She nodded and forced her eyes from his. Tyler’s eyes set her heart and soul on fire while turning her body into a puddle. Thomas’ smoldering look melted her heart while setting her body ablaze.
After dinner they made their way to their seats, center ice, three rows up from the glass, behind the Lightning bench. Tyler had done damn good for a man who didn’t appreciate hockey.
She risked resting her hand on Thomas’ thigh and nearly moaned when he put his arm around her shoulders. Game? What game? Who cared about hockey! All she cared about was Thomas’ arm around her and her hand on his firm, solid thigh.
Eventually the action on the ice pulled her in. The Bolts scored against the Hurricanes two minutes into the game, then again with thirty seconds left in the first period, two unanswered goals that rocked the nearly-full house.
During the first intermission they settled back in their seats, Thomas’ arm once again around her. They watched the festivities on the ice and laughed at the antics of two people wearing inflatable sumo wrestler suits, slipping and sliding, racing to win a set of tickets to a game.
Then Thomas tapped her on the shoulder and pointed to the scoreboard video display hanging over center ice. The Kiss Cam was pointed at them.
She smiled and looked at him. He laid his palm along her cheek and bent in for a deep, passionate kiss that took her breath away, the audience cheering their approval. When he lifted his head his eyes remained locked on hers. Without thinking she reached up and touched his face, pulling him down for another kiss.
With the fans around them cheering, drowning out her words, she whispered, “I love you.”
He caressed her chin. “We love you too, sugar.”
Thomas couldn’t focus on the game. Tyler had nearly exploded the night before in his eagerness to get him alone in their bedroom and tell him what happened in the kitchen.
“She said it, Thomas! She told me, ‘I love you!’”
He fought the slight pang of jealously that she’d said it to Tyler first, but it didn’t matter. Tyler was with her a lot more, had been with her at the doctor. It was natural she’d spontaneously say it to him first.
“What did you say?”
“I told her we loved her too.”
“‘We?’”
“We.” Tyler stepped back. “Oh, stop.” He handed Thomas the paper with the ticket information. “Don’t worry, lover, you will hear her say it, too. I see the way she looks at you.” Tyler smiled and stepped in close. “When the time comes, I want her to feel you inside her first. I want to hold her and watch you make her ours.”
Thomas studied the floor. Tyler knew him too damn well. Getting tickets was a stroke of pure genius. “I’m sorry.”
“Stop.” Tyler tilted Tom’s chin and met his eyes. “She loves us. She wants both of us. I will make sure of it.”
Thomas looked at the paper. “Evil genius.”
“You love it.”
Thomas grinned and pushed him to the bed. “You better believe it. You’re so much better at this stuff than I am, you know that.”
Nevvie’s voice brought him back to the present. She’d said something.
“I’m sorry, sugar, what?” He leaned close, his arm still around her shoulders.
“I said, you look deep in thought.”
“Just relaxing. Enjoying the company.” Tyler had been right.
Again.
Thomas hated himself for his earlier jealousy. Of course Tyler would make sure she wanted both of them. Tyler loved him, loved her. If nothing else, he knew Tyler would put everyone before himself. Tyler was the one who bought presents for others, picked out the cards. Tyler twisted himself in knots to make everything perfect so people were happy.
He showed Tyler his love by loving him. By making sure his oil got changed and the roof didn’t leak. He fixed the garbage disposal and mowed the grass, all the things he knew how to do. Tyler never tried to change him, loved him as he was. But if Tyler told him to do something he knew it needed attention.
Like going to find Nevvie that morning. Tyler wasn’t an unnecessary worrier. He planned far too carefully for that. Tyler rarely asked for things, and it was sometimes difficult to do or get things for Tyler to truly show him how much he loved him. Back rubs for sure, he adored those. Thomas loved giving them to him, felt connected to him, enjoyed knowing he was giving him so much pleasure that wasn’t even sexual.
Although, it frequently ended with them making love. Not that either minded, obviously.
He always made sure he never forgot Tyler’s birthday or their anniversary. That would break Tyler’s heart and he knew it. If he was running late he always called so Tyler didn’t worry.
Every night before they went to sleep he told Tyler he loved him. Without fail. Tyler owned his soul, regardless of the love Thomas felt for Nevvie. He might not always have the right gifts or actions to show Tyler, but every day he made sure he told him. He wished there was something special Tyler and Nevvie could do together. He had hockey and the motorcycle. Yes, she loved being with Tyler, but they needed something.
He glanced at her and had a thought. “Do you like to dance?”
“I’ve always loved watching that show on TV, the ballroom dancing. Why?”
Thomas smiled. “Oh, no reason.”
Nevvie tried to watch Thomas out of the corner of her eye without being obvious. He wasn’t as much a talker as Tyler. He was decisive action, the big picture guy. Without indulging in stereotypes, Tyler was the soul of the pair, and Thomas was the strength. They complemented each other and her. With Thomas you got what you saw.
Not that Tyler wasn’t honest. She’d never witnessed him engaging in petty mind games, but she got a sense that he weighed everything, trying for the best possible outcome. He certainly went out of his way to do everything for everyone else without asking for anything in return.
Thomas was the “guy,” Tyler was the “girl.” In a metaphorical sense, of course, because both men were all man. Plenty of mornings they’d walked into the kitchen for their morning coffee, wearing boxers, and she wanted to drop to her knees and yank their shorts down around their ankles. She couldn’t be positive but she suspected both men were well-endowed.
“So Tyler’s not a puckhead?” she asked.
“No. He’ll come with me if I ask, but if he has other things to do, it’s not fair to make him come.” He thought about that and looked at her, winked. “To the game, I mean. Make him come to the game.”
She laughed, laying her head on his shoulder. “Flirt.”
He rested his head on hers, kissing the top of her head. “You don’t mind, do you?”
She patted his thigh. “I love it.”
He squeezed her shoulders, pulling her snugly against him. “Good. Because we have fun with you, Nevvie. We mean it.” He paused. “Are you happy with us?”
“Absolutely. I’ve never been happier in my life than I am with you two.” It was the truth.
He hugged her again and kissed the top of her head. “Anything you want, Nevvie,” he said. “We mean it. Whatever it takes to keep you happy and keep you with us, sugar, it’s yours. Name it.”
She sat up and looked in his eyes, seeing the truth to his words and once again replaying her morning exchange with Tyler. Her mouth went dry, but she chickened out. “I want to make you guys feel as loved as you make me feel.”
Jesus, she’d die for that smile. He touched his forehead to hers. “Sugar, believe me, you make us feel loved.”
She spent the whole game with his arm around her and her hand on his thigh. She reluctantly left her seat to go to the bathroom only because she couldn’t hold it any longer. When she returned she was afraid he wouldn’t put his arm around her again, but he did.