Page 72 of Falling for You

Honestly don’t know how I got so lucky with Pen, she’s fucking perfect.

I roll my shoulders and bend, ready to try this course again before I do sprints then I can get home to my family.

An hour later, I breathe heavily as I shoot the puck, hitting the back of the net, and I grin. I’m happy because I know I’m ready for tomorrow, but maybe I should do a few more times just to be sure.

Chuckling, I move to the net, about to try it again but quickly look up at the clock to ensure I do indeed have enough time to do one round, but my eyes widen.

Five thirty.

Shit.

“Fuck,” I curse, seeing I’m half an hour late for dinner.

I look around the rink and groan, knowing I have to put all this shit away because Denny will be here at four thirty tomorrowmorning to go over the ice with the Zamboni machine. Dammit, Pen is going to be pissed.

Huffing, I quickly skate around the rink, grab the cones and sticks I used as obstacles, toss them over to the stands before returning to my stick and the puck.

I grab them as well and turn, but I freeze when I lock eyes with my girl standing near the gateway. She is wearing a pretty dark red sweater dress and ankle boots, and her arms are crossed over her chest.

“Shit, I’m so sorry, Pen, I lost track of time…,” I admit as I skate over to her. When I get close, I drop the puck and my stick with the other shit, then grab the barrier on either side of the open gate, locking eyes with hers.

I frown because no anger shows in her eyes, and she has a small smile.

“Our son is with my dad, and our pizza is on the seat over there,” she nods to the first seat in the stands, “I’ve been sitting here for half an hour waiting for you to finish.”

I blink, “But you said you wanted an evening with me?”

She grins, “I did, but I knew you’d get carried away, so I brought dinner to you.”

My stomach flutters as I grab hold of her hips and lift her. She wraps her legs around my waist, not caring that she’s in a dress, as she wraps her arms around my neck, and I mumble, “I fucking love you,” making her giggle and reply, “I love you too.”

I grin, loving that sound, and I skate backward, causing her to tighten around me, but she doesn’t complain or lose her smile.

I pick up speed, making her gasp as she looks around. Not an ounce of fear is coming off her, only awe, and I relish that look as I continue to stake backward around the rink.

I skate around for a little while, loving being like this with her while she plays with my hair at the base of my neck, her face pressed into the crook of it.

The moment is perfect.

“I love you, you know that,” she mumbles, and I grin.

“Yeah, Firecracker, I know,” I answer her as I stake towards the gate. When we get close, I tap her thigh, and she unwraps her legs and I gently lower her back on safe ground. We lock eyes, hers racing between mine, and I furrow my brows.

“Is everything okay, Firecracker?” I ask her, her nerves showing high.

“Yeah,” she whispers, “I uh just, there’s a reason why I wanted some time with you tonight.”

Her voice trembles, and concern hits me. Without a second thought, I step off the ice, walk over to where our pizza is, and sit before unlacing my skates. I remove them before sitting up and eyeing my girl.

She’s trembling a little, spinning her engagement ring around her finger, and I swallow hard.

Fuck I hope she’s not having second thoughts.

“Come here, Firecracker,” I rasp, and she takes a deep breath and walks my way. When she stops before me, I grab her hips and yank her down, making her gasp, but she understands what I want and straddles my legs.

Gently, I cup her cheek, and I whisper, “Talk to me, Pen, what’s going on?”

She blinks, then clears her throat and says, “Did you know I was on the pill when we conceived Huddy?”

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