Page 42 of You Make It Feel like Christmas

N ICK LEANED AGAINST THE doorframe, staring at Maisie lying in her bed.

The blanket and sheets were around her waist and the little tank top she slept in was slipping off one sexy shoulder.

He’d never looked at a person and felt so much.

It was terrifying and yet, he wanted more.

More her. More them. More laughter, closeness, sex, kisses, moments.

With Maisie. All of it was better with Maisie.

Was this what people meant when they said when you know, you know?

She shifted, stretching her arms over her head, a sleepy smile tilting her lips up even before she blinked herself awake. Her gaze landed on his and that smile grew, making his heart feel too big for his chest.

“How long have you been awake?” Her voice was just a little rough and a whole lot sexy.

“A couple hours. Worked out, showered, ran an errand, called my publicist to square up the details for today.”

She reached out her arms and it was so fucking sweet his head swirled to the point of almost making him dizzy.

This woman had him wrapped around every piece of her and he didn’t even know how to tell her.

Ellie told him actions spoke louder than words.

So, he needed to figure out how to show Maisie what she meant to him.

“Come here,” she whispered, her voice sliding over his skin.

He wore loose joggers and a plain T-shirt. Putting his knee in the bed, he crawled his way up her body, pausing to let his lips linger on her stomach. She arched into him as he continued moving up and found her mouth. He could lose days kissing her and not even care about anything else he missed.

When he pulled back, she kept her hands in his hair. “I’m not always this lazy. Usually, I’m up early too.”

He nuzzled his nose against her cheek. “You’re on vacation. You’re supposed to rest. Besides, I’ve been keeping you up late.”

“I’m okay with that,” she whispered as she kissed his neck, her fingers sliding down, under his arms and around his back. He loved how much she loved touching him.

“I have to get ready to go.” He pulled up, rose off the bed.

“Do you want me to come with you?”

He shook his head. “Nah. It should be straightforward and not take too long.”

He checked his watch, then remembered she was supposed to do her Christmas with her friends. “You’ve got Lexi and Will’s tonight, right?”

Getting out of the bed, she pulled on a pair of flannel pajama bottoms, covering her slender legs and gorgeous skin.

“I switched it.” Maisie turned into him after tying the drawstring on her pajamas. “I want to see you while you’re here.”

Nick stroked her hair back from her face. “That was sweet of you. Thank you.”

Then, like she did so often, she tucked herself against him and burrowed in. That easy affection did him in every time. He hadn’t even left yet and he wanted to get back to her.

“I have a present for you,” he said, pulling back.

Her gaze lit up. “You do?”

Laughing, Nick tugged her by the hand and brought her out to the living room.

“Is it coffee?”

“There’s coffee and bagels as well but that’s not your gift.”

Grabbing the package he’d had one of the team assistants overnight him, he sat down, put it in her lap.

She bounced in her seat. She didn’t even know what was in it and she was excited. Pressure built in his chest but this time it wasn’t from anxiety. It was from joy. Fuck. That felt really good.

Maisie tugged at the plastic and paused when she saw a canvas bag with the Guardians’ logo on it.

A small giggle escaped her. “You got me a gym bag?”

He grinned as he shook his head and pulled the bag out to open it. “Look inside.”

Maisie reached in, peering over the edge as she did, and pulled out a blue-and-gray Guardians jersey with his name on the back.

Nick watched her face so he saw the smile slip and her mouth drop open.

She blinked rapidly and for a second, he thought he’d screwed up.

He’d never had a woman come to a game before.

When Maisie did, he wanted her in his jersey.

Was it a stupid gift? Too little? Too much?

Did she understand how significant this gesture was to him?

Shifting in his seat, rubbing a hand over the back of his neck, he cleared his throat. “I—”

He didn’t get to say more because she launched herself at him, springing up and tackling him with her arms around his neck and her mouth everywhere. His hands went to her waist even as he laughed and fell backward.

With her hair curtaining his face, she continued to rain kisses all over him, then she stopped and shoved her face into the crook of his neck.

His arms wrapped around her and squeezed. “I don’t want to assume but I’m thinking you like it?”

Maisie lifted her head, stared down at him with bright, shiny eyes. “I love it.” He saw her lips tremble and his heart did the same.

Nick sucked in a deep breath and held her tighter. “I really wish I didn’t have to go right now.”

Maisie pressed her mouth against his and despite the tackle hug, it was gentle and sweet.

“I’ll be here when you get back,” she whispered.

N ICK PARKED HIS VEHICLE in a spot close to the front door of 93.3 Seattle Sound’s station. He’d listened on the way over and was pleased to hear they played a great blend of classic rock.

Walking through the glass double doors, he waited until the receptionist finished on the phone before approaching the front desk. The woman wore aqua-blue, square-framed glasses, bright-red lipstick, and a wide smile.

“Hi. How can I help you?”

He waited a second because if this were San Jose, the receptionist at the radio station would know who he was. Jesus, maybe it was good he was at the tail end of his career so he could shrink his ego a bit. Ellie would have laughed at him for not saying his name quicker.

“I’m Nick King. I’m here for an interview,” he said.

The door behind him opened and a loud, booming voice came straight at him. “The King is in the house!”

Nick turned, a smile already on his lips, to see his old friend, Drew Decker.

Running back for the Seahawks for the past five years, he’d joined the San Francisco Renegades at the start of the last season.

They’d met at a charity golf event several years earlier—the same one he’d met Wes Jansen at—and they’d been friends ever since.

The guy was a freaking giant and used his giganticness to pull him into a hug, lifting him right off the floor like Nick—who wasn’t small by any means—was a rag doll.

“Nicky,” he bellowed.

“Well, now I’m deaf,” Nick said through his laughter.

A tall woman with shoulder-length brown hair and dramatically outlined eyes laughed at Drew’s side. “Put him down, Drew.”

Drew listened but probably only because he wanted to and then clapped Nick on the shoulder. “What are you doing in Seattle?”

“Ellie bought a tree farm a couple of hours from here. I was there for Christmas.”

His buddy’s face softened. Everyone had a soft spot for his sister and nephew. “How is she? How’s Asher?”

“They’re good. They’re happy.”

Drew nodded, his smile so wide, Nick could only see teeth.

Despite being in Seattle, his normally pale skin was California-tanned and without the goatee, which he’d sported the last time they saw each other, his friend’s face looked younger.

A year older than him, Nick couldn’t help wondering if he ever felt his age the way Nick did too often lately.

“Sorry to interrupt the reunion, guys, but we need to get into the booth,” the woman told them. She held up her phone, swiping her finger across it like she was checking off a list, then looked at Nick. “I’m Liv Bennett. I’m marrying his brother and am the only reason he shows up places on time.”

Nick burst out laughing, swung an arm around his friend’s shoulder. “That totally tracks. Nice to meet you, Liv.”

They went down a short, gray-carpeted hallway with privacy glass–paneled rooms. The last one they stopped at, Booth 4, didn’t have its O N A IR sign lit up.

After meeting the deejay, Thayer Rain—that had to be a stage name—they settled into their seats across from his command center.

He’d given them a lowdown of the questions, but mostly, he just wanted to touch base with the two all-stars and get their thoughts on their respective sports.

“That was one of my favorites,” Thayer said into the mic after pressing a couple of buttons.

“That song came out when I was sixteen so that should tell you how old I am. Tell me your age without telling me your age, right? We have a couple of special guests in our studio today. You can call in and ask some questions. Our producer will share some of them and you’ll get the scoop. Here we go.

“We have former Seahawk tight end Drew Decker, or Double D to his fans. He ditched our emerald city for San Francisco at the end of last season, but since his team is looking good for the Super Bowl, maybe it was a good choice. With him is a good friend of his, all-star NHL right wing Nick King. Nick’s been out for the last several games with an injury.

We’re happy to have these two here with us today so let’s get started. Say hi to our listeners, gentlemen.”

The light on their side of the high-top table blinked. Drew went first, laughing into the mic. “What’s up, Seattle? Nick, when was the last time someone called you a gentleman?”

Nick couldn’t help but laugh as he responded, “About the same time as you. Good afternoon, Seattle.”

The deejay went through several questions, asking about their current seasons, their predictions for upcoming games, and how they’d met. Nick was easing into it and feeling pretty good.

“Nick,” Thayer said, “you’ve been out with an old knee injury, is that right?”

His body stiffened and he leaned away from the mic a little. “That’s right. It’s been a bit of a longer recovery than I expected but I’m back for the game here.”

Maisie’s words flitted through his head. You also shouldn’t hide it from people who care about you the way you say your team does. They could help. You’re assuming the worst of them, thinking they would judge you for something out of your control.

He wasn’t about to overshare on a Seattle radio station but the words were stuck in his brain.

“Was it a more significant injury than originally thought?” Thayer asked, and Nick had to admit, there was no judgment in the guy’s tone, just genuine curiosity.

Whether Drew read his body language or just had something to say, Nick didn’t know but he appreciated that his friend leaned in to answer.

“Listen, man. We’re not as young as we used to be. Some people chirp at us for even playing the games at this age, but we got a special combination of experience and talent. While we love what we do and wanna keep going, your body just doesn’t heal the way it once did. Hell—can I say hell?”

“You just did, twice,” Thayer said.

Nick covered his laugh with a hand over his mouth.

“I used to go to practice, hang out with my buds, throw a few back, get barely any sleep, and still run that ball. Now, just getting out of bed in the morning can hurt.”

Nick laughed. “To be clear, he’s speaking for himself right now. I am fully capable of sneezing without needing time off work.”

Drew razzed him back a bit and Thayer laughed.

“But honestly,” Nick said. “He’s right in that your body can only take so much, so yeah, it might have looked like a minor injury but there was more than what anyone could just see at the surface level.” Especially since he hadn’t shared how deep his issues went.

They continued to go back and forth for a bit, took a few caller questions, which must have been weeded through by the producer, and within a half hour, they were walking out of the booth. Almost entirely painless.

As they walked out of the station together, Liv walking quickly ahead of them, Drew slowed his pace, then stopped before they reached the car his assistant climbed into.

Drew put a hand on his arm. “You all right, man?”

Nick ran a hand through his hair, sighed. “I feel done. I never thought I’d feel this way.”

Meeting his gaze, Drew nodded. “Every hit makes it harder to get up. We give everything to what we do, physically, mentally, emotionally. Hell, socially. Why do you think I haven’t settled down with a woman?”

“Because no one will have you?” Nick said, even knowing this wasn’t entirely true, but he liked to mess with his friend if he could.

Drew pushed his shoulder. “Back at you. But really, we ain’t young. We’re not old by regular-job standards, man, but what we do isn’t regular. Our bodies are tired. No shame in that. What’d we say back in the day when we met?”

Nick thought about that, remembered the good times they used to have when life felt a bit easier; right when they were in the prime of it. Then he remembered.

“You play until you don’t. You get up and go every single day until the day you wake up and wonder, what am I missing? When that happens, you know you’re ready for a different path.”

“I am a wise, wise man, my friend,” Drew said with a cocky grin.

“Every now and again.”

“You wondering what you’re missing, Nick?” Drew’s gaze was serious.

He knew what he was missing: waking up pain free, time with a woman who turned his heart upside down and made him smile, his sister, watching Asher grow up.

“Might be getting there.”

Drew squeezed Nick’s shoulder, kept his hand there, leaned in. “Nothing wrong with that. I’m going to the Super Bowl. Then I’m done.”

Nick reared back. “What?”

Drew nodded. “I wanna go out on top while I can still walk off the field without limping. I love this game. But I’m ready to see it from a different spot.”

“I had no idea,” Nick said, well and truly stunned.

“Why would you? We don’t share the hard shit often enough. I’m here if you need anything, brother.”

Nick gave him a hard hug then stepped back. “I might take you up on that. For talking, anyway. And right back at you. You need anything, I’m here.”

They shook hands, promised to catch up more thoroughly soon.

And Nick drove away, heading back to Maisie’s with an eagerness in his entire being just to see her face.

As he made his way through the Seattle streets, he thought about how nice it was to see his friend, someone he respected and admired.

And how good it felt to not feel alone. He wondered if Maisie was right—what would Drew say if he opened up about the mental health piece?

Was Nick selling everyone short? Including himself?