I'm glad that you all enjoyed the last chapter. My goal is to reach a 100 reviews before this story is through, which will be very soon. Hope you enjoy.
Derek sat with Casey on the plane. They were finally returning to Toronto after a week of heaven. She had her head resting on his shoulder while she slept. They were sitting in first class seats, next to no one in this section—a few businessmen who were busy hammering away on their laptops.
They had just flown over the Atlantic and were within moments of landing. Derek had filled out the customs card for both Casey and him.
Finally he nudged her awake.
"Casey," he whispered.
She moaned.
"Sweetie, you have to wake up now," he said softly, stroking her hand.
She groaned. "I don't want to."
He chuckled. "I already filled out the customs card. Hopefully they will have more than two customs guards on," he said as he glanced at his watch. "Well, it is a prime time for international arrivals, so I imagine all the wickets will be open," he said, hopeful.
"I guess we're going to your apartment?" she asked as she stretched and then rubbed the sleep from her eyes.
He nodded. "For now, eventually we'll get ourselves a new place. This summer after the playoffs we can go house hunting."
She smiled brightly. "That sounds fun!"
He rolled his eyes. "But in the meantime, I guess this means you'll be decorating to make the place more wife friendly?"
She laughed. "Oh come on, like you aren't glad that you'll have me around all the time."
He frowned. "Twenty-four seven… hmm… maybe I should have thought a little more before we got hitched."
She smacked him on the arm. "Der-ek!"
He laughed as he pulled her close and kissed her. "You can go nuts! It's your place now too and I want my wife to be happy."
She grinned. "Excellent!"
Eventually they landed and they got their carry-on bags and made their way down to the baggage carousel. While they were waiting Derek had a few young boys come up to him with their parents to get an autograph.
"What's your name?" he asked the five year old.
"Josh," he smiled.
"Well here you go Josh," he said, handing him back his autograph. "Did you want a picture too?" he asked him. "You and your brother?"
They both beamed up at him.
The mom took the picture and smiled. "Thanks so much, you're their idol."
He gave her a smile. "It was no problem."
Casey smiled at him when he joined her with a baggage cart.
"What?"
She shook her head. "Nothing. You're just so sweet."
He rolled his eyes then smirked as he pulled her close and kissed her.
She nipped his ear. "When will we be home?" she whispered.
He arched a brow then grinned. "As soon as we can, trust me."
She laughed.
Their bags came eventually and then they made their way outside, only stopped a few more times for an autograph. Once they were outside Derek guided them to the lines for cabs and limos. He directed her to the limo line that had no one and soon they were in a stretch limo making their way into the city to their apartment.
Casey gave him a suggestive smile and Derek put up the separating glass and they made out like mad in the back seat. Derek was tempted to have her right there in the limo but didn't want to scandalize the driver.
She laughed. "Oh I know more than this goes on in these places," she smiled but continued the make-out grope fest.
Finally they arrived at the apartment building and the driver brought their bags into the lobby.
Derek scooped her up in his arms, bridal style.
"Derek! You don't have to carry me all the way!"
He laughed but did it anyway.
He stopped at the desk with the guard. "Phillip, this is my wife Casey."
"Hi," Casey smiled.
Phillip smiled in return.
"So, you don't have to worry about denying her access to my-our apartment," he said, then strode for the elevator.
The apartment was on the twelfth floor, the penthouse suite. The elevator took them right to the suite with a special fob key to grant him access. He walked across the threshold, holding a laughing Casey.
"Welcome home," he grinned then kissed her.
She felt like she was melting. She wrapped her hands in his hair and pushed herself as close as she physically could.
"Damn it woman, how much control do you think I have?" he groaned as he ran his hands all over her body.
She laughed suggestively. "Probably not much more."
He groaned as he picked her up and took her to the bedroom. "You can get the tour later," he said and soon he was busy worshipping his wife's body and christening the apartment.
The next morning he kissed her on the forehead, leaving her to sleep while he made his way to practice with the team.
"Venturi!" coach yelled as they were getting off the ice.
He skated back to his coach who had been picking up the pylons.
"I take it you're your time off helped you get back your groove," he said, arching a brow.
Derek frowned.
"I expect to see you on top of your game tomorrow," the coach said.
Derek grinned. "I will do my best."
The coach looked at him carefully. "Is this about a woman?"
Derek looked at him, a frown on his face.
"Alright, I'll let it be. I'm just glad to have you back and hopefully you'll keep it up. I need you focused. Playoffs are coming. The team needs you. We all need you."
Derek patted the older man on the shoulder. "Don't worry, I wont let you down."
The coach smiled. "Good, see you tomorrow."
Derek nodded then skated back to the box and made his way to the locker room.
"So how was the wedding?" one of the guys asked.
Derek frowned when he turned to look at the rookie offense.
"Didn't you go home for some wedding of some kind?" he asked.
"Yeah, something like that."
The goalie chuckled. "It looks like you got a bit of a tan there Venturi."
Derek grinned. "Well, what do you know about that."
The goalie just grinned. He was good friends with Derek and knew where Derek had been. He was just goading him.
Derek threw a pad at him. "Sure whatever," he laughed.
He went home to find the apartment dark.
"Casey?" he called out.
"I'm in the dining room," she called out through the darkness.
He grinned. He was definitely enjoying being married. He went to the dining room to see Casey sitting in a black satin nightie, the table set with candles and some plates of food.
He dropped his bag and stared.
She stood up and walked over to him. She gave him a seductive smile.
"God damn woman!" he said then pulled her to him.
"I just wanted to make sure that you came home to a nice cooked meal," she smiled in between kisses.
"Forget dinner," he growled then scooped her into his arms.
They made their way to the bed and made love. Afterwards she lay scrawling her fingers over his chest.
"You coming to the game tomorrow night?" he asked.
She nodded. "Of course I will."
"Excellent."
"I'll even wear a jersey… maybe that guy's number… you know, some hockey god or something or other," she smiled mischievously.
He pulled her to him, growling. "If it's not my number, you might get lynched."
She laughed. "I'll think about it."
He chuckled. "Wow, the confidence my wife is instilling in me, it's fabulous."
She laughed.
The next day she was at the game watching one of his best games of the season. Everyone was cheering for the return of the hockey god, who was finally out of his slump. The anticipation and excitement for the playoffs was in the air as Derek stole the show and brought the team to victory and they shut out the New Jersey devils, three nothing.
Casey was waiting around while the players were doing interviews after they had gone off the ice and were changed.
"Derek," the guy from TSN said, holding the mike in front of his face. "You played a great game tonight."
Casey smiled.
"Probably the best game you've played all season. Not that you don't play good…" the guy said at Derek's amused expression.
"Well, I know that last year I went through a rough patch, picked up a lot of penalties, broke my nose," he laughed. "I came back this year with a better head on my shoulders. But I will say I have a better focus now," he grinned.
"Was the time off with your injury good for you?" the reporter asked with a slight frown.
Derek looked over to Casey and grinned.
"Yeah, I took a little r and r, got some new focus. I want to make all my dreams come true this year. I always knew I wanted to play hockey, knew it since I was a little kid. And I always knew that I wanted to have the chance to play in the finals for the Stanley Cup and even the chance for Olympic gold. I will work on that because I know I can make all my wishes come true."
The reporter arched a brow at Derek. "Really, and what has brought about this confidence?"
He grinned. "Well, I had the second chance at something I thought was gone from me a long time ago and now I have a renewed sense of hope."
"Really, so we can expect the hockey god's return?"
Derek shrugged. "I think I just want to make sure I can inspire the rest of the team to play their hearts out in the playoffs so we stand a chance at the Stanley Cup this year."
The guy kept a questioning expression on his face.
"It's time to wrap it up," the coach yelled from down the hall where he had finished from his press conference.
Derek grinned at the reporter. "Well, I would love to stay and chat more," he laughed, "but you know."
The reporter was frowning.
"I will say that I'm looking forward to being a strong leader for the team and hope that we can make a play at it."
"Well, scoring one of the goals tonight and assisting with the other two, we can hope that will be continued so that the team will make it to the playoffs."
"That's the intention," he grinned.
"So, the injured ribs won't be holding you back?" the reporter asked.
Derek grinned even broader. "No, definitely not. They're quite healed now. I took some time off, got some sun, enjoyed the time with my wife."
"Your wife?" the man laughed. "Well that's certainly a new development."
Derek grinned. "Yes, it is a new development—sort of. She's been part of my life a long time… you know; she'd probably call it a fairy tale type romance. Anyways we got married this past week. And since we're still kind of on our honeymoon, I think I'm going to call it a night and head home with the wife."
The reporter turned and gaped as Derek threw his arm around Casey in her Venturi jersey and started down the long hallway out of the building.
She shook her head, laughing.
"What?" he said arching his brow.
"Nothing," she said, laughing.
He pulled her close and gave her a kiss. "Well, thanks for being a lucky charm tonight."
She shook her head. "You don't me to be your lucky charm," she smiled, snuggling closer to him and kissing him on the lips.
Once they got outside there were a few people waiting to catch sight of the players to get autographs. Derek grinned and signed the autographs then finally he slipped off to be with Casey and they headed to his car.
"So, playoffs are coming up soon are they?" she smiled as he opened the car door for her.
He nodded.
"I'll be there, watching as many games as I can," she said, taking his hand as he started the car.
He lifted her hand and kissed it.
"Thanks," he said, then started the car.
"Well, I have to say thank you for my fairy tale," she grinned.
He grinned. "Well, you know, it's hard not to call our forever and a day vows a fairy tale."
She smiled as they drove home. She had a lot to look forward to. She had gotten in touch with the firm her father suggested and the man seemed eager to have her come in and meet with him. She would have a job soon and she would have a nice little life to set up in Toronto, she smiled, with her husband.
Alright, so this seemed cheesy, I dunno, I just wanted to add a little something extra before I do the epilogue, lol… and I bet there was a lot of you who thought that this was the epilogue, gotcha… I'm on it… but please let me know what you think, was it too cheesy?? Or what?
