Holiday Hockey Tale The Icebreaker's Impasse (By Ivory Row) novel Chapter 77

Luci

I let Cole stay up late when Easton texted he was on his way home. I have a strong suspicion he will need some Cole hugs after whatever was said. “Let’s practice your lines for the program again.”

Banning had picked up Barrett after dinner and we practiced both sets of lines then with someof the interpretations cracking me up.

We go through them and decide to color a few pictures before Easton walks into his bedroom.

His face is its usual cold mask but his eyes are flashing. He softens as he stares at us though. “Hey buddy.” Cole runs to jump at him and he lifts him to hold his head against his chest with his face buried in his hair.

“Daddy, are you ok?”

“I am now. I needed the biggest hug ever. It’s missing something though. Hmmm..”

Cole turns his face up to him. “It’s missing Luci.”

“Yep.” He holds one arm out to me and I go join them. “Better. Are you tired, Cole?”

“Uh huh. Luci let me stay up to see you.”

“Because she’s the best. I have an idea. I need to eat, but what if we have a sleepover in Daddy’s bed. All three of us.” He stares up at me.

“Really?!” Cole grins.

“Yes really. Think we can convince Luci?”

“If we give her the please eyes, Daddy. It works. I got extra cookies the other day.” Cole whispers loudly.

“Ratted out…. Not the please eyes.” I protest teasingly.

Cole gives me the exaggerated pouty lip while both turn on the sad eyes. “Fiiiine.” I relent dramatically.

“Yes!” Cole celebrates by pumping both arms into the air.

“Let’s get you settled in there first. You’ll be asleep when we join you.” Easton tells him as he walks that way slowly rubbing his back.

“That’s ok. We can all dream about flying seahorses and fish Luci said about. A dream party.”

His eyes are already drooping.

“Yes, they are riding into battle against the seagulls who keep scooping them out of the ocean. They shoot jellyfish at them that wrap around their faces and make it hard to see.” I tell him and Easton laughs.

He’s out fast as we tuck pillows around him. “You really want both of us to stay with you?” I ask as we leave through Cole’s room so I can turn everything off.

“Yes. After that, I need you both nearby. Let’s go join Dad. We can tell it all at once.”

I listen to the story as the two of them eat. Kingston and I exchange glances. His is grim.

“This is about power, Easton.” I nod, slowly agreeing. He glances between us. “Not once did she ask how Cole is doing. Not once did she care if she affected him negatively by ignoring him. All she keeps saying is she will have you and him back. Nothing, not a syllable about how she’s sorry she cut you off with it hurting her so greatly or she will work to earn your forgiveness. Just that she’ll have you two with her again. Her wording is really important I think. How it hurt her because she “couldn’t have you two” and how she knows you love her, you miss her. That “have” word is the key. Never once has she said it was because she missed Cole nor has she asked for your forgiveness in any way. She mentioned earning a chance for forgiveness but I think that’s the only time she’s used that word. Nor has she said she loves Cole, only you. I need to do some reading. This sounds like she knows she lost her power over you. We just need to know what precipitated her coming back. I mean honestly, as devoted to her as we remember you being, she could have held onto you if she truly wanted a relationship. She could have asked you to visit or just texted you. You’d have stuck with her.”

I speak up after that. “He’s right. She knew exactly when you stopped sending pictures. That probably told her she was losing her hold on you. As long as you kept in contact with her, it meant there was a connection. That left and I would guess it might be because she had something else she had a hold over. She wasn’t completely alone.”

Jackson nods slowly as he listens. “You were no longer an easy option in her back pocket.

Maybe Mother said something about matching you up with someone and Vivienne told her.”

“Possibly. Marco will be at the school in the morning. I’ve already called the administrator and explained the situation. I’ll meet you at the school, so Cole can meet him. Luci, I want you to meet him too, because he will follow the two of you home each afternoon.” Jason says. “I want to know if she shows up near you, Luci, because you’ll get a shadow too. For now, I think she’s focused on Easton and Cole.”

I nod. I would prefer not to need a bodyguard. Easton walks me back to the guest room so l can change. “You need to study?”

“No, I did earlier today.”

He pulls me into his arms and kisses me slowly. “In the morning, I need cardio….with you.”

I laugh. “Is that what it’s called?”

“Done right, yes. Along with expanding your vocabulary and working on your self–confidence.”

He grins slowly. “Now let’s go have family sleepover. I’m in the middle.”

Cole sleeps through us climbing into bed. Easton’s tension immediately eases the second we are curled against him. I stay awake past him and take a look at their matching peaceful faces.

When I wake to my alarm, Cole is against my side. Easton must have moved him against me when he got up. I sneak out and take my shower before I wake him to get him ready. At the school, I stare at Marco in amazement like Cole does. I saw him the other night though not up close. He’s enormous, but he crouches down to greet Cole and shakes his hand. “Mr. Cole, I’m going to be here with you during the day and then I will follow you and Miss Luci home.”

“Ok. Do you like cookies? Because we have cookies some days when we get home.”

“I love cookies. See these arm muscles, nothing but cookies in there.” He grins at Cole who laughs at that.

We leave him there and it bothers me greatly that he needs a bodyguard.

“It shouldn’t be that way, right?” Easton says, frowning as we drive away.

“No.”

“I agree. Rather be overkill than wrong in hindsight though.” He mutters before parking in front of my door. I laugh after he unlocks the door and lifts me over his shoulder. “You realize you are going to have to duck to get in the doorways more than normal.”

“Yep. Head hazards everywhere I go.” He sets me on my feet by the couch and I take my coat off checking to make sure I have the costumes packed away to deliver this afternoon. Coco would kill me if I let his secret out of the bag.

Once again, I laugh as he lifts me over his shoulder. “Cardio, you don’t work out sweetness so I need to make sure you get your heart rate up a few times a day.” He grins setting me on my feet but then I see his eyes narrow as he glances over my shoulder.

“What is that?” He walks over and lifts the frame from my nightstand. “The tree lighting picture I knew about, but this….” He faces it my way and it’s him sleeping with my rabbit.

“I think it’s….sweet.” I offer up innocently.

“Sweet….right. Sneaky Luci.” He sets it back down, walking my way with a very stern expression. “The things I tolerate because I love you.”

“Is there a list?” I laugh.

“Yes there is.” He tugs my sweatshirt off. “Are you ready to hear it?”

“Not a chance I’ll say no to that.” I fire back.

He kneels down and pulls my leggings off along with my shoes before looking back up at me.

“That picture is number one. A very glaring number one.” He presses a kiss to my stomach before slipping my panties off and stuffing them in his back pocket. That’s going on his list.

“Attitude from you is number two.” He undresses quickly and moves to sit on the bed propped up against the pillows. He crooks his finger and I tilt my head considering it. “See attitude.” He reaches over into the nightstand before straightening up and holding up the stuffed rabbit as I crawl onto the bed.

“Here’s number three. The insolent stuffed bunny in your bed instead of me.” He tosses him over to the chair before gripping my upper arms and hauling me to straddle his lap.

“Number four is this bed that I do not fit in.” He’s unhooking my bra and slipping it off now.

“You expressly said you didn’t care that you don’t fit in it.” I protest. His hand slides up my stomach to my throat before gripping the back of my neck. I shiver as he does it. “Refer back to number two.” He whispers as he pulls my lips to his and kisses me long and hard. He breaks the kiss finally only to start kissing down my neck and across my collarbone.

“Number five is not getting to spend enough time with you.”

“Sounds like maybe this is not going to work out if you have to tolerate all that.” I tease him as I try to catch my breath. His mouth is moving all over my torso but not lingering long enough in any one spot driving me crazy.

“Lucky for me, I know how I can forget all your flaws and keep you.” I struggle to refocus as his fingers slip between us and he groans while my whole body trembles as he begins to work them inside me.

“Wait you said that wrong…” I manage to stutter out.

“No baby I did not. Step one is you are going to look at me like you always do, like you love me despite my shortcomings and flaws.”

“They aren’t flaws, they are pieces of character, like your panty klepto issue.” I run my fingers through his hair, smiling at him.

“Just like that. You passed step one. Step two is you are going to ride me Luci and show me what you like and what you want.”

“Easton, I haven’t….”

“I know. “Remember I want you to learn what you like.” He reaches for the little packet and tears it open with his teeth. “Do you want to?”

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