It was that time of the year again. The time that hockey fans lived for—well, maybe not if your favorite team didn’t make it in.

That’s right. Playoffs had begun two weeks ago.

Did the Montreal Canadiens make it into the first round?

I entered the team box where the wives and girlfriends were gathered, waiting for the game to begin. What was Lily wearing? Her Canadiens red jersey of course—like me and everyone else.

Was I nervous being here when I didn’t know anyone?

Were flamingos pink?

“Hi,” a woman, who I hadn’t even noticed approach, said next to me. In her arms was a baby a few months older than Lily. “You must be Holly.” Then to Lily she said, “Aren’t ya just adorable?” Lily gurgled and waved her arms as if to say hi.

Or to agree that she was indeed adorable.

“I’m Emily, Sam Grainger’s wife,” the woman said. “And this is Ethan. He’s six months old. I’m guessing Lily is about three months?”

“Three months next week.”

Emily introduced me to the other wives and girlfriends—who of course all gushed over Lily. Their friendly smiles and hellos instantly put me at ease.

“How come you didn’t move here with Josh?”

Was Emily’s tone judgmental? Not at all. Like the other women with her, she was just curious—which made me relax even more.

I explained my reasons—the job and green card part. I didn’t mention the part about Josh suggesting we get married but not for the right reasons.

Even Kelsey and Erin didn’t know about what could’ve easily made it to the list for The Top Ten Ways How Not To Propose To The Woman You Love.

“I don’t blame you for feeling that way,” Emily said. “I was lucky when Sam got traded here. It wasn’t like I was giving up a great job. And I was able to make my experience work for me. I created my own online business that can be done anywhere.” Emily was a social media consultant.

Could I do something like that? I wasn’t so sure—especially with my career goals. They weren’t exactly easy to convert into something I could do online.

I know. I know. What happened to thinking outside the box?

Fortunately, I didn’t have to figure it out, at least not for now. The game was starting. The Canadiens were currently tied in the series, so tonight’s game—the final game in the series—could go either way.

Unfortunately for me, they won in overtime. Lily had long since fallen asleep in my arms but stirred at the cheering from the team’s box.

I smiled softly at her. “Hey, sweetie. Looks like Daddy won’t be coming home to us next week after all.”

Was I disappointed? Of course.

But I was also happy for Josh and his team. Because, hello? We were talking about the chance to win the most coveted trophy in the NHL.

But like anything of value—winning it came at a cost.

Eventually the women met up with their men. Careful not to disturb his sleeping daughter in my arms, Josh kissed me in the way that I loved. The way he always did whenever we hadn’t been together for so long—hard and possessive.

Once he was finished showing me how much he missed me, he glanced at Lily with the same adoring expression he always had whenever he looked at her. There was no doubt just how precious she was to him—the one girl he’d kill for.

Did you pity her future boyfriends? Yeah, me too.

“Can I hold her?”

I carefully handed her to him, doing my best not to wake her. Are you surprised she was still sleeping with how noisy the room was? It was true—babies really could sleep through almost anything.

Unless you wanted them to sleep.

Then just the tiniest of sounds woke them up.

“Did you want to go out with the team to celebrate?” I’d overheard his teammates discussing where they were going after this.

Did you see that? The hesitation?

That was because there was no hesitation when he shook his head. “The only person I want to celebrate with tonight is you.” He kissed my jaw, his new beard riling me up.

Yes, he was sporting a playoff beard—in all its sexy glory.

And in case you didn’t know, oral sex when the guy has a beard is pretty damn amazing.

“You sure?” I asked.

“Very sure.”

Sam slapped him on the back. “Man, she really has you pussy whipped.”

“Hey, I haven’t seen my girls in a month,” Josh said. “But I promise when we win the next series, I’ll be chugging beer alongside you guys.”

Emily rolled her eyes at her husband, then to me said, “Any man who puts you ahead of everything else is a real keeper. And don’t let my dum…”—her gaze dropped to the sleeping six-month-old in her arms—“my wonderful husband tell you otherwise.”

We returned to Josh’s hotel suite soon after, where I got Lily settled in the playpen in the living room, then joined Josh in the bedroom. Normally he was restless after a game. After a series win? Well, I was surprised he wasn’t bouncing on the bed.

But instead of joining him on the king-sized bed, I stood at the end of it and swayed my hips side-to-side, erotic dancer style. Jazz music played in my head.

My hips still moving, I slowly unbuttoned the waistband of my jeans, and equally slowly inched the zipper down. Josh ran the tip of his tongue against his lower lip—and I immediately relived in my mind a few choice moments when he had used that talented tongue on my girlie parts.

I almost moaned at the memory.

I shimmied my jeans down my legs, leaving Josh practically panting. I stepped out of them, so all I had left on were my underwear and Canadiens jersey.

I winked at him and could’ve sworn his eyes grew darker.

Seduction is power, ladies—never forget it.

With the music still playing in my head, I inched the hem of my jersey up my body. I’d lost a bunch of weight since Josh had last seen me. Turned out, breastfeeding was the best diet ever. But unlike with most diet plans, my breasts weren’t the first to go.

They were still impressive.

And based on the way Josh licked his lower lip when I gave him a peek at them, I’d say he had no complaints with what he saw.

I tugged the jersey over my head and dropped it to the floor. Then I crawled over to Josh on the bed. “One of us is a little overdressed here,” I said, unfastening the hook on his trousers. “Let me help you out.”

I unzipped them and pulled them down his legs. His cock strained against the fabric of his briefs. Yes—someone was very eager for what was coming next.

After neatly folding his trousers, I placed them on the end of the bed. I then straddled his hips, and began slipping the buttons of his dress shirt through the holes. Now, if I were a guy, this is where my patience would’ve been sorely tested. And an alpha hero? He would’ve ripped those buttons off in one easy move.

Don’t doubt it for a second.

But while Josh wasn’t going all-romance-hero on me, his level of patience was wearing thin. He lifted his hips and grounded his hard length against my clit. Oh. God. My panties grew wetter, my body betraying its impeding impatience.

I quickly finished unbuttoning his shirt. He removed it and tossed it to the floor. I leaned down and took his nipple into my mouth. Josh groaned—and girl power saluted me.

I sucked and teased the hardening nub with my tongue, relishing each erotic sound Josh made, each demanding movement of his body. After I’d had my fun with the first nipple, I moved over to the other one and treated it to the same level of attention.

Josh continued squirming under me, his hands moving all over my body. In my hair. Down my back. Cupping my breasts. Grabbing hold of my arse.

Once I was finished teasing him, I sat back, pressing my clit against him. It whispered for me to rub it along his hard length—to make my core happy. To give it a chance to sing an impressive round of hallelujahs that left angels weeping with envy.

Ignoring my clit’s pleas, I shifted off Josh and removed his underwear. The moment his cock was freed, it sprung up, enticing me, a drop of desire on its tip.

I licked it off, then took the head into my mouth, and flicked my tongue across the sensitive part. Josh hissed.

I sank my head lower, taking more of him into my mouth. I cupped his balls in my hand and gave them a light squeeze as I sucked his cock. Josh groaned and I continued cupping him while bobbing my head up and down.

“I’m going to blow my load any second,” Josh said, voice strained.

Remember what I said about seduction was power? Well, so was this.

I released him from my mouth and grinned at him. “Blow away.” I returned to what I was doing, and a moment later he did exactly as promised.

I greedily swallowed, then lay on the bed next to him as he recovered.

“Christ, now I’m really glad I didn’t go with the guys,” he murmured, and I laughed softly.

Then he proceeded to show me what I could expect a lot more of once he returned to San Francisco for the summer.

* * *

The room was still dark when I woke up to Lily’s whimper through the open door. Josh was still asleep next to me. Was it just me who thought he looked sinfully hot while he slept?

If it weren’t for Lily, I could’ve seen if he was ready for sexy times #4 for the night.

That’s right for those of you doing the math. The fourth time.

Jealous?

I grabbed my phone from the nightstand and went to join Lily.

“Hey, sweetie, you hungry?” I scooped her up and carried her over to the couch. I had just switched her to the other breast when my phone rang. What the hell? Who would be calling me in the middle of the night?

Oh. Right. Simon.

I picked up my phone and my heart almost tripped over itself at the number. Mum?