Page 75 of Wilder Puck
I grin at her. “Hey, I happen to like your girly crap. Makes the place feel more like home.”
Something warm and soft blooms in her eyes as she glances at her things in the living room. “Yeah?”
“Yeah, Ads. You make everything feel more like home.”
Chase clears his throat, a knowing smirk playing at his mouth. “Should we give you two a moment? Maybe light some candles, put on some music.”
“Add in dinner for two,” I joke.
They leave the house to grab more boxes, and I'm too busy basking in the feel of my girl tucked into my side, in the knowledge that she's moving in, that this is happening.
That it's real.
That she is my girlfriend.
“Seriously though,” Addie says, pulling back just enough to look at me. “Thank you for this.”
I kiss her lips. “Pivotal moments have been happening lately. Now I need you at my game this week.” I mic drop and leave the house to grab another box if there is one. I don’t want to hear her say that she has to work, so I hope the idea is planted that I want her there, especially if we’re official now. My girl at my games–that’s all I need.
“I feel like I should write the guys a thank you note. Or bake them a cake. Or name my firstborn after them,” she says.
I chuckle as I fold another one of Addie's t-shirts, adding it to the growing pile on the bed. It's late, the guys are long gone,and the house is quiet around us. We've been unpacking for hours, finding homes for all her things.
It's a strangely intimate process, intertwining our lives like this. Seeing her brightly colored coffee mugs nestled next to my plain ones, her fruity shampoo sitting cheek-to-jowl with my Old Spice on the shower ledge. It feels significant. Permanent, in a way that screams I will marry this woman. I don’t think I can ever go back now.
“I'm pretty sure Andrew would be thrilled with a namesake,” I say, shooting her a wink. "And we both know Chase is a whore for high-protein foods.” That man’s big and muscular for a reason.
She snorts, chucking a balled-up pair of socks at my head. “Name our son Chicken Andrew? Yeah, right. I’d rather name him Wild. Wild Wilder.” She bursts a laugh.
I laugh. “What? Are you already naming our unborn children?”
Addie freezes, her eyes going wide like she's just realized what she said. A flush creeps up her face, staining her cheeks pink. “Well, you know. Hypothetically.”
“Right.” I clear my throat, trying to tame the heart inside my chest. Thank god, for that ribcage. “And hypothetically, you want a son named Wild?”
She smirks. “I think it sounds better than China Wall Wilder.”
“Okay.” I shake my head. She’s clearly messing with me.
She nods, fiddling with the hem of the sweater she's folding. “You've got a good last name. Strong. Solid. The kind of name that would look really nice stitched on the back of a tiny jersey, that's all. Aw, imagine having a daughter?”
Jesus Christ. Is she trying to kill me?
Because all I can see now is a little girl with Addie's brown hair and my golden eyes, drowning in a Seven Devils sweaterwith WILDER splashed across the shoulders. I can see her perched on my hip at center ice, smushed between me and Addie as we beam at the cameras.
I can see a whole damn life, laid out in front of me. A future brighter than my wildest dreams.
It scares the shit out of me, how badly I want it. How desperately I crave something I never even knew I needed until Addie became mine. Now I can see it clearly. The ache in my chest feels too big for my ribs. It's too much, too soon. We're barely finding our footing as a couple, let alone contemplating children.
“I'll keep that in mind. You know, for when the time comes to knock you up.”
She smiles at me across the bedroom as she places a pile of clothes in her dresser right next to mine. I could get used to this. Really used to this.
“I love having you here,” I admit. “All your things. Oh, and I fully intend to follow through on all my promises.”
Her giddy laugh turns breathless as I settle over her, caging her in with my arms. “What were those promises again?” she asks, teasing me. She knows exactly what I’m talking about. We were texting each other last night because it was the last night she was going to stay at her place.
I dip my head, nuzzling into the sweet curve of her neck. “Hmm, let's see. I'm pretty sure I promised to make you come so hard you forget your own name.”
