Defender (Seattle Sharks 9)

And all that equated to was a whole world of pain.

Pain that somehow seemed worth it…if it gave me Nathan for even a few more months.

I stood up, ignoring his question, ignoring his intense, worried gaze. I squeezed his shoulder. “Take me to lunch, will you? I’m starved.”

I headed toward the door without him answering because I had to get out of that room. Had to run away from my dream lab, the finish line at my more than a decade’s long race. Had to choke back the pain that clawed at my chest, carving Nathan’s name over and over again on my heart like it was afraid I’d forget it once I’d gotten everything I ever wanted.

The thing was…I wasn’t so sure I knew what I wanted anymore.

And that scared the hell out of me.

Chapter 17

Nathan

I sipped on a glass of ice water as the bar erupted around me. Calgary scored again. If they won this one, it would knock Anaheim down and secure our seventh-place spot to enter the playoffs.

“Say what you want about him being an asshole,” Lukas said from the stool next to mine. “That guy can skate.”

“We can all skate,” Porter added.

“I don’t think any of us are as fast as him,” I admitted, watching the red jersey streak across the ice. It really was too bad he was a prick.

My phone buzzed, and I smiled as Harper’s name appeared on the screen.

“Hey,” I answered.

“Heyyyyy,” Lukas mocked my tone with a grin.

I shoved my hand against his face and pushed, sending him stumbling off his barstool as Porter laughed.

“Hi. What are you up to?”

The sound of her voice tightened my chest. God, I’d missed her.

“Just watching the game with the guys and waiting for you to get your butt home tomorrow.” I covered the microphone and stepped into the hallway when the bar erupted into another round of cheers.

“Actually, I just got in. I changed my flight and came home a day early.”

“Really? Why didn’t you tell me? I would have come to the airport to get you.” My grin was instant. It had been six days, and I missed her way more than I wanted to admit.

“I wanted to surprise you, but then I realized I didn’t know if you’d have plans.”

“My plans are you.” I leaned against the wall and ignored two women who walked by, eyes widening with obvious recognition.

“I know you’re busy.” Her tone dropped.

“Not too busy for you.”

She sighed. “Are you sure? I know you don’t go out with the guys often.”

“Rule two,” I reminded her. “You come first. And trust me, I see enough of them on a daily basis. If I have a chance to be with you, I’d rather be with you. They’re not half as pretty.”

She laughed softly. “Okay. Sawyer is here, so can I come over?”

“I’ll meet you at my place. If you get there first just use your key.” She’d had it for a month but had yet to feel comfortable enough to use it. Harper liked her lines and boundaries, and we were about as blurry as a watercolor painting. Committed to each other while the ticking time bomb counted down our seconds together.

“I’ll see you there,” she said.

We hung up, and I made my excuses to the guys as Detroit ended the second period two goals ahead.

The good thing about being friends with our group? No one gave me shit about leaving them for Harper. I knew they’d leave me for their respective women in a heartbeat. Something in her tone told me she needed me, and I wasn’t about to let her down.

The drive was fairly quick, and I found myself with an ear-to-ear smile as I parked my car in the garage. I couldn’t wait to get my arms around her. I noted with satisfaction that the alarm had been disarmed, and walked into my house.

“Harper?” I called out, hanging my keys and my coat in the mudroom.

“Hey there, stranger,” she said as I rounded the corner into the kitchen. Her hair was down, tumbling along her back in waves of chocolate, and she wore a long, green dress that looked soft to the touch. Pretty sure I’d heard Faith call it a maxi dress once. I didn’t care what it was called as long as I could get it off, and send Harper’s little button-up sweater with it.

She was in my arms in less than a few heartbeats, her arms around my waist as I enveloped her in a tight embrace. Her head fit neatly against my chest, and for the first time in six days, I could breathe without my chest aching. I kissed the top of her head and inhaled her scent.

“God, I missed you,” I said quietly, but it seemed to echo in the quiet of the kitchen.