Page 203 of Pucking Sweet

I drop down to one knee behind her desk and grab her chair by the arms, wheeling her closer to me. I wrap my arms around her and breathe in her perfect floral scent, burying my face at her shoulder.

Her hands go around me, smoothing over my shoulders. “Colton…you’re scaring me.”

I lift my head away from her, and cup her cheek. “If I retired from hockey, would you care?”

“Of course not—”

“I never went to college,” I warn her. “I got drafted and went straight to the minors. I’ve never even had a job outside of school and hockey.”

“That’s okay,” she replies. “You could go now if you want. It’s never too late. Will you please just tell me what’s bothering you?”

I have to tell her. She has to know. I can’t sit on this alone.

“I saw my cardiologist today.”

Her eyes go wide, and her bottom lip instantly starts trembling. “Colton—”

“No,” I say quickly, cupping her face with both hands. “Poppy, no. There are some symptoms we’re going to be monitoring closely, that’s all.”

She wraps her hands around my wrists. “What symptoms?”

Like the doctor said, there’s no way to sugar-coat this. “Symptoms of heart failure.”

She sucks back a sob as she falls forward against my chest, clinging to me.

“Hey—baby, look at me,” I say, pushing back on her shoulders, and tipping her chin up to meet my gaze. “It’s a scary word, I admit. They call it heart failure if the heart is weak and unable to pumpblood effectively. But I’m not dying,” I assure her, kissing her forehead. “I have so many options open to me, from new medications, to monitoring devices. I don’t want you to worry, okay?”

“Fat freaking chance,” she cries, making me smile.

“I know,” I soothe, kissing her forehead again. “We may need to be ready to accept that this might be my last season playing professional hockey.”

She leans away, tears still falling. “Oh, honey…” Now it’s her turn to cup my face. Her expression takes on such a look of deep tenderness. “I am so sorry.”

“Don’t be,” I say, turning my face to kiss her wrist. “There are always new dreams to chase. I expect you, and Lukas, and Lentil will run me ragged for a good long while.” I place my hand on her stomach, and she quickly covers it with both of her own, holding me to her, to them.

Tears sting my eyes as I look up. Fuck, I could get lost in her pretty blue eyes. “Nothing comes before my family, do you understand?”

She nods, brushing her thumb over the back of my hand.

“I’m not even close to throwing in the towel,” I assure her. “But I want you and Lukas and the baby to have everything you need. I want HR contracts and legal safety nets. I want adoptions and powers of attorney. I will never ask you to marry me, Poppy St. James, but I mean to tie the three of you to me in every other way…starting with those forms,” I add, nodding at the contracts on the desk.

She nods, her breathing calmer. “Okay.”

I smile. “Good. ’Cause this is it for me.”

“Colton, you’re it for me,” she whispers. “Baby, I love you so much.”

“Good. Now, kiss me.”

Flinging her arms around me, she kisses me. We hold each other, mouths seeking and claiming as we leave our marks. I pant against her lips, and she pulls away, shoulders stiff. “Wait—” She searches my face as if looking for a sign I’m about to keel over.

“Babe, I’m not dead,” I assure her. “One of the loves of my life is in my arms, and for as long as this broken heart still beats, I’m gonna fuck you.” She gasps as I pick her up, slinging her onto the desk. I’m kissing her again, my hands working feverishly to get her pleatedskirt up and her panties down. “I’m gonna love you,” I pant against her mouth, freeing my hard dick from the top of my shorts.

She slants her hips back, one hand pressed flat to the desk as I push my tip in at her entrance. “Love you so much,” she says on a breath as I start to slide in.

“Gonna worship you,” I groan, sinking myself deeper into her hot, wet pussy.

She clings to my shoulders, her legs around me. “Yes.Please—”