Page 106 of Daddies on Ice

“Carl’s right,” Jake says, moving to stand beside him. “There’s nothing wrong with what we did, Tish. Nothing wrong with you enjoying it.”

I want to believe them, but the voice in my head keeps whispering that good girls don’t do things like that.

Good mothers don’t abandon themselves to passion with three men at once.

“You think less of me now,” I whisper, the words barely audible.

“Never.” Ash’s voice is fierce, and when I look at him, his brown eyes are blazing with intensity. “If anything, I respect you more.”

“We all do,” Jake adds, his hand finding mine and squeezing gently.

Carl nods, his thumb brushing across my cheek to catch a stray tear. “You’re one of the strongest women I’ve ever met, Trisha. What happened last night doesn’t change that.”

I search their faces, looking for any sign of deception, but all I see is sincerity. Slowly, some of the tension in my chest begins to ease.

“I’ve never done anything like that before,” I admit quietly. “I’ve only ever been with one man before last night, before you three, and that was…different.”

“Different how?” Ash asks, though something in his expression suggests he already knows the answer won’t be pleasant.

I think about Mica, about how he took what he wanted without caring about my pleasure, about how he made me feel small and used. “He didn’t care if I enjoyed it. It was always about what he wanted.”

The temperature in the room seems to drop several degrees. Jake’s jaw clenches, and Ash’s hands curl into fists at his sides.

Carl’s expression darkens in a way that reminds me he’s not just a gentle coach, but a man who’s seen his share of battles.

“That bastard,” Jake mutters under his breath.

“He’s in the past,” Carl says firmly, his eyes never leaving mine. “What matters is now. What matters is that you know you deserve to feel good, to be cherished, to be worshipped the way you were last night.”

His words send heat spiraling through me, and I feel my cheeks flush.

The way he’s looking at me, the way they’re all looking at me, makes me feel beautiful and desired in a way I’ve never experienced before.

“So none of you regret it?” I ask, needing to hear it one more time.

“Hell no,” Jake says immediately, his grin returning. “Best Christmas Eve of my life.”

Carl’s lips curve into a small smile. “No regrets, Trisha.”

I turn to Ash, waiting for his response. He’s been quieter than the others, and I can see something conflicted in his expression.

“No regrets,” he says finally, but there’s something in his tone that makes me think there’s more he’s not saying. “Though I’ll admit, part of me wishes…”

He trails off, shaking his head, and I can see the jealousy he’s trying to hide.

He wants me to himself, I realize.

The knowledge sends a complicated mix of emotions through me—guilt, because I can’t give him what he wants, and a feminine satisfaction that this strong, controlled man wants me that much.

“Ash,” I start, but he holds up a hand.

“It’s fine, Tish. I knew what I was getting into.” His smile is strained but genuine. “I’d rather share you than not have you at all.”

The honesty in his words takes my breath away.

Before I can respond, there’s a soft sound at the door, something sliding across the floor.

We all turn to look, and I see a white envelope that’s been slipped under the door.