* * *
Erik was breathing hard as he leaned against the boards, squirting Gatorade in his mouth. For an easy practice, as Shea called it, Erik sure was having a difficult time. He assumed they would pass the puck, play a little one-on-one with Tate in goal, but no, Captain Shea Adler had the team running drills! The crazy thing was, everyone was doing better than him. Even Tate was and he’d been gone for a month! It was insane and Erik was disgusted with himself. He needed to get a treadmill for Piper’s house; it had only been a couple of days of not working out and he was already feeling it. He’d do that today on the way back. He had no clue where he’d put the damn thing, but he’d find space. It was too far of a drive to the arena just to come and use the gym, and he never joined public gyms—too many people and you never were able to use the equipment you wanted, when you wanted.
“Slow ass.”
Erik turned quickly to find his brother grinning at him as he said, “You’re sluggish.”
“I haven’t been working out much,” he said sheepishly.
Jakob was the last person he wanted to appear weak to.
Jakob chuckled as he shook his head.
“I remember when Harper and I first got married, we couldn’t stay off each other.”
That wasn’t the problem. The problem was the restless nights because he knew his wife was in the other room. Between the hot, sexy dreams he still had of Piper’s body, Erik’s persistent hard-on, and Stanley’s snoring, sleeping wasn’t an option. Instead he found himself playing Call of Duty more than he usually did.
Pretty sad.
“Yeah, it’s been kind of wild,” Erik said, placing his drink down.
“So we’re still going with the happily married scheme?”
Erik looked up at his brother and rolled his eyes. Although they were four years apart everyone thought that they looked the same age. While Erik’s eyes were a dark brown, Jakob’s were a dark green. They had the same dark brown hair and the same hard lines to their faces. They were basically two good-looking dudes who could have any girl in the world. But while they resembled each other in looks, they were completely different when it came to everything else. While Erik shunned love, Jakob begged for it. He had been married three times when Harper finally came along and stole his heart for good. The women from Jakob’s past had been gold-digging whores and Erik knew from one glance that Harper was different.
That should have been a warning; Allen women were different and played for keeps.
Shaking his head, he should have realized this a long time ago.
“There isn’t a scheme, Jakob; we’re happy.”
“It’s bullshit and you and I know it. I don’t know what’s going on, but it’s fixable,” Jakob said.
It made Erik feel good to know that his brother would go to the end of the earth to help him.
“Jakob, let it go. We’re married. We’re happy.”
Jakob shook his head.
“I know you. I know you don’t want this.”
“Things change, people change.”
“Sure, but not overnight. I know for a fact that you went home with that redhead a week ago. You weren’t thinking of Piper then,” Jakob pointed out.
“This is true, but like I said, I had a come to Jesus moment and realized that Piper was the girl for me.”
Jakob started to laugh hysterically, causing Erik to glare at him and ask, “What?”
“I see right through you, dude. Mom and Dad may not, but I do. Stop this before someone gets hurt.”
“Jake, leave it be. Nothing is wrong; everything is great.”
They shared a long look until a hard slap came down on Erik’s shoulder. Turning, he saw his captain.
“Hey, Shea.”
“Hey, Erik. I think congratulations are in order, from what I hear. Wow, marriage and a baby, I am totally stunned,” he said with a grin on his face.
“Yup, we are really excited.”
“I bet. Kids are a blessing, and Piper is a wonderful girl. She worked at the jewelry store where I bought Elli’s engagement ring; she was the one who helped me pick it out. Piper seems like a great gal; you really are lucky.”
Erik nodded again, and smiled.
“I am.”
“Well, come on, let’s get back to the ice. The Titov boys need to step it up a bit, slowing up the rest of the team,” Shea joked as he put his helmet back on.
Jakob laughed as he strapped his helmet after Shea skated off, then pinned Erik with a look.
“When you’re ready to tell me what’s going on, I’m here, but I’m not going to beg for the truth. Eventually it will all blow up. Remember, this is my family you’re screwing with. Don’t fuck her over; leave before you do anything stupid.”