Page 118 of Perfect Playbook

Mrs. Hunter.

Butterflies fill my belly. I peek over my shoulder, wondering what he’ll think.

He pulls at his shirt, giving himself air as if he’s hot. His gaze licks up and down my body. “That’s my wife right there.”

I wobble my head, sassy.

“You are in so much trouble.” He doesn’t even care that everyone is watching us. “You better be wearing that jersey with nothing under it when I get home.”

Chapter Thirty-Nine

I kicked absolute Husky ass.It was like taking candy from a baby. Ashton, of course, was on his best form ever to humiliate Jolie’s ex, and I seemed to have an out-of-body experience. I had wings. I took flight.

And I just have a feeling. When I arrive home late that night, I recognize it. My intuition. My heavy gut. It’s telling me this is the season. And it’s telling me the time is right. Not only because I’m retiring and so is Ashton, but because this Cup win would matter. It would matter more than any other time because I have Nino and Shay now.

I can already see them jumping up and downlike maniacs, celebrating, and the thought of it makes me smile to myself in the darkness of our house.

I still can’t believe she came to the game. I can’t believe she mooched her way in, got tickets… Santi helped. What was going through her mind? I have to know and I only have about ten hours before I leave for the East Coast tomorrow.

Thank God I’m here tonight.

I walk quietly through the house, and though I’m desperate to see Shay, I can’t help myself. I crack open Antonio’s door and see him sound asleep. He’s actually in bed this time, oven mitts crushed tightly against his chest. His night light illuminates his thick glossy eyelashes, and his lips are all soft and mushed open in that cute way lips do when a person is in deep sleep. He’s probably drooling a little, but I even find that adorable

I can’t believe how lucky I am to have found Shay again, but to have her come with such an incredible child is more than I’d ever dare to dream. Just a couple months ago I was lost, and frankly, self-destructive, and now I’m building a real foundation.

I close the door gently and make my way into our bedroom.

Shay is still up in bed, reading with a singular lamp on. She puts down her sticker-backed Kindle. “Hey. I couldn’t sleep.”

I take myself to the bedside and kneel next to her. Grab her hand and kiss the back of it. “I’m surprised you aren’t exhausted from that night.”

She throws her face into her other hand. “I must have looked like a lunatic.”

“No.” I tip her chin up with my finger. “You looked like my wife.” She’s more beautiful than ever right now. “Thank you for coming.” I hesitate to say it but I want her to know. “I needed that.”

She laughs lightly. “Did you? You already made the decision to retire, though?”

“True. For the same reason you didn’t want to ask me to do it, I didn’t want you to feel guilty or hold it in the back of your mind that it was your fault I stopped playing or anything like that. So I did it before you answered. It’s my offering to our future. This is what I want. I’m done being famous and playing hard. I want you. Nino. This is where I hang up my skates. Where I hang my hat and where my boots come off.”

“But you still wanted me to ask you to stay?” She cocks an eyebrow.

“Of course I did. I’m not needy but I need a bone once in a while.”

“You do, huh?” She rakes her fingers through my hair. “I need a bone, too, but what we both really need is sleep.”

We lie down alongside each other, and she flicks off her bedside light, the only one that was still on. She rolls onto her side, and I roll onto mine, finding my way to her body. I reach around her warmth and take her hand. Even in our sleep I know there will be an uncontrollable attraction.

Will I even sleep?

She whispers, “Logan?”

I breathe in the honey scent of her hair. “Mmm?”

“Why do you love me?”

“Fuck, baby, there’s a list till morning.”

“Just give me one. One to remember until you get back home from your next away games.”

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