I lift my head and stare at him in shock. “What?”
He looks at me, confused.
Something tickles the back of my mind, and I stare deep into the depths of his eyes.
I stare at the man I married.
At the man who saved my life.
The lifeline who’s made sure he was only ever a phone call away.
Who’s been here, beside me, for a lifetime.
“I promise to love you until we’re old and gray and surrounded by grandbabies who love to skate,” I whisper back.
And my God, the smile that breaks out on his face is everything.
It’s agony and ecstasy and relief. It’s excitement and love.
So much love.
“Princess . . . You remember?”
I don’t bother trying to hide my tears, as I whisper in awe, “I remember everything.”
LINDY
Easton carries me out of the casino then bends his knees and slides me down the front of his body until my feet touch the ground outside. I slap his chest, then grab his arm to steady myself as the blood rapidly starts flowing back out of my head. “Listen, hockey boy. I don’t like being upside down when I don’t have to be.”
“You didn’t have to be upside down, princess. You chose to stay in that position,” he bites back as he wraps an arm around my shoulder for support. And oh my, does his warm skin feel good against my bare back. His fingers play with the two hanging ribbons of the silk bow tying the top of my halter together until he starts letting them dance up and down my spine. Like I needed any more reason to be turned-on right now.
And okay, fine. I may have stayed in that position, dangling over his shoulder, because it put my face in front of his ass, giving me one hell of a great view. So sue me. It’s my birthday. Consider this part of my present.
I mean, come on.
He’s a fucking professional hockey goalie.
His buns are made of steel.
I wonder what else is made of steel.
“Where to, bitches?” Everly exclaims, then pushes us forward. “And wherever it is, let’s go fast. Maddox is running interference with Charles to try and get us some unsupervised time. So move it, people.”
A party bus sits on the side of the street with the engine running, and a bunch of drunk women with bachelorette sashes wrapped around themselves stand in front of it. All except the one I’m guessing is the bride, based on her white dress and tiara.
Pace laughs and grabs Easton. “Let’s make you useful, E.”
Easton tugs me behind him as Pace introduces him to the ladies and lets them know who he is, then offers them a thousand dollars to let us on their bus. And before I know what’s happening, we’ve all piled on, and the driver is pulling away.
My girls all find seats with the bachelorettes as more champagne gets passed around and Easton pulls me down onto his lap.
“What do you think you’re doing?” I ask with absolutely no intention of moving off his lap. Especially when I feel the lovely bulge between his legs.
I mean, I know I’m not sloppy drunk right now, but our earlier shots have absolutely given me just enough lady balls to lean back and enjoy the feel of my longtime crush beneath me.
“Conserving space, princess.”
“Huh?”
“What I’m doing. I’m conserving space.” He laughs and pulls on my hair.
I look at his hazel eyes and smile. “They’re green today.”
“What’s green?” he questions.
“Your eyes. When you call me in the middle of the night, they’re usually a caramelly brown with yellowish-green flecks. Almost golden. They’re a mossy green when you’re in a good mood during an interview after a game and brown when you’re in a bad mood. They’re a darker green today. What’s that mean?”
His lips tick up in a crooked smile, and that dimple I love peeks through. “Guess you’ll have to wait and see.”
“Where are we going, ladies?” Callen asks, and when I look at him, he no longer has the two women from the club with him. Now two of the bachelorettes are fawning all over him. Good grief.
“Hey, man whore,” I call out, and every single set of eyes on the bus turn my way.
Easton laughs and tucks my hair behind my ear, then leaves his hand anchored there as he whispers, “So . . . maybe you don’t need to say everything that pops into your head.”
“Whatever,” I grumble, then look back over at Callen. “Does anybody know where Maddox is?”
“Chillax, birthday girl. Madman is waiting for a text from me. He’ll meet us wherever we land,” Callen announces before he drops his face back down into a pretty redhead’s big boobs.