Page 193 of Risking the Pucking Defense

Heaven.

“Yeah. Life’s too short not to go after what you want. I’ve found something I want, and I’m going to make sure you know it. I’m not into games or playing hard to get, and all that bullshit. I want you, Hailee. I want you to be a part of my life. I want you in the stands watching my games. I want to come home to you to celebrate wins and commiserate losses. I want to send you dirty messages while I’m away and maybe have a little phone sex. And I want to hold you every night we can be together, and I want to wake up with you the next morning. I want to do Pilates and yoga with you as the sun rises, and I want to snuggle in bed once it’s set and read together. I want it all with you, Hails. And I know that’s scary and big and serious, but it is what it is.” I hold her cheek, my eyes locked on her glassy ones as she absorbs my words, hears the truth behind them.

“I think…I think I want all of that too,” she confesses quietly.

“You think?” I tease, nudging her nose with mine.

“I didn’t see any of this coming, Hayden. I was on a one-way road to spinsterhood. And then I followed you into that stairwell, and everything began shifting.”

“Sometimes, the best things happen when we least expect them,” I tell her, my cheeks hurting with how wide I’m smiling.

“Yeah, I’m starting to learn that not all surprises are bad. Like today, for example.”

“I’m proud of you for trusting me. Did you have fun with the girls?”

“Yeah, I really did. They’re great.”

I hate when she talks about her life before I crashed my way in, about how lonely she was. She might have been surrounded by people every day, but she was keeping them all at arm’s length. But watching her lower her walls a little and allow people in, learning that having friends isn’t all that terrifying…

“Bea was so excited to help when I called her. She’s a good person, Hails.”

“I know she is. And she understands me. She gets it.”

Shifting my arm beneath her, I roll her onto me.

“I’m glad you’re discovering that. I know you’ve been burned, and that there are plenty of people out there who just want to use us, but Bea, Rett, and the others…they’re not like that.”

“I know,” she murmurs. “It’s just hard to embrace it.”

I smile at her, tucking a lock of her hair behind her ear.

“But you’re doing it,” I say as I grab her thighs, forcing her to straddle me. “Now, what else did you want for your birthday?” I ask, hoping like hell she’s not about to demand cake instead of what I’ve got in mind.

The second her eyes flash with desire, I know we’re on the same page.

“You, Hayden. I want you.”

“Fuck, yeah,” I grunt before lining myself up with her entrance and watching as she sinks down on me. “I’ll never get used to this. Having the hottest woman on the planet bouncing on my cock is fucking mind-blowing.”

She wants to argue, but I don’t let her; instead, I reach up, wrap my hand around the back of her neck, and drag her down to me so I can kiss her.

54

HAILEE

Ifeel more contented and relaxed than I have in my entire life when we crawl into bed together a few hours later.

After Hayden impaled me on his dick on the couch, he carried me to the shower, where we may have indulged in another round before he took his time cleaning me up, which may have resulted in another orgasm for me. After, he tugged one of his T-shirts over my head and led me back to the couch before ordering my favorite Thai takeout and making us drinks.

It was the perfect night after the most perfect day, and all of it was because of him.

His confession earlier about how much he wants this, his vision for our future, stays with me, and as he wraps his arms around me, his thigh hooked over my hip, the words I’ve been holding back finally spill out of me.

“I’m married.”

He stills, his eyes widening, his breath catching.

Regret swells inside me.