Chapter 22

We’d made it to the next round of the playoffs, beating the Pens in five games. It was a sweet win. First year as a brand-new team, and not only had we made the playoffs, but we’d advanced to round two. Washington was our next opponent.

We had a couple of days of downtime before our next game and decided to kick back at Chelsea’s for the afternoon. You’re up, dickhead. Karen smacked Cage just as he was putting a Kit Kat in his mouth, causing it to fall to the floor. His chocolate addiction was so fierce, he even gave his wife a murderous look, although at her raised eyebrows he turned back to me. “Sorry.” He spoke the words, but gave me the finger out of Karen’s viewing area. She knew him too well and slapped his head again. I loved that woman almost as much as my own.

Five ball in the corner pocket, dbag. Cage gestured to Karen to smack me as well, but she just laughed and walked off to join the rest of the girls.

I missed my shot, but Cage didn’t make a move to take his next one. What?

He gestured to my shirt pocket. Give it to me.

What? No. He’d given me a Kit Kat when we came in, and I hadn’t eaten it yet. You lost yours. I didn’t.

Give me the Kit Kat, Eriksson. I’m not kidding.

He really wasn’t. Amazing. I think you need to find a twelve-step program, my friend. I took it out of my pocket, unwrapped it, and stuck the whole thing in my mouth.

I can’t believe you just did that.

Jennie stopped to watch us on the way back to the table from the bar. “Are you two seriously fighting over a Kit Kat? Get over it. I can’t even drink a glass of wine, and you’re upset about a friggin’ Kit Kat.” She shook her head in disgust and went on her way, handing Karen a beer while she sipped on a glass of water with lemon.

Mood swings? Cage asked it with a smirk.

You could say that. She can’t help it.

A few more months of that, and I’ll bet you won’t be defending her. Care to wager on it, friend?

I’d defend Jennie until the end. It wasn’t her fault she lost control of her emotions now and then. She was doing a great job of carrying our child. So what if she got a little snippy from time to time? It didn’t bother me. I’m not betting against my wife.

Come on, chicken. A case of Kit Kats against a case of whatever shitty beer you drink.

Just then, I saw Jennie get up and slam her water down in disgust. I put my pool stick down, but Karen waved me off when Jennie was busy wiping at her shirt. She just spilled her water and is madder than a hornet’s nest.

Cage raised his eyebrow. How about a case of Kit Kats and thousand bucks?

We’re not doing this.

As it went, the rest of the day Jennie was as sweet as pie. Maybe I wasn’t going to make it until the end.

***

“Hey, babe.” I’d just gotten home from a light practice and found Jennie in her usual spot at her desk, working. I was cautious with my words, as I was never sure which Jennie I was going to get. Until she answered my greeting, I said no more. Today was a good day.

“Hi there.” She had that look in her eyes that meant I was getting lucky. Pregnancy had ramped up her sexual appetite, and I wasn’t ashamed to say that I took every advantage of it. The predatory look she gave me had my cock stirring before she’d done anything other than continue to sit in her chair. She crooked a finger at me. “Come here.”

I gave her a hungry look, letting her see how much I wanted her too. “Yes, sweet Jennie?” Her hands went to my waist and pulled me closer, telling me without words that we weren’t gently making love. I normally liked to take my time, and for her to do the same, but quick and fierce worked just as well.

She made short work of the button and zipper on my jeans. One quick tug brought my briefs down just far enough for her to free me. I was only semi-hard when my cock was swallowed up in one greedy pull. “Ah, sweet Jesus.”

My fingers speared through her hair, cradling her head like I knew she craved. Her mouth moved over me again and again, building up the tension in my body. She slowed her movements and kept up a steady rhythm. Every once in a while, she’d stop and simply run her tongue up the underside of my cock from base to tip, sucking the head in at the end, making me buck into her for more.

“That’s it. Oh, yeah.” Her lips stayed loosely wrapped around the tip of my cock as her tongue flicked out with swirling laps. She looked up at me while she slowly slid her way down to the base. I loved it when she watched me watching her. I was so deep; I couldn’t go any further. She kept eye contact with me for several long minutes as she continued to envelop me in her sweet mouth. It was almost more than I could take.

Somewhere in my lust-soaked mind, it suddenly hit me that we were in view of anyone who might walk down the street. With the warmer weather, the beachfront town we lived in wasn’t quite as empty as it had been even a few weeks ago. “You know, someone could see us.” She sucked a little more forcefully and nodded her head.

She did me in. I was going to come. I didn’t want to yet, but it was inevitable. My hand slammed down on the desk as I fought for control over my body. “Jennie, let me take you to bed.”

This time she shook her head no, and continued her onslaught of my cock. Who was I to argue? “Then don’t stop.” She didn’t. “A little faster now, sweetheart.” She listened so well. “Jesus, that’s so good. I’m coming!”

She let me take my time, pumping into her with each jet of cum. Her hand gently cupped my balls as my body continued to spasm and tingle. Finally emptied, I stopped thrusting, but she didn’t release me. It was one of the best parts of Jennie’s blow jobs: her tongue and lips turned excruciatingly gentle while I came down from my orgasmic high.

She looked right at me as she licked her lips and carefully tucked my fading hard-on back into my briefs. “Do you want lunch now?”

“You bet your ass I do.” I bent down and picked her up off the chair, carrying her to bed. I had so much “lunch” that my tongue was still sore later that evening. Best meal ever.

Jennie

I slipped off to sleep after Magnus was done with me. I was a lucky woman to have a man whose sole desire was to please me in and out of bed. And oh, God, what a good job he did. After he’d made me come the first time, I finished undressing him and rode him hard until he yelled out my name, making me clench around him again as delicious shudders racked my body.

Tonight marked the first game against the Caps in the playoffs. I wasn’t sure how the Breakers were going to do, as Washington had about owned them during the regular season, but playoffs were different. If the Breakers won that first matchup, it would go a long way to boosting their confidence.

Izzy and I were going to the game, and I couldn’t wait. I had to work afterward, but I didn’t mind. Interviews were easy since we weren’t allowed to stray too much from the usual questions, although I tried to make them a bit more interesting.

“Are you girls going with me, Jennie?” I’d thought about it, but I didn’t feel like leaving so early. I could catch a few more winks of sleep if we drove ourselves.

“No. We’ll go a little later, okay?”

He walked over to the bed and sat down, buttoning up his required suit shirt. I ran my hand down his back, appreciating the hard muscles he had everywhere.

“You sure? I can get you girls into the suite.”

“No, that’s okay. I want to lie here for a little longer. Izzy can drive and then I’ll go home with you after I’m done with my interviews.” I ran my hand down his back again, getting ideas of making him late. He must have seen the look in my eyes, because he got up off the bed.

“I can’t, Jen. It’s not that I don’t want to.” He licked his lips as his eyes roamed down my body that was half sticking out of the covers. “Oh, I really do.”

He reached out a hand to run it over my belly, which at five months was more than a mere baby bump. “You’re so beautiful.” He lowered his head to place a kiss on my belly as he whispered, “Fire in your heart, little one.”

I made one last-ditch effort to make him late, which I knew was wrong, but my hormones won out. The sheet slithered down as I sat up in bed and kicked it away. I ran a finger around my breasts, over my stomach, and touched my clit, watching his eyes follow the whole way.

“You’re killing me.” He looked at the clock on the bedside table. “It’s going to have to be quick.”

“I’m good with quick, and I’ll give you an extra protein bar to eat on the way.” I spread myself out like a sacrifice.

“This is my third time today, sweetheart. Up on your knees.” He always took me from behind when we had a lot of sex without enough time in between.

“Gladly.”

He smacked my bottom as I enthusiastically took up one of my favored positions. His cock rubbed against me getting harder every second. I reached down and rubbed myself, moaning at the sensitivity. It was enough.

He gripped a fistful of my hair, pulling my head back when he entered me. “Is this what you want, sweet Jennie?”

I rocked back against him in answer. I’d never been so voracious. It was one of the more pleasurable side effects of pregnancy. “More.” He gave me more.

By the time we both dove over the edge into ecstasy-induced bliss, Magnus was a sweaty mess. He laughed as he pulled out of me, ending as we’d started by smacking my ass again. “You’re incorrigible, Mrs. Eriksson.”

I flipped over onto my back, not even having the energy to get up. “I think you’re confusing incorrigible with insatiable.”

He smiled, looking down at his wrinkled and wet shirt. “I guess I’m getting changed. Don’t have time to take another shower, though.”

I might have felt guilty if I hadn’t fallen back to sleep.

“Hey, don’t miss the game.”

I pointed to the clock, hoping he realized I set the alarm. This being pregnant thing was tiring.

***

“Come on! Is that ref blind?” Izzy and I sat in the first row of a catered suite right on the blue line. They were incredible seats, and more importantly, the food was fabulous. We even had Philly cheesesteaks at our disposal. I’d already had one.

“Right? If that was boarding than I’m the goddamn Easter Bunny!” The Caps were beating us. It was only by one goal, but there wasn’t usually a lot of scoring in playoff games. It only took one goal.

“Fucking power play. Great!” We were down a man and Ovie was on the ice. I didn’t like the guy, but he sure had one hell of a shot. To add insult to injury, it was Mags who was in the penalty box. He’d been spending quite a bit of time in there lately.

Izzy gripped my hand as the Caps went barreling down toward Cage. “Cage won’t let them score again.” Ovie got a shot off directly toward Cage’s weak spot. “Jesus, watch your corners, Booker!”

“Denied!” His shot went high and wide.

With only four minutes to go in the third period, this power play was a real nail-biter. If the Caps scored here, it would be next to impossible to overcome a two-goal deficit with so little time to go, but if the Breakers could hold them off, all we needed was one goal to go into overtime.

The penalty clock dwindled down to seconds as Cage slapped the ice with his stick, signaling the end of the power play was near. Magnus was up and ready to leave the box. Unfortunately, there was no Hail Mary pass to give him a scoring chance as he hit the ice.

The guys made a line change with less than a minute left. Coach Martin pulled Cage off the ice, and the Breakers got an extra player but lost their goalie.

O’Dell had been playing mad minutes, but he was our captain so it was expected. He was breathing hard when he came back on, but that didn’t slow him down any.

Rio checked Torts into the wall, causing Washington to lose the puck. There were less than twenty seconds left on the clock now. They had to make a move.

Bucknell called for the puck. At five foot seven and one hundred and sixty pounds, he was the smallest player on our team. Instead of being a hindrance, it made him quick and sneaky. He skated around the net once with the puck and then again. From behind the net, leaving no room for error, he wrapped his stick around the post, trying to jam the puck in—and it worked.

“Oh, my God! Did you freaking see that?” We all high-fived each other in the suite—those we knew and those we didn’t. “What a play.”

“Is all this excitement okay for my niece?” Izzy worried about the baby almost as much as Magnus did.

“The doctor said I had no restrictions. Aside from alcohol, watch the caffeine…”

“Fine, but stop bouncing around so much. She might not like that.”

“Yes, dear.” Overtime was just getting started and I had to pee. I peed a lot more often now. That was one of the negatives.

While I was in the bathroom, I heard massive amounts of cheering. The Breakers had won the game and Magnus scored the winning goal. I’d missed it and burst into tears. Uncontrollable hormones—another negative of pregnancy. It was his thirty-fifth goal of the season, and that was a hell of a lot of goals for a defenseman.

Izzy laughed at me but pulled me in tight. “Oh, honey. Don’t worry about it. You’ll see him play again.” I could tell she was still laughing by the way her body shook. “Whoa, what was that?”

I pushed her away and wiped my nose on my sleeve. “Holy shit. I think the baby just kicked.”

“Well damn, I felt that! Do it again.” She rubbed my arm, stopping short of the part I used on my nose.

I laughed, feeling another flutter in my stomach. “I can’t make her do it on demand.”

“Try.”

“Izzy!”

“Okay, fine.” She put a finger to her lips. “I’ve heard sometimes babies will kick when you eat. Let’s get you a nice, big bowl of that pasta, okay?”

Food. “I could eat.”

“Of course you could. Come on.”

***

Not bad for an old man, huh?

Mags was talking about his goal that I’d missed. I almost started crying again. I had to find a way to get control of my errant hormones. Especially in the locker room when I was working, but right now I had to get his hand on my belly.

Since I’d eaten—entirely too much pasta and possibly a piece of cake—my little girl had been pretty active. I’d been feeling flutters off and on in the past week, but I didn’t say anything to anyone because they were few and far between. But now it was a different story. At least tonight it was.

So I heard. You did great, babe. Nice first win! I guess you’re definitely in the interview lineup tonight, huh? I didn’t see Jackson, so Magnus was speaking to the reporters tonight. He didn’t always, because when it grew loud in there, as it usually did, Magnus couldn’t tell if he was speaking up enough.

His eyebrows slanted downward. What do you mean, you heard? You didn’t see it?

I pointed to my stomach. Not my fault. Your daughter almost made me pee my pants. If it makes you feel better, I promptly burst into tears when I found out what I’d missed, and because I felt her move for the first time.

What? Of course that doesn’t make me feel better. Not caring that we were in a room full of dirty, sweaty athletes and reporters, he put his huge paws on my belly, covering the whole thing. “Make her do it again.”

I couldn’t help but laugh. “Geez, Izzy said the same thing.”

“Did she feel it?”

I wanted to lie to him. I knew he wanted to be the first one to feel the baby move, but life didn’t always give us exactly what we wanted. “Yeah. She was hugging me, because I cried when I missed your goal.”

“Aw, sweetheart. That’s no big deal. We can watch the highlights later tonight. Then you can see how awesome I was.” He gave me that cocky smirk that I swore he’d learned from Cage. “And you’ll sit in front of me so I can keep my hands on your belly.”

No sooner had he said the words than the baby kicked. He dropped to his knees right there on the filthy locker room floor. The only sounds I heard were shutters clicking. My big, strong man had tears in his eyes when he looked up at me. “Thank you.”

Although I was touched beyond words, I couldn’t cover my mouth fast enough to hide my yawn. It was late and I wanted my bed, but first things first. “You’re welcome.” I pulled him up to stand, but his hands went right back to my belly. “I think we’ve given the rest of the reporters quite enough for the night, don’t you? Let’s get on with the interview portion of the evening.”

“Let’s not. Go do what you have to do with the other players. I’ll give you an exclusive when we get home, okay?”

That was an excellent idea. One down…