Page 40 of Unmasking Love (D.C. Renegades #1)

Aiden

Emotional Milestone FTW

What are you doing after practice, Young Gun?"

"I'm helping Harper move in." I tell Duncan with a smile. I've been fucking giddy all day. I took my bike ride and balanced one of her sugary coffee drinks in my hand on the way back. I’ve had an extra pep in my step during conditioning and practice, to say the least.

"Shit, really?" Duncan says with a smile and then he hollers across the ice to Crosby. "You owe me ten bucks! He's happy because Harper is moving in!"

"That wasn't the bet and you know it." Crosby says as he skates over. "I'm not paying you shit."

"What was the bet?" I ask.

"Duncan bet me $10 you were in a good mood because you got laid, I said it was because it’s from an emotional milestone like saying ILY."

"And," Duncan retorts to Crosby, "he's in a good mood because Harper is moving in with him. It counts for me because they’re going to bang all the time now."

"Does not." Crosby says as he lunges forward into a stretch. “Moving in is way more of an emotional milestone than a physical one.”

"You finally bought a house?" Felix asks excitedly as he skates over to the group having finished the drill.

"No , Harper is moving in with him," Duncan says proudly, like he had anything to do with it.

"To your tiny apartment?" Felix questions.

"Yes, to my apartment. She's going to start the renovations on her house and she's going to live with me while the work gets done."

"Just playing devil's advocate here," Bryson says, "but isn't it a little soon to be living together?"

That earns him a bash on the helmet from Felix as Emmett skates over.

"What?" Bryson defends his question. "I'm just saying they only started dating a few months ago and now they're going to live together?"

"I trust Aiden to know his own mind, heart, and penis." Felix says.

"Thank you?" I begrudgingly accept the compliment.

"You're welcome."

Coach Bradford whistles the group and we start to skate in his direction.

"But don't fall into a routine too quickly. Figure each other out first and make new habits, together." Felix says.

"Oddly sound advice," Crosby whispers and we huddle up to listen to Coach.

***

Two hours later I arrive at Harper's house with my bike racked behind Felix's SUV and the boys in their cars behind me. We get out to a chorus of doors closing. When I knock on the door Harper opens it and her eyes widen.

"What are you all doing here?"

"Helping you move!" Duncan announces as he shoves past me into the house. "It's freezing out."

"Di dn't you grow up in Minnesota?" Bryson asks which earns him a chuckle from Emmett.

"Boys, focus." Felix calls out. "Harper, what needs to be moved to Aiden's?"

"Umm, there are some boxes upstairs." She says and the boys file up behind her. Harper turns to look at me. "I was going to hire movers."

"Yeah but you've got strapping young hockey players at your disposal." I say with a smile and she returns it. "Plus you said you're mostly packing clothing so there shouldn't be too much, right?"

"Umm, right." Harper says with a little nip to her lip. I lean down and kiss her quickly before Duncan races down the stairs with a box in his arms.

"Ten bucks says I can move more than you can, Cros!" He hollers as he runs out to his car.

"You're on!" Crosby replies as he moves down the stairs sideways holding a box under each arm.

"We'll be done in no time," I joke to Harper and she giggles as we walk up to her apartment together.

***

I was right. It only took us an hour to get all of Harper’s boxes into our cars and over to my place. The boys unloaded everything and Harper insisted we order pizza. Felix quickly took over and got pizza and ice cream delivered. With a game tomorrow night there's no beer allowed.

"I don't know how you two are going to survive in this tiny place." Felix grumbles as he takes a seat on my sofa.

"Not everyone manspreads like you do, Cap," Emmett jokes as he kicks Felix's knee from where he sits in the chair Harper and I made together.

Cro sby sinks down into the sofa while Bryson and Duncan get comfortable on the stools at the counter. I take a seat on the other end of the couch and pat my lap for Harper to sit since there really aren't any other spots open.

Lucky me.

We shoot the shit while watching ESPN and like at Thanksgiving, Harper joins right in. My chest tightens at the sense of rightness this moment has. But it isn’t a pinch. It is a pressure that feels almost like there isn’t enough room in my chest for all the feelings contained there.

***

"Harp?" I start as Harper’s eyes drift closed. We spent the last hour christening a few surfaces of the apartment and I'm tired too but this is important.

"Mmm?" she hums.

"Can I meet you after work tomorrow and take you on a date?"

"Sure. I've got an appointment with a client at 5:30. Do you want to meet me at the office or back here?"

My smug grin spreads because she's talking about our place.

This apartment that she moved into today.

She still has some unpacking to do but she's not just spending the night tonight.

She'll get ready here in the morning. Come back here after work.

Well, after the date I have planned. "Nah, I'll meet you there.

I'll have Felix drop me off or I'll get a car over and then we'll take yours to the date and back home. "

"Okay. Do I get to ask what we're doing?"

"Do you want to ask what we're doing?" Harper lets out an annoyed little laugh but I can't help it.

Her job is centered around the client, their wants, needs, and opinions but even in her personal life she isn't assertive.

I don't mind i t, I actually love a bit of control, but I want to know what she wants.

What she needs. What her opinions are. Maybe I'm going about it in an immature manner but it's working.

"What are we doing for our date?" She asks with an adorable little eye roll. There she is.

"It's a surprise."

"Aiden!" She sits up and playfully smacks my chest. Damn I love that she doesn't treat me like I'm fragile.

"Don't get all riled up sweetheart, we've got to get to sleep." I tease as she settles down in my arms. I pull her towards me and press a kiss to her head. I leave my nose there and inhale her sugar, spice, and sweaty scent.

She's Harper. My Harper. And she's home.

***

Call me selfish but the reason I didn't want Harper coming home before this date was because she had laid her clothes out the night before and I wanted to take her on our date in that outfit.

She walks out of the office and smiles at me in her short skirt, tights, and comfy turtleneck sweater.

The boots are an added bonus but she's not going to need them tonight.

I'm in joggers, a t-shirt, and a thick shirt that's almost like a jacket. January in D.C. is mild, nothing compared to Minnesota or Canada growing up.

"Hey babe!" She calls as she steps closer. I pivot off where I was leaning against her car and open my arms welcoming her in for a hug. Harper's body melts into mine and when our lips brush softly it's a struggle to keep the kiss chaste.

"Tell me about your day." I say as I take her keys and open her door.

"It was fine."

I c lose the door and let her think she's done answering me. When I climb into the driver's seat and start the ignition I push further. "What about it was fine?"

"I don't know. It was a normal day. Emails, a few phone calls, a meeting, a showing. Honestly, it wasn't anything special. Tell me about your day." She counters trying to be a little sassy.

"Coach had me lead a discussion about Chicago's new plays.

Last week I brought him a few highlights that caught my eye.

They're changing up their zone entry to try and create space between their forwards and the defense.

It's like they'll full gas until they cross the blue line and then they throw it into neutral and idle.

The defenders are skill skating like crazy and end up giving them room to pass and set up a play. "

"That's interesting."

"Well, the play itself is only interesting to me and the team. But I'm sharing because you inspired me."

"I did?"

"Well, yeah." I glance over at her and see this little divot in her brow. "At the gala I decided I was going to go after what I wanted and that's to be a leader on the team. I've put in more work during my downtime and today, it paid off."

"That's great Aiden."

"Yeah, I'm feeling good about it." I pull into the parking lot of the practice facility.

"What are we doing here?" She asks as I turn off the car.

"This is our date." I tell her.

"Seeing you practice?"

"Nope." I chirp as I get out. She's learned to wait in the car. When I open her door I continue. "It's your turn to practice."

"Aiden, I can't skate." She says firmly.

"Th at's okay, I can. And I really want to see that little skirt of yours flying across the ice. I'm realizing it's a little fantasy of mine. The cute figure skater and the hockey player."

"But, I can't skate." She argues as we reach the door.

"Don't ruin this for me, Harper."

"I'm not trying to ruin it for you but I don't even have skates. I've never been on the ice before. I grew up in Florida, remember?" She's starting to sound really worried.

I stop us in the hallway, under the Stanley Cup banner, and place my hands on her shoulders. "Harper, you do not have to impress me with your skating ability. I just want to take a few laps on the ice with your hand in mine. If I get to see that skirt fly in the wind that's a bonus."

"I don't have skates." She tries one last flimsy argument.

"That's okay, I do." I wink and then hold her hand as we walk to the rink. The skates I bought her are sitting at my locker next to mine. I had to hide them under my bed and luckily she didn't try to put anything there when she was unpacking yesterday. "Sit here."

She takes a seat on the bench and I pull the skate box towards us. Is putting her skates on an excuse to touch her calf?

Absolutely.

But I also want to make sure the skates are tight enough.

Harper is quiet as she watches me pull the laces into place.

Her skate is nestled between my thighs and if she kicked upwards I'd be a goner but that's what makes hockey great.

It's a physical game, brutal at times, and everything happens on a razor sharp blade.

There are moments when bodies are slammed against the boards and others where a tiny toe drag can change the trajectory of a shot.

Her leg is heavy as I set it down and move to the other. She leans forward a little to see her foot in the skate and wiggles side to side a little.

"Is it too tight?" I ask her.

"Um m, it's fine?"

"Are you asking me if it's fine?" Here she goes again.

"No. I think it's fine. I've never worn skates before so I'm not really sure."

"Alright, let me finish this one and we'll try standing up.

You want to move your ankle but you also don't want it to feel unstable.

" When the second skate is on I help her stand.

Her vice grip on my hands is surprising.

I try to loosen her up with a wiggle but she yelps as she wobbles side to side.

I let out a laugh. "Harper, you're not even on the ice yet! "

"I think I forgot that you guys are on skates when you play."

"You forgot?"

"Well, you all make it look so easy and I can't even stand for ten seconds!"

"You can. Here." I pull my hands out of hers and sit down to put on my skates. She tries to walk and takes a tiny step towards the boards before she falls forward and catches herself. "You good?"

"No!" She says but she laughs too. The sound lights me up inside and I want to give her more laughter and joy.

I step out onto the ice and turn around to face her. Harper's eyes are wide. "So, you just get out there, huh?"

"Yeah, let's go sweetheart."

"Don't rush me!" She scolds as I pull her towards the door.

"It's a step down and then another. Hold onto me here.

" I bring her hands up to my shoulders and I grip her waist. With a deep breath she scoots forward.

One foot dangles in the air for a moment and she sways a bit.

I tighten my hold on her and she pulls her foot back.

She shifts and tries the other foot. She wobbles again and pulls back.

She inhales, exhales, and then I lift her and pull us backwards towards center ice.

"Aiden! Ohmygod!" She yelps.

"I got impatient." I tell her as I skate with her in my arms for another moment.

"I feel like I'm flying." She says quietly as her hold around my shoulders loosens slightly.

"Just wait." I tell her as I lower her to the ice. Her eyes bore into mine and I focus on keeping her steady. I use my edges to roll us backwards slowly. Her hands on my shoulders, mine around her waist. Her feet glide forward and she looks down at her skates.

"Holy shit, it's that easy?"

I burst out a laugh. "Yeah babe, gliding is that easy."

We spend the next hour on the ice. Eventually she moved onto little marching steps all on her own.

I made sure I was always close by to help catch her if she slipped.

It was amazing to watch her confidence bloom with her effort.

Her shoulders were lifted, her eyes bright.

And when I told her it was time to leave for dinner she was disappointed.

As I helped her untie her skates, mental images of my past and future blended together.

Fathers helping kids with skates. Mothers helping with equipment bags.

My own memories transformed into visions of Harper helping our own children.

I have to blink back the flood of emotion and as I untie my own skates I wonder if I owe Duncan $10 for this emotional milestone.