2. EMMALINE

Dinner at a swanky coastal restaurant. “Do you like it?” he asks.

The inside looks like it’s been stuck in time. Wood paneling, with nets and signs all over the walls. We just wanted to do regular vacation things, nothing over the top. With his flowing waves hanging loose instead of sweaty strands, we hope no one recognizes him

“It’s perfect.”

Dinner is served. A plate of butter crusted Branzino for Bryce and a platter of fried shrimp for me. I’ve been craving it for days.

Bryce pulls my chair around the table and holds the shrimp just above my mouth. He smiles as swings it from the tail and I bite at it and he pulls it just out of reach, before I slide my hand between his leg and his junk. He lowers the shrimp and my mouths part. “I love when you beg me, Rusti.”

“You also love when I take control. Now give me that little curled up bottom feeder before I bight your hand and flip you over this table. Baby Michael is hungry.” I tease as I pull the breaded shrimp into my mouth.

“Well, we should feed the baby.” He dips another piece in the cocktail sauce and feeds me before he takes a single bite of his fish. Out of the blue he says, “I want to retire.”

I drop my fork holding my mashed potatoes, unsure I heard him correctly. He always said he wants to play until he can’t anymore, but he’s still on top of his game.

“What?”

Stroking my hair, he presses an open-lipped kiss under my ear. “I don’t want to miss out on our kids’ lives. I don’t want to miss the best years of our lives.”

“But what will you do?” I ask. I don’t think he realizes how much time is taken up with hockey.

“Whatever I want. Coach high school hockey. Take Jujitsu so I can keep up with you. Take Jolie to dance class. Take vacations with my beautiful wife. And if you want to go back to work, then I’ll stay home with the kids and play chauffeur.”

My hands cup his face. “Could we take tennis lessons together? I’ve always wanted to play tennis.”

“I’ll do whatever you want. Do you want to go dancing?”

“Yes!” I shout and the other people in the restaurant look and smile. “A club?”

“Whatever makes you happy, Rusti. I know how you get when we dance so I know I’ll be happy.” He winks with those crystal clear blue eyes and his lip curls up on the corner. It’s one of those looks that melts me into a puddle of goo.

He stands and scoots my chair back, lays a pile of money on the table and guides me out of the restaurant.

We drive a few blocks away to an old brick warehouse. Jolie calls, “Daddy, Mommy, I want to go to Cannon’s. I don’t have anyone to play with, that's not a baby.”

Bryce looks at me, silently asking me to take this one.

“Jolie, we need you to teach your cousins and your brother how to play flashlight tag. Just don’t get around the pool. You can be the boss.”

Jolie is still quiet and reserved, a lot like her dad. She’s been diagnosed with dyslexia so it makes her uncomfortable with her classmates during reading time. She has one friend in her class but she’s still attached to Cannon, feeling safe around him.

“Okay,” she says in a defeated tone. “But do I get to go Cannon’s tomorrow?”

Bryce jumps in, “Yeah sweetheart. You’re going to Caleb’s 18U tournament and then spending the night at their house.”

“Okay, bye.” She hangs up as quickly as she called.

“Is my dance partner ready?”

“I don’t know how long I’ll last but I’m ready for you to sweep me off my feet again.”

My hand slips into his grasp without thinking about it.

As we step into the club, the thumping bass of the music immediately surrounds us. The darkness of the club is broken only by flashes of colorful lights as we make our way to the dance floor.

People of all shapes and sizes are lost in the world of pleasure. But my eyes were drawn to one person in particular—my husband Bryce. He holds me, my back to his front, swaying to the seductive music. His hands swirl over my baby bump.

“This is so sexy. My baby being inside of you… the only woman I’ve ever truly loved,” he whispers into my ear.

His body moves through the music—fluid and confident. The way his hips sway and his hands run over my body sends shivers down my spine.

I press my butt against his groin and feel his erection growing.

“If you want to dance, you should stop working me up.”

“Why? It’s my favorite thing to do.. Work you into a frenzy.”

He can’t resist as he pulls our bodies as closely together as possible. For several songs we move in perfect sync and nothing else exists but the two of us on the dance floor, caught up in the electric energy of the club.

When he spins me around, our eyes lock, and desire and love burns in his deep gaze. And in this moment, dancing in this dark and seductive club, lost in our own little world of music, love, and lust, I’m grateful for our one night stand.

“You're breathing hard. Is everything okay?” he asks.

“Just hoping that when we’re old, we’ll never stop dancing.”

“Never. I always hated dancing until you. I promise even with a cane or walker, we’ll find a way to dance. Let’s go get you some water. I don’t want you to overheat.”

The way this man loves me and takes care of his family is beyond my wildest dreams.

We shuffle through the crowd and I stand by a nearby table while Bryce goes to the bar. The music shifts into a pop song with heavy bass and the bar goers start jumping with their hands in the air.

I’m lost in the music when a hand touches my stomach. Instantly, I know it’s not my husband. The dark-haired man whispers over my mouth. “There’s nothing better than a pregnant woman. So fuck?—”

Without warning, Bryce shows up and forcefully removes the man who's making unwanted physical contact with me. "Get your hands off my wife and baby."

Do I love that my husband is possessive?

Yes.

Do I love that my husband is protective?

Also yes. There’s nothing sexier than a man who protects his wife and children at all costs.

The guy laughs as he scrapes himself off the wall. “Sorry man. Too much to drink.”

Bryce invades his space, looking down at him with his fists clenched around the guys’ plan tree shirt.

“There’s nothing I won’t do to protect my family, so I suggest you leave.”

The man shakes his head in agreement and Bryce flicks his wrists, letting go.

“Babe, I’m tired. Can we go?”

He takes charge, surrounding me with his arm and leads me to the exit. When we get home, he turns on the shower, drops his pants, then his tight boxers briefs and pulls his shirt off. “I don’t like smelling like the club. Join me.”

Like I could refuse that invitation.

“Thought you would never ask,” I tease, even though he asks me to shower together nearly every day.

This time it’s Bryce’s phone that rings. He digs it out of his pants pocket. “Hello.”

Bryce changes it to a speaker phone.

“Hey, do you mind if we pick up Jolie tonight?” Reed asks.

“I’m sure she’d love it. But why?”

“Because he can’t live without her. Cannon hates summer because he doesn’t get to see her every day. We’re doing a movie night against the barn wall. Caleb’s new girlfriend is here. Damn it’s weird that he’s seventeen.”

“Reed, what are we going to do when they reach puberty?”

I hear Reed sigh heavily. “Hope that they take care of each other. Neither of us had that growing up and I wish I had someone that I could depend on. I don’t think we'll ever have to worry about them not loving each other. We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.”

“Alright. Call Roman and let him know you’ll pick her up tonight.”

He hangs up and I see the worry on his face as I step into the shower and pull him in with me. Water rivulets skate over his washboard abs

“Whatcha thinkin?” I ask in my fake southern drawl.

“I’m worried that one day Cannon is going to break Jolie’s heart and there’s not a damn thing I can do about it.” His tone is laced with concern.

Running my hands over his chest, I ask, “Why do you think that? Maybe they will only see each other as friends. Or maybe they’ll be high school sweethearts and get married.”

“Because he’s going to be a heartbreaker. Look at him. He’s Reed’s clone in appearance, in personality. Everything.”

“You’re right. He is. He’s kind and strong. Lovable and protective.” I kiss the water rolling over his lips. “All of the things I love about you. But everyone goes through heart break and it makes you stronger.”

“When he’s a teenager and has a girlfriend, it will crush my girl.”

“Or maybe our beautiful daughter with the gold shimmering strands and the piercing blue eyes will get a boyfriend and break his heart. She’s been through so much in her short life. Don’t short change her strength. Her mom hasn’t visited in two years but she’s happy and loved.”

“How did I get so lucky to have my teammate’s sister as Jolie’s nanny?”

I drop to my knees letting my short fingernails trail down his chest, down his hips and to his thighs. Then I stroke his long thick semi-erection and in minutes it’s hard as a rock. Licking the velvet head and swirling, I take him into my mouth as his hands thread through my hair. He pistons his hips slowly and fills me until he’s touching the back of my throat.

I moan at how good he feels. His ass in my hands. His erection in my mouth. Faster and tighter I surround his shaft with my lips. He pulls my hair and I know he’s ready.

“Rusti… Emmaline… Rus…”

My name and my alias falling from his lips as he comes in my mouth makes me want to do it again and again. But Bryce has other ideas.

When we’re exhausted and he’s come twice and I can’t count the number of orgasms he gave me, we get into the beach scene sheets. Out of thin air, Bryce laughs and turn over to face him.

“What?”

“I was just thinking it’s the first time in a long time we haven’t been cock blocked by a pre-teen or two toddlers,” he says smiling from ear to ear.

“But you wouldn’t have it any other way.”

“No, it just makes you even sweeter when I get to have dessert.”

I hope you enjoyed Bryce and Emmaline’s day in Savannah. I can’t wait to bring you the next generation of Campus Stallions and the Hockey USA Series. Up first will be Cannon and Jolie in 2026. I need them to grow up in book time.

Claim your copy of ICING THE ENEMY, my next book in the Hockey USA series.