Page 50 of Slap Shot Daddies

I roll my eyes, attempting to maintain a facade of nonchalance, even as my legs feel like jelly beneath me.

Reggie finishes adjusting his clothes and steps closer, his hands naturally finding their way back to my waist, his thumbs tracing gentle, soothing circles.

"Ye know," he murmurs, his voice softened and intimate, "me an’ the lads could help ye at the clinic, if ye want."

I blink up at him, caught off guard by the unexpected offer. "You guys would really do that?" I ask, my voice betraying my surprise.

He gives me a look as if I've said something utterly obvious. "Aye, of course. We like bein’ here for ye, love."

A warmth spreads through my chest at his words, tightening it in a way that leaves me momentarily speechless. I nod, swallowing past the lump that has formed in my throat, unsure of what else to say.

Reggie tilts his head slightly, his fingers trailing lightly down my arm before he takes a step back towards the door. "Think about it, all right?" he says, a small smile playing on his lips.

"I will," I murmur, watching him as he goes.

The moment the door clicks shut behind him, I collapse against the wall, pressing my fingertips to my still-flushed cheeks, feeling the heat radiating from them.

I am so going to burst into flames when I go to church.

CHAPTER TWELVE

Ambrose

Lying in bed,staring up at the ceiling, I let out a slow, measured breath, my thoughts weaving a tangled web between two pivotal figures, Wyatt, who is coming next week, and Kenzie.

Wyatt always holds precedence in my life. There's no doubt about that.

Yet something about Kenzie clings stubbornly to my mind, refusing to be dismissed as easily as the other women I've known.

Perhaps it's her stark contrast to Lara, or the way she challenges me, making me feel like more than just a hockey player.

But Wyatt; he is my entire universe.

I've never introduced him to a woman before, never even entertained the idea. It's always been just the two of us, and I don't bring women into our world unless I'm certain they will be a lasting presence.

That thought knots my stomach with uncertainty.

Would Kenzie stay if she met Wyatt? Would she even want to?

I rub a hand over my face, a deep exhalation escaping my lips. The truth is, I don't know what this thing between us is yet.

I do know that I'm not ready to entwine her with my family life, at least not yet. Not when her feelings for me, or for us, remain a mystery.

The room lies shrouded in darkness, yet I can still discern the faint, persistent glow of my phone screen on the nightstand. The gentle whirring of the fan overhead fills the room with a soothing hum, and I close my eyes, striving to sweep away the swirling thoughts.

But even as I attempt to will myself into slumber, her image remains stubbornly lodged in my mind.

Kenzie is a wildfire, fierce and untamed, and I feel the sting of burns on my hands from the times I’ve tried to get close. I roll onto my side, my eyes fixed on my phone, the faint blue glow casting eerie shadows on the nightstand.

The words "poly relationships" linger in my mind.

Before meeting Kenzie, I hadn’t given them much thought. They were a distant concept, something seen from afar, like knowing of stars without ever touching their light.

Sure, I was aware of them. After all, I've been teammates with Brooks long enough to witness the harmony he shares with Ally. Tyler, Nick and him all think they’re slick, but they aren’t.

Still, that just tempts me even more.

Though, I’ve always seen myself as a one-woman kind of guy. The traditional trappings of love, a relationship, marriage, kids…that was the dream etched into my heart. At least, it was until Lara shattered that vision, leaving the pieces scattered like shards of glass.

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