Icing (Aces Hockey #1)(97)

Her smile went crooked. “I don’t want that either, but it’s going to be really hard for me to take money from you, Duncan.”

His heart gave a hard knock against his sternum. Fuck, how lucky was he to have found her? Wonder filled him that she loved him, despite his camo baseball hats, and love of paintball and Duck Dynasty, and his lack of sophistication. He’d been such an idiot to think she’d been using him. She was strong and independent and maybe a little too stubborn about it, but after what she’d been through, who could blame her? It might take a while for him to soften her up, but he had patience. Lots of patience.

“I get that. We don’t have to talk about it or worry about it now. You’re starting your career and I have faith in you that you’re smart and practical and will manage your own life. But we’re together now and I’m not letting you go, and we share not only the good things but our problems. We’ll figure stuff out eventually.”

She gazed back at him, a faint hint of suspicion in her eyes, but then she nodded. “That sounds reasonable.”

“I’m a reasonable guy.”

“You’re an amazing guy. And I love you so much.” Her eyes went shiny again. “I’m sorry too. That I got mad and let you leave without making sure you knew the truth.”

“I was a dumbass.”

She sniffled out a laugh.

“You must have been shocked when your dad showed up at the Sin Bin.”

“Um, yeah.” She blew out a long, slow breath. “I didn’t expect it. Especially after Mom just arrived out of the blue. That damn blog post.”

“I’m sorry about that too. Shit hit the fan and your personal life went public because of me.” He stroked hair back off her face and wiped away another stray tear. “I never wanted that to happen. I thought maybe you were better off without me. I’m not a rock star or anything, but sometimes the media does pay attention to me.”

One corner of her mouth lifted. “It was not your fault. Don’t be silly. And yeah, stuff came out that I would have rather not, but in the end it’s all okay. I told my new boss, and her only reaction was excitement that I was dating you.”

He grinned. “Really?”

“Really. So people know, but it hasn’t been as big a disaster as I was afraid of.”

“Because it’s not really about you, baby. It’s about your dad. He’s the one who screwed up. And I want to come with you when you meet him tomorrow night.”

She gazed back at him.

“You’re going to tell me you don’t need me there, aren’t you?”

She bit her lip. “That was my first instinct. But truthfully? I’d love it if you came. I can use all the support I can get when I meet with him.”

“Thank you, baby. I wanna be there for you. Wanna make sure he doesn’t dick you around.”

Her lips quivered. “Thank you. I don’t know why he wants to see me.”

“Maybe because you’re his little girl and he loves you and he missed you.”

More tears welled. Shit. She sniffled again. “Maybe. But I don’t know if I can forgive him.”

“Well, you don’t need to figure that out right away. And I’m not sure if forgiveness is something you can consciously decide on. I think you either feel it…or you don’t. You’ll know if you do.”

She blinked rapidly, liquid sliding down her cheeks. “Damn. I love you so much.”

“Good.”

This time she pulled his head down for a kiss—a long, wet, lush kiss that had him hard again.

—

They made love again, this time slow, lush, and tender. When Duncan moved down her body to kiss her between her legs, she felt as though he was worshipping her. His small, suckling kisses over her sensitive folds held reverence and awe. His gentle licks and sighing breaths spoke of care and tenderness. Tears filled her eyes even as an agonizingly sweet tension tightened in her, a swelling heat. Everything inside her constricted, pulled up, up, up into a sharp peak of excitement and when she came, she came hard and long. Shudders wracked her body, and she held his head while pleasure exploded through her veins.

When he moved over her, Amber pushed him to his back and poured everything she felt into each stroke of his face, every caress, her clasp of his erection. She explored his body, every dip and hollow, every big muscle and strong bone, with her mouth, her lips, her tongue. She inhaled his scent, warm and male. She pressed kisses to his quivering abs, sucked and licked at his sharp nipples. When she moved over him and they came together, a shimmer of heat surrounded them. Their eyes met and held, Amber on top, riding him, hands on his chest, taking him deep.