Picking up his pint of beer, Sawyer tips his glass at the rest of the table. “I’ll be the first to admit how much I like this idea—more beer for me while you all hit the water and energy drinks.”
From beside Tommy, Jenna shifts uncomfortably in her chair. “And here I was, thinking the sickness bouts had stopped …” She frowns at the huge bowl of pasta set in the center of the table. “Turns out, the smell of salmon can still turn my stomach.”
“You were like that, weren’t you, Princess?” Jensen rubs Kate’s belly. “The smell of meat had you wanting to puke around the clock.”
Collins holds up a hand. “As much as I care for a pregnant friend in need, can we hold all talk around vomit until after we’ve finished eating?”
“I can’t believe you’re still struggling, babe.” Kendra’s soft voice floats toward Jenna. “I thought you’d be well past that by now.”
Jenna huffs out a doubtful breath. “Apparently, this baby is destined to make me sick for the whole nine months.”
Lowering down so only his wife can hear, Tommy whispers something in Jenna’s ear, pulling a dirty giggle from her throat.
“And no filthy talk at the dinner table.” Jack points his knife straight at Tommy. “This is a respectful meal, not an opportunity to get down to it with your woman.”
“Yeah, Tommy.” Archer smirks at his captain. “The time to bang comes after the main course.”
Jack’s knife moves from Tommy to his goalie. “Are you deliberately trying to raise my blood pressure, Moore? Or are you naturally that antagonistic?”
“He’s an opportunist,” I muse, smiling around a mouthful of pasta. “He lives for chances to remind you about how he married your sister.”
Jack just rolls his eyes. “At least nothing ever happened under my own roof.”
Unable to control herself, Darcy bursts out laughing. “That’s what you think, oh brother almighty.”
Jack’s head darts to Kendra, eyes wide in disbelief. “What are they talking about, Kitten?”
“I believe Archer is referring to the first time he hooked up with your little sister.” She points toward thehallway.
Jack jumps to his feet. “Kend, call a realtor. We’re putting the apartment on the market. First thing tomorrow.”
“Don’t be so melodramatic,” Sawyer replies. “You’ve cleaned the sheets, right?”
“Annnd … all of a sudden, I’m not the only one fighting the urge to puke.” Jenna chuckles, dipping her chin at a pale-faced Jack.
“I know what I’ll do, Kend,”Jack mumbles sarcastically to himself, loud enough so the whole table can hear what he must’ve said earlier to his wife. “I’ll drop all my players a last-minute text and cook up a nice meal ahead of tomorrow’s game.No one appreciates me around here.”
“Well, I appreciate you,” Billie confirms, fork circling her dinner, “and this gorgeous meal.”
Kate shakes her head. “Don’t encourage him, Billie. The Morgans are needy enough as it is. I, for one, am just glad we only have to cope with one tonight.”
Sliding my hand under the table, I squeeze Billie’s thigh in my palm, leaning down to whisper into the shell of her ear, “All this talk of hooking up is making me so fucking horny.”
She whips her head around to look at me, eyes wide with shock. “Emmett!”
Her coy response turns me on further. We haven’t had sex since our getaway, and I blame that entirely on our playoffs schedule, plus my hesitancy to push Billie any further than a few dates over the past two weeks.
But there’s only so long I can hold off on putting my hands on this girl, as I’ve come to realize all too well since February.
My hand ascends toward her apex, and instead of stopping me, she opens her legs wider.
“Bad girl,” I softly croon.
Clearing her throat, Billie centers her attention on Kendra. “Your apartment is beautiful. Really homey.”
Jack motions to his wife. “Everything you see is at the handsof my girl. When I moved in, the place had stark white walls and not much else.”
The temptation to let Billie know that she can style my penthouse however she wants when we move in together threatens to spill from my tongue as she finishes up her last mouthful of pasta, a shaky hand replacing her fork on the plate when I dance my fingers higher.
