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seventeen

GRIFFIN

Coach Fry calls us over to the bench. We’ve been running drills and perfecting new plays all morning, and I’m exhausted, but our upcoming series in Toronto against the Icons will be a brutal matchup. Their team is on fire this season, so Coach Fry has been pulling out all the stops to get us ready.

Having Fry take over for Coach Cross has been an adjustment, but the guy is a solid offensive strategist. Not to mention a way better human being than Coach Cross ever was.

“Huddle up, men.” Coach Fry’s dark brown eyes scan each one of us, his rich sienna skin tinged slightly with pink from the cold nipping at his cheeks. “Good work out there today. I know I’ve thrown a lot of new stuff at you, but I think you’ve got it. How do you all feel about the new plays?”

A chorus of Good, Coach and We’re ready fills the air. All of us are eager to prove ourselves against Toronto and silence any of our remaining critics who don’t believe we have what it takes to get to the playoffs after everything that happened with Coach Cross.

“Good. Now I want all of you to go home, get some rest, then be at the airport at seven sharp tomorrow morning. Be ready to play your asses off, because Toronto’s going to come at us hard and fast. Their goalie’s been on a hot streak, and we’re going to be the one to break it.

But that means no sloppy plays and pointless penalties, you got me?

We don’t want any penalty kills against this team.

” Coach Fry scans each of our faces. “Clean hits, be aggressive but not sloppy, and I want to see immaculate puck handling out there, gentlemen. If we can do all that, we’ll kick their asses. ”

The guys and I all cheer. We’re determined to take this team as far as we can go this season.

“Go hit the showers. You all stink.”

Laughter bounces off the boards as Coach flashes us a smile, then we all race off the ice.

I’m anxious to get home, and I’m not the only one.

We leave tomorrow morning for three consecutive away games, which means we’ll be on the road for almost a week.

A week without falling asleep with Mira wrapped in my arms or waking up to her soft body pressed against mine.

A week where I won’t get to see or talk to her much, if at all.

Will Mira want to talk to me while I’m gone? Can I convince her to FaceTime me, or will she be relieved to have me out of her hair for an entire week? I’m not delusional. Just because she went down on me doesn’t mean our marriage is real to her.

Shit. I’m in way over my head.

“Hey, Graves,” Ryder says after we’re all showered and getting dressed. “Sounds like your sister’s car broke down.”

My ears perk up, and I turn to face the rookie. “What do you mean, her car broke down?”

Ryder stares at his phone as it buzzes with an incoming text. “She and Lexi got lunch and Lex had to pick her up. Said she couldn’t get the car to start.”

Maddox rubs the back of his neck. “She’s been driving that hunk of junk since she was in high school.

I’ve tried to get her to let me buy her a car so many times, but she’s stubborn.

” Though my best friend rolls his eyes, there’s no real irritation behind it.

He’s proud that Mira is stubborn and independent.

I know, because he’s told me on more than one occasion. “I’ll call a tow.”

Nope. Like hell am I letting Maddox swoop in and save the day. That’s what husbands are for. “Don’t worry about it, Madds. I’ll take care of it.”

Maddox’s eyebrows rise. “Why would you take care of it?”

“Because she’s my roommate and my friend, and it’ll be easier for me to meet them in the parking garage than you.”

He doesn’t look convinced, so I aim my next argument toward his soft spot. “Besides, I know you want to spend as much time as possible with Isla before we leave.”

My best friend winces at that, studying me for a beat before sighing. “You sure?”

“Yep. I’ve got this. Go spend time with your future wife. I’ll take care of Mira.”

I can feel Sebastian’s eyes on me, but I ignore him.

It’s like when toddlers play hide-and-seek.

If I pretend I can’t see him, maybe he’ll go away.

I seriously need Bash to be a hell of a lot less perceptive, because if anyone is going to figure out what’s going on between me and Mira, it’ll be that insightful bastard.

Maddox sighs. “All right. Thanks, man. I owe you.”

“No, you really don’t. Now get the hell out of here. I’ll see you tomorrow.” I turn to Ryder. “Thanks for the heads-up, Handsome. Does Hot Cross Buns need me to pick Mira up?”

Ryder chuckles, shaking his head at the codename we gave his girlfriend so our ex-coach wouldn’t know we were talking about his daughter earlier this year before he got sacked for being an unwashed asshole. “No, she said they’re watching a movie, then she’ll bring her home.”

Good. That will give me time to get Mira’s car towed to my mechanic, have him look it over, and let me pre-pay for any repairs.

It’ll also give me time to fill my car up with gas.

I can’t leave my wife without transportation for a week, and what’s mine is hers.

She’ll just have to drive my G-Wagon while I’m gone.

“Cool. Thanks, man. Shoot me a text if you need me to pick her up.”

Ryder agrees, and we all say our goodbyes, but I’m distracted, too busy plotting how I can get my wife into a safer car without too much of a fight.

Although I want to buy her something pretty and new, I have no doubt she’d give me hell for that.

I guess I could have her car completely rebuilt, but the thing is a hunk of rusted junk.

It seems silly to spend so much to rebuild a car that’s probably worth five hundred bucks.

I’ll have to do some brainstorming. Once I convince my wife to stay married to me, I’ll buy her a brand-new car. For now, I’ll have to settle for fixing her Toyota.

By the time I pull into my building’s parking garage, I’ve called a tow and spoken to my mechanic, who assures me he’ll give Mira’s car a thorough inspection, then fix every last issue with the damn thing, down to replacing the windshield wipers.

The tow truck arrives less than half an hour later, and by the time Mira walks through our door, I’m packed and ready to leave in the morning.

I don’t want to waste a single minute I could be spending with my wife.

“Hi,” she says, a pretty blush staining her cheeks.

“Hi.” I cross the space between us and pull Mira into a tight hug. She’s stiff for half a second, and then she melts into my embrace, her arms wrapping around my middle. “God, I missed you.”

She giggles, the sound muffled against my chest. “You saw me this morning before you left for practice.”

“I know. It’s been too long.” The thing is, I’m not even making a joke. With every passing day, I fall harder for this woman, and being apart from her makes me feel anxious and empty. She’s quickly becoming the most important person in my life.

Mira laughs again, and it’s followed by a sigh. “I kinda missed you too.”

“You did?” I can’t hide my surprise. Although she’s softening to me, she’s also still fighting this thing between us. Pulling away from her just enough to see her face, I search for the lie but don’t spot any evidence of one.

She nods, pulling her bottom lip between her teeth. “I did.”

The smile that breaks out over my face is so wide, my cheeks hurt. She missed me .

Needing to hold her, I bend at the knees, wrap my arms around her waist, and lift her feet off the ground.

Mira’s giggle vibrates through me as I spin us around, only stopping when I’m dizzy.

Then I let her body slide down mine before palming the back of her head and kissing the shit out of her.

The little sighs she releases against my lips have me rock hard and desperate for her.

I want nothing more than to sink inside her and make love to her all night long, but I told her I wouldn’t fuck her until she was on board with being my wife.

And while I may cave at some point in the future, it feels important not to cave now.

Lips still fused with hers, I walk Mira over to the couch and pull her onto my lap so she’s straddling me. Her denim-covered core settles over my slacks-covered dick, and she grinds against me as our lips and tongues clash.

“Fuck, wife,” I grunt as she undulates against me. My fingers dig into her hips—as much to tether her to me as to keep myself from doing what I really want to do—and she mewls softly. I swallow the sound like it’s a drug, because I’m desperate to be high on her.

“Griffin.” She moans my name, her eyes heavy lidded and full of need. Her lips are already puffy from kissing me, and god, if that doesn’t turn me on even more.

“What do you need, Mira? Hmm? Let me take care of you.”

Mira bites her lower lip as she meets my gaze. Her eyes are so full of need, but there’s uncertainty too. Why is she still fighting this? Doesn’t she feel how right this is? Doesn’t she understand I would do anything to make her happy? That we fit perfectly in all the ways that matter?

Kissing along her jaw and neck, I let go of her hips and allow my fingers to wander.

They skim up her sides, slip under her shirt, and trace a path along the satiny skin of her rib cage before my thumbs brush the undersides of her breasts.

When Mira’s breath hitches, I grin against her neck.

I want her to be as needy as I am right now.

Every cell in my body vibrates with desire for this woman, and my cock is painfully hard. “What do you need, wife?”

“You,” she says with a sigh. “I need you, Griffin.”