Easy (Chicago Blaze 6)

“I’ve never tried it.”

I give him a knowing look and say, “Don’t.”

“How many hours a day do you work out?”

“During the season, I try to get in lifting and cardio sixty minutes a day, six days a week. I’m slacking while I’m here, though. I go for a run every day and that’s about it.”

“Do you guys have your own gym?”

“We do, at the Carson Center where we play home games.”

We both turn as Allie comes into the kitchen, Hazel following behind her. The worn-out expression on Allie’s face makes me want to take her in my arms and comfort her, but I don’t know if she wants me doing that in front of the kids, so I stay where I am.

“We’re heating up dinner,” Max says.

“Thanks.” Allie meets my gaze across the kitchen and I wink at her.

She’s the only woman I’ve ever winked at. That was always our thing.

Well, there was one other thing. If we were sitting together at dinner with my mom or her parents, she’d hold my hand and slowly, secretly rub my index finger, starting at the base. She’d stroke it thoroughly, mimicking the way she gave me hand jobs. It drove me fucking crazy and made me rock hard at the most inconvenient times.

I’d look over at her innocent smile and revel in knowing her dirty side was just for me. No one else ever got to see it.

When her eyes find mine across her own dining table in her own kitchen, all I see is her exhaustion, both emotional and physical. But she wants me here, sharing this part of life with her and the kids, and that means more to me than she’ll ever know.

Last night wasn’t just sex. It was Allie and I opening ourselves up to each other the way we used to—completely and unconditionally. And the fact that she called me when things got tough earlier means she didn’t close the door on our connection when we left the cabin this morning.

I never thought I’d have another chance with her. I still don’t have all the answers—hell, I hardly have any—but I know she wants me here. As long as that’s the case, I’ll be staying in Greentree Falls until the day I have to report for preseason training camp.

Actually, there’s a little voice in my head asking if I’ll even be able to leave her then. Playing professional hockey is one hell of an adventure—it’s an achievement a lot of players won’t have the chance to appreciate. But it’s not a permanent future. It’ll never love me back. It doesn’t bring me to my knees the way Allie does. It’s not my forever.

Allie is my forever and has been since we were high school kids.

“Aunt Allie,” Max says, as we’re eating our microwaved spaghetti, scrunching his face in disgust, “that’s my foot.”

She laughs, blushing. “Sorry, I was just moving my leg over.”

“Yeah, sure.”

“Max, people don’t play footsie while wearing tennis shoes.”

“What’s footsie?” Hazel asks.

Allie’s eyes widen as she looks at me across the table, flustered.

“Foot foreplay,” Max mutters.

“Eww!” Hazel looks at Allie and then me. “That’s disgusting. You guys are too old for that.”

“I’m wearing my headphones to bed tonight,” Max says to his sister. “You might want to do the same.”

“Max!” Allie turns to him, appalled. “I’ve never had a man stay overnight, why would you say something like that?”

He shrugs.

“I have to go back to my aunt’s house later to help her and my mom, so you won’t need those headphones,” I assure Max.

The kids go back to their spaghetti and Allie locks eyes with me across the table, the corners of her lips quirking up in a smile.

God, I missed those looks. The ones we always used to communicate without saying a word. Allie’s the only woman I’ve ever had that with.

No way I’m giving her up again.SixteenAllieThe next day, the tables have turned. Hazel is the one crying inconsolably and Vi is calm.

“She says she’s going and you can’t stop her,” Hazel says as she gathers her stuff for the last day of school.

“I can and I will stop her,” I assure Hazel.

“You can’t watch me every second of the day,” Vi says, meeting my gaze in challenge.

I don’t even want to know what my blood pressure is right now. The girls started in as soon as I woke up this morning, and there doesn’t seem to be an end in sight.

“Mom’s staying longer than she planned because she wants to work things out with you,” Vi says. “She knows you’ve done a lot for us and she doesn’t want you guys to fight like this.”

Ah, Jenna. Always managing to make herself look like the good guy.

“She can stay as long as she wants, but she’s not taking you guys with her when she leaves,” I say.