Heart and Snow (Texas Highlanders Ice Hockey) (7 page)

“I promise.” He held out his pinky finger, which made her giggle, but she took him at his word, and accepted his pinky swear. “Also, not even teenagers say 'doing it' anymore, sweetness.”

“Cody, shut up and kiss me.”

He needed no more permission. He kissed her deeply, tugging at her skirt as he unzipped the back. It slid it from her, leaving her in her tank top, and panties. He helped himself out of his jeans, his plaid boxers barely concealing his erection.

He crawled toward her as she slid back on the bed, hovering over her. Grinning, he dipped his head to hers, his teeth nibbling on her lips. Suction forced her bottom lip into his mouth, and then let go with an audible pop. He trailed kisses down her neck, agonizingly slow and sensually.

His large hands slid down her rib cage, each touch of his fingertips leaving tingles behind. Lips touched her sternum, then the top of one breast, then the other, infusing her with warmth at every light brush of skin. His hands slipped under her, and in the next second, her bra was loose.

She shrugged out of it, and gasped as his mouth covered her sensitive nipple. His tongue swirled around the areola and flicked the tip before releasing it to tease the other nipple in the same way.

“Mmm… Cody…” She arched her back, wanting to feel more of what he had to give for her. His hand slipped between them, his fingers massaging her swollen core. She moaned into his kiss and spread her legs, wanting more.

He broke the kiss and sat back on his haunches, settled between his legs as he smoothed his palms on her thighs, stopping just short of her pussy this time. She bit her lip and pushed her hips up. It had been too long since he’d touched her like this. Sex had become nearly unheard of in the last few months. She needed to feel him against her, stroking her, filling her.

*~*~*

Cody gazed down at his wife, her naked body practically glowing with arousal. The arousal he’d given her. She was squirmy, bucking her hips, trying to get him to continue what he had been doing. They needed this. They needed to spend this time together. It had been too long since their last intimate moment. Too long since he’d shown her how much he loved her. She’d doubted him, doubted that he loved her, because of the way he behaved. Lies and omissions be damned, he’d never stop loving her.

He leaned down, and blew a soft stream of air directly across her clit. Her hands fisted the sheets as her back arched in response. “Cody, please!” He chuckled and licked her, from the bottom of her pussy to the top, circling around the little bundle of nerves she most wanted him to touch. Her taste was heavenly, every bit as good as he’d remembered from the last time. He licked her again, and again, until she was violently thrashing on the bed, and then he pressed two fingers into her entrance, pumping them in and out like his hardened cock wanted to do.

“Oh, god, Cody, don’t stop! Please!”

He continued to lick her, circling her clit until he felt her pussy clamping down on his fingers. Then he pulled back, taking his fingers from inside her, and stared down at her flushed body.

“I need you now.” Her voice was soft, but determination won out. She reached for him, pulling him over her. She wrapped her legs around his torso, trapping his cock against her folds. The only thing that kept them apart were his boxers.

“I didn’t bring any condoms.”

“Cody… We’re married, we’re both clean, and I’m already knocked up. You can’t do any more damage.”

“Good point.”

She released him long enough so he could take his boxers off. As soon as he was in reaching distance again, she pulled him on top of her. He rested on his elbows, his hips lined up with hers. His hard erection pressed against her folds. He adjusted his position just a little, and the head of his cock slid into her waiting pussy. Her slickness eased his passage, her heels digging into his ass, forcing him deeper inside her.

He braced himself, one hand under her shoulder blades, and one at the curve of her hip. He drew slowly out of her. He swallowed her protests of his departure, thrusting his tongue into her mouth as he pushed his cock back into her body. Her warmth surrounded him, her legs wrapped around his torso.

She broke the kiss with a pleasured sigh, her eyes wide and surprised. Pressed against her body, joined at the hips, he straightened his body so both his hands were beneath her shoulder blades, and his fingers wrapped over her shoulders. He thrust into her as he pulled her down by her shoulders, reaching deeper than he had before. His balls slapped against her, heightening the small tingle of his coming climax.

She buried her head into the crook of his neck, nipping and biting his skin to keep from crying out. His body tensed as his pleasure built, his balls getting heavy as they slapped against her ass. Her legs tightened around him as she approached her own climax. He could see it in her expression, the way her eyes clouded over with lust. He straightened up, and held on to her hips as he pistoned in and out of her.

In the throes of passion, his wife was gorgeous. She grabbed the nearest pillow and bit into it. Her orgasm took her, her pussy clamping hard around his dick. Her breasts bounced with the movements. The walls of her vagina massaged his climax from him, and he groaned as that tingle turned into a heavenly throb. His balls tightened and his climax raced down his shaft.

As soon as it passed, he collapsed to the side of Jo, the cool air hitting his wet, overheated cock as it slipped from her body. She sighed and snuggled against him. He smiled and wrapped his arms around her. She wasn’t usually the cuddling type after sex. If this was a pregnancy thing, then he’d take it, and hope it lasted after the kid was born. It had been too long.

He kissed her forehead, watching her breathing return to normal. Her eyes were closed, but she was still awake. Neither of them seemed willing to break the silence. He wasn’t sure how long they stayed there like that. He fell asleep long before she did.

CHAPTER EIGHT

Jo was up long before Cody was the next morning, awoken by the smell of bacon and coffee. Her stomach growled, protesting the lack of food within her. She stumbled out of bed and slipped on panties, one of Cody’s t-shirts, and her robe before venturing out into the rest of the house.

The house was quiet, except for the barest of noises from the kitchen and the soft pad of her bare feet on the hardwood floor. She guessed it was her mother in the kitchen. She’d never known the woman to actually sleep in. Knowing her, she’d be making some huge breakfast for the family.

She frowned, her chest heavy. Why hadn’t she gotten the housewife bug? Why wasn’t she content with her new status as a mother-to-be? Why couldn’t she cook as well as her mother did? It wasn’t fair. Wasn’t all that a hereditary thing?

Stepping into the kitchen, Jo smiled. Cherry was at the coffee pot, getting another cup. She smiled at Jo. “Sleep well?”

Jo nodded, hoping she didn’t blush. “I think so.”

“Good,” Cherry handed her a cup of steaming hot coffee, which she gratefully accepted. “It’s decaf, by the way. Had to wean your father off the caffeine six months ago. It was messing with his sleep.”

“That’s okay,” Jo smiled. It was probably better. Wasn’t caffeine bad for pregnant women? Or was that alcohol? God, she really was clueless when it came to children, wasn’t she? This was why she needed her mother, but she just wasn’t brave enough to tell her.

“Joey…” Cherry frowned and set her cup down. She put her hands on Jo’s shoulders so she could look her in the eyes. “I didn’t mean to upset you last night with the talk about grandchildren. I... I overreacted, and I’m sorry.”

“Mom, it’s okay. It’s just…” Jo stopped. How did she explain how she was feeling about this? “Cody and I… we didn’t ever think that we would be parents.”

“Why not?”

“I don’t know. Kids just never factored into the plans.”

“Oh, honey.” Cherry stepped away and grabbed her cup. “They never do. You just get better at planning with them around.”

Jo didn’t respond immediately. She wanted to tell her mother about the baby, but it just wouldn’t leave her mouth. They were stuck in her throat, hard lumps against her voice box every time she tried. Instead, she asked the other question niggling at the back of her mind. “Mom, why did you quit modeling? Was it because of us?”

“Well, not really.” Cherry leaned on her elbows, adding a loaded sigh. “I just got old, honey.”

“What?”

Cherry smiled, a wistful expression on her face. “You can only model for so long. It was something fun to do for money for a few years, but it was never my long term career plan. I’d have been foolish to think so.” She laughed. “Unless I wanted a plastic face.”

Jo smiled at her mother. Her mother had classic beauty that never got old. High cheekbones highlighted the clear blue eyes Jo shared with her mother. There was a natural rose tint to her cheeks. Her lips were full and pink. She was into her upper sixties now, but didn’t look a day over forty. “I think you’re still gorgeous, Mom.”

“Well, of course I am.” Cherry grinned. “But we’re not supposed to be talking about me.”

“We’re not?”

“No,” Cherry said. “We’re talking about why you’re scared to have children.”

“I’m not scared.”

“Joey, honey. You practically barfed at the table when I mentioned grandchildren.”

“Okay, I might be a little apprehensive about it,” she admitted. “It’s a big step. It changes everything.” It already had, but Jo didn’t say that part.

“You’re right.” Cherry nodded and smiled. “But it is one of the best things I’ve ever done in my life.”

“I’m not you, Mom. I don’t know what I’m doing with children.”

“Pfft,” she waved her hand. “Neither did I. I made a ton of mistakes with you. And then I fixed them for Doug and Michele.”

“Mom!”

“What? It’s true. But that’s just part of parenting. There’s no rulebook. There’s no manual. And the return policy… well, that’s just outrageous.”

“Did you just compare a child to an appliance?”

Cherry chuckled and patted Jo’s hand. “I respect that you’re not ready for children. I respect that you don’t feel like you want any at all. That’s perfectly fine. I guess I’ll have to rely on single Michele and Divorcing Doug to give me grandchildren.” She heaved out an obviously dramatic sigh, followed by the world’s best pout.

“Mom!” The two started laughing at the sheer ridiculous manner Cherry put on.

Talking with her mother didn’t change anything. She was still pregnant, still unsure she could be a mother. But she felt good, because she knew her mother would be in her corner no matter what. Yet even with that, she couldn’t bring herself to say the words.

*~*~*

Cody zipped up his jacket and shoved his hands into his pockets. The snow was coming down harder, blanketing the hard frozen ground with a fresh layer of white. As Jo was fond of saying, he was a city boy, and even the northern states he’d lived in didn’t prepare him for it. He’d been in Texas since before he started driving. The falling flakes made him feel just a little trapped.

He didn’t have to be back in Fort Glasgow for another two weeks, thought they’d planned on going back just after Christmas. If he did get snowed in, and Vince Jenkins got desperate, he’d probably find a way to airlift Cody out. But he doubted the owner would do that. It would be cheaper to pull a minor league goalie up to play in his place.

Actually, being stuck in West Texas might just be a perfect vacation. Too bad there was a long way to go before they were truly snowed in. And knowing Texas weather, it was snowing now, but in five minutes, it could be ninety degrees and sunny.

“Hey,” Doug said as he came outside and sat in the other chair on the porch. He shivered. “Fuck, it’s cold out here. I’ll never understand why Mom and Dad like this place. There are warmer places they could live in Texas.”

“Yeah,” Cody stared out at the white landscape. The brilliant white covered every inch of the once-lush greenery that surrounded them. “So, Cindy? When did that happen?”

“Um, few months ago. Met her at one of the watch parties for the Highlanders, actually.”

“I didn’t think you watched hockey.”

Doug laughed. “I don’t. I was there for a Mavericks game. It ended right as the hockey game started. She came up and started talking to me and we hit it off.”

“That’s cool, man.”

Silence fell between them as they both watched the snow falling. Cody couldn’t remember the last time he’d seen snow. It hadn’t last year when they’d come up to Morning.

“I hope Mom didn’t scare you with all her talk of grandchildren.”

“Nah, she’s just being honest.” Cody could respect that, even if the woman was a bulldozer at times. But the idea of being a father just wasn’t coalescing in his mind yet, and to hear someone voice that desire to see children from him… it terrified him.

“Mom doesn’t pussy foot around. It’s part of her personality. All those years being on a stage and all.” Doug laughed and added, “I’m just glad that she’s focusing on you two and not on me and Cindy.”

“You guys aren’t thinking kids?”

“Oh, sure. Just probably not for a couple years. Cindy has an implant right now. And we both agreed to hold off for a year or two.” Doug shoved his hands in the pockets of his coat. “We know we want to do the children thing eventually though.” He glanced at Cody. “So, what Joey was saying. Is that true? You guys don’t want kids?”

Cody shrugged. “We talked about it. Neither of us are in the position where we think we’ll make good parents. Why bring kids into that?”

“It’s weird. Jo was always the homemaker growing up.”

Cody stopped. One would think after ten years, he’d know all there was to know about Jo’s past, but homemaker? That was surprising. His Barbie doll was not a homemaker. She didn’t even really like cooking all that much. “Really?”

‘Yeah, she was always following Mom around, asking her to teach her things. Asking if she could vacuum for her, or make the salad for dinner.” Doug shook his head. “I sometimes thought she was just sucking up to her.”

“Huh. She’s never mentioned that.”

Doug shrugged, staring out at the falling snow. “Not sure she even remembers doing it, honestly.”