Delayed Penalty (Empire State Hockey #5)

Chapter 27 – Avery

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Avery

W ho ever thought pregnant women should have to get dressed to go anywhere in something other than yoga pants or a goddamn oversized t-shirt should be punished… brutally. I have spent that last week wanting to wear nothing but oversized t-shirts and sweatpants.

It doesn’t matter that I finally caved and ordered maternity clothes, I haven’t even wanted to wear those. Plus, it wasn’t even me that ordered them, Harris asked Ellie to help him order a bunch because I refused. I got overwhelmed trying to pick things out and after a while I just ended up shutting my computer and taking a nap. Which was fine until the day I tried to button my pants and they wouldn’t fit and I started crying. Thankfully, Harris made my day by bringing me a bag of brand-new clothes that all fit me perfectly and were super cute.

He's a good man, that one.

Today’s outfit is a little different, though, because it’s a hockey game and I want to be supportive and wear something, but I misjudged my size when I ordered online. By a lot, and truthfully, I’m not about to wear a damn crop top while pregnant to a hockey game.

“Ow!” I hear as I throw another jacket behind me. Turning around, I see Harris standing there with the jacket covering his face. Whoops.

“Sorry,” I say, standing there, looking around at the clothes I’ve thrown. A mess of shirts, sweaters, and sweatshirts are around me, none of which fit comfortably, and I’m annoyed.

“What are you doing?” He laughs as he sets the jacket down on the bed.

“I’m trying to find something to wear before meeting the girls,” I groan, sitting back on the bed and hoping inspiration strikes from something that doesn’t make me look like an adult trying to wear child’s clothes.

“Okay, so why are you looking in your closet?”

“Because that’s typically where one looks when they are trying to find something to wear?”

“No shit, but you’re looking in the wrong closet. You’re going to my game tonight… if you think you’re showing up in anything other than my jersey, you’re outta your damn mind,” he says as he goes into his closet and comes out with two jerseys, a green one and a black one, both with his last name on them.

Obviously.

“You want me to wear this?”

“It’s more than a want, Avery, it’s a damn need. It’s engrained in my core that when my wife comes to my game, I have to see my name on her back.”

My cheeks flame at the mention of the word “wife”, something I’m not sure I’ll ever get used to, but that’s okay. It’s exciting every single time I hear him say those words and I’m not sure I ever want to stop feeling that joy. I’ll take being giddy and in love for eternity if that’s what our future decides.

“Alright,” I say, taking the black jersey from him and pairing it with one of the pairs of maternity jeans he bought me. At least this way, I know it’s definitely not going to look like a crop top since it’s made for a grown man wearing pads, so that’s comforting. “But if I wear this, how will any man know I’m available?”

He growls, stepping to me and putting his hands on my hips. I freeze, the clothes in my hands pinned between our bodies as he looks down at me with an intense look that if I didn’t know any better would be intimidating.

“I’m pretty sure the ring on your finger and my baby in your belly tells people you’re not available. If I need to alert the press and make sure the entire world knows you’re off limits, I’m sure I can figure it out,” he says, his hand moving to my throat, holding my jaw softly in place. “Do I need to remind you that you’re not available?”

Spinning me around, he steps up behind me, his hand moving to my belly in the most loving and intimate way, and I nearly melt. But then my phone rings.

Dammit. I liked where this was headed.

Looking down at my phone, I see it’s Gwen, probably almost here to pick me up.

“I need to finish getting ready, they’re almost here.”

“Are you sure I can’t take you? Then we’d have time to, you know, really engrain it in your brain,” he says with a smirk that nearly has me saying yes.

“No, mister. There’ll be time for that later, first I need to go get dinner before the game.”

“Fine,” he pouts before swatting me on my ass.

This is a life I could get used to.

I forgot what it felt like to be at a hockey game, walking to your seats with the lights everywhere, music blasting and the sound of skates cutting through the ice. It’s incredible, the entire building feels electric, everyone so excited to be here.

I was excited when Harris told me that he was able to get a suite for this game because with Ellie and I both being in the later parts of our pregnancy, it’ll be nice to have comfier seats and more room to spread out.

“When was the last hockey game you’ve been to?” Sawyer asks as she takes the seat next to me. We’ve gotten through the first intermission, so the second period is just starting.

“Umm, it was when Harris and I were still together, so probably six or seven years ago.”

“Wow. Did you ever watch it on TV?”

“No, truthfully once we broke up I just tried to cut off anything that reminded me of him. Which is why I ended up dating a complete and total asshole who’s the opposite of him, but it also meant I no longer watched hockey. At all,” I say, actually sad now that I’m reminded of just how much fun these games are. It sucks I spent so long not getting to enjoy this game, especially missing out on seeing Harris out on the ice.

He's always been such a force on the ice, even when we were in college. Seeing him years later after he’s more practiced, more refined, he’s a force to be reckoned with. The way he seamlessly blocks shots and is able to maneuver the puck away from his opponent is hot as hell.

No wonder he’s one of the best defensemen in the league.

“Are you excited to be back?”

“Absolutely. He’s so fun to watch,” I say with a smile as the rest of the ladies join us, except for Ellie who isn’t able to make it tonight because she isn’t feeling the greatest.

“I love coming to games, it’s always so exciting,” Gwen says, her eyes filled with glee.

“Plus, there’s the sex after a good win,” Cassie says excitedly.

“That sex is great and all, but I’ll take sex after a loss. When Cade has to take his frustrations out and he takes it out on, well, my body, it’s always the best.”

I just smirk, the thoughts of earlier flashing in my mind, the memory of the promise in his words of how he was going to remind me who I belong to.

Once the game is over, they walk me down to where we can wait for the guys, which luckily is quicker than I expect. I’m not sure if he had to pull some strings but he made it out within the hour.

Maybe it was because they won the game, Harris even scored a goal which was easily the best part of the game. Especially because afterward he turned and blew a kiss to me, which I noticed his coach watching the entire time. Thankfully, he was smiling so I don’t completely not trust the man.

“So, what do you want to do now?” Harris asks as we stand in a big room embracing, ignoring our friends around us, but they’re too busy talking to each other anyway, figuring out everyone's plans.

“I think we might head to Hudson’s,” Cassie says, and I look to Harris.

Part of me really wants to go out with everyone because it’s been so nice getting to know them. But at the same time, I’m tired and kind of just want to have Harris all to myself.

“I think we’re going to call it a night,” Harris answers for us, and I immediately smile. “I want to get this one back home.”

“Get home, you lovebirds,” Cassie says with a smirk before linking arms with Sawyer.

“You ready?” he asks, looking down at me with a smile.

“Absolutely. But only if we can eat ice cream and watch the next Harry Potter . I’m tired and tomorrow we need to finish setting up the nursery.”

“Fine, fine. But on one condition, wifey,” he says, leaning down to whisper in my ear. “I get to fuck you to sleep. I’ve been thinking about your sexy body all day, ever since you put on that jersey.”

“Deal.”