Having his body close to hers in the dark hours had made her feel safe and … whole.
But what really transported her was the tenderness in his mismatched blue eyes when he looked at her—as though she was the sun to his orbiting planet. No one had ever looked at her that way.
Suddenly, inexplicable fear rose up and grabbed her by the throat. For every moment spent with him, she was relinquishing another piece of her heart. A dangerous trade.
He was addictive. A potent drug that clouded her brain.
“No,” her rational mind argued. “You’re tired. Not thinking straight.”
Thinking straight or not, it wasn’t just about her. While Gage seemed genuine in his desire to weave Daisy and her into his life, Lily had to consider possible consequences. What if Daisy got attached and it didn’t last? What if she got attached, only to lose another man? Could her heart take being shattered again?
Too late. I’m already attached.
Chapter 24
I’m Going to … Dillon?
“Go, Mr. Cage, goooooooo!” Daisy shrieked as she bounced up and down in her chair. Gage was streaking down the ice toward the opposing net—he was breathtaking, and Lily couldn’t get enough of watching him. Entering the other team’s zone, he made a drop pass, but no one was there to pick it up. A defender corralled it and blazed in the other direction.
“What the hell was that, Nelson?” a fan bellowed behind them.
Gage was hot on the other team’s heels, playing chase. He’d been in that position a half-dozen times tonight. Fortunately, his linemate Quinn stole the puck back and lobbed it down the ice before they skated to the bench for a line change.
The fan continued his loud remarks, offering Gage helpful tips such as, “Get your head out of your ass, Nelson, and stop with the drop passes to nowhere!”
Ivy and she both craned their heads, but she couldn’t figure out which asshole was mouthing off. She turned back around, rolling her lips between her teeth and clamping down, feeling heat rising in her cheeks. You try skating while you’re holding on to the puck and dodging guys trying to knock you into next week, jerk-off!
Apparently, Jerk-off had more to say. “Jesus Christ, Nelson! Stop turning over the goddamn puck!”
How did Natalie and the other wives keep their cool? Now Lily understood why Gisele Bündchen had mouthed off about Tom Brady’s crap receivers.
Ivy squeezed her arm. “I got this.” Before Lily could stop her, Ivy stood, faced the seats behind them, and hollered, “He’s one of the best damn centers in the league. He’s in the running for MVP, for Christ’s sake! What more do you want? Give the guy a break.”
“Momma, why’s Aunt Ivy yelling bad words at that man?”
“Um …”
“You’re just saying that ’cause you’re wearing his damn jersey!” the man retorted. Gage had sweetly left jerseys for Daisy, Ivy, Parker, and her. “All of you just have a hard-on for six!” Jerk-off added as if just noticing they were a Wall of Gage.
“There are kids here, asshole,” another fan admonished.
“Mom?”
Lily pulled Daisy in close. “It’s okay, sweetheart. Aunt Ivy’s just—”
“Lady, sit down already! Some of us came here to watch the game.”
Ivy turned and lowered herself into her seat. The hubbub seemed to level off. She winked at Lily and dropped a kiss on Daisy’s head. “Aunt Ivy was sticking up for her team, Daisy-do.”
Jerk-off couldn’t let it go. “Try learning some hockey, red.”
Ivy shot up, faced backward again, and pointed at her head. “Try getting some glasses, jackass! It’s strawberry blond!”
A collective groan rose from behind them. The heat in Lily’s face spread to her neck and chest, prickling her skin. Her stomach churned like a concrete mixer turning over sludge.
Parker, who was seated on Daisy’s other side, reached a long arm across their laps to tug Ivy’s jersey. With a satisfied head bob, she sat as if it had been her idea all along.
“Hey, strawberry blondie,” Jerk-off sang.
Parker stood to his full six-three, EMT-buff height, casually tucking his shirt into the back of his pants. “Buddy, let it go. You don’t want to get in an argument with my wife. Trust me. I speak from experience.”
His good-natured approach garnered a few chuckles, along with another fan’s “shut it” aimed at Jerk-off. Parker re-took his seat slowly, giving Ivy an eye-roll and a headshake. His lips quirked as he obviously fought a grin.
“Mom, I’m thirsty,” Daisy said.
Parker patted her arm. “Why don’t you and I find some lemonade during intermission, Daisy-do?”
Bless him. Lily’s emotions were wound tighter than bobbin thread. She couldn’t untangle which bothered her more: the idiots behind her talking about Gage like he was a no-talent duster or the worry she was the cause for his less-than-Gagely play. A little gush dampened her panties as her mind detoured once again to last night, ratcheting up the guilt factor a notch.
“No doubt Uncle Parker needs another beer while he’s at it,” Ivy chided.
He grinned at her. “You know it. Especially if you’re going to get us into a fight. Is it safe to leave you two alone for a few minutes?” He reached for Daisy, who admonished him.
“We hafta wait, Uncle Parker. They’re not done playing yet.”
Despite her flaring emotions, Lily smiled inside. Gage was teaching her little rule-follower well.
“Wow,” Ivy whisper-shouted. “You-know-who’s really off his game tonight.”
Lily jabbed a finger toward Daisy and mouthed, “Shut up.”
Ivy mimed a lip-zip.
A horn sounded, signaling the end of the first period. Parker guided Daisy through legs and laps to the aisle while Lily craned to watch the ritual of Gage leaving the ice. She couldn’t remember being so interested in it before. He and T.J. stood on either side of the chute, fist- or elbow-bumping their teammates as they filed past into the corridor that led to the locker room. Gage was the last to leave, falling in behind T.J.
