Her whole body heaved with a heavy sigh. “Because I might get used to it.”
“I fail to see how that’s a problem.”
Swallowing, she peeked at me from across the counter. “It’s just going to make it harder when you leave.”
That’s what she was worried about?
“It’s a couple of days. We’ll be back by the weekend. But if it makes you feel any better, I’ll miss you too.”
Gemma shook her head. “No, when you leave for good.”
“What?” My voice rose, and she nearly levitated a foot off her stool at my harsh tone.
Dragging a hand down my face, I mumbled, “Sorry,” before declaring, “I’m not going anywhere. You’re stuck with me.”
“You say that now, but—”
“No. No buts. Not a single one, do you hear me? I’m in your life. Permanently. That’s a fact.”
“Sasha,” Gemma said on an exhale.
“I’m not having this argument with you, babe.” I grabbed her plate and scraped the food left behind into the trash before rinsing it in the sink. Counting to three in my head, I turned around, closing the distance between us with my hand extended. “Time for our nap.”
I could see the wheels turning in her head, ready to fight back. She was so convinced that we had an expiration date, thatit was possible for me to walk away now that I’d found my perfect match. But wisely, she tabled our argument and slipped her palm against mine as I led her up the stairs and into her bedroom.
Lying down, I held my arms open for her to snuggle against me. After only a beat of hesitation, Gemma crawled toward me, turning so that her back was flush with my front, and I banded an arm around her waist, keeping her close.
My eyes drifted shut, and I was halfway to unconsciousness when Gemma spoke, her voice soft. “Sasha?”
“Yeah?” I stroked her stomach over the fabric of her sweater.
“I took the pill.”
Pushing down the disappointment, reminding myself that she wasn’t ready, I whispered back, “I know,” before kissing the soft skin of her shoulder.
She turned in my arms, eyes searching mine. “You’re not mad?”
My hand came to rest on her cheek. “No, sweetheart.”
Gemma let out a relieved breath.
There would be time later to have a proper conversation about this aspect of our future, but for now, I simply wanted to hold her.
Nothing had ever felt so right as having her in my arms. With her warm body tucked securely against mine, I was at peace.
Chapter 13
Goose
I was on fuckingfire tonight, and I couldn’t help wondering if Gemma was the reason.
Dragging my ass out of the warmth of her bed for the second time in one day was the hardest thing I’d ever had to do, especially knowing the Speed were hopping a flight out of town directly after the game and wouldn’t return for a few days.
My obsession with the woman had only grown since claiming her body, and I couldn’t stop thinking about her.
Well, okay, that wasn’t entirely true because I was locked in on the game, making insane saves that would end up on sports network highlight reels for weeks to come, and I hadn’t allowed a single goal tonight.
Hockey players were a superstitious group. Some were picky about gear—refusing to change brands or wearing a particular item under their equipment even if it was gross or threadbare. Others had rituals—a specific pre-game meal they always ate or a certain routine in warmups they never wavered from. Thenthere were the general rules league-wide where you didn’t shave during playoffs for fear of bad luck or the perceived curse that touching the championship trophy if you hadn’t won it meant that you never would.
