine. I’m reaching for the door handle when he
climbs into the driver’s side. I quickly snatch my hand back, but when I turn
my head his way, he’s looking. Crap.
“Everything okay?”
I trap my bottom lip between my teeth and nod.
“Are you sure?” he persists.
I nod again.
“Evie, I need you to communicate with words.” He softens his voice.
“When I got in the truck you were reaching for the handle. Are you
anxious? Or did you change your mind about tonight?” His dark brows
pinching together, he studies my face, searching for an answer.
My lip slips free of my teeth. “I panicked for a moment and was about
to get out of the truck when you got in.”
“Why did you panic?”
I press back against the warm seat. “Aside from our dinner last night, I
haven’t been out on a date with anyone besides Tillie’s dad. And that was
years ago.”
“Are you nervous about going out with me?” he asks.
“No, it’s not you at all. I was thinking about being a single mom and all
the baggage that I bring along with me. I don’t want to waste your time.”
“How would you be wasting it?”
“By keeping you from someone with a less complicated past.”
“Wait a minute.” He angles his head to the side, his eyes still locked on
mine. “I can spend my time however I want, right?”
“Of course.”
“Well, I want to spend the next few hours with a beautiful, intelligent
woman who I happen to find fascinating. That’s all my intentions are for
tonight. Let go of all your worries and expectations.” The back of his
fingers gently brush my cheek. “Can you do that?”
My lips curve upward and I nod. “Yes.” I’ll try.
His hands clap together one time. “Let’s do this, then.”
 I fasten my seat belt as he backs out and begins driving down my street.
“Where are we going?” I ask.
“I have a surprise for you. I think you’re going to love it.”
I have little doubt he’s correct, which should be reassuring but causes
more concern. If Darius keeps doing everything right, I won’t be able to
resist him. If I can’t resist him, he’ll steal my heart in no time.
OceanofPDF.com
CHAPTER 8
DARIUS

EVIE STARES up at the large sign above the windows. “No Doze Cafe.
That’s a cute name.”
“It’s more literal than you probably realize. This place is open twenty-
four hours a day.”
“Who drinks coffee in the middle of the night?” she asks.
“It’s right next to a couple of college campuses and a hospital,” I
answer.
“That explains the crazy hours, then.”
Tugging on her hand, I lead her along with me. “They’re rumored to
have the best coffee in the city.” I open the door and we step inside.
“Mmm,” Evie hums. “It smells wonderful.”
“Come on.” Our hands still joined, we walk to the front counter.
“Can I help you?” The barista gives us a welcoming smile.
“Hi, I’m Darius and this is Evie. I called earlier and spoke to Jane about
sampling some coffee.”
“Yes, you spoke with me. If you’ll have a seat, I’ll bring everything to
you.”
“Thank you.” I draw Evie with me over to a booth along the far side of
the room. There are only a few other customers here, but I want as much
privacy as possible.
“So, we’re drinking coffee? Do you want me to stay up all night?” She
smiles teasingly at me from across the table.
“Don’t worry, I made sure we’re sampling decaf only.”
“Really?”
“Yes.”
 “What made you choose this place?” she asks, propping her chin on her
fist.
“One of my friends always raves about this place, so I know it’s good.
When I was trying to come up with an idea of where to bring you, it
occurred to me that I don’t know much about what you like and dislike, but
I do know you love coffee. I figured this would be a safe idea for a second
date that you’d enjoy.”
“I like how you put some thought into planning it.”
“Let’s not blow it out of proportion. It’s a casual night out enjoying
coffee together, not a full course meal at a top Michelin rated restaurant
followed by the opera.”
“Do you think I’m someone who’d want to go on the date you just
described?” She watches me closely, as if this is some kind of test and
continuing our date will depend on my answer.
“No, I don’t. Like I said, I don’t know you well. I’m hoping that will
change over time. From what I’ve observed so far, you seem to enjoy
getting out but you don’t like to stay out for more than a couple of hours.
I’m assuming that’s because you have Tillie to get home to.”
“That’s a fairly accurate observation. Are you sure you’re not a
detective or a psychologist?”
I shrug one shoulder. “You can learn a lot if you care enough to listen.”
Jane, the barista, appears beside the table and places a tray of drinks
down between us. “There are five iced coffees for you to enjoy. There’s a
card listing what’s in each one. There’s also a large cup of hot coffee for
you.” She tips her chin toward me. I’m not an iced coffee drinker, so I made
sure there’d be something for me. “Cream, sugar, and straws are all there. If
you need anything else, please give me a shout.”
“Thank you,” I call out as she returns to the counter area.
Evie’s lips stretch into a grimace. “Jeez, I don’t think I can drink all
these.” She adds a straw to one of the tall cups.
“You don’t have to,” I reassure her. “Try them out and see how they
compare to your venti iced coffee with extra ice, skim milk, white chocolate
mocha, caramel drizzle on the inside of the cup, and vanilla cold foam.”
“I can’t believe you still remember my order.” She looks impressed.
“Like I said, you can learn a lot if you care enough to listen.”
“I better be careful, you might learn too much.” Her pink lips wrap
around the straw, transfixing my attention. She sucks the foamy mixture
into her mouth. Her eyes close when she swallows and then snap open.
“This is amazing.” She picks up the small card. “It’s a pumpkin latte, one
pump of maple pecan sauce, seven pumps of pumpkin sauce, light caramel
drizzle, light foam, autumn sugar topping, extra vanilla powder, light whip,
and extra pumpkin topping.”
“I should’ve brought a bandana to cover your eyes and made you guess
what they are.”
She laughs. “I don’t think you’ve earned enough of my trust yet to
blindfold me.”
“How long does that take?” I wink.
“More time than most guys can deal with,” she retorts.
“I’m not most guys. And you’re not being timed by me. Our
relationship will progress at the pace you’re comfortable with.”
She raises an eyebrow. “We’re in a relationship?”
“You know what I mean.”
“I really don’t. But I’d like to hear it from your own lips.”
“I like you… a lot. The time we spend together always seems so natural
and easy. In some ways, it feels like I’ve known you for years.”
“I feel that way too. You’re comfortable for me to be around.”
“But at the same time, I find you insanely attractive,” I say. I don’t want
her to get some silly notion in her head that I don’t physically want her. I
fucking do.
She tucks her chin to her chest and looks down, as if she’s embarrassed
by my candidness. But then her blue eyes flick upward once more. “I’m
sure you don’t need me to tell you how strikingly good looking you are.
Obviously, I’m also attracted to you. I mean, I don’t make out with just
anyone.”
“Just so you’re aware, I don’t either. You might want to get drinking
those coffees so we can make out again before you need to go home.”
Smiling, she adds a straw to the second cup. “Point taken.” Raising the
cup, she takes a long sip. When she places it back on the table, she doesn’t
say anything at first. She licks her lips. “This one is also really good, but the
first one is better.”
She continues the process until she’s tried them all. I’m sitting back,
sipping on my black coffee, and enjoying watching her. Her lively facial
expressions tell me her opinion on each drink before she verbalizes it. She’s
so animated in general, I don’t think she could hide how she’s feeling if she
tried.
“Do you play poker?” I ask.
She wrinkles her nose. “That’s a weird question.”
“Do you?”
“Nope. I’ve never learned. But I play a mean game of Go Fish.”
“That’s good to know.”
“Why did you ask me about poker? Do you play in a league or
something?”
I smile. “No. I was thinking you wouldn’t be good at it because
everything you’re feeling shows on your face. Everyone would know if you
had a winning or losing hand.”
She reflexively touches her cheek. “Really? I guess I never noticed.”
“It’s not a bad thing.”
“I’m not sure it’s a good trait to have either. That means when
someone’s pissing me off at work they can tell.”
I nod. “Most definitely.”
“Oh well.” She shrugs, picking up the first drink again. “I don’t like
most of the people I work with anyway.” Her lips wrap around the straw as
she takes a deep pull, hollowing out her cheeks. I’m trying to behave and
not think about what her full lips would look like wrapped around my dick,
but I’m not having much luck. And the instant response taking place inside
my pants has me leaning forward to place my arms on the table.
“Have you chosen a favorite yet?” I ask to distract myself.
“It’s between this one”—she holds up the cup currently in her hand
—“and the last one.”
“Are you working tomorrow?” I ask.
“Yes, but I’m out at three, which I prefer. I like to be able to see Tillie
right after school. She likes to chatter about her day when she first gets off
the bus.”
“When you’re at the shop, what does she do?”
“Her dad works from home, so she’s with him.”
“Where does he live?”
She places the cup down and licks her lips before wiping her mouth
with her napkin. Her eyes dart around the cafe.
Is she nervous about answering me?
 She finally meets my curious gaze. “He lives on the other side of the
duplex from me.”
My muscles tense up when I realize what she said. “You live in the
same house?”
“It’s two separate homes in one. He has his side and I have mine.”
“That’s convenient.” I’m not happy about what I learned. She basically
still lives with her ex.
“It really is,” she replies, misconstruing my reply.
“How did the two of you end up in the duplex?”
“Ryan purchased the property a few years ago, and I pay rent to live in
my half. Of course, he doesn’t charge me what he could get from a stranger
living there. But he thought it was the perfect solution to raising Tillie
together without being a couple. And so far, it’s worked out fantastically for
us.”
“Fantastic,” I droll.
Her eyebrows lower as she frowns. “Am I sensing some sarcasm?”
“Maybe a little. You have to admit, it’s not an average living
arrangement between two exes.”
“No, it’s not, but in my opinion that’s something to be proud about.
Tillie has access to both of her parents any time she needs us.” Her tone
turns a little icy.
“I can see how that would be a benefit.”
“Look, I get how you might be skeptical about me living so close to
Ryan, but if we’re going to continue to date, you’re going to need to trust
me.”
“I understand that. But I’m sure if the situation were reversed, you’d
have some reservations.”
She nods her agreement.
“This doesn’t change my mind about anything to do with us. I still want
to continue spending time with you,” I say.
“Good. I think once you meet Ryan, and see us together, you’ll realize
there are no romantic feelings between the two of us.”
“Probably,” I say, but I’m not sure I believe that. What guy in his right
mind wouldn’t want Evie? She’s the total package. He could be biding his
time, hoping they’ll end up back together at some point.
“I decided which is my favorite coffee,” she says.
 “Which one?” I ask, glad for the change of subject. I don’t want our
time together to be wasted and lost in negative thoughts.
“The first. They’ve all been amazing but nothing hits the same way that
one does. I now have a new favorite iced coffee drink to order.”
“Keep the card with all the details so you can have it again sometime.”
“Does that mean you’re going to bring me back here?” She looks
hopeful.
“Does that mean you want me to?” I counter.
She smiles. “Definitely.”
“Then we’ll come back here again soon.”

“You’re quiet,” I say. “Something on your mind?”

“Oh, sorry.” She laughs. “I was trying to remember if I have clean work
clothes for the morning. Being an adult is so exciting.”
“Right? I have an all new appreciation for my parents now that I’m on
my own.”
“I wish I could agree with you on that, but I think it’s the opposite for
me. Being on my own and raising Tillie has made me even more aware of
my own parents’ shortcomings. I hope I can be everything Tillie needs in a
mother. One thing I know with absolute certainty is she’ll never have to
wonder if she’s loved. And she’ll know my love isn’t conditional.”
“I haven’t met Tillie, but you seem like a wonderful mom to me. She’s
lucky to have you.”
“I’m the lucky one.”
I pull the truck into her driveway, stopping behind her car. Glancing at
the clock, I see it’s ten thirty.
“She’ll be asleep now?” I ask.
“Oh God, yes. She went to bed before I left and she’s been a sound
sleeper since she was a baby.”
“Does she stay with you at night or her dad?”
“Tonight, she’s in her room at Ryan’s. Tomorrow night, she’ll be in her
room at my house.”
“Do the two of you have a set schedule you follow?”
 “No, nothing concrete. It depends on my work schedule. If I’m home
close to her bedtime, she sleeps at Ryan’s. It’s easier and less stressful on
everyone that way. And even when she’s at her dad’s, she’s still near me.”
“Right.”
“I don’t want to cut our time together short but I need to get to sleep
soon. I’m not an early morning person and tomorrow I need to pretend I
am.”
I snicker. “I hear you. I have an early start too.”
“Next time we go out, I want to hear more about your job and your
family. You’re a great listener, but I don’t want our conversations to be all
about me.”
“You’re more interesting than I am,” I say. I don’t want to share the
details of my profession yet. Being some average guy with her has been
such a nice change.
“I’m sure that’s not true, and I plan to find out,” she warns.
We step out of my truck at the same time and meet at the front. I capture
her small hand, threading our fingers together. The lights on my truck
illuminate the slate pathway. Her warm palm is soft against mine, and I
imagine what her bare skin would feel like under my caresses. I can’t wait
to find out.
We stop in front of her door and turn to face each other. I give her hand
a little squeeze before I let go to clutch her hips and pull her closer.
“I had a great night with you,” I say.
She smiles up at me. “I did too.”
In my mind, I quickly run through my game schedule for the week.
“Are you free on Wednesday night?” I ask.
“I think that works.”
“Keep the night free if you can. I’ll talk to you before then to make
sure.”
“Sounds great.”
My arms close around her as my face lowers. I brush my lips against the
silken skin on her neck. Her head falls to the side, allowing me to press a
string of kisses under her jawline.
The subtle scent of her perfume teases my nostrils, like a field of
wildflowers in the heat of summer. It makes me wish I could lay her down
on a patch of soft grass and ravish every inch of her with my fingers and
tongue.
 I nip the tip of her chin and hover over her upturned mouth that’s poised
for my kiss. Her breath tickles my lips as I connect them to hers. Our
tongues tangle together in a dance as old as time.
My stomach buzzes with energy, as if a live wire is loose inside me. I’ve
heard people talk about butterflies in their stomachs, but I’ve never
experienced it firsthand.
At least not until I kissed Evie. And now I realize what I’ve been
missing out on.
What I’m feeling is different from sexual desire alone. It’s more
complex and laced with excitement. Like I’m standing on a platform about
to bungee jump over a ravine.
My hands glide from the small of her back down to cup and squeeze her
full ass cheeks. A moan slips from her, and my erect cock grows even
harder. Shifting my foot, I notch my thigh between her legs and she
immediately responds, grinding against me.
Gripping her hips, I rock her back and forth along my bulging
quadricep, wishing it were another bulging part of me. She releases a
breathy moan into my mouth in response.
Our kiss deepens, turning into something wet and wild. Teeth clashing
together, we’re almost feral with need.
Evie gasps against my mouth and clutches my shoulders as her orgasm
hits.
Swallowing the rest of her passionate cries, I hold her tightly as the
waves of release rocket through her.
My palms leisurely roam over her back, and my lips gentle on hers as
she comes down from the orgasmic high.
Her breaths are still labored when she slowly blinks a few times. “Oh
my God.” She drops her face into my chest. “I can’t believe that just
happened.”
“Hey.” Cupping her face, I tip her head backward until I can see her
eyes. “Don’t be embarrassed. You’re so goddamn sexy, I almost came too.”
She snorts.
“I’m serious. That was the hottest thing I’ve ever seen.” I press a kiss to
the tip of her nose and then to her lips. “Get inside before I decide to steal
you away with me.”
She smiles. “I’m not sure anyone would notice.”
“Don’t say that unless you want to come with me.”
 “As tempting as that offer is, I have work early in the morning,” she
says.
My arms tighten around her for a final squeeze. I don’t want to let her
go. “We’ll talk soon.” I turn her toward the door. “I want to make sure you
lock up.”
She reaches in her purse and I hear the jangle of keys before she
unlocks the door. When she’s inside she turns to face me once more.
“Thank you for a great night.”
“You’re welcome. I had a nice time too.”
“Goodnight.” She blows me a kiss and locks the door.
Gripping the knob, I give it a tug, checking to make sure it’s bolted
fully.
With the aid of my bright headlights, I clearly see her roll her eyes
through the glass panes. I roll mine back at her. Realizing her mistake, she
covers her mouth. I laugh as I walk back to my truck.
OceanofPDF.com
CHAPTER 9
EVIE

KICKING OFF MY WORK SHOES, I set them on the mudroom

shelf. Unlocking the door, I release a relieved groan when I step inside. I’m
glad to be home. My shift at the salon felt endless and my clients were
difficult to work with.
Unfortunately, so were their owners. I found myself counting down the
hours until I could leave even more than usual. On top of that, my tips were
less than I was hoping for.
I toss my keys and purse down on the kitchen counter and grab a bottle
of water from the fridge. Twisting off the cap, I raise it to my lips and
swallow down a large gulp. I’m about to drink some more when knuckles
rap against my door. I set the bottle down on the counter.
“For fuck’s sake,” I mumble as I stomp across the floor and yank the
door open without looking. I know it’s either Ryan or someone he let in.
“Hey!” Wendy, Ryan’s sister waves both hands at me.
I can’t hold back my smile. “Hi! Get in here.”
She leaps forward, wrapping her arms around me. Holding me tightly,
she rocks us side to side. “I’m so happy to see you.”
“I’m so glad you’re here. I didn’t know you were in town,” I say.
Wendy was my best friend before I became Ryan’s girlfriend. We’ve known
each other since elementary school. She lives over an hour away, so I don’t
get to see her as much as I’d like.
“Come on over and have a seat. You can fill me in on everything that’s
been going on with you.”
She follows me to the couch and sits down facing me. “From what my
brother told me, you’re the one who has news to share.” She wiggles her
pointer finger in my direction. “Start spilling all the details.”
 Annoyed, I click my tongue against the back of my teeth. “Freaking
Ryan and his big mouth.”
“He only told me because he knows you’d fill me in sooner or later.”
“There’s not much to tell yet. I met a guy and I’ve been out with him a
few times. So far he seems too good to be true.”
“Oh, Jesus. Don’t start getting paranoid.”
I shake my head. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Just because he’s a nice guy it doesn’t mean he’s hiding who he is from
you.”
I raise my hands in a what the fuck gesture. “I never said he was.”
She throws a skeptical look my way. “I know you. You’re already
wondering what’s secretly wrong with him. Like he must be pretending to
be nice when he’s really an asshole.”
“God, I hate that you know me so well.” I stomp my foot against the
hardwood floor. “Dammit. It’s not fair.”
“Girl, I know you better than you know yourself.”
I nod. “As sad as that is, I think you’re right.”
“So, what’s this mystery man’s name and how did you meet?”
“His name is Darius.” I continue to fill her in on the details of how we
met and how he took me out for coffee.
She laughs. “I can’t believe you screwed up and dyed his dog’s hair.”
I scrunch my nose up, wrinkling the skin below the bridge. “I’m still
cringing about that.”
She shrugs. “At least it worked out for the best. What happened after
that night?”
“I didn’t see him for a couple of weeks. When I came out of work at the
end of my shift one evening, he was waiting in the parking lot. We walked
to a pizza place by the harbor and had dinner.”
“And then what?”
“We took a walk through the park and he kissed me by the fountain.”
“The pineapple one?”
“Yep.”
“I love that fountain. How was the kiss? Was it hot?” She wiggles her
dark eyebrows.
I sigh like a lovesick teenager. “It was incredible.”
“Where else have you gone with him?” she asks.
So, I tell her about our date last night.
 “Did you put out?”
“Wendy!” I slap the couch cushion next to me. “No, I didn’t.”
“Well, something must’ve happened. Your cheeks are turning more pink
by the second.”
I roll my eyes. “Ugh. You’re such a pain in the ass.” I glance at Wendy
and she’s gesturing for me to get on with it. “Fine. If you must know, I rode
his thigh to an orgasm while we made out.”
“Yes!” She throws her fist high in the air, making me laugh. Everyone
should have a friend like Wendy who celebrates all of life’s victories with
them whether they’re big or small.
“At least you know it still works.” She cackles.
I’m tempted to take back every good thought I just had about her.
“Ha ha. You’re so hilarious.”
“I know I am.” She grins cheesily. “When are you going out with him
again?”
“We made a tentative plan for later this week, but he said we’ll talk
before then.”
“How much do you like him? Does this thing between you have
relationship potential?”
Pausing, I take a moment to think about her questions and assess my
feelings for him. I’ve been doing my best to keep myself from overthinking
and analyzing every little thing Darius says or does. I’m not a teenager
anymore. I have responsibilities, and I can’t be mooning over some hot guy
after a couple of dates. But being levelheaded about romance is harder than
it should be, no matter what age you are. Romance is the great equalizer
that makes everyone do dumb shit they’re sure to regret.
“I like him. He’s sexy and fun to be with. Beyond that, I’ve got no
expectations. If things progress, that’s great, and if not, c’est la vie.” Lies.
All lies.
“That’s a healthy attitude to have and very unlike the Evie I know and
love.”
“I’m growing up, Mom,” I joke.
“I’m sure you are, but I’m still skeptical that you’re putting up a brave
front for me. Or it’s possible you’re flat out lying to avoid hearing me spout
off.”
Although I avoid looking at her, I feel the intensity of her eyes on me
and I know what she’s going to say before she speaks.
 “You might as well admit you’re lying so we can move on,” she says.
“Grrr. You’re so goddamn annoying.”
“And you love me.”
“I do. But sometimes I want to be left alone with my denial. Why must
you make me come clean every fucking time? No one likes a know-it-all,
Wendy.” I stick my tongue out at her like we’re still teenagers.
“It’s for your own good. I’m the friend who makes sure you keep it real.
You don’t need to sugar coat things with me or downplay them.”
“I know that.” When you grow up with parents who are perpetually
displeased with everything you do, you feel the need to downplay things.
“Are you hoping things will get serious with Darius?” she asks.
“It’s too soon to say. That’s the best answer I can give you for now. I
have mixed emotions about the possibility of being in a relationship with
him. Would it be awesome to have someone who cares about me that I can
have steaming-hot sex with? Hell yes. But… having a boyfriend would also
complicate my life. Every time we’d go out, I’d feel like I should be home
with Tillie.”
“Not if you’re going out after she’s asleep,” Wendy reminds me.
“I’d have less time to myself than I already do. The hours after Tillie is
in bed is the only time I don’t have to do anything for anyone else. I’d be
sacrificing that to be with Darius.”
“Yeah, but if he’s a god in bed, is it really a sacrifice?”
I nod. “True. But he might not be. I don’t know yet.”
“That’s an easy enough fix. You need to have sex with him ASAP.”
I laugh. “Sure.”
Wendy holds up a finger. “Hear me out. If he’s a dud, you can end
things before you get more emotionally invested. If he’s as good as he
seems like he’ll be, then he’s a keeper.”
As much as it pains me to admit it to myself, Wendy could be on to
something here. I haven’t had sex in five years. That’s a long fucking time. I
deserve to have sex. A lot of hot sex.
“It’s not the craziest idea I’ve ever heard,” I admit.
“I think it’s a fabulous idea. Consider it research at this point. How long
does it take before a hymen grows back?”
I hold up my middle finger in her direction. “It doesn’t grow back.”
She laughs. “So, are you on board with the have sex ASAP plan?”
 Am I? This is a big step for me. Ryan is the only man I’ve ever been
with. There wasn’t any real passion between us, but we were both too
young to realize something was missing. But then again, I’ve never
experienced passionate sex. Maybe it doesn’t really exist. Maybe people
exaggerate how great it is so they don’t feel like they’re missing something.
Wendy clears her throat, impatient for my answer.
“Yeah, for lack of a better idea, I guess I’m going with your plan. As out
of character as it seems for me, I would like to know if there’s potential for
more with Darius.”
“He could be amazing in bed and you still decide you don’t want to
pursue a relationship. That doesn’t mean you can’t be friends with
benefits.”
I’m not the type to have no-strings sex. Well, I guess I can’t really say
that because I don’t really know if I am or not. At twenty-four years old,
this is the first time I’d be entering into a sexual relationship as an adult. It
sounds outrageous, but it’s true.
OceanofPDF.com
CHAPTER 10
EVIE

MY ALARM on my phone alerts me to the time.

“Want to come sit outside with me? I need to get Tillie from the bus.”
“Sure. How is that little cutie anyway?”
“She’s great, growing taller every day. Do you want some water or a
soda?” I grab my bottle from the counter.
“No, thanks. I’m all set. Ryan fed me lunch.”
“Your brother cooks better than anyone I know. I blame the size of my
ass on him.”
Wendy laughs. “If I lived closer, I’d be over all the time to mooch
meals.”
Passing through the mudroom, I slip some flip flops on before we step
outside and walk to the front lawn. We each sit in an Adirondack chair and
put our feet up on the footrests.
The sun pleasantly warms the top of my head. “I love early March.
Spring is coming and it’s the perfect weather to be outside without it being
too hot.”
Wendy gives a small shiver. “It’s still a little chilly for me, but it sure
beats winter. Is Tillie doing any sports or activities?”
I groan and turn my head toward Wendy. “She wants to learn to ice
skate.”
“Of course she does.” She snickers.
“It’s not funny.”
“Yeah, it kind of is. Besides, did you really think with your father
coaching an NHL team for her entire life, she wouldn’t be interested in
learning to skate at some point?”
 “I haven’t given much thought to it at all. I don’t think about my dad’s
job. And I certainly don’t think about hockey or hockey players. I could
bump into the entire Charleston Coyotes team and I probably wouldn’t
know a single one. Unless they’ve been on the team for ten plus years.”
“Is that how long it’s been since you went to a game?”
“Yep. I was fourteen and still holding out hope that my dad would
notice me and suddenly start acting like a loving parent. But he didn’t. He’s
always chosen his smelly-ass hockey team first, and he always will.”
Wendy laughs.
“What?” I ask.
“Smelly-ass hockey team.” She continues laughing.
“It’s not a secret that hockey players stink. If I think about it too much, I
can recall their exact scent. It’s an overpowering combination of cheesy feet
and sweaty pits mixed together. And the craziest thing of all is, I could
smell them the minute they walked into the ice rink. I’m talking about
before they got dressed in their gear or had even worked out. I’m assuming
their pads are part of why they reek, but if that’s the case, why don’t they
spray them with some disinfectant or something? Do they like to smell
awful?”
“I’m sure there are new ways to clean their gear. It’s been ten years
since you were there. Maybe they smell better now,” Wendy says.
“I doubt it.” My eyes briefly squeeze shut like I’m in pain. “Bleh.” I
could literally gag from thinking about it. I shake my head, trying to rid
myself of the memories.
“Well, when you take Tillie to skating lessons, you can do some
research on whether hockey players still stink,” Wendy suggests with a
mischievous bent.
“She can learn when she’s old enough to drive herself. I’m not taking
the chance she’ll want to play hockey. My dad would no doubt stick his
nose in and push her in that direction. I always tell her she can be anything
she wants, but I draw the line at her playing hockey.”
The yellow bus pulls up, stopping in front of the house. I wave to the
driver as Tillie comes down the stairs. Once she’s on the sidewalk, she
yells, “Auntie Wendy,” and runs over to us. I get a quick hug before she’s
jumping into Wendy’s lap.
“How’s my little Tillie Bean?”
“I’m not a bean, Auntie Wendy.”
 “Are you sure about that? You’ve always been my little Tillie Bean and
you always will be”
Tillie places her hands on Wendy’s cheeks, making sure all her focus is
centered on her. “I’m not a little Tillie Bean. I’m just Tillie.”
“Oh, okay. I got confused for a minute,” Wendy says.
“Are you staying for dinner?” Tillie asks.
Wendy shakes her head. “I wish I could, but I need to get home.”
“Aww, that’s not fair,” my daughter whines.
“Tillie, it’s not fair for you to make auntie feel bad for needing to get
home. I’m sure if she could stay, she would.”
“I’m sorry.” Looking contrite, she wraps her arms around Wendy’s
neck, hugging her tightly.
“Oh my God,” Wendy mouths at me before her eyes close. She holds
Tillie as long as she allows, savoring the unexpected affection.
“Tillie, why don’t you use the bathroom and wash your hands, and I’ll
get you a snack.”
“Okay, Mommy.” She slides off Wendy’s lap, picking up her backpack
from the ground.
“I’ll see you soon, Tillie,” Wendy says.
“Bye, Auntie.” She skips off toward the door without another word.
“Last year she’d get off the bus, give me a big hug, and chatter nonstop
about her day. Now, I barely get a hug hello. I love that she’s growing up,
but it makes me sad at the same time. That’s another reason why the idea of
a relationship scares me. I don’t want to miss a single minute with her.”
“I can understand why you feel that way, but it’s not healthy for you to
spend every minute with her even if you could. You need to have time to
yourself, and I don’t mean the hours you spend at work.”
“I guess.”
“I’m not making this up. It’s a fact. Stick with the sex ASAP plan,
because he could be a dud in bed, and until you know for sure, you may be
worrying about nothing.”
I curl my lip at the thought of Darius not being a good lover. That would
be a massive disappointment. “God, I hope he’s as amazing as I think he’ll
be. I could really use some great sex with someone other than myself.”
Wendy sputters until it turns into laughter. She raises up her index and
middle finger, keeping them pressed together, and winks salaciously before
she wraps one over the other. “Fingers crossed he turns out to be the orgasm
king.”

I’m lying in my bed on the verge of sleep when I hear the text notification
on my cell phone.
“Who the fuck is this at ten at night?” I say to myself right before I
glance at the screen.

Hi. How’s your Monday been?

Seeing his name instantly brings a smile to my face and any anger I was
feeling dissipates.

It was good, thanks. How about you?

It was okay. It would’ve been better if I got to see you.

He always knows just what to say. He’s either a giant cinnamon roll of a
man or a total bullshit artist. I’m leaning toward the former.
That’s sweet. I would’ve liked to have seen you too.

After I send the text, I realize just how much I mean those words.

Any plans for tomorrow?

I have the later shift at the salon.

I have to work late too and then I’m getting together with
some of my friends from work.

Eww, you like your co-workers? That must be nice. I wouldn’t

know. lol.

Some are better than others, but for the most part it’s a solid
group of guys.

It sounds like some boy’s club women aren’t welcome in. But that can’t
be. There must be some women at his workplace. Maybe they don’t invite
them out for drinks.

That’s nice. I hope you have fun tomorrow night.

Thanks. Don’t work too hard tomorrow.

I’ll try not to, but a lot of dogs aren’t as well behaved as
Brutus is.

That’s an understatement. With the amount of money the salon clients

spend on their dogs, you’d think they’d hire a trainer too.
That’s true. He’s one of a kind.

His dad’s not bad either.

I’m glad you think so.

I need to get to sleep so I can wake up on time.

I didn’t mean to keep you from your bed.

You didn’t. I’m in my bed. I just need to sleep.

What are you wearing?

I laugh and shake my head. It’s such a typical guy thing to ask.
Wouldn’t you like to know.

I’m not totally sucking at this flirting over text thing.

Yes. I would like to know. Please tell me.

I don’t think he wants to hear about me wearing one of Ryan’s old t-

shirts. If we take things further, I’m going to need something new to sleep
in.

A t-shirt and sleep shorts.

I bet you have great legs.

 You’ll have to wonder for now.

Oh, baby, I am.

In my head, I hear him say the words as I read them. Imagining his deep
voice turns me on.
Goodnight, Darius.

Goodnight, omorfia mou.

What does that mean?

My beauty.

OceanofPDF.com
CHAPTER 11
DARIUS

REMOVED from the busiest part of downtown Charleston, Brain Fog

Pub is a popular haunt of ours whenever we have a win at home. It’s a place
we can come where fans, for the most part, will leave us alone. Not that I
mind fans of our team. But after a win, I like to let loose with my boys and
not be treated like a professional athlete. We just want to celebrate our
victory and not have to worry about appearing on social media the next day.
On home game nights, Nikki, the owner’s daughter, keeps the right back
section open for us. Tonight is no exception and we settle around the
grouped tables.
Nikki immediately appears to take our order. “Congratulations, guys.
What’ll you have?” She writes on the small pad until she’s filled two pages
with our long list of beverages and endless order of appetizers. My stomach
rumbles in anticipation. I’m always ravenous after a game.
“We fought to the end and got the win,” Kaiden says, thumping the side
of his fist against the table.
Pushing my hair back from my eyes, I nod. “It was a little too close for
comfort. I don’t like when our wins come down to the final minutes.”
Ryder shrugs. “Hey, a win’s a win. Isn’t that what matters in the end?
They can’t all be pretty.”
“The playoffs are coming up and we need to skate better than we did
tonight if we want a shot at the cup,” Murphy adds.
He’s not wrong. We’ve had a record breaking season, but that will mean
jack shit if we don’t win it all.
“Here you go.” Nikki shows up with our drinks, setting them on the
table in front of us. “Your appetizers should be up soon.”
 “Thank you,” we chorus, each of us eagerly reaching for our drinks. My
ice-cold beer hits the spot as I drink down half the bottle. I don’t usually
have more than two or three drinks when I’m out but, for some reason,
tonight, I feel like pushing my limits.
Another reason we come to Brain Fog Pub is their private parking lot. If
we have to leave our vehicles and take an Uber home, we know they won’t
be towed before we can get them the next day.
“Okay, fellas, let’s toast to winning,” I suggest.
“Hell yeah,” Ryder shouts.
“To winning,” we chorus. Holding our beer bottles up to the center of
the table, we tap them together. The clang of glass is loud enough to be
heard over the eighties music coming from the jukebox.
Nikki and another waitress drop off our appetizers, along with plates
and a stack of napkins that could last a family of four at least a month.
“Anyone need anything else?” she asks.
We shake our heads and grunt to let her know all is well for now, and
she walks away.
None of us utter a single word for the next fifteen minutes. We’re too
busy shoveling the delicious food into our mouths. Nothing ever tastes
better than whatever we eat after a game, and I’m never hungrier. Racing
around the ice with all that gear on is no easy feat. Plus, it’s unbearably hot
and exhausting. Sometimes I don’t know how I’ll find the energy to push
into the next stroke. But then I dig deep down and find the scrap of strength
I have left and keep doing it until the game is over. And I never give up, no
matter what. Even when I’m playing like shit, I battle through, giving it my
all.
No one is ever going to question the level of heart I have or my love for
this game. And also for my team. They drafted me out of college, and I’ve
been with them ever since.
I wipe my mouth with a napkin and take a deep pull from my bottle.
“Damn, this hit the spot.”
“I could eat about three dozen more chicken tenders myself,” Kaiden
boasts.
“Not if you want to get lucky,” Ryder says.
“What does that have to do with anything?” I ask.
“He’ll be stuffed and ready to nap,” he explains.
Kaiden laughs. “I’ve been ready for a nap since the game ended.”
 I briefly clasp his shoulder. “Poor old man.”
He rolls his head from side to side. “Hey, thirty-two might feel ancient
in hockey years, but I’m still young enough to get all the attention I need
from the ladies.” He smiles back at a woman at a nearby table as if to prove
his point.
“You young bucks can do all the carousing while I go home and ice my
knees,” Ryder says in an imitation of Kaiden, and we all laugh, including
the man himself.
“Ride-her, don’t tease our captain too much or he’ll make you pay the
tab,” Murphy says, using the team’s nickname for Ryder. He earned it by
pulling so much pussy.
“I thought he already volunteered since he makes so much more than
any of us,” Ryder says.
Kaiden shrugs. “I haven’t paid for a night out in a while. I don’t mind.”
I shake my head. “I got this one.”
“Hey, guys,” a familiar female voice calls out.
“Hi, Cate,” Ryder is the first to answer the well-known puck bunny.
She bends down to sit on my leg and I put my arm up blocking her. She
sends me a questioning look before moving over to Ryder on the other side
of the table.
Kaiden turns his head toward me. “What was that about?”
“I didn’t want her to get the wrong impression,” I explain.
He nods slowly. “Some of these fans have a hard time hearing no.”
“Exactly. I don’t need to get caught up in a weird situation and then
have it be made a big deal of on social media.”
“Yeah, I’ve been there,” he says.
“What happened?” The question pops out before I think about whether
or not I should ask. And since I can’t draw the words back in, I add, “If you
don’t mind telling me.”
“No, I don’t. It happened ten years ago and was similar to the situation
you described. It was an innocent moment that was photographed and then
misconstrued by my then girlfriend.”
“What did she do?”
He laughs. “She broke up with me.”
“Dude, that sucks.”
“Does it really, though? At the time it was horrible, but looking back, I
think it was for the best. She didn’t believe me when I repeatedly told her
nothing happened. If someone really loves you, they shouldn’t take a
stranger’s word over yours.”
I tip my beer back, downing the remainder, and place the empty bottle
on the table. “That’s rough. But it sounds like you dodged a bullet.”
“Yeah, no doubt I did.”
“Where’s your ex now?”
“She married a classmate of ours and they have a couple of kids.”
“I’m surprised she’s not divorced,” I say.
“People can change. I like to think I’m a better man than I was back
then. If I was in a relationship now, I would do exactly what you did,
blocking Cate from sitting on your lap.” He drums his fingers on the table
and then he snaps his head toward me once again, like something just
occurred to him. “Are you in a relationship?”
Am I? I don’t know what to say.
I glance across the table to see if anyone else is listening, but Murphy is
texting on his phone and Ryder’s got his hands full, literally, with Cate.
“I’ve gone on a few dates with someone.”
“And you want more with this person?”
“I do. I like her a lot.”
“Then what’s the problem?”
“She’s a single mom.”
“Why is that a problem?”
“Evie doesn’t have much free time, and I’m not sure how she feels
about me.”
“You’re a good-looking, successful guy. Why wouldn’t she want to be
with you?”
“Did I mention, she doesn’t know who I am?”
“What the fuck, dude? Tell me you didn’t give her a fake name.”
“I gave her my real name but she doesn’t follow sports at all.”
“Are you sure she’s not bullshitting you about that? People who don’t
follow hockey can still see us on the news or social media.”
Rubbing the hair on my jaw, I replay the moment we met. There wasn’t
any hint of recognition there. And the subsequent times we went out there’s
been no visible reactions to make me think she’s aware of who I am. Even
when I told her what my last name is, she didn’t blink.
“No, there’s no way. I can tell she’s being honest.”
 “Why haven’t you told her what you do for work? Or maybe I should
ask what she thinks you do?”
“I haven’t told her because I like knowing she’s dating me for who I am
and not how much money I make or which team I play for. When we talked
about work, she asked if I was a trainer and I said that’s one of the hats I
wear.”
“You know the longer you go without confessing the truth, the more
pissed off she’s going to be when you finally have that conversation, right?”
“Yeah, I realize I’ve pushed it as long as I can. I’m thinking of inviting
her to the banquet.” Every year we have a dinner for all the team members
and their families after the end of the regular season.
“And tell her there?” He gives me a look like I’m certifiable.
“No. I’d explain everything before that night.”
He laughs. “Yeah, and then there’s no way she’s coming with you.
Besides, even if she wanted to attend, that could be an uncomfortable
situation to thrust someone in, especially someone who’s not familiar with
hockey.” He makes a good point.
“Yeah, you’re probably right. I really want to bring her, though. Evie’s
different from the women who hang around us after the games and in the
bars.”
“I’m glad you met someone nice.” His tone sounds wistful.
“Thanks. It might be time for you to settle down. I mean, you’re not
getting any younger.” I grin at him.
“Don’t remind me.”
“About settling down or that you’re old?”
“Both.” He laughs.
I notice Cate rising from Ryder’s lap. I elbow Kaiden’s arm so he can
watch how this unfolds. Ryder stands, taking hold of her hand, and leads
her to the back hallway. This isn’t anywhere near the first time we’ve seen
him do this with Cate or some other puck bunny. I’m not judging him for
taking what’s offered, but I’ve never been the kind of guy to go for the
hockey fangirls. I’ve always been a relationship kind of guy. I want
marriage and a family like my parents have.
“Bathroom sex. Classy,” Murphy says, and we laugh.
“He better wrap that rascal,” I say.
“He does,” Kaiden states.
“How do you know?” Murphy asks.
 “I’ve spoken with him about it. He’s young, dumb, and full of cum. I
wanted to make sure he wasn’t careless and putting his health in jeopardy.”
I laugh. “Aww, Dad, that’s so sweet.”
“Shut up,” Kaiden growls.
“He really loves us,” Murphy says, winking at me.
Kaiden shakes his head. “Don’t be too sure about that.”
OceanofPDF.com
CHAPTER 12
DARIUS

“HEY.” I can’t help but beam when Evie steps outside. It’s an automatic
reaction to how happy seeing her makes me. I couldn’t play it cool if I tried.
And judging by the way she’s smiling back at me, I think she’s feeling the
same. At least I hope she is.
She steps into my open arms and we both sigh. It’s only been a few days
since we’ve seen each other but it seems so much longer. Placing my
fingers under her chin, I tip her face up and lower down to reacquaint our
lips. Rising on her toes, she arches her body into mine and I deepen the
kiss. When we finally part, I drag in a long, drawn-out breath.
“That’s a hell of a way to start our date.”
“We’re starting off with a bang,” she says.
“I wish.” I wink at her.
She laughs. “Where are we going anyway?”
“When I texted you earlier you mentioned you were eating dinner with
Tillie, so I was thinking I’d take you out for an ice cream.”
“Ooh, I love that idea. Tillie eats dinner early, so by eight o’clock, I’m
always hungry for something.”
Can I please be that something?
I help her climb up into my truck. “I didn’t know Brutus was with you,”
she squeals, reaching back to pet him. He moves forward in the extended
cab to lick her cheek, and she giggles. “Well, hello to you too, big guy.”
Grinning at how adorable the two of them are together, I make my way
around to the driver’s side and slip behind the wheel. “Brutus, go sit down,”
I say, and he complies, jumping onto the bench seat.
“What a good boy you are,” Evie praises him before I can.
 For once there’s no traffic and the drive is over in a matter of minutes. I
chose a place with a walk up window so Brutus can come along. I fasten his
leash to his collar and the three of us get in line.
“I see Brutus’s color is still looking strong.” Evie rolls her lips inward,
holding back her smile.
“Yeah, a little too strong for my taste, but the groomer was hot as well
as apologetic, so it is what it is.” I shrug.
“So she was hot?” Evie asks, arching one eyebrow.
“Yep. Extremely hot.”
“You should take her out sometime.”
“I was thinking about it because she might be the perfect woman for
me. She likes ice cream and my dog.”
“Sounds like a winner to me,” she drolls.
I wrap my arm around her shoulders, drawing her into my side. I press
my lips against her temple, and whisper, “Did I tell you how happy I am to
see you?”
Her eyes lock with mine. “I don’t recall hearing those words.”
“Well, I am. This is the highlight of my week so far.” I’m not even
exaggerating. If I could capture how she makes me feel and bottle it up, I’d
be a billionaire. Who wouldn’t want to experience the plethora of emotions
filling my chest to capacity? Or the physical symptoms of falling for
someone that mimic what it’s like to ride a roller coaster.
We move up to the window and I place our order. Brutus nudges my leg
as if to remind me not to forget about him.
“I didn’t know they had dog ice cream here,” Evie says.
“It’s the only place I know of that does. Every once in a while, I buy
some for him when I grocery shop, but it’s not the same as going out for an
ice cream. Right, Brutus?” He rubs his head against my thigh in agreement.
Evie reaches down to scratch behind his ears. “He’s such a lover. It
bothers me how so many people are afraid of Pit Bulls. In my experience,
they’re such sweet and affectionate dogs.”
“Any dog has the potential to be bad with the wrong owners. It’s the
same as kids. If you grow up hearing you’re a piece of shit, you’re probably
going to turn out to be a piece of shit adult.”
She nods. “I agree, and clearly, you’re the right owner for this guy.” She
pats him on the head. “I love that you didn’t get his tail clipped or his ears
cropped.”
 “I didn’t see the point in doing that. He’s my pet. Actually, that’s not
true. He’s my best friend.”
Evie puts the back of her hand to her forehead in a dramatic fashion.
“Swoon.”
“What?” I laugh.
“I find a man who loves his dog so swoony. I don’t know why, but it
gets me in the feels.”
In my head I pump my fist in celebration.
“It’s the same when a man loves his child,” she adds.
Dammit. She had to ruin it.
“So you’re saying your ex makes you swoon?” Even I hear the jealous
bite in my voice.
“Sure, but not in the way you’re thinking.”
“What am I thinking?” I challenge.
“That it’s some fluttery feeling.” She clasps her hands in front of her
chest and tries to look lovestruck.
“Then what is it really?” I want to know. No, I need to know.
“It’s a gentle warmth in my chest, like when you see a puppy and you
say ‘aww, how cute.’”
The server passes our ice creams out the window, interrupting us before
I can reply. I hand over enough cash to cover the cost plus a generous tip.
Most of the kids working here are likely saving up for a car or for college.
We walk over to a picnic table and I straddle the bench, facing Evie.
Brutus lies down on the grass near my foot and I set his ice cream cup down
in front of him.
Watching Evie lick her half vanilla, half chocolate soft serve ice cream
is hell on earth. I want to become one with that ice cream cone. Jesus. Get a
grip, man.
I say the first thing that comes to mind. “You really don’t have any urge
to be with him in any way?”
“Huh?” She pauses her licking and looks confused.
“Your ex. You don’t ever wish you were still together or want to…” I
trail off.
“Want to what?” she prods.
Fuck me. She’s forcing my hand. I’m going to have to be the one to say
it.
“Have sex with him.” I spit the words out before I can change my mind.
 She makes a face of distaste. “Jesus, Darius. No. Just no.” And then,
within a millisecond, her entire expression shifts from displeased to
amused. She releases a noise that sounds like a hiccup but it’s really a
giggle. And then the floodgates open. She breaks into peals of laughter
while I smile, entranced by how fucking cute she is. When she finally
settles down, she wipes under each eye with her free hand and licks the ice
cream drips from her other hand.
“I’m sorry I lost it so badly.”
“No need to apologize. Besides, you have a great laugh.”
She licks the ice cream running down the side of the cone and wipes her
face with a napkin.
“There’s no reason for you to be concerned about Ryan and me being
romantically involved. I want to tell you something, but you have to
promise not to share it with anyone else.”
“That won’t be a problem.”
“I wasn’t planning to talk about this with you yet, but maybe now’s
when you need to hear it.” She spins the ice cream around her tongue until
she’s licked the entire circumference. Goddamn. “Ryan and I tried to make
things work out for Tillie. We stayed together until she was two years old,
but we knew we were fighting a losing battle. Our sex life had been dying a
slow death since Tillie was born, and it didn’t take long for both of us to
realize we were better friends than lovers. From that point on, Ryan and I
were never intimate again and neither of us wanted to be. It took him
another year before he confided in me that he thought he might be gay.” She
pauses to take in my reaction.
“I bet that was a shock to hear.”
“It was. I asked him how long he’d been feeling that way and he said it
was new. He’d recently met a man at a bar and they’d gone to his car to talk
and then fooled around. He said it was like a missing piece clicked into
place for him.”
“Did that upset you?”
“No. I didn’t care that he was gay. I felt bad it took him so long to work
out his sexual preference and the part I played in delaying that.”
“That wasn’t your fault or his. It’s just the circumstances,” I try to
reassure her.
“So do you feel better about Ryan and me?” she asks.
“I do. I’m sorry if I pushed you to share that before you wanted to.”
 “I was only waiting to make sure you and I were relationship worthy
and then I planned to tell you.”
“Does that mean you think we are?” I ask. Her answer will set us on the
path to a future or put an end to whatever we’ve begun.
Her blue eyes seize hold of me, and I lose my breath for a second. She
nods. “I do.”
I’m hit with a wave of euphoria. My lips crash a hard kiss against her
cold mouth. She tastes like ice cream and hope.
“Thank you,” I say.
“For what?”
“I know you’re nervous about starting a relationship.”
She laughs. “It’s too late for that. Aren’t we already in one? We just
haven’t made it official.”
“That works for me. The first night we had coffee, I realized how
special you are. And when I kissed you for the first time, I knew there was
no going back.”
“So you’re saying I already caught you in my snare?” she teases.
I tap the tip of her nose with my finger. “Yep. Hook, line, and sinker.”
We’ve just finished our ice cream cones when I notice a middle-aged
couple looking at me. I can tell they’ve recognized me. Fuck. Honestly, I’m
lucky it hasn’t happened before now.
“Why don’t you take Brutus to the truck while I throw our trash out.”
“Okay.” She hands me her crumpled napkins and I pick up Brutus’s
empty cup. No surprise that he licked it completely clean.
She takes the leash from me. “Come on, my love.” Brutus is happy to
follow her wherever she goes.
My love. Is it weird to be jealous of my dog?
I hurry toward the barrel and shove our trash inside, but before I can
turn around I hear a guy’s voice.
“Hey, man. You’re one of my favorite players. Can I get your
autograph?”
Spinning around, I find the same couple who were eyeing me. Dammit.
I can’t say no. But I don’t want Evie to see what’s going on.
“Sure.” I take the pen and paper from him, scrawl my name, and hand
them back. “Have a nice night,” I say, using my long legs to eat up the
distance between me and my truck. I’m not taking a chance that they’ll try
to engage me in a conversation.
 Evie and Brutus are already settled inside the truck when I join them.
“Do you know them?” she asks.
Fuck. Of course she saw us talking.
“Nope.”
“What did they want?”
“They’re new to the area and asked me to recommend a couple of
restaurants.”
“It’s weird that they had you write them down on paper. Don’t they have
cell phones?”
“Yeah. I thought so too, but I just went along with it.”
Stop talking. I scold myself. Because I feel so bad about not being
honest about my job, I’m over explaining the situation. I need to come clean
about my career. She deserves to know the truth.
OceanofPDF.com
CHAPTER 13
EVIE

DARIUS PARKS IN MY DRIVEWAY. “What’s your weekend

look like? I have a work function on Saturday night, and I’d love it if you’d
be my date.”
I’m about to agree when I remember I have a banquet to go to. I
promised my mother I’d attend after she pretty much begged me. My dad is
getting honored by the Charleston Coyotes for being their winningest
coach. As much as I don’t want to go, it’ll make my mom happy if I’m
there. She and I have a less troubled relationship now that I’m an adult and
out of their house. I can deal with my dad for a few hours in public. He’s
much nicer to me when there are others around.
“I wish I could go with you, but I have a family commitment that night.
I’ve been promising my mom I’d be there for months now. I can’t tell you
how many times she’s reminded me. So I can’t pretend I forgot about it, no
matter how much I’d like to.”
“Your mom sounds like mine,” he says.
“From what you’ve told me, you’re very close with yours.”
“I am. She’s one of my favorite people.”
“That’s so nice. My mom and I are a work in progress. I had a lot of
resentment toward her for how she didn’t stand up to my dad when he was
being unreasonable about me being pregnant with Tillie. But I guess part of
growing up means forgiving people for their mistakes.”
“Holding grudges and feeling resentment only hurts you. I’m a big
believer in being positive and expressing gratitude,” he says.
“Who are you? Are you sure you’re human?”
He laughs and pinches the skin on his arm. “I’m pretty sure I am, but I
can’t say what’s under this skin suit for sure.”
 “You’re such a genuinely nice person. I’m not sure I’m worthy of you,”
I say.
“Hey.” He reaches out a hand to cup my cheek. “Don’t ever think that.
You’re beautiful inside and out.”
I curl my fingers around his wrist, holding his hand in place. “Thank
you. However, there’s always room for improvement, and focusing on the
good in my life is something I need to do more of. Maybe some of your
awesomeness is rubbing off on me.”
“Before I go, I need to tell you some—”
“You’re not going anywhere but inside my house with me,” I say
forcefully, cutting him off.
His eyes go wide and then he grins. “If that’s what you want, that’s what
you’ll get. But what about Brutus? I can take him home if you want and
then come back.”
“No way. Brutus is always welcome at my house.”
“What about me?” he asks.
“I’m still undecided,” I tease, releasing my hold on his wrist.
He shuts off his truck and grabs his keys. “I guess my powers of
persuasion aren’t as effective as I thought. I’ll have to work on that.” He
opens the back door for Brutus while I get out my side.
“Do you mind if I walk him around the backyard before we go in?” he
asks.
“Go for it. Neither Ryan nor I have any pets, so it’s a clean slate for him
to mark.” And boy does he take advantage of that. I think he lifts his leg on
every inch of the perimeter.
“Brutus, really?” Darius tugs on his leash, and I laugh. “He should be
good now,” he says.
I snort. “He’d have to be, right?”
“You’d think.” He unhooks Brutus’s leash and sets it on the mudroom
bench.
We both remove our shoes and I tuck them out of the way. “Come on
into my humble abode,” I say, waving my arm in an arc. I lock the door
behind us and, before I can turn around, I’m hit with a paralyzing sense of
awkwardness. Darius is in my house, and I was the one who invited him.
Now what do I do?
He probably has expectations. Sexy expectations I’m not sure I can live
up to. I press my palms flat against the steel surface, bracing my weight.
 Darius comes up behind me. “What’s wrong, Evie?”
Unable to gather my thoughts, I simply shake my head. His hands go to
my shoulders, carefully pivoting me toward him. His concerned dark eyes
stare earnestly into my light ones. “Beautiful, talk to me.”
“It’s something silly,” I say.
“I doubt you’d be reacting like this over something silly.”
“I haven’t had sex in like five years,” I whisper.
“That’s okay.” His thumbs caress my shoulders. “It’s been a while for
me too.”
“Five years?” I ask, with a quirk in my eyebrow.
He chuckles. “No, not that long.”
“I’m a little nervous I won’t live up to any expectations you may have.”
“I don't have any expectations at all. If we sit on the couch side by side
and I get to hold your hand while we watch a movie, it’ll still be a perfect
night because I’m spending it with you.”
“Really?” I ask.
“Really. Let’s do something to take your mind off of how much you
want me and get Brutus a bowl of water.”
I laugh. “I don’t recall saying that.”
“It’s your eyes. I’ve seen you undressing me with them.” His brows
wiggle up and down.
I push back from his arms. “That’s some wishful thinking on your part.”
I move into the kitchen and grab a plastic bowl, filling it from the tap. I set
it down for Brutus and he slurps the water up, sending droplets all over the
floor outside the bowl.
“Sorry. He’s a sloppy mess when he drinks,” Darius says.
“So am I,” I confess.
“Really?” Darius’s eyes light with mischief.
“Too bad you’ll never get the opportunity to see me like that. I avoid
alcohol in all situations.”
“I bet you’re as adorable as always even when you’re drunk.”
“I’m entertaining, for sure.”
“Now you’ve got me intrigued. We may have to do an experiment
sometime. We can conduct it in a safe environment like here or my place.”
“What’s your house like? I’ve been meaning to ask you.”
“It’s a three-bedroom bungalow with a good-sized fenced-in yard for
Brutus to run around. I bought it last year and still haven’t begun any of the
projects I want to do.”
“You’ll tackle them when you’re ready,” I say.
“How are you at painting walls?” he asks.
“Are you talking about a mural or a solid color?”
“One color only.”
“That’s easy. We can knock it out in no time. I’ll do all the cutting in
and you can roll the color.”
“Will you paint some artwork for my walls?” His brown eyes plead
down at me.
“How do you know my paintings don’t suck?”
“Call it a hunch, but I’d be willing to bet my house that you’re
talented.”
I point at Brutus’s hindquarters. “It’s the rainbow leopard spots, right? I
painted the shit out of them.”
He laughs. “You did. You even made me a fan of them.”
“If you give me an idea of what you want, I’ll create it on canvas for
you.”
His lips press against my cheek in a fleeting touch.
“What’s that for?”
“My lips missed you.” His face hovers above mine.
“They missed my cheek?” I ask.
His mouth sweeps back and forth over mine. The contact is so slight,
but my body’s reaction is powerful. I’m burning for whatever he has in
store for me.
I whisper, “Kiss m—”
His mouth lands on mine, smothering the rest of the word. My arms
steal upward, encircling his neck as I hook one of my legs around the back
of his thigh.
Darius growls into my mouth and lifts me from my feet, sitting me on
the counter. My thighs part wider as he settles between them, pressing his
hardness to my softness. I push my pelvis forward, grinding against him.
Yes. I thought dry humping his leg was good, but his is so much better.
His muscular arms enfold me, molding our torsos together as if he can’t
bear for there to be an inch of space between us. My fingers thread into his
hair, raking through the thick strands as our mouths wage a hot, wet war.
I feel his hands on my waist before my shirt slowly climbs up my
stomach. Pulling back from our kiss, he draws the green material over my
head, then his heated gaze traces over every inch of my exposed torso. He
glides a finger from the hollow between my collarbones down to the deep V
between my breasts.
“Your skin is so soft.” He traces my flesh along the edge of my bra. The
sheer, gray material leaves nothing to the imagination.
“Eísai tóso ómorfos,” he whispers in Greek.
So fucking hot.
“What does that mean?”
His palm cups my shoulder before sliding down my arm in a long,
smooth caress. “You’re so beautiful. Eísai tóso ómorfos,” he repeats. It’s
like a direct line to my pussy, making me throb.
My fingers fumble for the bottom of his shirt before I feel the waffle-
like texture beneath them. Clutching the hem, I lift the material, slowly
exposing each inch of his chiseled abs. Holy eight pack. I thought that was
something you only read about in romance books, but he’s proof they do
indeed exist.
He helps me out, tugging his Henley over his head. His chest, shoulders,
and both arms are heavily tattooed. I want to examine each one, but I want
to see the rest of him more.
I drag a fingertip from one side of his stomach to the other just above
his pants. He goes still as I hook my finger inside the denim to toy with the
elastic waistband on his underwear. I bet he’s a boxer briefs guy.
Darius’s nostrils flair. “Agápi mou,” he husks. “If you don’t want this to
go any further, we need to stop now.”
I know what I want. I’m one hundred percent sure I want to take the
next step with him.
“I want you, Darius.”
His large hands frame my face as he stares down into my eyes. “Tell me
again, agápi mou.”
“I want you to make me yours.”
He groans. “You already are mine.” His mouth comes down on mine
with renewed vigor. It’s as if he’s starving for me and can’t get enough.
It’s the same for me. There’s a sensation of thousands of butterflies
fluttering in my stomach. I think I might explode from an overload of
desire.
His hands slide down to lift my ass from the counter and his lips move
down to nibble on my neck. “Where’s your room?”
 “Upstairs. First door on the right.” I hold on to his shoulders as he
carries me from the kitchen. He marches up the stairs as if I weigh nothing
at all and eases me onto my bed. He turns on my bedside lamp.
“I like the lights out.”
“I want to see every inch of you.” He doesn’t leave room for argument.
I slip my leggings and panties down my hips and Darius yanks them
free of my feet, along with my socks.
Standing beside the bed, his intense, dark gaze peruses every inch of me
without constraint. I lie still, allowing him to drink his fill, but the damp
spot on my panties expands with every second.
He strips the rest of his clothing off, and I gasp when I see his cock for
the first time. He strokes his hand up down the long, thick length. “This is
yours, agápi mou.”
“Yes. I want it.” I hold my arms up toward him. He presses a knee to the
edge of the mattress and shifts himself between my spread thighs. Bracing
his weight on his forearms, he lowers on top of me. I wrap my limbs around
him, eliminating any space between us. His cock is a hot, and heavy brand
on my clit. I rock against him and moan.
“Don’t worry, agápi mou, I’m gonna make you feel so good.” His lips
press against mine, his tongue working in perfect sync with his cock as he
grinds his hard length into me. I’m already on edge and we’ve barely
begun. My fingertips dig into the solid surface of muscles in his back as I
rock my hips beneath him.
Our lips part as he backs away to kneel between my legs.
“No.” I cry out at the loss of contact.
He taps my clit with the head of his dick. “I’ve got you, agápi mou.”
I grip handfuls of the comforter beneath me. “I need you now.”
“Be patient, beautiful.” He slides his entire length from my entrance to
my clit and then continues to rock back and forth along my slit until I
unravel beneath him. My fingernails dig into his thighs, anchoring me
through each trembling wave of release.
“Oh my God.” I swipe a hand over my damp brow and try to calm my
breathing.
He scoots backward, lowering his chest to the mattress between my
legs. His eyes locked on my pussy, he pushes my bent knees to the mattress,
opening me wide.
 He drags a fingertip along the edge of my lips, then spreads them apart
with his thumbs. “Eísai tóso ómorfos.”
Captivated by the sight of his dark head between my legs, I watch as his
open mouth comes down on me. At the first swipe of his tongue, I cry out.
“Mmm, you’re fucking delicious.” He licks up all the traces of my
orgasm, then sucks on my swollen clit until my eyes are rolling back in my
head. The tip of his tongue rapid-fire flicks the bundle of nerves. My legs
start to shake uncontrollably and I’m torn apart by a second orgasm. His
mouth coaxes every bit of pleasure from me, leaving me feeling limp and
sated.
Darius kneels between my thighs. “Look at how wet and ready you are
for me. Are you ready to finally be mine, agápi mou?”
OceanofPDF.com
CHAPTER 14
DARIUS

SHE NODS and points toward her nightstand. “Condom. Drawer.”

Reaching over, I pull out a handful of different brands and types. “Had a
tough time choosing?” I smile at her.
“I didn’t know which ones were best.”
I tear one open and roll it down my length. Gripping my dick, I rub the
tip back and forth through her juices before I settle at her entrance. I slowly
push inside. She’s so fucking tight—so fucking perfect. I press on until I’m
seated to the hilt. Oh, Christ. Fighting for control of my body, I hold still.
I’ve been waiting for this moment and I’m not going to rush things.
“I think I just lost my virginity again.” Evie smirks. “But it hurts so
good.”
Goddamn, this woman turns me on so much. I start to move with slow,
easy half strokes, grinding into her clit each time. Rocking her hips in time
with my thrusts, she moans. I pick up the pace, repeatedly slamming into
her until I can’t hold back any longer. Grabbing her ankles, I raise her legs
straight in the air as my orgasm crashes into me. My hips jerk as my release
fills the condom and a guttural groan rips free of my chest. Holy fuck. That
was the longest, most powerful orgasm of my life.
I leave the warmth of her pussy and roll to the side, taking her with me.
My arm wraps around her back, cuddling her to my chest. “That was mind
blowing,” I say.
“That was the best sex I’ve ever had,” she tells me.
“Really?” I was hoping as much, but hearing her say it is incredible.
“Mhmm.” Her fingertips swirl over and between my tattoos, and I
wonder if she’s imagining she’s painting something on my chest.
“It was also the best I’ve ever had,” I add.
 Her head pops up from my chest and she watches my face. “It was?”
“Yes. I’ve never had sex that came close to being that amazing. God, I
can’t wait until we get to the point where I can fuck you bare. Speaking
of…” I untangle our bodies and sit on the edge of the bed. I wrap the
condom in some tissues and toss it in her small trash barrel.
Lying down, I enfold her in my arms once more. “Where have you been
all my life?”
“Right here, waiting for you.”
I touch my lips to her forehead. “I don’t want to go home.”
She tips her head back, looking up at me. “Then don’t.”
“I know, but I don’t want to be here when Tillie’s awake.”
“Yeah, you’re right.” She frowns and then her eyebrows pop upward.
“You could stay and leave at like five in the morning.”
“I like that idea. We can do more of this”—I squeeze her tightly—“and
that.” I grab one of her ass cheeks.
“I like both of those ideas.” She smiles.

I wake up to Brutus pawing my arm. It’s how he tells me he needs to go

outside.
“Okay, Bru,” I whisper. I carefully extricate myself from the bed
without waking Evie up. Grabbing my pants from the floor, I pull them on,
then slip into my shirt. I carry my socks downstairs and put them and my
shoes on in the mudroom.
I step outside, making sure the handle on the door isn’t locked. That’s
not how I want to wake Evie.
Brutus and I head out back to the large area of grass. I watch as he
wanders around, marking his territory. If only there was a more pleasant
method I could use on Evie that would let all the other dogs know she’s
mine now.
I hear a door close and wonder if Evie’s looking for me. A few seconds
later I have my answer—nope, it’s not her.
“Hi,” I say to the blonde guy walking my way. “You must be Ryan.”
He looks me over. “And you must be Darius.”
We shake each other’s hand.
 “It’s nice to finally meet you,” I say.
“Yeah, you too. I’ve heard a lot about you,” he says. It makes me feel
good to know Evie has spoken about me with him.
“Likewise,” I say. I point at Brutus just as he squats to take his morning
dump. “That’s Brutus. Do you have a shovel I can get that with?”
Ryan laughs. “Don’t worry about it. I’ll take care of it later.”
“Are you sure? He’s usually much better mannered than this.”
Brutus trots over to rub against Ryan’s leg.
“You better apologize,” I tell him.
“Great looking dog. The rainbow leopard spots are a nice touch.”
“Yeah, that’s Evie’s work.”
“She told me what happened. She was pretty horrified about her
screwup.”
“It all worked out for the best,” I say.
“Seems like it so far anyway,” he says.
“I plan to be a part of Evie’s life, and Tillie’s too at some point. I hope
that won’t be a problem for you.”
“If you make Evie happy and you treat them both well, that’s all I can
ask for.”
“Consider it done.” I hold out my hand and we shake once more. “Come
on, Bru,” I call out, and he hurries over. “I’m sure we’ll see each other
again soon.”
“No doubt,” Ryan says, following me into the mudroom. “It was nice
meeting you, Darius.”
“You too.” I step inside Evie’s house and close the door as softly as I
can. When I turn around, Evie’s standing in the middle of the room with her
arms crossed.
“What were you two talking about?”
“Not much. We just introduced ourselves to each other. He got to meet
Brutus and see firsthand the massive pile of shit he left behind.”
“Oh.” She clamps her lips together but her blue eyes are filled with
mirth.
“Ryan said he’ll scoop it up later.”
“So that’s all you talked about?” She digs for more.
“Pretty much. He was nice, though.”
I amble closer, enfolding Evie in my arms. “What are you doing up?”
“The minute you left my bed I woke up.”
 “Did you think I was leaving without saying goodbye?”
“Nope. You’re too polite for that.” She smiles.
“I am, but I’m also too selfish to leave without a proper goodbye.”
“Ooh, this sounds promising. What does a proper goodbye entail?”
I brush the tip of my nose to hers. “It starts with my tongue in your
mouth and ends when you orga—”
She smashes her lips to mine, showing her obvious enthusiasm for a
proper goodbye.

With ten minutes remaining in practice, I’m still going strong. We’ve been
working on small-area games, which are game-like drills that are played out
in a space of limited size.
“Okay, fellas, move the nets,” Coach calls out. We’ve been working
with half of the rink, but now he wants to cut it down so we’re between the
two blue lines with a net centered on each one. That means my reaction
speed has to be that much quicker and my movements more precise than if I
had more ice to cover.
Kaiden and I push a net to one of the blue lines while Ryder and
Murphy take care of the other one.
This is supposed to be a ten minute 3-on-3 battle. If the puck passes
either blue line, a new puck will be put in play and our coach will add
another forty-five seconds to the time. This is a drill that's utilized by a lot
of NHL teams, not just ours. But Coach insists we do this at the end of most
practices because the majority of goals are scored close to the net. Not only
is this beneficial to puck handlers, but it’s great for keeping our goalie’s
skills sharp.
Ames is in one net and Murphy’s in the other. With five minutes left to
go on the ten minutes of continuous play, my thighs are on fire. So much for
feeling great. Maybe Evie will massage them for me later.
When our coach finally blows his whistle signaling the end, I bend over
and glide with my stick across my knees. When I straighten back up, I feel
weak.
Ryder lays down on his back in the middle of the chopped up ice to
make a snow angel. It’s a hilarious sight to see a six foot two man who
weighs around two hundred ten pounds waving his arms and legs on the ice.
And when he gets up, his efforts have paid off in the form of one very clear
snow angel.
Internally I’m groaning all the way to the locker room. I learned early
on if Coach Carling hears you complain he’ll make you pay for it later.
I drop my helmet on the floor and fall backward onto the bench.
Leaning against the wall, I grab my bottle, guzzling the remaining cold
water down. Glancing around the room, I see my teammates in similar
positions and I laugh.
“What’s funny?” Ryder asks.
“We all look like shit.”
“We all feel like shit too,” Kaiden adds, and I laugh.
“Why are you so goddamn giddy today?” Murphy asks.
“No particular reason.”
“I call bullshit,” Ryder shouts. “You’re never like this after we do 3-on-
3’s.”
“Like what? Exhausted?” I say.
“No, this smiley,” he says. “What, did you get laid last night?” He
smirks.
“No. I wish,” I say, answering a little too quickly.
Ryder’s dark eyebrows jump and his eyes light up with interest. “Did
you see that? He’s lying.”
“What? Me lie? No.” Okay, I suck at outwardly lying. Evading I’m
okay at. Which reminds me, I still need to speak to Evie about the whole
being a professional hockey player thing. When I tried to mention it last
night she stopped me.
“Dude.” Murphy shakes his head. “You’re a terrible liar.”
“Fuck,” I shout. I drag my practice jersey over my head, dropping it on
the bench.
“Who’s the chick?” Ryder asks.
“She’s not a chick. She’s a beautiful, intelligent woman. And why
would I tell you her name?”
“She’s not a puck bunny?” Murphy asks.
I aim a pointed stare his way. “You guys should know that without
needing to ask me.”
“Well, lads, puck bunny pussy isn’t good enough for Mr. Choosy. Well,
la tee da.” Ryder holds his pinky out like he’s drinking high tea.
 “It’s not good enough for me either,” Kaiden says, bumping my fist.
“That’s just because you’ve been around so long, you’ve screwed them
all already, Cap,” Murphy quips.
“Maybe he has standards, unlike you guys,” I say.
Murphy points to himself. “I have standards. At least more than this
guy.” He hooks his thumb toward Ryder. “Tell them about the toilet paper
incident.”
“Dude, that was before I was in the NHL,” Ryder says.
Murphy shrugs. “So what? It’s a good example of your lack of
standards.”
“Dude, you can’t standards shame me. I’m dirty, unashamed, and
proud.” He pounds his fist on his chest.
“Get on with it then,” Kaiden prompts.
“Back in college I was dating this cheerleader. She was hot and horny,
which we all know are two of my favorite qualities in a woman. Anyway, I
was about to go downtown when I noticed she had a piece of toilet paper
stuck to her.”
“How big of a piece are we talking about?” Kaiden asks.
“It was small. Like a little rolled up ball stuck in her pubes.”
“It was a literal tree in the forest,” Murphy jokes. “Get it? Because
paper comes from trees and she had pubes.”
I fake a dry heave. “That’s fucking gross. Did you tell her?”
“Fuck no. I used to eat toilet paper when I was a kid. I think it must’ve
been one-ply because it practically dissolved in my mouth.”
“You’re a repulsive man,” I tell him, and he shrugs.
Kaiden laughs, shaking his head. “I have nothing to say to that.”
“I told you my standards are better,” Murphy says, as if that’s some
impressive achievement.
How will I ever be able to introduce Evie to my teammates?
OceanofPDF.com
CHAPTER 15
EVIE

“STOP MOVING or you’re going to get burned,” Wendy warns me as

she winds my hair around the curling iron. It’s so close to the side of my
face, I can feel the heat it’s giving off.
“I’m sorry. I’m nervous about going to this banquet. I’ve been dreading
this night since I agreed to go. Why am I such a pushover?”
She winds another chunk of my hair around the iron. “You’re not a
pushover. You’re doing something to please your mom. There’s nothing
wrong with that. I’m sure Tillie will do the same when she’s your age.”
“I hope she doesn’t have to.” I sigh. “Thank you for being here and
helping me get ready.”
“Well, I didn’t really have a choice. You can’t go to a formal function
with your hair in a messy knot on top of your head.”
I laugh. “It’s hilarious that’s the reason you’re here. But you’re right. I
would’ve thrown it up without a care for how it looked.”
“Yep. At least your hair will look fabulous while your face looks
miserable.” She snickers.
“I’m banking on being able to leave early. As soon as my dad gets his
award I’m out of there.”
“I’ll be here with Tillie waiting for you to get back.”
“Thank you for staying with her,” I say. “She’s excited.”
“I’m excited too. I can’t believe I talked my brother into going out
tonight. Maybe with you in a relationship he’s realizing he needs to get out
there and meet people.”
“I’m glad he’s going out too. He worries about Tillie and me too much.
It’s time for him to focus on himself too. There’s no reason we can’t work
out a schedule that allows him to get out at night.”
 “Aww, how cute. You can make a relationship calendar for tracking
your date nights,” she teases.
“Hey, we’ll do whatever’s needed. I want Ryan to be happy.”
“I love how much you still love my brother.”
“You two are my best friends.”
She nudges my arm. “But I have the edge on him, right? You can tell
me.”
“He’s the father of my child,” I say.
“So, you’re saying he’s caused you a lot of stress?”
I laugh. “He’s not solely to blame for Tillie’s conception. And stressful
or not, I wouldn’t change a thing about my life. I’m damn lucky.”
“Look at you being all grateful and positive. It’s nice to see.”
“Darius is a good influence on me.”
“I guess so. When do I get to meet him?”
“I’m hoping sometime tomorrow.”
“I’m looking forward to it.” She places the sizzling-hot iron down on
the bathroom counter, then her hands fly around my head as she twists and
pins locks of my hair. I’m curious to see what she’s done, but she has my
back facing the mirror. I’m not allowed to see until I’m completely dressed,
but I trust her enough to know it’ll look appropriate for a formal event.
She sprays half a can of hairspray on my hair and I choke on the fumes.
“Don’t be a baby,” she scolds me.
“A little warning would’ve been nice. I could’ve covered my face with
my hands.”
“And knock your fake lashes off? No way.”
I place my hand to my chest. “That would be a travesty, for sure.”
“Okay, let’s get your dress on. I’m sure Tillie is eager to see you.”
I stand and untie the knot on my robe. “I know. She asked me if she
could come with me. I had to explain it was for adults only.” I let the soft
garment slip from my shoulders to land on the chair behind me.
Wendy holds the dress in place as I step inside the black circle of
gathered material. She drags the silky design up my body. I slip my arms
into the lacy top portion and she pulls up the zipper in back.
I breathe out a relieved sigh. “Oh, thank God it fits.”
“You never tried it on?”
I laugh. “Nope.”
She steps back, looking me over. “Hey, sexy momma.”
 I smile stiffly.
“Why do you look constipated?” she asks.
“I’m practicing smiling.”
“Jesus. If you can’t do better than that, don’t bother.” She bends down,
grabbing my shoes. “Let me help you get these on.”
I slip my foot into the torture device that’s made of golden leather.
Wendy kneels down and loops the strap once around my ankle and twice
around the bottom portion of my calf. When she moves over and fastens the
other stiletto around my calf, the slight ruffled bottom of the dress falls just
below mid-shin. Spinning around, I glance at myself in the mirror.
“Wow, you made me look good.”
Still on her knees, she scowls up at me. “Pfft. Good? Try sexy as fuck.”
Standing, she hands me a small bag that matches my shoes. “Your phone,
wallet, and lip gloss are already in here.”
“Thank you. You’re awesome,” I say.
She places her hand on her hip. “Tell me something I don’t know.”
“I need to get going. I don’t want to walk in late. I’d rather sneak in
with the crowd.”
The stairs are tough to negotiate wearing stilettos. Ryan wolf whistles
when I come into sight. I do a little twirl and notice how my dress flares
outward. I like it, so I twirl once more.
“Mommy, you look like a princess,” Tillie says.
“Thank you, sweetie.” Leaning forward, I cup her chin in my hand. “Be
a good girl for Auntie Wendy. I’ll be home after you’re already asleep, so
I’m going to kiss you goodnight now.” I press my lips to her forehead. “I
love you.”
“I love you too.” She smiles.
“Have fun, Evie. I’ll see you later,” Wendy says.
“I’ll walk you out,” Ryan says, taking hold of my arm.
Once we’re away from little listening ears, I let out an excited squeak.
“I’m so glad you’re going out tonight. Go get yourself some dick.”
He coughs. “Jesus, Evie.”
“I’m serious.”
“I’m sure you are, but I’ll be happy if I manage to speak to anyone.
Small goals lead to bigger goals.”
I throw my arms around him and squeeze. “I love you, Ryan, and I
always will.”
 He returns my embrace, pressing his cheek to mine. “I love you too,
Evie.” He steps back. “You better get going.”
“Yeah. Unfortunately this is really happening.” I wander over to the
driver’s side of my car and carefully sit down behind the wheel. I start the
engine and roll down my window.
“Hey, if you need condoms, there are a bunch in my nightstand drawer.”
“Goodbye, Evie.”
“Bye.”

I pause outside the entrance to the Coyotes’ reception hall. Walk in there
like you own the place… or at least like you belong. It’s not much of a pep
talk but it’s the best I can do.
“Do you need something?” a deep voice asks, taking me by surprise.
My head snaps to the left and I find Kaiden Hart standing beside me.
His eyes flash wider. “Evelyn?”
“Kaiden?” My reaction is similar. The last time I saw him he was a
rookie on the team.
He smiles at me, taking away some of my nerves. His eyes skim over
me, but not in a flirtatious way. He’s simply coming to grips with how
much I’ve physically changed.
He shakes his head. “I can’t believe how grown up you are.”
I shrug one shoulder. “It was bound to happen. And I could say you’ve
grown up some too.”
He laughs. “Is that a nice way of saying I’m getting old?”
“Not at all. Hockey might make you feel old, but you’re still young in
real-world years.”
He laughs again. “Real-world years?”
“Yep. Professional hockey is like its own universe where time passes
faster than it does on Earth. Hockey years are like dog years. At least that’s
how I look at it.”
He nods. “You know that’s pretty accurate. I’ve never heard anyone put
it that way before. I’m going to have to steal that from you.”
“Be my guest. It might be the only insightful thing that comes out of my
mouth tonight.”
 “You’d rather not be here?”
“You haven’t seen me in years. There’s a reason for that.” I puff my
cheeks up and blow the air out. “I don’t drink, but an exception might be in
order.”
“Hey, it’s an open bar. Enjoy yourself.”
“Enjoying tonight might be a stretch. I’ll be happy if I last long enough
to see my dad get his award.”
“You must be proud of him. That’s quite an accomplishment.”
“Yeah, I am.” My dad and I may have our problems, but he’s achieved
great success in his coaching career. I’m happy for him.
“I’ll let you get in there and find your parents. FYI, the bar is on the
right side of the room.” He winks.
“This is why you’re my favorite Coyote player.”
“It doesn’t have anything to do with the fact that I’m the only player
you know?”
“I’m sure I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“It’s great seeing you.” He smiles, and I can tell he means those words.
“You too. You made my night.”
He steps forward, folding me in a hug. My arms barely wrap around
him when he steps back. “Take care, Evelyn.”
“I go by Evie now,” I say.
“Right, Evie.” There’s a wondering look on his face. “Are you here with
Darius?”
“What? No.” How does he know Darius?
“Evie?”
At the sound of his voice, I whirl around with cyclone speed. “Darius.”
Why is he here?
“I’m going to head inside.” Kaiden must be able to feel the tension and
makes his escape.
“What are you doing here?” we ask simultaneously.
“You go first,” I say.
“Ladies first,” he counters.
I cross my arms in front of me. “Not a fucking chance. Why. Are. You.
Here?”
“I play for the Coyotes,” he says.
“I thought you were a trainer.”
 “You didn’t know who I was when I picked up Brutus, and I liked that
about you. I planned to tell you, I was just waiting for the right time.”
“Do you think maybe the right time would’ve been before we had sex?”
I realize how loudly I said that, and cringe. Darius grabs hold of the crook
of my arm, leading me away from the banquet attendees and down a
hallway.
“I tried to tell you when we were sitting in my truck, but you cut me
off.”
“Why didn’t you say, ‘Evie, I need to tell you something and we’re not
moving until I do?’”
He swipes the sleeve of his suit coat over his damp forehead. “I don’t
know. I’m sorry I didn’t.”
“You should’ve told me the first night we met. Or at least the night you
took me out for pizza. I don’t even know who you are.”
“Evie, that’s not true. You know everything about me except—”
“Except for what you do every single day.”
“That doesn’t mean you don’t know me. You know the important stuff.”
“I dare say hockey is the most important part of your life.”
“Maybe before I met you. But now you’re the most important part.”
“Right.” I let out an ironic laugh.
“Why are you here?” He repeats his earlier question, reminding me I
never answered.
“My dad is your coach.”
“One of the assistant coaches?” he asks, sounding hopeful.
“Nope. Coach Carling.”
“Your dad is Coach Carling.” I can’t tell if he looks impressed or
horrified.
“Yes.”
“Fuck.” He grits the word out between clenched teeth. “But your last
name is Bruschi,” he says, as if that’ll change something.
“After Tillie was born, I legally changed my last name so I’d have the
same one as Tillie.”
“Evelyn?” My mom walks toward us, looking concerned. “Is everything
okay?”
“Hi, Mom. Everything’s peachy.” She wraps her arms around me,
forcing me to uncross mine to hug her back.
 “Hello, Mrs. Carling.” Darius is as polite as ever. “Evie and I were just
talking.”
She smiles at him. “It’s nice to see you, Darius.”
“It’s nice to see you also. You must be proud of your husband.”
“I am. He’s worked hard to achieve this milestone.” She turns to me,
placing her hand on my arm. “It’s time to go sit down. I’ll show you where
your seat is.”
My eyes flick to Darius. I can’t wrap my head around what I’ve learned
in the last ten minutes. I’m sure he’s feeling somewhat the same. That’s
why I nod at my mom and let her escort me away.
“We’ll talk more later, Evie,” Darius calls out, but I don’t look back. I
don’t feel angry or betrayed, I feel numb. And somehow that’s the worst
feeling of all.
OceanofPDF.com
CHAPTER 16
DARIUS

FUCK. Fuck. Fuck.

I watch Evie disappear with her mom and I’m helpless to do anything to
stop her. She’s here for her father and so am I. But once this event is over,
there’s nothing that’ll keep me from her.
I head back toward the reception hall and meet up with Kaiden.
“Dude, I’m sorry if I caused any problems by mentioning your name,”
he says.
“It wasn’t anything you said. It’s my fuckup. I still hadn’t been honest
about my career. What are the fucking odds she’d be here?”
He looks at me from under his furrowed brow. “What are you going to
do?”
“I think this set of circumstances calls for a stiff drink. I’m gonna start
with that, and later I’ll find a way to get her alone. She’s not shutting me
out over this.”
We trek through the crowd, exchanging brief greetings.
“Jesus. I didn’t think we’d ever make it here,” Kaiden says, leaning on
the bar. “What do you want to drink?”
“I don’t care. You choose,” I say.
He orders two gin and tonics.
“I’m surprised by how many people are in attendance.” Scanning the
faces, I notice coaches from other teams and even NHL executives.
“It’s a great turnout. Coach must be pleased,” he says.
“Is he ever really pleased?” I ask.
“That’s true. He’s as pleased as he can be,” he corrects.
The bartender slides our drinks across the polished wood to us. Kaiden
and I both drop a tip in the jar for him.
 I take a sip and an old memory hits me. I hold up my glass. “My
grandfather in Greece drinks these.”
He tips his glass back and the ice cubes clink against the side. “Your
grandparents still live there?”
“Yep, both sets of them. I’m supposed to find some time to go visit
during the off season.”
“I’ve never been to Greece. It’s on my bucket list, though.”
Ryder sidles up to the bar on my right side. “What’s up?” I ask.
“Not much. Just checking out the fresh meat in the room while I wait
for the meal to be served.”
“Don’t you ever take a break?” Kaiden asks.
“Life is short,” he answers evasively. “Speaking of fresh meat, who’s
the blonde hottie sitting at Coach Carling’s table?”
My gaze swings across the room to see who he means. An anger-
generated haze briefly obscures my vision when I realize Evie is the
“blonde hottie” he’s referring to.
“That’s Evelyn, Coach’s daughter,” Kaiden says.
“She single?” he asks, and my molars clench so tightly I hear creaking
and grinding.
“No.” I bark the word at him.
“How do you know?” Ryder asks.
“I know because she’s my girlfriend.” He doesn’t need to know we
haven’t officially labeled what we are.
A slow grin spreads across Ryder’s face. “Get the fuck out of here.”
“He’s serious,” Kaiden jumps in.
“Look at you moving in on the coach’s daughter.” Ryder gives my
tricep a jovial tap.
“I didn’t know she was Coach Carling’s daughter until about fifteen
minutes ago.”
“Oh damn.” He laughs. “I like her even more now.”
“She didn’t know I play for the Coyotes either,” I add.
Ryder narrows his eyes. “What the fuck, Darius? Relationships are built
on trust.”
“You’d know all about that,” I droll.
He scratches behind his ear. “I actually do. Just because I don’t do
relationships doesn’t mean I’m unaware of how they work.”
 “I know how they work too. But sometimes things are easier said than
done,” I explain.
“And sometimes it’s easier to be evasive about something than to be
honest from the get-go,” Ryder states.
Kaiden places his hand on Ryder’s shoulder. “I gotta be honest, you’re
impressing the fuck out of me right now.”
“Bro?” I say, giving him a what the fuck look.
“What? You can’t be salty that you made a bad decision and he’s calling
you on it.”
“Yeah. You guys give me shit all the time and I’m always a good sport
about it,” Ryder says.
I nod. “That’s fair.”
Ryder’s gaze sweeps over to Evie and mine follows. “You better get
ready to grovel. She’s pissed.”
“Yeah. I plan to do whatever it takes to make this mess up to her.”
“We better take our seats. Dinner’s about to be served,” Kaiden points
out.
“Thank fuck. I’m starving,” Ryder says.
I carry my gin and tonic I’ve yet to finish. So much for needing a stiff
drink. As luck would have it, our table is next to Evie’s. I pull out the chair
right behind hers and plop down onto the seat.
I tug my phone from my front pocket and type a text to her.
Me: I’m so sorry, Evie. Can we talk after dinner?
I send the message and hope she answers me.
My phone vibrates and I look at the screen.
Evie: Fuck off!
Shit. She’s really upset with me.
The waitstaff moves around our table, setting salads in front of everyone
along with baskets of bread and butter. Ryder double fists the rolls and
drops them on his plate. Catching me watching him, he shrugs.
“Hey, you fuckers eat a lot and I’m not taking any chances.”
He’s not wrong. We can pack the food away, for sure. The chatter dies
out all around the room as everyone is focused on eating each course as it’s
brought out.
As delicious as everything tastes, my appetite is nil. My stomach’s
unsettled, but not in the good way—the I’m in love way.
 I’ve been nauseous since Evie walked away from me with her mom.
And sitting in such close proximity to her isn’t helping. With our backs
toward one another, and our chairs only a few feet apart, there’s an invisible
pull between us. It’s difficult to stay away from her knowing she’s nearby.
Dinner finally ends and the waitstaff clear the tables. Mr. Sears, the
owner of our team, walks up to the front of the room where the podium is
set up. He gets everyone’s attention before he begins talking about Coach
Carling. He starts with some background of where our coach grew up and
where he went to college. I never realized he played on the United States
Olympic Hockey Team.
Mr. Sears finally gets to the reason why we’re all here. To honor Coach
Carling for breaking the record for the number of all-time wins. He calls
Coach up to the podium and we all rise to our feet and cheer as he accepts a
large plaque from the team owner.
I shift my chair to face the front of the room so when we sit down I’m
able to look at the back of Evie’s head whenever I want.
Coach begins to speak. “I’m honored to be here tonight accepting this
award. When I first started coaching professional hockey, it never occurred
to me I’d last this long in the sport.”
Everyone laughs.
“Coach has a sense of humor. Who knew?” Ryder says.
“Right?” I agree. We never see that side of him.
He’s always all about business when we practice, and on game days he’s
even worse.
“But once Mr. Sears offered me the job coaching the Coyotes, I knew
this was the only place I wanted to be. Charleston has been wonderful to my
family and me. My wife, Regina, has served on many of the city’s
committees and my daughter, Evelyn, attended Charleston University.”
My head cranes in her direction, and I’m pleased to find she’s sitting
sideways on her chair. The new position allows my eyes to explore the
gentle curves and angles of her profile as she watches her dad. I don’t
absorb another word of his speech. Every bit of my focus remains on Evie
like a lovesick teenager.
When she finally looks my way and our eyes connect, there’s a brief
moment when her defenses are down. A hint of a smile teases her lips, and
my own curve in reaction. But then her expression hardens, her blue orbs
shutter and hide all evidence of emotion. And it fucking hurts to know I’m
the reason she’s doing this. Her attention returns to her dad, leaving me
staring at her profile again.
Evie stands up, surprising me.
Kaiden tugs on the sleeve of my suit coat. “Get up, dude.”
I become aware Coach Carling is done speaking and he’s getting a
standing ovation. I jump to my feet, applauding loudly along with the rest
of the room.
Once Coach has returned to his seat, people begin to mill around the
room again, visiting other tables and heading to the bar. Evie leaves her
seat, heading toward the exit, and I bound to my feet.
Kaiden places a cautionary hand on my arm. “Are you sure you want to
go after her? Maybe you should wait and give her some space.”
“I have to risk it; I don’t know that I’ll get another chance.”
He nods. “Fair point. Good luck.”
“You better say some prayers on the way, luck isn’t going to be enough
to get you out of the doghouse you’re in,” Ryder says.
I flip him the bird as I hurry off. When I step from the reception hall, I
catch sight of Evie at the other end of the hallway where the restrooms are.
I feel like a stalker as I progress in that direction. Taking up a position
against the wall, I crack my knuckles. I shove my hands in my pockets, then
remove them. I rake my hair back from my face. Jesus, what’s taking her so
long? I begin pacing back and forth on the dark carpet like a caged animal.
I’m filled with so much anxiety and nervous energy, I feel like I’m going to
lose my mind if I can’t talk to her soon.
“Darius?” She calls my name and I whirl around. “What are you
doing?”
I dash over to her. “I’m waiting for you.”
She shakes her head. “This isn’t a good time or place.” She scans the
hallway for observers.
“It’s as good as any.” I catch hold of her hand, tugging her farther along
and around the corner where I find a handful of doors. One at a time, I
begin opening them. The first looks like a break room for employees and
the second is a well-lit, roomy storage space. I pull her into the room and
lock the door behind us.
“What the hell, Darius?” She’s angry.
“Evie, I’ll keep us here for the next twenty-four hours straight if I need
to. Whatever it takes to get you to listen to me.” I’m angry too. Angry that
she’s willing to shut me out so easily.
She yanks her hand free of mine and crosses her arms. “Fine. I’m
listening.”
“When I took you to coffee, you didn’t know who I was, and that was
such a refreshing change for me. That’s not something that happens very
often. When I meet people, they always see me as Darius the hockey player.
You saw me for the man I am. You didn’t have preconceived notions about
me or my life. We started on an even playing field, so to speak. You didn’t
know anything about me and I didn’t know anything about you. That hardly
ever happens in my world.”
“I understand your motive at first, but you should’ve told me sooner,”
she says, lifting her chin.
“You’re right, I should’ve. But let’s play devil’s advocate for a second.
If I had told you the night we went out for pizza, what would’ve
happened?”
She uncrosses her arms. “It would’ve been our first and last date. I
despise hockey.” She raises her thumb.
“And hockey players.” Her index finger goes up.
“And the way they smell.
“And the way they spit everywhere with no fucking consideration for
other people who might be walking on the mats.
“And how they think they’re God’s gift to women.
“And how much time the season schedule takes up.
“And how much time I had to spend in a stinky ice arena as a kid.
“And how my dad didn’t have time to come to any of my activities
because of hockey.
“And how hockey was always the priority in our house.
“And most of all, I hated how much my dad loved his team more than
me, and still does.” Tears fill her eyes as she stands there with all her
fingers raised. Gripping her arms, I pull her to my chest, enfolding her in
my embrace. A sob slips from her lips, and it feels like a knife has sliced
my heart. At a loss for what to say, I rub my palms in calming circles on her
back. After hearing everything she said, I realize how upset she is with me
has a lot to do with her relationship with her father.
Raising her tear-stained face from my chest, she avoids looking in my
direction, as if she’s embarrassed. I’m not going to let her shut down now.
“I hope I didn’t dirty your shirt,” she says.
 “I don’t care about my shirt. I care about you.” Cupping her cheeks in
my palms, I force her to meet my eyes. I swipe the tears from under her
bottom lashes with my thumbs. “Evie, I can’t change what I’ve already
done wrong, but I can promise you, I’ll never keep anything from you
again.”
She nods, but she doesn’t seem convinced.
“I mean it. You have my word.” My hands press on her cheeks for
emphasis. “If you could see inside my heart, you’d realize how much space
you’ve already claimed. Then you’d never doubt my feelings for you.”
OceanofPDF.com
CHAPTER 17
EVIE

JESUS, his dark eyes have never seemed so earnest. I want to explain that
I don’t want to doubt his feelings. This insecurity I’m experiencing isn’t
enjoyable but it’s par for the course when it comes to anything to do with
hockey. I have enough self-awareness to know I’m holding Darius
responsible for things that were brought about by my dad’s behavior. I
know that’s not fair to Darius, but I’m scared to risk my heart. I always lose
to hockey.
“We should get back to the party,” I say.
A muscle in his cheek tenses. “Not until we settle things between us.”
“Darius, I know you didn’t mean to hurt me, but the fact of the matter
is, you did.”
His dark brows pinch together as his brow furrows. “Should I be hurt
that you didn’t tell me who your father is? Being the coach of the Coyotes
is a big fucking deal.” This is the first time I’ve ever heard anger in his
voice.
“It’s not the same thing at all,” I fire back.
“I’m not saying it is, but you’re not perfect either. The difference is, I’m
willing to give you the benefit of the doubt and you’re not willing to do the
same for me. Maybe you’re the one who’s feelings need to be in question.”
“I haven’t given you any reason to doubt my feelings,” I defend.
“Really? Are you sure about that? I haven’t heard you telling me where
I stand with you. Why do I have to be the one who’s open about their
feelings? Shouldn’t it be a two-way street?”
“Sure, throw my insecurities in my face. You’ve known from day one
how I am.”
 “Yeah, I just assumed at some point you’d be more comfortable
showing me how you feel about me.”
I poke him in his chest. “I can’t help that you can’t tell I’m crazy about
you.”
He catches hold of my hand and wraps his other arm around my waist,
trapping me in his embrace. “It’s nice to hear the words too.”
“Too bad. Sometimes it’s hard for me to say them.”
“There are other ways of communicating how you feel,” he says.
“So, if I knee you in the balls right now you’d be able to tell I’m
pissed?”
He twists his hips to the side, protecting the boys. “I just realized this is
our first fight.”
I roll my eyes. “Glad you caught up.”
“We should settle this like adults do,” he says.
“How would that be?” I ask.
“With sex.” He slams his mouth down on mine. Staggered by his
unexpected move, I grab on to his shoulders as his tongue slips between my
lips. My surprise morphs into desperate need as desire takes hold of me.
His hands slide over my ass, squeezing a cheek in each palm while my
own caress down the planes of his chest to his stomach. His solid muscles
flex and twitch under his shirt. I’m overwhelmed with the urge to feel them
without the barrier of his clothing getting in the way.
With our lips still connected, I blindly reach inside his open suit coat. I
latch on to the sides of his dress shirt and tug them free from his pants.
Slipping my hands underneath the material, his skin is warm and smooth.
Starting at the bottom of his rib cage, my fingertips trace over his shredded
abdominal muscles. Undoing his belt buckle, I move on and unfasten his
pants. Darius exhales a ragged groan into my mouth when my hand burrows
beneath the waistband of his boxer briefs. And when I grip his erect shaft in
my hand, he tears his mouth from mine.
“Oh fuck.”
He watches as I stroke him from the hilt all the way to the tip where
there’s a bead of pre-cum. My thumb swipes the clear fluid around the head
of his cock, as if it’s my tongue licking him, before my fist drags down his
turgid length once more.
Prying my fingers from him, he spins me around without notice. One of
his hands splayed on my stomach is all that keeps me from tumbling to my
knees. He lifts and propels me forward toward the back of the small space.
He sets me on my feet and then his large hand drops to the middle of my
back, bending me over at the waist. My palms slap against the edge of a
small table as I brace myself.
“Don’t turn around,” he commands.
“Okay.”
He drops his suit coat on the table in front of me. I hear the rustling of
more clothing being removed before his tie appears in front of my eyes.
“Is this okay, agápi mou?”
“Yes,” I whisper. “You said that to me before. What does it mean?”
“My love.”
My stomach is overtaken by a kaleidoscope of butterflies.
He settles the silky material over my eyes and fastens it behind my
head, completely blocking my vision. The thrill of knowing I’m about to
have blindfolded make-up sex in a closet sends a jolt of need between my
thighs. It’s the thought of doing something forbidden with Darius that
makes it so hot.
His palms skim my bare skin from my calves, up the outside of my
thighs, raising my dress at the same time. His sudden inhale brings a
satisfied smile to my face.
“No fucking panties. Mikró peíragma.”
“What does that mean?” I ask.
“You’re a little tease, mikró peíragma. Did you leave your panties off
for me?”
“No. They were visible under my dress, so I couldn’t wear any.”
“I’m gonna pretend you left them off for me. And I’m going to reward
you by fucking you so hard with my cock. Are you ready, agápi mou?” His
hand skates down my ass to curve between my legs. He slowly circles my
entrance with a fingertip. “So fucking wet for me too.”
“Yes,” I moan. I’m soaked and it’s all for him. Not being able to see
what he’s doing to me is such an erotic experience. I’ve never done
anything like this before.
“Is this my pussy?” he growls.
“Yes.” I breathe.
“Tell me it’s my pussy,” he orders, moving his hand forward to rub my
clit.
 “Yes. It’s yours. Don’t fucking stop. It’s your pussy.” His fingers
repeatedly swirl a figure eight over the bundle of nerves. “It’s all yours.” I
pant, already on the verge of release. Committed to the task, he increases
the speed of the small caresses until I shatter. Whimpering and trembling, I
white knuckle the table as Darius draws out my orgasm.
“You’re so fucking sexy.” His hand disappears from my clit, only to
wrap around one of my hips. His other hand swipes the head of his cock
back and forth over my slick entrance, then he buries himself to the hilt in
one smooth thrust.
“Fuck,” I moan, trapped somewhere between pleasure and pain. This
fullness is a new feeling for me, as is this sexual position.
“That’s my girl, taking my cock like a goddamn dream.” Taking his
time at first, with long, slow strokes, he allows my body to adjust to this
position and his size.
His free hand grips my other hip, his fingertips digging into my flesh so
hard he’s sure to leave bruises. The thought of him physically marking me
is thrilling. It’s concrete proof I’m not imagining I’m being fucked by the
most amazing man I’ve ever met.
Pulling my ass back toward him, he forces me to lower my torso to the
table. I smell his familiar scent as his suit coat cushions my cheek. He
thrusts his hips harder, forcing our bodies to slap together. The sound of that
combined with our moans is loud enough for someone to hear if they’re
walking by. That thought should horrify me, but it only makes this more
exciting. It ups the stakes… as if my heart being at stake isn’t high enough.
Darius fucks me like a professional athlete. He’s strong and relentless in
his pursuit of his orgasm. Just when I think he’s going to fall over the edge
solo, his fingers flick against my clit until I’m sobbing through my second
release. His rhythm becomes erratic as he comes, and when he’s done, his
considerable weight settles over my back.
“Christ. That was… you were… there are no words for what that was.”
He undoes the makeshift blindfold, pulling it from my face. I blink from the
brightness of the bare lightbulbs in the coverless ceiling fixture until my
eyes adjust to the change. I peer over my shoulder at him and smile. He
leans forward, pressing his lips to mine for a leisurely kiss.
“This is going to get messy really quick.”
I glance at the shelves beside us. “Paper towels at nine o’clock.”
 “How convenient.” He snickers. “Maybe we’re not the only ones who
utilized this room.”
“Gross.” I laugh.
He wipes between my legs and then I take over as he cleans himself up.
“This certainly wasn’t my plan when I brought you in here,” he says. We
both toss the paper towels in the trash barrel in the corner.
“I’m glad inspiration hit.” I wink, adjusting my dress back down to
cover me once more.
He tucks in his shirt before fastening his pants and belt. I’m impressed
with how quickly he has his tie back on and fastened and all without a
mirror. “Does this look straight?” He adjusts the knot.
“Yeah, but everyone’s going to know what we were doing.” I noticeably
cringe.
He moves closer, pulling me into my new favorite place to be—in his
arms. “You’re just feeling awkward because this isn’t normal behavior for
you. But it’ll be fine. No one besides my friends are going to assume we
were messing around.”
“Is this normal behavior for you?” I ask, suddenly feeling insecure.
“No. I know we never discussed our pasts in that regard, but I’m not
into random hookups. I’m sure that’s hard for you to believe with me being
a hockey player. I’m not saying I’ve always gone without sex, but my
number of partners is low. Not as low as yours but lower than most.”
“Don’t tell me any more about your romantic past. As long as you’ve
always been careful with your partners, that’s all I care about.”
“I’ve always been safe and I also get tested regularly for hockey. I
probably should’ve asked you before we got carried away, but are you on
birth control?”
“Yep. I have an IUD, so we should be good.” After we had Tillie, I
wasn’t taking any chances of history repeating itself.
“I think the main reason why I never went wild when I signed with the
NHL is because my mom has always told me I’d meet the woman of my
dreams someday and I shouldn’t do anything I’d be ashamed to tell her
about. That’s always stuck with me. My parents are closer than any other
couple I know. I want the kind of relationship they still have after thirty-five
years of marriage.”
“That’s rare these days,” I say.
“I like to imagine it will be the same for us someday.”
 “Really?” I can’t keep hope from my voice.
“That is if you can get over me being a hockey player… and me not
telling you right away.”
I roll my eyes. “I’m still not happy about the hockey thing. Do you
know how many times in my life I’ve said I will never date a hockey
player? Way to make me a liar, Darius.”
He laughs. “I never thought I’d be in love with the coach’s daughter.”
“What did you say?” Did I imagine it?
He rakes his teeth over his bottom lip and nods. “I didn’t plan to profess
my love for you in a closet, but here goes.” He stares down into my eyes. “I
love you, Evie Bruschi.”
My heart feels like it leaps into my throat. Staring at him wide eyed, I
draw in a calming breath. Am I ready to say this?
Once the words are out, there’s no taking them back. But then I look at
the sweet man before me, nodding encouragingly because he knows sharing
my feelings isn’t easy for me to do.
“I love you, Darius Kastellanos.” My voice doesn’t waver at all.
He lets out a whoop of joy. Lifting me, he spins around in circles while I
hold on for dear life. I don’t know how he manages not to crash us into
anything. By the time he sets me back on my feet, I’m so dizzy my arms
remain around him.
He beams down at me. “Just a heads-up, I’m calling you my girlfriend
now.”
“I can live with that. I guess you’re forcing my hand and I’ll have to call
you my boyfriend.” I huff exaggeratedly.
“I wish leaving this closet didn’t mean being around other people,” he
says.
“Me too. I suppose we can’t hide away any longer. My mom’s probably
looking for me by now.” My expression is pained at the thought.
He draws his suit coat on, adjusting the lapels. “Do I look okay?” He
slowly pivots around.
I brush a streak of dust off the side of his coat. “You’re good to go.
What about me?” I ask, slowly twirling in place.
“Oh, you look freshly fucked, for sure,” he says, making my mouth fall
open. “I’m just kidding. You look beautiful and amazingly put together
considering I plowed you from behind.” He smiles mischievously.
 I laugh. “Is my makeup all over my face?” I reach up to check that both
sets of fake eyelashes are still there.
He shakes his head. “You really do look beautiful. If we can avoid
anyone seeing us leaving this closet, I think we could pull this off without
anyone being able to tell.”
“How do you want to do this? Should I go first?” I ask.
“Screw that. We walk out of here together like the couple we are. How
does that sound?”
“I like the sound of us being a couple, but the walking out of here
together part still scares me,” I admit.
His hand folds around mine, giving a slight squeeze of encouragement.
“It’s time to be brave, agápi mou. On three. One, two, three.”
OceanofPDF.com
CHAPTER 18
DARIUS

TURNING the lock on the knob, I open the door and take a quick scan in
both directions. “The coast is clear.” I step out, bringing Evie with me.
Hands clasped, we walk side by side down the long hallway.
I bump my arm into hers. “See, that wasn’t so hard.”
She sends a quick smile toward me. “Yeah, you’re right. I thought for
sure someone was going to bust us leaving.”
“Everyone’s too busy enjoying the open bar.”
“I’m sure you’re right,” she agrees.
We’re almost at the end of the hallway when Coach Carling comes into
sight. Fuck me. I knew this conversation would happen at some point. I just
didn’t think it would be this soon.
“Darius.” He nods toward me, smiling. “Evelyn.” His expression
noticeably hardens. If I recognized the change, I’m sure she also did.
“Coach.” I nod. “Congratulations on your award.”
“Thank you,” he says.
“Yeah, congratulations, Dad.”
“Thank you, Evelyn. What’s going on here?” His eyes drop to our
joined hands.
“Your daughter and I are in a relationship, sir.” Why linger at the cliff’s
edge when you can jump right off and get it over with?
“Is that so?” His thick brows lower in contemplation.
“Yes, Dad, it is.”
“How long has this been going on for?”
“We met last month and neither of us knew who the other was. Oddly
enough, we didn’t realize our connection until tonight. I didn’t know Evie
was going to be here and she didn’t know I was either. Funny, right?” I
smile, but Coach Carling’s face remains as stony as ever.
“If you were with any other girl besides my daughter I wouldn’t believe
it. But Evie abhors hockey and everything to do with it.”
“Yes. She told me, sir.”
“I’m sorry to say I don’t approve of this relationship.”
“Why not?” Evie asks before I can.
“Darius has a bright future ahead of him. He doesn’t need to deal with
any distractions.”
“Your daughter isn’t a distraction, she’s a wonderful woman.”
“You may feel that way now, but Evelyn has a lot of baggage that will
only bring you down.”
“She’s right here, listening to us. And I wouldn’t care if Evie had a
barge load of problems, I love her. Being with her makes me happy.”
Coach crosses his arms over his chest. “For now, maybe.”
“Dad, I don’t appreciate your attitude. This has nothing to do with you.”
“Darius is one of my players. Of course it has to do with me. What
affects the team, affects me.”
“How does my relationship with Evie affect the team?”
“How long will it be before the two of you are fighting and your play
suffers?” he asks. He looks so sanctimonious, I want to punch him in the
face.
“I don’t plan to fight with Evie, but if we ever do, I’ll leave it at the
door of the arena like I do any problem I deal with. Isn’t that what adults
do, Coach?”
“It’s not always so cut and dried, Darius. We’ll see how you handle
being in my daughter’s chaotic world.”
Evie lets out a soft gasp. I squeeze her hand, offering what comfort I
can.
“From what I’ve seen, Evie’s world isn’t chaotic at all. She’s organized,
hard working, and a great mom who puts her daughter first.”
“Are you going to be happy always coming second to another man’s
child?” he asks.
“I think Tillie should always be first. I don’t have a problem with that at
all.”
“And you don’t mind that she lives with her ex, Ryan?”
 “I don’t live with him, Dad.” Evie tugs her hand free from mine. “I need
to grab my purse and say goodbye to my mom. I’ll be right back.” She
hurries off as fast as she can, no doubt eager to get away from her dad.
“Coach, I know about the duplex, and I’ve also met Ryan. I think it’s
admirable how the two of them have handled raising their daughter
together. Especially after having her so young.”
“Well, I can see your mind's made up and I’m not going to change it. I’ll
just say good luck to the both of you. I better not see a decline in your play.
Don’t make me regret signing you.”
“Coach, I’ve been playing for you for six years now. I think I’ve more
than proved my worth to you and the team.”
“You’re only as good as your current season, Kastellanos.”
“Has my play dropped off at all in the past month?” I challenge,
knowing he must agree. I’ve been killing it on the ice.
“Not yet.”
“Then maybe you should be happy your daughter is with someone who
cares about her and not worry about the rest.”
“Hmm,” is his only reply.
“I’ll see you at practice Monday morning. Enjoy the rest of your night,”
I say, walking over to the exit to wait for Evie. Coach Carling disappears
back into the reception hall, and I worry he’ll say something more to upset
Evie.
Just as I’m about to follow him, my girl walks my way.
“Is everything okay,” I ask.
“As good as it can be with an asshole for a father.”
I want to disagree with her on principle alone. I mean, he’s my coach
and I’d walk through fire for him. I know he can be a surly hardass at times,
but I’m so disappointed to see this side of him—a side I never knew about
before.
When Evie mentioned her dad reacted poorly about her pregnancy, I
figured given the situation, a lot of dad’s probably would. But after hearing
how he spoke to Evie and also about her, I’m extremely disappointed in
him. It feels like one of my heroes fell off his pedestal. He definitely fell out
of favor in my eyes.
We step outside into the fresh evening air. Evie shivers, and I’m not sure
if she’s cold or angry. I wrap my arm around her shoulders.
“Are you sure you’re okay?” I press a kiss to her temple.
 “Yeah, don’t worry. I am. Unfortunately, this isn’t unusual behavior for
my dad. At least when it comes to me. He doesn’t have the same problem
with other people. Although, he sure isn’t pleased with your choice in
women.” She pats my chest.
“I don’t care if he likes us being together or not.” I draw her into my
arms and press a soft kiss to her lips. “I’ve proven my dedication to the
Coyotes. I always give one hundred percent, whether it’s a practice or a
game, and he knows this.”
“Do you want to come over?” she asks.
“I was thinking we could spend the night at my place.”
“I don’t have any clothes with me,” she says.
“I’d be happy to see you in my clothes or, even better, nothing at all.”
She laughs. “I bet.”
“Did you happen to drive here? I took an Uber in case I drank.”
“I did. My car’s parked over there.” She points to a nearby section of
the lot.
“Let’s get out of here.”

“Take this right up here,” I tell her. She makes the turn smoothly. My house
is on the right side, the last one before the next street.
“Whoa,” she mumbles. “I love your house.”
I chuckle. “You’ve barely seen it.”
She smiles. “I love the outside. Is that better?” She pulls into the
driveway, parking beside my truck. “I love bungalow style homes.”
“Me too. I bought the lot and had the house built to my specifications.”
We climb from her car and close the doors. I look over my home as if
I’m seeing it from her perspective. I take in the thick wooden beams
supporting the open porch. Stacked stone covers the bottom quarter of the
beams and the bottom half of the front portion of the house. Dark green
vertical siding covers the rest of the house, and the roof is covered in black
tin. Altogether it’s a very masculine feel, like a ski lodge and bungalow
combined together.
“The mix of wood, stone, and vertical siding looks great. And whoever
does your landscaping deserves a raise,” she says.
 “I pay him a small fortune already.”
Brutus barks from inside the house, and Evie laughs. “Looks like
someone wants us to hurry up.”
“No doubt. He thinks you’re here to see him.”
“Well, who’s to say he’s wrong?”
“I get it. You love me for my dog.”
“I didn’t want to mention it but…” She shrugs.
“Brutus and I are a package deal, agápi mou. Love my dog, love me.”
“Okay, fine. Now let me go see my boy Brutus.”
I catch hold of her and lead her up the path and onto the open concrete
porch.
“Wow, Darius. This is huge. Do you sit out here all the time?”
“Yeah, I do. When I have a day off, I have my morning coffee out here,
and most nights when I’m home, I come out to watch the sun set.”
“It’s so quiet and peaceful.” She closes her eyes and drags in a deep
breath. “Mmm, it smells wonderful too.”
I barely have the door open when Brutus pushes past me to get to Evie.
Laughing at his sneaky maneuver, she bends down to lavish him with
hugs and kisses. Brutus’s big tongue slicks from her chin to her forehead.
Evie shrieks and swipes at her eye. “Eww, he licked my eyeball and he’s
got one of my fake lashes.”
I quickly get him to drop the spidery-looking object.
“Good boy, Brutus,” she says. “Maybe I should let him lick my other
eye and get this annoying fucker off.”
“You’re adorable,” I say, urging her inside my home.
She plops down onto the entryway bench and unfastens her shoes.
When they’re both off, she wiggles her bare toes.
“Oh my God. I hate wearing heels. Why did I let Wendy talk me into it?
And these stupid lashes too. Ugh.” She picks at her eyelashes until her
fingers come away with the other spidery lashes. She drops it into her purse
and tugs out her phone.
“I’m texting Wendy to let her know I’m staying here tonight.” She
finishes typing and sending her message.
“Is Tillie with her?”
“Yeah, at my house.”
“Ryan couldn’t be with her?”
 She grins, looking excited. “Ryan went out tonight. I’m hoping he’s
getting lucky.”
“You two have such a strange relationship, and I mean that in the best of
ways.”
“I get that it’ll take some getting used to,” she says.
I slip off my wingtips and pull Evie to her feet. “Let’s go get out of
these clothes. I’ll give you something more comfortable to wear.”
My bedroom is in the back of the house. Evie gasps when she sees the
size of my bed. She runs across the room and dives onto the mattress,
twisting to land on her back. She stretches out her limbs like a starfish. She
looks so tiny in my huge bed. In the past month I’ve imagined her here so
many times. My chest aches, but in a good way. It’s the kind of ache caused
by an overwhelming feeling of love.
“What do you want to change into?” I ask.
She raises her arm and wiggles her fingers in a come-here motion. “I’ll
take the shirt off your back.”
I move to the edge of the bed. My lips spread into a smile as my fingers
begin undoing the buttons. Shrugging the shirt from my shoulders, I hand it
to her.
She kneels with her back facing me. “Can you please unzip me?”
The zipper tab is small for my large fingers, but I’m able to drag it
down. Before I can stop myself, I’m slipping my hands beneath each side of
her dress, pushing it from her shoulders.
Evie shrugs the top of her dress from her arms, baring her entire torso,
and my body immediately reacts. I’m popping boners like I’m a teenager all
over again.
She scoots to the edge of the bed, then stands on the hardwood floor.
She wiggles her dress down, and once it passes her hips, the garment falls,
pooling around her bare feet.
“You’re so fucking beautiful.”
“I’m glad you think so.” She pulls my dress shirt on, then fastens a few
buttons in the middle, leaving the rest undone.
“Agápi mou, seeing you in only my shirt is the sexiest fucking thing
I’ve ever seen. And knowing you’re naked underneath…” I bite my
knuckle.
“I’ll never get tired of seeing you without a shirt,” she says, skimming
her palms from my chest to my stomach. “Why don’t you get changed and
make me a snack?” she asks.
Grinning, I gesture up and down my body. “What about this snack?”
OceanofPDF.com
CHAPTER 19
EVIE

WAKING up with Darius’s muscular, tattooed arm around me is a new

sensation and one I could get used to quickly. This is the first time we’ve
spent an entire night together and I slept like a baby.
“Good morning,” he husks. Drawing me even closer, he cushions his
erection against my ass.
“You’re so subtle.” I laugh.
He grinds into me. “There’s nothing subtle about how much I want you
—how much I always want you.” His hand climbs from my stomach to cup
one of my breasts. His fingertips tug on my taut nipple.
“I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I need to get home within an
hour. I told Tillie I’d take her to the beach today. Do you want to come with
us?”
He presses a tender kiss on my neck. “I can work with that time limit,
and yes, of course I want to go.”
“Okay, but I need a shower too.”
Pushing the covers off us, he lifts me into his arms and climbs from the
bed.
I let out a squeal of surprise. “What are you doing?”
“Using our limited time effectively. We can get dirtier in the shower and
then clean right up.” He winks at me.
“You’re an excellent time manager,” I say as he turns on the shower. He
doesn’t wait for the water to warm up before he steps inside with me still in
his arms. I let out a shriek, and he laughs.
“Hold on to me, agápi mou.” He shifts me so my legs are wrapped
around his waist and I hook my arms around his neck.
 “Aaah,” I scream as he presses my back against the cold shower tiles.
He swallows the sound with his mouth and I forget all about my discomfort.
His dick nudges my entrance, and I wiggle against the tip, doing my best to
tempt him. Waking up in his arms was enough foreplay; I’m ready for him
to be inside me.
Bracing my weight with arm underneath my ass, he uses his other to
guide himself into my entrance. Once the head breaches my walls, his hand
grips my shoulder, pushing me down onto him.
“Jesus. I’ll never get used to the feeling of your pussy on my bare cock.
Eínai téleio. It’s perfect.”
“Move,” I urge, gripping my legs tightly around him.
He clutches my ass in both hands, raising and lowering me.
“Yes, Darius.”
“Say my name again, agápi mou.”
“Darius.”
He lowers me to my feet and spins me around to face the tiled wall. I’m
expecting him to thrust inside me when I feel a stream of water pulsing
directly on my clit.
“Oh fuck.” Reaching back, I loop my arms around his neck and lean
back into him.
Holding the shower head in one hand, he bends his knees, finding the
right angle before entering me once more.
“Yes. Fuck me hard,” I say.
“Hold on, agápi mou.” His arm envelops me, his palm on my stomach
just below my rib cage.
His fast-paced and forceful strokes combined with the pulsing water,
push me into an orgasm of epic proportions. Whimpering, all I can do is
cling to him.
He releases a hoarse groan before I feel him thrusting through his own
release.
The shower head falls to the floor, spraying water up at us. Darius spins
me around and claims my lips with a soulful kiss. He trails a fingertip down
my cheek and over my lips.
“I love you.”
I stare up into his dark brown eyes. “I love you too, o paíktis chókef
mou.” My hockey player.
 He beams with happiness and his eyes seem a little glassy. Is it possible
I made my big hockey player tear up?
“You learned how to say that?” he asks, and I nod.
“There’s this thing called Google that makes it incredibly easy,” I say.
“Yeah, but it means so much to me that you thought to do that. And
you’re right, I am your hockey player, Evie, and I always will be.”

We remove our shoes in the mudroom. I’m wearing my dress from last
night, while Darius is dressed in a pair of black and gray plaid board shorts
and a white t-shirt. Even dressed casually, he still somehow manages to
look like a model.
He exhales a long, slow breath. “I’m kind of nervous. I don’t ever get
nervous, not even during playoff games.”
“She’s a seven-year-old girl. How much harm can she do?” I ask.
“Are you kidding? She has all the power in the world when it comes to
our relationship. If she hates me, you won’t want to be with me anymore.”
“She’s not going to hate you.” I’m comfortable making this statement.
He’s too likable for her to hate. Besides, Ryan and I don’t allow that word
in our houses.
His hands latch on to my shoulders. “But what if she does?”
“Darius, you’re worrying about nothing. I promise everything will be
fine. Where did my positive guy disappear to?”
“Apparently, he’s scared of a seven-year-old girl,” he says, and I laugh.
“Fuck that, women are scary at all ages.”
“How about we get the introduction over so I know whether I need to
send you home or not?” I try to keep a straight face, but his reaction is too
comical. I make a choking sound and then laughter spills out of me.
“Ha ha. Go ahead and laugh at my expense.”
I wrap my arms around his waist and squeeze him tightly. “I’m sorry for
teasing you. I think it’s wonderful that you want to make a good impression
on her. It’s another reason for me to love you.”
His lips touch the middle of my forehead, placing a soft kiss there.
“Let’s do this before I chicken out.” He smiles. “Maybe we should leave
Brutus out here, at least until we get the introductions over.”
 “That’s a good idea.” I know once Tillie sees his dog, that’s all she’s
going to see.
I take hold of his hand. “Come on.” I open the door and we step inside.
Wendy is sitting on the couch in the living room and rises to her feet.
Her smile might be bigger than I’ve ever seen. “Well, hello there.” She
looks Darius up and down and gives me two thumbs up right in front of
him.
“Darius, Wendy. Wendy, Darius.” I gesture between them.
He moves to shake her hand and she opens her arms wide, walking
straight toward him.
“I prefer to hug,” she says, winking at me.
Snickering, I watch him hesitate and throw me a helpless look. I nod to
let him know this is typical Wendy behavior.
They hug and she lowers her hand like she’s going to squeeze his ass,
but she doesn’t make contact. I shake my head at her. It’s hard to believe
two people who are as opposite as we are ended up being such great friends.
“So, how was last night?” she asks.
“It was interesting. I’ll have to tell you about it later. It’s too long to
explain now.”
Her lower jaw falls open. “You’re going to make me wait?”
“I am. You’re not used to that, but that’s the way it has to be. We have
plans to take Tillie to the beach.”
“Ooh, Mr. Tall, Dark, and Tatted-up is going with you? Can I come? I
bet he has hot friends.”
“Wendy, he’s standing right here. Don’t objectify him.”
She rolls her eyes. “I’m sorry. But please tell me you have hot friends.”
She positions her hands like she’s praying.
“Uh… I guess I do. Women seem to like them.”
She slaps the back of her hand against my arm. “I knew it. Good-
looking men always have good-looking friends.”
I roll my eyes at her ridiculousness. It’s time to see my daughter. I
missed her so much and can’t wait any longer to see her. “Tillie, I’m home,”
I call out.
“Mommy! Mommy!” Tillie squeals from the kitchen. I hear the pitter
patter of her feet on the hardwood floors before I see her. She barrels into
me, wrapping her arms around my waist.
 Releasing Darius’s hand, I pull her closer. “Hi, sweetie. I want you to
meet someone. This is Darius. He plays hockey for your grandpa’s team.”
Tillie’s eyes grow wider. I don’t know if it’s the surprise alone or if
she’s also impressed. While I never watch hockey, Ryan has been known to,
and our daughter thinks it’s cool.
“Well, I guess now I know why it’s a long story,” Wendy drolls. I jab
my elbow into her side.
“Hi, Tillie. It’s nice to meet you.” Darius lowers to one knee and
stretches out his arm.
She tentatively reaches forward and her tiny hand is swallowed up by
his much larger one. “Nice to meet you too…” She trails off.
“Darius,” I remind her.
She smiles at him. “Darius.”
He grins back like she made his day. Seeing them together tugs on my
heartstrings.
“Darius brought a friend with him I think you’ll want to meet.”
“Who is it?” Her head swivels side to side.
Darius brings Brutus inside and Tillie squeals as soon as she sees him.
She grabs my arm. “A doggie, Mom. He has a doggie.”
Darius bends down. “This is Brutus. Brutus, this is Tillie.”
“Can I pet—” Her question gets cut off when Brutus drags his tongue
from her cheek to her temple. She giggles. “He licked me.”
“That means he likes you and he wants you to pet him,” Darius
explains.
“That’s what a guy does when he likes you too,” Wendy mumbles softly
so only I hear.
Tillie runs her hand from the top of his head down to his tail. “He’s so
soft. Did you paint his spots, Mommy?”
I laugh as I think about how Darius and I met. “I did give him those
spots. Do you like them?”
“I love them!”
“So those are the infamous rainbow leopard spots.” Wendy smirks.
“They’ve kind of grown on me,” Darius says, smiling.
“Tillie, what do you think of Darius coming to the beach with us?”
She nods. “Okay. And Brutus too?”
I smile. “And Brutus too.”
Darius pulls his truck into the beach house driveway. “Are you sure this is
okay?” I ask. I feel weird about dropping in on people I don’t know.
“I’m positive. I texted Ace before we left your house to make sure he’s
around. He said to look for them on the beach.”
“Them? Is he having a party?” My voice croaks.
“Sports teams tend to do things outside of work with their teammates.”
“Does he play hockey too?” I ask.
“No, he’s retired now, but he used to play for the Charleston Pirates
football team.”
I roll my eyes at him. “I know the Pirates are a football team.”
“I thought you hated all sports.”
I shrug. “What can I say? I really just hate hockey. But I guess I’m
gonna learn to love it now that I’ve got my very own hockey star.” I smile.
He taps the tip of my nose. “As long as you love me, that’s all that
matters.”
“Well, that’s not challenging at all.”
“Is this the beach?” Tillie asks from the back seat of the truck.
I look back at her. “It’s right behind this house. How did you like riding
with Brutus?”
Her blue eyes light up. “It was awesome. He let me pet him the whole
time. Can we get a dog?”
“Here we go,” I mutter, narrowing my eyes at Darius.
He holds his hands up in a gesture of helplessness. “It’s not my fault my
dog is so awesome.” He gets out the driver’s side and takes care of helping
Tillie from her booster seat. When he lifts her in his arms and places her on
the pavement, I fall for him a little more. So far they’re getting along
fabulously.
I let Brutus out of the truck while Darius collects our things and loads
up his arms.
“What can I carry?” I ask.
“If you hold on to Brutus’s leash and take this beach bag, that would be
great.” He passes me the canvas bag with our towels and extra sunscreen
and I sling the straps over my shoulder. We already applied a layer of a
waterproof brand at my house, but if we’re here for a while, we’ll need
more.
 Tillie and I are fair and blonde. Unlike Darius with his Greek genes, we
don’t tan well. I envy his olive skin tone and lack of freckles.
Tillie hurries along beside Brutus as we head toward the beach. She’s
carrying a bag made of a netlike material that’s filled with her beach toys. I
had to search the basement for them, but I wanted to make sure she has
plenty to do while we’re here. She looks adorable in her pink beach coverup
and matching visor.
“The beach, Mom,” she yells before running off in front of us. Her long
blonde ponytail bounces behind her.
“Stay with us, please,” I say.
She stops and her bag of toys falls onto the sand. “I’m right here,
Mommy.”
These days she switches between calling me Mom and Mommy. I don’t
know if I’m ready for the day when I’ll just be Mom or Ma. She’s growing
up so fast.
“Darius,” a deep voice calls out.
I turn and find a bearded giant of a man walking toward us. He’s so
large, he makes Darius look small. He looks more like a biker than a former
NFL player, but when he smiles it completely transforms his face.
“I’m glad you came, man.” They share a quick hug with all the requisite
back slaps.
“Ace, this is my girlfriend, Evie. Evie, this is Ace.”
He shakes my hand in his massive one. He’s surprisingly gentle. I like
him already.
“It’s nice to meet you, Evie.”
I smile. “And you as well, Ace. That’s my daughter, Tillie.” I point her
way.
“How old is she?” he asks.
“Seven.”
“My friends are here with their six-year-old son.”
“I’m sure Tillie would love someone to play with, and so would Brutus
here.” I’m still holding his leash, so I reach down and stroke my hand over
his soft head.
“What a great looking Pittie,” Ace says.
Darius takes the leash from me, leading him closer to Ace. “He’s
incredibly mild mannered and behaves well. I didn’t even have to take him
to obedience school. He was easy for me to train myself.”
 Ace bends over to run his hand down Brutus’s side. “Hey, big guy, how
are you?” Brutus licks his face in response.
“He likes you,” I say.
A beautiful Japanese woman walks toward us and Ace’s focus shifts to
her. She’s so petite compared to him. With the way he smiles at her, I can
tell they’re in love.
“This is Mariko, my fiancée.”
“Hi, I’m Evie and this is Darius.”
Her eyes swing between the two of us and her grin is mischievous. “Oh,
I know Darius already, but it’s nice to meet you, Evie.”
“Oh.” I laugh. “I guess I should’ve assumed you knew each other.”
She waves her hand. “No worries. Why don’t you set up your stuff over
with the rest of us,” she suggests, pointing to a group of people about
fifteen feet away.
“Sounds good,” Darius agrees, and we move toward them. “Tillie,” he
calls out, and her head turns from where she’s digging in the sand. “Come
over this way, please.”
Nodding, she stands and grabs her bag of toys before following us. I
love that she did what he asked without any issues. My kid is the best. I’m
not sure how she’s turning out so well. Neither Ryan nor I had the best
examples to go by. I’m grateful she’s so well adjusted and easygoing. It
gives me hope for her teenage years. Hopefully she doesn’t have the
rebellious genes I did at that age.
The sand filters through my sandals as I trudge along the soft surface.
My stomach fills with anxious energy. I’m about to meet more people that
Darius knows. I didn’t realize this would be the situation when I asked him
to come to the beach with us. When he suggested Folly Beach, I agreed
because it’s a favorite of ours. I wasn’t expecting him to contact a friend
and make arrangements to see them. And now I’m meeting people in my
bathing suit and coverup. Ugh. Not an ideal situation for me, but I’m going
to make the most of it because I get to spend the day with the two people I
love most in this world.
Darius is swallowed up by a crowd of people. Everyone’s happy to see
him, and it takes a few minutes before he gets a chance to introduce me. In
addition to Ace, Mariko, Levi and Leah, there’s Knox and his wife,
Delaney. Darren and his wife, Kendra. My head spins from all the names
I’ll need to remember.
 “Tillie.” I call her name and gesture for her to come over. When she’s
beside me, I introduce her to Three, who’s Levi and Leah’s son.
“Your name is Three?” she asks.
He nods. “Yep. It’s my nickname.”
“I have a nickname too, but I don’t like it,” she says.
“What is it?”
“Tillie Bean. My auntie Wendy calls me that.”
“It’s like jelly bean,” he says, and they giggle.
“Want to build a sandcastle with me?” she asks.
He nods vigorously. “Sure.” The two of them run over to her bag of toys
and kneel in the sand.
“Well, that was easy,” Leah says. “We should sit down while we can.”
“That sounds good to me. I usually spend most of my time in the water
with her. Maybe with Three to play with she’ll be content for a bit.”
Darius sets up our beach chairs next to the others and we sit down. He
opens the cooler we brought and pulls out a margarita for me. I can’t
remember the last time I had an alcoholic beverage but maybe it’ll help me
feel less anxious. Removing the cap, he hands it to me and I gulp down a
large mouthful before he’s grabbed a beer for himself.
Leaning his head back on the beach chair pillow, he turns toward me. In
the bright sunlight I can see all the shades of brown that make up his irises.
His black lashes are so thick they cast shadows on his face. “I’m so proud
to introduce you to my friends, agápi mou.”
And just like that, all the insecurity I’ve been feeling disappears.
I smile at him. “I’m proud to be with you, o paíktis chókef mou.”
OceanofPDF.com
CHAPTER 20
DARIUS

“SO, are the Coyotes going to win the Stanley Cup? And don’t say yes just
because it’s your team. Be honest,” Knox says.
“Of course I’m going to say we’ll win. Don’t you guys think you’re
going to win the Super Bowl every year? If my teammates and I don’t
believe in our capabilities, why would other people?”
“Good point,” Ace says.
“So, is the girlfriend new?” Levi glances at Evie standing at the edge of
the water with all the ladies and children.
“Relatively new, but I knew right away she’s a keeper,” I say, setting my
beer in the drink holder on my beach chair.
Knox laughs.
“What’s funny?” I’m a pretty laid-back guy, but if he mocks my
relationship with Evie, I’ll kick his ass.
“I was laughing because I’ve been where you are. We all have. We all
got struck by the fat baby’s arrow and none of us have ever been the same
since. Am I allowed to say fat baby or is that offensive?”
“You’re offensive in general, Knox, but we still put up with you,”
Darren says.
“As long as you don’t cancel me. I couldn’t deal with that,” Knox says,
and I think he means it.
“Welcome to the club, bro.” He holds out his fist for me to bump.
“Any words of advice you want to share?” I ask, knowing I’ll probably
regret it.
“Don’t piss her off right before bedtime, or sex will be out of the
question,” Levi says.
I nod. “Sounds reasonable.”
 “Don’t tell her you’re the hot one in the relationship,” Knox says.
“That’s easy enough. I’m not and I would never say something like
that,” I tell him.
“Jesus, Knox. I don’t know why Delaney puts up with you.” Darren
shakes his head.
He grins. “I eat pussy like a champ and fuck like a god amongst mere
mortals.”
“And boast like a dickhead,” Ace fires back.
We all laugh because that’s a very un-Ace-like reply.
He shrugs. “Mariko must be rubbing off on me.” She’s definitely the
more feisty one of the two of them.
“Where’re Flynn and Nadia?” I ask.
“They’re up in Massachusetts visiting his mom. They spend a lot of
time there, but they’ll be back before football camp starts up.”
Tillie and Three come running over. “Does anyone want to help us build
a giant sandcastle and a moat?” Three asks.
“Will you help, Darius?” Tillie asks, tapping my arm with her small
hand. Her fingernails match her sky-blue eyes.
“Sure, but you’ll have to pull me out of this chair. I think I’m stuck.”
“Come on, Three. You grab that hand and I’ll get this one,” she says.
They each grip one of my hands and begin to pull. I put on a good show,
pretending I’m about to stand, then falling back down. After a couple of
minutes, I rise to my feet and they both bounce around cheering. I high five
them both and follow them over to the area they’ve designated for the castle
building.
I can’t resist slapping Evie’s tempting ass on the way by and she jumps.
With a hand on her chest, she aims a glare at me, but as soon as she sees me
drop to my knees in the sand with Tillie and Three, her expression softens.
It doesn’t take long for the rest of the guys to join us. Once they saw
how much fun we were having and how cool our castle and moat looks,
they couldn’t resist. I’m sure it’s a sight to see a bunch of bigger-than-
average guys on their knees playing in the sand. I notice Delaney taking
pictures and showing them to the girls.
The sand has the perfect amount of moisture and it’s easy to form into
shapes. We send the kids to search for interesting rocks and shells to use for
walkways and windows. They eagerly run off with a yellow bucket to fill.
“This looks pretty kick-ass,” Levi says.
 “I agree. But we need to add a bridge over the moat. The king needs a
way to get over the water.”
“Good point,” Ace says.
“I got the bridge,” Knox volunteers.
“I haven’t built anything in the sand since I was a kid,” I say.
“That’ll all change now that you’re with Evie. Kids love to build shit in
the sand,” Levi says.
“I’m enjoying it too.” I laugh. “Maybe this is where I need to move
after I retire.”
“We can all buy houses here,” Knox says.
“That’ll kill my property value, for sure,” Ace jokes.
The kids come back with a bucket of all kinds of things they found from
pieces of shells to a dead crab.
“The crab can be the moat monster,” Three suggests.
“I like it,” I say. “Every moat needs something scary in it.”
When we’re finished building everything, we pose for pictures behind
it, along with the kids. Tillie leans into me and I place a hand on her
shoulder. I don’t have any experience playing with little kids or getting to
know them, but today has felt so natural.
“Thank you for helping us, Dar,” Tillie says. She looks up at me, and I
know this little girl is going to burrow her way into my heart, just like her
mom has.
“You’re welcome. I’m glad you asked me for help. I had so much fun.”
She smiles, showing her large permanent teeth that her face hasn’t quite
grown into yet. I tap her nose and smile back.
“What do you say we see if your mom and Brutus want to go for a swim
with us?”
She nods vehemently. “Okay.”
She skips along beside me until we reach Evie. I wrap my arms around
her from behind, resting my hands on the expanse of midriff bared by her
modest yet sexy-as-fuck bikini.
“Want to come swimming with us?”
“And Brutus,” Tillie adds.
Evie lovingly peers at me over her shoulder. “I’d love to.”
“Let’s go.” I hold one of her hands while Tillie holds the other one. The
three of us run toward the ocean and don’t stop until the water level hits
Tillie’s waist.
 “It’s freezing.” Evie clenches her teeth.
“It’s a little cold on the twig and berries.” I wink.
Tillie doesn’t seem to mind the cold temperature. She’s too busy playing
with Brutus to even notice. Evie and I move to the shoreline, watching the
two of them run through knee-high water in front of us.
I position her so her back is to my chest and she leans into me. “You
have a great kid. She’s adorable and so polite.”
“I’m glad you think so. And we’ve worked really hard on manners. I’m
glad it’s paying off.”
“She called me Dar and it was the cutest thing. It made me feel special.”
“You are special, and my daughter can already see it too.”
“I’m having a wonderful day with you both,” I say.
“Me too. Your friends are so welcoming.”
“You’re feeling more comfortable now?”
She nods. “Absolutely. They’re easy to get along with. Thank you for
bringing us.”
“I’m glad you asked me. I hope I get to spend more time with Tillie
soon.”
She grins, flashing her teeth. “I’m pretty sure you’re not going to have a
choice after today, Dar.”

After spending most of the day on the beach, we showered off with Ace and
Mariko’s outdoor shower and changed into clean clothes. Knox grilled up a
bunch of meat and we had a small feast for dinner. By the time we got in
my truck, we were all tired but happy.
Tillie’s been asleep most of the way home. I carry her inside and Evie
shows me where her room is. She drags her covers back and, as carefully as
I can, I place Tillie down on the bed.
“Night, Tillie,” I whisper.
Evie pulls the sheet and blanket over her and kisses her forehead.
“Goodnight, sweetie.”
Tillie’s eyes open slightly. “Can Brutus sleep with me?”
“He can lie down with you for a little while,” Evie says. Tillie’s lips
curve and her eyes fall shut again.
 “Brutus, up here.” I pat the edge of the bed and he jumps onto it. “Stay
with Tillie,” I command, and he stretches out on his side. “Good boy.”
Evie wraps her hand around mine and steers me out the bedroom door
and down the stairs. We sit down on the couch and I pull her closer until
she’s lying against my side with my arm around her.
“What are you smiling for?” she asks.
“I didn’t realize I was, but I know the reason for it.”
“Which is?”
“You.” I rub the tip of my nose against hers. “I can’t believe how much
my life has changed in the weeks since we met. It’s so much fuller now.
I’ve always felt happy and content, but I think it was because I didn’t
realize what I was missing out on. After having you in my life, I know I
never want to be without you again. I love you so much, agápi mou.”
Her sparkling blue eyes are filled with mischief as she looks up at me.
“Prove it.”
With a growl, I flip her to her back, and she giggles. “I love a challenge,
agápi mou.” My face lowers toward hers and I capture her lips in a searing
kiss. I spend the rest of the night proving just how much I love every inch of
her.
OceanofPDF.com
CHAPTER 21
EVIE

THREE WEEKS LATER.

“MY STOMACH IS NAUSEOUS.” I place my palm just above the
top of my jeans.
Wendy wraps her arm around me. “Aww, how cute. You’re nervous for
your man. But why are you worried? They’re leading by two goals.”
“It’s not only that. I mean, of course I want his team to win. If they do,
they go on to the conference finals. And never underestimate how easily a
two-goal lead can be overcome in a short amount of time. But I’m mostly
freaking out because I’m meeting his parents after the game.”
“You meet new people every day at work. You’ll be fine.”
“He’s really close with all of his family members. And he’s an admitted
momma’s boy. What if they hate me?”
Wendy expels a sputtering puff of air and her arm falls from around me.
She shoves me hard enough to make me almost topple sideways from my
seat into the aisle.
I regain my balance and fire off, “What the hell was that for?”
“You’re being ridiculous and I’m not putting up with it. Why wouldn’t
they like you?”
“I have a daughter. His parents may not want their son to have a ready-
made family. Although, he told me they’re pressuring him and his siblings
for grandchildren.”
“See, you’re worried for nothing. Any parents would be happy to have
you as a daughter-in-law.”
 “Let’s not get ahead of things. We haven’t been together that long. As
much as I hope our relationship is meant to last, I’m not going to assume it
will.”
“When you assume, you make an ass out of you and me,” Wendy says.
“Gee, I’ve never heard that one before.”
“Seriously, though, you and Darius are going to end up married with a
whole passel of kids,” she states matter-of-factly.
“What makes you say that?”
“You complement each other in all the important ways. He’s calming
for you. You’ve become so much more positive and grateful with him in
your life.”
“Okay, I’ll agree with that. It’s impossible to be around him and be
pessimistic.”
“And you’re the missing piece of his life. The perfect woman for him,
really. You don’t like hockey and didn’t know who he is.”
“I like hockey more now,” I interject.
“I know, but you were busy living your own life and he was busy living
his. Who would’ve thought rainbow leopard spots would’ve changed your
life? You better incorporate that into your wedding somehow.”
I laugh. “Oh God. I cringe every time someone asks us how we met.”
“Please. That’s the best meet cute ever. It’s literally a cute meet cute.”
She laughs.
“All right. Intermission’s over. Time to pay attention again,” I say.
“Yes, Mom.” Wendy leans her head on my arm. “I’ll be a good girl.”
I laugh. “You lie.”
“At least you know I’m lying. It makes it so much easier. Whenever I
meet new people, they never know how to take the things I say.”
“Go figure,” I say.
“Shut up.” She whacks my arm.
“I put up with a lot of physical abuse being your friend.” I rub my
tricep. “If you’re not whacking me, you’re pushing me out of my seat.”
She shrugs. “It’s my version of showing you how much I love you.”
“You need to find a guy who likes to be roughed up,” I joke.
“I’m game if he is.” She wiggles her eyebrows.
I laugh. “You’re incorrigible and I adore you.” I hug her arm to my side
and watch as the guys step out onto the ice surface. “I need to focus.”
“You mean focus on that tall, hot piece of man meat of yours,” she says.
 “Ha. I think Darius would love to know I think he’s all of those things
to me.”
“That dude’s so in love with you, I’d be jealous if you weren’t my
dearest friend.”
“That’s nice of you to say. He makes me feel loved.”
“Ooh, do you think I could meet some of his teammates after the
game?” Her brain is like a squirrel jumping around willy nilly. I never know
what to expect next, and I love that about her. Her vivacious personality
matches her vivid red hair.
My lips curve. “I think that can be arranged.”
“Whoo-hoo! I need a hockey player who’s adept at handling his stick.”
Darius glides by the boards in front of us and winks at me. I point to his
jersey that I’m wearing over one of my hoodies. He flashes his white teeth
at me before he’s skating away. I love watching him on the ice; there’s a
natural grace about his movements. And combined with his cat-like
reflexes, it makes him one of the best wingers in the league.
The third period begins and I’m laser focused on Darius.
“I don’t think I’ll ever understand this game. I get the basic idea, but
that’s about it,” Wendy says.
I point to the ice. “Right now, Darius has to try to block shots or steal
passes that are made to or from the opposing defenseman.”
“Looks like he’s doing a good job at it,” she says, and she’s right.
“He is. Whoo!” I shout when he intercepts the puck from one of the
opposing players. Hooking around, he changes direction, skating toward the
other team’s net. Kaiden’s open and Darius notices. He passes the puck and
Kaiden makes a textbook slapshot. The black disc is a blur as it passes
between the side of the net and the goalie. The red light goes on, signaling
the score.
I throw my arms up in the air and cheer along with the rest of the home
crowd. Coyote fans have a reputation for being the loudest, and I’m happy
to contribute to that.
Now that they’re up by three goals, and the last period is well under
way, I feel like I can relax a little. About the game at least. I’m still going to
worry about meeting his parents. That won’t change until it’s over and done
with. And then I’ll probably worry whether they like me or not. When
people say relationships are tough, I think a lot of the stresses can come
from outside sources like work or family. Look at how my dad reacted to us
being together. No matter how much of a brave front I put up in front of
Darius, he knows it’s upsetting that my own father isn’t happy for me. I
never want to be like him when Tillie finds someone to love someday. Her
happiness is all that will ever matter to me.

The game finishes with a score of 3-0 and a crucial win for the Coyotes.
They’re going to the conference finals. Last season they didn’t make it past
the second round of the playoffs, so this is huge for them.
I bring Wendy down to the area Darius told me to meet him.
I feel so conspicuous standing here, even with my best friend beside me
offering moral support. Who am I kidding? She’s here for the hockey
players. But as a bonus, I know she’ll have my back if needed.
I keep to the edge of the crowd made up of family and friends waiting to
see their players and lean back against the concrete wall, staring at my
Chucks.
The smell isn’t bad like I expected it to be. Darius explained to me how
the team’s equipment manager treats all their gear with an eco-friendly
sanitizing spray. There’s also a machine that uses high-intensity UV lights
to make ozone gas, which in turn sanitizes the equipment. I’m not sure I
believed even modern technology could rid the world of hockey stench. But
I’m happy to say it’s true.
“Evie?” I hear my name and raise my head. There’s an attractive
middle-aged woman standing a few feet from me.
“Yes.” I nod.
She gives me a friendly smile. “I’m Eleni, Darius’s mother.”
I smile back at her. “Hi. It’s nice to meet you.”
Eleni moves toward me and then pulls me into a hug. “It’s nice to meet
you too. I’ve heard so many wonderful things about you.”
“Well, Darius told me how close the two of you are. I’ve heard great
things about you also.”
She releases me and gestures toward a handsome man I’m guessing is
her husband. “This is Darius’s father, Anatole.”
He shakes my hand in his firm grip and smiles at me. Darius looks so
much like a younger version of him, except his eyes are darker than his
dad’s are.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Evie.”
“And you, Mr. Kastellanos.”
“Please, call me Anatole.”
I introduce them to Wendy and then before we can continue our
conversation, the players come out.
Wendy grabs onto my arm, and whispers, “Holy crap a moly. So many
hot men. I’m not sure if I’m going to faint or have an orgasm. It could go
either way.”
“Stay upright, please. I don’t want to have to catch you,” I say, knowing
that she’s being her dramatic self. She’s not going to faint. That would mean
she’d miss seeing the rest of the hockey players, and there’s no way in hell
she’d let that happen.
“I’m aiming for the second option too,” she says.
When I glance toward the direction Darius will be coming from, I catch
sight of him. His full lips parting, he beams at me. He’s so happy, my chest
fills with emotion and my eyes get watery. Dropping his bag on the floor, he
walks straight into my arms.
“Congratulations, o paíktis chókef mou.” He lifts me from my feet and
spins me around before taking my lips in a celebratory kiss. He keeps it
brief, but I feel the electric energy that’s always present between us all the
way to my toes.
“Thank you for being here, agápi mou. I loved seeing you wearing my
jersey.”
“You were amazing out there. I’m so proud of you.”
Seeing his parents in my periphery, I step back from his embrace and he
turns to them. “Hey, Mom and Dad.”
“Agóri mou.” She holds her arms out to him. Their hug is over quickly
because his father is already tugging Darius away from her.
“Good job, son.” He grips his shoulder.
Darius smiles. “Thanks, Dad. I need to introduce you both to Evie,” he
says.
“There’s no need, son. We’ve already met,” his dad says.
Darius looks at me for confirmation, and I nod. “They even met
Wendy.”
He looks around and notices her for the first time. “Oh, hey, Wendy.
How’s it going?”
 “Hi, Darius. Great game. Thanks for the ticket.”
“Anytime,” he says.
His parents make loose plans to get together with us soon. Well, as soon
as hockey season is over. Which hopefully won’t be until after the Stanley
Cup Playoffs. They say goodbye to the three of us, then leave.
“Who do we have here?” One of Darius’s teammates stops in front of
me.
Darius claps his hand on his shoulder. “This is my girlfriend, Evie.”
“Evie, this is Murphy. He was the goalie tonight.”
We shake hands and exchange the typical pleasantries before Wendy
literally barges between us.
“Great game, goalie.” She smiles up at him.
His lips part in his own smile of appreciation as he looks her over. “And
who would you be?”
“I’m Wendy, Evie’s best friend.”
He takes hold of her hand, pressing a kiss on the back. “It’s wonderful
to meet you, Wendy, Evie’s best friend.”
Wendy lets out a flirtatious little giggle and twirls her hair, which is her
signature move whenever she’s attracted to a guy. “Ditto,” she says.
“I hope I see you again sometime,” he tells her.
“You can bet on it,” she replies.
When he’s out of sight, Wendy fans her face with her hand. “So fucking
sexy.”
I laugh. “How did I know you were going to say that?”
“So, Darius. What do you think of your girl bringing me to another
game?”
He quirks a dark brow. “Is this your way of asking me for another
ticket?”
She nods. “I was trying to be subtle.”
I pat her on the back. “You’re getting better at it.”
“Okay, but you have to promise to stay away from my boy Murphy until
after the season. He doesn’t need anyone screwing with his head.”
She holds up her hand to stop him from saying any more. “Slow your
roll. I’m not interested in his head. Well, not the head you’re talking about
anyway.”
Laughing, I grab Darius’s hand. “Let’s get out of here. It’s been a great
night, and I don’t want to ruin it by seeing my dad.”
OceanofPDF.com
CHAPTER 22
DARIUS

THREE WEEKS LATER

I PULL up to a stop sign at the end of my street before making the turn
onto the main road. Lowering the windows more, I decide to forgo the air
conditioning and let the wind blow through instead. Brutus is on board with
this plan. Sitting in the front passenger seat, he leans his head out the
window. In the side mirror I can see his blissed out expression. He looks
like he’s smiling and his eyes are at half mast. He’s in doggie Heaven right
now.
The smooth leather steering wheel is warm under my hands as I make
the drive to Evie’s house. I’ve traveled this route so many times in the past
few months, I think I could make it with my eyes closed. And now that my
hockey season is over, I’ve been spending every moment I can with Evie
and Tillie. It’s amazing how quickly I’ve gone from one of the highest
points in my career to one of the lowest. Only a few weeks ago the Coyotes
advanced to the conference finals and I thought for sure we were going all
the way. I envisioned us winning the Stanley Cup. Unfortunately, we lost
game seven in the conference finals, and as quick as the snap of my fingers,
our season was over. It still feels surreal when I think about it. And I think
about it a lot. Too much, in fact.
My teammates and I were devastated. We’d played well all season, so to
lose when we were so close to advancing on to the Stanley Cup Finals came
as a surprise.
 Did we get ahead of ourselves and not stay focused on the game we
needed to win? I don’t think that was the situation. We collectively gave it
our all, but on that particular night, our all wasn’t enough and we got
outplayed.
Having Evie and Tillie in my life has made the loss so much easier to
endure. They’ve been spoiling me with home-baked cookies and brownies,
and they even made some peanut butter treats for Brutus. He and Tillie are
best pals now. Whenever I sleep at Evie’s, Brutus stays in Tillie’s room with
her. He even gets up on her bed to cuddle against her.
I pull my truck into Evie’s driveway. Brutus’s paws have barely hit the
pavement when Tillie is barreling toward us. I scoop her up into my arms
and she squeezes her little arms around my neck.
“Hi, Dar.”
“Hi, Tills.” I set her down and she throws herself at Brutus, hugging
him.
When I look up from the two of them, I find Evie watching from the
doorway. My lips reflexively arch into a smile, as they always do when I
see her. She’s like a miracle balm for everything that ails me.
Tillie and Brutus run into the house ahead of me while Evie waits in the
mudroom. I lock the front door and turn to face her.
“How are you, agápi mou?”
She slips into my arms before replying, “Better now that you’re here.”
I relish the way her curves feel against me. She fits perfectly in my
embrace. In fact, she’s a perfect fit in every way. I don’t know what I did
with all my free time before she and Tillie were in my life.
“Let’s go inside. Tillie and I made some treats.”
I rub my hand over my stomach. “You two are trying to fatten me up.”
“As if that’s possible with the time you spend in the gym,” she says.
My workouts are always difficult, but when I’m not playing hockey all
the time, I ratchet up the intensity to compensate.
I hear her close the door as I walk toward the couch in her living room. I
fall back on the comfortable piece of furniture with a sigh.
“You don’t want anything to eat?”
“Not yet. I want to talk with you.”
Her eyes flashing wider with concern, she sits next to me. “What’s
going on?”
“I heard a rumor that your dad is looking to trade me.”
 She gasps. “Could it be false information? Rumors aren’t always true.”
“It came from a credible source.”
“That asshole. Why can’t he just fuck off and leave us alone?”
“Calm down.” I wrap my arm around her, and she leans into me.
“What are you going to do?”
I shake my head. “I don’t know. There’s not much I can do besides wait
it out and see what happens. I’m not even supposed to know.”
“You can’t just sit back and let him shit on you.”
“Earlier I put a call in with my agent. He’s going to see what he can find
out.”
“Any idea which team my dad’s talking to?”
“It’s teams. And they’re all on the west coast or Canadian.”
“It’s like he’s trying to put as much distance between us as possible.”
“I don’t want you to worry. Whatever happens, we’ll figure something
out.”
“Darius, how can I not be concerned? During the hockey season we’d
barely see each other. And hockey season is fucking long.” Her voice
sounds shrill.
My palm skims up and down her arm soothingly. “Calm down. We
don’t know for sure if this is true. I’m only telling you because I’m hurt
about it.”
“As you should be,” she agrees.
“I’ve given my all and then some since I joined the Coyotes. My stats
and play are better than ever and I might be traded?”
Her head slowly tics from side to side. “It’s ridiculous.”
“What the fuck?” I growl with frustration. I promised myself I wouldn’t
get worked up about this and I’m failing miserably. But it’s difficult to stay
calm when my future lies in someone else’s hands. Someone I know doesn’t
approve of Evie and I being together.
Placing her hand on my cheek, she turns my face toward hers. “Let’s not
worry about this for the rest of the night. Let’s put all thoughts about a trade
from our minds and make the most of our time together. We can’t do
anything about it right now. We might as well enjoy ourselves.”
“You’re right.” I press a kiss to the tip of her nose. “What should we do
to take my mind off of this?” I ask. It’s a loaded question and she knows it.
There’s a good chance that making love with her is always at the top of my
list of things to do with her.
 “We could sneak into my room for a quickie, but you’ll have to be
quiet,” she says.
“We know you can’t be quiet. I’m sure we can find something to use as
a gag for you.” She looks intrigued, surprising me. I place her hand over my
cock. “I’m ready if you are.”
“Mom,” Tillie’s voice precedes her.
I yank my hand back and shove a pillow over my lap.
“Can we play dog salon and give Brutus a bath?”
“Well, sweetie, Darius and I were in the middle of talking—”
I jump in. “Let’s do it. Brutus could use a bath, and we could use a bath
too.”
“Awesome!” Tillie shouts.
“Why don’t you get all the stuff we’ll need from the closet and we’ll be
right there.”
“Okay.” She runs off without another word.
“You have stuff to bathe a dog here?” I ask.
“Tillie and I were out shopping and she asked if we could get shampoo
and a brush for Brutus. How was I going to say no to that?”
“I love how much you two love my dog. It gets me right here.” I pat my
chest.
“I could say the same about you and my daughter. You’re a good man,
Darius Kastellanos.”
“Why do you say that?”
“We were about to adjourn to my room to engage in some behavior that
would take your mind off everything when Tillie ran in.”
“That’s okay. Spending time as a family will take my mind off it too.”
“God, I love you,” she says.
“And I love you more.”
Rising, I hold out my hand for Evie and pull her up from the couch. We
follow the sounds of Tillie talking to Brutus and find him already sitting in
the tub, waiting for us.
“Look, he wants a bath,” Tillie says.
“I guess he does.” Scratching my chin, I look at the high sides of the
tub. “How did he get in there?” There’s no way Tillie could pick him up.
He’s too heavy for her.
“He jumped.”
 “He did?” Whenever I’ve tried to bathe him at home, it’s been like
wrestling an alligator to get him into the tub. Which is why I started to
bring him to Evie’s salon.
“I told you, he wants one.” Her tone tells me she’s questioning my
intelligence.
“This is the first time he’s been so happy about it, and I think that’s
because he knows you’re the one who’s going to clean him up.” I move out
of the line of fire and sit on the closed toilet lid.
Evie turns on the faucet and adjusts the temperature. She hands the hand
nozzle to Tillie. “Try not to spray anything besides Brutus.”
“I know that, Mommy.” She carefully wets down his back and legs
before aiming the water up under his stomach. Some of the spray repels
back, hitting her, and she giggles.
“When you wet the top of his head, you need to be careful not to get the
water in his eyes or ears. I’m going to help you.” Evie places her hand
under his chin, tipping his head back.
Tillie cautiously moves the shower head until the edge of the spray hits
the top of his head, then moves it backward once more.
“You’re doing a great job,” Evie tells her. “We’re done with the water
for now.” She takes the shower head from her and sets it down in the tub.
“Squirt some of the dog shampoo on the scrubber and start to move it all
over his back until you’ve cleaned every part,” she instructs.
Tillie does as she’s told while Brutus stands perfectly still, eating up the
attention. I should be annoyed at how well he’s behaving when he’s been
such a shit about me bathing him, but I’m not. Seeing the intent look on
Tillie’s face as she painstakingly runs the yellow scrubber gently over his
fur is adorable.
Evie guides her through cleaning the rest of him and then it’s time to
rinse him off. She picks up the hand nozzle and hands it to Tillie. “We’re
going to start with the top of his head and move backward from there.” She
tips his head back once more and holds him still for Tillie.
Every inch of Brutus gets rinsed off numerous times. Evie finally
convinces Tillie that all the soap is gone and he won’t be itchy at all. They
wrap him in a thick towel and rub his fur until the majority of the water is
gone. Then they repeat the process again with another towel. By the time
they’re done he looks like he’s falling asleep while standing.
 “Come on, Brutus.” Tillie calls for him to jump from the tub. He leaps
out and sits down in front of her. “Mom, can we put the scarf on him now?”
she asks.
“It’s a bandana,” Evie corrects, bending over in front of my dog. When
she straightens up, I laugh. She smiles at me. “How do you like our
surprise?”
Brutus is wearing a bandana printed with the Charleston Coyotes logo.
He looks handsome and he seems to know it.
“I love it.” Except for it being a reminder I might not be a member of
this team much longer.
OceanofPDF.com
CHAPTER 23
EVIE

I SHIFT my weight on the bar stool in Ryan’s kitchen. “Hey, can you get
Tillie off the bus today? I know it’s one of my days to do it but I need to
take care of something.”
He nods. “Sure. Is anything wrong?”
“What gave you that impression?” I point to my face.
He smiles. “Yeah, you don’t hide when you’re mad very well. Or when
you’re upset or happy or every other emotion you feel.”
“Yeah, so I’ve been told. Darius told me I’d suck at poker.”
“He’s right. So, what’s going on that has you looking so angry?”
“I told you my dad wasn’t happy when he found out about Darius and
me. Well, he’s lost his ever-loving mind now.” I take a sip of the iced coffee
Ryan made for me. “He’s been talking to other teams about trading Darius.”
He’s visibly shocked. “You’re kidding me.”
“Nope. And all the teams he’s talking to are located across the country
or in Canada.”
“How do you know this?”
“Darius said he heard it from a credible source. But, honestly, should
this be surprising? We both know what an asshole he can be.”
“Yeah, but this isn’t something that only affects him. He’s fucking with
the team too. Darius is one of their best players. Why would any coach
want to trade him? There’s no one better to get in return.”
“My dad doesn’t care about anything but punishing Darius for going
against his wishes. He’s vengeful like that. Look at all the crap he put us
through. He did just about anything he could to try and break us up. And
when I got pregnant he tried to talk us into terminating the pregnancy. And
then it turned into talks about giving her up for adoption. I bet if you asked
him to look back and admit he was wrong about everything he told us, he’d
still say he wasn’t. Even though Tillie is thriving and you and I are on solid
footing.”
“I agree with you. It’s more important for him to be right than to build
relationships with loved ones. I’ve never understood how he can be like
that. Especially when it comes to you.”
“I’m not expecting anything to change between my dad and me. It is
what it is. But I’m so freaking angry about what he’s doing to Darius. I
want to spit in his face or claw his eyes out.”
“Reacting like that would make you seem like the irrational one. You
need to stay calm and come up with a solid plan.”
“I already have one, which is why you’re grabbing Tillie off the bus for
me. I’m going over to my folks’ house and having a chat with my dad. If I
don’t do something to help Darius, I’ll never forgive myself. He’s only in
this situation because I’m his coach’s daughter. I feel so bad about all the
bullshit it’s created.”
“It’s not your fault or Darius’s. Your dad is an adult and needs to act like
one.”
“Not likely.”
“Stay calm when you’re talking to him. If you get overly emotional,
you’ll seem out of control.”
“Good point.” I suck down the remainder of my coffee. I’m going to
need all the energy I can get. Sliding from the stool, I step into Ryan’s
outstretched arms for a brief hug.
“Good luck,” he says.
“Thanks. I’ll take whatever luck you have to offer.”

My dad’s SUV is in the driveway when I pull in. I don’t see my mom’s car,
and that might be for the best. If Dad and I end up in a screaming match, I
don’t want her upset by it.
Tearing my keys from the ignition, I hurry to the door and knock before
I can change my mind. I could let myself in but I’d rather not have to go
search for him. I just want to get this over with.
The door opens in front of me. My dad looks surprised to see me.
 “Evelyn. What are you doing here?”
No ‘hello.’ No, ‘hey, I’m glad to see you.’
“I’d like to talk with you.”
“About what?” He already seems defensive.
“Can I please come in?”
He looks confused at my request. “Yeah, but your mother’s not here.”
“Actually, you’re the one I want to speak with.”
“Me? Okay. Have a seat.” He nods toward the living room located to the
left of the front entrance. “That’s surprising,” he says, sitting in his chair
while I settle down onto the couch.
“Is it really, Dad? Is it surprising I might be upset that you’re trying to
trade the man I love to another team?”
“I wouldn’t know anything about that. Our season has barely ended.
None of those decisions have been discussed yet.”
“Well, it seems as though your ship isn’t as tight as you think, because
Darius heard from a very credible source that you’re actively seeking a
trade for him.”
“Who told him?” he asks, no longer denying it.
“He didn’t say, but he’s very disappointed you’d do this to him.”
“I do what’s right for the team.”
“You’re right, the team has always come first with you. Even before
your family. But in this case I have to disagree with you. There’s no
universe where trading Darius is a move that betters the team. I think what
you meant to say is it’s better for you.”
“Now you’re an authority on hockey?” he scoffs.
“As soon as you found out about Darius and me being in a relationship I
knew it would become a problem. I knew you wouldn’t let it go. And when
Darius didn’t bow down and end things with me like you wanted him to,
you couldn’t stand it. I bet it drove you crazy to see him at every practice
and every game, knowing he wasn’t afraid to go against your wishes.”
“My players are supposed to listen to me. They get paid millions of
dollars to listen to me.”
“Yeah, about the game, not their personal lives.”
“Sometimes they bleed into each other.”
“In his case that didn’t happen. Statistically this was his best season yet.
That doesn’t sound like someone whose game is on a downward slide.”
“There’s more to it than just his game.” He tries to justify it.
 “Like what?” I challenge.
“There are things I can’t talk about.”
“Dad, I’m calling bullshit. You’re a bully who can’t stand when you
don't get your way.”
“Don’t talk to me like that. I’m still your father.” His tone deepens like
I’m a little kid who’s scared of getting punished.
“What kind of father wants to separate his daughter from the man she’s
in love with? Darius is the nicest man I’ve ever met. He’s loyal,
responsible, and he loves Tillie and me. And more importantly, she loves
him.”
“Kids believe what their parents tell them,” he says.
He’s going to keep feeding me his nonsense. It’s time to up the stakes.
“If you trade Darius, you can kiss your relationship with Tillie and me
goodbye. I’m not letting her around someone who doesn’t have her best
interests at heart.”
“You’re going to keep me from seeing my granddaughter?” He raises
his voice.
“That’s the first thing I’ll do. The second thing I’ll do is make the
rounds on all the sports shows and reveal the lengths my dad will go to if
one of his players disagrees with him.”
“You wouldn’t,” he says.
“Try me, Dad. I’m not losing Darius. I don’t care what I have to do to
make things work with him. He and I will figure something out. But keep in
mind, if you push his trade through, you’re losing more than the best winger
in the league. I know family has never been at the top of your priorities, but
I also know you love Tillie. I wonder what Mom will think when I explain
you’re the reason why she doesn’t get to see her granddaughter.”
He crosses his arms. “You don’t have it in you to follow through on
your threat.”
“Do I look like I’m kidding, Dad? Look into my eyes and see how
serious I am. Stop fucking with Darius’s career and you and I will be fine.”
I shrug. “Or don’t. It’s your choice.”
Ryan’s outside with Tillie when I get home. I follow the sounds of her
laughter to the backyard where I find them playing soccer.
“Timeout. Mom’s home,” Ryan says.
“Mommy,” she yells, running toward me. I brace myself for the impact
of her hitting me but she slows down at the last second, sparing me. She
wraps her arms around me and I do the same to her. I press a kiss on top of
her no longer neat blonde hair.
“Tillie, will you please run inside and grab us each a bottle of water
from the fridge?”
“Okay, Dad.” She runs off without hesitation.
“How did it go with your dad?”
“Like you’d expect. He denied it at first and then he tried to justify the
trade. We went back and forth until I told him he wouldn’t get to see Tillie
anymore if he kept screwing with my life.”
“Damn, Evie. I didn’t expect to hear that.”
“How many times am I supposed to let this man walk all over me and
just take it with no fighting?”
“I think you misunderstood me. I’m so proud you stood up to him. It
was long overdue, and I bet he was shocked by your newfound strength.
Darius has been good for you.”
I smile. “He really has, and in a lot of ways too.”
Tillie skips back out to us. “Daddy, you and Mommy can share this.”
She hands a bottle of water to Ryan. “And I’ll drink this one.” She holds it
up and Ryan removes the cap for her.
“Thank you, Daddy.”
The three of us sit down in the soft grass under the shade of a tall oak
tree. Tillie ends up lying down with her head on Ryan’s leg and it doesn’t
take long before she falls asleep.
“Someone’s tired after school,” I say.
“Someone who doesn’t go to school is also tired,” Ryan jokes, leaning
his back against the thick tree trunk.
“Take a nap in the fresh air. You can’t move until she wakes up
anyway,” I say.
He laughs. “Right? I guess I’m stuck here. Might as well take advantage
of the situation.”
“I’m going in the house. I have laundry to do. Enjoy your nap.”
“That’s the plan.” He closes his eyes.
 My hand is on the door to the mudroom when Darius pulls into my
driveway. Parking, he gets out alone.
“Hey. I wasn’t expecting to see you now,” I say.
“It was a spur-of-the-moment decision to come here.” He cups my face,
and I rise onto my toes, connecting our lips. The kiss is sweet and all too
brief, but when he draws back I’m smiling.
“I’m glad you did. Where’s Brutus?”
“He’s at home, probably sulking because I didn’t bring him with me.”
“Aww, poor baby. Why didn’t you?”
“I got some news about the trade and I wanted to let you know as soon
as possible.”
“Is this good news or bad news?” I can’t tell from his expression. Did I
push my dad into doing the opposite of what I wanted? Oh fuck.
“Neither.”
“How’s that even possible?” I ask.
“It’s great news.” He winks. “I got a call from your dad apologizing for
the rumors going around about trading me.”
“Did he admit he was planning to?”
“Yes, and he said his spitfire daughter came over and set him straight.”
“Huh. I wonder why he’d say that.”
He tugs me into his chest, holding me close. “Thank you, agápi mou.
Every day you do something to make my life even better.”
“I had to do something. I couldn’t let you be traded because of me. I’d
never forgive myself if you were.”
“That won’t be a problem now. I hope you won’t regret your decision.
What if you get sick of me?” He grins.
“As if I could.”
“I’m so proud of you, Evie. Not only did you stand up to your dad but
he backed down. That’s fucking impressive. I know what a hard-headed
man he is.”
“I’m so glad we don’t have to worry about being separated. I can’t
imagine living without you as a constant in my life,” I say.
“You don’t need to imagine it. I’m here to stay. You and I are as
permanent as the ink on my body. You’re a part of me, and that’s never
going to change.”
OceanofPDF.com
EPILOGUE
DARIUS

I FINISH TYING balloons with “Happy Birthday” written on them to

the posts on the front porch and the chair backs. There’s a long sign made
of giant purple and pink block letters on my front lawn that says “HAPPY
BIRTHDAY, TILLIE.” I even had a bandana made for Brutus that has
pictures of the two of them all over it.
I glance at my watch and realize I’m running behind. Evie and Tillie
should be here any moment now. “Are you ready to see Tillie? Are you
going to give her a birthday kiss?” I ask Brutus.
Evie’s car pulls into the driveway and my girls get out.
“Mom.” Tillie bounces on her toes, pointing. “Look at the sign.”
“Wow. That’s so cool,” Evie says.
“Happy Birthday, Tillie!” I shout.
She runs over to me and I scoop her into my arms for a hug. “Thank
you, Dar. I love my sign.” I set her down, and Brutus wanders over for
some attention like it’s his birthday and not hers.
“I’m glad. Eight’s a big birthday. How do you feel?”
“Awesome!” She runs off with Brutus.
I meet Evie as she steps onto the front porch and I press a kiss to her
upturned lips. I smile down at her. “Hey.”
“Hey yourself. It looks like you’ve been busy.” Her eyes scan the tables
and chairs set up on my front lawn under a large white tent.
“Maybe a little. Wait until you see the backyard.”
“Oh geez. Should I be worried?”
“Nope. But just a little warning, Tillie’s going to lose her shit when she
sees it.”
“I hope you didn’t do anything extravagant.”
“Nope. Not at all.” I wink. “Before everyone comes over I have a
surprise inside the house I want to show both of you.”
Her blue orbs are filled with questions but all she says is, “Okay.”
“Hey, Tillie. Can you come inside for a minute? I have a surprise for
you,” I shout to her.
She stops chasing Brutus and looks over to me. “A surprise?”
 “Yes.”
She squeals and races over to me. Now Brutus is chasing her. “What is
it?” Her blue eyes are so much like her mom’s as she stares up at me.
“Follow me and I’ll show you.” Leading the way inside, I head toward
the back wing on the left side of the house. “Do you remember this empty
room you asked me about a few weeks ago?” She was pretending to explore
new lands with Brutus and she found this spare bedroom.
“Yes.” She nods.
“Let’s take a look at it now and see if it’s changed any.” Turning the
knob, I push the door open.
Tillie gasps, then shrieks when she sees her new bedroom. “Is this for
me?”
“It’s all yours.”
Evie hooks her hand around my arm. “Darius, this is beautiful.”
“No, you’re beautiful.”
“You didn’t have to do all of this.” She gestures to the white loft bed
with the desk underneath and then over to a fuzzy purple rug with two
round ottomans Tillie can sit on with a small table between them. I even
made sure Brutus had a bed in here.
Tillie races around the room from one thing to another, picking things
up and putting them down. “I love everything.”
“Did you do all of this by yourself?” she asks.
“Nope. I had help, and you’ll never guess who it came from.”
“Your mom?”
“No.”
“Your sister?”
“Wrong.”
She taps her lips with her fingertip. “It has a feminine touch to it. I can’t
imagine you or any other guy picking out all the curtains and bedding. Did
Wendy help?”
I shake my head. “No, it was your mom and dad.”
Her eyebrows have popped up so high they may never come back down.
I knew she’d be surprised, but this is comical.
“How?” She can only get one word out.
I smile at how stunned she is. “Your parents have been making more of
an effort with you, and I thought having them work on a project for their
granddaughter would be a nice thing for them to do.”
 Leaning her head on my arm, she looks up at me. “You’re the nicest
person I know. I love you and your forgiving heart so much.”
“I love you, agápi mou, and Tillie as well. I wanted her to have her own
room here. If she never wants to stay over that’s okay, but she’ll still have
her own space to play in.”
Tillie stops in front of me. “Thank you, Dar. Can I stay over tonight?”
She’s bubbling with excitement.
“Let’s see what your mom and dad have planned for your birthday. But
any other night that they agree to, you’re welcome.”
“What time is everyone else going to show up?” Evie asks.
I glance at my watch. “They should be here any moment. I better wait
out front.”
“I’ll come with you.” Evie walks with me. “Do we need to do
anything?” she asks.
“There are going to be trucks here with tacos, burgers, and iced coffee.”
“For real? You’re having a coffee truck?” She smiles.
“Yep. But I’m not ordering for you,” I joke.
“Did you forget what my favorite one is?”
I scoff. “Really? You think I could ever forget what you ordered on the
night we met?”
“I think you’re stalling,” she says.
“I’m a little insulted you think I could forget.” I cross my arms over my
chest. “A venti iced coffee, with extra ice, skim milk, white chocolate
mocha, caramel drizzle on the inside of the cup, and vanilla cold foam.”
Puffing my chest out, I raise my arms up on either side of my head, flexing.
Pressing her lips together, she nods. “I’m impressed and sorry I doubted
you.”
“I probably never told you this, but I replayed every second of that night
in my mind for the two weeks it took for me to see you again.”
“Aww, that’s sweet. I bet all the female hockey fans probably think
you’re this bad boy player, and little do they know, you’re a total cinnamon
roll,” she says.
“What does that mean? That I taste good?” I grin.
She laughs. “No, but you do.” She grins back at me.
“Jesus. Don’t get me going.” I press down on my semi-hard dick.
She laughs. “So, I shouldn’t tell you how much I love sucking your—”
 I clamp my hand over her mouth to stop her from saying the word that
will push me over the edge.
I’m saved from the situation escalating when Evie’s parents pull into the
driveway. I notice Evie visibly tense up. I edge closer, taking her hand.
“Relax, agápi mou. I’m right here with you.”
She nods. “I know you are. I don’t know why I’m nervous. Things have
been better with my dad recently.”
After Evie had it out with her dad about trading me, he called her. It
took him a few weeks, but he made the first move at extending an olive
branch. He took Evie out to dinner and they talked through a lot of things
that needed to be addressed between them. Since then he’s been making
more of an effort to keep in touch with her, even if it’s just a quick text to
say hello. Her parents even had the three of us over for dinner a couple of
times.
“Looks like someone’s having a birthday,” Coach calls out as they
progress toward us.
Before I can say anything, two more vehicles are pulling into my
driveway. “Looks like the party’s about to start.”

I keep the party in the front yard until after we’ve eaten. The food trucks
were a big hit and I’m never hosting another party without using them. No
setting up, no cleaning up, and best of all, no cooking. Besides, there’s just
something cool about ordering from a truck.
“Can I have everyone’s attention?” I shout above the partygoers chatter
and wait until all the conversations have died out. “I have a surprise for
Tillie in the backyard, so if everyone could please follow me, that would be
great.”
“What is it, Dar?” Tillie asks.
I bop her on the nose with my fingertip. “It’s a surprise.”
“What do you think it could be?” she asks Three.
His brow furrows as he thinks. “A swingset?”
“Yes. I think it’s a swingset,” she agrees.
I hope she’s not going to be disappointed when she finds out what it
really is.
 Once everyone has moved to the back patio behind the house, I lead
Tillie over to the large tarp that says “Happy Birthday, Tillie” on it. Ryan,
Levi, and both my brothers bend down, grabbing the edge of the black
nylon, and drag it backward, revealing the synthetic ice surface.
“Do you know what that is?” Evie asks Tillie.
“No.”
“What does that little sign say?” Evie points to the wooden rectangle at
one end.
“It says ‘Tillie’s Ice Rink.’” Her eyes light up.
“This is synthetic ice and it can be used year round. I was thinking I
could teach you how to skate. Would you like that?”
“Yes! Can we skate now?” She bounces on her toes.
“We can. I’ve got skates for you, and Three too. And I’m pretty sure
your grandpa brought his skates too.”
“Mommy, will you help me put them on?” she asks.
“Of course,” Evie agrees. “Why don’t you and Three go sit down on
one of the benches and we’ll grab your skates.”
“Okay.” Tillie grabs Three’s hand and the two of them run over to the
edge of the rink. Tillie bends down to touch the synthetic ice and then Three
does the same. I can see them jabbering away about it, but we can’t hear
what they’re saying.
I find skates for Tillie and hand Three’s over to Levi. “Thanks, man.
This is going to be a big hit with the little man.”
“There are helmets for the kids in that bin.” I point.
“I’ll grab them each one,” Levi says.
Ryan comes over. “This is awesome. A little extravagant but awesome.”
“Yeah, I probably should’ve run this by you and Evie, but I was so
excited about it, I forgot to. Honestly, it’s been all I could do to hold off on
trying it out before today.”
“It’s all good. You’re going to teach her to skate on it so…” He shrugs.
“Do you have any skates that’ll fit me?”
“Dude, I have about thirty pairs for you to choose from. There’s a
cabinet on the back patio loaded with them.”
Glancing over at Evie, I see her lacing up Tillie’s skates. Three is on the
bench next to her and Leah is helping him out.
Picking up the bag with my skates, I bring it over to the second bench.
Coach sits down next to me.
 “We can practice 3-on-3’s here from now on,” he jokes.
“Don’t laugh, but I already thought of that,” I say.
“I would’ve killed for one of these as a kid,” he says.
“Right? Me too. I would’ve practiced for hours.” I stand up on the
synthetic surface and it feels better than the old acrylic ice I’ve tried before.
This one is supposed to be self lubricating, making it closer to the real thing
than any before it. It’s still not exactly the same. I can’t produce as much
power with each stroke that I normally do. It’s a little sluggish, but it’s
pretty fucking cool to be skating outside when it’s eighty-five degrees and
sunny.
Coach steps onto the ice too. “This feels decent. Better than skating on a
pond.”
“For sure. No holes or twigs to avoid either.”
Evie helps Tillie stand up on the ice. I skate over to her.
“How does it feel?”
She giggles. “Weird. I feel tall.”
I laugh. She’s right. It’s a bit of an adjustment to get used to that feeling.
Levi gets Three on the ice next to Tillie.
“Okay, you two. Hold your arms out like this.” I demonstrate the correct
position. “Start out with marching in place.”
Both of them repeatedly pick their feet up one at a time and place them
down again.
“Good balance, you two. Now, march across the rink to Coach Carling.”
“That’s my grandpa, Dar,” Tillie says.
I smile. “I know that. But he’s Coach Carling to Three.”
The two of them make it across the ice without falling. Coach shows
them how to march in place to turn around and then he sends them back to
me.
“Dude, he’s doing really well,” I say to Levi.
Leah laughs. “Uh oh. Levi will have a breakdown if he wants to play
hockey instead of football.”
Evie sighs. “Yeah, I didn’t really want her to learn to skate. Hockey
players are bad enough, but I don’t want my little girl getting checked into
the wall.”
“Checking has been banned in women’s hockey for years,” I say.
“Okay, but even still, that doesn’t mean it’s not rough.”
 I watch Tillie refuse any help from her grandpa, and laugh. “I have a
feeling she’ll be able to handle herself just fine.”
Ryan steps onto the ice and his arms begin to windmill around him. I
place a steadying hand on his back.
“However, I’m not sure about her father,” I say.
Ryan laughs. “Would you believe this is the first time I’ve put on
skates?”
“No,” I say, but I nod my head. We all laugh.
“Help me out here, Kastellanos. Make a skater out of me,” he says.
“Dude, just because I play in the NHL doesn’t mean I’m a miracle
worker.”
“Well, give me some pointers so I don’t break my neck.”
“You need to tighten your core and get control of your arms. If you do
that your balance will improve.”
He does as I suggest and he begins to move around with more control.
He grins and yells, “I’m skating.”
I glance over at Tillie and she and Three are already racing around the
ice. This is everything I wanted it to be. It makes me long for Evie and me
to have a baby, but there’s plenty of time for that. She needs time to work
on her career first.
I skate over to her. “Are you going to join us?”
“Nope. I’ll wait until there aren’t any witnesses around.”
“Naked skating? I like how you think.” I growl.
She snorts. “I’ll pass on that too. Sharp blades and dangling body parts
don’t go together.”
I wince at the thought. “I didn’t think of that.”
“Now you’ll never forget.” Her mouth curves with humor.
“You probably don’t want to hear this, but your daughter has natural
skating ability.”
She sighs. “You’re right, I didn’t want to hear that.”
“Oh, come on, you must feel better about hockey now that you have
your own player.” I hold my arms out at my sides.
“Maybe.”
“She’s only eight. She may decide she wants to try ten other sports by
the time she’s twelve,” I say.
She nods. “I know. I’m more upset by how quickly she’s growing up
than her possibly wanting to play hockey. Time is passing so fast. I feel like
if I blink too quickly I’ll miss something crucial.”
“You won’t. You’re a wonderful mom.”
“And you’re going to be a wonderful stepdad.”
“Are you proposing to me?” I ask.
She laughs. “Yeah, sure. Pretty original proposal, right?”
“I think I can do better,” I say.
“Hmm, that remains to be seen.”
Leaning forward, I press a kiss to her lips. “I can’t wait to make you my
wife.”

“I’m exhausted.” I stretch my legs out in front of me toward the fire in the
outdoor fireplace. “I couldn’t wait for everyone to leave. As much fun as I
had, I just wanted some time alone with you,” I say.
“Me too. I was so glad Ryan wanted Tillie with him tonight. I want to
sleep in tomorrow.”
“Technically, it is tomorrow.” I point to the time on my phone. It’s
officially after midnight.
“I thought it was nice of you to let Ryan bring Brutus home with them.”
“He wanted to go anyway. Tillie’s his favorite person in the world, and I
know how much Ryan likes him too. Our families have meshed really well.
I think it’s meant to be.”
“I have some news I need to share with you,” Evie says.
“Okay.” I don’t know what she’s about to say, but she looks calm, so it
can’t be bad.
“I got a job offer.”
“You did? When?”
“Yesterday.”
“Why am I just hearing about this now?”
She leans her head on my arm. “You were busy getting everything ready
for the party and I didn’t want to take away from Tillie’s day.”
“Give me all the details.”
“Well, it’s part-time for now. But it’s teaching art at a youth center
downtown. They run free after school programs for kids whose parents
work and can’t be home with them. The schools bus the students there, and
I’d be working for a few hours each afternoon. Ryan said he can get Tillie
from the bus every day. I’ll need to cut back on my hours at the pet salon
and change up my schedule, but that’s doable,” she speaks quickly.
“You seem excited about the opportunity.”
She smiles. “I am. I think it’ll be great for getting experience, and it’s
right in the wheelhouse I was looking for.”
“Congratulations, Evie. I’m so happy for you.” I kiss the top of her
head.
“Yeah, between the job offer and Tillie’s party, I don’t think this
weekend could be any better,” she says.
I rub my hand over my short beard. “I don’t know. I think it could be.”
“Better? Really?”
“Yeah. I have something for you. I’ve been holding on to it, trying to
wait for the right time. But the thing I’ve realized is there’s no wrong time.”
Rising, I turn around to face the outdoor couch she’s on. I shove my hands
in my front pockets. “From the moment we met, I knew you were special.
And it didn’t take me long to realize you were the piece I was missing in
my life. We clicked from the start, and every obstacle we’ve run into, we
always find the quickest way around it. I love you and Tillie with all my
heart. I know you said you’d never date a hockey player, but how do you
feel about spending the rest of your life with one?” Pulling my hand from
my pocket, I hold up the modest blue diamond set in platinum and drop to
one knee. “Will you marry me, agápi mou?”
“Yes!” she screams, leaping up to her feet. I sweep her into my arms,
holding her close. When I finally set her down, I slip the ring on her left
hand. It looks perfect.
“It’s so beautiful,” she breathes, with awe in her tone.
“You’re so beautiful. Eísai tóso ómorfos.”
She looks up at me, with the flames in the fire lighting her eyes with a
soft glow. “First, I swore I’d never date a hockey player.” She places her
hands on my shoulders. “Then, I started out by wanting a winger.” She
slides them up my neck, stopping when she’s cupping my face in her soft
palms. She smiles up at me. “And now, I’m marrying the winger.”
 Want more Jacob Chance?

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TODAY

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 Flynn

You know that voice in the back of your head telling you not to do
something? Well, I don’t have one, at least not one that functions properly.
Mine eggs me on, daring me to do my worst.

Which is how I’ve found myself in my current situation—on the verge of

being traded from my team.

Coach gave me one last chance to prove myself, so I begged my agent,

Nadia, to help me out.

Nadia

When I suggested Flynn find a woman to “fake date” as a solution to his

image problem, I never imagined he’d want me to fill that position.

As his agent, I already had my hands full trying to keep him in line. But
when he made an offer too good to refuse, I found myself accepting.

Now I’m committed to spending two months in the bad boy of football’s
company. His very attentive company.

He smells like sin and looks like every woman’s fantasy come to life. How
many stolen touches can I endure before I’m begging for more?
 I’m supposed to be changing the player, not falling for him.

Read on for the Prologue, and Chapter One of Changing The Player

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PROLOGUE
FLYNN

MY EYES JUMP to the giant scoreboard as we huddle up for a final

time. The clock’s almost run out and we have no more timeouts remaining.
This is our last chance. If we don’t score on this drive, we’re finished.
“I don’t know about you, but I don’t want any regrets. I’m not ready for
our season to be over,” Darren, our quarterback, grits out between labored
breaths. “We’ve busted our balls day in and day out all season and we’re
one play away from making it to the big game. Let’s go claim our victory.”
He lowers his voice, letting us know what the next play will be. Breaking
from the huddle, we line up.
Dragging in a long, slow breath, I draw oxygen into my tight lungs. The
other team’s defense has been playing aggressively and we’re exhausted.
Every inch of my body is sore, but I dig deep, summoning a final burst of
energy.
Darren catches the snap, and I spring from the balls of my feet, bursting
forward and gaining momentum while at the same time shaking off a
defender. Once I’m free, I break into a full-blown run, racing down the field
for the pass Darren throws. The spiraling football hurtles toward me and I
reach up to catch the well thrown pass. Barely hitting my fingertips, the ball
is knocked free before I can contain it. Reaching out, I make a last
desperate attempt to recover the pigskin before it hits the ground. But it’s no
use—all my effort is in vain. The realization hits me with a juddering force
as I crash into the ground.
And just as quick as the snap of two fingers, our season is over.
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CHAPTER ONE
FLYNN

NINE MONTHS LATER

“ANOTHER ROUND FOR MY FRIENDS,” I tell the cocktail
waitress in the VIP area of the club.
“Sure thing.” She looks me over appreciatively and smiles.
She’s attractive enough to tempt me, but I already have my hands full—
literally—with a sexy blonde and an equally sexy brunette. With my arms
wrapped around them, they each occupy a seat on one of my thighs. And
judging by their smiles, neither of them seem to mind sharing my attention,
which bodes well for me. This night just keeps improving. First, we won
our game, and now, I’ve hit the hook-up jackpot with the two hottest
women here.
The waitress reappears, setting drinks down on the small tables in front
of the long, armless couch.
“Thank you,” I say. “When you get a chance, I’d like another round.”
“Flynn, go easy, brother,” Darren cautions.
“Don’t worry, I’m fine. I couldn’t feel better. We kicked the Storm’s
asses, and now I’m just celebrating with my teammates.”
“Don’t forget us,” blondie says with a giggle.
“As if I could.” I wink. My new brunette friend hands me my drink
before passing the rest out to our group, keeping one for herself. I down the
whiskey in three large gulps, barely tasting it until the final swallow.
“Flynn,” Darren calls my name, giving me a concerned glance.
“Dude, stop acting like an old man. Can’t you let loose a little and
live?”
“You can have a good time without getting shitfaced,” he reasons, but
I’m not in the mood to listen to anything he has to say. No matter how
logical it might be. It doesn’t make a difference that he’s my best friend and
has been since college. None of that carries any weight when I’m feeling
restless and don’t know why.
 Whenever I get this way, my reckless side comes out. Similar to a genie
in a lamp, once it’s released, there’s no simple way to put it away. I wish
there was a magical phrase I could say to snap myself out of my self-
destructive mode.
You know that voice in the back of your head telling you not to do
something? Well, I don’t have one, at least not one that functions properly.
Mine eggs me on, daring me to do my worst. I don’t need a crazy friend to
make bets with me; my subconscious takes care of that on its own.
Darren and other friends have told me many times that I don’t know
when to stop. That I can’t set limits for myself. That I’m my own worst
enemy and I sabotage myself. And maybe that’s all true.
But at least I have a good time while I’m fucking everything up. I give
one hundred percent no matter what I do. Good or bad. That should count
for something.
As the night goes on, I lose track of how much I’ve had to drink. My
new friends have become exceedingly affectionate with me, and each other,
and I know it’s time to get out of here. Too inebriated to drive and eager to
see what the rest of the night has in store, I lead them to the hotel next door.
I hand over my credit card without a second thought, and before I know
it, we’re stepping inside the elevator. One of the girls drops to her knees,
undoing my pants while the other one kisses me. I don’t know who’s who at
this point and I don’t care. The slide of the doors closing and the hum of the
elevator moving barely register as a hot mouth wraps around my cock.
Fuck yeah.

Groaning, and not from pleasure, I force my eyelids to open. A sharp slice
of agony hits right between my eyes, radiating upward and outward. It feels
as though my head is being chewed up by Godzilla.
A handful of slow blinks later, I’m able to keep my eyes open. I take in
the rumpled bed and my two companions. My lips quirk with a satisfied
grin. My hangover isn’t the only thing here that sucks.
As much as I’d like to have another go with these two adventurous
ladies, it’s later than I expected. I need to get home and call in to a local talk
radio show I’m scheduled to be on.
 Slipping from the bed, I get dressed as quietly as possible. The last thing
I need is to wake them up. If I do, I’ll miss my call for sure. I’m not worried
about saying goodbye to either of them. I don’t plan to see them ever again,
and I made that clear at the club. Never let it be said that I’m not up front
about my intentions when it comes to the fairer sex.
Closing the door behind me, I hang the do not disturb sign on the
handle. The elevator ride to the lobby is a lot less memorable than last
night’s. I stop at the front desk to check out and turn in the room key before
I head next door. Thank fuck my truck is still safely parked in the lot. This
beauty was my first purchase when I signed with the Pirates. For that reason
alone, I’ll never sell her, but she happens to be badass too. Driving her is a
dream, and there isn’t a single time when I’m behind the wheel that I don’t
feel grateful.
The drive to my house takes about fifteen minutes, and the first thing I
do once I’m inside is to take a shower. The hot water and steam help to
clear the fog from my head. By the time I’m back downstairs having a cup
of coffee, I feel ninety percent better.
The call with the talk radio sports show goes well and takes less time
than I anticipated. Now it’s time to get some food in my stomach.
My doorbell rings, interrupting my search for something to eat. I’m not
expecting company, and aside from Darren, I don’t usually have uninvited
guests showing up. Opening the door, I find my little sister, Kendra,
standing on my front stoop.
“Hey, what are you doing here?” I ask.
“It’s nice to see you too, Flynn,” she snarks, pushing by me.
“Come on in,” I jest and shut the door. “It’s not that I don’t like looking
at your adorable face, but what are you doing here?”
She kicks her heels off, leaving them in the middle of the floor, before
dropping her keys on the small entryway table. “I need coffee before I do
anything else.” She stalks toward the kitchen with me following.
“What a coincidence. I was just mid-cup, myself.”
Kendra grabs an oversized mug from the cabinet and fills it with rich,
dark coffee. Neither of us uses cream. We don’t like to mess with
perfection.
“God, that’s good,” she says with a pleased sigh. “Your coffee always
tastes better than mine. What do you do differently than me?”
“If I tell you, then you won’t need to stop by unexpectedly anymore.”
 “Oh, don’t worry about that. As your publicist, you give me plenty of
reasons besides coffee.”
“I’m guessing your being here has something to do with last night,” I
say.
“You guessed right. What the hell were you thinking, Flynn?” She gives
me the stink eye over the mug.
I’m not even sure what she’s upset about. From what I remember of last
night, I behaved well. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Really?” Her lip curls with repugnance. “You had two women in your
lap most of the night.”
I grin. “I know. It was a great time.”
“Flynn, we’ve had this conversation too many times already. Why do
you do this to me?”
“Do what to you?”
“Stress me out,” she yells.
“I don’t see how I stressed you out.”
“Maybe it has something to do with you and the two women you were
with being plastered all over the television and internet today.”
“That’s awesome.” I smile.
Kendra shakes her head and fire shoots from her eyes. Okay, I imagined
that part, but if she had super powers, I’d be a pile of ash right now. “That’s
not how most people look at it, Flynn. You think it’s awesome because you
took those women to a hotel and did God knows what with them. But TMC
got footage of you at the desk getting a room, and for the cherry on top,
there’s video of one on the women on her knees while the other one is
kissing you.”
“I was there. I don’t need you to recap it.”
“Hey, asshole. I didn’t need to see footage of it either. But I did, because
my brother is selfish and stupid and doesn’t care if his actions reflect badly
on others.”
“No one’s going to hold my sex life against you, Kendra. Don’t be so
narcissistic. Everything isn’t about you.”
“Narcissistic?” She half gasps, half laughs the word out. “You don’t
know the meaning of that word. If you did, you’d know that’s the last thing
I am. While you’re busy only thinking of yourself, I’m busy doing damage
control.”
 “Damage control for what? Since when is a single guy getting his rocks
off a crime?”
“Since you had to do it on camera and with two women. Why can’t you
have sex with one person at a time like most people?” she asks.
“Why should I be like most people? Why does anyone care what I do in
my free time?”
“Flynn, you know the answer to that as well as I do. You’re a famous
football player. Everything you do is a reflection on your team. Remember
them? You need to start keeping them in mind or you won’t have a job
much longer.”
I ruffle Kendra’s hair. “Calm down. Mr. Benson loves me. The team
would be lost without me,” I boast.
“Okay, don’t say I didn’t warn you. There have been too many
incidences of improper conduct from you this season.”
“Like what?” I fire back.
“There have been innumerable women.” She ticks off, raising a finger
on her hand. “Public displays of drunkenness.” There’s another finger.
“Some would say disorderly conduct. I mean, you did almost get into a
fight.” Finger number three raises.
“Hey, wait a minute. A little shoving doesn’t constitute calling it
disorderly conduct.”
“When you knock over a table full of drinks, it does.” Her expression is
smug.
“Whatever.” I shake my head. I’m still not willing to admit defeat. I’m
not tapping out, especially when it’s my little sister trying to prove me
wrong.
“I can continue if you’d like,” she says in an innocent tone.
I pour myself another cup of coffee. Turning around, I lean back against
the edge of the counter. My shrug is nonchalant. “Sure. I’ve got time.”
Kendra takes advantage of my feigned willingness and launches into a
ten-minute diatribe of all my indiscretions. By the end of her ranting I feel
somewhat like an ass, but probably not as much as I should. I’m more
annoyed than anything.
So I like to have fun and I have a problem with limits. What guy doesn’t
get wild and crazy sometimes?
“I feel like I’m being persecuted for being like pretty much every other
average Joe.” I lose my ability to stay silent any longer.
 “You’re not an average guy, Flynn. You’re a freaking football superstar,
and you need to act like one off the field too.”
“Why should I change my behavior? No one has ever been harmed
because of me or my actions. Why should I be penalized for living my life
the way I want to? I’m not breaking any laws. I’m not breaking any league
rules.”
“Flynn, you can’t perpetually push your luck and then complain when it
finally gets you in trouble.”
“I’m not in trouble.”
“Not yet. I’m sure you’ll be hearing from Nadia any time now,” she
says, mentioning my agent. Like that should scare me.
“Look, you do whatever it is you need to do as my publicist. Put your
special spin on this and make it go away. That’s what I pay you the big
bucks for.”
“Pfft. With the bullshit I’ve had to deal with this season, you better give
me a raise soon.”
“You should be thanking me for all the other players you’ve gotten as
clients because of me,” I tell her.
“No, I got them as clients because of my work. They’ve seen what I’ve
had to do to keep your career alive, and now they think I’m a freaking
miracle worker.”
“Touché, little sister. I’m not saying you’re not good at your job.”
“No, you implied I didn’t get the clients I have on my own merit, and I
resent that. I’ve busted my ass starting my business, and I do a kickass job.
While I appreciate that you hired me when I had no experience, you had no
choice since your previous publicist dropped you. How ironic is it that the
reason she gave was that you were too much work? And not only did I take
over her duties, but I stepped in when your personal assistant quit too. I’m
doing two jobs for the price of one, and you’re more work than any of my
other clients.”
Now I feel bad, and the foot I put in my mouth tastes like shit.
“I’m sorry. I know how amazing you are at your job—jobs. I’m the first
one to brag about you. I didn’t mean to make you feel unappreciated. I
guess that’s one of the drawbacks of working for me.”
“One of the many drawbacks.” She smiles glumly.
“I hate to cut this short, but I need to eat something and hit the gym.”
“How about eggs and pancakes?” she asks.
 “And bacon?”
“I’ll cook if you clean up,” she says.
“You’re on.”

Continue Flynn and Nadia’s story HERE.

Available on Kindle Unlimited

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Thank you to every reader who purchased, borrowed, or read Wanting the
Winger with Kindle Unlimited. I’m honored you took the time to read my
words and I hope you enjoyed Darius and Evie. I can’t forget about Tillie
and Brutus. Thank you to all who will go on and post a rating or write a
review.

Thanks so much to my PA, Diane. How many books have we gone through
this whole process together for? I think it’s 37? And it never gets any easier,
lmao. Thank you for all the things you do to make the actual release go
smoothly. And for not saying I told you so.

Thank you so much to my editor, Shauna Stevenson, from Ink Machine

Editing. If it wasn’t for you Coach’s last name would’ve changed in the
middle of the story and Evie’s panties never would’ve come off. Darius and
I thank you for catching that error.

Thank you so much to my beta readers Jenn and Rachel. You two gave me
such useful feedback and pushed me for more where it was needed. It’s
awesome and surreal at how invested you both are in my characters.

Thank you so much to Marley Valentine for doing such a great job on the
formatting. I can always count on you to make my books look great.

Thank you to all the members of my reader’s group Spoiled by Chance.

You guys show up for me with every release and I appreciate your support
more than you know. I hope you loved WtW and it made you smile. You all
make me smile every day. I love being an author and you make that
possible.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jacob Chance grew up in New England and still lives there today. He’s a martial artist, a football fan,
a practical joker and junk food lover.

All his books are available on Amazon

THE QUAKE SERIES

QUAKE | QUIVER | DELVE | TIED | DELUDE | QUAKE DUET | DELVE DUET

THE BOSTON TERRIERS FOOTBALL SERIES

PENALTY | DRIVE | COACH | TACKLE | JOCK | SCORE

THE BOSTON TERRIERS HOCKEY SERIES

CHECKED | ICED | BLOCKED | HOOKED | TRIPPED

THE CHARLESTON PIRATES SERIES

CHANGING THE PLAYER | KISSING THE QUARTERBACK | TEMPTING THE BALLER
| COACHING THE KICKER | LOVING THE LINEBACKER | RESISTING THE ROOKIE
WORLD CLASS WRESTLING
TUSSLE | RUMBLE

WINTER BROTHERS
MANTRUM | MANFAX

KING UNIVERSITY SERIES

DEPRAVITY | DEVILRY | DEBAUCHERY

ON THE EDGE SERIES

EDGE OF RETRIBUTION | EDGE OF HONOR | EDGE OF FOREVER

STANDALONES
PUNCHED | CANVAS | HONEYMOON HITMAN | HOMETOWN HITMAN | SHE’S MY
BOO | SHINE

FIND JACOB CHANCE

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Group | Jacob's Newsletter
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