Page 45 of Hat Trick (Titans Hockey #1)

Chapter thirty-nine

Carter

I 'm asking too much. Traveling with a kid is stressful enough, but traveling alone with a kid? I anxiously pace my hotel room, waiting for the text from Emily that will let me know she landed in Denver safely.

What was I thinking? Asking her to fly commercial to our away game. I could have hired a private jet. I could have had her leave Annie with my mom. I could have put on my big boy pants and dealt with the stress of being away from them and doing the job I'm paid to do.

But the last away game nearly broke me. To think of my mom, Ems, and Annie, alone in our house, during a hurricane, with a potentially dangerous man after them? Fuck, I've never experienced fear like that before.

Emily talked me out of taking a red eye there, but I didn't sleep a wink. Those are my girls. They're the only things I've ever loved more than hockey. I'm more convinced than ever that I'll be hanging up my skates at the end of this season.

I love the sport, but what's the point if I can't be there for the family I love? Will I raise my daughter to think hockey is more important than her? Will I miss dance recitals and parent-teacher conferences because I'm at an away game.

We moved my mom to a new rental just down the street from us, so she's there for Emily and Annie if she needs it but has her own space as well.

Emily's been amazing about helping her set up a new home and it's given my mom something to focus on besides Dad.

But it also means Emily and Annie are alone again in the house.

"Fuck!" I shout into my empty hotel room.

My phone pings and I rush for it.

Emily: Annie did great on the flight! We're just waiting for our luggage and then we'll take an uber to your hotel.

Me: Fuck that, I'm sending a driver.

Emily: Carter, people travel all the time with kids. We're good! I promise.

Me: Ems. I love you. Non-negotiable.

I can see her rolling her eyes and sighing in my mind.

I know the idea that they could get a crazed serial-killer for their uber driver is ridiculous, but my brain can't distinguish fact from fiction right now and the need to have my girls in my arms is overpowering.

I would pick her up myself if we weren't slated to leave right as she was arriving for warm ups and pre-game shit.

We head to the arena in rented out SUVs when my phone pings again. It's a picture of Emily and Annie on the couch in my hotel room, brilliant smiles on both of their faces.

Emily: Can't wait to watch you dominate tonight!

Me: Are you good? Got in alright?

Emily: Stop worrying! We're going to grab a bite at the hotel restaurant. Arena food isn't exactly good for you. And then we'll see you at the game! We're good!

I close my phone. Of course she's good. Annie's good. Emily knows what she's doing. I need to focus on tonight's game.

But I have a thought.

Me: I have another jersey in my bag. Wear it tonight? Please?

Emily: Anything for you, sweetheart.

My heart tightens at her sweet words. I don't deserve her. She's done nothing but make my life better since the moment she stumbled into it and I can't believe how she's still always so good. I don't deserve her attention, her praise, her love. But I'm a selfish bastard, so I'm going to keep it.

Equipping up, prep-talks, and warm-ups happen just like they do at every other away game.

I know I need to get in my game-day mentality, but I can't. I want to check my phone.

I want to know my mom's okay. That somehow Dad hasn't gotten to her while we're all away.

I want to know that Emily was honest when she said her travel day was fine.

I want to put my eyes on Annie and Emily and know they're alright.

I want to see Emily in my jersey. And I can't do any of that from the fucking locker room.

Finally, the ushers tell us it's time and I follow our Coach to the ice.

As Captain, everyone else is following me.

I have to set the example, the vibe for tonight's game.

I've gone over all of the pre-game footage.

I know Denver likes to strike hard and fast, hoping to rattle their opponents, lure them into early fouls.

But if I'm honest, my mind and my heart are elsewhere.

I skate around the boards, looking for Emily.

I know we got her tickets on the ice. Siobhan had to call in a couple of favors.

But it takes three laps, and a bucket of nerves later, before I spot her.

She's juggling an oversized bag, and Annie, with her noise-cancelling headphones, into their chair.

Fuck, I only bought one seat. I should have bought two so Annie could sleep in her car seat while Emily enjoyed the game.

Would there ever be a day I didn't fuck things up as a dad? As a boss? As a boyfriend?

I take a close look at Emily, though, and she's nothing but smiles.

She grabs Annie's hand and presses it to the plexiglass.

I skate over and cover Annie's little hand in mine.

I lock eyes with Emily, and I pray she can see everything I want to tell her in them.

That I love her. That I appreciate her. More than words can say.

I hold a sleeping Annie to my chest as we take the elevator to our hotel suite. We're all quiet, an underlying simmering of anticipation filling every void in the elevator car.

Somehow, we all understand we'll all be taking Emily tonight. At the same time.

The boys and I are still simmering with adrenaline from the game. Emily's shifting her weight back and forth on her feet, clearly affected by the anticipation in the car.

The boys and I stare straight ahead at the car door, dialed-in, waiting. Emily's eyes ping-pong around all of us, nervously.

We silently walk to the room, I scan my key card, and hold the door open while we file in. I give Annie a sweet kiss on the head before laying her down in the portable crib Emily had the forward thought to set up ahead of time. I make a mental note to reward my good nanny for that.

Luca and Gabe flank Emily, whose waiting by the California King. I pause for a moment and simply take her in. She's twisting her fingers against themselves and shifting her weight from foot to foot. But she has a shy smile on her lips.

Luca can't keep his eyes off of her. Gabe looks at her like he's absolutely feral. And a sudden realization dawns on me. This is my show. They're waiting for me for instruction.

The control freak in me throws a metaphorical fist in the air.

"Luca. Take off her jersey and pants. "

Luca slides to her side, giving her a sweet smile, kissing the side of her neck, and lifting my jersey off of her body.

She threads her fingers through his dirty blonde hair, and I almost lose my composure.

He drops to his knees next to her before unbuttoning her jeans and tugging them gently down her hips.

She places her hands on his shoulders while he helps her step out of her jeans.

Luca gives her a sweet kiss on her mound, over her panties, before standing and stepping back.

Gabe looks like he fucking wants to eat her alive.

"Gabe. Kiss our girl." Before I even have the words out his crashing his lips into hers. They both moan together, their bodies moving in tandem, both chasing after the same thing.

"Luca. Panties and bra."

He obeys instantly, as eager to see her bare as I am.

All three of us are still in our game day suits, and the contrast between our dark colored suits and her pale, naked skin is maddening. I want to take a picture of her like this. The light surrounding our dark. The soft to our hard. The smooth to our rough.

So, I do. I take a quick picture with my phone, before tucking it away.

"Luca, get our girl on the bed."

I begin to shed my clothes and Gabe and Luca follow suit. Luca gently pulls Emily away from Gabe and sets her down on his lap once he's in nothing but his boxers. He pulls her face to his and begins kissing her.

Gabe, now in just his boxer briefs, too, steps in behind her and begins kissing her neck, letting his hand slide up and down her side, causing her to shiver and giggle.

I fucking love that sound .

"Luca. Get our girl ready for us." I say, my voice low and strained. I'm rock hard and painful, so I press the heel of my hand against my cock. I want her. I want all of her. I want to worship her all night long, but I need this to be good for her more.

She came into my life at the exact moment I needed her.

More than once, I've considered her my knight in shining armor.

Her patience, her grace, her thoughtfulness.

Not only did she effortlessly teach me to be the kind of father I want to be, but she also rescued me from myself.

She saw the mental load I was carrying and lifted it from me, without me ever asking.

She's been my best friend these past few months.

My best friend, my therapist, my confidante, my lover, and now my future. She's my everything.

She moans into Luca's mouth. She's Luca's everything, too.

She saw the man he truly is, the one he wanted to be, and nurtured it.

She gave him permission to be himself and because of that he's thrived.

I didn't feel like Gabe and I held him back from becoming a new version of himself, but maybe it took Emily's unique brand of love to give it wings.

She met him where he was at and gave him the type of love that makes life worth living.

Gabe wraps his hands around either side of her, cupping her breasts in each of his large hands.

Gabe was the last of us to fall, but damn if he didn't fall the hardest. He surprised us all when his anti-Emily campaign ended one minute, and the next he was making love to her.

Not fucking her. Not dating her. Making love to her.

After his privacy was invaded and his safety threatened by his stalker, I never thought I'd see him open up again.

His protective streak is engrained in his DNA.

He protects the net, his friends, and his heart with a ferocity that's unmatched.

But somehow, this pint-sized nanny came into his life and bulldozed those carefully constructed walls around his heart.

I shake my head and smile. Only Emily. Only Emily could come into our little unit and make three very different men fall in love with her.

Luca helps Emily lay back onto the bed before spreading her legs open gently.

Gabe kneels next to her shoulder and kisses the breath out of her.

Luca leisurely kisses up both of her thighs until he reaches her apex.

He gives her one, long lick that has her arching off the bed with a gasp and a moan.

"You're going to have to be quiet, baby girl.

Annie's asleep in the next room. Can you do that for us?

Can you be a good girl and stay quiet?" Gabe croons in her ear.

He gently strokes the back of his finger down her cheek, staring at her with a reverence and adoration I didn't know he was capable of.

She looks up at him and bites her lip. Her big eyes, reflecting the love he has for her back at him. She nods her head.