Page 21 of The Keeper

And why are my panties suddenly damp?

“You might not, but I do. Do you know how hard it’s been to get my brothers and sisters to treat me like an adult? To stop looking at me like I’m a baby? I won a freaking gold medal, and I’m still not sure I was an adult in their eyes yet. But I was a whole lot closer before I got drunk and got married.”

“Still don’t remember that night, do you?” His thick arms cross over his chest.

I lift my face to his, and for a moment, I just stare at the man in front of me. The one who’s meant everything to me for years. The one who looks like I just broke his heart. Suddenly, something cracks deep in my chest. “No. Not yet,” I whisper.

The hurt is replaced by disappointment before Easton can mask it with cocky confidence. “You will.”

“Maybe,” I admit and realize there’s a tiny nugget of hope in that truth.

Just as quickly as it vanished, Easton’s grin is back in place. “You gonna let me stay here, wife?”

“It’s Kenzie’s home too.” I try to hide the quiet tremor in my voice. “She said you can stay. And stop calling me that.”

He takes one more step closer. “But I’m asking you, princess. If you say you don’t want me here, I’ll go.”

I blink up at him and run my teeth over my bottom lip, hesitant to answer. Scared of the truth but completely unable to lie to him. “Of course you can stay here.”

He reaches out with his thumb and presses it against my lip, freeing it from my teeth. “I knew you had it in you, princess.”

“I said you can stay in my house. Not in my bed, hockey boy.”

He cups my face in his hands and presses his lips to my forehead, sending a wave of warmth straight down my spine. “We’ll see about that.”

I dip out from under his arm. “Is that a challenge?”

“No, baby. It’s a promise.”

Why do I think those words are going to haunt me?

Looks like I spoke too soon, peeps. A little birdy told me that Easton Hayes is going to be wearing Revolution red, white, and blue the next time he laces his hockey skates. I guess Mrs. Hayes didn’t like the idea of her playboy husband living it up in sin city while she looks for ways to spend her time, now that she’s retired from skating. You know what this means? Baby watch is on! #babywatch

#KroydonKronicles

LINDY

By six a.m. the next morning, I’ve given up any hope of getting a good night’s sleep and decide to give in to my desperate need for coffee. I throw my hoodie over my tank and pad downstairs, expecting Myrtle to wake up, ready to go outside. But my girl looks at me like I’m crazy as I pass her bed. Guess it’s too early for her too.

Same, girl, same.

I tossed and turned all night, thinking about the fact that Easton Hayes was currently sleeping above me.Ugh. The images that single thought conjures makes me all sorts of squirmy. How is it fair that I finally spent a night sleeping in bed with Easton instead of just seeing his face on a phone, and not only do I not remember it, but apparently all I did was sleep?

Not that I’m mad we didn’t actually have sex... I mean, this would be so much worse if we had. It’s just—he’s kissed me.Twice. And those kisses... My God.

Heat pools between my legs, just thinking about them.

Heat I ignore.

Nope.

No heat for me.

I refuse to accept any tiny little flicker of heat.

I cannot be turned-on by just the thought of Easton Hayes.

My husband.

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