Jake shook his head and gestured at my breakfast. “Drink your smoothie, Your Highness. You’ll need to leave soon.”
I laughed and slapped him on the ass as he went back to the stove to grab the pan of eggs and dish them out onto two plates.
“Your Highness?” Logan asked.
I snorted. “It’s my nickname. Hockey players don’t have the best teeth.” Jake made a noise at that and grinned at me over his shoulder. “So far I’ve been pretty lucky, but I’ve needed a few teeth replaced in the back of my mouth.”
Jake settled a plate with eggs and toast in front of Logan and took the seat next to him. “And he got gold teeth. So he’s all kingly. Your Highness.”
Logan laughed and his whole face transformed. He looked younger, happier, and it only made him more handsome. Running a hand through his hair, he smiled at Jake when he passed him utensils. “I love that.”
“If you stick around long enough, you’ll meet friends who call him that, too.”
I grunted and grabbed my smoothie, taking another long sip. Checking the time on my phone, I groaned before I slipped it into a pocket of my jeans and stretched out the kinks in my back. “I should get going. Gotta warm up before practice.” I gave Jake a kiss on the cheek and grabbed his chin, turning his head so I could work one onto his lips. “Be good.”
“I’m always good.” Jake rolled his eyes but sent Logan a wink anyway. “I thought I could take you to the farmers’ market while Dec’s at practice. They’ve got some of everything. Home-baked goods, art, fresh fruit, music.”
Logan smiled. “Sounds good.”
“And then Dec can meet us either there or somewhere else,” Jake finished, leaning his head back so I could peck another kiss onto his lips.
“Love you. Be careful on the road.”
“I will. Love you, too. Don’t forget your socks. They’re in the clean laundry.” He patted me on the arm.
“What would I do without you?” I carded my fingers through his short dark hair, nails scraping across his scalp exactly how he liked it, and drank in the shiver that passed through him. I nodded at Logan. “I’ll see you later. Jake, maybe take him to get his gear from the motel and pay for the night? If he’s staying here, there’s no reason for him to be paying for that room.”
“Of course, babe. I thought about that, and it’s the first thing we’ll do.” He patted me on the arm. “Now go, before Du Bellay accuses me of making you late again.”
I laughed. My coach, Gaspard Du Bellay, and Jake had met numerous times, and whenever I was late he texted Jake to blame him. Depending on how late I was, and whether or not we were supposed to be going out of town, he was joking. Sometimes he was just pissed off. Like clockwork, Jake had a retort ready, and most of the time it was a sex joke that had Du Bellay busting my balls.
I grabbed my keys from the kitchen counter. I hated the idea of going to practice, even though it was a requirement. No serious hockey player was allowed to miss training unless they were injured or wanted to be booted from the team, but I also wanted to spend the day with Jake and Logan.
I gave Jake one more kiss, which made him laugh, and went to where he had the fresh socks folded in a basket in the laundry room. When I came back out he had my duffel bag filled with my clothes and equipment in his hands, and he led me toward the garage.
“Show him the bear claws,” I said, after I’d taken my things and opened the door.
He laughed and wrapped his arms around my neck, slanting his mouth over mine in a slow, seductive kiss that had pleasure coiling in my gut.Fuck, what I wouldn’t give to take him back upstairs and have Logan talk again while we fucked. Maybe tonight.
“Go. Call me when you’re done, and we’ll meet up and spend time together.” He popped a final kiss on my lips, and I sighed, stepping back.
I nodded and headed to the Jeep, hoping this was a short practice.
9
Jake
We wentand got Logan’s belongings and paid for the motel room, like I’d told Dec we would, before I headed toward the farmers’ market near the lake. Even with snow coming down, the parking lot surrounding the area was packed, but that wasn’t anything new, either. Everyone loved the market, and I swore nearly every person in New Gothenburg who wasn’t working showed up. In the distance beyond the stalls on the edge of the market, past the ice near the shore, the lake glittered, churning and gray.
“Wow.” Logan peered out his window at the rows of cars, as well as some adventurous Harleys, and I laughed.
“Everyone comes out for something to do,” I said and finally found a spot to park. We’d have to walk but not far. As soon as we were out and I had the SUV locked, we started the stroll toward the crowd of stalls set up near the lake. We only got halfway there when I noticed PD hanging around a few bikes with his club brothers, and he called my name.
“Hey!” I tugged on Logan’s arm to stop him and guided him toward the Kings. PD met me with a slap on the shoulder. Jester was there, too, as well as a few guys I didn’t know.
Will, PD’s best friend and the man who’d had a bike accident recently, was standing beside PD, but his shoulders were slumped forward and his arms were crossed over his chest as though he didn’t want to be there. He wore his Kings’ jacket like all the other boys, but there was something off about him. The few times I’d met him before his accident he was a lively guy with an infectious laugh, but now he seemed distant. From what PD had told me, they’d shaved his beard when he was in the hospital, but it was on its way to growing in now. He had his cap on backward and was staring in the opposite direction, giving me a perfect view of the colorful wolf ink on his neck—clearly a PD job.
I didn’t ask PD if Will was okay because that was rude as fuck, and these were the type of men whose bad sides I didn’t want to get on. They would defend one another to their graves, and I didn’t want to risk insulting Will.
