Page 149 of Breakaway Hearts

Our life has become beautifully domestic, in a way I never expected or even dreamed of. And instead of feeling boring or routine, our daily movements and the little things we do for each other still give me butterflies. I still feel so desperately in love with this man that I can barely breathe at times.

I quickly finish getting ready for work, deciding on a natural face of makeup and a light green dress with cream-colored flats. When I get downstairs, Reese is standing near the door, tying his laces. He smiles at me while tapping his watch.

“Running behind today, Firefly? I thought you were the one who told me to hurry up,” he teases.

“It’s not my fault you can get ready in two minutes. And it’s also not my fault we got in the shower late.”

He smirks. “Nah, you’re right. I take full responsibility for that. And I have absolutely no regrets. The memory of watching you come on my cock and my hand is gonna keep me going all day… until I can get back home and do it all over again.”

There’s nothing in his expression to suggest that he’s joking about his plans for tonight, and my clit throbs lightly in response. I clench my thighs together, giving him a look when he notices the tiny movement. Then I really do have to rush, since I need to be walking out the door in just a few minutes.

I hurry into the kitchen, planning to scarf down a quick breakfast and brew some tea if I have time. But as I step through the door, I realize that my to-go mug is already filled with hot water and a tea bag, and there’s a reusable container filled with breakfast sausage, fruit, and a cup of yogurt sitting next to it.

Damn. What did I do to deserve this?

“Where have you been all my life?” I call to Reese while picking them up and precariously balancing them in my arms, along with my purse.

“Literally right next to you.” He meets me as I re-enter the living room, grabbing the reusable container out of my hand and kissing my cheek. “Right where I belong. Shall we hit the road?”

We grab our keys off the table near the door and head outside, holding hands all the way to our cars.

The sight of my brand new Honda Civic, which I insisted on instead of the fancy car Reese wanted to get me, still blows my mind. When he said he was going to buy me a car, part of me thought he was joking. Or at least just being a little overly protective.

But here we are. And I have to admit, I like it a lot better than taking the bus.

“Okay,” I say, turning to face Reese when we stop in between our cars. I kiss him, and he pulls me in closer, as if he’s considering a round three right against the side of one of our vehicles. When we finally break apart, he thumbs my lower lip before tracing his finger down to my chin.

“Okay?” he prompts.

“Oh. Right.” I shake my head, gathering my scattered thoughts. “I’ll see you at the school?”

He chuckles. “Of course. Wouldn’t miss it. I’ll be there right after practice wraps up.”

He kisses me again, sweeter this time, a true goodbye kiss—if only for a few hours. Then he opens my car door for me, and I slide in, my legs still a little shaky. I let him pull out of the driveway first, and then we’re both off, him to the gym and me to school.

Once I’m there, the beginning of the day goes normally, although the buzz in the room is more electric than usual. I would expect nothing less, given the special visit I’ve arranged for the students.

The bell rings for lunch, and after all the kids are out of the classroom, I get to work on rearranging the chairs and desks so that we can all sit in a semi-circle to face Reese.

He’ll be coming to speak to my class today, to talk a bit about his career and how he got where he is. Several of my students love hockey, and even though they’re young, I think they’re excited to learn more about how things work in the NHL.

And no one could be a better mentor to them than Reese. He’s got such a big heart, and he’s so great with kids.

Just as I finish up with the desks and chairs, there’s a knock on my door, followed by our security guard escorting Reese into the classroom. Reese is chatting easily with Brian, who looks absolutely starstruck and maybe a little smitten. My boyfriend can connect with anyone, I swear.

Reese shakes Brian’s hand and gives him a wave goodbye, and the older man gives me a nod before heading back down the hallway.

“Thank you so much for coming.” I step forward to press a quick kiss to Reese’s lips. “How was practice?”

“Good. Really good.” He glances around. “Honestly, I was so excited to come here that I barely remember anything we did. But I think it went well.”

That makes me laugh. “You sound like my students. They’ve been talking about this nonstop all week.”

He grins, and I swear he almost looks a little nervous—which is funny considering that he does press conferences and interviews often after games, which means his words are being broadcast to millions of people. Compared to that, speaking to a roomful of elementary school kids should be a piece of cake.

“Don’t be nervous,” I tell him, stepping closer and resting my palms on his broad chest. “They’re gonna love you.”

He draws in a breath and lets it out, although there’s still something a bit anxious about the stiffness of his shoulders. “As long asyoulove me, Firefly. That’s all I need.”

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