Love in Game (De La Fuente Family Book 6)

by Lexi Buchanan

  I let my gaze linger on my brother and wonder what he’s going to want to do when he’s eventually released from here. My heart is going to want to stay in New York, but my home is in Cleveland, and I have a feeling that Blake is going to want to be there. It’s where his friends are. Where his life is.

  At least the paralysis is only temporary, or so the doctors had informed us. He’s very optimistic that once the swelling at the base of his spine disappears that the feeling should return to his legs. They have told us that there’s a possibility of surgery being in Blake’s future, but for now they want to wait and see if the swelling goes down before any further decisions are made. I hate that we don’t know what his future now holds, even though I’m hoping this really is just a blimp on the way back to normal.

  Feeling my cell buzz in my back pocket, I wiggle around and retrieving it, I smile at the message from Kasey.

  I’m outside the door. Is it safe to come inside? Don’t want to cause trouble for you.

  I softly smile at his message and appreciate that he’s thinking about me. Checking on my brother, I pad to the door and open it. I smile when I see Kasey leaning against the opposite wall, staring at his cell. He glances up and when he sees me, his face lights up.

  I put my finger to my lips so that he knows Blake is sleeping. He cradles my face in his large palms and presses a kiss to my lips. “I missed you.” He rests his forehead against mine.

  “Missed you too. Come in here.” I take his hand and bring him into the room.

  13

  Kasey

  I’ve woken from a catnap to find Felicity in a deep sleep in my arms, so I snuggle her closer. I don’t want to ever be without this woman because she makes my life complete in ways that I never imagined. Reaching out, I softly caress one side of her face and closing my eyes, place a tender kiss to her forehead.

  “You’re in love with my sister,” Blake whispers, and startled, I snap my attention to him.

  I’d forgotten he was in the room with us, which is stupid considering he’s the reason we’re here.

  Glancing back at Felicity, I answer, “Yes, I am.” I hold his gaze. “She means everything to me.”

  He turns away first and stares blankly at the wall in front of his bed. “I can’t believe I’m going to say this, considering…” he seems more resigned than angry, “but…I want you to promise me that no matter what happens to me that you’ll be there for her. She’s all I have, and I can’t fight this while worrying about her as well.”

  I’m surprised by his request and already know what my answer is, but I tell him, “She’s mine, Blake, and I know it’s too soon to talk about a future together, but that’s where I’m heading with her. I need you to know that I’m not just passing time with her.” I smile as my eyes move back to the woman in my arms. “I love her”—I face Blake—“and one day soon, I hope you’ll both come back to Montana with me to meet my family.”

  “She told me that you have a large family. She’ll love that.” Blake swallows and closing his eyes, sighs. “I’ve only ever wanted to keep her safe.”

  “You have.” I laugh. “You kept her safe for me.”

  He splutters and starts laughing. “You do realize that if I wasn’t laid out like this, that I’d make you work a hell of a lot harder for my approval?”

  I nod with a small smile. “I anticipated that would be the case regardless.”

  Glancing at Felicity, I notice her breathing has changed and I wonder if she’s awake, and listening. If she is awake then I’m glad she’s giving me these few minutes to talk to her brother.

  He’s thoughtful. “She’s all I have,” he whispers. “I’m not stupid and not in the habit of walking in front of cars, but my career in the NHL is probably over, even though they’re not saying that…yet. I don’t have much to fall back on. I’m thinking about her, Kasey. She comes first with me. Always. That’s why I’m not going to be an asshole when it’s obvious how much you love her, and I know she loves you.”

  I let the silence in the room surround us and thinking that Blake has fallen asleep, he startles me when he adds, “She wants to go to college. We didn’t get as far as discussing what she wants to do. But I have a feeling that it’s important to her.”

  We haven’t discussed college or the future really, but we’ll certainly be having that conversation now that I’m aware. I’m a bit disappointed in myself for not already knowing this about her. I guess that’s why I have to remind myself that we’ve only been together forty-eight hours.

  “You still awake?” I ask Blake because he looks out of it.

  He turns his face in my direction. “I know I’m getting ahead of myself here, but I hope you know that wherever my life with Felicity takes us that you’ll always be welcome. She loves you. That means something to me.”

  Hearing sniffling, I glance at the woman in my arms and softly smile when I see the tears in her eyes. She returns my smile, albeit watery.

  Blake snorts. “She’s been awake at least ten minutes.”

  She chuckles and pushes herself up on my lap. “More like six minutes.”

  “You always have to argue,” Blake grumbles.

  “And you always have to have the last word,” she counters, and is answered with her brother snoring.

  “Geez, I’ve always wished that I could fall asleep as quickly as he does.” Felicity straddles my lap, and cups my whisker-covered jaw. “Did you mean everything you said to him?”

  “Every word.” I softly kiss her, and ask, “Did he?”

  “My brother usually says what he means, but what I overheard surprised me in a good way. I need him to be okay with us, Kasey. I would go against him to be with you, but it makes my worry less knowing that he’s okay with this. With us.”

  Brushing the hair behind her ear, I smile. “I love you.” Letting my smile turn into a grin, I add, “Tonight we’re having dinner with my brother and his wife.”

  Her eyes widen and then she laughs. “Get me while I’m distracted why don’t you.”

  Tickling her sides, she wiggles around on top of me. With how my body is reacting to her, we need to stop, which we do when she drops down on me, knocking the air out of my lungs.

  “Fucks sake, Felicity,” Blake curses. “Don’t do that shit in front of me. You’re still my baby sister…Fuck.”

  “I seem to recall seeing your naked ass once,” Felicity counters, coming to a stop with a giggle when Blake growls.

  “I ever see you naked, I’m gonna punch him.” Blake glares.

  Relaxing into the chair, I add, “That ever happens, then I’ll let you punch me.”

  He nods in agreement and then winces. “I keep forgetting more than my legs are hurt.” He sighs back into the bed. “Did I hear you saying that she’s having dinner with your brother?”

  “Diego is in town with his wife, so we’re going to have an early dinner with them.” It was nice having some family close by because I miss them with being so far away in New York. Eric’s the closest in Lexington, but that’s still one hell of a car ride. Before Diego moved home, it never used to bother me as much because he was also in the city, but now it’s just me, or it was.

  “Think I met him once. Had a game of pool with him near his ladder company,” Blake says, surprising me. He smirks. “Didn’t know that, huh?”

  “No, I didn’t.”

  “What’d I miss?” Roger asks, barging into the room.

  We stare at him and Blake chuckles. “Okay, you two. Go eat and I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  Felicity frowns as she climbs from my lap to move toward her brother. “You sure you’re okay if we leave?” She takes his hand.

  “Go and meet his brother and wife. I’m not going anywhere, and all I’ve ever wanted is for you to be happy, Sis.”

  Placing my hand on her hip, I smile at the look on her face. “You know,” she tells Blake, “if you keep talking to me like you have been since we’ve been in New York, I’m going to think you need to see a
shrink.”

  Roger bursts out laughing while I hide a chuckle behind my hand. Blake frowns and glares at Felicity, his lips twitching. She grins, knowing she has him. Reaching out she cradles one side of his face with her soft palm, and leaning in, kisses his face. “I love you,” she whispers.

  “Love you too.” Blake glances at me and holds his hand out.

  I grasp his and shake his hand. “She’s safe with me.”

  “Thank you.”

  I usher Felicity out of her brother’s room and into the elevator. When we step outside the hospital, she tugs me over to one side and wraps her arms around my neck. My hands go to her hips, holding her against me. She goes up on her tiptoes and rubs her nose against mine, whispering, “I love you, Kasey De La Fuente,” before brushing a sweet kiss across my lips.

  My heart pounds at hearing the words that I’d hoped she’d say to me one day. I’d noticed how freely she said them to her brother, and I wanted that. Looks like I have it.

  Grinning like an idiot, I lift her off her feet and spin her around in my arms. “I love you too.” Placing her back on her feet, I cup her face in my hands and hold her still. “You’re my world, and whatever your brother needs to get better, we’ll make it happen somehow, okay? I consider you my family now, Felicity, so that means Blake is as well.” I kiss her lips, her nose, and finally her forehead. “Hockey is going to interfere soon enough. I have a game next weekend, but Coach has given me a couple of days off.” I wrap an arm around her shoulders, and direct her toward where I’d parked my truck. Giving her a sideways look, I add, “According to Coach, I’m too distracted. You wouldn’t know anything about that, would you?”

  She giggles before becoming serious as I unlock my truck. “I hate that I’m causing you problems.”

  “You have only made me the happiest guy in New York, so don’t worry about it. I need to focus when I’m back on the ice, and I will.”

  “You sure about that?”

  “Now that your brother knows about us and our relationship can be out in the open, I know that my concentration will be back when I need it.” I quickly kiss her lips before dashing around to join her in the cab of my truck. “You’ll love Diego and Rae.”

  “Andie’s mom, right?”

  “That’s right.”

  I whistle as I drive us back to our place.

  14

  Felicity

  “I look okay, right?” I ask Kasey for the umpteenth time with a belly full of nerves. With how limited I am for clothes, I’m worried that I’m going to be underdressed in my best dark blue jeans, purple shirt, and dark brown knee-high boots.

  When Kasey doesn’t answer, I turn to see him leaning against the doorjamb with his arms crossed over his amazing chest, and his ankles crossed in that typical relaxed way that men just seem to manage with ease. Except there is nothing casual about Kasey right now, he looks about ready to eat me.

  Smiling, I move closer, and when he’s within arms reach, I slide my hands up his chest, over his arms and further until I’m softly cupping his face. “I love feeling this.” I caress back and forth over his whiskers and then let my fingers trace his plump limps. His eyes flare with heat and then he captures my wrist and while holding my gaze, he slowly sucks on each of my sensitive fingers. My breathing becomes heavy while the area between my thighs feels swollen and achy.

  Reaching out with my free hand, I grasp his hip, causing Kasey to twitch and straighten. I don’t need to glance down to know that he’s going to be hard and ready behind his zipper, but I do want to tease. Stepping against him, I rub my pelvis against his and Kasey hisses at the contact.

  “We’re going to be late,” he comments, grasping both my hips, his hands sliding behind to massage my bottom.

  I wrap my arms around his shoulders and nuzzle into his chest. “You smell so good.” I continue to breathe him in and when he shudders in my arms, he slowly moves me away.

  His eyes briefly flicker closed while he catches his breath, then his blue eyes caress over my face with longing. “I really want you to meet my brother, otherwise you’d already be under me in our bed.” He exhales and laughs, releasing the sexual tension between us.

  It does nothing for the throbbing length behind his zipper, which my eyes keep drifting to.

  “Felicity,” he moans. “You need to stop looking at me like that.” Turning away, I see the direction his hand moves and smile to myself.

  “I wouldn’t have minded watching you touch yourself.” I grin when he comes to an abrupt stop, slowly turning toward me.

  “Later,” he replies once he’s gotten himself sorted. “Let’s go before I change my mind… You look gorgeous.” He smiles and quickly glances at the bed, then meets my gaze and wiggles his brows. “I’m so tempted to blow him off.” He licks his lips.

  I raise a brow and giggle. “I’d rather be blowing you.”

  His eyes widen in shock and I grin and saunter past him. “Coming?” Continuing into the living area, Kasey catches up to me, hauling me up against his hard body from behind.

  “I’d rather you be blowing me so that I’m coming,” he whispers with amusement lacing his voice. “But my preference right now would be to have you naked while I licked your pussy…suck on your clit, which I bet is really swollen right now.” He turns me around, one arm behind my back and the other around my neck. “Am I right? Are you wet and swollen for me, honey?”

  Wrapping my arms around him, I let him feel my nails digging into his muscled back, and then I feel his response in his dick that strains behind his zipper.

  “We are never going to leave at this rate.” He pants in my ear.

  “Let’s go and then we’ll come back here and get naked,” I suggest, and with a pat on his chest, I untangle myself from him.

  Collecting my purse, I wait by the door and watch as Kasey stands with his legs spread, hands on his hips, glaring at me. “You make me so happy, Kasey,” I whisper. He hears me because he slowly walks toward me, and takes my hand into his.

  Kissing my palm, he then cups the back of my head and steps into my space, placing a kiss on my forehead. “I don’t think I’ll ever be able to tell you how happy you make me. There are no words.”

  With one last kiss, he ushers me out of his apartment and within ten minutes we’re walking into the restaurant in the back of the hotel next door.

  My head spins with everything that has happened since I arrived in the city, and I think I’m handling my brother’s accident and my relationship with Kasey really well. It helps a lot that my brother is so accepting about Kasey, it was just so unlike Blake though.

  “Why the frown?” Kasey interrupts my thoughts.

  I smile, and admit, “Thinking about my brother and how easy it was for him to accept me being with you. I’m kinda wondering when that will change.”

  “You think it will?” Kasey looks around and waves to another man before giving me his attention. “He said he wants me to keep you safe because he can’t. I promised I would even though that was my intention all along, as well as a lot more.” He smiles. “He’s seen how much I love you, so don’t worry.”

  Squeezing my shoulder, he leads me over to where we’re dinning tonight and introduces me to his brother Diego, and Diego’s wife, Rae.

  They’re a lovely couple and compliment each other, and as I sit facing Rae, she gives me a mischievous look. “My daughter mentioned how you had Kasey’s head turned.” Rae laughs. “A special woman does that to a man.”

  “He’s pretty special,” I admit and hear Kasey chuckle.

  Turning my head, I see laughter dancing in his eyes. “Carry on, I could sit here all night listening to you praise me,” Kasey comments.

  “Much more and I’ll hurl,” Diego grumbles.

  Rae wraps an arm around one of his and kisses his shoulder. “I bet you wouldn’t hurl if we were discussing you.”

  Diego sits back with a smug look on his face. “Go ahead, I’m all ears.”

  Rae rolls her
eyes. “I think I’ll pass right now because your head’s already big enough.”

  I glance at Kasey beside me and try not to laugh because it’s written all over his brother’s face as to what head he’s thinking about. Rae blushes and takes a sip of water.

  “How are things at home?” Kasey asks, sending the conversation in a different and more dinner friendly direction.

  “They’re good. Mom has finally welcomed Rae as though there was never anything wrong, although it still gets a bit uncomfortable for us both.” Diego shrugs. “It won’t always be like that, but we don’t tend to go and visit too often because of it.”

  Kasey places a hand on my back as I rest my arms on the table, and he tells me, “Mom wasn’t keen on the idea of Diego being with Rae because of their age differences. She acted really out of character. She apologized, but I guess the damage was done.”

  “I understood were she was coming from,” Rae admits, sadly. “She wanted to protect her baby boy from someone closer to her age than his.” Rae looks at Diego with so much love that I feel tears welling in my eyes, which I rapidly blink away.

  She clears her throat and adds, “Eventually it will all be behind us, but it’s still raw and I’m finding it difficult to move on from it completely. It’s just the way I am.”

  “No one blames you, Rae.” Kasey quickly squeezes her hand before intertwining his fingers with mine. “I’m hoping to take Felicity to meet Mom and Dad in the near future.”

  I snap my head to Kasey and Diego roars with laughter. “Bro, you’re seriously mentioning taking her to meet Mom after we’ve just admitted to how she was with Rae?” He shakes his head.

  “Damn straight I am.” Kasey glares at Diego, who looks amused. “We need to see how her brother is first and find out what he needs, but once he’s sorted then we’re going to Montana.” He turns to me. “You okay with that?”

  Nodding, I lean into him. “How could I not be when you’re thinking about my brother as well? You’re a good man, Kasey.”