Page 54 of Your Biggest Downfall (Ravens Hockey #3)

austin

“Thanks for driving. I needed that nap,” I said, reaching over to give Nova’s thigh a gentle squeeze as we pulled up to Emma’s cabin.

My headache had dulled, but the shakes were creeping back, a reminder that the reprieve was temporary.

“Of course. You looked tired,” she said, glancing at me with a warm smile.

My wife was beautiful—especially now. Her dark curls were piled into a messy bun, strands falling loose around her face.

She had that effortless look, wearing a loose-fitting blouse paired with high-rise jeans that hugged her curves.

The sunlight caught the soft glow of her honey-colored skin, and her eyes—dark and knowing—seemed to see more than I was willing to admit.

She was the kind of beautiful that made me feel like I didn’t deserve her.

She parked, and I grabbed our bags from the trunk. “It’s as breathtaking as I remember.”

I looked at the woman I had promised to stand by forever.

She had done nothing but offer me grace and patience, coming here to celebrate our one-month anniversary without a single complaint.

She didn’t nag or push me, just gave me space.

And I felt like absolute shit for snapping at her.

I was failing—in everything, but mostly in being the husband she deserved.

She didn’t need me to be a failure. I needed to be strong for her.

“I’m so sorry, Supernova.” I wrapped her up so her back was pressed tightly in my chest. I snaked my arms across her chest, and she held onto my hands as I pulled her into an inside-out hug. “I think, with the start of training camp and the stress of work, everything got to me, and I snapped.”

“I was worried,” she murmured. “I stayed up all night. I have so much to worry about too, Austin.” She spun so she was facing me.

Her hands wrapped around my neck, pulling me down toward her.

“I think about my mom every single day and what it would look like to get the call when she’s.

.. not here anymore. I kept having the same anxiety about you. ”

“I know. I shouldn’t give you that stress. I’m your partner, and I should make life easier, not add to your worries.”

“It’s okay if you need help. I’m here to support you.” She pressed her lips to mine, and I was lost again in her abyss.

Despite the weight of expectations pressing on my shoulders, I was still addicted to the way my wife’s body felt against mine.

“Mmm,” I moaned. “I missed you.”

She pulled away but kept her fingers around my neck. “We haven’t had sex in like twenty-four hours, you fiend.”

“Me?” I gasped, pretending to be offended.

She laughed, a sound that filled me with joy. “Okay, fine, you caught me,” she said, raising her hands in surrender. “I need it more than you.”

“Better not let me catch you, wife.”

She sprinted toward the house, stopping with her hand on the doorknob. Turning back with a mischievous glint in her eyes, she teased me. “Or what?”

Game on.

She swung the door open and kicked off her sandals, dashing through the house with her laughter echoing off the walls.

“Come and get me,” she called, racing up the stairs.

I watched her for a moment, giving her a head start, knowing it wouldn’t take long to catch up.

I followed her trail like a hunter, my eyes locking onto each piece of clothing she’d left behind—her blouse hanging carelessly over the banister, her jeans crumpled near the base of the stairs.

It was taunting, and the sight of her clothes strewn about only fueled the fire inside me.

My heart pounded as my thoughts grew darker, more primal.

The thought of her, stripped bare and lying in bed, waiting for me with that mischievous glint in her eye, had me on the edge.

The swell of her tits, the curve of her hips, the way her skin flushed whenever I touched her—it was all I could think about.

Every part of me was alive with the need to get to her, to feel her, to make her mine.

The hallway felt longer than ever, each step driving me closer to losing control.

The anticipation was intoxicating. I could picture her already, sprawled out on the bed, her body warm and waiting, her lips parted.

I reached the top of the stairs and saw more of her clothes—her bra tossed aside like it was nothing, her panties half hidden behind the doorframe. I sucked in a breath, and I was a man possessed, driven by nothing but the need to feel her under me. The hunger in me was overwhelming.

I heard her, a soft, teasing laugh coming from the bedroom. My feet carried me faster, my mind already gone, and when I reached the door, I could see the outline of her figure through the crack.

“Come on, Supernova. You gotta make it harder for me,” I whispered as I pushed open the door.

She was laughing, naked on the bed, so I threw off my shirt, pants, and boxers onto the ground.

Nova’s eyes were heavy with desire, and I was ready to make her mine.