Page 21

CHAPTER TWENTY

ROWAN

P ress after the game turns out to be less of a dumpster fire than I was expecting.

After managing to cinch another win, I’m the one who ends up having to talk to the media afterward. Much to my surprise, I’m not pressed about details on Lucy and Hadley. A few questions are brought up in regard to them and I set the record straight with limited information. I confirm that Hadley is in fact my fiancée and that Lucy is my daughter.

The interview was cut short by Coach Landry interjecting and I wasn’t able to answer the question about how I managed to keep it a secret this long.

And now Hadley is silent the entire fucking way home.

I don’t know what I said or did wrong. I didn’t even know she caught the interview, but she must have been watching it as it was broadcast on the TVs in the wives’ room.

We pull into the driveway and she sits with her hands clasped in her lap as the garage door slowly slides open. I glance at her, hoping she’ll look at me, but when she doesn’t, I pull the car into the garage, letting the door close behind us.

As I turn off the engine, I glance in the rearview mirror, and I see Lucy’s still asleep. Hadley turns her body slightly, the Aston Archers jersey she’s wearing shifting as she undoes her seat belt. It makes a sound as it slides away from her body.

“Where did you get this?” I ask her, tilting my head to the side. “Whose name is on the back?”

Hadley looks at me, reaching for the door handle. “I got it at the game.” Her tone is off and her voice is clipped. “It’s yours.”

My eyebrows pull together, confusion washing over me. She was silent the entire car ride and now this is just not like her at all.

Reaching for her, my hand wraps around her wrist before she gets the chance to fully open her door. It slams shut and she whips her head to the side, looking at me with her eyebrows raised. “I’m tired, Rowan.”

“Tell me what’s going on. The silence is fucking killing me, Had.”

Her eyebrows lower, pulling together in the slightest movement as her expression softens. “It’s nothing.”

“To me, it’s something,” I tell her, my hand still wrapped around her wrist as my gaze probes hers.

She falls back against her seat, my hand sliding closer to hers as she drops her eyes down to the ring on her finger. “I overheard some fans talking in the crowd tonight during warm-ups when they saw Lucy and me,” she says quietly, her voice barely audible.

“Baby, no...” I murmur, the tips of my fingers drifting across her palm before I lace them through hers.

Heat creeps up my neck and my heart stalls in my chest as I realize I just called her baby. I clear my throat, attempting to brush past that little word...

“Don’t listen to a fucking word any of those people are saying.”

“I was trying to ignore them, but I overheard a woman make a comment about how I’m probably just another woman you’re sleeping with,” she admits, her eyes meeting mine as I slowly stroke the side of her thumb. “Riley and Nova both warned me that it’s probably best if I stay off social media for a while too.”

Fuck.

My stomach sinks, yet at the same time, I’m enraged at the thought of someone making Hadley Reed feel like she’s insignificant. Like she’s less than anything.

“We both know the truth. Everyone who knows us knows the truth.” I squeeze her hand, my eyes desperately searching hers. “You’re not just another woman I’m sleeping with. You’re more than that—so much more than that.”

Her throat bobs as she swallows hard. “How do you live under such a microscope like this? How do you deal with the negative things people say?”

“I ignore them. Fans are always disgruntled about one thing or another. If we’re on a losing streak, they’re quick to point the finger and blame someone. If we lose and it’s my fault, no one talks about when defense fails to do their part.” I let out a sigh, resisting the urge to pull her across the center console and into my lap. “Some can be supportive, but there are also ones who tend to get jealous because they’re envious of what you have.”

A laugh slips from her lips and it’s harsh and jagged as she shakes her head at me. “I don’t think they’d be envious if they knew all of this was fake.” She pauses, tilting her head to the side. “What are you going to do if people ask questions when I leave?”

But I don’t want you to leave.

“I haven’t thought that far ahead yet,” I tell her with honesty, my voice low as my eyes drift over the freckles across the bridge of her nose, memorizing the pattern. I want to set the record straight so it doesn’t look bad on Hadley when she leaves, but I don’t know if I can.

The thought of telling anyone that Lucy isn’t hers just feels wrong.

Because deep down, even though that little girl isn’t biologically related to her, Lucy is hers.

Lucy stirs in her car seat, letting out a small sound and at first, I don’t look away. My gaze is locked on Hadley’s with my hand still wrapped up in hers. Her palm warms my own, her fingers like silk entwined with my own. She lets out a soft breath as she tears her stare from mine, glancing at the clock.

“We should get Lucy inside,” she tells me, her gaze sliding back to mine. Her fingers are still laced through mine and fuck, I don’t want to let her go. I’m not ready for this blip in time to be over. “It’s time for her bottle and then we should probably lay her down.”

I swear, every time she says ‘we,’ it’s like my heart forgets how to function.

“Okay,” I agree, yet we still don’t move. It’s almost as if we’re both just hanging on to the last threads of the moment passing between us. “Just promise me something?”

Her eyes slowly search my expression, the intensity lingering in her gaze. “Anything.”

“Promise me you won’t listen to the outside noise, Hadley. The world can be a cruel place with vile people, and you are more, okay?” I don’t know how to get out what I’m trying to say and now I’m stumbling over my words. “You’re just more.”

The softest smile lifts her lips. “Nice save, Taylor.”

I stare at her for a moment, my heart doing that stupid little skip again. When it comes to Lucy and Hadley, I’ll make as many saves as I have to. Words fail me and I simply wink at her because it’s all I can do with how tongue-tied I feel right now.

Lucy makes another sound of discontent in the back, effectively severing the moment.

“Your daughter is very demanding,” Hadley chuckles softly as she abandons my hand. Her eyes twinkle, her gaze stays a heartbeat longer before she finally reaches for the door handle.

I’m acutely aware of the absence of her warmth and I watch her with a smile drifting across my lips as she gets out of the car and opens the back door. The soft sound of her voice penetrates my eardrums from the back seat and I close my eyes, savoring the sound as she whispers sweet words to Lucy.

I don’t know what the hell she’s doing to me, but goddamn, I think I might like it.

Holding Lucy in my arm, I slip the bottle into her mouth, settling down on the rocking chair in her room. I make sure she’s comfortable against my body and I slowly begin to rock, staring down at her little face. Her mouth releases the bottle as she stares up at me. Milk dribbles from the side of her mouth and I quickly catch it with the burp cloth before it dirties her clean pajamas.

“Oops,” I murmur softly, a chuckle rumbling in my chest as she pushes her tongue against the nipple, half playing with it. “You have to drink your bottle, Luce,” I explain, trying again. “It’s late and Daddy still needs to get a shower.”

She doesn’t take the bottle and continues to stare at me. Suddenly a smile erupts across her face and she lets out a cooing sound.

My heart swells in my chest as I watch her with wonderment. “You just want to give me a hard time tonight, don’t you?” I shake my head at her.

Lucy still stares at me and we stay like that for a few minutes. My eyes scan her face, memorizing every last detail of my little girl, and it seems like she does the same with me in return .

“Luce, it’s bad if I can smell myself,” I explain, even though she doesn’t know what I’m saying. Most days I shower at the rink, but today I just wanted to get homeand now I’m regretting it.

She coos again, her hands moving back up to her mouth.

“If you want to stay like this all night, I won’t object.” I smile at her, warmth washing over me as it mixes with sadness. “I don’t feel like I get enough time with you, anyways.”

Lucy just stares, half smiling as she starts to suck harder on her fingers. Knowing her signs, I give her the bottle back and she starts to suck on the nipple, filling her stomach as she drinks steadily. It only takes about ten minutes and an empty bottle for her to be fully in a milk coma in my arms.

I move to burp her, but the movement causes the gas to escape her and she lets out a loud belch. She smiles in her sleep and I laugh to myself, careful to be quiet enough that I don’t wake her as I lay her down in her crib.

After she’s settled, I allow myself a few more moments to soak up the tenderness of her before I slip out of her room and step into the hall. Hadley inhales sharply, quickly stepping out of the way as I almost collide with her.

“Oh my god, I’m sorry!” Hadley exclaims in a hushed voice. “I didn’t even hear you coming out of Lucy’s room.”

My breath catches in my throat as I realize she’s standing in front of me in a robe and a pair of slippers. Her legs are bare and the sharp V cut in the front makes it look as if she’s wearing nothing beneath.

I notice a pink tint creeping across her cheeks as she rolls her lips between her teeth.

“I thought you were in bed.”

She lets out a nervous laugh. “I ended up taking a bath instead, but I’m on my way to bed now.”

I swallow roughly, watching her carefully as I feel the blood rushing to my cock. Goddamn her and goddamn the effect she has on me.

“Let me get out of your way then.” My voice is strained and gruff as I slide out of the way, letting her pass me. She smells like vanilla and raspberry and the smell infiltrates my senses, immediately swirling to my brain.

She smells good enough to fucking eat.

I wonder if her pussy tastes as good as she smells.

Jesus fucking Christ, what is wrong with me?

“Good night, Ro,” she says softly, just before she slips into her bedroom.

“Good night,” I mumble, although I’m not sure she hears the word as her door shuts.

The sound of Hadley’s voice caresses my eardrums and I loiter in the hallway, staring at her door before forcing myself to go to my own room. I want to walk to her door and knock on it before slipping inside with her, but I know I can’t.

My feet begin to move and I head to my bedroom then into my en suite bathroom, shutting the door behind me. I turn on the shower, the hot water immediately hitting the floor as I strip out of my clothing and throw them into the hamper.

The glass door slides open as I pull on it and step inside. There’s a massive bathtub in the corner of the room and then there’s a stand-up shower. I step into the hot water, feeling the beads of liquid rolling down my back. Tilting my head back, I let my eyelids fall shut, inhaling deeply as I feel the heat soothing my tired muscles.

I find my shampoo on the shelf and work it into a lather on my scalp, washing away the sweat and dirt before I move on to my body. My mind drifts to the thought of Hadley, seeing her in the hallway wearing nothing but a robe. I didn’t expect to see her like that, but now that I have, I cannot erase the memory or the thought from my brain.

I need to scrub it away, but I can’t. Trust me, I try, but as I rub the soap along the length of my cock, it only grows harder over time. If only I could have my way with her...if only I could allow myself to give in to that temptation just one fucking time.

I don’t know which is hotter...seeing her in a robe or seeing her wearing my jersey tonight. When we parted ways at the rink earlier this evening, she was only wearing a sweater. When I saw her in my car after we were leaving, that’s when I noticed the jersey.

And fuck...what I wouldn’t give to see her in that instead of a goddamn robe, with nothing underneath. Only her skin for me to touch and tease and fuck and please.

Thinking about her this way isn’t what I should be doing. She dated my brother and she’s only here to help me get custody of Lucy. It’s not supposed to be anything more. She has a career, she has a life outside of these four walls. After everything is squared away and it’s time for her to get back to work, she’s going to leave us.

Imagining her wearing nothing but my jersey may not be right, but she can’t read my thoughts. She can’t see me in the shower right now with my cock in my hand, hard as a fucking rock for her. What she doesn’t know will never hurt her.

Sucking in a deep breath, I tilt my head back, my eyelids falling shut as I imagine her standing outside of the shower door. She slides it open, her eyes finding mine as she grabs the bottom hem of my jersey, lifting it up over her body, before tossing it onto the floor behind her. My hand wraps tighter around my cock and I slowly start to stroke it up and down as I continue with my fantasy.

Hadley pulls her hair free from her ponytail, her auburn hair cascading in soft waves down the middle of her back. It shifts around her body as she enters the shower, closing the door behind her as she shuts the two of us in there together. She moves closer to me, her body pressing against me as she wraps her hands around the back of my neck.

Hot water streams down her taut body and one of my hands falls to her waist, gripping her hip as the other slides through her hair, along her scalp. I grab a handful of auburn hair, jerking her head back as my face drops down to hers. My lips immediately find hers. She tastes like mint and I kiss her deeply, my tongue plunging into her mouth as it dances with her tongue.

Hadley kisses me back with a ferocity that has my toes curling before she pulls away. She stares up at me, mischief dancing in her hazel orbs before she begins to move down my torso, her lips leaving a trail of delicate kisses as she lowers herself onto her knees in front of me.

“Goddamn, look at you,” I murmur, my hand stroking the side of her face as she wraps her hand around the shaft of my cock. She blinks twice, her lips parting before she inhales the tip of my cock. A low groan rumbles in my throat, my hand sliding to grip the back of her head as she licks along my length. My eyes fall shut again, my head tipping back.

Her tongue is like silk on the underside of my cock and she takes me deep, the tip hitting the back of her throat as she gags around me. Her gaze finds mine, her eyes glistening as she sucks the girth of my dick, her lips swollen and wet around me. She starts to bob her head, pulling me in and out of her mouth as she sucks me hard.

My hips start to shift, moving in tandem with her as I start to fuck her face while she fucks me with her hand and mouth. “Fuck,” I moan, the sound vibrating off the shower walls. “You’re so good, Hadley. So fucking good.”

Warmth builds in the pit of my stomach, my hips instinctively bucking as I tighten my hold on her hair and her scalp. She starts to suck faster, her head moving back and forth. My balls constrict, drawing closer to my body as she drives me closer to the edge of ecstasy. Her plump lips suck me harder, pulling me in and out of her mouth, her hand moving with her so she’s stroking every inch of me. She sucks my cock like she was fucking made for it.

She bobs her head a few more times, faster and harder before she suctions her lips around my length, sending me over the edge. A volcano of warmth erupts inside of me, spilling into my veins as it fucks my system. It’s like a wildfire I can’t stop and I’m entirely consumed by it.

By her.

I thrust into her mouth again, my orgasm pulling me into the abyss. I lose myself in her mouth, spurts of cum shooting down the back of her throat. She takes me, swallowing every last drop as I ride on this high, soaring through the clouds.

Her movements slow and I open my eyes, lifting my head to look back down at her, when I realize it was all my imagination and reality crashes around me. Hadley isn’t here, she never was here with me. She’s not on her knees in front of me with my cock down her throat. Instead of her lips, it’s my hand.

I just jerked off to the thought of Hadley, knowing damn well I shouldn’t have.

Water streams down my face, blurring my vision as I release my cock and let out a frustrated sigh. I wash myself off again before washing my cum off the side of the shower wall. Shutting off the water, I step out into the cold air, hoping it will provide some relief, but it doesn’t .

Nothing about this helped me in any way...If anything, I’m even more curious now to see how she would actually look on her knees for me. I drag a frustrated hand down my face.

I might actually be fucked.