Shayla

         My hands shook as I clutched the package in my white knuckled grip. Every few minutes, I wiped my damp palms down my denim covered thighs to keep from ruining the wrapping paper. I hadn’t been this nervous on my wedding day. Maybe that was because I had no idea how irrevocably my life was about to change. But now… I had a pretty good idea that nothing would ever be the same, and I wasn’t sure how my husband would take the news.

         The long corridor to the training room was dim and quiet. Most of the players had already headed to the locker room to prepare for their first game of the season. Easton was finishing up with the team physical therapist to ensure he had the green light to play after sustaining a minor injury during training camp.

         I pushed through the doors and immediately caught sight of my husband. He sat on the padded table while the PT talked to him. His eyes instantly found mine, and a soft smile curved his lips. 

         The therapist noticed me standing in the doorway, and with a knowing grin, wrapped up their session and slipped past me saying, “he’s all yours.”

         The door clicked shut behind me, and I nearly jumped out of my skin. This was it. Time to buck up and face the music. I hadn’t exactly wanted to do this here, but by the time the package arrived, Easton had already left for the game. I wanted to kick off the season with this surprise gift. I just hoped I wasn’t about to ruin this night for him. 

         Oh, no. What if he got upset? What if telling him now threw off his game and he played terribly, or worse, reinjured himself?

         Shit. I hadn’t thought this through. What was I going to do? 

         It was too late to turn back now. Easton stalked toward me, that dark, raw need I was so familiar with burning in his eyes.

         “Did you come to wish me luck?” he asked, his voice deep and gravelly. My belly dipped, momentarily distracting me from the nausea that churned in my gut.               

         Unfortunately, that feeling was the status quo these days.

         I swallowed thickly and tilted my chin up to hold his gaze as he came to a stop right in front of me. “Something like that,” I said, my voice trembling.

         “Is everything okay?”

         Was everything okay? Hell if I knew. The man I married to get my trust fund less than a year ago was about to have his world rocked by a very unexpected turn of events. He didn’t know it yet, but we came home from Scotland with more than just a few souvenirs.

         “Yeah, um, I just wanted to see you before the game,” I began nervously. “I… I.” I brought you a gift, but now I’m too afraid to give it to you. I couldn’t say it. I wanted to hide the gift behind my back and pretend it wasn’t there. 

         But it was too late. His gaze fell to the blue and white wrapped box with the silver bow in my hands. The colors were almost a perfect match to Wraiths’ uniforms. I’d been so pleased with myself when I found it, but now I wanted to pretend that it didn’t exist.

         “Is this for me?” Easton asked, his eyes lighting up with excitement. I couldn't respond. My mouth was suddenly dry, and my lungs seized up, refusing to draw in air. 

I nodded, and he lifted the box from my hands. The paper fell to the floor as he tore into it. He opened the box and unfolded the tissue paper concealing what was inside. Reaching into the box, he plucked out the folded white fabric. It looked so small in his large hands, and I imagined what those hands would look like holding a different tiny bundle. He tilted his head to the side curiously and lifted the material, shaking it out so it would fall open.

         One second passed, then two. I held my breath, and my heart stuttered in my chest as he studied the front of the tiny onesie.

         His eyes widened and he sucked in a sharp breath as the box fell from his other hand and landed on the floor. He stayed silent for a long moment, just taking in the sight. 

         I chewed on my lip as I tried to imagine what was going through his head. Was he scared, angry, numb? His facial expressions gave nothing away at the sight of the onesie that read “Daddy’s #1 Fan” in Wraiths blue letters with a set of hockey sticks crossed below it. I’d had it custom made by a friend from college who had an online shop. It was supposed to arrive two days ago– in plenty of time to have this private moment at home– but the Willow Brook Falls post office wasn’t exactly known for delivering packages on time. 

         Easton’s eyes lifted to mine, and he blinked as they misted over.

         “Is this for real?” he asked. Was that… hope I heard in his voice?

         “Yes,” I croaked out, my entire body trembling with anticipation.

         He moved with the speed and grace only someone who’d spent most of his life on ice skates could. In a flash, he closed the short distance between us and curled an arm around my waist. His free hand cupped my face, and he crashed his lips against mine. That hand slid to the nape of my neck and his fingers tangled in my hair. I gasped as he pressed me against the door at my back and devoured my lips in a desperate, urgent kiss.

         I wasn’t sure how much time had passed– a minute, maybe ten– when he pulled away panting and rested his forehead on mine.

         “We’re having a baby?” he asked, seeking confirmation.

         “Yes,” I confirmed, the knot of anxiety coiled tightly in my chest slowly beginning to unravel.

         “Fuck, Shayla, this is...” his voice trailed off and his throat bobbed as he swallowed. “This is the best gift you could’ve given me.” Shock froze me to the spot. I hadn’t known what to expect when I decided to tell him the news before the game, but this response was not one I’d even considered.

         Warmth spread through my chest, and my chin wobbled as tears welled in my eyes. He was happy, excited even, and I couldn’t have asked for a better reaction.

         “We’re having a baby,” he shouted to the sky, a joyous laugh falling from his lips. When his gaze returned to mine, his features sobered, and his expression grew serious.     

         “We’re having a baby,” he repeated, more quietly this time. His eyes shone with so much love, it rolled off him in waves, washing over me like the ocean at high tide. His eyes slid down my body, stopping at my belly. At almost twelve weeks, my body hadn’t changed much aside from my increasingly sensitive nipples and frequent nausea, yet he stared in wonder at the place where our child grew.

         Dropping to his knees, he framed my hips in his hands. A sob caught in my throat when he leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss to the spot just below my belly button.

          “Hey there, little one,” he whispered as he drew gentle circles over my hip bones with his thumbs. “I don’t know if you can hear me yet, but I’m your dad. I just found out about you, but I already love you so much.” there was no stopping them now. Tears streamed down my cheeks as I watched my husband speak to our unborn baby. It was so tender and heartwarming, I wanted to melt into the floor. “I’m going to take care of you and your mom and make sure you both know,” he said, pausing to glance up at me, “just how cherished you are.”

         Easton rose to his feet and cupped my face in both hands. He swiped his thumbs under my eyes, removing the dampness gathered there. “I didn’t think it was possible to love you more than I already do,” he began, his gaze searching mine, “but having you as the mother of my child is taking it to new heights I didn’t even know existed.” His eyes were damp again, and he didn’t even try to hide the fact he was on the verge of crying. “Thank you,” he whispered, pulling me close.

         He pressed his lips to mine in a sweet kiss as he held my face. My palms pressed against his abdomen and slid up his chest, taking in every hard ridge on their path. Easton groaned against my mouth and deepened the kiss. 

         Our passion ignited, and the air around us shifted. Desire thrummed in my veins and my overly sensitive body grew needy. I curled my arms around his neck and arched my back, moaning as my breasts brushed against his chest. The contact sent a bolt of arousal straight to my center. He growled and reached behind me, flipping the lock on the training room door.

         Easton trailed kisses across my jaw, down my neck, and back up, his stubble scraping deliciously over my throat. I shivered as his hot breath fanned over my ear.

         “I’ve heard orgasms can be more intense during pregnancy,” he said, and I felt his lips pull into a wicked grin against my skin. “I think we need to test that theory.”

         And test it, we did.

​

Easton

         I’m going to be a dad.

         Holy shit. I’m going to be a dad!

         I rushed to the locker room ready to tell my teammates. Shayla had given me the go ahead to share the news, and I wasn’t going to waste a single minute keeping it to myself. 

         I never thought I’d be this excited to find out I’d knocked someone up, but everything changed when I fell in love with Shayla. My priorities shifted. My hopes and dreams were centered around my life with her now. She was the missing piece. The key to my happiness and the other half of my heart. And now she was carrying our child. My heart was so full, I thought it might burst right out of my chest.

         Pushing through the locker room door, I drew up short at the sight of the empty space. There wasn’t a jersey or naked ass to be seen, which was unusual right before a game. I glanced up at the clock and let out a low curse. My team was probably already on the ice. Shayla and I had gotten a little carried with our, ahem, celebration. We must’ve taken longer than I realized. Bradford would have my ass for being late, but I couldn’t seem to make myself care. I was on cloud nine.

         I threw on my gear and headed out of the locker room. Just as I suspected, my team was already warming up when I reached our bench. I slipped past Bradford and the assistant coach, who were deep in conversation, and skated onto the ice. Weiss glanced up as I approached, and his displeased scowl made me chuckle.

         “It’s about damn time,” he groused. “We thought something went wrong at PT and you weren’t going to be able to play.”

         “Sorry man.” Since I couldn’t stop smiling, my apology wasn’t very convincing.

         He huffed in annoyance. Weiss usually wasn’t this uptight, but it was the first game of the season, so he was more on edge than usual. “You don’t look sorry. You look quite pleased with yourself.” He studied me for a moment, his eyes narrowing into slits. Then his nostrils flared. “You just got laid, didn’t you?”

         My grin widened, and I ducked my head sheepishly. Weiss hit me in the chest with the back of his gloved hand, and a laugh rumbled up my throat. 

         “You’re late for warm-ups because you couldn’t keep it in your pants?” He grew increasingly irritated as I continued to smile like a fool. Kent’s gaze bounced between us like he thought we might get into a fist fight.

         “No,” I replied, drawing out the word, “I’m late because Shayla just told me she’s pregnant.”

         Weiss went stock still and Kent’s mouth fell open. Neither of them moved or said a word for a long moment. And then they tackled me. 

         “No way!” Kent yelled, wrapping an arm around my shoulder.

         “Are you shittin’ me?” Weiss asked, his eyes blinking in disbelief.

         “I’m going to be a dad,” I said, voicing the words out loud for the first time. My throat tightened and tears stung the back of my eyes as a wave of emotion crashed over me. 

          Oh, shit. I was going to cry right here in the middle of the arena. 

         I took a deep breath, gathering my composure. If I cried in front of my team, I'd never live it down. 

         “How far along is she?” Weiss asked.

         “Almost twelve weeks.”

         “Damn, that means…” Weiss began, mentally doing the calculations. Kent’s eyes widened in recognition, and all three of us spoke in unison.

         “Scotland.” Shayla confessed that she’d missed a couple doses of her birth control at the start of our trip. Between the jet lag and time change as well as the excitement surrounding our vowel renewal, it had slipped her mind. That was all it took.

         “Congratulations,” Weiss said, slapping me on the back.

         “Yeah, man, congrats,” Kent offered with a fist bump.

Tillman skated up, eyeing us curiously. He wanted to know what was going on, but he wouldn’t ask. That would involve him using too many words at one time.

         “You’re late,” he said instead, a hint of worry in his tone.

         “Can I tell him?” Kent asked, looking like a kid on Christmas day.

         Weiss shoved him playfully. “No, you can’t tell him. You have to let Walker tell him. It’s his news.”

         “Tell me what?” Tillman glanced between the three of us, brow pinched like he was working out a puzzle. I waited a moment to reply, drawing out the suspense until he looked visibly uncomfortable.

         “Shayla and I are going to have a baby.” Damn, it felt good to say that every time. I wondered if it would ever get old or lose its luster.

         Tillman paled and something akin to panic flitted in his eyes. Then he blinked and shook his head, and his stoic expression fell back into place. 

         “Congratulations,” he said, holding out his gloved fist. I bumped it with mine, noting it was the most physical contact I’d ever had with him. Where Kent and Weiss were quick to offer hugs and slaps on the back, Tillman avoided any shows of affection. It made sense that he was a goalie since he shied away from touching others as much as possible. 

         My head snapped up at the sound of Bradford’s voice yelling all four of our names. “This isn’t social hour. You need to warm up. We don’t need any more injuries,” he added, looking pointedly at me. We dispersed and went about the rest of our warmups until it was time to head back to the locker room.

         Bradford approached me while I taped up my stick, a scowl pinching his brow. “You got the all clear from PT, but I should bench you for the first period for being late,” he said, and the perpetual smile I’d worn since finding out Shayla was pregnant faltered.

         “He’s got a pretty good reason for being late, Coach,” Kent butted in from his spot next to me.

         “Oh? Do enlighten me then,” Bradford replied, folding his thick arms across his broad chest. Five years ago, he’d been a formidable defenseman until a blown out knee abruptly ended his career, but he still had the physique of a pro hockey player.

         I stood and motioned him aside, away from my rowdy teammates. I owed my Coach an explanation for my tardiness, and I wanted to tell him the news before telling the rest of the guys. 

         His brows lifted and his eyes went wide when I announced that Shayla was pregnant. I told him about how she surprised me after my PT session, leaving out the part where I’d made her come on fingers, then my tongue, and finally my cock. He didn’t need to know about that.

         Bradford clapped a hand on my shoulder and offered me a genuine smile. “Congrats,” he said, and I thanked him. Then he tilted his head to the side thoughtfully, and I squirmed under his scrutiny. “I always knew you two would end up together.” The surprise must have shown on my face because he chuckled before adding, “I knew something was up that day I brought you to meet her. It was clear you two were already acquainted. The tension in the air was so thick it was almost suffocating. I couldn’t get out of there fast enough.” That explained his awkwardness that day he took me to Shayla’s office. He’d seemed uncomfortable. Now I knew why.

         We returned to the ice, and everyone stood for the national anthem. My body buzzed with excited energy as we gathered for our team huddle. I couldn’t hold the secret in any longer.

         “I have an announcement,” I said before we broke apart. I glanced around at the faces of my teammates and coaches, my smile growing with every passing second. They eyed me expectantly, curiosity glimmering in their eyes.

         “Just before I came out here, I got some life changing news.” I paused dramatically as murmurs came from all around me, and a few of my teammates shot wary glances my way. Kent and Weiss offered encouraging smiles and Tilman nodded his head. I took a deep breath before saying the nine words that made me happier than anything else in the world. “Shayla is pregnant. I’m going to be a dad.” 

         Cheers erupted as my teammates shoved at me excitedly. I bounced around between them, laughing like a kid in a bouncy castle. I was met with a chorus of congratulations.

         “Thank you, thank you” I replied as my teammates celebrated around me.

I lifted my gaze toward the crowd, searching out the face I longed to see most in this world. It landed on her where she sat in her usual spot. She swiped at her cheeks, removing the happy tears I knew were gathered there from witnessing me telling my team about our baby. I held up my hands and formed a heart shape with both thumbs and index fingers and mouthed “I love you.” It was something I started after the whole mess with Maxwell and Jessica was resolved.

         She returned the gesture, pressing her heart shaped hands to her chest and then to her belly. This time, instead of proclaiming her love for me, she mouthed “we love you.” 

         My eyes fell closed and I basked in the knowledge that I not only had the love of a good woman, but would soon hold the child our love created in my arms. It was a beautiful feeling, like the sun on your face after a long, dark winter. And I’d never felt more at peace.