“Oh my God, I am so beating your ass when you get here.”

“Bring it, sister,” he laughed just as Lacey came out the door, pulling down on her hat so that her ears were covered. She looked adorable, her face red from the cold, bundled in her jacket and scarf. He wanted peel each of the layers off and devour her, but that would have to wait. They were off to meet his parents.

Yay. Yes, that was dripping with sarcasm.

“We are leaving now. See you in a bit,” he said and then hung up without waiting for her to answer. “Ready, sweetheart?”

She grinned. “Yes, I think I will make it without peeing on the seat.”

“That’s always a good thing,” he said as she passed. Reaching out, he smacked her ass, causing her to jump before looking back at him with a playful glare. “You’re hot, and I love you.”

She rolled her eyes as she giggled. Going onto her tippy toes, she kissed his chin. “Love you more.”

His grin was unstoppable as she climbed into the car and he shut the door, running around. Getting in, he basked in the warmth, rubbing his hands together before taking off and saying, “Off we go.”

“Yay!” she cheered, holding her hands to the vents. “It’s like crazy cold here.”

“Yeah, it’s insane.”

“For real,” she agreed, wrapping her arms around herself and looking out the window. “You grew up here, right?”

“I did. It’s a great place to live when it’s not cold,” he said with a grin.

“Do you like it more than Nashville?”

“No, I love Nashville. Tampa was nice too, the beach was beautiful, but Nashville is where it’s at for me.”

Excitement shone on her face as she looked over at him. “I’m really excited to live there. I’ve never lived anywhere but Chicago.”

Reaching for her hand, he laced his fingers with hers as he nodded. “You’re gonna love it.”

“I can’t wait,” she said and he could hear the excitement in her voice. He was glad to hear it too. After their conversation with the Martin family, he expected her to be a wreck. He would have been, but she was good. She kept to her word, saying she wasn’t going to let them ruin their honeymoon, as she was calling it. But Karson already had plans to take her somewhere amazing for the summer. He was glad that she wasn’t letting them get in the way or bother her, but at the same time, he felt like she was bottling up her feelings, and he didn’t like that. He wanted her to be honest, to yell and scream that her dad, brother, and sister-in-law were idiots. He didn’t want her regretting everything later, and at least if they talked it through now, she’d feel better.

“Answer me something,” she said, tearing him away from his thoughts.

“Hit me.”

When she pulled back and smacked his arm, he yelled out, “Ouch!”

But when he glanced over at her, he just shook his head. She was grinning at him, playfulness in her sweet eyes. “What? You said to hit you?”

“I meant with the question, Literal Lacey. Shit,” he said, rubbing his arm. “You hit hard.”

“I take boxing.”

“And that’s fucking hot,” he decided with a grin, making her snort with laughter.

“Anyway, serious here.”

“I was too until you slugged me in the arm,” he pouted.

“Aw, want me to kiss it?”

He smirked. “No, but I have something you can kiss,” he teased, wiggling his hips, gesturing to his cock.

She giggled loudly as she shook her head. “Anyway!”

He shot her a grin as he turned onto the street that held his high school. “Here is my high school,” he said as they passed his school. She looked out the window quickly as he glanced out toward his old school. He’d played some amazing hockey there and had the best time of his life. Things were so simple back then. His mom did everything for him, and all he had to do was study and play great hockey.

“It’s huge.”

“It has its own ice rink,” he supplied.

“Because that’s what you do in this cold-ass state, you play hockey.”

“The greatest hockey players are raised here, thank you,” he said with a nod.

“Chicago produces great hockey players too, I think.”

He glared. “Now, I’m just throwing this out there, but you know you have to be an Assassins fan, right? You’re not bringing any of those Chicago jerseys into my home.”

She set him with a look. “Is that right?”

“Yes, we are an Assassins household, not a Blackhawks one.”

She glared. “You can’t make me like your team.”

He glared back. “I can or you’ll never get my mouth between those legs again.”

“Now, that’s just plain wrong,” she said with shock lacing her voice.

“I’m serious about my hockey, Mrs. King.”

“I see that,” she said, letting out a breath. “Oh well, guess I’ll have to stock up on some Assassins jerseys.”

“Number sixteen ones, to be correct. Maybe we’ll get them to say Mrs. King above the number.”

“You’re swaying me to the dark side,” she said with a nod. “I guess it won’t be that bad.”

He scoffed. “Dark side, I think you have your sides mixed up, sweetheart,” he drew out.

When he glanced at her, her face was red, and this time, it wasn’t from the cold. “I really like it when you call me sweetheart. It’s all hot and countryish.”