Out of the Game3 (25 page)

Epilogue

To allow her body to fully heal from the surgery, Alex and Claire had been advised to refrain from intercourse. Claire found this to be both a curse and a blessing. She missed being truly intimate with Alex. Using their hands and mouths was physically satisfying but, literally, left a lot to be desired. And yet, she was still a long way off from fitting into her pre-pregnancy clothes and it bothered her. She felt like one of the extra-wide trailers on the freeway—the ones that needed an escort and red warning flags. Although Alex assured her she looked beautiful, he didn’t know what he was talking about, not really. So far, she’d managed to prevent him from seeing her naked, but the six weeks had passed and now it was their wedding night.

Since the baby had been born, Alex had shown her he meant every word he’d said at her hospital bedside. Even though he’d been getting used to his new job as color analyst and clocking in long hours, when he was home, he showered her with attention as if trying to make up for having been gone. By now he was an old hand with the baby, too. He bathed her and changed her. He rocked her in his arms and talked to her about his day. It warmed Claire’s heart every time she saw them together.

Now, when he said he loved her, which was often, she believed him. He was a new man. He’d fallen into a despair so black, she’d feared he’d never emerge, but he’d battled his way back and proven to everyone, including and perhaps most importantly himself, that he was much more than a hockey player. He was resilient and determined to succeed. He had a bright future ahead of him and, adorably flustered, he told her he wanted that future to include Claire and the baby.
They
were his future, the only one he cared about and he would be honored if she’d become his wife.

She’d said yes, of course. She’d loved him before his injury and she loved him even more now. He’d matured, unquestionably, and yet hadn’t lost that spontaneity, that unpolished, irrepressible
joie de vivre
she cherished so much. He still loved to have fun, but with self-imposed limits and she couldn’t imagine marrying anyone but him.

They decided to elope because neither wanted a big fat hockey wedding, like Tim and Erin’s, and they wanted to be an official family as quickly as possible. The NHL, as if guided by Fate, cooperated by providing a four-day break between games just when the six-week sex ban was being lifted. Alex got so excited when he found that out, she thought he might explode.

So they made plans to get married in Utah at the Peregrine Resort where it all began. Tim and Erin acted as best man and matron of honor. Claire and Erin cried. Alex succumbed to a minute amount of “emotional sweat.” Both babies cooperated by sleeping through the ceremony. They dined well at the local steakhouse then went to their separate accommodations. Claire and Alex were staying in the Angels Landing cottage, of course.

She heard a soft tap at the bathroom door.

“Are you almost ready?” Alex asked plaintively.

She glanced at the closed door. “Yes. Five more minutes,” she called.

He sighed. “That’s what you said twenty minutes ago.”

She checked her appearance one more time. She’d bought a beautiful negligee for the occasion. It had a very high waist and was loose and flowing. Her breasts looked huge in it, but that’s because they
were
huge. Maybe, being Alex, he’d focus on her boobs and not notice her equally huge hips and thighs.

It could happen.

She turned off the bathroom light and took hold of the doorknob. “Okay. I’m coming out.”

* * *

Alex was standing near the bed when Claire announced her imminent appearance. His body went on high alert. He’d been waiting forever. What the hell could she be doing in there? What the fuck kind of grooming took that long? He’d told her he didn’t expect anything special. After six agonizing weeks, he was thrilled just to have access to her whole body.

But he knew the reason she was camping out in the bathroom was because she was worried about being fat and thought he’d be turned off. God knew he loved the woman, but that fear was absolutely, positively groundless. He couldn’t imagine a day would come when he wasn’t turned on by her. He adored her new curves but hadn’t managed to convince her of that.

“Is the light off?” she asked through the door.

He glanced at the fire he’d lit in the fireplace and the candles he’d placed around the bed. “Yes. The lights are off.”

Slowly, the door opened.

She didn’t come all the way out.

Frowning, she said, “You said it was dark.”

“I did not. I said the lights were off, and they are.”

Her frown deepened.

“Listen to me, Claire Sullivan.” He looked into her eyes, right in her face now. “You’re gorgeous. A million times more gorgeous now than the day I met you. You’re everything,
everything
I want. I mean, hello, why do you think I locked you into a lifetime contract?”

She held his gaze for a long moment and he sensed he was getting through. Which was good. He really, really wanted to fuck his wife, but not like this. He wanted her turned on and eager, not upset and reluctant.

“Please, Cream Puff. You have to believe me. Didn’t we just take vows? Didn’t I just promise to love you no matter what? For richer, for poorer, through thick and thin?”

A small laugh escaped her. She was caving.

“Come on. It’s our wedding night. It’s the Big Night. I want you so much. I love you so much. Let me prove it to you. Please, please give me the chance to prove it to you.”

Pressing her lips together, she took a deep breath and pulled the door all the way open. He backed up quickly, almost stumbling in his eagerness. When he finally looked at her, he lost his breath for a moment.

The flickering flames cast a warm glow over her as she stood there like a shy, virginal bride wearing a fucking delicious nightgown that floated around her like something out of a wet dream.

“Holy fuck. You look gorgeous,” he said. “You’re a fucking goddess. I’m not kidding.” He took her into his arms. “I was beginning to think you’d never come out. What were you doing in there?” He slid a hand down her lower back and over her ass. He already had a hard-on. Honestly, it felt as if he’d been erect for the past six weeks.

“Nothing.”

“Torturing me.”

“I didn’t mean to. I was...nervous.”

He leaned back and took her gently by the shoulders. “You have nothing to be nervous about. You are the most beautiful woman in the world and you always will be. Why won’t you believe me?”

She sighed as her arms crept around his neck. “I do believe you. I do. I guess it’s really my problem. It’s not you. I’m the one who has the problem.”

“No,
we
have a problem,” he reminded her. “We’re married. Your problems are my problems.”

She gave him a tired smile. “All right. Well, the only way I can see to solve this problem is to lose weight.”

“And you’ve been doing that,” he pointed out.

“Not as quickly as I’d like.”

“Well, I happen to know a workout that you love and will do eagerly every day.”

He waited for her to figure out what he was saying. He knew when she did because she punched him.

“Alex, I’m serious. Having sex everyday isn’t going to help me lose much weight at all.”

“It can’t hurt.”

She laughed, a real laugh.

“Okay, seriously,” he said, “we can work out together. I bet there are family workouts on the internet. Things we can do with Holly.”

She brightened. “I bet you’re right. That might be fun.”

“We’ll look into it tomorrow.”

“Not now?” she asked with a teasing smile.

“Most definitely not now.”

With a growl, he pushed her to the bed and she went willingly. As she welcomed his weight on her, he took her mouth with a controlled excitement. This was it. His six weeks of agony were finally over.

The kiss was long and thorough, hot and wonderful. He groaned as her mouth opened and her tongue played with his. As he caressed her lush, sexy body, he felt an overwhelming wave of disbelief. They were married. That meant she was his. Forever. He would have demanded that someone give it to him in writing, except that he
did
have it in writing. He felt like fucking framing the marriage certificate and hanging it on the wall.

His cock was hard again. He was torn between wanting to take the edge off with a fast-paced, headboard-slamming fuck or go for a more leisurely “Thank God we can finally be together again, and oh, yeah, we’re man and wife now” love fest. Both had their merits and he was just realizing he could do both when a faint muffled cry came from down the hall.

Waaah...

Claire froze. So did Alex.

“I didn’t hear anything,” he said stubbornly. He licked at her neck and squeezed her breast in a desperate and probably futile attempt to distract her.

She sighed. “You did too hear something.”

He kept thumbing her nipple for a moment longer before giving up as the baby wailed a little louder. He looked down at his wife.

She smiled sadly. “I’d better go to her before she really starts crying.”

“What if
I
start crying?” he asked, halfway serious.

“You’ll survive.” She caressed his face and kissed him. “We
will
make love tonight. I promise you that.”

Sullen and frustrated, he watched her leave the room. Her nightgown fluttered behind her as she disappeared through the bedroom door. God damn it. It wasn’t fucking fair. Why was he being punished like this?

He rolled onto his back and started thinking about just how much sex he could get away with tonight without wearing her out or making her sore. Surely there was a formula for this type of situation. Like minutes of foreplay divided by weeks of abstinence equaled number of times they could fuck...? Something like that.

Claire’s voice floated down the hall. “What’s wrong, little one? Whatever it is, Mama will make it better.”

The baby cried a little more, but he recognized it as her annoyed cry, not her truly pissed-off cry. Strange how before he was a dad, he didn’t realize babies could be pissed.

After a few more minutes of self-pity, he got up with the intent to hurry things up, but when he saw Claire on the bed with pillows behind her, nursing, he forgot about his own needs. Holly was at her breast, noisily getting a late-night meal. Tiny, perfect, hungry little Holly Sullivan.

Claire had suggested Hailey or Hannah, but when Alex suggested Holly because of how it had been Christmas when she’d broken the news to him about her pregnancy, she’d loved the idea. Unfortunately, they’d both forgotten Holly was Tim’s nickname and now Tim loved pretending Holly was his namesake.

“If you keep eating like this,” Claire murmured, “you’re going to be as big as your mama.”

He stood there for a moment realizing as he looked at his wife and child, he was the luckiest son of a bitch in the entire world. He had a cush job that kept him connected with the sport he loved without all the pain-in-the ass training, diet restrictions, and nightly body bashing. That was a miracle in and of itself, but he also had a beautiful baby daughter and a wife who loved him, despite his many faults. Miracles number two and three.

Joining Claire on the bed, he put an arm around her shoulders and placed a kiss on Holly’s fuzzy head. The baby’s eyes stayed locked on Claire’s face, but Claire looked up at him and smiled lovingly.

As of six hours ago, he’d set aside his carefree, bachelor life and pledged himself to one woman, forever. No more leaving the toilet seat up or tossing dirty laundry on the floor. He’d have to watch his language now and remember shit like anniversaries and Valentine’s Day. No longer could he indulge in spur-of-the-moment sex with women whose names he intended to forget in the morning.

But when all was said and done, Alex found that he really didn’t give a flying fuck. He was a family man now, an honest-to-goodness family man. And damned proud of it.

* * * * *

About the Author

Kate is in love with the sport of hockey. And the entire Los Angeles Kings team. Having lived most of her life completely uninterested in professional sports, she is surprised at the intensity of her enthusiasm and her growing collection of Kings merchandise, which includes a collector card with a swatch from a Justin Williams game-worn jersey. Yeah. Don’t judge her.

She has held a variety of jobs—podiatrist’s assistant, telemarketer, typist, gift wrapper, painter, illustrator’s assistant, paste-up artist, calligrapher, teacher, transcriptionist and barista—but her favorite by far is author. She resides in Los Angeles with her husband, their two sons and a Chihuahua named Mochi. She is also a member of the Romance Writers of America and winner of the 2009 EPPIE Award for Best Fantasy/Paranormal Erotic Romance.

Kate loves to connect with her readers and encourages all Barracuda fans to
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.

Go
back
to
the
beginning
of
the
season
with
the
first
two
books
in
Kate
Willoughby’s
In
the
Zone
series
!

Venture into the locker room and onto the ice with the San Diego Barracudas, a team of intense, competitive and all too human athletes as they discover that it’s possible to love something more than hockey.

ON THE SURFACE
In the Zone, book one

Pediatric nurse Erin Collier thinks all Tim wants is another notch on his hockey stick, when what he’s really shooting for is forever.

ACROSS THE LINE
In the Zone, book two

She’s a restaurateur. He’s a hockey player returning to the ice after being injured. Committed to their jobs and with thousands of miles between them, they don’t stand a chance.

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