Forever PUCKED (Pucked #4)

by Helena Hunting

  This time she pinches me. I fold her in my arms and tuck her head under my chin. “I love you, baby. Never change. Especially not your sex volume.”

  She mumbles what’s probably an insult, but it’s muffled by my shirt.

  “It’s not like we haven’t heard you come before,” Lance says.

  I’m about to thank him for the reminder by flipping him off, but Randy cuts in. “I hadn’t, but, uh, yeah, Waters. Whatever you’re doing, keep it up.”

  “Maybe you two should compare notes,” Lily suggests with a sly grin.

  He strokes his beard and narrows his eyes at Lily. “I’m not giving you what you need, luscious?”

  Violet wriggles out of my hold. “Pretty sure Horny Nut Sac doesn’t need any help in the orgasm-doling department based on the voodoo magic in my laundry room.”

  “Definitely not!” Charlene agrees. “But feel free to share your best techniques with Darren. He’s always looking for new ways to make me scream.”

  Darren doesn’t say anything, just smirks and lets out one of his dark little laughs.

  Sunny raises her hand. “I have quiet orgasms. Lots of them.”

  “Okay.” Miller slaps the pool table. “We should hit the casino.”

  We all put on shoes and head for the door. Violet seems relieved, and I honestly have no interest in hearing about Sunny’s orgasms, particularly since they’ve resulted in her being pregnant. We find a buffet, because sex makes us all hungry, and then we hit the streets. Sunny turned twenty-one last month, so she’s legal to get into all the places; not that it matters since she can’t drink in her condition.

  “Wow, this is like Niagara Falls on steroids!” she says, chin tilted up as she takes in the tall buildings and excessive people.

  “It’s wild here,” Violet says as we pass girls dressed in very little, dancing in the middle of the street. People hand us cards with boobs on them, but the nipples are covered with black or red dots. Violet hands a bunch to Lance. “There’s a number on there. Maybe she wants to go on a date with you.”

  He shakes his head. “I don’t have to pay to get a date, Vi. Besides, some chick in the casino gave me her keycard for later.”

  “She gave you her keycard?”

  “Yeah. Happens all the time.”

  He’s not lying. Girls are constantly looking to hook up with him. While Ballistic had a reputation for living up to his last name, Lance has a different kind of rep with the bunnies.

  He doesn’t seem to have any issue with multiple partners, according to the rumors anyway. But who the hell knows what’s true and what isn’t. That shit about the Darcys is proof that not everything you hear is true—just like the rumor about me and the hat trick. Lance is proving to be one of the good guys, maybe a little hotheaded on the ice—and off it—but then so am I.

  “But she doesn’t even know you. You could be a mass murderer. You could be like that guy from American Psycho who throws a chainsaw down a stairwell after he has a threesome.” Violet shudders and turns to Charlene. “I should never have watched that movie.”

  “It wasn’t that bad.”

  “Not that bad? I didn’t sleep for three weeks.”

  Violet’s exaggerating, but she did have a few rough nights.

  Lance winks at Violet. “Don’t worry, I’m not a mass murderer.”

  “But how does she know that?”

  “I’m a public figure in the hockey world. Everyone knows my business in the bedroom, or at least they think they do.”

  Violet links her arm with mine. “Do girls give you their keycards?”

  I tuck her into my side. “Not anymore.”

  “But they used to?”

  “Not all that often.”

  “What constitutes often? And what the hell is wrong with these women? That seems dangerous.”

  “You didn’t know Alex, and you went back to his room the first night you met him,” Charlene points out.

  “That’s different.”

  “Not really,” Lily says.

  “Like you’re any better? You sucked Randy’s face after he busted in on you in a bathroom! And then he locked himself in a bathroom with you after you defaced all his underwear!”

  Lily blushes. “The underwear defacing was a misunderstanding.”

  “Whatever. I’m making a point. Alex played on the same team as Buck. I was introduced as his sister. He couldn’t murder me without everyone knowing it was him, so it’s totally not the same as handing over a keycard to a perfect stranger.”

  “That’s true,” Sunny agrees.

  Lance points to an ABC store, maybe because he’s not interested in continuing the conversation. “I’m gonna stop and grab something. Anyone need anything?”

  “We can drink in the streets here, can’t we?” Violet jumps up and down, her boobs bouncing with the movement.

  “Want me to get you a water, or maybe some juice, sweets?” Miller asks Sunny. “You need a snack? I’ll get you a bunch of stuff, ’kay?”

  She adjusts the brim of her oversized hat so she can tilt her head up for a kiss. “That’d be great.”

  I stay outside with Sunny while the rest of them go into the store. I put an arm around her shoulder. “You doing okay?”

  She takes off her hat and leans her head on my chest. “I’m so good, Alex. I know you worry, but me and Miller, we’re made for each other, just like you and Violet.”

  I nod. I see how he is with my sister. “You know you don’t have to wait for me and Violet to get married before you do, right?”

  Sunny laughs; the sound matches her name. She puts a hand on my cheek. “Please don’t take offense to this, but I’m not waiting for my wedding because I’m worried about stealing your spotlight.”

  “That’s not what I meant.” Shit, I feel like an asshole.

  “You can’t help it, Alex. You’re used to being the center of attention. It’s what you know, and that’s never been an issue for me. It’s where you belong. I get what it’s like to be the center of someone’s universe. I’m that for Miller. And he’s that for me. And now that’s what this baby is for both of us.”

  “I don’t think people realize how strong you really are,” I admit. “I don’t know that I’d be handling this situation as well as you.”

  “It’s as hard to be the shadow as it is to be the light, Alex.”

  There’s some real insight in that. “When did you grow up?”

  She laughs again and hugs my arm. “While you were off playing hockey and getting famous.”

  “I mean it, though. Don’t feel like you have to work around mine and Violet’s plans.”

  “Miller and I want to wait. We’ve talked about it, and I want to do all the planning and fun stuff, and I want Mom to be part of that. I think it’ll be good for her and me to have that experience together. There’s just too much happening in all of our lives for me to be able to enjoy the process. I don’t want to be stressed about it like Violet’s been. And I don’t want to rush it. This baby was unexpected, but he’s not unwanted, and while we might be doing things out of order, we’re going to wait until after he’s born, so we can plan things properly.”

  “Wait. Did you say he?”

  Sunny clamps a hand over her mouth. “Oh, poop. I wasn’t supposed to say anything. It’s ninety-percent probably a boy, but we have to wait for the next ultrasound. You can’t tell Miller I told you.”

  “I won’t.”

  “And you can’t tell Violet.”

  “Okay.” It’ll be a challenge to keep this news to myself. “Who knows?”

  “No one. Just you.”

  “Not even Lily?”

  She drops her lying face. “Okay, Lily knows.”

  “Which means Randy knows.”

  “But that’s it. If you tell Violet, she’ll tell Charlene, and Charlene will tell Darren, and then the circle of knowledge will expand, and everyone will know.”

  I run a hand through my hair. “When’s the next ultrasound?”
<
br />   “Not for another three weeks. You’re going to tell Violet aren’t you?”

  I’m going to be an uncle. I get to spoil some kid and do all the awesome things without dealing with the fallout afterward. Of course I want to tell Violet. Then I kind of want to get her pregnant so we can do it, too.

  “Have you told Mom?”

  “I wanted to wait until she comes to Chicago in a couple of weeks.”

  I sigh. “I’ll keep my mouth shut.” If Violet finds out I knew and didn’t tell her, she’ll be hurt. All I can do is hope someone doesn’t slip before Sunny has a chance to disseminate the information.

  The conversation ends when everyone comes out of the store, stocked with beverages. Violet has an entire bag. “Look!” She opens it to show me the contents. “They have shooters! Let’s all do one! Except you, Sunny.” She bends and kisses Sunny’s stomach through her dress. “We don’t want to get the yeti baby drunk.”

  “She had a few while she was in there,” Lily informs us.

  Violet passes out the shooters and makes us all toast to vacations and cock love. Thankfully, in Vegas our behavior doesn’t seem out of the ordinary. We stroll the Strip, sipping on drinks and baking in the hot sun, stopping in at the occasional casino to cool off and gamble. At first Violet will only play the nickel slots, but then I coerce her into sitting down at a blackjack table, and she wins two thousand dollars.

  On the way back, Sunny has to pee, and the closest place is a twenty-four-hour wedding chapel. All the girls decide to go with her, as always seems to be the way.

  I check my phone while we’re waiting. I’ve been avoiding the buzzing in my pocket all day because I want to enjoy this time away. It’s been a long time since I’ve done anything like this. And it’s a lot different with my fiancée and my friends than it was when I was a rookie.

  “Shit.” I have twenty new messages from my mom.

  “What’s going on?” Darren asks.

  “It’s the never-ending guest list additions.”

  “Someone needs to cut those women off,” Miller says.

  “What women?” Lance perks up.

  I gesture between Miller and me. “Our mothers. This whole wedding would be a lot simpler if they would stop interfering.”

  “You could solve the whole problem right now if you wanted.” Randy motions to the flashing Twenty-Four-Hour Wedding sign above our heads.

  I laugh, because obviously it’s a joke.

  “I actually thought that might’ve been the reason you wanted us all to come along.” Miller stuffs his hands in his pockets. “They’re gonna do the same thing with Sunny. We already know that. It’s another reason to wait until after the baby.”

  The girls come tripping out of the chapel. Well, Violet’s tripping, the rest of them are giggling. “The cutest couple in the world is getting married by Elvis.” She falls into my arms. “We should get married by Elvis. Actually, I think there’s a choice between Elvis and Marilyn Monroe, or maybe it’s Gwen Stefani.”

  For a few seconds I think she’s serious, and I’m actually considering it.

  Then she burps wine cooler in my face.

  “I’m hungry. Is anyone else hungry? Can we go eat?”

  We find a restaurant close by, and I load Violet up on carbs and water so she’s not a sloppy mess.

  At some point before the food comes, Randy excuses himself to the bathroom, and Lily follows right after. They come back fifteen minutes later, together. Lily’s cheeks are flushed, and her eyes have that glazed look about them.

  Violet points at Randy’s face. “You’ve got vagina in your beard, Balls.”

  Randy strokes his beard self-consciously.

  “Not possible,” Lily says. “He wasn’t eating at the Vagina Emporium; I was having a snack at the Moody Dick Café.”

  The girls burst into a fit of giggles. Randy smirks.

  “Is that a euphemism for a blow job?” Lance asks.

  “Ding, ding, ding! Give Romance a prize!” Charlene shouts. She needs more water, too.

  “I’mma order some cookies for dessert when we get back to our room,” Miller says to Sunny.

  There’s more ridiculous giggling.

  We get a limo back to the hotel when dinner is over. Lance doesn’t bother coming up to the suite. I almost feel bad, because the rest of us are likely to shower and have sex. I have my doubts Sunny will be doing anything after that aside from sleeping. She looks ready to pass out. I’m sure the rest of us will find a second or third wind.

  After a long shower, which includes more sex, Violet and I lie down on the bed, possibly to go to sleep, possibly for another round. She snuggles in and puts her head on my chest.

  “I’m so glad you suggested a vacation,” she says.

  “You were so hard to convince.”

  I draw circles on her shoulder, working my way down her side. She jerks when I hit the sensitive spot by her ribs. Then she sighs as I go lower, to her hip. My phone buzzes in my pants somewhere on the floor. I should’ve turned it off.

  “Your mom messaged me again.” I can hear her anxiety.

  “Well, we are in Vegas; maybe we should elope.”

  Violet lifts her head. “You’re kidding, right?”

  I tuck strands of wet hair behind her ear and trace the line of her jaw. “I don’t have to be.”

  “I don’t have a dress.”

  I follow the contour of her bottom lip with my thumb. Jesus, I love this woman. “We can buy you one.”

  “You’re serious?”

  I kiss her softly, not inviting any tongue even though she parts her lips. “Marry me.”

  “I already said yes to that.”

  “This weekend. Tomorrow. Be my wife. Be Violet Waters. Be mine.”

  “I’m already yours, Alex. I’ve been yours since the moment you slammed into the plexiglas and made me spill my beer on my boobs.”

  “So let’s do it. We’re here. There are a million places we can go. We can even find somewhere nice, classy—it doesn’t have to be done by Elvis.”

  “I thought you wanted a wedding, with people, and a party.”

  “You’re the part that matters. I just want you, Violet. Our closest friends are all here.”

  She leans back, her lips pursed. She’s considering it.

  “We can do this if we want to. There’s nothing to stop us. I want to. I want you.”

  “What about all the money you’ve put down for the wedding?”

  “It doesn’t matter.”

  “What about our moms?”

  “They’ll get over it.” But even as I say this, I’m not so sure it’s true.

  Violet sighs. “You have no idea how much I want to say yes to this, Alex. But I can’t do that to my mom. I’m her only child. It was the two of us for almost my entire life. I was at her wedding; she has to be at mine. I can’t get married without her. And your mom would be devastated.”

  She’s right. “What if I can get them here?”

  “How are you going to do that?”

  “With a few phone calls and my credit card.”

  She bites her lip. “What time is it in Canada?”

  “My dad will still be awake. Are you in?”

  Her smile is a resounding yes.

  I call my dad who, as expected, is still up. His first reaction is concern, because we have pregnant Sunny with us, so he thinks something has happened to her. His secondary reaction is confusion, until I explain why I’m calling. As this is going on, Violet is on the phone with my travel agent, booking their flight and transportation to the airport. We can get them here before lunch tomorrow.

  Of course, then my mom has to get on the phone and argue her case.

  “Mom, we’re getting married this weekend, and we’d really like you to be here.”

  “But what about the cottage in August? I have invitation samples; people are expecting a wedding. Violet doesn’t even have her dress. It’ll have to be something off the rack. Do they even have nice places
to buy wedding dresses in Vegas? I don’t know about this—”

  “I’m not asking permission; I’m telling you. This is happening. I’ve taken care of your flight, transportation, and accommodations. I know this isn’t what you would’ve planned for us, but it’s what we want, and we want you here with us.”

  The silence following this statement is long. Violet sits beside me, her bottom lip caught between her teeth. I mouth It’ll be fine.

  She sighs. “Okay. I’ll get a bag packed. But can you not get married tomorrow? Can you please wait until the next day because we’ll have pictures, and I don’t want to have bags under my eyes, and I’m not sure I’m going to get much sleep tonight. And I need a dress. We’ll have to go shopping, and tomorrow should be a girl’s day. Violet needs a proper bachelorette party.”

  “We can swing that.” I give Violet the thumbs up, and she shakes her boobs like they’re maracas.

  The call to her mom is much easier. Violet straddles my lap while she waits for Skye to answer. She explains the plan and has to hold the phone away from her ear at her mom’s shrieking. Of course Skye is down for a Vegas wedding.

  We hang up and book flights for Skye and Sidney as well; they’ll arrive around the same time as my parents.

  Violet claps her hands. The movement makes her rock over my erection. “Oh my God, we’re getting married. In Vegas!”

  I hold on to her hips. “We are.”

  “Why the hell didn’t we think of this earlier?”

  “Because we wrongly assumed our mothers wouldn’t interfere, and we were trying to please the wrong people.”

  “So true.” She puts her hands on my chest. “We need to celebrate!”

  “I was thinking the exact same thing.” Her half-exposed boobs graze my chest.

  “I need to tell Charlene! And Sunny! And Lily if we can get her and Randy to stop fucking for five minutes. Oh my God! Let’s order champagne and that fake champagne for Sunny so she doesn’t feel left out!” Violet rolls off the bed and pulls the lapels of her robe together, covering her boobs. “Come on!”

  She stops when I don’t move right away and glances down to where my hard-on strains the cotton of my boxer briefs. There’s a big wet spot where Violet was sitting on me.

  “I thought maybe you’d want to celebrate in here first, before we celebrate with our friends.”