Dump and Chase (Nashville Assassins Next Generation 1)

“You leaving?”

I nod. “Yeah, I’ll be back tomorrow.”

I go to step around him, but he stops me. His eyes search mine, and I find I’m holding my breath. If he tells me I can’t go, I won’t. “Shelli, is he good to you?”

His eyes are so full of worry, they make my heart stop. “Of course, Daddy. You know me. I won’t settle for anything less than perfect. Not with you as the example.”

He nods firmly. “Good. You better not.”

“I won’t.”

He wraps an arm around my neck and pulls me in. “I love you, darling.”

And because of how he loves me, I know how I want to be loved.

Completely.

When Aiden opens the door, our eyes meet. I go to say something witty, something a little bitchy, but he looks overwhelmed. He lets out a long sigh before he pulls me into his arms and hugs me tightly. He nuzzles his nose into my neck, and I close my eyes as I hold him. We stand in the doorway for what seems like hours, our hearts beating and our breathing in sync.

When he pulls back, he kisses my lips. “I missed you.”

“Not enough to call me?” I ask, not able to let go of my annoyance.

He laces his fingers with mine. “Rough night, and then I had practice this morning.”

“Still could have texted me,” I remind him as he leads me in.

As he shuts the door, he says, “You’re right. I’m sorry.”

I throw my keys and charger on the table by the door before looking up at him. “What happened?”

He shakes his head. “Too much crap to even talk about.” I go to ask what, but then I notice a mason jar of yellow daffodils on the counter. I look over at him, and he holds his hands up. “I swear, I got them last night. I’m so not trying to be cute about not calling. I really am sorry.”

I walk to the counter, skeptical, but then I notice a card beside them. It’s a narwhal that is saying “You’re one of a kind!” I open the card, and inside, in his messy handwriting, it reads:

Just because…

They reminded me of you.

-Aiden

I press the card to my chest as I look over my shoulder at him. “They reminded you of me?”

“They’re bright and make me happy when I look at them.”

My heart explodes in my chest. Holy swoon, Batman. “And you bought these last night?”

“I picked them out of my mom’s garden, and I bought the card at the gas station last night.” I eye him, and he shrugs. “I have the receipt.”

My face breaks into a grin. “This is very sweet.”

He comes up beside me, wrapping his arms around my waist and kissing my jaw. “You’re sweet.”

“Will you tell me what happened?”

He hesitates. “I’d rather take you to bed.”

I search his gaze. “Where is Asher?”

“Who cares? I don’t,” he answers as he nuzzles my neck.

“So Asher pissed you off?”

He nods. “But I don’t want to talk about him either.”

“Is he the reason dinner went badly?”

“Yes.” He kisses my jaw. “Did you know I called you tomato head the whole first month after you were born?”

I smile. “I didn’t, but since I came up, does the bad dinner have to do with me?”

“Yes.”

My heart picks up in cadence. I press my lips together. “Do they know?”

“Yeah.”

“But you don’t want to talk about it?”

“No.”

I move my fingers along his jaw. “Should I be worried?”

“No,” he says fiercely. “Everything is under control.”

I tip his jaw up so our eyes meet. “Are you okay?”

He leans his head into mine, his gray thundercloud eyes burning into mine. I feel so special under his gaze. So beautiful. So complete. In a gruff voice, he whispers, “I am now.”

It’s funny… So am I. I was waiting for the anxiety to come, knowing his family knows. That they’ll tell my parents. But I don’t care. For once Aiden’s lips meet mine, nothing matters.

Only us.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Aiden

I race one of Tampa’s defensemen into their zone for the puck. I gotta get there before icing is called. Thankfully, I do, and they wave it off. What I don’t expect is for the 900-pound Igor-looking motherfucker to slam me into the boards. My face goes into the glass, and yup, I’m going to feel that tomorrow. Maybe Shelli can kiss away the pain. That’s the only good thing about tomorrow, seeing her. First, though, I gotta win this hockey game.

I push my ass into the guy to give myself some room as I fight for the puck against two defensemen. Thankfully, Wes has skated up and is fighting also. Somehow, he gets the puck and sends it up the boards. I push off the Igor fucker and crash the net just as Boon shoots. He misses the net completely, but in his defense, it was redirected. The puck stumbles over the line, and we all rush for a change so the next line can get on the ice. I fall into my spot between Boon and Wes before grabbing my water bottle and cheering the boys on.