Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 88895 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 444(@200wpm)___ 356(@250wpm)___ 296(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88895 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 444(@200wpm)___ 356(@250wpm)___ 296(@300wpm)
Surprise stumbles his lips apart.
“You didn’t deserve the cheap shots I slapped.”
“Agreed.”
“That outburst wasn’t not not about you…but it wasn’t totally not not about you.” The sight of his eyebrows lifting encourages me to continue. “I see the women that constantly throw themselves at you or that you’re photographed with or rumored to be dating and they look exactly like most of the women in the league who are married to players and knowing I don’t look like that or that I’ll ever look like that and that I’ll ever fit in with them just got the better of me. And instead of rationally trying to explain it, I went on the D. Set myself up to take the penalty versus letting you see how much the idea of being left because I’m not like that scares me.”
“You always choose the hard route,” leaves him a mirthful tone.
“Not always.”
“Always.”
“Not not always.”
“See.” He lightly chortles. “It’s in your nature to constantly be on the defensive to the point being on the offensive is so uncomfortable that you will go out of your way just to return to the defensive even if it means locking me out of my own home.”
“That’s not…not…true.”
“Again,” the stuffed animal is placed on the double sink counter near what’s become his side, “you illustrate my point.” Tanner adoringly plants his palms on my hips. “I choose you, Arden.” The flexing of his fingers traps me in place. “And I’ll always choose you. Over bunnies. Over contracts. Over good press. Over hockey itself because you matter to me more than any of those things combined.” He cranes his face a little closer to mine. “I love you. And that will not change whether I’m in Dalvegan or Camelot or Highland or Florida or New York or Finland or Antarctica-”
“They don’t have a hockey team.”
“Not yet.” His playful waggles of his brows successfully gets me grinning. “I love you and will keep loving you and keep calling you mine whether we’re in the same city or states apart.”
“Sameskies,” comes out right above a whisper.
“However, I need you to talk to me about things and to know you truly trust me, because if you do not, then no matter how many times I say it or ways I show it, it’ll never be enough.”
There’s no stopping my fingers from gently gliding up his sweatshirt covered chest. “I do trust you.”
“Then act like it.”
The forceful response has me clamping my thighs together against my own volition.
ForFuhrsake now is so not the time for that.
Or…maybe it is?
Would it be weird to go into surgery full of him?
“Trust that you’re the only one I want wearing my number and,” Tanner unexpectedly drops himself down to one knee, “my last name.”
“Wh…wh…”
“Trust that I’m gonna do what’s best for you…” a white gold ring with an emerald surrounded by smaller diamonds is suddenly presented, “for us…” the taking of my left hand occurs next, “the same way Hennington and Blanc and our mates all trust that I’m gonna do what’s best for them.”
“I…”
“This ring,” he gingerly begins to slide it in place, “represents our relationship being the crest I am always going to be playing my best for.”
“Are you…asking me…to…marry you?”
“No.”
“No?!”
“I’m not not asking though.” Once it’s secured in its spot, our eyes meeting again. “I’m not not asking you to spend your life with me. I’m not not asking you be at my side – with our GMs blessing by the way – for awards and signings and parties and retirements and weddings. I’m not not asking you to step into the spotlight as not only my Slayer…but as my wife.” He gives my knuckles a gentle stroke. “Arden Grace Hoss…will you not not marry?”
Tears unexpectedly begin to fill my gaze on a whispered, “Yes.”
“Little louder for those in the nosebleeds, please.”
Mirth-filled laughter sends the droplets down my cheeks, “Do not make me change my answer.”
“You won’t.” He slowly rises to his feet. “And I will do everything possible to guarantee I keep this win.” His arm winds around my waist prompting my hands to fold themselves together at the nape of his neck. “Just like I’ll do everything possible to keep them in the barn.”
Our lips swiftly smash together, allowing our tongues to edaciously touch, scribbling our signatures on what is undoubtedly the deal of a lifetime for us both.
EPILOGUE
About 5 months later…
Arden
I let my tongue lazily trace the lettering of his glacies bellator tattoo while scorching hot water rushes the stretch of my spine and ass that’s being roughly grappled and bounced along the entire length of Tanner’s cock.
Henrikhavemercy…how the fuck are we supposed to ever finish house renovations if we’re rushing off to bang after each room we successfully paint?!
Never had this much shower sex in my life.
“Such a fucking beauty, babe,” groans my fiancé against the ear that once housed an aid yet no longer has to. “Especially when you’re this wet.”