Roman (Cold Fury Hockey 7)

I roll my eyes at him and his backhanded jab at Gray.

"That's a good thought," I say thoughtfully, and take another sip of my wine. "We should go out at some point."

"But not tonight?"

I shake my head slowly and flash a sexy smile. "I think I'd rather spend it in bed tonight."

"I'm not going to argue with that if that's what you're looking for," he says agreeably.

Laughing, I set down my wineglass and push up from my chair.

"I don't want you to change my mind," I tell him as I grab my empty plate. "Let's get the kitchen cleaned up and then get naked."

As I start to walk past Roman toward the sink, his hand shoots out and wraps around my free arm. I stop and he carefully takes the plate out of my hand, sets it on the table, and pulls me onto his lap. His hand goes in between my legs but he just gently squeezes the inside of my thigh. Still, his actions cause a pure thrill to run through me, knowing that this is a small display of his dominance. That he's the one who says when we get naked.

"Will you come to tomorrow night's game?" he asks, and I'm surprised by the about-face in subject. I thought he'd be starting to strip me by now.

I tilt my head at him, wondering why this is coming up right now, we when we were talking about being naked.

"The last game you came to," he continues, seeing the question written on my face. "You were supposed to sit in my seats, but you went up to the box. Of course, you ended up breaking up with me too before the game, so there's that."

"If it helps," I tell him sincerely as I wrap my arms around his neck, "that entire game I watched you whether you were on the ice or on the bench, completely bummed out over the decision I'd made. It felt wrong right from the start."

Roman smiles, his eyes shining in appreciation. "So now that we're together, I want you sitting in my seats. So I can see you during the game. Can't see you up there in the owner's box."

I've never dated a professional athlete before, so things are obviously a bit different here. But knowing that he wants me to be a part of "his" game causes warmth to fill every molecule of my being, and a feeling of completeness takes root. It's the first time I truly realize that Roman sees me as something more than just an interesting girl who is fun to hang out with.

He needs me.

"And I know you took tonight off work to see me, so that's asking a lot to take tomorrow off too, but--"

"I'll do it," I blurt out.

"Just that easy?" Roman asks, leaning in and nuzzling my neck. "Don't you have to think and ponder and contemplate options? Don't you have to fret over getting someone to cover you at work?"

"Nope," I say breathlessly as his lips trail fire up to my ear. "I'll make it work."

Roman's teeth nip at my earlobe, but then he pulls away and looks at me. "I'm being a bad influence on you, aren't I?"

Laughing, I tip my head his way and rub my nose alongside his. It's a deeply intimate move and his arms lock tighter around me. "As long as I don't leave Georgia in a lurch, it's fine."

"And you won't be in a lurch, right?" he asks with those hazel eyes pinned on me. "Giving up the shifts."

"I'll have to make it up," I tell him truthfully, because as much as I love spending time with Roman, and I will gladly juggle my schedule to do so, I do have bills to pay. "But I'll pick up doubles this weekend to make up, and since you're gone this weekend to Miami, it works out perfectly. Will keep me busy so I don't miss you so much."

"Fuck, you're sweet," he mutters, and then kisses me hard.

I get so consumed by his kiss, contemplating stripping him bare right here in the kitchen, that I vaguely notice my phone ringing.

"Need to get that?" Roman asks as he pulls away from me.

I recognize Brian's ringtone I'd set, and since things have not gotten too hot and heavy, but most assuredly will very soon, it's probably prudent I answer it now. I'm sure I'll be so occupied the rest of the night there won't be time.

"Sure," I say. I hop off Roman's lap and grab my purse off the counter. I plunge my hand inside, immediately grab my phone, and bring it to my ear as I connect the call.

"Hey, Brian," I say cheerily into the phone as I move toward Roman to sit back down on his lap. He grabs on to my hips, helping me assume a position where I'm sideways, and wraps his arms around me again. He places his chin on my shoulder and listens to my end of the conversation.

"I'm thinking you should officially start calling me Dad now," Brian says on the other end, and my entire body tightens. Roman can feel it, and I'm sure he senses the atmosphere has just changed all around me, which would explain my dizziness.

"The results are in?" I whisper into the phone, and at this, Roman angles his body and leans forward so he can see my face more clearly. My eyes lock with his and his eyebrows rise in question.

"There's a 99.9 percent chance you are my daughter," Brian says, and his voice is so happy--no, not happy, euphoric--that I can't help the tears that start to sting my eyes.

I nod up and down to Roman and he gives me a sweet, knowing smile and hugs me tighter.

"Lexi?" Brian asks hesitantly.

"Yeah," I say in a rough voice, and cough to clear it. "I'm here."

"Are you okay?"

"I'm good," I assure Brian--no, my dad. "I mean...I knew deep in my heart you were my dad, but this...wow. It's just so real now."

"I love you, Lexi," my dad says forcefully, breaking into my scattered thoughts.

And that's when the tears come. Filling my eyes up and spilling right over the edge to slide down my face.

Roman squeezes me tighter and I'm barely able to whisper into the phone, "I love you too."

Brian doesn't say anything, but I can hear him take a quavering breath before letting it out slowly. I tilt my head to the side and wipe my tears on my shoulder.

"So," Brian says, this voice under control...somewhat. "Gray suggested that we go out night after next to celebrate. Maybe even talk about how we reveal you to the world."

My mind spins, but I already know taking off three nights in a row will be impossible. I just promised Roman I'd go to his game tomorrow. I'm spending tonight with him. Asking for the night after that is going to cause some grumbling.

"I'll see if I can get off work," I say hesitantly into the phone.

"Okay," Brian responds cheerfully. "But if not, we'll pick a night that's good for all of us."

"Okay," I say. "But I promise I'll try to get Friday night off."

"I bet that's a big singing night for you, huh?"

"Yeah," I admit reluctantly. "My tips are really good on Friday nights."

"Then what do you think about us coming to The Grind to hang out Friday night? Gray, Ryker, and you can even invite Roman. I'll invite Georgia. We can listen to you si

ng and hang out a bit. Granted, we know you're working, but still, at least we'll all be together."

"Really?" I ask in awe, the tears threatening to come again because I'm stunned at how quickly my family seems to have united.

"Really," my dad assures me. "I'll arrange it with Gray and Ryker. I'm sure Georgia will be on board. Hold on a second..."

I'm confused when my dad stops talking and I hear him have a muffled conversation. When he comes back on the line, he says, "Okay, Georgia says she's in and she'll cover your normal work in between singing so you can hang out with us."

I blink in stunned surprise. "Georgia's with you?"

"Well...yes," Brian stammers. "I invited her over to dinner tonight."

"At your house?" I ask, this time with a sly tone.

"Yes," my dad grits out. "I'm an adult. I can have someone over if I want."

I chuckle into the phone. "I'm glad...Dad. Georgia's amazing and I'm happy for you."

Brian coughs and says, "Okay...I've got to get going and make dinner for Georgia, but would you like to come sit in the owner's box for tomorrow night's game? That is, if you have tomorrow off from work."

"Actually," I tell him candidly, "Roman's asked me to come and sit in his seats down near the ice."

My dad chuckles into the phone, and in a sly tone says, "That boy's hooked, isn't he?"

I chuckle and cut my eyes to Roman, who has no clue what my dad just said. Then I smile as I say, "I think it goes both ways."

"I'm glad, honey," he murmurs. "Okay, I'm going to let you go. Talk to you tomorrow."

"Okay, Dad," I murmur, not even stumbling over the word this time. "Talk tomorrow."

The minute I hang up, I turn slowly so I'm facing Roman head-on. "I take it you got the gist of that."

"Pretty much," he says. "Brian is definitely your dad and he wants to go out to celebrate Friday night, but since you're taking tonight off to be with me, and tomorrow night to see my game, you really can't do Friday night too."

"Pretty much," I repeat to him, but then give him an easy, reassuring smile. "But they're going to come to The Grind on Friday night and listen to me sing, and Georgia's going to cover other stuff I do in between sets, so I'll have time to hang. And Brian also invited you to come as well."

"If you want, why don't you just hang with them tomorrow at the game up in the owner's box," he suggests. "I mean...this is sort of monumental, finding out Brian's your dad for sure. You should spend tomorrow night with them, and you can come to my next home game if it works out with your schedule."