His grin widens as he wordlessly starts to gently push me out of the booth. “We’re heading out.” His eyes cut to Bradley. “Since you live with me, I’m assuming you can pick up our tab? Thanks,” he adds without waiting for an answer as he stands, takes my hand, and we leave.
It doesn’t take us long to get to my house. Brody’s hands are firmly on my waist as he kisses my neck while I unlock my door.
“I have to let Bonkers out first,” I remind him.
“Of course,” he murmurs. “I’ll do that. You get us a beer and I’ll meet you in the living room?”
“Sure,” I answer, pushing the door open. Bonkers goes nuts around our feet but one simple command from Brody has him running after him and towards the backyard. I shake my head at the two of them, grab us each a beer, and then go relax on the couch.
The little taps of Bonkers’ paws soon sound as he comes barreling back through the house. He jumps into my lap with his front paws on either side of my neck as Brody sits next to me.
“Hey, Bonkers. Did you miss me?” I rub his head as my eyes catch sight of something hanging from his collar. My brows come together in confusion as my lips dip. “Be still,” I order sternly when he keeps wiggling in my lap, preventing me from getting a good look. My heart nearly stops as my fingers touch a ring. What in the world? “Brody?” I question, unable to look away from the bright ring against Bonkers’ black fur.
“What is it?”
His response makes me look over at him. “What’s on Bonkers’ collar?”
“Well, what is that?” he asks with fake wonder as he peers at the collar. “That looks like a diamond ring. Wonder how that got there?”
My heart pounds faster as I realize what’s coming. “I have a feeling where it might have come from, but I think you know more than I do.”
Brody reaches over to remove the collar, and it momentarily irks me that Bonkers stays still. He always moves too much when I try to either take it off or put it back on. I watch quietly as he removes the ring. “Okay, I may have put that there.”
“May have?” I question.
He ignores me and continues, his eyes flicking back and forth between me and the ring he’s holding. “I bought this before the All-Star week started. When I walked by the window, I saw it and I knew that it was meant for you. It was meant to be your engagement ring. It was meant for you to wear everyday and see how much I love you, and how much I want to be your husband.” He lifts his gaze to me and holds it. “Selene Porter, will you marry me?”
We’ve almost been here, in this moment, before, so I can’t help but want to tease him a little. “What would you say if I said ‘we’ll see’ or ‘not this time’?”
“I would wait for you until I heard a ‘yes’,” he replies without missing a beat. My heart, on the other hand, does miss a few beats.
This man next to me loves with his entire heart, unconditionally, no questions asked. He’s given me that love, has shown it to me, and has waited for me to catch up to him. He doesn’t need to wait any longer, though. “I’ll say yes now, if that’s okay with you?”
“Well, I guess it’ll be okay,”
I grin. “You do know that this doesn’t mean I’ll only wear your jersey now, right? Kris and the others still need my support too.”
“I’ll try to keep my jealousy in check when you do that. As long as you always wear this ring,” he adds, sliding it onto my finger.
“I won’t ever take it off,” I promise.
“I love you.”
Smiling, I say, “I love you too.” I stand up and start for the stairs. “Give me five minutes,” I call over my shoulder. “And I’ll be ready and waiting.”
Acknowledgements
We would like to thank our readers for joining us on this new series. We hope you enjoyed this book and will continue on for the next captain’s story.
A huge thanks goes to our betas, Andrekia, Beth, and Heidi for taking time out of your schedules to read this book and provide great feedback.
We would like to thank Bailey Ardisone for taking the time to create a beautiful cover for us.
We would like to thank Kathy Krick for editing our book for us.
About the Authors
Lindsay Paige is a romance author from North Carolina who has published eight books on her own. She is a huge hockey fan of the Pittsburgh Penguins and loves to play tennis. When not writing, Lindsay is focused on completing college.
Mary Smith was born in Chicago, Illinois, but currently lives in West Virginia. She is an avid reader, co-founder of Book Nerds Across America, and author of the Ice series and Always Forever. She goes nowhere without her cell phone or Kindle. Mary loves anything to do with Chicago Blackhawks, Patrick Sharp, or is hockey related!!
Despite their love for different teams and players, Lindsay and Mary write hockey romances to vicariously live through their characters and their experiences with these hot hockey players. Together, they have also written The Penalty Kill Trilogy.
For more information about Lindsay, like her on Facebook.
For more information about Mary, like her on Facebook.
Join us for the next
Oh Captain, My Captain novel
Coming December 12, 2014
Finding Carson Lee
Oh Captain, My Captain presents Carson Lee of the Alabama Blacksmiths.
Carson Lee is the league’s bad boy and womanizer, who wants nothing more than to keep it that way. However, his life is full of deep secrets that could ruin the image he built for himself. Everything he worked for could come crashing down around him once he starts finding out who he really is when a grumpy blonde enters his life.
Kinley Wright wants nothing more than to thrive in the world of fashion. She could care less about Hockey just as long as it leads her to a promotion to work with the football superstars. It wasn’t until she has to sign Caron Lee to a clothing contract that she finds he may be the one to push her to let go of her guilt from her past marriage.
Carson Lee is more than meets the eye and Kinley Wright is more than her failures. When their lives collide, will they trust in the possible hope for their future?
A Hockey Player's Proposal (Oh Captain, My Captain #2) Page 17
