Page 66 of Behind the Bench

The seconds that tick by are agonizing, and I think I made a mistake by bringing it up, but then Lincoln finally speaks up. “Yeah, I did. You make it a habit to eavesdrop on people?”

I stop what I’m doing and turn, ready to apologize profusely when I see him smiling at me. Of course, he’s just giving me shit. That’s what we do. I know I don’t need to apologize but I do it anyway.

“I’m sorry. I walked away right after you told him your mom left. I swear I didn’t hear anything else.”

Lincoln sets his garbage bag next to the couch and takes a seat. He puts his elbows on his knees, resting his chin on top of his hands. It looks like he’s about to say something, so I stop what I’m doing and take a seat in front of him on the coffee table.

We’re face to face now. He takes a deep breath and then begins telling me his story. “My mom left when I was ten. I’m pretty sure it was right around the same time of your mom’s accident.”

I try to mask how shocked I am by this fact. I had no idea that his mom left that year. I take a second to gather myself. “I had no idea.” I give him an encouraging smile. “What happened after your mom left?”

He’s quiet again for a moment, almost as if he’s replaying the day back in his mind. “I went to school one day and came home to my dad. Drunk. He was the angriest I’d ever seen him. Which is saying a lot because he was drunk and angry all the time.” He stops talking to compose himself.

The emotion in his voice has me reaching out and touching his leg. I let him know he’s not alone, but don’t rush him. It’s a few more seconds before he continues.

“He kept saying it was my fault she left, that I was toomuch trouble. When in reality, I know it was his fault. His drinking always led to him getting physical. I did my best to protect my mom, but I was only ten.” He shrugs, looking both haunted and broken.

I can’t hold back any longer, I reach over and wrap my arms around his neck. Without letting go, I turn my head so he can hear me clearly. “Lincoln, it was not your fault. It wasn’t your job to take care of your mom. That’s supposed to be your dad’s job. It sounds like he failed at that and at being a father. I’m so sorry that happened to you.”

We hold onto each other for a couple minutes, not saying anything. I can feel him take a deep breath before he pulls away from me. But he grabs my hands as he sinks back into the couch.

“I just wish she would’ve taken me with her.” It’s a whisper, but I hear the heartbreak loud and clear in his words.

I’m not sure what I did to deserve this vulnerability from him. This man has defenses built up higher than The Wall inGame of Thrones. The fact that he’s letting them down for me, well, it’s more than I could have ever imagined.

I drop his hands, leaning forward and take his face in mine. I wait until he’s looking at me before choosing my next words.

“The man you have become despite your parents’ failures is extraordinary. I know I don’t know half the shit you went through, but look at the man you are today. You wouldn’t be here, in this spot, an amazing NHL coach, if it wasn’t for your past. Every battle, every hard day,youare the one who pushed through.Youdefeated the odds and triumphed. I’m sorry, but fuck your parents for ever letting a little boy think their mistakes were his fault. You are a better man because of the hell you fought through.”

I may have crossed a line. Maybe I said too much, but I had to. This beautiful, broken man is so much more than he thinks he is.

Lincoln closes his eyes and seems to consider my words before opening them again. With my hands still on his face, he nods. “Thank you, Ellie. I’ve tried telling myself those things a million times, but for some reason, when you say it, it’s easier to believe.”

We sit there, suspended in this moment of time, staring at each other with a deeper understanding and something else. I can’t quite figure it out, but there’s a shift that’s happening between us. We both seem to feel it at the same time because the next thing I know, he’s leaning in and his lips are on mine.

My self-control drops for a moment and I kiss him back. It’s not the same type of kiss from the coaches’ room, there’s no desperation or hunger. No, it’s so much more. It’s soft, it’s gentle, it’s like we’re having a silent conversation with our lips. We’re here in this moment, finally seeing each other clearly for the first time. He explores my mouth with his tongue, and it’s when I find myself moaning that I remember where we are.

Pushing his shoulders back, I scan the room and surrounding rooms to see if anyone saw us kiss. Luckily, Niko is still upstairs and his staff is nowhere to be seen. “Lincoln, we can’t do this here.”

He runs his hand through his hair before leaning back on the couch. “I know, I’m sorry. I couldn’t help myself. But damn it, Ellie, it’s been weeks since I’ve been able to taste you and I am losing my mind.”

The desperation in his voice and the lust in his eyes has me propositioning him before I can stop myself. “Well, Sadie is with Hunter at his place for a post-meal yoga session. Your place or mine?”

The next thing I know, Lincoln is grabbing my hand and we’re sprinting out of Niko’s place like a couple of kids ready to break all the rules.

Ellie is following me in her car as I make the turn onto my street. I got lucky and was able to find a house to rent after spending my first month here in a hotel. I’m not really an apartment type of person. Sharing walls with my neighbors is not my idea of a good time. Especially when I have a gorgeous blonde who will hopefully be staying the night with me tonight.

It’s already dark when I pull into my driveway, but thankfully I have an antique lamp post next to my walkway that I turned on before I left. It provides enough light to see the front of my house pretty clearly. The house is an old bungalow-style home that's been completely updated inside and out. A small porch stretches across the front of the house with round, black aluminum balusters that fit easily into sleek white composite rails. It’s pretty sharp looking if I do say so myself.

Closing my driver’s side door, I lean against my truck and wait for Ellie to exit her vehicle. She has a brand-new SUV from the looks of it, which she’ll definitely need to combat these Green Bay winters.

Ellie steps out, but then opens the back door to grab something. Her stupid door is blocking my view ofher ass, but I’m hoping to have a front row seat to that in a few minutes. Finally, she closes the back door and makes her way toward me.

“Wow, Lincoln! This place is so cute. For some reason I pictured you in a penthouse apartment downtown overlooking the river or something.”

We fall in step next to each other as we make our way up the porch steps to my front door. “I don’t like the idea of having my neighbors so close. I’d rather not share walls or even a floor with anyone. I like my space.”

Ellie seems to contemplate what I’m saying as I unlock my front door and push it open. I motion for her to go ahead of me because I’m a gentleman. But more so because I’d never pass up a chance at seeing her backside.

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