There were a lot of things I was unsure of—how well I could continue to juggle college, hockey, and being a single dad, how my parents would react when they found out about me and Harper, howherfamily would react, or what else the future held.
But there was one thing I was one thousand percent certain about.
Harper Tinsley was mine now, and I would do anything to keep her.
THIRTY-FOUR
I woke slowly, savoring the delicious weight of Drew’s arm draped possessively over my waist. Two realizations hit me at once—I’d just spent the night with my sworn enemy, and I’d never slept better in my entire life.
I had no idea what time it was, but I couldn’t bring myself to check because that would require moving, which was the last thing I wanted to do. Instead, I wanted to soak in the feeling of him wrapped around me like this.
Heat bloomed in my chest as fragments of last night flashed through my mind.
His hands.
His mouth.
The way he’d looked at me like I was the only thing in the universe that mattered.
I bit my lip, fighting the urge to wake him just to see if it could happen again. As if sensing my thoughts, Drew stirred, his arm tightening around my waist. He nuzzled his face against my neck before placing a tender kiss against my shoulder.
“Morning, Freckles,” he murmured, voice rough with sleep.
I wrinkled my nose at the nickname but couldn’t summon any real annoyance. Not when he was looking at me like that.
Although I could think of one way to get back at him. “Morning, Andy.”
He groaned, rolling onto his back and pulling me with him until I was sprawled across his chest. “Really? You’re still going with Andy?”
“You called me Freckles.”
“Yeah, but I love your freckles.”
My heart started racing. “Since when?”
He kissed my nose. “Since always. Which is why I got annoyed about them and tried to turn them into a taunt.”
I let out a sigh as if I was totally burdened. “Fine, you can call me Freckles,” I conceded, “but then I still get to call you Andy.”
“After everything that happened last night, you’re still going to?—”
I propped my chin on his sternum, not bothering to hide my smile. “Especially after what we did last night.”
His face broke into a grin as he shook his head at me. “You’re impossible.”
“Part of my charm.”
“Debatable.”
His fingers threaded through my hair like he was mesmerized by my crazy morning curls, which were no doubt wilder than usual given all our activities last night and the fact I hadn’t put my sleep bonnet on. I was sure they were a frizzy mess.
I leaned forward and pressed my lips to his, intending just a quick good morning kiss, but his hand cupped theback of my neck, holding me there as he deepened it. My body melted against his, morning breath be damned. Nothing seemed as important as the heat of his skin against mine, the slide of his tongue, the?—
A staticky cry broke through the moment, making us both freeze.
“Shit,” Drew muttered against my lips. “Rory.”
He was up and out of bed instantly, grabbing his shirt and sweats even as he spoke. “I need to go.”
