The Penalty Box - Teagan Kade Page 0,41

and pressing my crotch to his, noting the way he hardens against me. “Maybe bring it with you. You know, for later.” I wink.

“Mrs. King,” he smiles. “When you did you become so kinky?”

*

I place the breakfast tray down next to the bed, Nolan easing himself upright and breathing in. “Ah, the perks of having a brother who can actually cook.”

I take a seat on the edge of the bed. “If you’re expecting this kind of culinary perfection from your wife, you’re dreaming. I’ll screw up toast and butter if you give me the chance.”

He reaches for me, brushing my hair back and smiling. “You have other, more advantageous qualities, my dear.”

I trace my finger down his arm, follow the inky lines of his tattoos. “Such as?”

His hand goes to the top button of my blouse, pops it open and moves to the next. “Your eloquent way with words, for example.”

“Fuck off,” I laugh.

“Mmm, there we go.”

A third button and the blouse has opened enough for my breasts to show, nipples stiffening in the cups of my bra. “Contrary to what my father says, my mother is a saint. Truth is, I don’t know where I get my potty mouth.”

“Watching too much NBA as a kid, perhaps?”

With the final button the blouse opens completely, parting down the center.

“Steph Curry’s mom actually told him she was going to wash his mouth out with soap, even sent him two home videos. My mom doesn’t know the half of what happens out there on the court. She’d be mortified at a quarter of what comes out of my mouth.”

“You clearly haven’t been on a hockey rink. It’s like the Wild West, but everyone has a stick instead of a gun.” The left side of the blouse whispers aside. Nolan takes a nipple between his thumb and forefinger, rolling it, testing its texture. I can tell by the way his boxers are jutting out like a contemporary art installation it’s to his satisfaction.

“Sounds like fun if you ask me,” I tell him.

“I think you’d make an excellent hockey player, personally.”

Need is already starting to stir inside me. “What position would I play?”

His fingers leave my nipple, walk across to the center of my chest where my heart beats against them in a tight cadence. “Center sounds about right. They’re responsible for quarterbacking both ends of the ice, must be good at passing and face-offs, shooting. Teams look for creativity when it comes to choosing a center…and smarts.”

I whistle. “Smart, creative—I’ll take that, but pretty sure I’d be a defenseman. I like it physical.”

He groans deep from within his chest, an animal. “I know.”

I stand abruptly and do up my blouse. I’m not sure he’s ready for sex yet. It’s only been a few days since he left the hospital. I think he’s actually enjoyed being babied like this, far more than he should. Even the others have pitched in, Phoenix and Heather providing our meals, Peyton and Erin picking up a PlayStation earlier in the week and hooking it up in his room. The guy’s never going to want to leave.

I’ve enjoyed it too, in my own way, and yes, maybe it’s because he’s been shirtless this whole time, a veritable eye candy overload, but it’s also given us a lot of time to chat, and talk, and simply be close. I feel like I know him on a far deeper level than ever before. It sounds strange saying that, getting to know your husband after the fact, but it has played out well.

He looks at me like a poor lost puppy who’s going without a meal. “Really?”

I finish the top button. “You’re in no condition for that, mister. Doctor’s orders.”

He reaches down up where the wound at the back of his head is, trying not to grimace. “See? Perfectly fine. A bee sting.”

“Eat up,” I laugh, heading downstairs.

Heather’s cleaning up downstairs. “How’s the patient?”

“You know these King boys,” I tell her. “They act all hard but really they’re just looking for someone to pamper them, rock them to sleep and coo in their ear.”

“Tell me about it,” Heather replies. “Phoenix wanted to come with me to the nail salon, I kid you not.”

“You don’t seem like the nail salon type,” I say, cautious not to overstep here, but Heather seems completely down to earth, that cool rocker chick you always wanted to be friends with in high school but who tread her own path and didn’t give a damn about anything else.

“I grew