18. Two weeks later

TWO WEEKS LATER

Hudson

"Full send, Ava," I say, looking at Riley who has been by my side every free moment she's had over the past two weeks.

"You're doing the right thing, kid. Two weeks, and you're back on the field against Dallas," Lucas pipes in.

"Got it."

"Keep up your training routine, and by that, I mean cardio and strength." Ava laughs.

Riley wags her brows at me.

"I got what you're putting down." I chuckle.

"We'll keep in touch," Lucas says then ends the call.

It's almost game time, and I'm not fucking there.

With Philly losing two weeks in a row and us winning our games against the Chiefs and New Orleans, and only four weeks left in the season, we're going to the playoffs, and I'll be on the field and ready to fight for that position after this little ass fucking.

"Two-week vacation," Riley says when I set my phone down.

"Damn right." I scoop her up and set her on the counter.

Since returning from Jersey, we haven't spent more than two nights apart. I stay there sometimes when she's working late, but with hunting season over, they're closed from Monday through Wednesday, and when the season is over, they close on Sundays, too. We have it all worked out, and when a wrench gets thrown in the spokes, we fix whatever problem it causes, and we do it together.

Today, the Knights are hosting the Ravens. We're favored, but it burns my ass that the Viking is playing my position, and he's fucking good, too. I'm better, but still. Those dicks don't get to fuck with that kid.

"Cardio time. Take me to bed, Champ."

So that's exactly what I do.

As soon as her ass hits the bed, I crawl up on my knees in front of her, hitch up her hips, pull off her little shorts, the ones she threw on after we showered this morning, and toss them on the ground. And I am in my new favorite position—eye to eye with her pretty pink pussy—and that's when I get one of those light bulb ideas.

I roll her over onto her stomach, lean down, and nip her little ass, making her shriek. Then I do it again because that little sound is fucking hot.

Since I haven't shaved in two or three days, I rub my whiskers across her bare ass, causing her butt to lift up, which gives me another idea.

"What the hell are you doing?" she asks as I lift her ass up so she's on our knees and slide face up between her legs

"I want you to sit on my face." Between licks, I groan. "Good girl."

After she comes on my face, my cock is so hard I swear it's going to split open, and when she slides off the bed, I'm taken aback. But then, she bends over.

"Doggy."

"Fucking ruff, ruff," I groan as I move off the bed and behind her.

I give her ass a squeeze then take my cock and drag it up her seam that's pink, swollen, wet, and all fucking mine.

"Whose pussy is this?" I ask, giving it a tap with my cock.

"Mine, but I'm sharing with you."

I can't help but smile as I bend over and bite her ass lightly. "Wrong answer."

"I'm mean, but actually, it's … Oh fuck," she cries as I thrust fully into her.

"Can't get enough of you, Riley," I groan as I thrust in and out of her. "Feels too damn good, but I need those eyes, those lips"—I slide one of my hands beneath her—"these tits."

"Yes, yes, yes."

I pull her up and bend to meet her in the middle so I can kiss her hot, sexy mouth. "Fucking love you."

"Good, because I love you."

Sliding in and out of her slick heat, tasting her lips, being so fucking close, smelling her sweet mixed with my spicy … "I could fucking live in here."

"Yes," she moans.

Feeling my balls tighten up, I slide my hand down and rub circles around her clit until I feel her contract around me, her pussy growing slicker and slicker, her body tensing until she cries out as she comes.

We're in the shower. I'm rubbing her back with a sponge, her body moving to tell me where she wants me to rub and what feels good.

I love learning everything I can about her. From things like she loves her neck and shoulders getting extra attention to the side she prefers to sleep on, and what her different laughs mean. I especially like the wide, open-mouth belly laughs when something surprises her, and the laughs that start when she's leaning in, knowing something's coming that makes her laugh and does mostly with her sister or cousins, who are her best friends.

I love that she and her mom are no longer tiptoeing around one another, and Jade gives her just as much shit as she does her other kids, and I know that makes Riley tear up once in a while.

I want kids with her so fucking bad, but I can't express it because she fears that at the ripe old age of twenty-eight, she's not going to be able to have them, and that motherfucker did that to her.

Brett is all over social media with the girl he's probably been fucking around with for years. I know this because Lauren's face is in her phone, and she gives me a look that means that motherfucker , and I know this because she says it almost as often as she gives the look.

Riley and I have the same dislike for social media, but she's freaking awesome at the content she shares for the brewery and has even started posting for me from time to time. It's always game footage, and yeah, I love the shit she catches, more so because I know she's got her eyes on me.

"Hey," she says, looking over her shoulder while I'm lost in thought. "We should get out, unless you wanna miss the game, which I would totally get."

"No, I wanna watch."

After we've dressed, we head downstairs, where I hear laughter and …

"Is that a?—"

"Maybe?" She smiles then whistles and yells, "Incoming!"

Mom and Marks, my siblings with their partners, Jade, Ryan, and Jackson all walk out of the kitchen and into the foyer as we walk down the stairs.

I shake my head. "You all should be at the stadium."

"We're exactly where we should be." Jade winks as she walks to the front door and opens it.

"All right, boys, bring it in."

"Bring it in?" I whisper in Riley's ear.

She giggles. "Just wait for it."

I don't have to wait long.

"What is this?" I laugh.

"They are Daniff pups, which is a Great Dane and Mastiff mix," Liam Ross says.

"Big dogs." I laugh as Riley and I squat down as they make their way to us.

They're fucking adorable, with patches of browns and black, thick, shiny coats. Their paws look too big for their bodies and make a slapping sound as they walk across the wooden floors right toward us. Well, to Riley, who they obviously know.

"Hey guys, it's good to see you again."

"What's with those ears." I scratch behind the ears of the one that's more brown than black.

"They're still not sure if they wanna flop down or stand up," Liam explains.

"I hope they stay just like this." Rylie rubs her nose against the smaller one.

The bigger one walks around curiously, his legs a little bit wobbly.

"How old are they?" I ask.

"Eight weeks," Riley answers as she directs the pup to me.

Its big soulful eyes lock onto mine, and he squats down, and he … pisses.

For nearly two solid weeks, we fuck raw and daily, at least once. Every damn time, she asks me if I'm sure. Fuck yeah, I'm sure, but if she needs reassurance every time we fuck over the next hundred years, she'll get it.

Every other little insecurity either one of us had is gone. Totally and completely.

We are crushing being fur parents to our guy Major, named after her favorite constellation, and Bossy, which is the name Lily gave the other, as it will be hers when she and Lindsey move to Skaneateles in a couple of days.

It was Riley's idea to invite them to stay here and look for a house together. She and I have already come up with some things to do with Lily to give them some alone time, like skiing, which, apparently, I will be learning, too. This will give Boone and Lindsey a chance to go to counseling and work through whatever they need to see if there is a chance for them to reconnect. They never dated; they fucked, and she got pregnant and dropped out of school at her parents' insistence. Apparently, Boone isn't good enough for their daughter. It smells awful, like old money to me, and bullshit, but whatever.

Rylie and Lindsey text once in a while, so it won't be as awkward. They're moving in tomorrow, on Christmas Eve, which happens to be the last game I'm benched for. So, Riley and I will be here to get them settled in before Boone gets back in time to play Santa.

Tonight is our private Christmas, and I'm standing in front of the massive tree that only has lights on; we're saving the decorating part for Lily to partake in.

It's been interesting, to say the least, trying to teach these boys boundaries, especially with the tree. At one point, we put a gate around it and agreed that lessened the magic the monster-sized tree brought to the room. So, we are teaching them not to fuck with it.

They are doing all right. They do, however, look like dorks walking around, wearing the ugly Christmas sweaters Riley insisted on buying them.

"You two need to chill for about ten minutes, all right?" I ask, hoping they understand.

Riley walks in, wearing her cream cable knit sweater dress that she wore to the Christmas party at the Brewery for all the locals. It was a huge success, and I got my bartender cherry popped. I'm not gonna lie, I loved being back there and foresee myself spending a lot of my off-time working beside her.

"You started a fire and turned on the lights."

"I did."

"Do you think she'll love it?" she asks, looking around the living room, which we barely use; the family room is more our speed.

"Of course, she will. No one does Christmas like you."

"Not true. Wait till you see your mom's place; she and my mom have been …" She turns and looks at me, down on one knee. "Oh. Oh, so we're doing this?" She holds her hand over her belly and looks like she may get sick.

I nod, and she nods back, tears filling her eyes.

"I love you so much, Riley Mae Brooks."

She sniffs and continues to nod.

"There is no one else I want to spend the rest of my life with."

She's still nodding. It's adorable.

"I have adored you since we officially met and will cherish you for an eternity. Will you marry me?"

Her nods become more exaggerated, and I laugh as I open the box to take out the ring, but when I reach for her hand, she takes off running— fucking running —with two pups chasing behind her.

I get up and take my time, making my way to her, because she clearly needs a minute, and then I hear her getting sick.

"Fuuuck," I grumble as I hurry to the kitchen and find her hanging over the garbage bin.

"Get … them away," she pants then throws up again.

They are at her feet, sniffing as they try to get to the vomit.

"Major, Bossy, that ain't gonna fly." I grab their collars, walk them to the area penned off in the dining room that we never use and is now basically their room, and then hurry back to her.

I grab a wad of paper towels and a bottle of ginger ale that I tucked in the fridge two weeks ago then walk over to where my fiancée is folded over the counter.

Unfortunately, she catches me checking out her ass and groans, "You have issues."

I take the ring from my pocket and hoist myself up to sit beside her, push her hair out of her face, and admit, "I do." Then I take her hand and slide the ring on it. "Issue resolved."

She smiles just a little. "It's beautiful."

"I'm glad you said that because I was reading the play, and that's not how I took it."

"I'm sorry I ruined your proposal," she says, still panting.

"You didn't ruin anything." I lean down and kiss her cheek.

"Don't," she whines. "I'm gross."

I move to lie on my side, propping my head up on my hand. "I love you, Riley Mae Brooks."

"That's a really good thing." She sighs and looks at me. "Aren't you going to ask me if I'm okay?"

"Why would I ask the most perfect woman in the world if she was okay?"

She squints her eyes shut, and a tear trickles down her cheek. I kiss it away.

"I'm scared."

"You have no reason to be," I assure her.

"I had my own speech planned for tonight, but yes, Hudson, I'm freaking out."

"Did you take a test?"

More tears slide down her cheeks, and her lips curve into a sweet smile. "In the bag under the tree. I was going to give it to you."

"I can wait," I say, feeling my eyes heat up. "But I do have to say one thing."

"Okay."

"Congratulations, little momma. I am so fucking happy for us."