Page 49 of Misconduct Zone

“I want us to be able to tell each other how we are feeling. Honesty is important to me. As long as we are happy with the way things are, there is no pressure to invite the world into our bedroom. All I need is you.”

Dylon kisses my shoulder. “Same. But can we circle back to our bedroom? Are you kidnapping me and not letting me leave?” His low voice is sleepy.

“I cannot kidnap the willing, but I am not letting you go.” I squeeze him.

“Good,” he says, and his breathing evens out.

I’m incredibly lucky he’s in my life. He is my good luck charm, and I’m fortunate he sees a future with me.

Chapter 26

Dylon

Finn motions me into the office but keeps glancing at the door. He circles the desk, peeks into the hall, then picks up my arms as if to examine them.

“Like what you see?” I raise an eyebrow.

“You’re missing an appendage,” he quips and cackles at my stunned expression. “You and Lars are conjoined twins. I was looking for the scars.”

“Haha. We do things apart,” I say, more defensive than necessary.

“Sure, boo.” He hands me an oversized gift bag with lots of tissue paper sticking out.

“What’s this?” I hold it by the strings away from my body. You never know with Finn.

“You gave me such a gift with your pregnancy comment, so now I’m returning the favor. You made my job harder, and I’m making Halloween uncomfortable for you. This isnotto be worn in public. This is a private joke for me, and it will hopefully make you think before you speak nonsense that I have to respond to.” He motions for me to look inside.

With a nervous glance, I decide he’s too close for something to pop out or be dangerous. In the tissue paper is a…I’m clueless…a corset, or a funky-ass belt, or a humpback. I turn it over but come up blank.

“It’s a pregnancy belly,” he says, and “dumbass” goes unspoken. “Check the shirt out.”

The long-sleeve jersey material says “Lucky Lady” on the front with an arrow pointing down to the extra fabric where the belly will go, and the back has embroidered block letters that readDaddy Drake’s Property.

“Fuck, Finn.” I can’t help but laugh at how he’s outdone himself.

“Wear whatever you want for practice, but tonight, at Patrik’s place, I expect you in full costume.”

“Did you really have to fend off questions about a pregnancy?” They had to know I was joking. It’s absurd.

“Modern medicine has come a long way, and you could be the test subject.” He shrugs with a glint in his eye.

“You’re full of shit.” I whack his thigh with the empty bag.

“One trash rag emailed me for a comment, and of all the things I thought I would have to deny about hockey players, pregnancy never came up. Funny how no other players joke about getting knocked up by a teammate. Now run along before you’re late and your other half gets worried.” Finn shoos me out of his office.

I don’t think he would appreciate my animal facts about how rams or other species, like lions, enjoy male mating rituals. I’ll save those for another time.

The guys will think the belly’s hilarious, but I’m keeping it a secret to make a big reveal. As if wearing it will make me uncomfortable. Ha! I’ll show Finn.

I’m the last one to arrive for practice at the arena and get dressed in a hurry. We’re in the city today for the Halloween events. Over my practice jersey, I hook a cape with Lucky 7 printed on a four-leaf clover. Coach gives us twenty minutes to fly around the ice with our capes before cracking down for a real practice. Lars’s has flames with a dragon head, Liska’s is cracked ice with a skull, Ace’s is black with red letters that readSome heroes wear capes, and Benz has an actual superman cape that he wore last year. Jamal’s has a Miles Morales Spiderman.

“You gonna wear that every year?” I elbow Benz.

“You don’t mess with perfection.” He flashes me a wide smile and bats his eyelashes.

“I hope that’s the pic that ends up on our socials,” I tease. “You flirtingwith me.”

“I know better than to flirt within earshot of your boy.” He slashes the back of my knees with his stick and skates backward. “You all set?” he asks our social media coordinator.

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