Top Shelf (Five for Fighting #4)

by Amber Lynn

  “I don’t know how you did it, John Klinger, but I love you, and whether it makes sense or not, I’m going to predict that I will love you until death does us part.”

  “That’s music to my ears, Jasmine Truedel,” he said as he ran his nose from her shoulder up to her ear, so his breath brushed the edge of her ear when the next words left his lips. “Because whether you like it or not, I love you too and I’m going to hold you to that prediction.”

  If only there was a way to stay stuck in that moment in time. Neither of them could really predict the future, and Jasmine had never been more terrified of what it could bring. For the first time ever, Jasmine was truly afraid of losing the man in her life.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Sitting on the bench backing Doug up wasn’t as palatable with Jasmine in the crowd watching the game as it usually was. John wanted to be out on the ice, showing her why he’d been awarded various trophies for his playing skills. The bench did give him a better view of his gorgeous girlfriend up in the suite, but if he stared up there longer than a few seconds at a time, someone on the bench would jab him with a stick.

  As if the three periods of waiting weren’t enough, the game went into a six-round shootout. By that point, John just wanted it to be over and didn’t care who won. The Tigers ended up winning, clinching their place in the playoffs, but all John wanted to do was get back to Jasmine.

  “I’m getting a little worried about you,” Doug said as they made their way off the ice. Doug had to stick around to be called as one of the stars of the game, so John continued back to his stall to wait for the rest of the conversation.

  He’d timed things so he could spend as much time with Jasmine before the game as possible, so Doug hadn’t had an opportunity to question the things he’d heard and seen the day before. The other guys in the locker room who had wives or girlfriends couldn’t blame him for not wanting to spend more time with them than Jasmine.

  By the time Doug was released from his quick skate on the ice to wave at his adoring fans, John had most of his pads off and was weighing the options of taking a shower in the locker room or heading straight home to take one with Jasmine. Both options had merits. The key one being the ability to soap Jasmine up versus soaping up in a room with a bunch of guys.

  “Don’t even think about it.” Doug had just taken a seat when the words brought John out of his thoughts.

  “Last I knew, you can’t read my mind, Doug, so I highly doubt you know what I’m thinking.”

  “It doesn’t matter if I know the specifics. I’ve seen that look in the mirror before and I promised Lizzie I’d try to get you and Jasmine to come over after the game, which means you aren’t running out of here to go home and shower with your girlfriend.”

  John looked over at his friend as he made it down to his boxers. “I take back my statement about you not being able to read my mind. That’s exactly what I was thinking.”

  “Imagine how I felt when all I could have was sponge baths. Just wait until she’s pregnant. You’re not going to be able to keep your hands off her.”

  “Now you’re tunneling into my dreams. I know you make a fortune out on the ice, but you could probably make even more as a psychic.”

  John tried to play the statement off as a joke, but he’d already imagined the curves added to Jasmine’s body as she swelled with his child. If he needed any clue she was his other half, the thought of creating new lives with her was a perfect sign. Like the idea of a woman saying she loved him, the thought of having a child usually made certain parts of him shrivel.

  “You can play it off all you want. I wasn’t concerned about the two of you hanging out, because I figured it was just a fling, like you always have, but then she went and said something that made your heart stop.”

  “We talking about Jasmine? What did she say?” Nelson asked. He was a few stalls over, already with a white towel around his waist, waiting to head to the showers. The enthralled look on his, and every face John came across as he looked around the room, told him there was nothing private about the conversation.

  “None of your business. It’s not Doug’s either, but he happened to be there.”

  John stripped out of his boxers and headed to the showers. It wasn’t much of an escape, but it’d get him closer to seeing Jasmine. The showers filled up quickly, and he could hear the usual talk of the game they just played pick up. He wasn’t used to being the focus of conversation, at least not for something he was actually proud of, so the feeling of being under the magnifying glass wasn’t comfortable.

  “Look, I’m serious about you guys coming over tonight. Ben will be asleep and we’re stopping for Chinese on the way home. Lizzie has been craving it and will probably end up getting a pint of everything, but by the time we get home she’ll want Italian, so I’m going to have a lot of food on my hands.”

  “And how do you know she’s not going to change her mind and just want some ice cream or something else you already have at home? I’d hate to get Jasmine’s hopes up for something particular only to have your pregnant wife change her mind. Not that she doesn’t have every right to do that.”

  The soap in John’s ear kept him from hearing an immediate reply. He was pretty sure there was one, but it sounded like gibberish. The only reason he was considering taking Doug up on his offer was the comment Jasmine had made about him not introducing her to his friends. She seemed to enjoy hanging out at his place, just the two of them, but he didn’t want her to think he was embarrassed of her for some reason. She was a movie star, so he couldn’t think of any reason she’d think that, but making sure she never did was important.

  “Can you repeat that?” After a quick, three seconds tops, lather with some body wash and a washcloth, John was ready to get dressed.

  “She texted after my last save that she wanted the Chinese and it usually takes at least an hour or two for something new to come along, which would time us right about when we’d get home from picking it up.”

  “And what happens if she changes her mind right as you walk in the door?”

  John managed to get most of his body dry and was working on his hair as he walked back to his stall. Jasmine loved all food, so he wasn’t worried about her having an issue finding something she wanted to eat. She talked about the need to be able to fit in costumes for the movie that would probably resume filming in the next week, and the fact that she couldn’t believe she hadn’t gained any weight after all the cooking she’d done for him. It was good to hear she didn’t consider the time they spent together in bed just a form of exercise, since she thought she might actually be gaining weight.

  “I hope it’s something we have in the house, and if it isn’t, I run out and get it. Listen, I want to make sure this isn’t coming off as me just asking you over since you have someone you’re serious about. I know it probably feels like we haven’t spent as much time together as we used to, but that’s not because you’ve been single and I suddenly wasn’t.”

  It was evident by an intake of breath that Doug was going to say more, but John held up a hand to stop him as he sat down to start getting back in his suit. He’d made some assumptions about his friends changing around him, but spending time with Jasmine made him realize why they’d seemed distant and were always trying to set him up.

  “You don’t have to say anything. I think I understand there’s a time commitment involved when you want a relationship to work.”

  “And this thing with you and Jasmine is something you want to work?”

  John didn’t answer for a second as he hurried to tie his shoes. Doug was moving just as quickly, so the friends were able to grab their things and head for the door before too many extra ears thought it was necessary to listen in. John really couldn’t be mad about it, since they were a family of sorts, but after all the time he’d endured their jokes about his dating habits, he didn’t want to deal with the fallout after punching someone for saying the wrong thing about Jasmine.

  “I’m pla
nning on getting her a ring tomorrow. I don’t know how soon I’ll give it to her, but I think she’ll accept it when I do.”

  They were alone in a hallway when Doug pulled on his jacket and pushed him against the nearest wall. It wasn’t an aggressive move, but John brushed the arm holding him in place off just the same.

  “Are you sure that’s a good idea? I know I don’t have the whole story, but I got to look out for you, man. I haven’t said anything before with other girls, because none of them really caught your eye, but since I only know what I hear about her from the media and such, I have to ask if that’s a good idea.”

  Doug acted like proposing was a surprise. They’d just been talking about Jasmine carrying John’s baby, so it should’ve been obvious where Klinger’s mind was.

  “I have a mother back home to nag about that kind of stuff, but I’m pretty sure in this case she wouldn’t say a word. After my sister had her first kid, she’s been on me to get married. I told Princess that I wasn’t going to rush, but it doesn’t hurt to have a ring ready if the right moment arises.”

  After the pressure Klinger had felt to find someone and settle down, any pushback from moving in that direction seemed wrong. He knew things were sudden, but Doug more than anyone should’ve known there were certain things you couldn’t control.

  “Just tell me the hurry isn’t because of her grandma. I understand it’s a tough time for her, but I don’t want to see you get attached only for her change her mind later.” There was a slight sense of pleading concern in Doug’s eyes, which was the only thing keeping him from being slugged.

  “You guys ready to go? I hear there’s an all-you-can-eat Chinese buffet out there somewhere waiting for us.”

  John hadn’t expected to hear Jasmine’s voice, so he felt himself cringe, worried about what she’d heard. He looked over to his right to see her with Ben fast asleep in her arms and Lizzie rubbing her belly next to them. The smile he felt spread across his face was becoming a natural reflex.

  “We were just coming to find you. I guess you’ve already been clued in on their plan. Do you want to hang out with these two yahoos for a few hours?” John was about fifty-fifty on an affirmative versus negative answer. He liked to have Jasmine to himself, but he needed to make sure she felt included in his life, and maybe spending time with Doug and Lizzie would show his friends he wasn’t being used, like Casey had been nice enough to assume.

  He’d been too busy to have a little talk with Casey about her attack on Jasmine, but Doug’s more casual concern reminded him he needed to make sure it wouldn’t happen again. Even if Jasmine was only using him as a distraction, his friends had no right to attack.

  John had walked over to Jasmine to give her a quick kiss, so he didn’t miss her peeking around his shoulder to where he’d left Doug. “I thought it might be fun, but I’ll leave the decision up to you.”

  “I don’t mind giving it a try. Maybe we should come up with a signal just in case you get tired of Doug’s jokes.”

  The man in question nudged John out of the way, so he could grab his sleeping son. Jasmine happily handed over the cargo, careful not to wake the kid. Ben wasn’t exactly little, so it was a surprising she’d been able to carry him around. It was nice to see there wasn’t any drool marks on the jersey she insisted on wearing.

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about. My jokes are hilarious.”

  “Only to the people who can’t hear them,” Lizzie was quick to add to her husband’s words.

  Jasmine ignored the exchange and kept her focus on John. “If you think it’s necessary, we can come up with something on the way over. We’re taking your car, right? Or do you want me to call for a car?”

  John learned being driven around did have some benefits, even though he liked being in control of the wheel. Not having to focus on traffic made it easier to partake in a little pregame make out.

  “As long as Doug still has my key, I think we’ll take our car. We’ll need it for tomorrow anyway.”

  Doug shuffled Ben so he had a free hand. “I meant to give it to you earlier, but I was afraid you were going to split before I got to invite you over. We’re going to take off and pick up the food, so drive slow.”

  Jasmine snorted at the comment, causing Lizzie to chuckle. Jasmine hadn’t ever complained about his hurry to get to their destinations, but he noticed she seemed to reach for the door handle quite a bit.

  “We’ll be at your front door in around forty-five minutes.” John would have to drive around ten miles an hour to make the trip heading straight there, so they had some time to kill.

  “Sounds good. Anything in particular we should make sure to get plenty of?” Doug took ahold of Lizzie’s hand and was ready to leave once he had his answer.

  John turned to Jasmine for her answer, because he didn’t have any preferences. She smiled and shook her head.

  “Whatever you get is fine with us.” As Doug and Lizzie left, John put his hands on Jasmine’s hips and pulled her in close. “You okay?”

  “He doesn’t like me much, huh?” The smile she’d tried to keep on her face fell a little once their companions were out of hearing range.

  “He doesn’t know you, so even if he didn’t, it wouldn’t matter. I think he’s just freaked out I mentioned I was already thinking about marriage. I guess he doesn’t believe in that saying about what’s good for the goose is good for the gander. Did things go better up in the suite today? I’m assuming there weren’t any attacks about your intentions.”

  “As you saw, they even let me touch the kids this time. I think some of the wives that aren’t married to your closest friends about fainted when they saw me here again. I kept seeing them staring out the corner of their eyes like I was a mirage or something.”

  John wedged one of his knees between Jasmine’s legs so she’d widen her stance and then lifted her up to carry her out to the car. It seemed like it was kind of their thing to do, and John had decided he was going to be all about superstitions.

  “I guess they’re just going to have to get used to it. I’m sure the team will get together for something soon and they’ll realize we’re the real deal once they see us together. Any other concerns I should know about? I like having you up in the stands, but I don’t want anyone making you feel uncomfortable.”

  A wolf whistle kept her from immediately answering. Klinger didn’t bother looking over his shoulder to see which knucklehead teammate made the commotion.

  “People are going to think I have issues walking.”

  “People can mind their own business. You going to answer my question about concerns?” John wasn’t walking quickly, but they were already entering the underground parking his car was hopefully hiding in.

  “Nothing I can think of. I have to admit that it’s a lot easier watching you sit on the bench than watching pucks flying at your head. They said that player on the other team probably had a broken finger from blocking a shot.”

  John had heard the same thing, but he’d also heard it wasn’t more than a hairline fracture. Depending on the finger and which hand, the guy could miss a few games or he may be right back in the game.

  “It’s a casualty of the game. I’ve had my share of injuries, but I’ve got all the best equipment as far as safety goes.”

  “I know. I just had some free time during intermission and got lost in a photo gallery of the worst hockey injuries. People have actually died from hits.” Jasmine’s lower lip stuck out a little as the corner of her eyes turned down slightly.

  “Yes, people have died, but it’s really rare. We can ask Meemaw tomorrow if she’s ever seen anyone die during a hockey game. She’s probably watched more games than either of us.”

  John let Jasmine down so he could open the door for her. She hesitated climbing in until after she wrapped her arms around him and gave him a slightly stronger than PG kiss. Her tongue only briefly touched the back of his front teeth, before pulling away and waiting for him to take his place in the car.


  “No matter what she says, I’m not going to be any less worried. I don’t know what I’m going to do when the playoffs come. Hopefully my work schedule won’t keep me from too many games. I may have to see if I can rework my contract to make sure a TV has the game on for anytime I can’t get away.”

  “Does that mean you’re starting to understand what’s happening on the ice?” Since they had plenty of time to get to their destination, John didn’t bother starting the car.

  “I’m getting pretty good at following the puck and I think I got two penalty calls right.” She sounded so proud of her accomplishments that it made John proud too.

  “I’m glad you’re enjoying yourself. I may have another five years or so of playing in me, so it’d probably be good if you didn’t hate what I did for a living.” When it came down to it, John couldn’t really predict how long he’d be able to play at the level he was, and he also couldn’t guarantee where he called home during the season. They’d already talked a little about the chances of him being traded, and Jasmine didn’t seem to mind, since she was used to traveling.

  “It’ll probably make me go gray prematurely, but everything I’ve heard tells me you’re pretty good. So, umm, changing the subject real quick, I may have promised we’d babysit Ben tomorrow night.”

  John was looking in Jasmine’s direction, so he saw her nervously bite her lower lip after her admission. It was probably the most adorable thing he’d ever seen.

  “Did you think buttering me up by saying I was a pretty good player would make that news go over better?” John didn’t reveal any emotion, because he was curious to find out whether Jasmine really thought he’d be upset.