Tacker

by Sawyer Bennett

  Tacker assured me the team already knew about me, and that everyone was happy for us. He’d told his first line mates, then word sort of spread to the others over the following days.

  Still, I was a ball of nerves when we showed up, my heart thumping hard in my chest.

  But that was an hour ago, and I’m completely fine now. Everyone was so gracious even though I got a little bit of ribbing from the guys.

  Erik had bumped his shoulder against mine, nodded at Tacker, who had his hand on my lower back, and playfully said, “Nora… you saucy vixen… ensnaring the big guy there.”

  I’d blushed, Tacker growled, and Erik just shot us both a mischievous wink before Blue stepped in to give me a welcoming hug. She had whispered, “I can’t wait to hear all the details about how you two fell for each other.”

  Something about the breathlessness in her voice… the hopeful romantic tone… makes butterflies circle in my tummy. Yes… I do think we’re falling for each other, and it makes me feel giddy.

  Tacker and I walk around Erik and Blue’s immense house, talking with various teammates and guests. Most I had met when they’d volunteered at the ranch, but some I had not.

  The mood is festive and upbeat, everyone coming together to celebrate Legend and Pepper’s marriage. While she’d already been unofficially welcomed into the Vengeance family, now she was legally a family member.

  And it is a family.

  It’s fascinating to watch how they all interact with each other. The absolute fondness in their expressions and the care in their voices, even if they are giving the other person hell about something.

  We make our way down to the basement, Tacker on a mission. He finds Billy down there, playing video games in front of a large, flat-screen TV with Dax.

  Tacker waits patiently. When the game ends, he boots Dax off the couch. I smile, watching Tacker hold his hand out to Billy—man to man—for a fist bump. Billy grins at him with adoration shining in his eyes. There’s no doubt Tacker is his favorite or that Tacker has a genuine touch with Billy.

  He has practice, of course. I’d learned that MJ had a disabled and wheelchair-bound older brother, and Tacker was exceptionally close to him. It’s clear Tacker just has an innate gift within him to bond with those who need care and protection the most.

  Dax walks around the couch, coming to stand beside me as we watch Tacker and Billy start a new game. Tacker starts gentle smack talking, and Billy laughs while they play.

  “So you and Tacker, huh?” he asks, a smirk on his face. “What would possess you to start dating that asshole?”

  Tacker doesn’t even miss a beat, his eyes pinned hard on the TV screen as he replies for me, “Because she has impeccable taste.”

  Dax roars with laughter. Leaning over the couch, he squeezes Tacker’s shoulder briefly. “Of course she does.”

  Next thing I know, Dax has me by the elbow. As he starts to lead me away, he calls out to Tacker. “Got your woman. I’ll return her safely.”

  “You better,” Tacker calls back, again eyes still engaged fully in the game, but there’s no mistaking the warning in his tone. “Or you’ll regret it.”

  Dax leads me up the stairs, through the great room, and out onto the back patio where several people congregate, talking, eating, and drinking.

  I’m tugged along with him, right over to a small group of women. I recognize Blue, who I’d seen a bit earlier, and Brooke and Regan, who had come out to Shërim Ranch that day with the team. There’s another woman there—petite and stunning with her dark hair in a pixie cut—who I don’t know.

  “Nora,” Dax says as he releases my elbow. “I believe you know everyone but Pepper.”

  Of course, Pepper. The woman of the hour.

  She opens her arms to me, and I step in for a hug. When we pull apart, I say, “Congratulations on your marriage.”

  “Thank you,” she gushes, pushing her hair behind her ears. “I’m so glad you came with Tacker. I’ve been dying to meet you.”

  Suddenly, a glass of wine appears in front of my face, held by Dax. “Here you go.”

  I accept it, not worrying about the fact Tacker doesn’t drink. He hasn’t minded me having a glass of wine or beer when we go out to dinner. Sometimes, I do. Other times, I don’t, depending on my mood. Tacker assured me it was fine as he wasn’t much of a drinker anyway, so he wasn’t bothered by the team’s mandate he couldn’t have alcohol. It works out, because I’m not much of a drinker either. Like I said, just a drink with a meal sometimes.

  “And with that,” Dax says with a slight bow and wink at Regan, “I’m out of here. Unlike Tacker, I don’t hang out with the girls.”

  Everyone laughs but me, because I don’t get the joke. Regan notices my perplexed expression as Dax disappears, and explains, “In an effort to get Tacker engaging with people, Dax sort of set him up.”

  “Yeah,” Brooke pipes in with a snicker. “Asked Tacker to check on Regan one day and unbeknownst to poor Tacker, we were all there baking cookies for a charity event. We sort of pulled him inside, and we didn’t give him a choice about leaving. Made him hang out with us for a few hours and actually have a conversation.”

  My jaw drops as I admit with all the admiration in the world. “That’s brilliantly devious.”

  “Totally,” Pepper adds with a giggle. “But we all love Tacker so much, so the team sort of came together as a whole, determined to keep pushing at him to rejoin our world, so to speak.”

  “Well, he has an incredible support system with all of you,” I tell the ladies.

  “And with you,” Blue says pointedly. “You came into his life at the exact right time. Serendipity.”

  I can’t argue with that, except to point out. “Or, he came into my life at exactly the right time.”

  Blue beams back. “I love that. I genuinely believe when true love comes along, there’s an exceptionally good reason for it to happen at the moment it does.”

  I blink at her casual use of the word “love,” because we are nowhere near that. Hell, we’ve only shared a handful of kisses these past ten days. No way can I even consider being in love with him.

  “If I can have everyone’s attention,” we hear being yelled from the double French doors that lead into the house.

  Erik stands there with a champagne glass in hand, looking very self-important.

  “He’s such a spectacle,” Blue mutters, but it’s loaded with so much affection.

  “If everyone would come into the great room, please,” he says with a grand sweep of his hand and a disarming smile thrown at Blue from across the patio.

  “He’s a fool,” she murmurs as she starts hurrying his way, “but he’s my fool and I love him.”

  Everyone moves into the house, Brooke chatting with me along the way, inviting me to watch some home games with her. Once inside, I see Tacker standing beside Billy in his motorized wheelchair. Erik had upgraded the house with an elevator, and he’d made all the rooms handicap accessible for the young man. Even though Billy still lives at a group home—by his choice—Tacker told me he spends a lot of time here at Erik’s house.

  The first line couples all seem to come together. Legend and Pepper, Brooke and Bishop, Regan and Dax. I take that as my cue, moving over to Tacker.

  Erik posts himself near the fireplace, and Blue takes her place at his side. Everyone pushes in to listen.

  “As you all know,” Erik says as he surveys the crowd. “We’re all gathered here today to celebrate the marriage of Legend and Pepper.”

  Applause breaks out with a few whistles. Legend pulls his wife into his side, gazing at her with such a loving expression on his face that my breath catches.

  “Yes, yes,” Erik says with a laugh, using his free hand to help quiet the crowd. “Yes, we’re here to celebrate these two lovebirds, but Legend threatened to kick my ass if I made a big deal about it. In fact, he specifically forbade gifts or speeches of any kind.”

  Laughing, everyone waits for Erik to continue def
ying his friend.

  “So I’m not going to give a speech about them,” he says, then I see him shoot a subtle smile at Bishop before he turns to face Blue. “Instead, I’m going to talk about this woman.”

  Blue’s face turns almost crimson, which is made inherently brighter by the fact her hair is a bright blonde. She even takes a stuttering step back, as if he’s got a bomb on him or something.

  Erik isn’t about to let her get away, though. He reaches out and snatches her hand, pulling her right into his space. He hands his champagne glass off to a teammate. Then, to everyone’s shock, he drops down to one knee before Blue.

  “That’s ballsy,” Tacker murmurs from beside me, and I can’t help but giggle. I look up at him, and his return gaze is filled with amusement.

  Erik is now brandishing a black velvet box that’s opened. While I can’t see the details, there’s a huge sparkler of a ring nestled inside.

  Blue gasps, staring at Erik in shock.

  “Blue,” he says softly. “Some may think this is too soon, but I say I’ve waited a lifetime for this. Still others may say I haven’t thought things through enough, but I say I’ve been doing nothing but thinking. Even more will say I haven’t planned well, and I would have to say the planning is all done. Meaning, I’ve talked to Billy about this. Several times, in fact, because I wanted to make sure that when I asked you to be my wife, he would be equally as accepting of me being his brother-in-law. Luckily, your brother is incredibly smart and handsome—just like me—”

  And here, Erik takes a moment to search the crowd, locking eyes on Blue’s brother. His head is lolling from side to side, his teeth flashing in the biggest smile imaginable. It’s obvious Billy knew this was coming from the way he’s bouncing in his chair with excitement.

  Erik shoots him a wink, then turns to Blue. “As you can see, I’ve got it all figured out. You, me, and Billy are going to lead an incredibly beautiful life together if you will just say yes and agree to be my wife.”

  Taking the ring out of the box, Erik slides it onto Blue’s finger, which is a feat in and of itself as her entire hand is shaking like crazy.

  There’s no formal answer given by Blue. She merely flings herself into Erik’s arms, knocking him backward from his kneeling position in front of her onto his back. She then lays a kiss on him that says, Yes, Yes, Yes!

  Everyone starts cheering. Eventually, Erik and Blue surface to a standing position. People surge to offer congratulations. Tacker and I hang back, waiting for the crowd to thin.

  His arm comes up around my shoulder, and he steps in closer to me as we watch the happy couple. I don’t have to look at his face to feel the joy radiating off him. I imagine engagements or weddings may be difficult for him, but there’s no denying the fact Tacker has reached a point he can actually engage in true happiness for the things his friends have that he no longer does.

  I had an amazing time at Erik and Blue’s. The party got a little crazy as the alcohol flowed freely. At one point, Erik grabbed Blue and jumped into their pool fully clothed. She didn’t seem to mind, though, as they spent a good chunk of the night lip locked. Luckily, Billy had been taken back to the group home when he started getting tired, so he didn’t have to witness all that engagement debauchery.

  Tacker walked me to my door like every other night we’ve had a date. Hand in hand up the steps, stopping just under the yellow porch light.

  Just like every other night, I had a million nerves fluttering at the thought of a goodnight kiss.

  Like every other night, he dips his head and brushes his mouth against mine.

  Except tonight, our heads seem to tilt, and our mouths open just a bit wider. The kiss extends, and Tacker’s hand comes to the nape of my neck. It’s a touch I love… possessive and controlling.

  I can’t help but lean into him because his kiss feels like magic. Mesmerizing and pulling me under. Tacker’s tongue touches mine, and a million pulses of pleasure soar through my entire body. Groaning, I kiss him back, my hands going to his head to pull him into me.

  Tacker makes a harsh sound within his chest, pushing me into the door. His body presses into me—all hard muscles and strong legs pinning me there, with that one hand still gripping the nape of my neck.

  I can’t think when he’s kissing me, which is why it takes a few moments to realize he’s pulled back with an inscrutable expression on his face.

  “I’ll call you when I get home,” he says gruffly.

  “Or you could kiss me again,” I say with a hopeful, suggestive lift to my eyebrows.

  Tacker’s smile is soft as he shakes his head. “I don’t want to rush you.”

  I take stock of his tone… commanding. He feels strongly about this… taking it slow.

  And I’m okay with that.

  Sort of.

  “I don’t feel rushed,” I say.

  I mean, I’m incredibly attracted to him and I want more. He wants it, too. I felt it pressed against my belly. If my gaze were to drop, I know I’d be staring at an impressive bulge against his jeans.

  “I know,” he replies, his tone turning a little hesitant. “But… I’m not sure when it’s the right time. While so many things are clear to me where you’re concerned, I don’t want to do anything to fuck this up. I want it to be absolutely perfect.”

  I’m overwhelmed with a swooning sensation that he wants our first time to be perfect, and my heart swells knowing he’s just not sure how to go about it.

  Somehow, I think it will be perfect if we just keep kissing, but I can’t do much more than nod my head with a gamine smile. “That perfect time will come.”

  “I know it will,” he says, his eyes dropping longingly to my mouth. “Goodnight, Nora.”

  “Goodnight,” I whisper.

  I stand at my door as Tacker gets in his truck. When he waves, I lift a hand in return before he guns it out of my driveway and down the gravel road that leads out.

  Shutting the door, I lean against it and ponder what just happened.

  Two people who weren’t looking for anything, yet found something anyway.

  What that long-term something is we don’t know, but it’s a daily revelation.

  What I do know is we’re attracted to each other on more than just an emotional, spiritual, and intellectual level. While we haven’t acted on it past a few hot kisses—my lips still tingling from the one just moments ago—we’re going to.

  Not sure when, though.

  Tacker says he doesn’t want to rush me. He doesn’t want to fuck up. He wants it to be absolutely perfect.

  And then it hits me… Tacker’s worries are going to be there tomorrow and the next day. Given everything he’s been through, this must be an incredibly hard step to take. It’s one thing to become interested in a woman after coming out of a grieving period over the woman he once thought he’d spend his entire life with.

  It’s another to become intimate. It’s the deepest connection two individuals can make, and I imagine if there’s anything that’s going to cause Tacker doubt, it’s this.

  One other thing I know… that whenever we decide to move forward, there won’t be a feeling on my part of being rushed. There’s no way Tacker could ever fuck this up.

  And I believe it will be perfect.

  CHAPTER 24

  Tacker

  I’m that strange mixture of tired and exhilarated at the same time as I unlock my apartment door. I’ve been burning the candle a bit at both ends between balancing my hockey career and my dating life.

  So weird… dating life.

  So weird that I’m dating at all.

  I remember what it was like from when I first started dating MJ. Juggling a schedule that varied every week, road trips, and trying to sneak in quality time. Late-night phone calls that could go on for hours.

  It’s all mostly the same with Nora, but if I have to be honest, this whole thing seems a little more exciting.

  A little more fulfilling.

  Tonight, being at Erik an
d Blue’s house, celebrating the marriage of my friends Legend and Pepper… all I can say is it wouldn’t have felt right if Nora hadn’t been there with me. I am already considering her to be part of my family with the Vengeance.

  I can only assume that’s because I’ve come out of the longest funk of funks, so perhaps it’s just natural that everything seems just… a little more.

  Regardless, I try not to overanalyze but rather just enjoy.

  I step across my threshold into my bare apartment. All my good intentions to buy furniture have sort of been abandoned now that I’m actively back on the roster. I haven’t had a spare bit of time to look into it more.

  Closing the door, I engage the bottom lock, deadbolt, and chain. I’m not really worried for myself, but this isn’t the greatest of neighborhoods so might as well be safe.

  Just as my hand drops away from the chain, someone knocks on my door. It startles me a moment. I actually jump backward before leaning in to put my eye to the peephole.

  I’m stunned to see Nora on my stoop.

  I hasten to unlock everything, then swing the door open. Nora greets me with a sheepish grin, rocking back and forth on the balls of her feet.

  “Hey,” I say stupidly, thrilled to see her, yet not really understanding why this vision is gracing me with her presence.

  “Hey,” she replies nervously.

  “What are you doing here?” I ask, taking her in. I left her less than an hour ago, yet I feel like I haven’t seen her in weeks. It was so fucking hard to tear away from that kiss earlier. She must have gotten in her car and followed me straight here.

  “Well,” she drawls with a slow shrug. “I was thinking about what you said right before you left, and I kind of think tonight might be perfect.”

  My head swims. While I know what she’s talking about, I’m thinking I didn’t hear her straight. “Perfect?”

  She nods, sort of coyly, but her eyes heat up slightly. The dichotomy is sexy as hell on her. “Tonight, I think we would make it perfect.”

  Jesus.

  Yes… she’s talking about sex.