Page 77 of Ice, Love, & Other Penalties

He gives me a peck on the nose. “Yes, and according to your colorful and efficient chart, it’s your turn to make breakfast.”

I pull the blankets over my head with an exaggerated huff. “Not today, babe.”

“Could I convince you to switch up the chores today . . .? I have a really good incentive for you,” I add, lowering my voice to a flirtatious purr as I peer up at him invitingly.

His grin turns wolfish, green eyes dancing. “Oh, really? And what did you have in mind as proper compensation?”

I bite my lip, trailing a suggestive hand down his chest. “I’m sure I could . . . come up with something.”

He chuckles, the sound sending delicious vibrations through me. “Mmm, I bet you could, naughty girl.” After another quick, toe-curling kiss, he throws off the covers and climbs out of bed. I admire the view as he saunters to the bathroom, all lean muscle and casual confidence.

Yeah, I’m definitely a fan of morning Ty.

“Is that a ‘yes, Indie, I’ll handle the morning chores and tonight you’ll reward me?’” I pretend to sound like him but fail miserably.

He chuckles. “Nope. It’s a, ‘as much as I would love to take your offer, it’s customary not to change our routine on game days,’” he responds.

“Since when did you become so superstitious, Brynes?” I ask slightly annoyed.

“When my lucky charm knocked on my door before our first game,” he responds from the bathroom. “But . . . tonight I’ll reward you after our win.”

I laugh. “Really, you think I’ll be the one getting the reward?”

Ty pokes his head out of the bathroom, toothbrush in hand.

“Is that doubt I detect in your voice, Indie?” he asks, one brow arched. “Because I can assure you, after our win tonight, we’ll both be thoroughly . . . ‘rewarded.’”

His gaze turns molten, trailing hotly down my body in blatant invitation before meeting my eyes again. Even from across the room, that look sends heat curling through me.

I smirk, snuggling back under the blankets. “Promises, promises.”

He winks. “Oh, I fully intend on keeping this one, sweetheart. In vivid detail.”

With that heated promise lingering temptingly in the air between us, he disappears back into the bathroom. I hear the shower turn on a moment later.

As I lay there listening to him start his morning routine, I can’t stop the little thrill that goes through me at the thought of properly “celebrating” with Ty tonight. Game days when he’s at home have become my favorite. And if our team wins . . . Well, neither of us are getting much sleep.

Ty insists that the day I appeared at his doorstep I changed his life, but it was mutual. My life has slowly shifted. I’m back to taking classes. Lyr, Harp, and I are planning on starting our company. And even though I adore Jude and would do anything for him, I already gave him my . . . Well, it’s not exactly a two-week notice. Once the Sasquatches finish their season—hopefully after winning the Stanley Cup—I’m no longer working for him. We’re already looking for my replacement.

Tyberius

The moonlight shimmers off the gentle waves, illuminating Indie’s face in an ethereal glow as we stroll along the beach, the sand soft beneath our bare feet. This is a small break before the finals start next week. We still don’t know who’ll be playing, but before I have to head back home and concentrate on our last seven games, I wanted to steal this quiet moment with Indie.

I stop and take her hands in mine, chills skittering up my spine. Our eyes meet and the nerves dissolve, warmth rushing in to take their place.

“From the first moment I saw you, I knew,” I begin, pulse quickening, every word layered with the love and adoration I have for her.

Indie tilts her head, a smile playing at her lips. “Knew what?” Curiosity and something deeper shine in her eyes.

A smile finds its way to my lips, and I reach up to brush a windblown curl from her cheek, tucking it behind her ear gently. “That you were the one to complete our puzzle. Just like when you found the right piece for Myra. You . . . you were my missing piece,” I confess, the words flowing from a place deep within my heart. “I’ve never felt so whole. In your eyes, I’ve found my home. In your smile, I’ve found my peace. And in your love, I’ve found the very essence of my being.”

I drop to one knee, nerves and elation warring within me, and from my pocket, I retrieve a small box. Nestled inside is a delicate princess-cut diamond solitaire on a simple platinum band, an understated elegance befitting my Indie.

“Indie, you are my dawn, my sunset, and every moment in between. With you, I’ve discovered parts of me I never knew existed. Your love has been my guiding light, illuminating the darkest paths, leading me to this very moment.”

I meet her shimmering gaze. “Will you do me the honor, the privilege, of becoming my partner, my confidante, my best friend, a mother to our children, for life?” My voice cracks with emotion. “I offer to you not just a ring, but my heart, my soul, and every beat of my being.”

Indie’s eyes, wide with emotion, glisten in the moonlight, reflecting a universe of feelings that words could scarcely contain. Tears begin their descent, tracing paths down her cheeks. For a heartbeat, the world stands still, suspended as I wait anxiously for her answer.

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