by Kat Mizera
“I have an announcement as well.” Erin’s husband, Drake, got to his feet. “I’m also retiring. I wasn’t going to say anything until the season was over, but this is as good a time as any. I’m ready to give my body—and my family—a break. We plan to stay here in Las Vegas, so I’ll be around, but this is it for me too.” He lifted a shot and as his teammates hooted and hollered, they all did another shot.
“Then I guess I should speak up too.” Jamie Teller, an openly homosexual player on the team, who was married to one of his Sidewinders teammates, rose to his feet. “Most of you know I was attacked a few years ago. I’ve come back from those injuries, and while I’m in great shape overall, my wrist just can’t take this level of intensity. I’ve had four surgeries and it still hurts. I find myself passing rather than shooting, because I don’t trust my strength, and that’s not fair to me or to you… I’m calling it quits as well. I was hoping we’d take home another championship, and we have, so it’s time for me to stop pushing my luck.”
There was a moment of startled silence this time, but then his teammates and friends all got to their feet, one at a time, and slowly began to clap.
“You’re a fucking rock star, Jamie,” someone called out. “Come replace Coach Gagner—I’d play for you.”
“Shit, you guys, knock it off,” Jamie muttered, shaking his head, though a smile played on his lips.
They all did another shot and then there was a series of hugging and back-slapping, so Renee took the opportunity to slip inside and find a bottle of water. The last thing she wanted was a hangover, so she always drank as much water as possible when she was drinking alcohol. Besides, this was kind of an emotional moment for the team and she hadn’t been around long enough to understand what they’d been through or to feel comfortable enough to participate.
“You read my mind.” Jared’s quiet voice behind her made her smile and she turned, holding out a bottle to him.
“There you go.”
“Thanks.”
She grabbed one for herself and their eyes met for a moment. He seemed about to say something when Andra came bustling in.
“Renee, I just ordered a few dozen pizzas,” she said. “Could you help me carry out paper plates and napkins?”
“Sure.” Renee turned, following Andra into the pantry, lamenting yet another missed opportunity to talk.
The next chance came quickly, though, as he settled into the chair next to hers once the pizza arrived. Everyone was eating and drinking, conversations loud and boisterous. Toli and Dom playfully argued about something and wound up in the pool fully dressed, leading half a dozen others to join them. There was now a mock water polo hockey-style game going on but Jared didn’t appear interested in moving.
“Not your thing?” she asked him lightly, glancing in his direction.
He shrugged. “I’m not really one of the guys, you know? I’ve only been here eleven days.”
“I kind of feel the same way. I met Chelsea—Nate Calloway’s girlfriend—last fall and she introduced me to Andra a few months ago. I’m not even sure how I got lucky enough to be invited to a party like this.”
“Are you a hockey fan?”
“Oh, yeah. Season ticket holder since day one. I met Chelsea at a Sidewinders charity event, so I’m a big fan.”
“Well, I’m Jared. Nice to meet you.”
“Renee.” She shook his hand. “And likewise.”
“Have you tried Renee’s cupcakes?” Andra asked, appearing out of nowhere with a cupcake on a plate.
“Can’t say that I have.” An amused grin played on Jared’s mouth as he reached for the dish. “But I guess I’m going to.”
“It’s going to be epic,” Renee teased, her voice dropping suggestively.
“Oh really?” His eyes met hers.
“Red velvet, infused with whipped-cream-flavored vodka, and cream cheese frosting with a touch of white chocolate liqueur.”
“Damn.” He took a bite and slowly licked his lips. “This might be my second-favorite taste in the whole world.”
Renee cocked her head. “And what would your favorite be?”
He finished the cupcake in two more bites and swallowed before answering. “I think we need to know each other a little better before I tell you that.”
“Just how well are we talking?” she asked, hoping he didn’t hear the uptick in her heartbeat.
“I guess it depends on how much you want to find out.”
Their eyes were locked together and she wondered how long it was going to be before they were naked. She enjoyed sex and something told her it would be very, very good with Jared. He exuded control and masculinity, something she loved and didn’t get nearly enough of. She didn’t indulge often, but she had no qualms about one-night stands, and Jared would be a hell of a way to break her current sexual dry spell. He was gorgeous, at least six-feet-two with light brown hair, chocolate-brown eyes that were fringed with thick lashes, and a short, trimmed beard that gave him a sexy edge she loved.
“Did you make these?” Jamie Teller approached them holding one of the brownies Renee had baked and she turned in frustration.
“Yes, I did.”
“They’re fucking amazing. Could I pay you to make six dozen for a party my husband and I are throwing?”
“Oh, I don’t sell them, I just do it for fun.”
“Please?” He gave her such a charming smile she laughed.
“I’ll do it just this once, but don’t tell anyone.”
“Scout’s honor.” He took a bite. “These are just awesome. Do you put Baileys in them?”
“I do.”
Jamie asked her a dozen questions about her brownies before he excused himself, but when she turned, Jared was gone.
3
Between glasses of champagne and shots of Fireball, Renee was definitely feeling tipsy. Despite losing track of Jared, she was having a blast. When the music started, Jamie asked her to dance because apparently his husband hated to, and he loved it. Moving to the music with a man who wasn’t interested in getting in her pants allowed her to relax and enjoy it, something she hadn’t done in a long time. She also spent time talking with some of the wives she didn’t know very well, and she was excited to learn they’d all started to read her books after meeting her at some of the games. She tried to keep her personal and professional lives separate, but these ladies seemed genuinely excited about her books and she was happy to talk about them any time people were interested.
By three o’clock in the morning, she was still completely wired, feeding off everyone else’s excitement over winning the championship and the wonderful new friendships she’d forged. She had a lot of friends but most of them didn’t live here in Vegas, so it was nice to find a group of ladies like these. She wished Chelsea had come too, but most of the younger players and their girlfriends had rented a limousine and gone down to the Strip to party, and she’d promised Andra she would help with her party here at the house.
She felt a little old suddenly, wishing she’d gone with them, but it had been all couples who were a decade younger than she was and being the third wheel in that group didn’t sound fun. She thought she looked pretty good for thirty-nine, but she definitely didn’t look twenty-five anymore. Most of the time, she had no desire to look or be that young again, but tonight for some reason she wished she did. Guys like Jared probably looked for women a lot younger than her, though she’d dated her fair share of younger guys.
She stepped out of the restroom and let out a squeak of surprise when she found Jared waiting outside.
“Don’t go anywhere,” he directed, stepping into the bathroom and closing the door behind him.
Renee was momentarily unsure what to do, but he was out less than a minute later, studying her intently. The look on his face was hard to read but she had no doubt what was on his mind as he leaned toward her.
“You lookin’ to get yourself some strange tonight, Renee?” he asked in a slow, raspy voice that made the ha
ir on her arms stand up when it washed over her, as if he’d actually touched her.
“Is that single-guy-speak for a one-night stand?” she asked, arching a brow.
“That’s exactly what it is.” He put a hand against the wall on one side of her head as he lowered his mouth to hers, pausing slightly as he waited for her response.
Renee answered by leaning into the kiss, concerns about her relationship with everyone on the team melting away. He was too sexy, too intense to say no. Her body practically hummed with need and the moment their lips touched she was lost. The alcohol in her system was undoubtedly fueling her desire for him, but she’d wanted him long before she’d had that first shot of Fireball, and the real thing was way better than what she’d been imagining.
Despite the intensity between them, the kiss was far more sensual than she’d been expecting. His lips teased hers, his tongue probing but not hurried, stroking hers until they were practically making love with their mouths. It had been years since anyone had kissed her like this, as if she were the only woman in the world and they had nothing but time.
“Your lips taste like honey,” he breathed against her mouth. “I bet your pussy does too.”
Renee’s knees almost gave out at the sheer sexiness of both his words and his husky voice, but one strong arm was around her waist, holding her up, holding her close. Jesus fucking Christ, she needed to know more about this guy. She’d known him all of three hours, but she was ready to throw her panties out the window and let him fuck her right here against the wall.
“My room is upstairs,” he whispered, his lips traveling to the soft spot behind her ear.
“Yes.”
Jared never had any trouble recognizing signals from an interested woman, but this one was different. Definitely not a bimbo or puck bunny, she oozed money and class, but there’d been the faintest hint of vulnerability in her eyes that had drawn him in from their first heated gaze. She’d been alternately eyeing him and giving him space all night and he’d finally had enough of the game. He was used to getting what he wanted with women and her body language told him everything he needed to know. She was all in and the moment he locked the guest room door behind them she moved into his arms like they’d been kissing all night.
“You sure about this, darlin’?”
“Absolutely.” Her green eyes glittered and he took her mouth again, reveling in a taste he could only describe as honey. He had no idea why since she’d been drinking Fireball most of the night, but it was so prevalent he couldn’t think about anything else.
He broke away long enough to unbutton his shirt and pull it off.
“Now that’s a view,” she purred, sitting on the edge of the bed and pulling off her T-shirt before leaning back on her arms.
“Glad you like it.” He tugged at his belt and slid off his shoes. He’d meant to change out of his suit when he first got home, but he’d been so distracted by everything going on he’d only managed to lose his jacket and tie.
He crawled over her on the bed and slowly looked her up and down. She was beautiful, with those green eyes and wavy auburn hair that probably came out of a bottle but was gorgeous nonetheless. Her lips were full and red and his for the taking, so he nibbled the lower one, taking his time instead of devouring her the way he wanted to. There was something beguiling about this woman, this stranger who’d been giving him an almost longing look all evening. It had been a come-on, but it had also been more. Her eyes had been all but begging him to touch her, to make her feel something, and he was going to do his damnedest to give her whatever it was she was silently pleading for.
“What’s your favorite position?” he murmured against her mouth.
“Sixty-nine.”
Her response made his cock twitch in anticipation and he wondered how long he’d last with it in her mouth while he devoured her pussy. Jesus, this was going to be good. No, this was going to be great. It had been a while for him, and if his prize for not sleeping with every woman who offered herself to him was this luscious woman, he’d abstain more often.
Without warning he flipped onto his back, unzipping his slacks and sliding them under his ass.
“Let me,” she offered, taking off her jeans before she crawled over to him on her hands and knees. She slid her hands over his flat stomach, slowly rolling her tongue over her lips as she ran one hand over the erection straining behind his boxers. She tugged them down, pulled them free of his legs and then kissed her way up his thigh. Jesus, no woman had ever done that before. Usually that was his job, leading up to the sweet spot between her legs. Instead, she’d turned the tables on him, and feeling her warm breath on the skin of his inner thighs was amazing. Why the hell had he never done this before?
By the time she’d climbed up to his crotch, he wanted to shove her down on his cock and fuck her into the middle of next week. He’d asked her what she wanted, though, and he was a man of his word.
Impatient to get started, he pulled her on top of him, spreading her legs on either side of his face. Holy shit, she was even more gorgeous naked, and he dove in like a man starved. He felt rather than heard her gasp of pleasure and he chuckled against her, using his fingers to separate her delicate folds.
His first taste of her was all he could have hoped for, honey and the tangy flavor of woman mingling into something he hadn’t known he needed but would surely die without now. He was so involved in touching her, licking and sucking her every drop of sweetness, he’d almost forgotten what she was about to do. When her lips made contact with his cock his hips jerked of their own volition, thrusting up into her mouth harder than he’d intended. She didn’t even flinch, though, using one hand to stroke down his length and back up again, her cheeks hallowing as she sucked him deeper and deeper.
“Damn, baby, slow down… I can’t…” He didn’t even know what to say, his head falling back as she continued sucking him into oblivion.
He moved his attention back to the feast of pussy spread out before him and went straight for her clit this time. Normally he took his time and worked up to it, but she was taking him hard and fast, so he had no choice but to reciprocate. He caught the little nub between his lips and teased it erect, keeping her right where he wanted her by tightly gripping her ass cheeks. She arched into him, grinding into his face, her juices coating him.
It was the best fucking thing in the world, and he dove in for more. His hips were pumping now, gliding his cock in and out of her mouth, and he briefly wondered why this was her favorite. Personally, he liked to savor each act separately, even though this was fun too.
“Jared!” Her screech brought him back to what he was doing and he pressed his tongue inside of her just as she started to shudder and clench around him.
“That’s it, baby, let go…” He didn’t wait for her to finish, flipping her onto her back, fumbling for the condom he’d had the foresight to leave out, and rolling it down his aching cock.
“Oh, my god…” Her breath escaped in a whoosh as he sheathed himself with one firm, hard thrust.
Her eyes shone with uninhibited lust and he fucking loved it. She was glorious, and he had no idea how he’d gotten lucky enough to find her here, of all places. She was so incredibly responsive it made him almost giddy with lust.
“Don’t think; let me bring you right back over the edge,” he whispered, grinding into her.
“Ohfuck-ohfuck-ohfuck…” Her eyes rolled back in her head as he pumped up against her G-spot.
Her loud, keening cry was exactly what he wanted, and he angled his hips to hit that spot every time. She came again, the waves rolling around his cock like a warm, wet vise, pulling him closer and closer to the edge. But he needed her to come one more time. Not all women could do it, but he’d sensed she would. She was thrashing beneath him now, fingernails slicing into the skin of his ass as she bucked and jerked.
“Yes-yes-yes-yes.” Her mouth found his in the darkness, sucking his tongue deep into her mouth the way she’d sucked his cock deep i
nto her pussy.
His balls pulled up tight, and he slid a hand between them to pinch her clit. He wanted this to last forever and that was all it took to start another wave of climaxes that left her gasping for air. That was his cue that she was almost done so he let go as well, swelling even larger as he shot off inside of her.
For long minutes, they didn’t move. Her fingers had let go of the death grip they’d had on his ass and now lay limply on his back as her breath finally found some semblance of normalcy. Her eyes were still closed, but their lips were close together, the faintest warmth from their mingled breath tickling the skin of his face. Finally, he pulled free, noting her whimper of distress. He kissed the side of her face before rolling onto his back and reaching for her hand.
Her fingers curled into his and they lay there, side by side, completely spent.
“What was that?” she asked at last.
“Multiple orgasm?”
“I never had one before. Holy shit, that was awesome.”
“We can do it again.”
“We can?”
“Oh, yeah. I might need a few minutes first, but not long.”
“Yeah, I might need a few myself.” She paused. “Is there a trick to that?”
“I don’t know,” he admitted. “I’d like to say I’m that good, but honestly, I’ve only ever seen one woman do it before and it was when I was a teenager. I don’t know if it’s something the guy does, something about the woman, or some rare compatibility thing, but it’s the hottest thing I’ve ever seen and I really want to see it again.”
She turned onto her side and nestled her head into his shoulder. “I want to feel it again, too, because I didn’t know that was a real thing. I thought women made that stuff up.”
“I’m here to tell you it’s real.”
“I should’ve gone looking for some strange a long time ago.”
“You and me both.” He pulled her closer and reveled in her scent, her soft skin, her everything. This wasn’t like any one-nighter he’d ever had before and he was already gearing up for round two.