Page 107 of Hooked On Them

“Of course they are.” I laughed, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. “Let’s take this to bed before your ankles decide to rebel.”

“My ankles already staged their coup weeks ago,” she muttered, but let me guide her back to our bedroom.

I propped pillows behind her back, arranging two more under her knees the way she liked. “Comfortable?”

“As comfortable as anyone can be with a tiny hockey player practicing drills on their bladder.” She wriggled into position. “Can we use the laptop instead of the phone? I can’t hold my arms up that long.”

“Your wish is my command.” I retrieved her laptop from the nightstand, setting it on the bed between us before initiating the video call.

Miles and Dominic appeared on screen, crammed together on a bed in one of their hotel rooms. Both were still glowing with the aftermath of their win, ties loosened and dress shirts partially unbuttoned.

“The conquering heroes!” I announced with theatrical flair. “Did you get me a souvenir? Perhaps a jockstrap worn by the opposing team’s captain? I can sell it and get some money for diapers.”

Miles snorted. “You’re disgusting, but that isn’t a bad idea.”

Dominic leaned closer to the camera. “How are our girls?”

Nora rolled her eyes. “Both of us are fine. Though your daughter decided the third period was the perfect time for acrobatics practice.”

“That’s my girl!” Dominic’s face lit up with pride. “She’s getting excited for the action.”

Miles laughed. “Was she trying to kick through your stomach when we scored?”

We chatted about the game, dissecting plays and controversial calls. Nora started to slump against me, fighting to keep her eyes open despite her genuine interest.

I adjusted my position, letting her head rest more comfortably against my shoulder. “Try not to drool on me, sweetheart.”

“I’ll drool wherever I want.” Her words were muffled against my shirt.

Dominic’s expression softened as he watched Nora nestled against me. “This is really happening. Soon our baby girl will be here.”

This reallywashappening. All of it. The team was one series win away from hockey immortality. We were weeks away from welcoming a tiny human who would rely on us for everything. I was part of something real and permanent.

The realization washed over me. I’d spent most of my life collecting experiences, moving from one thrill to the next, always chasing the next high or rush. But the quiet certainty of knowing exactly where I belonged was the greatest rush of all.

I turned my head to meet Nora’s eyes in the soft lamplight. I was in love. Not just with her, but with all of it; with them, with our makeshift family, with the beautiful future waiting around the corner.

“I’m not so tired anymore.” Nora’s voice took on a sultry edge that made it very clear what she wanted.

I leaned down and kissed her, soft and sweet. Her lips tasted like the cherry ChapStick she constantly applied, and I felt that familiar electric current zip through me. The one that never seemed to dim no matter how many times we’d done this. The warm weight of her against me, the curve of her belly pressed between us, created this perfect pocket of contentment.

“Uh, guys? Still here,” Miles’s amused voice came through the laptop speakers.

I broke the kiss as a startled laugh bubbled up from Nora’s throat. She’d genuinely forgotten they were on the call. I hadn’t.

“Sorry, not sorry.” I reached over to adjust the laptop screen. “You know how insatiable she is.”

Dominic leaned forward, his eyes intense even through the video connection. “Don’t stop on our account.”

The air in the room shifted, charged with familiar possibility. We’d been here before; the four of us connected across miles, finding our own way to bridge the distance. It started as an accident, became an experiment, and now it was something else entirely.

I glanced at Nora, giving her the chance to shut this down. Her answer was to bite her lower lip, eyes darting from me to the screen and back again.

“What do you think, sweetheart?” I brushed my thumb across her cheek. “Feel up to giving the boys a reward for their win tonight?”

She shifted slightly, making herself more comfortable against the pillows. “I do think champions deserve rewards.”

I could practically feel the temperature rise on the other side of the screen.

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