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Chapter Thirty-Nine

Cam

Kissing Chris in the middle of the ballroom probably wasn’t one of my smartest moves, but I don’t care. I barely registered the team falling unusually silent. But once Greg Donovan stood and clapped for our performance while we were still kissing, the guys relaxed. The roof nearly came off with their stomping and hollering.

Chris drives us to her place after the ball to talk. I can’t wait to park my car in the circular driveway, and leave it there all night, in the open, but Jack, Buzz, and I had rideshared to the event, so it has to wait.

Inside, I sober quickly. This conversation is far more important than my improved transportation options.

Chris offers me a drink, but both of us opt for water. We sit at the table so we can face each other comfortably and still hold hands. She seems nervous.

Trying to put her at ease, I lead with, “We don’t have to work it all out tonight.”

Her shoulders drop a little bit. “Thank you. I guess more than anything, I want to reset my own expectations, as you’ve been generous in your flexibility. We’ve been—excuse the pun—dancing around this for months, so now we’re changing the rules, going public, without an end date, I’m a bit lost. In a good way, but still.”

“That’s cool. What would help you get more comfortable?” I hope my squeezing her hand reassures her.

“Again with the flexibility. Geez, this is like when we were supposed to be celebrating your first shutout, but I was the one that got oral.”

“Will oral help? I’m happy to start with that?” I perk up, sitting forward. Mostly teasing.

“Sadly, no. Verbal, not oral. Two different things.” She mock-shakes her head. Oh, Dancer has jokes now, too.

Keeping hold of her hand, I grab the other one that has been making flailing gestures as she talks. “Hey. This is you and me. No one else is in this relationship with us. And neither of us has been in a similar situation in our past. So we’ll figure it out together, as we go. I meant what I said. You’re mine and I’m yours. The rest is negotiable.”

She blows out a breath, dropping her shoulders an inch. “I still don’t know where to start.”

“Come here.” I stand and tug her up, then lead her to the couch. Sitting her at one end, I claim the other and grab her feet, placing them in my lap. “No one can stress out while getting a foot rub. I’m pretty sure it’s physically impossible.”

“I’m not sure I can be coherent while getting a foot rub, though.” Her head rolls back as my thumbs dig into her arches.

“Here’s what we’ll do. I’ll ask questions, and if you can’t answer I’ll pause what I’m doing.” I focus on her left foot first, using both hands to smooth the muscles below the ankle bone. “Any limitations on what you’re comfortable doing short term as a couple? Being seen in public? Going out with the team after games? I need to give my agent a heads up because this’ll be news, and there will be speculation about my contract, but other than that I want you with me as much of the time as you’re willing.”

Chris moans when I hit a tight spot. After a breath, she replies, “Depending on what your agent says, I don’t have a problem being seen out and around. However, I’d like to play the ‘hanging with the guys’ part by ear, please. It might be hard for them to view me as your girlfriend.”

My hands tighten on her foot at the word “girlfriend.”

She flinches. “Ouch.”

“Ohmigod, sorry, Chris.” I forgot how sore the balls of her feet can get dancing in those crazy high heels.

“It’s all right. Anyway, I don’t want them to see me as an owner spying on their activities.”

“Based on the couple times you’ve come out already, I don’t think they do. Their financial advisor, maybe, but not an owner. Besides, at one time or another, some of those loons might need bail money.”

She snorts. “Then an owner is the last person they’d want around. They’d be afraid it’ll get back to Greg.”

“Next subject. Houses.”

She gestures for me to pause. “You’ve relaxed me enough you may need to pour me into bed, so I can wait on some of the subjects. For houses, suffice it to say I’ve been lazy, sponging off Greg with no house maintenance responsibilities, but I’m open on those. The most important thing is children, and I’m not sure where I’m at on that.”

“Are you open to considering having some, if it doesn’t include risking your health?”

“I’m open to considering considering having one or more.”

I shake my head, chuckling. “What does that even mean?”

“I’m nervous to say I’m willing to think about it because you might take that as there is a definite path to us having kids, it’s just a matter of which path. Whereas I’m not there yet.”

“Ah. I understand. I would like to outline our options, because it might help you envision what might or might not work for you, but I’m not in a rush. I want to play a few more years of hockey before kids so I can retire and spend more time with them.”

“Wow. You see yourself as a house husband after hockey? I could get on board with that.” She grins. “But to answer your question, we can talk those through one day soon. What else?”

“Your legs are all I can think of at the moment. Can we table the rest for another day, while I trade in my verbal skills for my oral?”

“Yes, please.”

I tug her toward me, positioning her legs on either side of me and she grins in anticipation. I’ll never tire of making her smile.

When I stand with her straddling with me, she yelps.

I remind her, “I’ll never drop you, Dancer. I love you.”

Her responding, “I love you, too” is muffled by my lips slanting over hers as I head for the bedroom.