A slow delicious smirk begins to stretch on her mouth. “The husband-and-wife thing. We can try and see where it goes. The whole letting down our walls as if we actually enjoy one another part. I’m just not jumping fully in without hesitation, but okay, might as well make it bearable between us.”
I give up on the ice pack as it falls to the floor. “What are your conditions?” I grin because she wouldn’t make it this easy, and she shouldn’t, considering our history. I bring my hand to the back of her neck so I’m in position to slam my lips down on hers after she answers.
She steps forward and rises on her toes, drawing me in, bringing our mouths closer. I feel her breath, and it encourages me to brush my lips along her cheek.
“We might have consummated the marriage, and we might be sharing a bed.” Her sultry tone is a killer. “I might go to bed every night in next to nothing.” The image sounds like heaven. She’s reeling me in, and my thumb blots her bottom lip.
I swallow. “Uh-huh.”
“But Connor, no entanglements until you work for it. Woo the hell out of me. Show me why the women peg you as their romance hockey guy. Until further notice, you get nada except a kiss.”
My stomach sinks. She’s brutal. Vicious. And fine, I’ll do it because I want to see where we’ll go.
I groan a sound. “Fine.”
“Fine?” She doubts me.
“Yeah, fine. Are spankings off the table?” I tease her.
She hums. “I guess one or two would be fine.” She flashes her eyes at me. “Now kiss me.”
I slam my mouth onto hers and ensure that it’s firm, deep, and long. Inescapable is what I’m aiming for.
I love when she kisses me back. It only reconfirms that I’m not delusional, and maybe I’m right. I might have pushed her away over the years, but she always wanted to be mine, even if she couldn’t admit it.
Reluctantly pulling away, I enjoy how her arms hang around my neck. “You’re going to go all out at bedtime, aren’t you?”
“You mean wear your jersey and nothing else? Absolutely.” Her saccharine tone is already misery. Her chin tips down, and I know she’s looking at my hard cock. “Oops. Poor guy.” She fakes concern with that gorgeous grin of hers.
“We so need to adopt a therapy dog now. My dick is going to be so turned on by you constantly that I fear I may go blind since he has to wait.”
Her head falls back in laughter, and it is music to my ears. Hadley unhooks from around me, and all I can do is admire her, as I feel it in my bones that this has to be our time.
She glances over her shoulder on her way out the door. “I’ll give you a second and meet you out by the dogs.”
“How giving of you.” I roll my eyes.
A few minutes later and I find her by the same Labrador mix that I held earlier. Before I get a chance to tease her that she’s attached, the woman in her thirties who volunteers notices me.
“I was just telling your wife about Ace. He’s one of our older dogs. Only four, but too old for most. He’s up to date on his shots and he is chipped. He was abandoned in an apartment a few towns over.”
Hadley’s face turns sad and my own heart tugs. “That’s horrible. We also had a dog growing up that my mom adopted when he was older.” Hadley pets Ace’s head, with his eyes sullen.
I swipe a hand through my hair then pull at the back, struggling to walk us away. “I-I mean, surely, he could…”
Hadley shoots me a hard stare. “Don’t. You travel during game season.”
I shrug. “You wouldn’t be alone if we got a dog.”
Her eyes bug out. “Dogs are as big a commitment as marriage.” She ensures only I can see that her eyes flash, indicating that we’re already in new territory; why bring another into life to it?
“You’re right,” I calmly voice.
Her eyes bounce between the dog and me. “Maybe my mom and dad would be interested. They are surely ready to get another dog, my brother wants one.”
Ace wags his tail and angles his head to the side.
“I know, buddy, you had a connection to Connor.” Hadley’s melting. It’s made worse when his eyes travel to me.
