Page 24 of Ice Daddy
“Does that hurt?” she heard herself ask quietly, her embarrassing maternal instinct on full-display.
Lance snickered. “You dorealize I play hockey, right?”
“Yes.”
“Okay. Good. See all these scars?” One by one, he pointed them out: on his chin, hidden in the hair of his other eyebrow, one across the bridge of his nose. Really, they were his only imperfections, and as much as Paige wished he didn't have them? Somehow, they made himmorehandsome.
“We get hit with sticks and pucks all the time,” Lance continued. “The trainers stitch us up right on the bench. So this is nothing. But hey, I appreciate it.”
“Sorry,” Paige apologized, “I'm just used to …”
He stared at her, expecting her to finish the thought. “Used to what?”
“Nothing.”
Shewantedto tell him about Irie so badly. But each time the opportunity showed itself, her stomach turned to knots and she thought she might get sick and she chickened out. She had to build towards it slowly instead.
She began applying one butterfly bandage after another to his cut, wondering how to work up the courage to tell this man that they had a beautiful daughter together.
“Honestly, Lance,” she quietly began, “I didn't know you were a hockey player when I met you—”
Lance cut her off with a sparkle in his eye. “I always wonderedabout that. Because you wouldn't ask me what I did, and any time I tried to tell you, you stopped me. I couldn't tell if you were fucking with me or not.”
Paige bobbed her head. “I could tell youwantedto tell me. I guess I got a kick out of denying you. I was kind of … in a bad mood that night.”
“See, I thought you were giving me a tough time because I was an opposing player. Because normally, if a girl doesn't know who I am, I'm not taking her to my hotel room after just one drink, you know?”
Paige hung her head in shame. “Oh, yeah, don't worry. It wasn't anything like that. We met, you bought me a drink, and I spread my legs for you. You could've been anybody. I'm just that easy.”
“Shit, hey, I didn't mean it like that.” He grabbed her hand and squeezed. “It's not likeIknew you either. So I'm just as 'easy' as you are. Right?”
Guh,Paige thought.That wasn't very comforting.
“It's different for a woman,” she said.
He puffed. “How?”
Because, y'know, we can get pregnant,she thought, but she didn't answer.
“Nevermind.” Paige put the last butterfly bandage on his brow. “Anyway. There. You're all patched up.”
She tried to move away, but Lance still held her hand and wouldn't let her go. He pulled her closer until she was between his massive legs. Gently, he lowered her into his lap. She felt ridiculous—but then he wrapped his giant, muscle-bound arms around her and squeezed. It felt nice. It felt really, really nice—to be the one being comforted for once. She'd needed this. She basked in the manly strength of his arms and the ginger-pepper scent of his cologne.
“Hey. Paige. I'm sorry. I swear I didn't mean anything bad. And honestly? I'mhappyyou didn't know who I was. It makes what we had a little more special, you know?”
If you had any idea how special it really was,she thought with a gulp. She rested her head against his.
“And I've felt that way for two years,” he continued. “Something about you really stuck with me, Paige.”
You're telling me.
“That's why I always drag my teammates out to Zickell's when we're in Nashville. Like Radar said. I was looking for you.”
She glanced at him. “Really? You were?”
“Yeah, babe.” He grinned. “Radar's the only one that knows, though. If the others knew, they'd never let me hear the end of it.”
Knowing that he still thought of her gave her the courage she needed to finally tell him. Paige took a deep breath.
