“Holy fuck,” I mutter under my breath as I blink my eyes hard. “I think your dad might make me cry.”
Gray sniffles and I look at her as tears pour down her cheeks. “Right? He’s so wonderful.”
I pick up the popcorn and put it on the table beside my bed along with my beer and pull her into my arms. The video feed is cut and the camera is back on the reporter who is wrapping up the story. He’s talking about how the board of directors is going to vote on whether or not to accept Gray’s offer, and that Brian Brannon is abstaining from the vote.
This I also already knew and that the vote would be happening tomorrow.
Gray lays her head on my shoulder, resting her bandaged arm across my stomach. “I love listening to your heart. It’s so strong and solid. Just like you.”
I squeeze her. “Did I ever tell you that you are the most amazing woman I’ve ever known?”
“I think you have,” she says as if she’s searching mightily for a recollection. “I mean, you say so many magnanimous things about me, it’s hard to keep it all straight in my mind.”
I laugh and press my chin on top of her head. We lie like that a few moments, comfortable in the silence yet still burdened by the crazy things that have happened to us in the last few days. Crazy, terrifying, heart-pounding, knee-buckling, insomnia-inducing, tear-producing, crazy-ass things.
But it’s all good.
In this moment…it’s all very, very good.
“Are you worried about the vote tomorrow?” I ask her. She’s seems so far to be very unperturbed by all of this. I know my stomach is in knots over the prospect of her resignation being accepted. I’m not quite sure how I’ll be able to live with this if it happens. I’m not sure I can be the one responsible for killing her dreams.
Before she can even answer me, I gently push her off my chest and say, “Fuck that. You cannot resign from the organization. I can’t stand by and let you do that.”
“It’s done,” Gray says as she levels those gorgeous green eyes at me. “It’s why I did it before I went public, because I knew you wouldn’t want me to do this.”
I grasp her chin and hold her tight. “I’m feeling a whole lot of guilt about this, baby. I’m not sure this was what was best for us.”
Her arms come up and wrap around my wrist. She doesn’t make a move to pull my hand away from her, but rather seems to just want to touch me so I understand her when she says, “I can’t control how you feel, but please…believe me when I say this is going to work out. Let’s not worry on this one moment more until we see what happens during the vote tomorrow.”
“But if they accept your resignation—”
Gray launches herself at me, plasters her mouth to mine. My arms automatically go around her waist, my fingers smooth over her bare skin. She’s warm and soft against me and her tongue tastes divine. She kisses me hard…grinds her pelvis against mine.SportsCenter, popcorn, and guilt are forgotten.
Gently pulling away from me, she keeps her face hovering just inches from mine. Her eyes penetrate…reach in deep and hold me hostage. “I love you. No matter what happens tomorrow, or the day after that, or the day after that. I. Love. You. And that is all that matters to me. The fact that I can go on a date with you, or hold your hand out in public, or that you can finally introduce me to Violet and Ruby as your girlfriend…those things are so much more important to me than being the general manager.”
“But—” I make one more weak attempt, because damn if she isn’t soothing my conscience nicely.
“But nothing. No matter what happens tomorrow, I will always be involved in hockey. I’ll still be involved with this organization. Stop worrying about me, and trust that I made the decision that was best for me. I put my priorities in line and I sought out the top one. It’s a win for me, don’t you get it?”
“I’m thinking I’m the one who’s truly won here,” I whisper. “I’m not sure what I did to deserve this.”
“How about we agree that we both got what we deserve and be happy with that?” she offers with a gentle smile. “Let’s just be happy.”
Oh, man, this woman.
This fucking woman.
“Okay,” I tell her as I roll over, pushing her to her back and coming to rest on top of her. Right between her legs. Best place ever. “Right now, we’ll just be happy.”
Epilogue
Gray
THREE MONTHS LATER…
It’s game five of the Stanley Cup championship.
The Cold Fury leads the series 3–1 over Chicago.
There’s fifty-three seconds left in the game and we are up by one goal. If we can just hold on. If Ryker can keep the net protected…we will win it all.
I’m not sure I can breathe. I’m pretty sure my lungs have gone on hiatus. We took a stupid penalty less than a minute ago so we are shorthanded by one player. Ryker has his work cut out for him.
I look around the Cold Fury arena. Every single fan is on their feet and the cheers are almost deafening. Every player is standing, leaning forward and watching with hunger in his eyes. Coach Pretore is actually standing on the bench to look over the players.
I glance up toward the owner’s box. I know my father is up there watching and I’m just a tiny bit sad I’m not up there to have the first victory hug. But he knows I need to be down here…right at the edge of the tunnel that leads out onto the ice. I have to be here so Ryker is the first to get my hug. And kiss. And maybe a squeeze on the ass.