Page 72 of Breaking the Pucking Rules (LA Vipers #1)

KODIE

I ’m not sure how it’s possible, but Casey is even better than I remember.

Being with her, everything else falls away. The stress of the season, the pressure of being the best father I can be. Everything is just so much easier.

I knew I was lying to myself when I walked away and ripped both our hearts out.

But I’m done lying.

I’m done pretending.

I’m going to embrace the fear and see where it takes me.

She’s fucking it for me.

I’ve fallen for her so fucking hard, I barely even know which way is up.

Fuck what everyone else thinks. No one else matters.

Just us.

Us and our family.

I think of Sutton lying in her hospital bed and a bolt of guilt shoots through me.

The second I approach the nightstand, I swipe my cell up and check for notifications.

There are none. I already knew there wouldn’t be, but still.

Opening my messages, I tap a quick one to Mom before locating my sweats.

I forgo my boxers, knowing that Casey will get a kick out of it.

What is it they say? Gray sweats are the way to a woman’s heart.

Okay, maybe heart is the wrong part of their anatomy.

My cell dings and I grab it from the bed, staring down at the exact reply I expected.

Mom: Sutton is perfect. You don’t need to worry. Enjoy your night.

Kodie: Nice trick with the keycard.

Mom: You’re welcome. Just remember you have a game tomorrow. You need to get some sleep

My loud groan fills the bedroom.

Please tell me that my mom didn’t just winky face emoji me knowing she gave me a hotel keycard that would give me access to the woman I can’t get out of my head.

“Fucking hell,” I mutter, dragging my hand down my face.

“Is Sutton okay?” Casey asks as she steps out of the bathroom with a towel tucked under her arms.

“Yeah, she’s fine.”

“So what’s the moaning about?”

Turning my cell around, I show her the message stream.

She snorts a laugh.

“I like your mom,” Casey says, her cheeks a little pinker than they were a few seconds ago. “I’m not going to be able to look her in the eye in the morning, though.”

“Just wait until your dad knows what we’ve been up to.”

“Oh god,” she groans. “Can you not?”

“Cas—”

“Kodie, I want this. I want you and everything that comes with you. You said earlier that you want everyone to know. But…”

A frown tugs at my brows as I wait for her to continue.

“I do want everyone to know. I want to be able to come to your games and have everyone know that you belong to me. I want to walk down the street holding your hand and do all the things normal couples do. I just…I’m not sure I’m ready for it yet.”

My lips part to respond, but she beats me to it.

“We’ll never be just a normal couple. Your life, your public image, and your reputation mean that we’re going to have a lot of attention on us at the beginning, and I want us to be solid before we have to deal with that.

“We have Sutton to think of. We have your career. My father.We need to figure all of it out before the rest of the world gets an opinion.”

All I can do as she blurts all of this out is smile. “Okay.”

She stares at me as if I’ve just grown a second head. “Okay?”

“Yeah. Did you expect me to argue?”

“I…uh…I don’t know.”

“Casey,” I say, dropping my cell to the bed and walking around until I’m standing in front of her.

Taking both of her hands in mine, I stare down into her eyes.

“I want this. I want you. And we’ll go at whatever pace you’re happy with.

You want me to call up a few reporters I know and tip them off so I can stand out the front of this hotel and shout at the top of my voice that I’ve fallen for Casey Watson, then I’ll do it.

You want to keep me as your dirty little secret a while longer, then I’ll happily do that, too. ”

She squeezes my hands, a small smile playing on her lips.

“Promise me something.”

“Anything.”

Her smile grows. “Never, ever do anything even close to the first one.”

A laugh rumbles in my chest before it explodes.

Wrapping her up in my arms, I hold her tight and press my lips to the top of her head.

“I can’t promise things like that,” I tease, my smirk growing.

“Kodie,” she warns.

“Casey,” I counter, lifting her hand and kissing her knuckles. “When the time comes, I want everyone to know you’re mine.”

“How are you so perfect?”

A self-deprecating laugh falls from my lips.

“Baby, I’m so far from that it’s not even funny.”

She shakes her head. “Not to me.”

My chest tightens as she gazes up at me. I’m not sure anyone has ever looked at me and seen me the way Casey does.

It’s as exhilarating as it is unnerving.

“If we do this, you might learn a few things to prove otherwise.”

“If we do this?” she asks, concern pulling at her features. “I thought?—”

“We’re doing this,” I confirm. “I just want to warn you that you might find something you don’t like.”

“That’s a risk I’m willing to take.”

A knock sounds at the door as my head lowers to kiss her, halting my immediate plans.

“Dinner’s here,” she whispers.

If she weren’t so hungry, I’d say fuck it and eat her again instead. But my girl needs sustenance if we’re going to have anywhere near the kind of night I’m planning.

“Get comfortable, baby,” I say before releasing her and stalking toward the door. “I’ve ordered you a feast.”

I wasn’t lying. Even for a hockey player, I’d ordered an obscene amount of food.

We gave it our best shot though before we both slumped back on the bed, full and content.

We didn’t have sex again; instead, we shuffled under the sheets and kissed and cuddled like a couple of teenagers. Under the cover of darkness, locked away together, talked about what we wanted, where we wanted to take things, and how we wanted it to go.

It turns out, we didn’t have any answers other than the fact we want to do it all together.

When we eventually drifted off to sleep in each other’s arms, I slept better than I have in a long time.

I had my girl back, and everything was going to be okay .

Knowing she was mine, that we were going to walk out of that hotel room together, made everything so much more.

My eyes lift to the rearview mirror, and as if she knows I’m thinking about her, I find Casey staring right back at me.

The air crackles between us, and I forget that we’re not alone as I reach down to tug at my pants.

Casey’s cheeks flame before Sutton’s soft voice fills the car, dragging me back to reality.

We’re almost back, and I’m not sure how I feel about it.

What I really want to do is drive home, taking everyone in the car with me. But I know I can’t; Mom might be fully aware of what is happening between us, but that doesn’t mean I can bring her into our lives, our family, without discussing it with both her and Sutton first.

A pained sigh passes my lips, earning a glance from Mom.

“Everything is going to work out. Have faith,” she says quietly.

I don’t respond. I can’t. Instead, I grip the wheel harder and try not to think about what’s about to happen.

Unfortunately, before long, Casey's apartment building comes into view and I’m pulling into one of the free spots in the parking lot.

The whole way home, her soft voice has filled the air along with happy giggles from Sutton.

Watching them laugh together in the rearview mirror had me fighting to suck in the air I needed.

It was too much but not enough, all at the same time.

“Can’t Casey come home with us?” Sutton asks as I kill the engine. Disappointment is evident in her voice. I feel it all the way to my soul.

“Sorry, sweetie. I should be at work right now.” Seeing her panic, Casey reaches over and squeezes Sutton’s hand. “Making sure you’re okay was more important than anything else. Make sure your daddy spoils you rotten today, okay?”

A smile spreads across Sutton’s face. “I will,” she promises before shooting a look in my direction. “He’s going to win tonight, too,” she states confidently. “And,” she adds, looking pointedly at me, “he won’t spend any time in the box. Will you, Daddy?”

“I’ll try my best,” I promise as I turn around to look at them.

Casey’s eyes find mine, and my breath catches.

She doesn’t want to go, either.

Fucking hell.

“I’ll walk you in.” The words are forced, and I hate them. But as much as I might want to take Casey home with us and play house, it’s not that simple. As she said last night, we’ve got a whole lot of stuff to work through first.

“It’s okay, I can?—”

“I’m walking you in,” I state, leaving no room for argument, before pushing my door open and climbing out.

By the time I get to her, she’s already waiting beside the car.

Her hair is unstyled, and she doesn’t have any makeup on—not that she needs it.

But what really makes my heart race is that she’s standing there wearing my shirt from yesterday.

While Mom might have packed me a bag with spare clothes, Casey only had the clothes on her back, which is why she stole my shirt when we got dressed this morning.

Waking up with her naked body tucked against mine was the thing dreams are made of.

I could have stayed there all day with her. But reality was calling—or more so Mom, so that Sutton could talk to me.

In a few months’ time when the season is over, we’ll have the chance to laze around in bed all day. But for now, we’ve got to keep moving.

With her bag in one hand, I snatch her fingers up with my other and walk her toward the entrance.

She watches as I tap in the code for her building before pulling the door open and tugging her inside, aware that the tinted glass will give us some privacy.

“Thank you,” I say, cupping her cheeks in both of my hands.

“You have nothing to thank me for.”

I shake my head. “You’re wrong. I have everything to thank you for.”

She sighs, a smile playing on her lips.

“Sutton loves you.”

“She’s a great kid.”

“Yeah. I lucked out.”

“Nothing lucky about it. You’re an incredible dad.”

I wiggle my brows, happy to take the compliment. “Oh yeah? What else am I good at?”

She laughs, and the sound lights me up inside.

“You’re coming to my game, right?” I’ve already asked her, but I need to hear it again.

“Yes, Kodie. I’m coming to your game,” she confirms.

“And you’re wearing my jersey?”

Her smile spreads wider, crinkling the corners of her eyes.

“Yes.”

“And I can come here after and celebrate?”

She tilts her head to one side teasingly. “If you win.”

My breath catches.

“And if we lose?”

She shrugs one shoulder and taps my chest. “Then it’s just you and your right hand, big guy.”

“Hell fucking no,” I say, dropping my hands to her hips, pushing her up against the wall, and kissing her in a way that will ensure she spends the rest of the day praying that we win so I can finish what I started.

When I finally leave the lobby of her building, I’m sporting a very inappropriate tent in my sweats, and my smile refuses to falter.

I haven’t felt this good in a long time.

I just pray it continues, and I don’t fuck it up again.