Page 127 of My Brother's Teammates

He stares at me for a few beats, and all I can do is wait for the other shoe to drop. Hell, that’s all everyone is doing right now.

I’m expecting him to yell, slap me with a fine, or at least give me one of his looks. You know, the ones that convey exactly how disappointed he is without a word. But then he waves over security and claps me on the back. “Will you guys take out the trash? Maybe next time, punch him outside, yeah? Less press that way.” He turns to walk away, but stops, looking between all of us. “I’m glad you all worked everything out. I would have hated to trade all of you.”

This time he does walk away, hollering at the gawkers and the looky-loos to mind their business as he crosses the room.

Charlotte flits to my side, tsking at me, while the guys nod their approval.

“You didn’t have to punch him.” Charlotte links her fingers through mine, a smile tugging at the corner of her lips.

“Sure I did.” I shrug, pulling her toward the dance floor, nodding for the guys to join us. “He needed to learn how to shut his mouth, and I couldn’t let you have all the fun.”

She giggles, pressing her lips to mine for a quick kiss.

Charlotte is the love of my life, the one person I thought I’d never deserve, and her… her and my two best friends, we’re a team. What we have and how we fit defy expectations and rules. We work… simply because we do.

I wouldn’t trade them for the entire world, and I have the rest of my fucking life to show them how grateful I am to have them in it.

Epilogue

Charlotte

Finally, I get a moment to relax.

Jace is out for a run with Harrison, and Mateo is on the floor in front of the couch doing push-up number forty of what will likely be one hundred. These guys push themselves all year round, even in the off season.

You’d think I’d be used to this by now, growing up with my brother and Jace, and being in a polyamorous relationship with three NHL players for the past year or so, but their dedication to the game, to their team, and to their own fitness never ceases to amaze me.

I’m sprawled out on the couch, my legs resting on Roman’s lap as he rubs my feet. No fucking push-ups for me. They tried to encourage me to work out with them last week, but it ended in a pint of cookie dough ice cream and a black eye.

Mateo’s still calling me Rocky, even though Jace’s bruise has mostly healed, and I maintain that it was an accident. Doesn’t matter if Jace was goading me the whole afternoon. I didn’t mean to hit him. Hard.

I think they all learned that the only exercise I’m going to volunteer for is to be twisted like a pretzel by the three of them in the bedroom.

Roman’s phone pings with a message, and he checks it was a grimace before returning back to my feet. “Mom said she can’t wait for her personal fitting. Can I tell you how disturbing it is that you’re making her lingerie?”

“But now she can be comfortable and sexy,” I tease and give him a big smile, nudging him with a toe.

He shudders and I can’t help but laugh.

Roman’s family is in town for a few days, and while we’ve video chatted a lot in the last several months, we’re finally getting to meet in person. Mateo is first on the chopping block. Him and Ro are leaving to have lunch with them in about forty minutes, and then the four of us, along with Harrison, are meeting them for dinner tomorrow.

His family has been great at accepting our unconventional relationship, and his mom is a huge supporter of me and my business. It didn’t take much to convince her to come over after their lunch so I could make her a few pieces.

Roman slides his hand down my left foot. The moan he pulls out of me when his thumb presses into the arch should probably be X-rated, and it makes Mateo pause, mid-push-up. He glances in our direction, picking a hand off the floor and does a one-handed push-up while he adjusts himself.

“And now I’m hard. Thanks, guys. Not like I’m trying to work out or anything.”

Well, now he’s just showing off with an extra one-handed push-up.

I suppress a laugh, peering down at him from the couch, watching his back muscles ripple as he lowers himself to the floor. Jesus. Why have I not been watching this the whole time?

I turn to Roman and I’m about to ask him if he’s seeing this, when his free hand wanders up my leg, inching over my knee and continuing up my thigh. With a small moan, I relax, letting my leg fall against the back of the couch.

Roman rewards me with a pleased hum, teasing the edge of my panties. Thank God the only other thing I’m wearing is an oversized T-shirt.

Mateo’s eyes are on me, the rest of his push-ups abandoned. “That’s it, Red. Open up for him.”

I roll my lips between my teeth before shaking my head. “Y’all need to shower and get your asses out the door in thirty-nine minutes. I’m not going to be responsible for you being late.”

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