Power Play, page 16
“Look, we’re not doing this here. Have your attorney call mine.” I tried to step around him, but he blocked me.
“Listen to me, you manipulative, scheming little bitch. Everyone in hockey knows who and what you are. They will never accept you into the fold, never listen to you or respect you. And eventually, the team will turn on you too.”
“With the exception of a couple of your buddies, they’ve already accepted me,” I said. “And I already have more respect than you’ll ever have. Both personally and professionally. Your father would be so ashamed of you right now.”
“You have no idea how my father would feel!” he snapped, moving so close to me I could practically feel his breath on my face. “And he’s rolling over in his grave.”
“I’m going to need you to step the fuck away from her.” I nearly jumped at the steely tone to Gabe’s voice, but I’d never been so grateful to see him. Or Ivan, Phil, and Linc.
Tim’s eyes widened for a moment and then he threw his head back and laughed. “Seriously? You brought guys from the team to a movie screening? Wait—are you fucking your ex?”
Gabe folded his arms across his chest. “Talk to her like that again and you’ll be leaving without your teeth,” he said in a low voice.
Seeing him all riled up and protective kind of turned me on.
Was that wrong?
“Are you boys really that bewitched by a pretty face and big tits that you don’t see what she did?” he demanded. “She took advantage of a sick old man and—”
“The court didn’t believe that,” Gabe interrupted him. “So why should we? Give it a rest, man.”
“My father never even thought about changing his will until after he was sick. Doesn’t that strike you as odd? Can’t you see what she did? How am I the only one seeing clearly here?”
“Because you failed and everyone knows it,” I said, irritated all over again. “You were a shitty owner and your father saw the bad decisions you were making.”
“Those decisions were made by our executive team!” Tim shot back. “It was just growing pains. All teams go through it. We were in an upward trajectory and now she’s dismantling it all.”
“I’m dismantling the bullshit you put into play when your father got sick,” I said. “And like I’ve said repeatedly tonight, we’re not doing this here or now. Come on, let’s go.” I put a hand on Gabe’s forearm.
“Eddie and I are going to make sure you lose everything if you don’t give up the team,” Tim said, his jaw working with irritation.
“You don’t have that kind of power,” I replied. “And in the future, please refrain from talking to me directly. Anything you have to say needs to be said through our lawyers.”
He narrowed his gaze. “Fancy doubletalk won’t change reality, Harper. I’m warning you—if you don’t do the right thing and turn the team over to my brother and me, you’re going to regret it.”
“You’re an asshole, you know that?” Cheyenne wrinkled her nose. “Let’s go, Harper. Come on, guys.” She tugged at my hand and motioned to Ivan. “This douche-canoe is pissing me off.”
I followed her because I couldn’t stand listening to Tim for even another second. It was so frustrating to be having the same conversations even after a judge had ruled in my favor, but Eddie and Tim didn’t seem keen on giving up or giving in.
“I don’t like him threatening you,” Gabe growled in my ear.
“His bark is worse than his bite,” I said. “Edward tried talking to the boys after he changed the will and they were furious, yelling and stomping around the house like toddlers having a tantrum. It was so embarrassing, but it made Edward feel better about his decision. He struggled with it, hoping things would turn around for the team, but they never did.”
“You need to be careful, babe,” he said. “I wouldn’t put it above them to start harassing you at home.”
“I have an excellent security system,” I said. “I also have you.”
He smiled. “Yeah, but once hockey season starts, I’ll be on the road a lot and you’ll be alone.”
“I’ll be fine. Don’t worry so much.” I leaned over and kissed him. “I like it when you go all alpha protector on me, though.”
“Yeah?” He arched his brows and wiggled them playfully. “I bet there’s somewhere private where you could show me how much you like it.”
I laughed. “I don’t know if I like it that much.”
I woke to something warm and delicious between my legs.
Gabe.
I sighed and stretched, arching my hips into his mouth.
We’d gotten home late and passed out, but he was making up for it now.
His tongue was circling my clit as he slipped a finger inside me and I reached down, digging my fingers into his short hair, tugging on it as he licked and sucked on my sensitive flesh. He was masterful with his mouth, especially down there, and I came awake quickly.
“Fuck, Gabe…” I moaned when he lifted his head.
“You like that?”
“So much.”
“You don’t get my cock until you come for me.” He dove back in, and it only took a few minutes before I was grinding against his face, my hips undulating in time to the thrusts of the two fingers that were now inside of me. He curved them up while simultaneously biting down on my clit and I went off like a cannon. My orgasm was short and intense, exploding out of me as I screamed his name.
“Not sure what I like better,” he murmured, sitting up. “How you taste or how it looks when you come all over my face.” He crawled over me and positioned himself between my legs.
“Morning,” I whispered.
“Morning.” He slid into me slowly but purposefully, filling me in one smooth, steady thrust.
I closed my legs around his back, locking my ankles together, and he started to move. He dropped his mouth to mine, and we were immediately swept up in the moment. The heat. The intensity between us.
I’d been turned on watching him defend me last night, but I was much more turned on now. I loved how it felt when he was inside of me. I’d only ever slept with four men in my life, and none of the others came close to Gabe’s skill as a lover. Or maybe it was just our connection. Or the fact that he’d been my first. Whatever it was, it didn’t take long for him to take me over the edge a second time, with him right behind me.
“Fuuuuck.” He collapsed on top of me. “That didn’t suck.”
I chuckled. “It did not. Wanna do it again?”
“I do.” He hesitated. “But we should probably talk first.”
“Talk?” I was momentarily confused, so caught up in the magic of what we’d just done that it took a few seconds for me to understand that something was going on. “Wait, did something happen?”
“Well, you got your wish. About us going public.”
“Oh.” I tried to wiggle out from under him, but he kept me pinned in place with his larger body. “So that’s what the morning orgasm was about.”
“The morning orgasm was about sex,” he said. “And the fact that I love going down on you. The bonus was that it would relax you ahead of me giving you unpleasant news.”
“I don’t know how that’s working out, but let’s hear it.”
“You have to promise you won’t freak.”
“I won’t freak out,” I protested. Then I reconsidered. “Wait—just how bad was it? Is the press saying bad shit about me just because we’re dating?”
“Well, it’s not very flattering.”
“Shit.” I stopped trying to move and let my body mold into the mattress. “Tell me.”
“If it’s any consolation, the parts about me aren’t flattering either.”
“Just tell me what was said and by whom.”
He slowly rolled off me. “How about we clean up and get some coffee in us first?”
“Gabriel.”
He chuckled. “Fine. Eddie spoke to some journalists at the event last night and gave them all the talking points. You manipulated his father when he was sick, he wasn’t in his right mind, you stole their inheritance, all the same shit.”
“Is that all?” I asked, rolling my eyes as I sat up.
“But wait. There’s more. I’m a gold digger at the end of my career, latching on to my ex because I’ve lost all my money to my failed marriages.”
“Oh shit.”
“Eddie had a lot to say.”
“I thought we were past this,” I admitted, sliding off the bed and heading toward the bathroom with Gabe right behind me.
“Look, we were expecting some version of this. Does it really matter if it’s members of the press speculating or if it’s Eddie spewing bullshit? News about us is out and anyone who pays attention to anything in hockey knows. The whole point of going last night was to put it out there and let it burn itself out. And that’s what we did. We have five and a half weeks until training camp—with any luck this will all be over by then and we can start the season fresh.”
I made a face. “You really believe that? Eddie said he’s not giving up, which means it’s going to be one thing after another.”
“What’s the alternative? He’d be going after you whether I was in the picture or not.”
“Have you heard anything from the team?”
“Not yet, no. I’m going to text Ivan in a little bit.”
“I need to text Chey and the other girls.”
“I think Phil went home with Stevie.”
“I don’t know if that’s good or bad.”
“Same.”
Our eyes met in the mirror and all I saw in his was concern.
For me.
“I really need coffee,” I said after a moment.
“You do your bathroom thing and I’ll take care of the coffee.” He leaned over and kissed me. “Then we’ll do some more of the sex thing.”
“Now that’s the best news I’ve heard all morning.”
24
Gabe
Harper was swept up in a frenzy of activity, on the phone, checking email, talking to her assistant, so I left her to do her thing while I went back to my place. I wanted to call Brandy, so I figured I’d talk to her while Harper was busy and then we’d meet up around dinnertime.
“Dad!” Brandy’s voice was loud and filled with excitement.
“Hey, kiddo. What are you all riled up about?”
“My softball team is going to a tournament in Denver, and I want you to go too!”
“Oh, yeah? When is it?”
“The beginning of September. I don’t remember the exact date.”
“Are you pitching?”
“Duh! No one pitches better than me in my age group.”
I couldn’t help but feel proud. I’d taught her to play baseball and how to pitch—I’d loved baseball almost as much as hockey when I was a kid—and it was one of the few things we shared. “That’s really exciting. I didn’t know you were playing over the summer.”
“Mom said I needed something to keep me busy. And it’s fun.”
“Well, I need to know the dates so I can try to be there. Find out for me, okay?”
“Wait, here’s Mom! She can tell you.”
Before I could protest, Tricia was on the phone. “Hey, Gabe. Sorry about that.”
“That’s all right. She sounds excited.”
“She hasn’t talked about much of anything else the last two days.”
“What’s the deal with the softball tournament?”
“It’s in Denver, the weekend after Labor Day. Thursday to Sunday, I think. There were dozens of kids who tried out for this team, and not only did she make it, she’s the starting pitcher. It’s kind of a huge deal.”
“Hell, yeah! That’s my girl. A chip off the old block.”
“She’s so much like you.” Tricia chuckled. “Sometimes it’s terrifying.”
“You mean, entirely inappropriate, drinks too much, and a complete asshole ninety percent of the time?”
“Well, actually, now that you mention it… yes!”
We laughed.
“I’m not sure what’s going on with the team since that’s the weekend before training camp starts, but let me make sure there’s nothing I need to be in L.A. for, and I’ll get back to you, okay?”
“Gabe.”
“Yeah?”
“I saw the news. About you and Harper.”
Oh, hell.
I wasn’t sure if that was good or bad.
If Tricia had heard about it, that meant it hit mainstream news and not just the sports channels.
“Uh, yeah. It’s kind of new so—”
“You’ve never loved anyone else,” she said softly. “I’m happy for you.”
“But?” That had almost been too easy.
“Brandy’s a little disappointed. I think, deep down, she still hopes we’ll get back together. I know it’s ridiculous, but she’s a kid. She doesn’t understand why we’re not together.”
“Oh, hell, Trish, why didn’t you tell me?”
“I don’t know anything for sure, I’m just guessing, but that’s my intuition. Anyway, that isn’t the point. What I was getting at was that I’ve met someone too. And it occurred to me that maybe Denver would be a good time for the four of us to…spend a little time together. We can let Brandy see that it’s okay for us to move on, and that we’re okay with being friends and co-parenting. I mean, if you wanted to. If you were okay with it.”
“That’s a great idea,” I said sincerely. “Harper has a lot on her plate with the team and the upcoming season, but I’m going to talk to her about making this happen. If we can be there, we will.”
“That would be wonderful. And I think it’ll be good for Brandy.”
“I think so too. Okay, tell Brandy I love her, and I’ll call you in a few days after I talk with Harper.”
“Perfect.” She paused. “And Gabe?”
“Yeah?”
“Don’t fuck it up this time.”
With nothing else to do for the day, I went for a run and then swam fifty laps. By the time I showered and got dressed, it was after five, so I walked over to the main house, calling out to Harper. She was on the phone and held up a finger, indicating I should wait.
“…no, please don’t cry. Sloane, I’m excited for you! Would you stop crying? It’s going to be fine… yes, of course, I’ll miss you, but you’re going to have a baby. That’s such good news… oh, stop it… what kind of friend would I be if I wasn’t happy for you?”
I got a beer out of the fridge and sank onto a bar stool, waiting for her to finish.
Obviously, Sloane was pregnant and quitting.
That was going to be stressful for Harper with everything going on.
It was probably hard for her to hear that her friend was pregnant too, especially since I was pretty sure she and her boyfriend hadn’t been trying. Sloane lived with Johan Hajek, who’d been one of my teammates in Florida, and though I’d gotten traded around the time they’d gotten together, Johan was a good guy. I had no doubt he was over the moon about becoming a dad.
I could only hope I’d be equally excited when the time came.
I’d been somewhat reluctant when Tricia had told me she was pregnant, and it hadn’t been until I’d seen the baby on the ultrasound that I’d warmed up to the idea, so I wanted a do-over when it happened again.
When.
Not if, but when.
As if eventually getting Harper pregnant was a foregone conclusion.
“You okay?” I asked when she hung up.
“Sloane just gave me her notice,” she said glumly, resting her chin in her hand as she leaned against the counter.
“She’s pregnant, huh?”
“Yup. Four months already, and she didn’t even know!” She made a face. “And here’s me, trying for years with no luck.”
I grimaced. “First of all, we’re using condoms right now, so getting pregnant is off the table. Second, I don’t know much about much, but I know stress isn’t good for anything.”
“My whole life is stress,” she said. “What choice do I have?”
“Well.” I moved around behind her and put my hands on her shoulders. “Your first choice is deciding how long you can survive without Sloane.” I gently began massaging her. “Your second choice is what type of person you want to replace her.” I dug my fingers into the tight muscles beneath the skin at the base of her skull, pressing until her head fell forward and her chin hit her chest. “And your third choice is whether or not to let me take you to bed.”
Her body shuddered slightly but she relaxed against me.
“I can’t, Gabe. I want to, but I still have emails to answer, and I have to book a trip to New York and—”
“Sloane can take care of your travel—she hasn’t left yet. Emails can wait. You can bring your laptop to bed later tonight and work on those while I rub your feet. Right now, we’re going to get you relaxed.”
“Sex doesn’t fix everything,” she protested as I tugged at her hand.
“Not everything, no, but it’s really excellent for stress.”
“Okay, Dr. DeLugo.”
“The doctor is in—or at least I will be.”
Thirty minutes later we were in the bathtub, with her between my legs. I’d gotten her off twice and now she was as relaxed as she ever got, resting the back of her head against my chest.
“That was lovely,” she said. “You are the master of distraction.”
“Well, maybe you can return the favor during the season, when I’m hyper focused on hockey and my body is reminding me how old I am.”
“Are you going to be okay?” she asked quietly. “I know you were cleared to play this week, but that was business. Now things are personal. How are you really?”
“If we take concussions out of the equation, I’m great,” I said. “I’m strong, and to be honest, probably in the best shape of my life. When I was younger, I didn’t have to work at being athletic—I was born with it. Now I have to target specific muscle groups, pay attention to my stamina and diet, things that I took for granted in my twenties. And honestly, I feel fantastic.”
“I don’t want you to do this if you really want to retire,” she said after a moment. “I mean it. I wanted you here for a plethora of reasons, but if we’re planning a future, I need you healthy. Our future children will need a healthy daddy. Someone to play catch with, who’ll teach them to skate and swim and all the other things I’m not good at.”
