Page 25 of Pucks and Coffee

I shake my head, mostly to get the dirty thoughts out of my mind.

News flash, it doesn’t work.

“No, I planned on doing it tonight. Louisa is coming back, so my two younger sisters are coming over for dinner.”

“Will you move in tomorrow, then?”

“Yeah, probably. I’ll need to get box?—”

“I’ve got boxes in the kitchen. I’ll have everything ready for you tomorrow. If you want help packing, I’m available after one. Either way, I’ll be by to help bring everything over.”

“Thanks,” I say, wringing my fingers. He watches my hands and then looks at the document sitting in my lap.

His brows furrow a bit before he looks up at me. “You looked upset when I said no to a ceremony.”

I shrug, glancing at the piece of paper that declares we’re married. “It’s not how I thought my wedding day would be. Just two signatures, that’s it.”

“I’m sorry,” he admits in a low voice. “The women in there don’t care for me or my family, so I didn’t want to give them any more fodder for their gossip.”

“Why don’t they like you?”

He averts his eyes. “That’s a story for another time.”

“Why?”

“Because I’d rather not get into that in the middle of a parking lot that has listening ears,” he says, but I know it’s an excuse. He pats my leg and then pushes off the frame to shut the door. I watch as he walks around, running his fingers through his hair, messing it up. He gets in, starts the truck, and then takes off without another word. I chew the inside of my cheek as I try to figure out how I’m going to tell my sisters what I’ve done. I know they’re going to lose their damn minds, and I’m truly not ready for it.

We arrive at Dirty Pages not three minutes later. Everything in Blitz is so compact and close together. The only thing that’s a trip is the hiking trails and the Knoxville Bears’ arena. I bite my lip as a thought comes to mind. “When is your next game?”

“Monday,” he answers as he shuts off the truck and then gets out. I wait for him as he likes me to, and if I’m honest, I like it too. I’ve never had a guy open a door for me or help me out of a vehicle. It’s nice. I take his hand when he offers it, and to my surprise, he laces his fingers through mine. We head up to the alley door, but before we reach it, Coleson says, “Wife.”

I look up at him, a smirk pulling at my lips. “Replaced McDavid with Wife?”

A slight blush moves across his cheeks. “It’s your title.”

“My name is Eliza.”

“I know your name,” he says simply, flashing me a heated look. “But you’re my wife, so I’ll call you just that.” My stomach tightens as I gaze up into his beautiful face. His eyes are a lot brighter now that it’s just us two. A smile plays on his lips, and his jaw isn’t as tight as it was. He swallows before cupping our joined hands in his other one. “As I was saying, Wife.”

I scoff. “Yes?”

“I know this wasn’t the wedding day you envisioned, but I hope you know that I will care for you, protect you, and make sure that this year is as easy as it can be. I can’t thank you enough for doing this for me. I want you to know that…” He pauses, and my heart swells in my chest. “Thank you.”

I blink up at him. There is so much he didn’t say. I can see it in his eyes. I step in closer, and I don’t miss the tic in his jaw as he wraps his arm around me, our locked hands between our chests. I tip my head back to give him access to my lips, and I watch as his eyes track them, hunger burning deep within his bright-blue gaze.

I feel my cheeks fill with color. “I believe in you. Let’s make your goal a reality.”

“And yours.” His voice is so deep, so thick with emotion, as he whispers, “You’re gorgeous, Wife.”

The way he says wife is downright devilish, and my pussy purrs at the sound of it. I swallow thickly as I get lost in his gaze. It’s so easy when it’s just us two. All kinds of emotions burn through me, tickle my gut, and make me want him more. I part my lips a bit, and when his gaze drops to them, I rise to my tippy-toes to kiss him. I’m still too short, though, and at the motion, the most brilliant grin spreads across his lips. Dimples shine, his eyes bright, as he lifts me off my feet and crashes his lips to mine. He tastes like the strawberry drink he was drinking all morning. His lips are soft, and the hair along his lip that he hasn’t shaved tickles my nose. When he pulls away, I almost protest, but the look in his eyes promises more.

So much more.

“Don’t strain yourself to kiss me. Just tell me, and I’ll gladly put you where I need you to be to taste you.”

My stomach clenches, and my heart jackhammers in my chest. “What if I want to kiss you?”

A soft chuckle leaves his throat, making heat coil in my gut. “Well then, my little wife, you might have to learn to climb me.”

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