Page 71 of Temptation On Ice

I turn to Westy and put my hands on his shoulders, pulling from every bit of dad wisdom I can to try to navigate this tricky situation. “This was an accident,” I say with slow conviction. “You didn’t mean to hurt him.” Our hot breaths come out in visible puffs against the chilly air as we both breathe quickly.

“I wanted to hurt him so badly,” he whispers, looking down and rubbing at his face with his glove. I can't tell if he’s sniffling from tears, the cold, or adrenaline.

“You're not the kind of guy who wishes hurt on someone, Westy. Even if you’re pissed as hell and hate the guy, you still wouldn't want that to happen,” I say with confidence. I know Westy well enough to give him that.

“I was so mad, and look what happened,” he says, gesturing with his chin behind me. I turn and watch as Benoit is carried off the ice on a stretcher by EMTs.

I look back at the bench and make eye contact with Coach Kennedy. He gives me an assessing look and cuts his eyes at Westy in question. I shake my head no and tilt it at the stretcher that’s leaving the ice.

“Dumont, Montenegro, off the ice. Virtanen, Bischoff, you’re in,” Coach calls, putting the rookies in for us. That’s not just a line change, that’s a replacement for the last three minutes of the game.

I push Westy onto the bench and give him a bottle of electrolytes. He holds it without looking at it. I’m worried about the dude. He’s usually the heart of the team, and he looks broken. I really feel for the guy. I know this will eat at him long after the game ends.

Thankfully, the rest of the game is uneventful, though the mood is far more sombre in the arena. We win, but it’s not as sweet as it would have been before Benoit was injured.

As soon as I’m back in Tucker’s arms after the game, my thoughts are solely on my man. I hold him extra tightly tonight, thankful we’ve overcome our own nightmares. But I hate that Westy’s are just beginning. Our after-game celebration at The Hideout is rowdy for most of the boys on the team. While Tucker holds me against his broad chest, I keep an eye on Westy as he drinks a little too much. Rook is watching, too, and we both seem to be intercepting drinks meant for Westy, knowing he’s not in a great headspace, and alcohol will just make it worse. When I’m too buzzed to be much use, Rook takes over and sends me home with Tucker, who has been my rock all evening. He’s so fucking hot, with his strong arms that hold me up as we walk to his truck and slide me inside like I’m not two hundred pounds of lean muscle.

The way he handles everything around him with capable ease is such a turn-on. He’s never needed me to take on his burdens or added to my weighty struggles. Instead, he’s helped to shift the balance, so he’s holding my burdens, helping me carry the load so it’s not as heavy anymore. He’s even won over my parents, with Ma falling just as hard for him as I have because he asks her to be a part of our lives and makes her feel needed and welcome.

When we get home, I’m going to fuck him until he knows how beautiful and amazing I find him. That’s the plan.

Except I fall asleep on the ride home.

Epilogue

Tucker

Sebastian is nursing a hangover when he shows up at my house with Enzo, and I don't blame him. They won their game, but the general mood at the after-party was pretty low, and I watched Sebastian and his teammate—Westin Dumont, or Westy to the guys—put back beer after beer as Sebastian tried to talk Westy back from whatever dark place he’d gone to after injuring the Montreal captain. One of the other guys took Westy home at the end of the night, and I put Sebastian to bed with a kiss and a promise to see him the next day. Now here he is, looking a little worse for wear, but rallying to spend time with me before he heads out on another road trip with the team.

“Hey, Pup, I missed you,” I say, swooping Enzo up as he runs to me with a big smile and his arms raised.

“Dad took so long to get ready,” he whines as he hugs my neck. “He said we could come see you, but it took forever. Can we just live with you so we don't have to wait anymore? I want to see you every day and play with the dogs all the time.”

I smile, hugging this precious little boy a little tighter. He’s echoing my thoughts perfectly. I suppress a chuckle as Sebastian groans and widens his eyes comically.

“Enzo, buddy, we can’t invite ourselves to live at other people’s houses. That’s not polite.” He mouths I’m sorry to me.

“Actually, I think he has a point. Maybe we can talk about living here a little more if you want?” I bite my lip and look away, not sure if this is the right time to broach the subject, but Enzo gave me the perfect opening.

It makes me nervous to even ask if he’d want to live out here with me, knowing the big, beautiful house he has in a gorgeous neighborhood closer to the city that’s more fitting for his lifestyle than an out-of-the-way old farmhouse full of hand-me-downs in the woods with a bunch of dogs. But I’ve spent years and my entire savings turning this place into the training center of my dreams to make Combat Companions happen, and I'm not giving that up.

“I think Lux could use some exercise. Want to throw the ball for her?” I ask as I put Enzo down and point at a ball on the deck.

He’s running to grab the ball before he answers. “Yeah! Lux, let’s play!”

The German Shepherd is bounding off the deck, ready for her favorite game with her favorite kid. She’s grown quite attached to Enzo. I can see it in the way she watches him whenever he’s around, following and quickly responding to him with devotion. It’s sweet and reminds me that dogs are truly some of the best friends we could have been given. We’re so lucky to have them. It’s partly why I’ve decided to keep Lux. She’s been good for me, and if she’s this good with Enzo, I think she deserves to be part of our family.

I turn back to find Sebastian walking toward me. He doesn’t stop until his hands are knocking the baseball hat off my head so he can run his fingers through my hair, and his mouth is on mine. I grip his hips and open against his lips, letting the smooth glide of his tongue welcome me home. When he finally pulls back, he’s smiling.

“You’re damn right, I want to talk about it more. I’d put you in my bones and wear you around if I could. That’s how close I want to be to you at all times. So, yeah, I fucking want to live with you, baby. I love this place almost as much as I love you. From the first day I visited, it’s felt more like home than any other place has. I’m more comfortable and at peace when I’m here than anywhere. The best part is, it’s where you are.”

“It’s kind of out of the way,” I hedge, wanting to make sure he’s considering all the facts.

“Why does that matter? We’re close enough to Atlanta, and I can drive wherever I need to go. There are schools out here for Enzo, I’ve already checked. Besides, I think he prefers the company of your dogs to most of the kids in his class.”

“Won't your parents mind that you're farther away?” I’ve met Vincent and Cecilia a few times, and I got the impression that his mom would love it if Sebastian and Enzo lived with them again.

“Distance is good for us, trust me. And Enzo can have sleepovers with Nonnie and Papa whenever he wants to keep them happy.” He smiles crookedly at me. “But I’ll let you in on a secret. If you let Ma into the kitchen once in a while and ask for her help with some cooking or for a recipe, she’ll become your best friend.” He runs his hands down my back. “Now, stop trying to take it back and scare me off. You already brought it up, and I’m all in. Why don't we take a walk down to the pond and enjoy the cooler weather together?”