Chapter Eighteen
From the texts of Brendan Daniels and Laura Collins
One month later…
Brendan: That’s it. I’m quitting.
I’m retiring at the end of the season.
I can’t stand being away from you this long.
Laura: LOL. You are not quitting. You’re killing it.
You’re averaging two points a game since you left on this road trip.
Brendan: I don’t care. I miss you.
Laura: Yes, you do care. And think of what your performance means for all the other thirty-something men in the league. You’re showing them that you don’t have to start sucking at hockey just because you’re old and cranky.
Brendan: I’m going to spank you for that when I get home.
Laura: Promises, promises…
My parents are out of town from Christmas Day through New Year’s Eve, remember? So no overnight babysitting until the party at Justin’s place.
Brendan: Another reason to quit and move to a city that isn’t experiencing a nanny shortage. I need to do filthy, loud things to you all night long as soon as possible, Freckles. Five nights alone, with nothing to do but fantasize about all the ways I could be fucking you if I weren’t freezing my ass off in western Canada, has me on edge.
Laura: I miss you, too. I never realized I could be both lonely and exhausted from not having a second to myself at the same time, lol.
Brendan: Is Chloe giving you hell? I can talk to her.
Or get her grandparents to pick her up Friday after school so you can have a break. I was worried a week on your own might be too much. I’m sorry.
Laura: Don’t apologize! We’re fine. We’re having fun.
She’s just seven and full of energy, and I’m twenty-seven and a workaholic who’s never taken care of a kid for more than twenty-four hours straight. So we’re hitting a few bumps, but nothing we can’t handle. And if I get in a serious bind with work, my mom has offered to help out.
But I kind of want to see if we can make it on our own, you know?
We’re moving in together after the holidays are over. It’s probably time for me to get my feet wet as a full-time caregiver.
Brendan: I’m still looking for help. I put another inquiry in with the nanny agency last week. I don’t expect you to handle all the childcare when you have a full-time job, too.
Laura: But my full-time job doesn’t take me out of town almost every week. And usually Chloe is a total angel. She’s just been testing her limits, so I had to be the bad guy for the first time tonight. I sent her to bed with no dessert, so she didn’t want me to tuck her in. I got to tuck her stuffed animals in, all twenty-five of them, but not the princess herself.
Brendan: Ugh. What did she do?
Laura: Just yelled at me a little.
She wanted to stay out and play in the snow some more with her friends, but I made her come in and take a bath before we sat down for dinner. We were eating late and I didn’t want to rush the bath after.
So basically I was a nightmarish hell-beast with a cold ball of ice for a heart who feasts upon the tender flesh of childhood dreams.
I totally deserved to be yelled at.
Brendan: I know I shouldn’t laugh, but…
Laura: It’s okay. You can laugh. I was the same way as a kid. I realize I’m getting a much-deserved taste of my own medicine, but…
I don’t know. It still bummed me out. I like being the sweet, fun one, while you bring down the hammer.
Brendan: That’s fine. I don’t mind being the bad guy.
I like it when you’re sweet and fun, too.
Sweet and fun and naked, preferably…
Laura: We’re going to do this again, aren’t we?
We’re like addicts, Brendan. We seriously can’t stop ourselves, can we?
Brenda: Why should we stop? When not stopping is so much more fun…
Laura: But what if someone hacks into your computer while we’re Skyping and records us? And then the sex tape goes viral because you’re famous and the entire world sees me naked and talking dirty to you and I’m never able to show my face in public again? Things like that happen, you know.
Brendan: No one is going to hack into my computer. I’m the most boring person on the team. Who wants to hack an old, cranky, single dad?
Laura: Um, lots of people, because you’re smoking hot, especially when you’re wearing jeans and nothing else.
God, I really can’t wait to see you in jeans and nothing else, babe.
I’m going to have to exert a serious amount of willpower to keep from dragging you up to my childhood bedroom and having my way with you on my twin bed as soon as you step through the door on Saturday.
What time does your plane land?
Brendan: Noon, so I should be at your parents’ place no later than two.
That’s good, right?
Laura: Yes. Party is from two to five, and I’ll bring the presents for the Secret Santa thing. You drew Jus, so I got him a gift certificate to that yarn store he likes and a case of seasonal lagers. He’ll be able to drink and crochet at the same time. You’ll be his hero.
Brendan: I’d rather be your hero. I wish I could come home right now, give you a massage, and let you sleep in tomorrow while I take care of getting Chloe to school. I’ll text her tomorrow and remind her to be extra nice to you.
Laura: Don’t do that. I don’t want her to be extra nice.
I want her to be the good kid she usually is most of the time and know that I love her when she’s a brat, too.
Brendan: I love you. Have I told you that yet, today?
Laura: I think you did, but I never get tired of hearing it.
I love you, too, and I can’t wait to see you on Saturday.
Brendan: Or you could log into Skype and see me now…
I already took off my shirt, but I’m still wearing my jeans…
Laura: Brendan…
Brendan: But I might not be wearing them for long. I’m so hard from imagining you sitting there, texting me in nothing but tiny panties and one of those T-shirts you wear to bed that things are starting to get uncomfortable.
Laura: How uncomfortable?
Brendan: “I’m going to have to get my cock out soon and fuck my hand while I think of you” uncomfortable. Though I would prefer to see your pretty face while I do it. And your fingers slipping between your legs and your pussy getting wet because you love watching me jerk off while you touch yourself.
Laura: Jesus…
Let me lock the door and I’ll be right back, you shameless pervert.
Brendan: *smiley face emoji*
I’ll be waiting…