“And you a professional hockey player,” Maryana says with respect.
“I’ve been fortunate,” I tell her humbly. “There’s a lot of great talent out there today.”
“Bullshit,” Maryana says. “Olivia’s told me all about your career. Two Stanley Cups, first line on the Cold Fury. You have superior talent, I’m betting.”
“And work ethic and passion,” Olivia pipes up with pride. “I’m not sure anyone loves the game as much as Garrett.”
I lean over to sneak a quick kiss from Olivia, but her mom stops me with another question. “So, Olivia tells me you were quite the player before you two met?”
One eyebrow raises at Olivia, and she snickers. Turning back to Maryana, I rest my elbows on the table and lean forward. “Oh, yeah. What exactly did Olivia tell you?”
“Just that you were the king of the one-night stand. Never been in a relationship before.”
I cut a smirk over at Olivia, then look back at her mother. “Now…that’s not exactly true. I have been in a relationship before. For three years, actually.”
Olivia gasps and lurches forward in her chair to look at me. “What? You never told me that? When?”
Chuckling, I tweak her under the chin. “My last three years of high school. Kelly McCrimmons. We lost our virginity to each other and then, sadly, she crushed my young heart.”
Sympathy floods Olivia’s face, and her mom makes a sound of dismay. “Oh, Garrett,” Maryana croons. “Tell us what happened. Is that what drove you to be the man-whore that Olivia says you were?”
I choke on the water I was sipping when she says that and direct a hard look at Olivia. “You told your mom I was a man-whore?”
“Maybe not in those words,” she says cheekily. “But I did use king of the one-night stand for sure.”
“You’re rotten,” I tell her with a grin, and then look back at Maryana. “It’s not that tragic of a story. I mean, what do people know of love and commitment when you’re that young? She cheated on me, I was crushed, and then I moved on.”
“And then you’ve never been in another relationship since,” Olivia points out to me. “What’s that been…eight years? You have some issues, baby.”
I snort and reach out to pull Olivia from her chair. She willingly comes onto my lap, and a quick glance at her mom shows her very much enjoying watching her daughter and me interact together. She’s a woman who wants her daughter to be happy, and since I can tell I have Maryana’s stamp of approval, I know without a doubt that Olivia is happy.
Wrapping up Olivia tight in my arms, I rest my chin on her shoulder and say, “I don’t have issues. I haven’t thought of Kelly or our time together in years and years.”
“Then why are you relationship-averse?” Olivia asks.
“Clearly, I’m not,” I point out.
“But you were,” she counters.
“Actually…I don’t think I ever was. My parents have an amazingly long marriage, and I respect that. I honestly think I’ve just been young and carefree. Sowing my oats, so to speak. It’s what dudes do.”
“That is true,” Maryana says sagely from across the table. “Men do that. Women do too, but not as often as men.”
“Besides,” I say as I give a quick kiss to Olivia’s neck and then stand from the chair, dislodging her from my lap, “I was just waiting for the right girl to come along. Now, I’m going to clean the kitchen while you two go in the living room and relax.”
“He’s like the perfect man,” Maryana says in wonder.
“Pretty damn close,” Olivia agrees with her mom. “But I’m going to help with the dishes too. Mom, you cooked, so go in the living room and relax.”
“Sounds peachy,” Maryana says as she picks up her wineglass and practically floats into the living room. Olivia and I grab the plates and leftover lasagna, carrying them into the kitchen. We stand side by side at the sink, scraping and rinsing the plates.
Olivia bumps into me and murmurs, “My mom likes you. A lot.”
“I like her too,” I whisper back. “She’s pretty fucking cool.”
“Sorry we, um…got interrupted,” she says as she fills the sink up with soapy water. “I really, really wanted you in my mouth.”
I suppress a groan. “Stop talking like that. I can’t handle another hard-on in your mom’s presence again.”
Olivia gives a low, husky laugh that seems to coat my entire body in lust. Apparently, just her laugh is as much of a turn-on for me as her touch.