What had I been thinking? At a time when I should have some pride and turn down his proposition, I’d done the exact opposite. He’d given me a big check, and then I’d given him a big hard-on. Regardless of whether or not he’d said the money wasn’t tied to sex, I was having a hard time separating the two.
I wouldn’t succumb to passion again. He’d made it clear. He didn’t want a relationship. He wanted sex. He wasn’t sure he even liked me.
I was pretty sure if I fucked him, I’d fall back in love with him, if I’d ever fallen out of love.
Then there were the kids to consider. I was playing a dangerous game with them and didn’t know what to do to make it right. They’d lost one father, and I wouldn’t allow the loss of another. I had to be one-hundred-percent certain Easton would be there for them through the good and bad times, not just when he found it convenient. Once the newness of being a father wore off, would he go back to being a guy who partied as hard as he played hockey?
I didn’t want that man as the father of my children.
Of course, that ship had sailed. He was their biological father, and nothing I did would change their DNA. All I had left was to do damage control and make this transition as painless as possible for them. They’d hate me for keeping Easton a secret, but they were young, and they’d soon get over it.
“Hey, by the way, Easton left this package while you were out shopping this morning,” Junie said. By her smile, she was aware of the contents.
Hailey perked up, dropped her book, and ran to me. “What did he bring?”
Heath abandoned the skyscraper he was building with Legos and joined us. He was almost smiling in anticipation. His hopeful expression was heartening to see.
I glanced at Junie, and she nodded, reading my mind. Whatever was in here was okay to open in front of the kids. After yesterday, I’d almost expected a sexy negligée and was stupidly disappointed the gift wasn’t going to be that intimate.
“Why don’t you open it?” I handed the package to Heath. Hailey bounced on the balls of her feet. Unable to contain her excitement, she tore at the packaging, while Heath batted at her hands.
Finally, the thing was open, and several Sockeyes jerseys fell to the floor, followed by an envelope. The kids ignored the envelope and rifled through the jerseys, finding the one that fit them. They tugged them on. Hailey danced around the room, pretending she was figure skating. Heath slid across the hardwood floor shooting an imaginary puck into the kitchen and racing after it. I hadn’t seen him this animated in a long while. Both jerseys had Black on the back and Easton’s number.
There were two more Black jerseys presumably for Junie and me.
“Open the envelope,” Junie prodded, as giddy as the kids.
I picked it up and tore open the flap to find four hockey tickets to next Saturday’s game.
“I guess we’re going to the game on Saturday,” Junie said.
I opened my mouth to protest on principle only. The kids didn’t know Easton played hockey, and I’d been stalling because he’d be even more of a hero in their eyes once they found out. They’d taken to Easton in ways I’d only imagined, and I’d been feeling left out and sorry for myself. Easton was the shiny new toy, and I was the dependable, old stuffed animal they’d turn to when things went sideways.
“We’re going,” Junie insisted, shutting down my excuses before I had a chance to fully formulate them. “We can’t pass on this opportunity, any more than I can pass on what’s in this building.”
“This building?”
“Yeah, here. Duh. We live in a building that’s a smorgasbord of hot hockey players, and I can’t decide which one to eat next.” Junie shot me a wicked grin.
“Have you already sampled any of them?” I lowered my voice, but the kids weren’t paying us any attention. Heath was weaving in and out of the chairs and circling his sister, while she did her figure skating routine across the hardwood floor and sang her own version of a Disney song.
“Not yet, but I’m working on it. Several have offered to be my next meal.”
I rolled my eyes. “Junie, you’re disgusting.”
“I’m having fun. You should do the same, or have you already sampled what Easton has to offer?”
“Of course not. We’re barely friends.” I was pretty sure my face gave away my bald-faced lie because Junie laughed.
“It’s okay. You can have sex with him. He’s hot and available. You don’t have to have a committed relationship with every guy you hook up with. Learn to be more casual about sex. You’re so rigid.”
“I am not,” I protested, refusing to see the truth in her statement.
“Kids!” shouted Junie, “we’re going to the hockey game on Saturday.”
The kids cheered and gathered around us. I hugged them both.
Yes, we were going to a hockey game.
As for sex with Easton…
Caroline point of view
Saturday evening, loaded down with junk food and dressed in our jerseys, we navigated down the stadium stairs and found our seats on the glass. Junie sat on one side of me, while the kids sat on the other.
I hadn’t seen Easton since we’d discussed the visitation plan. The team had flown into Seattle early Friday morning, and, yes, I knew his schedule. He hadn’t checked in, not that I expected him to do so, or had I? I might even be a little disappointed that he hadn’t bothered to drop in last night to check on the kids—his kids.
As we took our seats, the team skated onto the ice for warm-ups. I spotted Easton immediately. I’d recognize the way he moved anywhere, even under his uniform and padding. He moved with energy combined with coordination, overtly masculine in his grace. He owned the ice, commanded it, made it conform to his wishes, and he was a joy to watch.
Junie elbowed me and smirked. “You’re drooling all over your new jersey.”
“I am not.”
Junie snorted so hard she almost sucked beer up her nose. “Whatever.”
I ignored her. Right now, my eyes were on Easton and Easton only. I didn’t care that Junie was witnessing my pathetic crush on a hot hockey player, if that’s what this was.
Easton turned away from a drill he’d been doing when our eyes met. A slow, sexy smile lifted up both corners of his mouth and my spirits. He was happy to see me, not just the kids, but me. I warned my tender heart not to read too much into a simple smile.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.
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