Chapter Twenty-Three

JENSEN

The team is pumped up, excited about our win, especially since it feels like redemption from our loss on the road. They're all whooping and jostling each other as we make our way from the ice to the locker room. I trail behind the rest of the team, unable to match their exuberance.

All I can think about is Grace and that look of devastation on her face when she saw Camille at my door. She refuses to take my calls or answer my texts, and so far, I’ve been too much of a coward to go over to her place and talk to her face-to-face. I need to find her, though. I can’t lose her. She’s the woman I want, and I’m not going to let this misunderstanding tear us apart.

I need to figure out a way to win her back.

Entering the locker room, I strip out of my gear until I’m just in my pants. As I’m reaching for my towel to head to the showers, Wilder suddenly approaches and pats me on the shoulder.

“Dude, your dad’s here and wants to talk to you,” he says. “He’s waiting outside the locker room.”

My heart flips in my chest and I stammer, “Oh… oh, all right. Thanks, man.”

My dad? What’s my dad doing here?

Wilder nods and moves away, heading for the showers himself. I immediately head for the locker room door and out into the hallway.

The moment Dad’s eyes land on me, he snaps, “What is this I hear about you banning Camille from coming to see you?”

Breathing out in frustration, I slowly approach him. “Dad, I’m not talking to you about this now.”

“No, you are,” he insists, his tone angry. “I’m sick and tired of your shortsightedness, Jensen. If you don’t start doing what I tell you, I’m cutting you off from your trust fund?—”

“I don’t care!” I exclaim, my frustration boiling over. “It’s my life, dad, and I’m going to live it how I want! I don’t want your money and I don’t want the plans you’ve made for me.”

“You’re being foolish,” dad hisses. “Why can’t you have Tyler’s sense of reason?”

“Tyler might be content coming to work for you when his football career is over,” I growl, “but that’s his choice. It’s not what I want!”

“You don’t know what you want.”

I take a deep breath and wrestle my emotions under control.

When I’m ready, I look back at him and cooly say, “If you keep pushing me into being someone I don't want to be, you will lose me for good. I do love you, but not at the expense of my happiness. So please, take me as I am and be proud of me for who I am, not who you want me to be. I have my own career, and a woman I’m madly in love with…”

I hear a stunned gasp and I look up past my father. My eyes lock with Grace’s shocked gaze and I feel just as surprised to see her as she appears to see me.

“Grace?” I say.

To my surprise, she comes marching toward us, her brow furrowed and her eyes flashing with anger.

“Excuse me,” she snaps, coming to a stop next to me and facing my dad. “I don’t think you fully understand just how amazing of a man Jensen is.”

“I beg your pardon?” my dad replies, clearly stunned.

“He’s kind, considerate, wildly talented at what he does, and is deeply respected by his team,” she continues in a hard tone. “If you can’t accept him for the wonderful man he is, you don’t deserve him!”

“Miss, I don’t know who you are, but you have no right to speak to me like this!” my dad snaps.

“And you have no right to cut Jensen down the way you do!” she snarls right back.

I can’t stop myself from grinning as I watch her square-up with my father. I’ve never felt so appreciated. The urge to get her alone overwhelms me and I reach out to grab her hand, yanking her away from my dad.

“Jensen?” she gasps, gazing up at me in confusion.

“Jensen!” my dad snaps behind me. “We aren’t done talking yet!”

I ignore him. He doesn’t matter right now. Grace is the only thing that matters.

“Come with me,” I whisper, then lead her down the hall, away from my dad. He yells after me again, but when I glance back at him, I see him turn and storm out of the building in a furious huff. Grateful that distraction is gone, I take Grace into an empty trainer’s office. I shut the door behind us and lock the door so no one can follow us inside. “Grace, are you…?”

“Did you mean what you said?” she asks, cutting him off sharply. “That you…that you love me?”

I blink down at her before a slow smile curls my lips.

“Yeah,” I nod. “Honestly, I think I’ve been in love with you since our week in Miami. Grace, you have to let me explain about Camille. It wasn’t what you think…”

“I already know,” she says, surprising me. “I was actually coming down here to talk to you and apologize for jumping to conclusions and not giving you a chance to explain. I just… I let my old fears cloud my judgment, and that wasn’t fair. You’re a good man, Jensen. A loyal man, and I know that. You wouldn’t do anything to hurt me.”

Relief washes through me and I reach up to cup the side of her face.

“Does that mean I’m getting another chance?” I murmur.

Her perfect pink lips curl into a small smile. “Yes… I love you too, Jensen.”

My breath leaves me in a rush and I can’t find words to express to her how much her declaration means to me. So, instead, I yank her against me and crash my lips down on hers in a desperate, hungry kiss. She loves me. I can hardly believe it. The most incredible woman I’ve ever met is in love with me, and I with her.

With a swipe of my tongue against hers, my hands slide down the soft curves of her body until they reach her thighs. In one swift move, I lift her, placing her upon the desk before my left hand is grasping the back of her neck, pulling her close to me as my body nestles between her thighs. Having her like this, in this moment is everything.

There’s nothing that compares to having her submit to me like she does. Not even being on the ice can compare—and I’ve made a living out of that.

Clutching my shoulders, she clings to me, her lips parting as she takes a breath, moaning softly at the way my other hand slides up to cup her breast, my thumb rolling across her erect nipple beneath.

“Jensen,” she gasps as I place hot kisses along her jaw and down her throat.

“I’ve missed you,” I confess in a harsh whisper, my fingers slowly moving towards the button on her pants, quickly shoving the material down her legs, dragging her panties along with it.“I have to taste you.”

Ravenous for her, I drop to my knees and push her legs apart. My head dropping the aching cunt between her legs, the anticipation to taste her more than I can handle as my cock throbs within the confines of my pants. Over and over I drag my tongue against her dripping wet pussy, devouring her in a way that only I can do for her — or so she has said. And from the lust induced gaze in her eyes as I look up at her, I see just how much she loves it.

Her eyes begin to roll slightly as her head falls back and her lips part. Her fingers wrapping within the locks of my hair as the soft gasping pants of ecstasy pour from her mouth, as they always do.”Please… oh fuck, please.”

She tastes as sweet as ever, and the more she begs for her release, the faster I aim to please her. To hear her scream at the top of her lungs as she lets go of everything she’s been holding back.

As I run my tongue up and down her wet slit, I press my thumb against her clit and rub tight circles over it. Her pants of pleasure grow more rapid by the second.

“Oh, my God!” she whimpers. “Jensen! It’s so… so good!”

I don’t stop touching and licking her. I need to taste her orgasm before I bury myself inside her. With tongue, lips, and teeth, I push her higher and higher, closer and closer to the edge. My erection strains in my pants, but I ignore it for the time being. I need to get her there, first. I need her to fall apart under my tongue.

Suddenly, her grip on my hair tightens and she shrieks as her hips begin to undulate against my face. Yes, yes, yes! This is exactly what I want. I draw out her orgasm for as long as I can, before I’m quickly on my feet undoing the ties of my pants. Shoving them down my thighs, I grab the base of my cock, line myself up with her entrance and slam into her as she’s still feeling the aftershocks of her release. I know it’s risky, with no condom, but honestly, I don’t hate the idea of Grace pregnant with my baby. I don’t hate it at all.

“Jensen!” she cries as I begin to move my hips in a hard and fast rhythm. My hand reaches down to take one of her legs, lifting it to rest upon my shoulder. The only thing I can think about is taking her deeper. Making her feel every inch of my cock until she swollen and unable to walk. Remembering every time she moves that it’s my cock, and mine alone that can make her feel this good. I need to leave my mark on her, inside and out, so that no one ever doubts how much I want her.

How much I love her.

“You’re mine,” I growl as I pound into her soft body.

“Yours,” she agrees. “I love you, Jensen. I love you so much!”

“I love you too,” I roar as my orgasm slams into me, taking me by surprise. My pleasure is so intense it’s almost painful as I pour myself into her.

When I come back down to earth, I drag her into the large desk chair, her arms wrapping around me as she slowly tries to catch her breath.I don’t want to move. I want to stay right there, in her arms, for the rest of my life.

However, reason soon returns to my satiated mind as I gaze down into her flushed face.

“You okay?” I ask with a soft smile.

She nods, looking more than pleased. “Fantastic.”

“Good. We can’t stay in here forever.”

She glances around with a sigh as she seems to take in the mess we’ve created. “You do have a point, I suppose.”

Slowly I help her to her feet, and then I stand on my own. My hands quickly grab at the scattered clothing as I help her redress. The last thing I want is for someone to walk in to see what belongs to me. Once she’s presentable and my pants are laced back up, I take her hand and lead her back out of the office. Making our way to the locker room, where I’m relieved to find the hallway empty. My dad’s gone — for now.

I know I’ll have to deal with him eventually, but for now, I just want to bask in the knowledge that Grace loves me.

“I need to go get my equipment from the press box,” Grace says.

“Okay,” I tell her. “You go grab your things, and I’ll get changed. We’ll meet back here, okay?”

She nods. “All right.”

I watch as she hurries down the hallway, and only when she turns a corner and is out of sight do I make my way into the locker room to quickly change my clothes and gather my things. Most of the team is already gone. Grace is waiting for me when I emerge and we walk out to the parking lot together.

“I was wondering where you disappeared to,” Carson’s voice greets us as we step outside. He’s leaning against one of the stadium’s pillars, apparently waiting for us. He pushes away from the pillar and moves to stand in front of us. His eyes flick down to where our hands are clasped and he sighs. “Suppose this means you two have made up?”

Grace and I share a glance.

“Yeah,” I nod, looking back at him. “We have. How about you and me?”

He regards me for a long moment and my heart starts to race.

At length, Carson grins and says, “Yeah… we’re okay. As long as you guys are good and happy, I can get past the ick of this whole thing.”

I burst out laughing and let go of Grace’s hand so I can hug my friend. He pats me on the back and then moves to his sister. They stand staring at each other and I can see the nervous energy burning in Grace’s eyes.

“I’m sorry,” she says at length. “I’m sorry I kept this from you. I… I was scared that you’d be upset and we’d just started getting close again…”

Carson holds up his hand and she falls silent.

“I’m not happy that you didn’t tell me,” he admits. “It really hurts that you didn’t feel like you could come to me with this.”

She bites her lip and nods, her eyes downcast. “I know. It was really shitty of me.”

“Yeah, it was,” he agrees. “But, you’re my sister, and I love you so fucking much. I want you to be happy, Grace, and if Reece makes you happy… I can get behind this.”

She jerked her gaze back up to his, eyes wide with surprise.

“Really?” she gasps. “Then… are we okay?”

He sighs and answers, “We will be okay. I’m still pissed, but I forgive you. I love you, Grace. Just promise me, no more secrets. There is nothing I wouldn’t do for you, and I never want you to be afraid of telling me the truth.”

“I love you too, Carson. I promise, no more secrets.”

He pulls her into a tight hug and she wraps her arms around him and squeezes him hard. When he lets her go, I slip my arm around her waist and pull her into my arms.

Carson groans. “This is so weird. Alright, I’m out. See you both later.” He turns and walks away

I chuckle, and Grace giggles, and we rest our foreheads against each other. I close my eyes and savor the feel of her against me. There’s still plenty of things in my life to work through, but this moment is perfect and I commit it to memory. I have the woman I love, the blessing of my best friend, and a future that I’m going to make my own.

As far as I’m concerned, I’m the luckiest man in the world, and with this woman at my side, there isn’t anything life can throw at me that I can’t conquer.