Page 42 of One Kind Goal

They indulged until a mumbled pizza sounded from the back seat, followed by pajamas.

“Yeah,” Morgan whispered. “Pizza in pajamas.”

Sawyer started the SUV to head for Mountain View Pizza, but his mind was more focused on the pajamas portion of their evening.

Specifically, the fact that he’d be seeing and touching what was under Morgan’s pajamas.

After a short drive down the street, Mountain View Pizza came into view. Sawyer pulled into a parking spot and glanced at Nia who was sound asleep in her car seat.

“I’ll run in,” Morgan said, grabbing her purse. “What do you and Nia like on your pizza?”

Sawyer put his hand over Morgan’s as she rummaged around in her purse for her wallet. When she looked up at him, he said, “You already bought a Pegasus for Nia and you paid for the cottage. Dinner is definitely on me.”

“Oh.” Morgan grinned. “I figured you’d pay me back with sex.”

He had to clamp a hand over his mouth to stifle his laugh then he poked her arm. “After I’m through with you, baby, you’re going to owe me.”

Morgan’s eyes closed and she hummed. “I am down for that.” She brushed a kiss to his lips. “I like thin crust pizza with spinach and olives.”

“Got it.” He nipped her bottom lip. “Be right back.”

He opened the driver’s side door as quietly as he could, peeking back at Nia who didn’t budge. He eased the door closed and made his way to the front door of Mountain View Pizza. The place appeared small from the front, but once he was inside, he realized that it stretched farther back and was actually a lot larger than it appeared. It had tables, booths, a small stage, a bar, and a casual vibe that Sawyer liked. He could picture hanging out here with his teammates. When they’d last been in Maplehaven, they’d stuck to the cottages because they hadn’t had much time and Isabel had arranged for food.

Also Morgan had been at the cottages and Sawyer saw no reason to leave when he could be spending time with her.

As he perused a menu by the restaurant’s take-out area, he recalled first meeting Morgan. He’d been hanging with three of his teammates. They’d stepped outside into the snowy night to smoke cigars. His buddies were carousing all around him and he’d been a part of that until he’d felt . . . a shift in the air. Or something like that. He hadn’t been able to explain it, but something had made him look around, past his teammates.

It had been dark, but in the glow of a floodlight from the cottage next door, Sawyer had seen two shadowy forms walking along its front path. A moment later, one of the forms had fallen. He’d handed his lit cigar to Brett and dashed through the snow to the other cottage.

“Are you okay?” he’d asked, crouching by the woman sitting on the ground.

A head with long brown hair had whipped toward him. The moment the floodlight had illuminated her face, Sawyer had known he wasn’t getting back to that cigar.

“I’d be more okay if the ground was made of rubber,” she’d said, allowing Sawyer and the other woman, who had been Isabel, to help her to her feet. She’d brushed snow off her butt—a job Sawyer had wanted to volunteer to do. “Thanks.”

He’d been about to reply with the standard you’re welcome, but Isabel had said, “Morgan, this is Sawyer Lundin. He’s with the RI Anchors.” She’d given Morgan a weird look Sawyer hadn’t been able to decipher. “You know, that hockey team I told you was staying at the cottages.”

A slow grin had slid across Morgan’s lips. Lips that had caught Sawyer’s attention. They were full and pouty and begging to be kissed.

She’d held out her hand. “Morgan Rayhill.”

He’d shaken her hand, but she hadn’t let go.

“I’ve been meaning to learn more about hockey,” she’d said, resting her other hand on his chest. “Might you be available to discuss the topic?” She’d angled her head toward the cottage where Isabel had the front door open.

He’d known better than to refuse that invitation and they’d spent the night discussing hockey then fucking. A fantasy night really.

He couldn’t wait to explore Morgan’s body again tonight.

“Can I help you?” a teenager asked from the other side of the counter.

Shaking out of his memories, Sawyer ordered a thin crust spinach-and-olive pizza for Morgan, a thick crust with pepperoni for Nia and him, mozzarella sticks, and fries. When the kid suggested brownies for dessert, Sawyer took the bait because chocolate before sex sounded like an excellent plan.

While he waited for the food, he wandered around a little, stopping at a wall that had mostly community news tacked to it.

In his perusing, he got a few ideas for more activities he could do with Nia and Morgan around town. A family-friendly winter hike with Birch Peak Adventures. Tubing at the base of Brenton Mountain. Touring a maple syrup company. Ice skating on Brenton Lake . . . Damn, he wanted to do everything, but he wasn’t entirely sure how long this Vermont trip was. Carina said she’d check in and give him a date to return Nia, and Sawyer wondered how long Morgan had planned to stay. A part of him wanted to iron out those details.

Another part wanted to foolishly believe the three of them had unlimited time together. He had six to eight weeks for his arm to heal, but it was probably too much to hope that he could have Nia and Morgan for that long.