Prince Pucking Charming Page 12

  Duke reaches between us to roll his thumb over my clit, and my eyes snap shut. A moan tears from my lungs. He groans, and then lifts my leg over his shoulder, sliding deeper inside me. My muscles tighten around him, and his pace quickens. Heat licks my skin, rolling down my arms as an intense sensation spreads throughout my body.

  I come again, and eventually, Duke rides out his high, chasing it like another victory. Sweaty but not out of breath, he collapses on top of me. He gives me a quick kiss and then rolls onto the other side of the mattress.

  “Is that what you had in mind?” Duke asks with a satisfied grin.

  I curl up with him. “My reality is so much better than my fantasies.”

  “I improvised,” he says in a playful tone.

  “No, I think you can read minds. Because that was exactly what I’d imagined.”

  He cups my breast, pinching my nipple between his finger as he rolls me onto my side. “You think you can handle more?”

  Shocked, I choke out, “You’re ready to go again?”

  Duke presses his erection into my ass. “I’m always ready.”

  “Hockey players,” I mutter.

  Chapter Twenty

  Duke

  I stand at the entrance to the rink next to Lila. She slips her fingers between mine and squeezes my hand. Lila is terrified of Max playing in her first game. For the past week, she’s been panicking, afraid Max will get hurt. I couldn’t lie to her. At some point, Max will get hurt. Hockey is a rough sport.

  “Do you think she’ll be okay?” Lila covers her mouth with her gloved hand and shivers.

  “Max can handle it,” I assure her, wrapping my arms around her to keep her warm. “I taught Max what she needs to know. She’s more prepared than her teammates. And by the looks of it,” I say, pointing at the team practicing at the other end of the rink, “Max is the best on the ice. I’m not worried.”

  The girls on the opposing team look like they’re chasing their tails. They have no idea what they’re doing. A blonde girl skates away from the net with the puck. She doesn’t seem to grasp the concept. Two girls, who look like sisters, are busy waving at their parents in the stands, oblivious to their surroundings. Their coach looks irritated, and I don’t blame her. I don’t have the patience to teach youth hockey.

  I cup Lila’s shoulder when I see the concern furrowing her brows and pull her closer. “Trust me, Doc. Max will be fine.”

  She relaxes into me and rests her head against my chest. “I hope so. I worry about her all the time. She’s not like other kids.”

  “Max is better than other kids.”

  Lila smiles. “I feel like she’s growing up so fast.”

  “I remember when Kat got accepted into college. I didn’t want her to go. I begged her to stay in Chicago with my dad.”

  “You get it,” she sighs. “It’s hard to let them do their own thing. I want to make every decision for her, but I also don’t want to hold her back from doing what she loves.”

  “Yeah, I know that feeling. At least Kat didn’t date in high school or college. I was afraid she would bring some idiot home and that I’d have to rearrange his face.”

  She chuckles. “You just waited until Dean got drafted into the NHL.”

  “Okay, Dr. Smart Ass,” I say with a mock attitude. “Laugh it up.” I press my lips to her earlobe, and she shivers. “Keep teasing me, and we’ll see what happens when we get home.”

  “Duke,” Lila says, her blue eyes wide. She presses her finger to her lips. “Be quiet.”

  No one can hear me over the cheers inside the rink.

  I look to my left, where Max is on the ice, practicing with her teammates. She sweeps the puck from left to right to dodge her opponent. Max has some skills. With a few more years of practice, she might be as good as Kat was at her age. Kat was the best player on the ice. Much like this league, most of the girls had no idea what they were doing.

  Max’s eyes lift from the ice, and she looks over at Lila and me. She waves her gloved hand, smiling with her mouthpiece showing.

  After their warm-up ends, Max skates over to us and rips out her mouthguard. “Duke,” she says, spitting a little bit. “Coach said I can start this game.”

  “Of course, he did. You’re the best player on the team.”

  Max leans in, moving between Lila and me. “The girls on my team kind of suck,” she says under her breath.

  “Max,” Lila says, laughing. “Don’t let them hear you say that.”

  She holds up her hands and shrugs. “It’s true, Mommy.”

  A whistle blows, and Max glances over her shoulder at her coach.

  Lila pats the top of Max’s helmet. “Have a good game, baby. We’ll be in the stands rooting for you.”

  I raise my hand, and Max gives me a high-five. “Go get ‘em, Mad Max.”

  She laughs at my nickname for her and then skates toward her bench. This is Max’s first game with her team, and as usual, her dad has flaked on her again. Ted promised to come to her practices, all of which he called at the last minute to cancel. Some he didn’t even show up at all. He’s worse than my dad. At least my father called ahead of time, so we could prepare ourselves for the disappointment.

  We take our seats in the front row, leaving extra space for Ted in case he shows. A few of the fathers surrounding us glance in my direction. A dark-haired guy taps the middle-aged man next to him and nods at me. I raise my hand to acknowledge them. Both of their mouths drop when I confirm their suspicions. All of the parents on Max’s team know me. They’re used to seeing me in the stands and sometimes on the ice to help the coach.

  Youth hockey games are painfully slow and almost excruciating to watch as an adult. But this game… It’s worse than watching paint dry. Max is the only highlight so far. She’s taken seven shots already, two of which almost went into the net. The goalie on the other team has no hand-eye coordination, but somehow, she managed to knock the puck away at the last minute. Max pouted all the way back to the bench.

  Midway through the game, a familiar face appears. Father of the Year strolls down the row toward us, talking on his cell phone. Ted doesn’t even glance at the ice. He doesn’t even notice we’re here until he almost trips over my shoe. Asshole.

  “I’ll call you back in five,” Ted says and then looks down me. He narrows his eyes at me. “Duke, what are you doing here?”

  The sight of him makes my skin crawl.

  “Someone has to show up for Max,” I snap.

  Ted’s nostrils flare. “How dare you? She’s my daughter.”

  “Then, act like it,” I growl, balling my hands into fists.

  He clutches the phone in his hand, his jaw set in anger. “You have no right.”

  “Yes, he does,” Lila says. “Duke has shown up for Max every time she’s needed him.”

  Ted shoots daggers at Lila. “You think you can replace her father?”

  “Stop it, Ted!” Lila covers her face with her hands and sighs.

  Fueled by my rage, I stand up, towering over Ted. I want to Hulk Smash him into the ground. He would deserve it. A shitty father like Ted deserves the same ass-kicking I gave to Dean. The same one I gave my dad back in high school. But I’m a changed man now. I can control my anger.

  Lila tugs on my shirt with a pleading look in her eyes. It takes every ounce of energy to keep me from choking this prick. For Lila and Max, I have to be a better man.

  “No one is trying to replace you.” I cross my arms over my chest, and Ted steps back. “Now, sit down and shut up. You’re ruining the game for everyone. And next time, show up on time.”

  “You’ll regret this,” Ted grunts.

  I wave him off, and he climbs up the bleachers until he finds an open seat.

  “Thank you for defending us,” Lila says under her breath. “But Ted has connections in this city.”

  “So, do I.”

  She bites her lip and nods. “I hope Ted doesn’t do anything stupid.”

  I consider her wo
rds for a second. Ted is the Chief of Staff for Senator Robert Banks, which makes Ted sort of a big deal in D.C. In recent years, politics have played a big part in American sports. Maybe that wasn’t the best idea to piss off one of my—now former—biggest fan.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Duke

  Waking up next to Lila is the best feeling in the world. Until I met her, I had thought my team winning the Stanley Cup was the best high I would ever get. We won last year. Before my suspension, my team was on their way to another victory. But right now, Lila is the only thing I want to conquer.

  I feel like I have waited my entire life for her. Lila and Max are the missing pieces to my messed-up puzzle. I didn’t know how much I needed love until I met her. I spent years of my childhood raising my siblings, and because of her, I realize how much I missed having a family.

  Lila is in bed next to me, curled up on her side, her bare ass pressing against my hard cock. Lila purrs softly as she sleeps. Every sound this woman makes drives me wild. I slide my hand up her thigh, and she squirms. And by the time I make my slow exploration up to her breast, she rolls onto her back.

  “Duke,” she whispers with one eye open. “I’m trying to sleep.”

  I roll my thumb over her nipple. “You can sleep when you’re dead.”

  Her laughter turns into moans as I massage the tiny bud between my fingers. Her eyes open, and she licks her lips.

  “This isn’t a bad way to wake up,” she lilts.

  I slip my hand between her legs, groaning when I feel how wet she is for me. Her body responds to the softest touch. Each thrust of my fingers rips a moan from her lips. She’s writhing against my hand, greedy and begging for more.

  In one swift motion, I remove my fingers and lift her on top of me. Quickly, I reach for a condom, and seconds later, I’m inside her. This is the best feeling in the world, second to the way this beautiful woman loves me. She doesn’t have to say the words aloud for me to know that she feels it, too.

  I rock my hips, digging my fingers into her side as she rides my cock. Her nails scratch my skin, clawing at me like a cat in heat. Lila screams my name, followed by a few curses. She’s so close I can feel it when her body trembles. Seconds later, her orgasm hits her hard, and I find my release not long after.

  Out of breath, Lila collapses on top of my sweaty chest. She hooks her arms around my neck, kissing me softly.

  “Good morning to you, too,” she says, laughing against my lips.

  I lift my hips, still inside her, and she moans. My cock is still semi-hard, and if I wasn’t so tired from all of the sex we’ve had in the last twenty-four hours, I would consider going another round. We have to capitalize on the nights Max spends with her dad.

  Before she rolls off me, I grab her hips. “Take a shower with me.”

  She glances over at the alarm clock on the bedside table. “We have to be quick. I have to meet a patient.”

  My cell phone rings. Austin’s name pops up on the screen.

  “Go ahead,” Lila says, moving to her side of the mattress. “I’ll get the water ready.”

  I watch her sweet ass walk into the bathroom and then raise the phone to my ear. “What’s up, Aus?”

  “Have you seen the news?”

  I sit up, my heart hammering against my ribcage. “No, what’s wrong? Is it Dad? Kat? The twins?”

  “No, Duke. It’s you.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “Someone took pictures of you with the doctor.”

  “What?” Now, my heart is pounding faster, so hard I can barely catch my breath. “Where did you find them?”

  “One of those sleazy tabloids shared a few pics last night. People are sharing them like crazy. Some of the posts have over a million shares.”

  I ball my hands into fists, wanting to punch a hole in the wall until I remember I’m at Lila’s house. She would kill me. And how am I going to tell her about this?

  “Dad already made a few calls,” Austin says with unusual calmness. “He got a few of the stories pulled.”

  “What are they saying?”

  “They’re trashing the doctor. Somehow the media found out you’re in anger management.”

  No one, apart from my family and team, knows the truth.

  “They have pictures of you kissing her. They’re saying she screwed her way into a contract with the Caps.”

  “Fuck.” I pinch the bridge of my nose between my fingers and sigh. “Send me the link.”

  “Which one?”

  “I don’t care. Pick one. I have to fix this.”

  “I don’t know if you can. Dad talked to your GM this morning. It doesn’t look good for your girl.”

  The thought of someone snooping on us produces a rage inside me. If Ted had anything to do with this, he’s a dead man. He threatened me at Max’s game last week. This must be my payback. But would he do this to the mother of his child? He must have cared for her at some point. Ted is an asshole, but a stunt like this is beneath him.

  “Look at your texts,” Austin says.

  “Hold on a sec.”

  I open the text message he sent and click on the link. An online sports newspaper called Sports Buzz broke the story this morning. None of the images are scandalous. They have snapshots of me kissing Lila’s forehead outside the rink where Max plays hockey. Max is even in one of them. I’m on the ice with Max, hunched over in front of her. The pictures were taken over the last month. Whoever took them has been stalking us for a while. Ted would never do this to Max. So, who shot the pictures and leaked them?

  “Kennedy Kane,” I say when I see the name on the article. “Isn’t this Tyler Kane’s wife?”

  “Yeah. Dad’s calling her now. He’s thrown her a bone in the past. I’m sure she’ll take the article down.”

  “I’m afraid the damage is already done,” I mutter.

  “What damage?” Lila crosses her arms over her chest, staring down at me with concern furrowing her brows.

  “Hey, Aus, can I call you back? I need to talk to Lila.”

  “Yeah, sure. Good luck, bro. I’m here if you need me.”

  “I know. Thanks.”

  My bottom lip quivers when I look up at her. How do I tell her that dating me has ruined her career, her reputation?

  I pat the mattress. “Sit. We need to talk about something important.”

  “You’re scaring me, Duke.” She crosses the room, hovering over me. “What’s going on?”

  I pull her onto my lap, and she leans her head back against my chest.

  “People know about us.”

  She sits up, eyes narrowed. “What people?”

  “Anyone who reads the news.”

  She gasps, covering her mouth with her hand. “No,” she whispers, speaking between her fingers. “That’s not possible. We were careful.”

  I shake my head. “Not that careful. There are pictures of me with Max at her practice. A few images of me kissing you after her games. There’s even an image of the three of us at the D.C. Zoo.”

  “Ted,” she stammers. “He said…” Her eyes go wide as her voice trails off.

  “I don’t think he did this. He wouldn’t let someone print pictures of Max. If he wanted to get back at me, he wouldn’t have taken it out on her.”

  She bobs her head, holding her palm out. “I need to see what they’re saying about me.”

  I hand over my cell phone, and as she reads, tears fill her eyes. I run my hand down her back to soothe her. All of this is my fault. If I had listened to her and waited, she wouldn’t be in this mess right now. But it’s not the article from Sports Buzz that bothers her. She Googles our names, and dozens of articles pop up in the feed.

  “They even have videos,” she says with tears spilling down her cheeks. “Max is going to see these. She lives on YouTube.”

  I hug her against my chest, holding onto her for dear life. She’s going to hate me. How could she not blame me for putting her in this position?

&n
bsp; “It’s not just your team that I’m worried about,” she chokes out. “All of my patients are professional athletes. I could lose everything over this…”

  “I’m sorry, Lila.” I kiss her shoulder, and she cries harder. “My dad is already working on getting the articles taken down. I’ll call my lawyer and my publicist.”

  “That won’t be enough,” she groans.

  “Tell me what to do, and I’ll do it.”

  She sobs on my shoulder. “I told you this would happen.” Lila lifts her head, unable to meet my gaze. “I knew someone would find out. I knew this was a bad idea.”

  “No, it wasn’t,” I snap. “This isn’t a fling, Lila. I’m in love with you… I love you. I don’t care what anyone says about us. It doesn’t change a thing.”

  “Yes, it does.” She sniffs and then slides off my lap. “I’m a terrible doctor.” She shakes her head, her back turned to me as she mutters, “How could I be so stupid?”

  I reach for her hand, and she steps to the side.

  “C’mon, Lila. Don’t shut me out. We can figure this out together.”

  “How?” She glances over her shoulder, wiping her eye with the back of her hand. “Your name barely got you out of the last scandal. And it won’t fix my problems.”

  “This is my problem,” I counter. “I’ll take care of it.”

  “Duke,” she groans. “Open your eyes. This will bounce off you like nothing ever happened between us. But for me, this is my livelihood. I worked my ass off to get where I am in my career. I was respected, considered an expert in my field. And now, I’m the laughing stock of the Internet. Have you read the comments online? They’re saying I should be fired, and I probably will be. It’s only a matter of time before the calls start rolling in.”

  I close the distance between us, afraid she’ll punch me if I try to touch her again. Sucking in a deep breath, I blow it out, wishing I knew how to fix this. How to fix us. I can see it in her eyes. She regrets crossing the line with me, and I didn’t’ make it easy for her to say no. When I want something, or in her case, someone, I’m persistent to the point I wear them down. I’m used to breaking things. It’s kind of my specialty. But I never meant to break the woman I love.