TYLER

By the time Kennedy walks through the door, I have just finished another ass kicking workout with Donovan and our trainer, Brian. We had to replace Vanessa with Brian after Donovan hooked up with her a while back and made the situation awkward for all of us. Our last session with her was brutal to say the least, the weird tension between them too much for any of us to tolerate.

I hired Brian around the time Kennedy moved into my house, and I have been hitting it hard with Donovan and him for the last few weeks. This year we have to get our team to the playoffs. That is my goal, one that I will die trying to achieve.

“Hey, babe.” I lean in to kiss her cheek, trying not to rub my sweat on her face. “How was your lunch date?”

“Fine.” She glances down at her feet, before returning my gaze.

There’s something off about her behavior. When she left the house this morning, she was on cloud nine about meeting Sydney. Now, her hair looks a mess, mascara is smudged and caked to her lashes, and there’s a certain sadness behind her eyes.

“What happened?” I caress her cheek with my hand and run my thumb along her jaw, lowering my voice to a whisper. “Talk to me.”

She looks over her shoulder at Donovan and Brian and waves, a pretend smile on her lips. “Hey, boys. How’s it going?”

They exchange the usual pleasantries for a minute before I grip Kennedy’s shoulders and lock onto her. I know her well enough to know when something is bothering her. “Did you get into a fight with Sydney?”

“No.” She shakes her head. “Do you think we can talk about this after your friends leave? It’s important, and I want to speak to you alone.”

We need to talk are not the words most men want to hear. Is she breaking up with me? Moving out? I hope not. Everything has been going so well for us since Kennedy moved in. And I love having her here, waking up in my arms every morning.

“I’ll get rid of the guys. Just give me a few minutes.”

She nods. “I’m going to make myself a cup of tea, and then I’ll meet you in our bedroom. I want to lay down for a little bit. It’s been a long day.”

I hug her tight and kiss her forehead, before releasing her. “Sounds good. I’m right behind you. Try not to fall asleep before we have a chance to talk.”

“I promise.” She smiles at me, and then disappears into the hallway, her tight ass making me want to chase after her and into the kitchen. But I turn around to face Brian and Donovan, who are on the opposite end of the living room, bullshitting with each other.

Brian was a good choice as far as trainers go, but he and Donovan are so much alike that sometimes I feel as though they are the same person. Both men are several inches taller than my six-feet two inches, ripped with muscle and covered in tats, and have dark, scruffy facial hair. I’m the complete opposite with my short, blond hair and clean shaven look. But these two could pass as twins some days, especially after they are in action.

I walk over to them and clamp my hand down on Donovan’s shoulder to get his attention. “Kennedy isn’t feeling good. Do you think we can grab a drink another day?”

“You’re bailing on us,” Brian whines. “C’mon, man, I’m sure your girl will let you out for the night.”

“Yeah,” Donovan says, “you keep flaking out on our plans. We’re gonna stop inviting you out with us if you don’t grow a pair and tell your woman you are coming out with us.”

After seeing the look on her face and hearing the sadness behind her words, I have to stay home and in bed with Kennedy. I have no idea what she wants to discuss, but I have a feeling I will not be happy about it based on her reaction to my questions.

“Nah, I think she needs me. She said she’s not feeling good. I will make it up to you next week.”

“I will hold you to it,” Brian says with a smirk.

“I’m sure you will,” I shoot back.

Donovan reaches down to grab his gym bag from the floor and slings it over his shoulder. “Now that you’re married, I guess we’ll get out of here.”

“You don’t have any room to talk.” I snicker, thinking about how he chases around after Sydney. “If Sydney called you right now, you would be out the door and over the bridge faster than you can blink an eye.”

“He’s got you there,” Brian says, laughing. “That girl has you wrapped around her finger.”

Donovan punches Brian hard in the biceps. “Shut up. I just want to fuck her. She doesn’t have me wrapped around anything.”

I join in on Brian’s laughter. “That’s a lot of work for a girl who won’t even kiss you. And we all know you’re full of shit.”

“Whatever.” Donovan’s face twists into an angry scowl as he walks past me. “I’ll catch you later.”

“Say hi to Sydney for us,” I call out to him, and he raises his middle finger at me.

I show Brian to the door after Donovan had already slammed it behind him, acting like a damn child. He has it bad over Sydney. If she’s anything like Kennedy, I don’t blame him.

“Same time next week,” I tell Brian and close the front door behind him.

I flip the lock and suck in a deep breath, letting it all out at once. Afraid of what Kennedy has to tell me, my stomach knots. Taking the stairs in front of me three at a time, I climb two floors, not stopping until I’m standing in front of our bedroom. The door is closed over, a crack of light shining through and into the dark hall, casting its shadow on the marble floor.

When I push the door open, I smile at the sight of Kennedy and Roxie sprawled out on the bed together. Kennedy brushes Roxie’s coat with her fingers, her head rested on Roxie’s stomach as she pets the top of her head.

They look up at me when they hear me come in. Roxie perks up, waiting for me to pet her. Kennedy greets me with a warm smile.

My two girls together in one place. What can be better than this?

Sinking into the mattress, I snuggle up against Kennedy and pull her into my arms. Roxie sits up just enough to move back into her position next to Kennedy.

“What’s the matter, babe?” I whisper into her ear, taking it in my mouth to suck on the lobe.

“Mmm...” Her words die off in her throat for second before she finishes. “We need to have a serious conversation, Tyler.”

“Are you breaking up with me?” I have a hard time controlling my emotions, the word coming out like a whimper.

She peeks up at me. “No, silly, I love you, and I am not going anywhere. But I have something I need to tell you.” Pushing herself up with her palm, she looks me square in the eyes.

Nervous, I reach out for her hand to give it a quick squeeze. “Tell me before I have a heart attack over here. The suspense is killing me.”

Without preparing me for what is about to come, she mutters, “I’m pregnant.”

Two words I never thought I would hear for a very long time, two words that ruined my life and my relationship with Payton. Two words that could ruin what I have with Kennedy. I have no idea how to process the information, all of my emotions hitting me at once. While I am happy, I cannot deny I am a little sad, the pain of the last pregnancy all too real and present in my life.

“You’re planning to keep the baby, right?”

Please say yes. I cannot go through the heartbreak another time.

She grins so wide I already know the answer. “Yes.”

That’s all I need to hear before my lips crash against hers, my tongue slipping inside her mouth. My tears run down my face as I kiss her, and I can taste the saltiness of them as I run my fingers through her hair, consumed by each kiss. I love this woman and our child growing inside her stomach, and I don’t even know him or her yet.

I break away from her long enough to wipe the tears streaming down her face with my hand. She does the same to me because I am a fucking wreck right now. After all the years of wanting a child and wishing things were different, I have another chance with the woman I love.

“Thank you, Ken,” I say, stroking her jaw with my fingers. “You are everything,” I reach down and touch her stomach over her shirt, “this baby is everything, and you have made me the happiest man. My life was nothing but hockey and sadness before I met you. Now I have something too valuable to lose.”

“I love you, too.” She’s crying so hard that her body is shaking. At least they’re happy tears. “We’re having a baby, Tyler. Can you believe this? We’re going to be parents.”

“We should get married,” I tell her and I mean it.

“I don’t want you to propose just because I’m pregnant. I want you to do it because you cannot live another day without me and have to make me your wife.”

“You are it for me, babe. And unfortunately for you, you are now stuck with me. I don’t want to spend another second without you.”

She giggles. “I want to be stuck with you, too.”

“I love you, Kennedy.” I kiss her softly on the lips, giving her a quick peck. “I’m serious. I want to marry you.”

“I love you, too. But ask me in a few months when I’m all fat and grouchy and sending you out to the store at midnight for pints of ice cream.”

“Are you turning me down?” I am shocked but also not surprised because this is typical for Kennedy.

“No. All I’m saying is that I would like for you to wait until the time is right.”

“Now is a bad time?”

“Yup. Let’s wait and see what the doctor says before we go planning a wedding. I called Dr. Stone on my way home. We have an appointment tomorrow to have blood work done to confirm the pregnancy.”

“So, it’s not a definite.” I am so confused.

“I took three pregnancy tests, and all of them were positive. I doubt they were all wrong.”

“We’re going to have a whole team of kids.”

“I don’t know about all that,” she deadpans, giving me a goofy look. “You try pushing a few kids out and then we’ll talk about a team.”

I rub my nose against hers, and then kiss her lips and cheek, making my way down her neck. “Too bad we can’t make another baby right now.”

“Tyler,” she moans in my ear as I peel back the strap of her dress and plant kisses on her skin. “We can’t make another baby, but you can sure as hell make love to me.”

I stop for a second to slip my shirt over my head and throw it on the floor behind me. “That I can do.”

I’m about to push up her dress when Roxie, the Queen of the Cock Blockers, jumps up and licks my face. “Roxie,” I growl and point my hand to her doggy bed on the opposite side of the room, “go lay down. Now!”

She licks me again, this time managing to whack me in the arm with her tail in the process. “Roxie is always getting in the way of me and your pussy.”

Kennedy laughs. “If you think this is bad, imagine what it will be like when we have a baby running around, always demanding our attention.”

“Well, then I guess I better get my time in while I can.” I slide off the bed and walk toward the door, beckoning Roxie to follow me. “Sorry, girl, but you have to go find something else to do while I’m doing Mommy.”

Roxie barks at me when I move her outside the room and close the door behind. No one is interfering with what I have planned for Kennedy tonight. I want to kick off our celebration the right way—with my face shoved between her thighs.

“Did you just call me Mommy?” She smiles so wide her gums are showing.

“You bet your ass I did.”

She sits back on her elbows and stares at me. “It still sounds weird to me. I can’t believe I am going to be a mother.”

“Well, you better get used to it.” I stalk toward her, standing at the edge of the bed as I appraise her body. “Now, spread those legs for me, baby. I have nine months until this baby comes, and I plan to make the most of them.”

I push her legs open, and she moans, “Oh, Tyler. Don’t tease me just fuck me.” Her skin dots with little goose bumps as I pepper her thighs with kisses.

I lick my lips. “Bad, Mommy.”

She laughs, gripping my hair between her fingers to pull me closer.

What had started as sex between two strangers has forever changed my life, making me whole again after years of pain. There is no place I would rather be right now than with Kennedy, the woman who changed my life and gave me everything I was missing. Kennedy and the child inside her belly are my life now.

* * *

Want more of the Face-Off Series? Keep reading for the cover, synopsis, and an excerpt of DONOVAN.