The Keeper (Playing To Win Book 1)

Fitz splits his practice. We’re all on the ice at the same time, but half lift before practice, and half lift after practice. I’m a before guy, so when I get to the ice, I’ve already been going for a few hours. I smile at Crew. He’s standing at the back of the tunnel leading out to the ice, keeping my girl safe.

It’s been strange getting used to him always being around this past week, but I was glad he was there when I had two back-to-back away games over the weekend. We go over Lindy’s schedule each night, and he adjusts his time accordingly. Switching off who’s going to be on her, depending on what she plans on doing and when. “Hey, man,” I shake his hand, then move around him to watch my wife skate for a few minutes before I head back to the locker room. I always get here early now, just so I can watch her.

Lindy is working with her baby skaters today. And when I say baby, I mean baby. These kids look like they should barely be able to walk, let alone skate. She sees me and waves, causing all the moms sitting in the stands to turn and look. Oops.

Once I’m changed, I come back out and find her skating by herself. She stops when she sees me and glides over. Her little pink skirt barely covers her ass, and the gray sweater she’s got tied around herself doesn’t look like it’s doing anything to keep her warm. “Hey, hockey boy.”

I grab her around the waist and skate her backward. “Hey, princess. How’s your day going?”

She spins out from me and takes my hand in hers. “It’s good. Better now.” She pulls up and drops a quick kiss on my lips, then pushes off.

“What are you doing, princess?”

“Think you can catch me?” she taunts, and my dick gets instantly hard.

“Yeah, Hayes. Think you’re faster?” Boone yells as he walks up to the glass.

“No way. I’ve got ten bucks that says my sister’s faster than Hayes,” Jace adds as he joins Boone. Before I know it, half my team, including Fitz, are arguing over who could win a skills competition. They decide Fitz is the judge, while Lindy and I stand there, staring at them.

“You’re all delusional if you think I’m gonna do this,” I tell them.

“What’s wrong, hockey boy?” She skates a circle around me. “You scared of a figure skater?”

I shake my head and whisper, “I’m gonna make you pay for this, wife.”

“Promise?” Her eyes light up with mischief, and all sorts of ways to make her pay come to mind.

“How much money you got collected over there?” I shout.

“Enough for drinks at the bar tonight,” Smitty yells back.

“I’ll make it worth it for you, Hayes,” Fitz tells us. “You win, and practice is canceled.”

The team cheers, but Lindy skates over to Fitz. “And what if I win?”

Jace moves closer. “If you win, they all have to help with your baby skaters for a week.”

“Deal.” She shakes Fitz’s hand, and I have a bad feeling this isn’t going to end well.

“What are the tests?” Lindy asks and crosses her arms over her chest, plumping up her boobs.

“Well, that’s one way to win,” I whisper in her ear. “Just distract me, why don’t you?”

“Speed,” one of the guys yells.

“Obviously,” Lindy agrees. “Forward and backward.”

“Slap shots,” Boone adds.

“Fine.” She nods her head, thinking. “Then Easton’s got to do a spin.”

“Okay. How hard can a spin be?” I ask, and the guys all grumble.

“Bring it, hockey boy. Let’s go.” She kisses my cheek and skates down to my net. “I don’t have all day, husband.”

My chest shakes with laughter.

I fucking love her.

The guys all cheer and get the fuck out of dodge when we’re done with our little competition, while my wife pouts over losing. Jace doesn’t help matters much.

“You won a fucking gold medal. You couldn’t skate faster than this giant? Come on, kid. You were supposed to kick his ass.”

“Go home and enjoy your free afternoon, Kingston,” Fitz tells Jace after everyone files out before he turns toward Lindy. “You’re a beautiful skater, my dear. But Hayes’s legs are twice as long as yours. It wasn’t a fair fight. A gentleman would have let you win.”

“She would have kicked my ass for a week, if I let her win,” I laugh, and my wife wraps her arms around my waist and kisses my cheek.

“Aww. You really do know me.”

Fitz shakes his head. “Gotta love a good sport. See you on the plane tomorrow, Hayes.”

“Thanks. See ya, Coach.” I watch him leave and look around. “Looks like it’s just you and me, princess.”

“And Crew,” she reminds me.

“Hey, Crew,” I yell.

“Yeah?”

“I’ve got her from here. Take the rest of the day.” I don’t bother waiting for an answer before I lift her off her feet and skate around the rink. She weighs nothing in my arms as she leans back in some fancy move and bends her legs and back, so her head looks like it’s going to touch the skate.

When she pulls her head back up, I kiss her like I’ve been wanting to do all day. She tastes like chocolate and cinnamon, and I’m fucking starving for her. “You were so close, baby. You almost had me.”

“No, I didn’t. Don’t patronize me.” She licks my lip, then bites down. “Now what’s your prize, hockey boy?”

“You’re my prize.”

“I am, aren’t I?” her lips curve into a seductive smile. “If you take me into the locker room, I’ll show you just how much of a prize I can be, husband.”

We walk back into the empty locker room before I set her on her feet, and we both take off our skates. “What do you have in mind, princess?”

She takes my hand in hers and moves us into the back corner of the room, making sure no one else is here, then grabs a towel from a shelf. “Can you be quiet, Easton?”

“Madeline. Anyone could come in here,” I warn.

A pretty pink rushes to her cheeks. “Then I guess I better make you come fast.” She tosses the towel on the floor, then drops to her knees in front of me.

Logically, I know this is a bad fucking move. But when she looks up at me through those dark fucking lashes, I’m no longer thinking with my head. Not that head, at least. “You look so good on your knees, baby.”

I wrap her ponytail around my fist and tug, enjoying the quiet moan she gives me in return.

Lindy pulls my sweats and boxers down to my knees, and her stormy eyes dance with excitement. “I love your cock, E.”

“Then I guess you better show me how much, wife.”

She licks her lips and fists my dick. And I swear, the tiny moan slipping past her lips as she swirls her tongue over the tip of my dick is the sexiest fucking sound I’ve ever heard.

She drags her tongue down to the base of my cock and cups my balls.

And fucking hell.

Blood roars in my ears.

My wife knows exactly what she’s doing to me because she looks up at me with such an innocent smile before wrapping her pouty lips around my cock. Taking me deeper until she swallows me down her throat and fucking hums.

“Fuuuuck . . .” I pull her hair until she stops. “Baby, you gotta stop or I’m gonna come.”

“Good.” And this time when she takes me down the back of her throat, I don’t stop.

When we get in the SUV, Lindy’s phone connects with the Bluetooth, then it immediately rings through the car.

The system announces, Mom calling, as I pull out of the parking lot. “You gonna answer her?”

“I guess . . .” She looks at her phone for a second.

“Princess, you’ve got to talk to her. Christmas is in a week.”

“Fine.”

I hit the button, and Lindy throws me a look. “Hey, Mom.”

“Hi, Madeline. Why do you sound far away?”

“I’m in the car with Easton. You’re on Bluetooth.”

I link my fingers with her and squeeze. “Hey, Ashlyn.”

“Hi, Easton. Are you guys going out or going home?” she asks, and Lindy looks almost panicked.

“We’re just leaving the rink to go home and grab dinner,” I tell her, then wait as the beat of silence lasts a few seconds too long.

“Why don’t you come over here for dinner? Your sister is spending the night at Hudson’s house, so it’s just Brandon and me. We haven’t seen you in weeks. It would be nice to see you.”

“Thanks, Mom, but we—”

I cut my wife off. Let her be pissed. She’ll thank me eventually. “That sounds great, Ashlyn. Want us to pick up anything?”

“No. We’re calling in an order now. We’ll see you in a few minutes.”

“See you in a few minutes, Mom.” She disconnects the call and drops her head against the seat. “Really, E? I just sucked your dick. Aren’t you supposed to be in a good mood?”

“I am in a good mood, baby. I want you to fix things with your mom, and you’ve come up with every excuse imaginable to avoid her for weeks. Weeks, Lindy. Time’s up. Christmas is a week away. You don’t want to miss that with your family.”

She turns her head and watches me as I navigate the few streets between the practice facility and her mom’s house. “I hate when you’re right, you know that?”

“I do, baby. But I’m doing this for you.”

She takes a deep breath and sighs. “I still hate it. But I love you for caring about my relationship with my mom.”

“I’ll always care about your family, princess. They’re mostly annoying as fuck, but they matter to you, so they matter to me too. Even Jace.” We pull into her mom’s driveway, and I walk around the car and open the door. “Now, come on. The sooner you make up with your mom, the sooner I can take you home and give you your prize.”

“My prize?”

I pull her close to me. “Hey, I’m an equal opportunity competitor. You had better jumps and spins than me. Pretty sure that gets you a few orgasms.”

“I love the way you think. Let’s get this over with.”