Page 176 of Hockey Halloween
Jessica smiled and waved. It was a little running joke between her and some of the players' girlfriends. She had been spending more time in Denver to see Chase play and the girlfriends were kind enough to invite her to watch the games with them even though she wasn't dating anyone on the team.
Except she was.
"Alright, you guys. Go have fun tonight and call me if you need a ride home."
"Thanks, but we'll be good," Tyler said. "The girlfriends are our designated drivers tonight in exchange for us wearing these things. You sure you don't want to come?"
Jessica just hand waved them away, and she could see the grateful look on Chase's face. "I don't think moms are invited. Go have a good time."
The three of them waved goodbye and Jessica quickly closed the door behind them. She loved Chase and liked his friends, but she was also waiting on someone else.
As soon as their car pulled out of the driveway, Jessica grabbed her phone and immediately texted what she was waiting for.
They're gone. See you soon
She watched out the front window waiting for Xander's car to pull in the driveway. He knew to pull into the back so no one wouldsee his car. He knew where to wait to make sure the coast was clear before he drove up to see her. And he knew how to get out quickly before Chase found out he was even there.
Jessica had fallen for Xander back on that Moms Trip all those months ago. This was not a one-night stand or friends with benefits or something like that.
This was different. The real deal. A thing that she saw being a long-term relationship. It was already the longest relationship she had ever had with someone since she got divorced from Chase's dad a decade ago.
But there was still something about sneaking around. Part of it was because she liked having a secret relationship and not having people in her business about her relationship.
Part of it was also out of necessity as Xander's was Chase's teammate and his captain. What would the players say when they found out their captain was screwing around with another player's mom? And not just a mom but a woman who was a decade older than the captain?
It was going to be a mess.
But she couldn't think about that now. She only had a little bit of alone time since she came to Denver and she had to make the most of it with Xander before he headed out to the team's Halloween party.
She heard the back door open and close, and a whispered "Hello?" come from the mudroom.
"Don't worry, he's gone," Jessica said with a smile.
She could hear Xander's feet quickly cross the hardwood floor before he came into view looking like…
"What are you wearing?" she asked incredulously.
"My Halloween costume."
"Are you supposed to be a Santa's elf or something?"
Xander's shoulders fell a bit with a defeated look on his face. "I'm a garden gnome," he lamented. "Some guy's girlfriend talked me into being a part of a themed team costume."
Jessica couldn't help the teasing smile that tugged at her lips. "A garden gnome?" She walked closer and grabbed the strings holdinghis garden gnome vest together, giving them a gentle pull until they came undone. "I can work with this I guess."
"Really?"
She shrugged and pulled herself closer. "I missed you. A lot. You make it quick and I'll make it work."
Xander growled and pulled her closer, his lips rough and strong on hers. Yeah, she missed this.
"I wish we had more time," he murmured against her lips. "But I had to see you now."
She knew the feeling. Her plan was to come to Denver from her home in Toronto, stay with Chase for a few days, and then sneak over to Xander's place for a few more days before finally going home. But she couldn't wait that long to see him knowing that he was so close.
And right now, he was so close. She knew making out with her secret boyfriend in her son's kitchen was probably wrong but she didn't want to be right. This felt good, Xander felt good, and he made her feel wanted in a way that no other man had in a long time.
Her hands snaked their way under his shirt, and she could feel his muscles tense up under the palm of her hand. Damn, she wanted him so bad, and she could tell Xander wanted her too. The way he moaned against her lips, his hand trailing down her body, his arm pulling her?—
