Kane (Face-Off Series Book 2)

by Jillian Quinn

  “Dad!” Tyler’s words have so much anger behind them. “Kennedy is not here to write an article about us. I know that’s what you are thinking, but get that idea out of your head. Do we have to talk about hockey every time we are together?”

  Looking away from his son, Carl clears his throat and zones in on the boys. “We can talk about something other than hockey, Tyler. I can’t help it if I am curious about Kennedy’s job and if she’s following the last game of the Finals. I know I don’t have to tell you how big game seven is when it comes to the Cup.”

  Tyler sucks in a deep breath, his father testing his patience. He hates that his father makes everything about hockey. After seven years in the league, he had hoped his dad would tone it down, stop being so demanding when it comes to his career, but he has to poke and prod Tyler to be better. Carl has good intentions. My father does the same thing when it comes to Sports Buzz.

  “It’s okay, Tyler,” I interject, an attempt at easing the fire brewing between them. Locking eyes with Carl, I finish, “Yes, I am covering the Stanley Cup Finals. We were planning to watch the game with a few friends tomorrow.”

  His face perks up, the mood in the room shifting. Thank God. I cannot stand another second of the weird vibes Tyler has been shooting his dad since we got here. The two of them are so much alike, both stubborn and have to control the situation that they always butt heads. I doubt they even realize how much air they suck from the room when they are together.

  “Who are you predicting to win? As much as I hate the Pens, my money is on them for the win.”

  Carl has so much passion for hockey that it almost seems odd that Tyler lacks some of his enthusiasm. I guess when you live the sport day in and day out for most of your life, it must lose some of its appeal.

  “I’m not sure how I could be from Pennsylvania and not cheer for them. But even if I weren't, I would also have to go with the Pens for the win.”

  A tiny smile crosses his lips at my response. “You favor the Flyers over the Penguins…I hope.”

  It wasn’t a question but more of a statement. The long-standing rivalry between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh is something any decent hockey fan is aware of though I am not so sure I want to admit that I cheer for both teams in front of two diehard Flyers fans, not when one of them plays for the team.

  I return his smile. “Of course I do.”

  Tyler places his big hand on my back and pulls me closer, the scent of his laundry detergent filling my nostrils as he leans in the kiss my cheek. “That’s my girl.”

  A loud scream erupts from the opposite end of the room, ripping us from our adult conversation and back to the boys.

  “Hey, guys,” Tyler says walking toward them, “break it up. Blake, you’re hurting Noah. Let him go.”

  Blake has Noah in a headlock on the floor, laughing as Noah squirms beneath him. He looks up at Tyler with a wide grin. “He has to tap out first.”

  “C’mon, buddy. If you hurt him, he won’t play with you anymore when he comes over.” Tyler sinks to his knees next to the boys and pulls them apart.

  Blake releases his death grip on Noah’s neck, and Noah crawls away from him, his face bright red and still trying to catch his breath. When I see the tears in Noah’s eyes, I walk over to him and sit next to him on the floor.

  “Are you okay?” I ask Noah.

  He nods, wiping his tears away with the back of his hand. “I want my mommy.” His voice is almost a whisper.

  “Okay, sweetie.” I push myself up from the floor and take Noah’s hand in mine, helping him to his feet. “Let’s go see your mommy.”

  Tyler is busy giving Blake a quick lecture about how to play well with other kids. He would’ve made such a good father.

  By the time we reach the stairs, Carl stops us and drops down to Noah’s height. “How are you feeling, little man?”

  “I want to see my mommy.” Noah sniffs with an adorable but sad look on his face.

  Carl glances up at me. “I can take him upstairs to sit with Payton. You should hang out with Tyler and Blake.”

  I nod, relieved that I don’t have to explain to Payton what had transpired between the boys. Most mothers would get upset about their children roughing with other kids, and I would rather not be in the middle of this situation.

  Taking a seat on the carpet next to Tyler and Blake, I let out a quiet sigh. This day has been taxing on all of us. I don’t know how Tyler repeats this every month without having a nervous breakdown. Seeing him with his son almost brings tears to my eyes. I hold them back, all too aware of how emotional I have become since I first walked into the house.

  After seeing Tyler and Blake in action, the two of them now playing a portable air hockey game on the floor, my heart fills with so much sadness. Tyler blocks the puck as Blake hits it hard with his paddle, causing Blake to scream out in irritation.

  This kid is so damn cute with the little dimple in his cheek and those big blue eyes. He’s so happy and full of life. It makes sense to me why Tyler continues to repeat this monthly practice. I would not want to miss out on Blake’s life once I had gotten to know him either.

  “Beat it, kid.” Tyler crashes paddle into the puck with an evil laugh. “You’re on my turf now.”

  “When I grow up, I want to be a famous hockey player like you,” Blake announces, stopping the puck in front of his goal.

  The proud grin on Tyler’s handsome face makes my insides turn to mush. “Don’t worry, buddy, I will help you get there.”

  Blake peeps up from the game at me, and then his focus shifts to Tyler. “Is she your girlfriend, Uncle Tyler?”

  “Yes.” Tyler reaches out to squeeze my hand. “Kennedy is my girlfriend.”

  “Are you going to get married?”

  Why do kids always have to ask such intrusive questions? I wait with nervous anticipation as Tyler responds.

  He locks onto me, his eyes and the tone of his voice both serious. “Yes, I’d like to get married some day.”

  “To Kennedy?” Blake squeaks when he says my name.

  Tyler hasn’t broken our staring contest. My stomach twists like a pretzel as he speaks the three words I was hoping to hear. “I hope so.”

  “Are you going to have babies?” Why does this kid keeping grilling Tyler?

  Our relationship is so new that this is not the type of conversation either of us were prepared to have, but Tyler doesn’t seem to mind as Blake fires off one question after another.

  “I hope so,” Tyler says, his voice low and soft.

  I could melt into a puddle on the floor. How did things progress so fast between Tyler and me?

  I still have not figured out how our sexual tension turned into something neither of us least expected. Sometimes life comes at you like a puck invading your zone off a rush, but it’s how you adapt to the situation that makes the difference between scoring a goal or coming up short. And with Tyler, I have scored big time.

  Chapter Sixteen

  KENNEDY

  On our way home from an another fantastic dinner, I lean across the shifter with my hand wrapped around Tyler’s massive cock, my knees digging into the leather seat and my elbow propped up on the center console. He’s so hard and long, and as I position him in front of my mouth, I grab hold of his shaft with my other hand, teasing him as I lick the tip.

  The sexy sound he makes sends a tremor through my body and straight to my core, my legs trembling with need and my panties soaked in anticipation. I wish he’d pull the car over and fuck me on the hood, but he’s driving so damn fast, weaving in and out of lanes as we zip down the highway. His car is crazy fast, but there’s no need to pretend like we’re in a rush.

  Apart form his friends coming over to watch the NHL Stanley Cup Finals, we have nowhere else to be and plenty of time to get there. Matching the speed of his driving, I stroke his length, my hands and mouth in sync with one another as I suck his cock, taking most of it in my mouth.

  “Oh my God, baby,” he grunts.
>
  His big palm cups the back of my head but his grip isn’t firm enough to choke me. With a guy the size of Tyler, it’s a challenge to fit him in my mouth, especially when he insists on driving like we’re in The Fast and the Furious, for some reason in a hurry to get out of Philly. After the third time of his sudden movements knocking me around a little in my seat, almost losing my hold of him and two seconds from taking an accidental bite out of his favorite body part, I stop pumping and remove his cock from my mouth.

  “Don’t stop, Ken.” He makes a hissing sound, the disappointment already on his face when I glance up at him, irritated.

  “Then stop driving like an asshole,” I spit back.

  “I was trying to make sure no one could see what you’re doing. Did you think of that?” He runs his fingers through my hair, his voice sounding like a child. “C’mon, baby. Finish what you started or I’m going to have the worst case of blue balls.”

  “Not until you talk to me.” I sit down and back in my chair, avoiding eye contact with him. “Is something wrong? I know when you’re lying.”

  He grabs his length in his hand, keeping one eye on the road and the other on me. “I’m coming whether you help me or not, but I’d prefer it be with your lips wrapped around my cock when that happens and not my hand.”

  I roll my eyes at him. “You just want to come in my mouth.”

  The corner of his mouth turns up into a wicked grin. “That, too.”

  I get situated in my seat, my gaze fixed on the road, but I cannot help but watch out of the corner of my eye when I see him jerk himself off, tempted to take over for him. I’m so fucking horny, I push up my dress and feel how wet I am over my silky panties.

  “Jesus, babe.” He licks his lips, still driving with one hand and working on finishing himself off with the other. “Spread those legs and let me watch you finger your pussy.”

  I peel back my panties, my head turned to the side but still nestled against the headrest, biting down on my bottom lip as I sink two fingers inside me. If only it were Tyler between my legs. I watch him maneuver the car and his dick, turned on by his ability to do both at the same time.

  Coating my fingers with my juices, I quicken my pace, a brush of heat spreading from my cheeks to my toes. My body tenses up, a euphoric sensation rushing over me, the feeling intense and powerful as it takes over. With each moan, my voice dies off, Tyler’s name on the tip of my tongue.

  “I want to come in your mouth,” he says, low and seductive. “Get over here, babe. I need you.”

  Sliding my fingers from my wetness, I hold them out and in front of his mouth for him to suck on them.

  “Mmm…you taste good. I can’t wait to be inside that tight pussy.”

  He stops doing all the work, giving me back control, as I continue for him. Not long after my tongue glides along his skin do I feel his leg shake. Tyler grips my hair in his hands, twisting it around his fingers. When he comes, I swallow all of him and suck on the tip once more before sitting back in my seat.

  He’s still out of breath and driving like an idiot. With his eyes on the road, he tucks himself back into his pants and zippers them up. Then he reaches across the car and takes my hand in his to give it a quick squeeze.

  “You 're incredible, Kennedy. Thank you.”

  I laugh, almost feeling sorry for him. “You don’t have to thank me for a blow job. I’m your girlfriend. It’s my job to keep you happy.”

  “That’s not what I meant…Well, I guess that, too, but damn, babe, that was one hell of a BJ. But I was saying thank you for yesterday with Blake and my family, and this was just icing on the cake.”

  “You’re welcome, Tyler, but you don’t have to thank me. I’m glad I had the chance to meet your family, and it’s always a pleasure to see how much of your dick I can fit in my mouth.” I say the last sentence with a devious grin.

  “You make it so hard not to pull over this car right now and show you how much I appreciate you.”

  “As much as I’d like that, you will have people waiting out front of your house for us soon, and you don’t want to leave them hanging.”

  Tyler flashes one of his winning smiles. “You’re perfect.”

  “You’re a hot mess.” I laugh as I speak the words.

  He reminds me of a sexy surfer with his blond hair and tanned skin with a mix of frat boy and aggressive hockey player throw in. But under the surface, there is so much more to him that I had not expected. And I’m hardcore falling for him more each day.

  We make it back to Tyler’s house in Cherry Hill with a few minutes to spare before the doorbell rings. Coach and Parker arrive first because Coach is never late for anything. In fact, according to Tyler, she’s fifteen minutes early for every event he has to attend. He’s always the dumbass dragging his feet as his hot agent waits around on him. She has to do the same thing with Parker. I saw that first hand when Coach had asked me to watch over Alex.

  “Tyler,” Coach says, throwing her long, caramel hair over her shoulder, all six feet of beauty and toned muscle flashing a smile. She was on track to become a professional basketball player before she had a career-ending injury. But she still looks as though she trains every day. “How have you been? Staying out of trouble, I hope.”

  “Of course.” He leans in to kiss her, and she offers him her cheek. “Kennedy keeps me in check.”

  “Someone needs to do it,” she deadpans. “Between you and Alex, I have my hands full. I’m more than happy to share some of the load with Kennedy.”

  Parker has Coach bolted to his side, his fingers digging into her hip to keep her in place. Tyler does the same thing with me, never wanting to let me out of his sight. We have spent almost every day and night together since we first met. Things have progressed so fast that we practically moved into together without having an official conversation about it.

  “Hey,” Parker says with a nod, nonchalant, and locks his gaze onto Tyler. “I hope you got pizza from Tony’s this time. None of that cheap shit that cracks when you fold it in half.”

  “Yeah,” Tyler laughs, “I learned my lesson from last time. I stopped eating at the place around the corner. Come in. The pizza guy just left, so it should still be hot.”

  I give them a little wave, a wide grin on my face as they step inside the house. “How are you guys?”

  “We’re great.” Coach does something I least expect and pulls me into her arms to give me a big hug. “Thanks for everything, Kennedy.”

  I pat her on the back, taking in the scent of her sweet perfume. “I’m so glad everything worked out for you.”

  “Thanks for keeping tabs on Alex,” Coach says, releasing me from her grip.

  Until now, I hadn’t met Alex in the formal sense. And who would’ve thought I would be meeting Alex as the girlfriend of Tyler Kane. I still have my mini fangirl moments when it sinks in that I am dating a famous hockey player, and not just anyone—my favorite player in the NHL.

  I extend my hand to Alex as I break free from Coach and welcome them into the house. Tyler likes when I take charge. Now that I live here, he says his house is starting to feel like a home instead of a museum. Before we met, it was always cold and too big for one person, nothing more than a bachelor pad with too many rooms and gadgets.

  I’m glad that Tyler feels so strongly about me living here because at the rate we’re going, moving in with each other would be the next logical step, given how much time we spend together. It would also save us both the expense of gas and tolls from driving over the bridge.

  “Nice to meet the girl who was spying on me.” Parker chuckles and follows us into the living room.

  I shrug. “Sorry. I was just doing my job. For someone with so many scandals under their belt, I was surprised how boring you can be.”

  He laughs, his shaggy brown hair falling into his eyes. “Sorry to disappoint. Charlotte turned me into a boring old man.”

  “Hey,” Coach smacks him in the arm, “I am not boring. Take it back.”
/>   “You’re a little boring. Just admit it, sweetheart.”

  Because Coach is almost the same height as Alex, he barely has to move to kiss her on the cheek. They are adorable together. At least my snooping worked out for them. I was worried about how it would all turn out when Coach had asked me to monitor Alex’s every waking move. Following him from practices and games when he was in town was uneventful, to say the least. I had expected to find him in bars and strip clubs, what used to be his usual hangouts, and was surprised to find him at home alone most of the time.

  “Where’s Roxie,” Coach asks, looking around the living room.

  “I left Roxie in the basement to play in her doggie room, so she doesn’t annoy the crap out of everyone,” Tyler chimes in. “She gets way too excited when other people are around, and I want to watch the game without cleaning up broken glasses or spilled drinks from the floor.”

  “I have a hard enough time cleaning up after Alex,” Coach jokes. “I can image how much of a pain it is to take care of a puppy.”

  “We can trade,” Tyler tells her, laughing. “At least Alex won’t pee on the carpet and hump my leg.”

  “I can’t promise he won’t hump your leg,” Coach says, her voice playful.

  She elbows Alex in the side, and he hooks his arms around her from behind and rests his chin on her shoulder.

  After they settle in on one of the couches, I hear the door close over, followed by a man’s voice travelling down the hallway. Tyler and Donovan are so close I am shocked he doesn’t live here with him in this big old house. Standing in the archway of the living room, Donovan raises his thick arms above his head to stretch, wearing sweat pants and a cut off tank that shows off his muscles. He puts Parker and Tyler to shame with his bulky frame.

  Donovan knew ahead of time that he is meeting Sydney tonight, per both of their requests, yet he looks as though he has just left the gym. His dark beard is trimmed, now looking more like an average person and less like a lumberjack who’s ready to chop down a tree. He has a season ritual where he doesn’t shave, the length of his beard getting out of hand by the last game. Shaving is the only thing he did for his fix up with Sydney. That much is evident in his appearance.