Game On

by Kelly Jamieson

  I’d tried to say no, knowing I shouldn’t get more involved with him than I already was. It was crazy! Me! Dating a guy like him! I could just hear my sister saying, “What on earth does he see in you?” with a look of incredulity on her face, and my mom warning me that it would never last, so don’t get too involved.

  But what if…what if he really liked me? He’d asked me out again. He hadn’t taken no for an answer.

  What if my stupid insecurities nearly stopped me from having something great? Maybe I needed to believe in myself, which I thought I’d gotten better at over the years.

  Sure, I’d started off wanting his involvement in Move On Chicago, but every time I saw him, I liked him more and more. I didn’t have to worry that he was using me for my family connections. He had money and fame of his own. Maybe this could be something…real.

  * * *

  —

  Cam had given me instructions on where to park when I got to his place. It was a brand-new building in a quiet residential area near the river, but close to Michigan and not far from the arena. I took the luxurious elevator to the tenth floor and found his place. He had the door open already and greeted me with his gorgeous smile, but I stopped dead on seeing the creature he was holding back from attacking me.

  “Hi,” Cam said. “This is Magnum.”

  The animal gave a sharp bark and I took a step back, not taking my eyes off it.

  “Uh…he’s very friendly,” Cam said. “Are you afraid of dogs?”

  “No. I mean, not all dogs. Just…big dogs.” My palms broke out in moisture.

  “He’s not that big. But if he makes you uncomfortable, I’d be happy to lock you up in the other room.”

  I stared at him, too nervous to get the joke right away. Then I laughed, some of my nervousness dissipating with his humor.

  “Kidding,” Cam said. “Seriously though, he’s harmless. He just wants to meet you, but I’ll put him in his kennel.”

  Still holding the dog’s collar, he pulled him away from the door and disappeared. I took a couple of hesitant steps forward and into the condo, closing the door behind me. I hovered there, waiting until Cam reappeared. He looked so good, wearing a pair of worn jeans and a navy Henley-style shirt over a white tee, the sleeves pushed up on his strong arms.

  “Sorry.” His forehead furrowed. “I never thought you wouldn’t like dogs.”

  “I like them. We had a little poodle when I was growing up.”

  He surprised me by wrapping his arms around me in a hug. “I don’t want you to be afraid of him.”

  I felt bad. That was his dog. “I’m sorry.”

  He drew back and peered into my eyes. “You’ll get used to him…right?”

  I bit my lip. “Sure.”

  He kissed me softly, then said, “Let me take your jacket.”

  He hung it in the closet in the foyer.

  “This building is beautiful.”

  “Yeah, it’s pretty nice. I bought it when it was still under construction, so I got to pick out a lot of the finishes and appliances.”

  A wall facing us held a huge framed picture of a Chicago Aces team photo. He led me into the condo, turning left, and stopped in his kitchen area, which was part of a bigger space with the living room and off to the right the dining room. Lots of windows looked out over the city. Light wood floors shone in the sophisticated overhead lighting.

  “The kitchen’s gorgeous.” I stroked a hand over the granite countertop.

  “Thanks. Would you like a drink? I have beer, wine, or Gatorade.”

  I laughed. “A glass of wine would be nice.”

  He opened the big stainless-steel fridge and pulled out a bottle. Two glasses already sat on the island, and he opened the bottle then poured it. Handing me one, he said, “Come have a seat.”

  We stepped into the living room area. A taupe leather couch faced a wall of built-in shelves with a big television, flanked by a couple of leather chairs. The city sparkled outside the big windows.

  We sat on the couch. A huge rawhide dog chew lay on a corner of the rug. That chew was bigger than my poodle had been.

  “How was the rest of your week?” he asked, although we’d texted a few times.

  “Good.” As we drank our wine, I told him about some of the things Julia was working on and mentioned the St. Patrick’s Day run and the dinner fundraiser.

  “I have to check our schedule.” He pulled out his phone. “Yeah, I think I can do the run. We’ll probably have a practice that day, but it could work.”

  “Oh, that would be so great! And I know you don’t know your schedule in May yet.”

  “Yeah.” He grimaced. “Sorry about that.”

  “No, no, I understand. I hope you’re playing hard and winning in May.”

  He grinned. “Yeah.”

  “I watched most of the game last night. At the gym.”

  “Oh yeah?” He leaned back into the couch. “Did you enjoy it?”

  “I did. Especially since you won.”

  “I like winning.”

  “Somehow I knew that about you. You seem very determined to get your own way.”

  “I don’t deny that.” He flashed that cocky smile. “Are you hungry?”

  “Yeah, I am.”

  “Great. Dinner’s ready, I just have to heat things up.” He jumped up off the couch, and I followed him with my wineglass. I climbed onto a stool tucked beneath the overhang of the island and watched him move around his kitchen like he knew what he was doing.

  “Seems like you know how to cook.”

  “Yep.” He glanced up at me as he lifted the lid of a saucepan. “You don’t?”

  “Yeah, I like cooking. What are we having?”

  “Chicken with balsamic sauce.”

  “Yum.”

  “It sounds fancy, but it couldn’t be easier. Also some little potatoes and asparagus.”

  “That’s my kind of meal.” I picked up my wineglass again.

  Awoooooo.

  My eyes widened and darted around.

  Another plaintive howling noise drifted down the hall. “Oh no.” I sucked my bottom lip between my teeth. “He sounds sad.”

  “Of course he does. He’s missing the fun. Also, there’s food. He wants chicken.”

  “I feel terrible. You can go get him.”

  “He’s fine. I’ll get him after we eat.”

  He already had two places set at the dining table and soon carried our plates and lowered them to the placemats. He held a chair for me and I sat. “Very impressive.”

  “I’m not just a big hockey goon.” He grinned and sat as well, picking up his napkin. “I have some manners.”

  He definitely did, despite the sometimes crude things that came out of his mouth and the big-dick attitude. Funny how that attitude had disappeared around the kids at Franklin Middle School. He’d been genuine and open with the kids, and they’d really related to him. I’d also noticed how he helped me with my jacket, opened doors for me, and didn’t put me in an Uber alone and sick the first night we’d gone out, even though he’d been sick himself.

  I cut into my chicken and ate a piece with the syrupy sauce. “Oh my God. This is so good.”

  “Thanks. You need more wine.” He rose to get the bottle and refilled my glass, then his.

  Cam’s dog whined a few times during the meal and by the time I finished, I stared miserably at my plate, feeling like a wicked witch. And Cam was being so gracious about it, even though his dog was locked up alone somewhere.

  “You okay?”

  I looked up at him. “I feel so bad about your dog. Please go get him.”

  “Do you want dessert first?”

  “We can eat it later.”

  He
smiled. “Okay. He really is harmless. He doesn’t bite and he’s so good tempered, when my little nieces and nephews are around him, they pull his ears and poke his nose and he just lets them.”

  This was somewhat reassuring. “I didn’t know you have nieces and nephews.”

  “Hell yeah. Three sisters, remember? They each have two kids.”

  “Wow.”

  “I know. I just wish they lived closer.” He picked up our plates and took them into the kitchen, then headed down the hall. When he returned he again held the collar of the dog.

  Okay, he had a cute face. “What kind of dog is he?”

  “Some kind of mix, but I think he’s mostly golden Lab.”

  I held out my hand palm down, and Cam brought him close enough to sniff me. He did so gently, gave my hand a small lick, and smiled at me.

  “Good boy, Magnum,” Cam said, letting go of the collar and rubbing his head. “Good boy. You want some chicken?”

  “His name is Magnum? Not Magnus?”

  “Yeah. He’s named after condoms.”

  I burst out laughing. “I should have known.”

  Magnum abandoned me and bounded behind Cam to the kitchen. Cam tossed some small pieces of chicken into a big bowl on the floor in the corner, and Magnum shoved his nose into the bowl.

  Whew. Okay, that wasn’t so bad.

  I don’t know why I was afraid of bigger dogs. I’ve never been attacked or bitten, but there’d been a few times I’d been out running and I’d encountered dogs that tried to jump on me or barked ferociously, and it made me nervous.

  Now that he’d met me, Magnum ignored me, hanging out in the kitchen as I helped Cam load dishes in the dishwasher and put away leftovers. We moved back into his living room, lamps softly lighting the space, and returned to the couch with more wine. Magnum trotted along with us and shocked me by jumping up onto the couch beside me. I nearly leaped onto Cam’s lap.

  “Magnum, down!” Cam pointed at the floor.

  Magnum dropped his head and slunk down onto the floor, tail tucked tight to his butt.

  “He’s well trained,” I murmured, trying to move away from Cam.

  He was not having that, sliding an arm around me to hold me close. “Yes, he is.”

  “How do you look after him when you’re out of town?”

  “He goes to camp when I’m away. If it’s just a short trip, I have a dog walker who comes in and looks after him.”

  “Ah.”

  Cam rubbed my arm in a slow, soothing motion that did more to turn me on than calm me. He slid a hand to my face and cupped my cheek, turning me toward him, leaning in for a kiss.

  I eyed Magnum out of the corner of my eye.

  Cam sighed.

  “I’m sorry! Will he be upset if we…kiss?”

  “I don’t care.”

  “What if he gets mad at me? You’re his person. He might not want to share you.”

  Cam was silent for a few beats. Finally, he said, “It’s never been a problem.”

  Uh-huh. I got that. He was trying to tell me that he’d had hundreds of other women here. That was supposed to make me feel better?

  I pinched my mouth up and glared at him.

  For a moment, we stared at each other, sparks snapping around us. My body tensed, and the wild thought rocketed through my mind that he was going to send me home.

  Then his lips twitched.

  I sank my teeth into my bottom lip.

  He chuckled and leaned his forehead against mine. “Jesus Christ. This isn’t going well, is it?”

  “I’m sorry,” I said again, my smile breaking free.

  He pulled me fully onto his lap, wrapping his arms around me. “You’re cute. A little neurotic, but cute.”

  I got the neurotic part and I owned it, but nobody’d ever told me I was cute before. My heart melted. I curved my hands over his shoulders, fingers brushing the sides of his neck. Our eyes met again, the heat more intense, scorching me inside and out.

  “Kiss me,” he murmured.

  So I did.

  Our mouths met in a soft, clinging kiss, stealing the air from my lungs. Warmth washed down through me. He drew back an inch, and I opened my eyes to look directly into his. Heat built between us, and my inner muscles pulled up tight. He cupped the side of my face and tilted my head and we kissed again, his mouth opening on mine, this time more urgently.

  He slid his tongue into my mouth, teasing me, tempting me, making my belly flutter. I held on to him tighter, pulling myself closer to him so my breasts pressed against his chest. A groan rumbled there. He nipped at my bottom lip, then slicked his tongue over it, kissed the corner of my mouth, my cheek, my jaw. His hands moved on my body, up and down my back, my hips, over my clothes, and my skin tingled everywhere.

  “Cam.” I whispered his name as he slid his tongue down the side of my neck.

  “Mmm. You taste so sweet.”

  “Ah.” My head fell back, shivers rippling over me.

  He shifted our position, easing me onto my back, my shoulders on the cushioned arm of the couch. He lay half on me, his big body a delicious weight, his hand slipping under my sweater to find my skin. My body went liquid, throbbing sensations coalescing low inside me.

  We made out like that for a long time, I don’t know how long, until I was straining against him, my pussy aching with need. He cupped my breast through my bra, which was sheer enough to be barely there but was still too much of a barrier. My nipples beaded into tight points, and my breast swelled into his palm, and he kneaded and squeezed. My heart hammered, every nerve ending electric.

  “Love kissing you,” he murmured, lips barely touching mine. “Feeling you up.”

  “I like it too.” I wanted to explore him more, my hands also finding hot skin beneath his shirt, gliding up his muscled back, then down to his ass to grope him through his jeans. Oh yeah…I’d been impressed with his ass that day at my place when we’d slept in my bed. I wanted my hands all over that ass. Desperate need filled me, making my heart race even faster, making my skin sensitized everywhere.

  “Damn, baby. You’ve got me all hot and bonered.” He pressed the evidence of that into me.

  I snorted a soft laugh. “So I feel.”

  “And see? Magnum’s fine.”

  “Mmm.”

  “Wait till he gets in bed with us.” He nuzzled my ear.

  I jerked my head away to glare at him. “What?”

  His eyes danced. “Kidding. Come on. The only one I want in my bed tonight is you.”

  Chapter 11

  Cam

  “Let me show you the rest of my place.” I pulled Olivia to standing and, still holding her hand, led her down the hall. I resisted the urge to throw her over my shoulder and head straight to the bedroom. “That’s my laundry room in there. Down here are two bedrooms. This one’s Magnum’s. Sort of.”

  It was a spare bedroom with a small sofa bed and not much else, so I put Magnum’s kennel and his toys in there. “Come on, Magnum. Into your house.”

  Magnum obediently entered the kennel. Sometimes I felt guilty putting him there, but he’d been trained to go in there since he was a pup and he didn’t really seem to mind it.

  “This is my guest room.” She peered briefly into the next bedroom. “Bathroom.” I gestured as we passed it. “And a little office.” The desk was set into an alcove. “Master bedroom. I have my own bathroom.” I flicked on a lamp beside the bed.

  “This is nice. Is that another balcony out there?”

  “Yeah.” I moved closer to her and cupped her face. “Damn, you’re beautiful.”

  “Oh.” Her eyes drifted closed as I kissed her.

  Her lips were soft and sweet, her tongue delicate. I sucked gently on it, my hands slidin
g down to her ass to pull her up against me. Hot lust sliced through me, and my dick leaped.

  I edged her toward the bed, and we both sat. I shifted behind her, my hands on her shoulders, nuzzling her hair, then her ear, kissing her cheek and the side of her neck. I should tell her…

  “Olivia…there’s something I need to tell you…”

  She tilted her head. “Do you have an STD?”

  “No!”

  “Okay, then tell me later. Please…”

  Okay then.

  I kissed her again, my fingers sliding inside the neckline of her sweater, over smooth skin and her clavicle. “Can I take this off?” I tugged at the sweater.

  “Yes.”

  I slowly drew it up and over her head. I found myself holding my breath in anticipation, and I studied her as I revealed all her smooth, pale skin. She wore a sheer bra that cupped and lifted her tits enticingly from where I looked over her shoulder. Damn I wanted to get my hands on her. Everywhere.

  I clasped her upper arms and opened my mouth on her shoulder, sliding along to her neck where I gently sucked and nipped. Her head tilted to the side, her long hair sliding over my hand, and she let out a soft sigh of pleasure as I licked and kissed her. I drew out the moment, not wanting to rush things, even though my dick was a throbbing spike and my veins were on fire.

  She shifted on the bed to face me. “Can I take these off?” she murmured, her hands slipping under my shirts.

  Christ, her hands felt so damn good on my skin, skating up over my ribs. “Fuck yeah.”

  She smiled. “I already saw your chest.”

  “I saw you checking me out.” And I’d liked it.

  “I want to see it again. I want to touch it.”

  I groaned. “Please do.”

  She pulled off both my shirts at the same time, and I lifted my arms to help. With my shirts gone, I looked down at her and now I witnessed the wonder that was her bra. “Sweet Jesus.” I could only stare at the sexy creation—sheer nude fabric with black straps and some kind of delicate black floral lace across the top of the cups that looked like a tattoo on her skin. “Wow. This is gorgeous.” I traced my fingertips across the lace. “You’re gorgeous.”