Chapter 33

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

KATE

" I 'm one hundred percent waddling, aren't I?" I say to Felicity as we enter the family box, ready for the game.

"Hmm, I'd say less of a waddle at this point, more of a wallow from side to side," she responds as she takes her seat, and I do the same.

"Well, that's even worse!" I exclaim.

At twenty-two weeks pregnant with twins who are fighting to be the largest, I am freaking huge. Well, so it feels anyway. "Ugh, I'm so uncomfortable."

"Well, on the plus side, it's mid-November, so at least we won't be heavily pregnant in the summer." Luna balances her popcorn on her ever-growing stomach. She points to her bump. "This makes a great shelf."

"At least there's only one in there fighting for attention." I shift awkwardly in my seat, desperately trying to get comfortable. The kicking is non-stop, and the only way to calm them is when Jensen sings.

Right as my mind wanders to him, the players skate onto the ice for warmups. I clock him straight away as he leisurely slides over to the crease, ready to begin his routine.

"Would you like me to wipe that drool from your chin, babe?" Felicity leans into me with a smirk.

I swipe at my chin, and she laughs. "Look, at least I can freely stare at him now." How the hell I kept up the persona of being unaffected by Jensen Jones for so long is beyond me.

When he drops down into the splits, I simultaneously cross my legs on instinct.

Jesus, I could go into early labor right here.

Luna barks out a laugh. "I mean, I like hockey and all, but you could argue this is the best part of the show."

"I'll say," Felicity agrees.

"Christ, don't tell Jon you're eyeing up other players while he's busy coaching," I drawl. "That boy is as possessive as they come."

She balks. "You are kidding me, right? Your boyfriend is a Rottweiler. It's hilarious, really, all the talk of you never falling in love or being possessed by a man, and here we are." She points to Jensen, who's started blocking Jessie's slap shots. "You two are the worst."

"I have to agree," Luna adds.

The lawyer in me would love to argue back and count all the reasons why they're wrong. But they aren't. He's everything and the total opposite of what I ever thought I would want—possessive, obsessive, borderline stalker, and oh-so-loving.

When I moved into his place two weeks ago, he had everything moved across town and into his apartment while he took me away for a mom-to-be spa break. Massages and pampering were what he said I needed, but that's questionable since he spent the entire forty-eight hours making love to me. We barely left the hotel bedroom, and when he wasn't inside me telling me all the ways he loved breeding me, he was cuddling me as I drifted to sleep, only to be woken up with him between my legs, tasting me.

Heat pools in my core at the memories, and this time, I know I'm drooling, so I quickly wipe away the saliva before anyone notices.

Jensen tells me he loves me every time he sees me; the last time was when he brought me breakfast in bed, just like he does every morning.

I need to tell him how I feel, but even when it involves arguably the most perfect man to walk the earth, I'm scared of saying the words out loud. I don't even know that I can. Other than to my girlfriends, I haven't used those three words in a very long time.

"All okay there?" Felicity taps me on the arm, breaking me from my daydream.

"Yeah," I bite down on my bottom lip to center myself and fight back the onslaught of mixed emotions.

"How are things coming on with the nursery?" Luna asks just as the boys skate off and back to the locker room, ready for the start of the game.

I shrug. "Actually pretty slow going. We have all the furniture built, but I'm worried about having them in the same room. What if one wakes the other?"

"Then put them in separate rooms. Jensen's place has four bedrooms," Felicity offers.

I scrunch up my nose. "I wanted them to be together. Then there's the choice of colors. Jensen wants to go with blue and pink, but I'm saying sage green. It's a good gender-neutral color. He doesn't care for it."

"We've decided not to do anything just yet. If the apartment sells, we'll be out and waiting for the new place to be ready."

Luna and Zach submitted an offer on a suburban home with a pool just outside of town, and it was accepted yesterday.

"It needs a lot of work, but you know us—renovations are our specialty," she giggles.

"It's a bit bigger than the beach house, babe," Felicity laughs. "Plus, didn't you just spend that entire summer having sex and little else?"

She throws her hand to her chest in mock hurt. "We did not ." Twisting her lips to the side, she reconsiders her response. "Okay, maybe, but the beach house was complete by the end." She pauses. "I just hope everything is finalized in time so we can at least move in before Aster arrives."

"God, I love that name," I say. It's beautiful and totally appropriate for star gazing Luna.

Names are one thing that Jensen and I have agreed on. Well, I say agree, we haven't actually picked them out yet, but the agreement is I get to decide the girl's and Jensen the boy's. I'm struggling to narrow mine down from ten possible options, but I'm pretty sure he's got his. He won't tell me, though. Bastard.

Felicity clears her throat. "Are you nervous about later?"

I assume she's referring to the fact that later on, Jensen plans to go public about our relationship. With my baby bump and the various pictures posted of us online, the rumor mill has gotten so intense that his agent and the Scorpions media team are fielding calls from all over America, and the speculation is becoming comical to deny.

"A little," I admit. "I'm a private person."

"They're just a pack of wolves." Luna bites out, and I know she's recalling the way they hounded her and Zach last year.

"I guess I'll lock myself away in the apartment and at work until the storm dies down," I shrug. "I can't control what they choose to say."

"Healthiest way to deal with it," Felicity agrees.

Butterflies swarm my stomach as the boys retake the ice under the flashing lights and blaring music, and Jensen skates over to take his position.

Tapping the goalposts with his stick a couple of times as he always does, he tips his head over his shoulder and looks up. I know he's looking for me, just like I've been watching him this entire time.

At this point, I don't think there's anything I wouldn't do for this man. On my knees or otherwise.

I had the option of being present in the media room when Jensen had his post-match interview. The Scorpions media team knows he plans to confirm our relationship status when the question inevitably arises.

But I declined, and straight after the game, Felicity dropped me off at the apartment, where I've been sitting on the couch watching the post-game analysis and waiting for the interview to start. I wanted to be alone for this and not make a big deal out of it, but right now, I'm regretting not having my girls with me.

Twisting my hands around in my lap, I decide to busy myself with my latest calligraphy project when my phone vibrates on the arm of the couch.

JJ

Listen for the door, Princess.

I frown at the message in confusion.

Me

What do you mean?

Just listen. I've asked security to let her pass.

Who?

Hollie, my sister. She showed up after the game today and then caught up with me outside the locker room. She's heading over now. Ideally I'd like to have been there when you met, but something tells me you'll hit it off and I'll just get in the way.

Panic races through me.

I'm sitting here in your sweatpants, t-shirt, and no bra!

JJ: Fucking hell. Don't tell me things like that. I'll have a boner for this interview.

I snort a laugh just as there's a knock at the door.

She's here. I'm nervous.

Don't be. She's just like me. But female.

Not selling it.

Desperately trying to smooth out my hair, I open the door and face a stunning dark-haired beauty. She's a similar height to me but with delicate features and the deepest brown eyes.

"Hi!" she squeaks.

"Hi," I smile. "Hollie, right?" I ask awkwardly, but I know who she is since she's been at the occasional game in the past.

"Yes!" Her eyes fall to my stomach, which, even beneath the baggy training top I'm wearing, it's clear I'm pregnant and haven't just had an overly large meal. "Oh wow, you really are showing now."

She steps inside and looks around at the apartment before setting her bag down on the kitchen island. "He hasn't done much with this place, but the houseplants definitely make an improvement."

"They're mine," I say, still trying to make my hair look presentable.

"Yeah, I guessed. My brother has never been good with living things."

She's funny and reminds me a lot of Luna, not just because of her eyes but because of her sing-song voice and sunshine personality. She makes me feel at ease, and I like her.

Hollie points at the TV in the living area. "I think the interview is about to begin."

I take a seat on the couch, but instead of taking the one opposite, she sits right next to me and turns up the volume.

"It's really good of you to fly in to see him like this."

She shrugs and sets down the remote. "Don't get me wrong, I like watching him play, but I didn't come for Jensen and missed most of the game anyway." She looks at me then, warmth in her eyes. "I came to see you."

"You did?"

"Of course! You're the woman who has my brother on his knees. That alone tells me it's worth getting to know you better."

I'm tempted to tell her I'm mostly on mine, but I figure she probably doesn't want to hear how filthy her sibling is in bed. I know I wouldn't with East.

Walking up to the microphone and taking a seat behind it, Jensen smiles at the flashing lights and cameras. It's not all that long since the game ended, but his dark hair still has a wet shine to it, and he's wearing his post-game dark blue suit.

"He looks so happy," Hollie croons.

"Firstly, well played out there. Talk us through the win today, Jensen, and the main targets you have for this season as a team." the off-camera reporter says.

Jensen sips his water and nods, setting the bottle down. Running a hand through his hair, he leans back and relaxes, like talking to millions of people is an everyday thing. I guess it is for him. "Thanks, it was a good game, and this season is like all the rest. Push hard, practice hard, play harder, and see where we wind up. The minimum has to be making the playoffs."

"Without Morgan on the team, do you think that will hinder your chances?" the reporter asks.

Swiping a hand across his mouth, Jensen leans forward on his elbows. "The absence of a player like Jon would be felt on any team, but we've started the season strong. We have no reason to doubt our ability to continue our winning form."

"And what about personally? What are your main goals this season?" a female reporter asks.

Jensen narrows his eyes her way. "Are we talking about my personal performance or personal life?"

My breath catches in my throat.

"Both," she confidently confirms.

Silence falls across the room as the media await a response.

Looking directly into the camera, I almost forget I have company or that viewers are watching this across North America and Canada. He's looking at me. I know he is.

"Professionally, I simply want to build on last season. I have a few technical elements to my game I want to refine." He pauses and blows out a breath. "Personally, I aim to be the best daddy I can be and finally marry the girl of my dreams, not necessarily in that order."

Muted conversation rumbles around the room as Jensen leans back and takes another drink.

"Oh, my God." Hollie gasps. "My brother is an actual swoonbucket."

"That he is." My drool is no doubt making another appearance.

"The girl of your dreams being Kate Monroe?" a different reporter asks.

My boyfriend smiles wide and winks at the camera. "Yeah, my girlfriend and mother of my two babies."

"Wait, two?" another voice shouts from the back.

"Absolutely. Kate Monroe and I are dating, and we're expecting twins in the spring, right after we get married."

My jaw hits the floor. I swear it does.

"Oh. My. God." Hollie elongates each word. "I came over here to help you pick out baby clothes. Now I'm thinking wedding dresses!"

Throwing herself into my arms, her black hair sticks to my cheeks. She pulls back, looking concerned. "Wait, are you okay?"

For the second time since I started dating this man, I sit and wait for me to freak out. For the panic to rise and the urge to run to kick in. But…these tears aren't anger or hate or anything else I've felt for him in the past.

These are tears of relief. To finally know what it feels like to love and be loved in return.