Page 175 of Too Far

“Go!Go!Go!”

I scream at the top of my lungs, wrapping Emilia in a side hug as we cheer on Kendrick’s team from our suite.

The chains are officially in the red zone, thanks to K’s nine-yard gain.

I hold my breath and abuse my bottom lip with my teeth while I wait for the next play.

“Sit. Down,” Kylian hisses in my ear, the words jolting me back to reality.

I sigh but obey. I know better than to argue with him. I just get so wrapped up in watching Kendrick play.

“Did you just get in trouble, Hot Girl?” With a grin, Nicky kneads the spot on my low back that’s been bothering me.

“Technically you got me in trouble, Emo Boy. Your enormous genes helped create this massive baby.”

I’m thirty-four weeks pregnant today and am on modified pelvic rest. Our baby is a boy, and Nicky is his biological dad.

I’m supposed to stay off my feet as much as possible due to the size of this baby. My hips burn by the end of each day, and my cervix is already thinning. Avoiding injury and staying pregnant are the key objectives for the next several weeks.

That’s what I get for procreating with a massive, meaty hunk of man.

I lean into Nicky’s frame and savor the feel of being in his arms.

I would never admit it out loud, but I’m grateful our first baby is his. All my guys will be amazing dads, but Nicky just has a way about him. He’s so good with kids, and he’s fully committed to being the kind of parent neither one of us had.

It’s poetic. Healing the inner child through parenthood. Together, he and I are breaking the cycle of generational trauma. I can’t wait to see him thrive as a father, or, as he’s decided he wants to be called, Papa Bear.

Getting the guys on board with my presence here today was on par with how intense I expect labor to be, but since the Cougars were playing at home, against Decker’s team at that, I wore them down—strategically and individually.

Kylian stands in the corner of the suite, wearing a concerned, intense scowl. He hasn’t taken his eyes off me. I doubt I’ll be allowed on my feet again for the rest of the day.

Jade and Emilia are here with friends, and their dad is with us today, too.

I swear Ken Taylor is almost as excited to be a grandpa as his son is to become a dad.

Just the thought of next season, when we’re all together again, and I’ve got our son in my lap wearing his number 24 Taylor jersey, makes me weepy. I can’t even wrap my head around the joy this baby will bring to this family.

I’m so lost in the visions forming in my mind that I miss the snap.

“Yes!” Emilia screams as she jumps up and down with Jade. “Go, go, go!” the girls shout.

Dammit. I can’t see a damn thing sitting down. I peer over at Kylian, then at Locke. They’re both distracted by the game, so I slowly rise to my feet again. Just in time to see number 24 dive into the end zone for the touchdown.

Heart leaping in my chest, I let out a little squeal.

I’m lowering myself back to my seat when a booming voice echoes through the room. “Why isn’t she sitting?”

Kylian snaps up straight and homes in on me as my bum hovers a few inches off the seat.

“Jo,” he exclaims, exasperated.

Shit on a crumbly cracker.

I plop unceremoniously back into my chair, then quirk one brow over my shoulder as my husband strides into the suite.

He looks good in his crisp black polo and headset. Damn good.

Pregnancy makes me hungry all the time. It also makes me horny.