Текст книги "Major Misconduct"

Автор книги: Kelly Jamieson

сообщить о нарушении

Текущая страница: 16 (всего у книги 18 страниц)

Chapter 23

She was making a complete fool of herself.

Deep breath.

Lovey sat in the stands, row one, at the end of the rink where the Aces warmed up. At the other end, the Montreal Canadiens skated. Linkin Park blasted over the sound system for the warm-up.

She clutched the rolled-up cylinder of bristol board in her hands. Waiting. There was Marc. Helmet-less, as usual in the warm-up. He stood at the blue line on the opposite side of the ice, talking to another player, then with a fast push he was off, skating. Flying, really, around behind the net, whizzing right past her, oblivious to her presence.

She needed just the right moment. Her heart tapped out a rapid rhythm and her palms dampened the thin cardboard. She wiped one, then the other, on her jeans.

This was crazy. But she was determined.

There he was, skating slower, right toward her. She bit her lip as she quickly unfurled the poster she’d made. Her heart pounded now and her hands shook as she held the edges of the poster and flattened it up on the glass, right in front of her face. She peeked around it.

He saw it. He blinked. He continued to glide toward her.

She stood so he could see her, now trembling all over. His gaze lifted from the poster to her face. He came to a slow stop right in front of her. Some kids who’d lined up against the boards started banging on the glass, calling “Marc! Marc Dupuis! Super Duper!”

Marc’s eyes flicked to them and he flashed a brief smile, but his gaze snapped back to her. She gave him a tentative smile.

He set a gloved hand on the Plexiglas right in front of her. She laid her palm there. The poster curled up, released from her hold.

Their eyes met and held, people and noise all around them, kids banging on the glass, loud music, skates scraping across ice, sticks slapping pucks. It was so not romantic.

“Really?” he said.

She nodded.

“Lovey.” He grinned and shook his head. “Now? Really?”

She gave him a shaky smile back.

Some of the other players had noticed and were looking at them. She lifted her chin. “Get back to your warm-up.”

“I’ll find you after the game. Don’t leave the arena.”

She nodded, her heart climbing into her throat and lodging there as she clumsily rolled up the poster and took her seat. The kids and people sitting near her were shooting her curious glances, but Marc distracted them by flicking a couple of pucks over the glass for them to catch and keep. They jumped up and down with excitement.

One little girl in a tiny Aces jersey came up to her. “What does your poster say?”

Lovey sucked in her bottom lip. “I’ll show you.” She unrolled it.

“ ‘I love you, Marc Dupuis,’ ” the little girl read aloud. She lifted her eyes to Lovey. “I love him too!”

Lovey grinned. Her heart expanded fast and hard against her breastbone and she sniffled a little.

“And he talked to you,” the girl said. “I’m gonna make a poster like that next time!”

“You should totally do that.” Lovey nodded seriously.

Now she had to sit through the whole game, nerves twisting inside her, waiting to find out what he thought of her crazy gesture, waiting to find out if he could forgive her, if there was any hope for them.

–

Marc managed to keep his shit together through the game. It took some determination, but he turned distraction into a positive. Knowing Lovey was there watching made him want to make her proud. He wanted to impress her.

As if it was the first time she’d ever seen him play.

But it was the first time she’d seen him play after telling him she loved him. His chest swelled at that thought but he also had to laugh. Christ! What a way to tell him. And then expect him to focus on hockey.

He’d taken heat in the dressing room after the warm-up, first from Coach, who’d seen him standing at the glass talking to her, then from the guys who’d seen the sign. He didn’t give a shit. They could bug him all they wanted. They didn’t have Lovey holding up a sign that said she loved them.

He skated hard, hit hard, drove hard to the net, scored two goals, and got two assists and they pulled off another fucking win. It was sweeter at home, with the crowd behind them, going crazy. After the game, he skated up to Stoykers and bumped helmets, patted his back, then glided to center ice to circle with other players, sticks in the air, saluting their loyal fans. He found Lovey in the crowd, right up front, her beaming smile as she clapped her hands together reaching out to him like a beacon. He saluted her and then skated off to head to the dressing room.

Pumping music and an electric atmosphere filled the room. He’d never been so motivated to get out of there quickly, but Modi in Communications had lined up two interviews for him with media. Then he had to go up to the suite where the kids from Saint Joseph Hospital were tonight. He huffed out a frustrated breath.

Done with the interviews, he showered, changed into his suit, and pulled out his cellphone. He exchanged a few text messages with Lovey, instructing her to meet him on the Level B concourse. He’d take her to the suite with him. What the hell. She could hang out and see the kids and how special they were. They’d both just have to be patient.

Patient. He could be patient. Although he was all pumped and jumpy with adrenaline, not only from the game but also from Lovey’s appearance with that poster, nearly sending him to his knees on the ice. Which would have been embarrassing.

He hurried through the now nearly empty concourse, skipping the escalator for the stairs, which he took two at time. He saw her standing near an entrance, wearing a black Aces hoodie, skinny jeans, and Converse sneakers, looking almost like one of the kids who’d been banging on the glass during the warm-up. She was still holding the crazy poster, rolled up under her arm.

She saw him approach and took a couple of steps toward him. He nearly ran at her, eating up the floor in long strides. He stopped right in front of her and drank in the sight of her beautiful face, her green-and-gold eyes, golden freckles, pretty mouth, her shimmery red-gold hair hanging in waves around her shoulders. “Fuck, Lovey.”

Then he couldn’t stop himself from grabbing her. The poster fell to the floor with a hollow bounce as he crushed her up against him, one hand sliding into her hair and pressing her face against his chest. He breathed in through his nose, eyes closed, working for control. She smelled like cupcakes.

His bathroom had been bare and empty the last few days. No bottles of scented shower gel, no pink shavers and poufy scrubbers. He hated it.

He missed her like hell.

“What happened?” he growled. “Why? Why’d you do that?”

“I’ve been so stupid,” she mumbled into his chest. “I needed some way to really show you…I mean it. In front of fifty thousand people.”

He laughed. “The arena only holds twenty thousand, and it was the warm-up. There weren’t even twenty thousand people there.”

“Shut up. You know what I mean.”

“Yeah. Fuck, yeah.”

He let her head go and framed her face with both hands. “I love you too.”

Her bottom lip quivered and her eyes got shiny. “Thank God.”

He smiled and rubbed her lip with his thumb. “Were you worried?”

“Yes. I…I hurt you.” She blinked. “Duncan told me you loved me. He said I hurt you. I felt horrible. It hurt me to think about that. And I realized…I love you too. But I wasn’t sure if you’d forgive me.”

“Aw, baby. I’ve been thinking too this week. Thinking that maybe I let you down. Figuring that you’re worth fighting for. Figuring out a way to have another chance with you. To do better.”

“You didn’t let me down.” She frowned. “How could you say that?”

“Can we talk more later? I have a bunch of guests in the suite I need to go say hi to and get some pictures taken with.”

“Oh. Of course!”

“Come with me. It’ll be fun.”

“Is that okay?”

“Sure. It’s my suite.”

He took her hand and led the way. He was pretty sure he’d never done that—held her hand. It was nice.

She rocked in the suite with the kids. He knew she would. She smiled and charmed them all, helped with pictures and autographs, heard some of their stories. He always got so much from these times, and he did tonight too, but had to selfishly admit he wanted to be done and out of there so he could be with Lovey. But he saw she was getting something out of it too, and so were the kids. So he could wait.

“We’ll go to your place,” he decreed after. “I want to see it. Plus we’ll have privacy.”

“It’s not anything special. I haven’t had a chance to do much with it, and it’s too crowded with all my furniture.”

“Is there a bed?”

“Um…well, it’s on its side against the wall. I’ve been sleeping on my couch.”

He shot her a horrified look. “That’s no good.”

“We can get the bed down, but there won’t be room to move.”

“We’ll figure it out.”

She gave him directions. He found a parking spot on the street, then set his hand on the small of her back as she led the way into the building and to her third-floor apartment.

He looked around once inside. Duncan hadn’t been lying. It was painfully small. Of course, after his spacious condo, anything would be, but seriously…a studio? It didn’t even have a bedroom.

“I’m going to paint this weekend,” she said. “So I haven’t put anything on the walls yet.”

She bit her lip and lowered her chin.

“It’s nice, Lovey. Just small.”

“I’m getting a futon. I picked it out and it’s being delivered this weekend too. I sold the couch. They’re coming to get it tomorrow. But I’m probably going to have to pay someone to take the bed away.”

“We’ll take it back to Army’s place. He can store it in that bedroom for you.”

“Oh. That would be great.”

“I’ll help you tomorrow.”

“Well, I need the bed for one more night after they take the couch.” She sighed. “This has all been a lot of work. But it’s my place. Um. Have a seat.” She gestured to the couch, the mattress wedged on its side against the wall behind it.

He took off his suit jacket and draped it over an armchair and loosened his tie as he sat. As she went to sit, he pulled her onto his lap, tucking her in against him. Perfect. She fit perfect.

“You moved out early.”

“Yeah. I didn’t think I should stay. I’d made such a mess of everything.”

“I told you before, it wasn’t all your fault.”

“It was. Like Duncan said…what Lovey wants, Lovey gets. I didn’t think of the consequences. I just went after what I wanted—which was you—thinking we would just have some fun. I knew you were worried about Duncan finding out, but I did it anyway. And then when it happened, he found out, you guys were fighting and…and hurting each other. I was so afraid I’d wrecked your friendship.”

“Nah. We’re good.”

“I got that from Duncan. Thank God. But he made me think about some things.” She peeked up at him from under her eyelashes. “I heard you talking to Duncan that night. After you fought.”

He frowned. “You did?”

“Yeah. I went to put some clothes on, but I heard you telling him you were serious about me. I stopped outside and eavesdropped. Which I guess is a bad thing to do, but I was…paralyzed. I thought we were fooling around and having fun. I didn’t realize how serious things had gotten. That scared the crap out of me. I’m not ready to settle down.”

“No?” His body tensed. What did that mean, exactly? She was in love with him, but…?

“I mean, I wasn’t ready.” Her smile held a hint of uncertainty. “I didn’t think I was. Crap. When Richard told me he wanted to get married and have babies right away, I panicked. No way in hell was I ready for that. The truth is…he was just the wrong guy. Because…not that I’m asking you to marry me, or anything…but I could see myself settling down with you. After I really thought about it. After I was missing you like crazy.”

“Missed you too.” He cleared his throat. “I’m not asking you to marry me either…yet…but I’m kinda glad to hear that.”

She smiled, that luminous, warm smile that melted him every time. “So I was freaked-out, thinking I never should have slept with you, I’d ruined everything. And I had to move out. I’m so sorry, Marc.” She touched his face. “I realized Duncan was right. I do have to grow up. And I guess I am spoiled. I was attracted to you. I wanted you. I wasn’t thinking about your relationship with Duncan.”

“Hey.” His arms tightened around her. “You are grown up. And you’re not spoiled. You’ve showed us that with how hard you’ve worked at your business. You don’t manipulate to get your way. You just have this way about you…that makes everyone want to give you whatever you want. I saw it with Army the day you arrived. I’ve seen it with almost everyone you meet. I’ve felt it myself. You’re just…special.”

She blinked at him, her eyelashes fluttering rapidly. “Oh wow.” She swallowed. “You do love me.”

He grinned. “You didn’t believe me?”

“I did, but…” Her voice choked up. “I was thinking about what love is. And how I could just be myself with you and let you know the real, goofy, messed-up me, and you still liked me. But really, you love me, and that’s even better. I’m babbling like an idiot.”

“No, you’re not.”

She buried her face in the side of his neck, her breathing uneven. He could tell she was fighting tears. “Marc,” she whispered. “Oh, Marc.”

He loved the sound of his name on her lips, the brush of her warm breath on his skin. He kissed the top of her head, his lips pressing against her silky hair, his arms tightening around her. Her arms came up and slid around his neck.

“When you left, it hurt even more than when Marissa dumped me,” he said quietly. “But when I thought about it, how she broke up with me because I wasn’t romantic enough, I realized it was true. I’m not. Why would you have thought I wanted more than just hot, secret sex? I never even took you on a date.”

Her head whipped up to stare at him. “You thought I was the same as Marissa? Because let me just tell you this—”

“No, no. That’s not what I meant.”

“She was a stupid bitch to break up with you,” she continued heatedly. “Although, I’m glad she did.” Her frown turned into a smile.

“No, you’re not like Marissa. Fuck no.” He shook his head. “I just meant, I get why she said that. It wasn’t her…it was me. She said I wasn’t there for her, and…I wasn’t. Not totally. It wasn’t that I wasn’t romantic enough, it was that I hadn’t cared enough to be romantic with her. But with you…I’ve been planning all week how to show you how I feel about you. I actually got hold of Jillian and asked her for help.”

“Jillian?”

“I found her on Facebook. You two are going out tomorrow night, right?”

Her brow furrowed. “Yes.”

“It’s a setup. You’re the one going out with me.”

Her mouth dropped open. “What?” Then she started to smile.

“I had to make sure you were free, so I got her in on it. I have plans for us.”

Her eyes glowed. “Oh yeah? Like what?”

“That, you’ll have to find out tomorrow night.”

“Oooh. Make me wait. Okay. But you’re going to stay here tonight, aren’t you?”

Chapter 24

“Not going anywhere,” Marc growled. “Or only if you’re with me.”

“Awesome.”

He slipped his fingers beneath her chin to turn her face up toward him and touched his lips to hers. Sweet. Soft. His.

Her eyes met his, then fluttered closed. He closed his too as he deepened the kiss, fingers sliding along her jaw. He loved her taste, had missed it so much. He licked into her mouth, found her tongue, and slid his along it. He wanted to devour her, all of her, claim her.

He angled his head to go deeper still, her breathing quickening, her hands tightening on his shoulders. Her mouth was soft and warm, sucking at him, and she made hot little sounds in her throat, pressing herself against him. He shifted her on his lap so she straddled him, picking her up and setting her down easily. Then he kissed her again, sliding his hips to the edge of the couch, slouching down so she was nearly lying on him. His hands went to her hips, then her ass in those tight jeans, while their mouths ate at each other in hot, urgent, hungry kisses. Her fingers played in his hair, making his scalp tingle, making his dick hard.

“Cherie,” he whispered. “Tu me rends fou. Complètement fou. Je t’aime.”

“Je t’aime,” she whispered back.

He tipped his head back and smiled down at her. “You’ve been learning French?”

“Maybe a little.” She gave him a saucy smile. “I could learn better from you. I still have a hard time with those ‘r’s.”

“We’ll work on it. You’ll want to speak French when we go home to Rimouski.”

“Gah!”

He smiled and opened his mouth on the side of her neck. “Don’t worry, my parents speak English.” He used his teeth there, so gently, then touched his tongue to her skin. “T’es belle, Lovey. Mon amour. Ma belle.”

She shivered and moaned. “Marc.”

He slid his hands up under the thick sweatshirt, over the smooth skin of her back, then down and into the low waistband of her jeans. Her hips pulsed against his. He didn’t want to rush this. This time was special. Important.

Once more he swept his hands up her back under the shirt, this time whisking it off. He tossed it aside. Beneath it she wore that sexy, delicate lace bra, sheer with pretty scalloped edges and a pale pink bow in the middle. He traced a fingertip along the inner curve of one breast, lingering just above the bow, then up over the other side. “Beautiful.”

She smiled and shook her hair back. Then he reached behind her to undo the bra.

“Oh yeah.”

His hands went to the button of her jeans, then the zipper, and she rose up onto her knees so he could work them down her thighs.

“This isn’t going to work,” she said breathlessly.

“Nope.” Hands on her waist, he lifted her again, one arm going around her to swing her around to sit on the couch. She gave a shocked little gasp.

He went to his knees on the floor in front of her and tugged her jeans off. Her black panties had matching little pink bows on each hip. And if he remembered correctly, another bow at the back, right at the top of her ass. So sweet and sexy.

The Converse came off with the jeans, her feet bare inside them. He stroked his hands up her legs, over thighs, then hips, then back down. He eased her legs apart, caressed the inside of her knees, making her twitch and gasp.

“Ticklish?”

“No.”

“You lie.” He bent his head and kissed her there, stringing slow, openmouthed kisses from the inside of one knee up closer to the sweet softness between her legs. Her breathing became ragged and shorter. “I like these panties too.” He hooked his fingers into the narrow ribbons at her hips and eased them down and off.

“You need to get undressed too.”

“Yes. Yes, I definitely do.” He surged to his feet. To his surprise, Lovey pushed herself up and stood too. She slipped the knot of his tie lower and lifted the loop over his head.

“I want to do this,” she murmured. “You look so sexy in your suit.” Her fingers worked the buttons of his shirt, tugging it out of his pants as she got lower. “Any bruises tonight? Sore muscles?” She pressed a kiss to his chest between the sides of his shirt.

“I always have bruises and sore muscles.”

“Oh.” She sighed. “You play so hard, Marc.”

“I’m tough.”

Her mouth curved into a sweet smile that shot straight to his heart. “Big, tough hockey player. Yeah. You pretend you’re all tough and unemotional. I know how much you care about your boys. Your team.”

He wasn’t going to deny it. She knew him better than anyone, except maybe Duncan, but then she knew him in ways Duncan didn’t.

She pushed the shirt off his shoulders, following it with her mouth, leaving hot little kisses everywhere. His skin began to burn, his cock thickening even more. And then she went to her knees in front of him to undo his belt and his pants. She rubbed her cheek over his erection through the wool fabric, a look of such pleasure on her face his heart expanded hard against his sternum.

He filtered his hands through her hair as she opened his pants, then pushed them and his boxers to the floor. His dick sprang up and she circled it with soft fingers.

“Lovey,” he breathed. “Put your mouth on me.”

“Mmm.” She complied, first licking him all over, then kissing him, then taking him inside. Sensation poured over him and pressure built deep in his balls. He tangled his fingers in her silky strands, canting his hips to gently thrust into her mouth. Not hard…just fucking her mouth a little. She moaned her approval, cupping his balls. A shiver ran down the backs of his thighs.

This was awesome, amazing…but he wanted to make love to her, to show her how he felt about her, how precious she was to him. So he groaned as he withdrew and cupped her face.

“Want to make love with you, Lovey.”

She blinked at his choice of words, then smiled. “Yes.”

He reached down and lifted her to her feet. “A bed would be nice.”

“We can—”

“No time for that. It’ll have to be the couch. For now.”

She laughed as he tugged her over to it and sat. He pulled her down too and flipped her beneath him, one foot planted on the floor, the other knee in the couch cushions. “Do I need a condom?”

She gazed up at him. “I don’t know…do you?”

He shook his head. “I’m good. I haven’t been with anyone but you in weeks and before that I always used protection.”

“You haven’t been with anyone else since we’ve been sleeping together?”

He frowned. “No. Hell no. Have you?”

She rolled her eyes. “No.”

“Good.”

“We’re both good, then. I trust you. I’m on birth control. And I would love to have you bare inside me.”

He groaned. “Love that too.” He lifted her leg that was on the inside of the couch and pushed it up, then fisted his cock and stroked it through her pussy. Yeah. Wet. So wet. What a gift. “I always want to make you this wet. Love your sweet pussy, Lovey. Ah, yeah…” He pushed into her and her walls closed around him, scalding hot, so slick without the latex. He eased in deeper and deeper, watching her face. Once fully in, he paused, his nerves stinging with pleasure, his body pulsing with the need to come.

Their eyes met, with warmth and luminescence and love. Emotion expanded in him. He set his hand between her breasts, felt her heart jumping. “I love you.”

“I love you too,” she choked out. “I really do.”

He began to move, gliding in and out, heated strokes that built the fire in his balls. Sparks sizzled up his spine. “So lucky,” he muttered. “I feel so damn lucky. You’re mine.”

The corners of her mouth tilted, but her eyes held his. “I’m yours. But I’m the lucky one.”

He came down on top of her to kiss her, his hips rocking against her, his tongue in her mouth, his cock inside her, filling her, again and again, getting lost in pleasure so deep he never wanted to stop. Her breast in his hand, her thigh around his hip, her pussy squeezing him so tight, pulled him deeper, deeper into mindless bliss. He only wanted her, ever. She moved with him as he drove into her, taking him deep and hard, just how she liked it, and he wanted to give her that. He wanted to give her everything.

The rhythm built inside him, the tingles up his spine intensifying, all the way to his scalp, until her silky heat and soft body took him over the edge, blood scalding his veins, the top of his head feeling like it was coming off. He groaned into her mouth and she pressed her hips up into him, her pussy rippling around him as she came too. She tightened her arms around him as if she never wanted to let him go, and he never wanted her to.

“Don’t ever go,” he murmured against her lips. “Don’t ever leave again.”

“I won’t.” Lovey held on tighter. “I never will. I promise.”

She couldn’t hug him tight enough, couldn’t get close enough even though they were as close as two people could possibly be with him inside her body. Tears stung her eyes and her heart worked in painful beats. Her pussy pulsed in slow aftershocks, her powerful orgasm reaching straight to her heart.

“Okay. First we had sex in a bed, then on the couch. I think we did it backwards.”

She huffed out a laugh. “You’re supposed to start on the couch?”

“Or in a car.”

She squeezed him tighter as she laughed. “We’re not teenagers.”

“True.” He lifted his head, fingers in her hair, thumb rubbing in front of her ear. His smile melted her. “Merci dieu.”

“Whenever you speak French I’m going to worry you’re saying something silly and laughing at me.”

His smile went a bit dirty. “I would never do that.”

“You seduced me by telling me you’re allergic to cats.”

His grin was unrepentant. “Hey, it worked. Does it matter what I say?”

“I liked what you were saying earlier. Je t’aime.”

He kissed her nose. “It’s true. Okay. Need to move. We’ll get cleaned up, get you into something sexy to sleep in, and move that bed down.”

He pushed up and off her, withdrawing in a wet slide that reminded her they hadn’t used a condom. She loved that. She sat and he pulled her up by the hands.

“Bathroom?”

She nodded toward the entrance, where her closet and bathroom were, and he tugged her along with him. He snagged a washcloth off a towel rack and ran the hot water until it was warm, wet the washcloth with it, then turned to her and kissed her while he stroked the warm cloth between her legs. His kisses had her blood rushing in seconds.

Then she got to watch while he used the cloth on himself, wiping his cock and balls. He dropped it to the counter and reached for a towel, which he used so gently on her and then again himself.

“Now for the sexy sleepwear,” he murmured, turning her.

She knew just the one—the apricot silk nightie she’d bought and never had a chance to wear for him. Tonight she was going to get her wish—they would sleep together all night. Finally.

And it wasn’t going to be just sexy, like she’d said. It was going to be…significant. Because it was more than sex. And it was more than sleeping. It was intimate and trusting and…okay, “sacred” might be too strong a word. They weren’t exchanging marriage vows. But this was special and important.

And still sexy.

She slipped the silk nightie on, smoothing the lace edge on her thighs, and looked at Marc.

“Oh yeah. That’s what I’m talking about.”

She dipped her chin, smiling. “Glad you like it.”

He reached for her waist. “The only time I saw what you sleep in, it was a skimpy top and little shorts.”

“That is what I usually sleep in. What’s wrong with that?”

“Not a thing. Except that when I saw you in it, I developed a massive hard-on.”

She laughed. “Oh good.”

He gave her butt a little swat that surprisingly made her pussy tingle. “Tease. You were totally teasing me, walking around in that, weren’t you?”

“I was not. Well. I knew you were looking. And I wanted you to look. And…” She fluttered her eyelashes, letting herself be honest and vulnerable. “I wanted you to like what you saw.”

“I definitely did.”

They shoved the couch practically into her kitchen and wrestled the mattress and box spring down to the floor. Lovey found sheets and together they stretched the fitted one over the mattress, then arranged the top sheet and duvet she’d been using on the couch. She added a couple of pillows and turned out the lights, and they climbed in.

It was crazy. They were crammed into her tiny apartment, with boxes she still hadn’t unpacked, too much furniture, bare walls…but it felt beautiful. She snuggled into him as she had so many times, as usual sighing with pleasure at the feel of his body against hers, the heat of him, the roughness of the hair on his skin, the perfect fit of them together. She twined her legs with his and he wrapped his arms around her.

“I thought you were all stiff and serious when we first met.” She snuggled into him in the dark. “Every time I made you smile or laugh, I think I fell a little bit in love with you.”

His fingers stroked her arm. “That’s funny, because every time you made me smile or laugh, I think I fell a bit in love with you. Don’t belittle yourself, Lovey. Your tattoo is important. Living and laughing and loving…those things really are what it’s all about.”

“I want to be more serious, like you. Focused. Determined.”

“Sure. Those are good qualities. But I want to have more fun, and you make almost everything fun. Goals are great. But you can’t take everything too seriously. You helped me see that.”

“Oh.” She sniffled. “That’s so sweet.”

“That’s me. Such a sweet guy.”

She smiled against his chest and petted it. “You totally are. Even with bruised knuckles and a black eye. Captain Codger with a soft side. A fun side. I love you.”

“Love you too.”

–

Excitement curled inside Lovey as she waited in her apartment for Marc to arrive for their date. Not only was she excited about going out with him on an actual date, she was excited about the news she had to tell him.

She’d called Jillian and told her she knew about the date now. Jillian had a million questions she was bursting to ask, but hadn’t been able to since Marc had sworn her to secrecy. When Lovey told her what had happened, she was beside herself with excitement.

Lovey didn’t know where they were going, but he’d told her to dress warmly.

Warmly? Did that mean something outside? It was December and colder than Mars. What could they do outside? Plus, she wanted to look nice for their first ever date. So selecting her outfit had been a challenge.

She’d gone with black leggings, knee-high, flat-heeled black boots, and a long, lean sweater in an ochre-gold color. She looped a thick infinity scarf in shades of gold, yellow, and green around her throat, and since he’d said warm, she added her olive green wool pea jacket, with a pair of gloves tucked in her purse.

When Marc buzzed, she hurried down to meet him at the front door of the building. He wore his black leather thigh-length jacket, a black crew-necked sweater beneath it, and black jeans.

“Man in black,” she said. “I like it.”

He grinned and handed her a rose from behind his back, not the expected red but a gorgeous orange-shading into peach-shading into yellow at the center.

“Oh…that is so nice. It’s beautiful.”

“It reminds me of your hair.”

She blinked and lowered her chin. Her hair was not orange. But yeah, she knew what he meant. And it was sweet.

He set his hand on the small of her back and directed her to the car parked at the curb. A freakin’ stretch limo. Her eyes widened. “Whoa.”