The stair creaks, and I lift my head to see Quinn walking back up the steps, her body tight. “Hey,” I say.
“I’m sorry.” She turns to me. “I didn’t mean to intrude or eavesdrop. I just…” She holds up the clothes in her hands. “Wanted to see if it was okay if I wore these.”
“Wear whatever you like,” I say. “I told you, you can have and use anything at all. I really appreciate what you’re doing for me.”
She nods, turns quickly and races up the stairs. After she disappears upstairs again, I grab my phone. There are a ton of messages that I’ve been ignoring. Damn, news sure travels fast in the hockey circuit. Most of the texts are from the puck bunnies I know, asking if they can come by to help, but I get that’s not what they’re after. I’m a known player, a guy who plays as hard off the ice as he does on it. These women want one thing from me, and I’m okay with that. I’m not looking to settle down anytime soon, and when I do, I want
it to be with someone who sees me as more than the Body Checker. Someone who wants me for me.
I hear a truck pull into the driveway just as the shower turns on upstairs. “Looks like your new furniture is here, little one.” I climb to my feet and tuck the blanket tighter around the tired baby as her lids fall shut again, and make my way to the front door.
The driver and his helper unload the first box: Daisy’s new crib.
“Hey,” I say, and they both greet me with a nod.
The driver nearly drops the box when he reaches the door. “Shit, aren’t you—”
“Yeah, Jonah Long,” I say. “Better known as the Body Checker.”
“Man, you had a great season,” his helper says.
“Thanks.”
“Where do you want this?” the driver asks.
“Upstairs, second door on the left.”
I watch them as they carry the new crib up to Daisy’s room, making this fatherhood thing official, and that’s when the reality of the situation hits like a stick to the back of the neck.
Jesus, I’m really doing this.
4
Quinn
I turn the shower off and listen to voices outside the bathroom door. I towel-dry my hair, pull on Jonah’s sweatpants and soft blue T-shirt and give myself a once over in the mirror. Cripes, I look like stumpy, the eighth dwarf, in his far too big clothes. But beggars can’t be choosers, so these things will have to due until I can get to my place tomorrow.
I carefully open one of his drawers, looking for a comb but half expecting to see a box or two of condoms, or some kind of ointment for a rash that has doctors stumped. That thought makes me chuckle.
I grab his comb and run it through my hair and when I’m done, I listen for sound outside the door, and wait until the delivery men are downstairs before I step into the hall. I walk into the bedroom Jonah put the crib in. It’s a decent-size room, with a double bed and dresser. It’s painted in a soft grey, and I wonder if Jonah might be interested in making it a little more feminine. Not that he’d know how, but I could help him. Then again, maybe it’s not in my best interest to spend any more time around him than necessary. The close proximity is messing with my brain and my body.
“Hey,” he says, and I nearly jump from my skin.
I turn to him. “Were you trying to scare me?”
He laughs. “No. I was just getting the baby monitor set up.”
Still a little bowled over after hearing his private conversation with his daughter—my God, my ovaries were ready to explode—I try to act casual. I plant my hand on my hip and say, “Well, for a big guy, you’re kind of stealthy. You should wear a bell or something.”
I wait for a response, but instead of coming back with some smart-ass comment, his gaze leaves my freshly scrubbed, makeup-free face, and slowly travels down my body.
I lift my arms and let them flop back to my sides. “I’m probably going to have to sleep naked, otherwise I’ll end up strangling myself in these clothes.”
His nostrils flare slightly, and that’s when I realize what I’ve said. Jesus, girl, why are you talking about getting naked in front of Jonah?
Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.
“Ah, if that’s what you want,” he says, his voice an octave lower. “Or I could try to find you something smaller.” His gaze sweeps over me again, and he scrubs his chin.