Play Hard

by V. K. Sykes

  As he continued his play, driving her crazy with his mouth, Jake reached down into the vee of her legs. He slipped his hand over the lace panties, gently stroking her tender flesh through the filmy fabric. Unable to hold back any longer, he delved beneath the lace into the heat of her soft nest of curls. He moaned, cupping her.

  “You’re so wet,” he murmured.

  Her eyelids fluttered open and her gaze, lazy with sensuality, settled on him. “Your fault, you fix it,” she purred back at him.

  His laugh sounded more like a groan as his fingers pushed past her silky outer lips into her drenched core. The tight flesh contracted eagerly around his fingers. His erection throbbed, straining against his zipper. As if sensing his need, Maddie reached down and found his bulging cock.

  She held him gently, gasping as he began slowly pumping his fingers in and out of her sheath. Her eyelids closed and she pulled her slender legs wide, opening herself up to him. Fuck, he loved it. Loved watching his fingers delve deep inside her, dragging through her moisture and drenched curls while his thumb found the hard bud of her sex. He circled her clit again and again, in sync with the movement of his fingers within her. Maddie bucked her hips, her back arching as her body moved to the rhythm of his hand, as she let him take her right to the edge.

  * * *

  Maddie moaned her displeasure when Jake withdrew his hand. She was this close to what she was sure would be the best orgasm of her life. She’d never been so hot, so ready, so why the hell was he stopping now?

  She dragged her eyelids open, looking up into his handsome face, his skin flushed with passion under the bronze of his tan. His eyes were heavy-lidded and dark with lust.

  “Jake,” she whimpered in a voice she didn’t recognize. “What are you doing?”

  A fleeting smile touched his lips. “Just wait a sec, baby. I want to get your clothes off.”

  Okay, she could get down with that plan, especially if it involved him taking his clothes off, too. She’d waited long enough, and it was way past time she saw Jake Miller in all his naked glory.

  He quickly unzipped her skirt. She raised her hips so he could pull it down her legs, taking her panties with it. He helped her sit up, whisking off her top and bra, leaving her naked beneath his fiercely hot gaze.

  “Wow,” she whispered, devastated by how sexy, how intense he looked as his gaze tracked over her body. She was just about to suggest he get naked too, when he pushed her legs wide and came down between them.

  Maddie cried out when his mouth fastened her clit. She arched her hips, straining for more as he sucked her, then thrust his tongue right up inside her. Driven by helpless need, she drew her knees back, holding them wide, silently begging Jake for everything he could give. She’d never been able to relate to some of the more extravagant romantic metaphors like quivering flesh, but damn, that was exactly what was happening down there right now—her clit, her insides, everything felt like it was quivering under the onslaught of Jake’s tongue.

  In fact, every fiber of her body felt weirdly, gloriously electrified, as a passion hotter than she’d ever known danced under her skin. Jake was totally possessing her, consuming her, with his mouth, his tongue, his big body pushing her thighs wide. She’d wanted him to take control, to make love to her like no one had ever done, and boy-oh-boy was he doing it.

  Worth taking a risk over? Hell, that wasn’t even a question anymore.

  Spiraling higher, she practically screamed with ecstasy as his skillful tongue raked over her clit. She grabbed his head and held it, caught up in a storm of sensation. Instinctively, he seemed to know how to please her, slowly, relentlessly building the pressure until she felt ready to fly apart.

  But he kept her on the edge, pulling back once, twice, to keep her from tumbling over. Her skin was so hot it felt like she was burning up. And still he kept playing with her clit, licking and sucking it, until she was ready to scream from ecstasy and frustration. And then he put two fingers back inside her, pumping slowly as he licked her. The competing sensations made her shudder as pleasure rolled over her in waves. Tension coiled deep inside, muscles tightening as she neared the edge of her climax.

  Suddenly, it wasn’t what Maddie wanted. Not without Jake coming with her.

  She clamped a hand in his hair, pulling at him. He growled, clearly reluctant to stop, but he finally lifted his head.

  “What?” he rasped, looking so hot, so masterful, that her insides—and did she ever need a new word—quivered.

  “I need you inside me. Right now,” she demanded.

  He rose slowly to his feet, all six feet four inches of magnificent male. When he licked his lips, clearly savoring her taste, Maddie just about fainted.

  Reaching into his pocket, Jake extracted several condoms. Oh, goodie, she couldn’t help thinking.

  He undressed at a leisurely pace, giving her a truly impressive eyeful of buff male. When he shed his briefs, she couldn’t help sighing with anticipated pleasure. Yes, he was a very big, very beautiful man, and she couldn’t wait to experience all that beauty up close and personal.

  Impatient and suddenly needing to take control, Maddie sat up and scooted to the edge of the bed to grab a foil packet from his hand. She tore it open, but before pulling the condom out she couldn’t help succumbing to temptation. Leaning over, she slowly dragged her tongue across the head of his shaft. Jake groaned and ran his fingers through her hair, cradling her skull as she licked his erection up and down before taking the plump head deep into her mouth.

  Hot, salty male, and all hers to play with, and the fact that it was Jake made it all the more exciting, almost too much for her to process.

  “Maddie, enough,” he groaned after a few seconds of her work, carefully pulling her mouth away. “I need to be in you. Now.”

  She looked up and met his gaze. His eyes glittered with passion but she saw tenderness there as well, a tenderness matched by the way he gently stroked her hair. She nodded, too overwhelmed by the moment to speak. She pulled the condom out of the foil and quickly rolled it down the full length of his erection. He eased her back onto the bed and loomed over her, spreading her thighs as he slowly worked his cock into her. She drew her legs up and arched her back, a little cry escaping her throat as she felt how big he was, how thickly he filled her. She’d never felt anything like it and clutched at his rock-hard biceps, staring wide-eyed into his face as he sank into her.

  His features were hard, his mouth pulled into a thin, tight line. She could sense that he held himself back, not wanting to hurt her. But as he slowly pressed forward, gently pushing her right knee up to open her fully, she was surprised to find how easily she accommodated him. He fit her somehow, so lusciously thick, and now everything inside her was slick, soft and elastic. As he buried himself deep, she wrapped her legs around his waist and ran her hands up to his massive shoulders, wanting to be as close to him as she could get.

  Propped up on his arms, he took her head between his hands, his eyes devouring her as he began to thrust. She sucked in a breath, knowing that her previous—and, okay, fairly limited—experiences with men had not prepared her for this…for Jake. It was more than just his confident lovemaking, as spectacular as that was. No, there was something else going on, at least for her. She couldn’t name it, but she knew that the spark that had flared into life the first time they spoke had led inevitably to this place.

  She surrendered to it with joy.

  With each of his disciplined thrusts, Maddie arched her spine, wanting more. Needing the delicious friction. Though she felt her climax building, she wasn’t ready for it to be over. She tried to hold back, to keep the tidal wave of sensation from sweeping over her. God, she wished it could never end.

  But when Jake cupped his hands under her bottom and dragged her up onto his driving cock, she moaned and dug her fingernails into his shoulders. He was panting now, pumping hard, and she knew he was as close to the edge she was.

  As her own orgasm took her, she closed her eye
s and cried out as the glorious tremors washed through her limbs. He followed her, letting out a deep growl as he erupted. As he spent himself within her in a long, wracking shudder, Maddie let out a trembling breath, holding onto him as if she’d never let go.

  * * *

  When Maddie came awake the next morning, Jake was—sadly—already out of bed. She indulged in a long, leisurely stretch, and rolled over to find him sitting in the big arm chair by the window, a room service table in front of him. He looked up from the paper and gave her a very satisfied smile.

  “Good morning, sex goddess,” he said that in deep rumble of his. “I thought you were never going to wake up.”

  “What time is it?” Maddie yawned, squinting against the full daylight streaming in through the window. She must have been asleep for several hours. Not surprising, since Jake’s lovemaking had left her both replete and exhausted.

  “It’s already about ten. No worries, though. I don’t have to be at the field until after eleven. What about you?”

  She burrowed back into the fluffy mound of pillows. “Me? As long as I get there by the first pitch I’ll be fine. No prep required for us scribes. But I’m a little worried about you.” She stretched again like a sleepy cat, luxuriating in the satiny smooth, expensive sheets covering the king sized bed. “Did we actually get any rest?”

  “You did. You were dead to the world by around five-thirty. I tossed and turned a bit after that.”

  She couldn’t help grinning at him. Last night, it had seemed their lovemaking would never end. She had wished it would never end. After that first explosive coming-together, she had felt a satisfied glow through the length of her body she’d never experienced before. And everything they’d subsequently done to each other had felt right in a way she couldn’t explain. Soul-deep right. When they’d finally finished hours later and Jake had tucked her into the shelter of his muscular body, she’d never felt so secure or so happy. They’d talked until the gray reaches of the early dawn had started to filter into the room—talked about everything. Their families, their careers, Jake’s charities, even her mother’s illness. She’d wanted to learn everything she could about him, and he’d seemed just as interested in her.

  Even better was how easy she’d felt with him. In her limited dating experience sex had been fun, but it sometimes left her feeling uncomfortably vulnerable. Nothing like that had happened last night despite the various and creative ways Jake had taken her. A few times, Maddie had been reduced to giggles when he coaxed her into some pretty undignified positions, but his affection and warmth, his whispered assurances that he had her, had dissolved all her uncertainties.

  And this morning, gazing across the bed at him, taking in his utterly masculine but open and honest features, it still felt right. No matter the eventual outcome of the situation, Maddie knew she couldn’t regret the special connection they’d created between them last night.

  In fact, she wished they could start all over again, but when Jake padded off to the bathroom she let out a sigh and capitulated to reality. She threw back the sheets and slipped into the hotel robe that he’d thoughtfully laid out on the end of the bed. Inspecting the breakfast cart, she was delighted to see a plate of fresh fruit along with the basket of bagels and muffins that Jake had almost demolished. She smiled. He was a big man—in more ways than one—and he’d certainly expended a lot of energy in pleasing her last night.

  As she settled into the armchair he’d just vacated, she poured herself a cup of coffee and grabbed the newspaper that had come with the breakfast tray, turning immediately to the sports section. But as she tried to focus on the stories and the baseball scores, her mind returned to the confidences she and Jake had shared throughout the night.

  They had talked about so many things, but the one subject neither of them had broached was what next? Maddie hadn’t wanted to raise it, not wanting to spoil the moment. She guessed Jake didn’t either. But as she folded the paper and tossed it on the bed, she faced the fact that it wouldn’t go away. They were holed up at the Madison, for God’s sake, hiding away from the team and the press. That said it all. She and Jake wanted to be together, but how was that going to happen, living in the fish bowl that came with his celebrity status? She hadn’t wanted to face that question in the passion of the night before, but it couldn’t be avoided much longer.

  Jake reappeared from the shower after ten minutes, his wet hair glistening, a fluffy white towel tied around his waist. He looked so buff and sexy that Maddie had to resist the urge to strip the towel away for some more fun and games. The way he looked at her—as well as the tent he was making under the towel—indicated a similar frame of mind.

  She stood up and reached out to him. They kissed and he held her tight, his hands wandering down her back to caress her bottom. She luxuriated in the warmth and sensuality of his embrace for a few more seconds, then broke away. Taking in a determined breath, she grabbed the bull by the horns.

  “Jake, I want you to know that last night was one of the best nights of my life. That may sound a bit corny, but I don’t know how else to say it. It felt so wonderful, so natural to be with you. It was everything I wanted it to be.”

  She paused, grimacing as she tried to figure out the best way to approach the tricky subject. From the concerned frown on his face, it was clear he was waiting for a but to follow. She moved quickly to reassure him. “I’m not going to tell you that I don’t want to be with you, or that we can’t see each other anymore. No worries on that score.”

  He nodded and sat down on the bed, looking puzzled. “Then what are you worried about?”

  “I just think we have to talk about this situation, that’s all,” she said, even though she didn’t have a clue how to approach it. “About how we could possibly have a relationship when we can’t let anybody know about it. I’m completely at a loss as to how we’re going to manage that.”

  Jake rose slowly from the bed and approached her. Pulling her up from the chair, he took her face between his hands and brushed a soft kiss across her lips. That was nice—very nice—but it still didn’t answer her question.

  “Look, Maddie,” he said in a firm, reassuring voice. “Anything’s possible if two people really want to be together. Because they make it possible. I know we can’t be a normal couple—not right now. We’re not going to waltz into the Hilton arm-in-arm and tell everybody we’re together. We both know exactly where that would lead. But that doesn’t mean we can’t ever be with each other. We just have to be careful at this stage, while we’re figuring things out. Let’s just give ourselves time to do that, okay?”

  She felt a stab of anxiety. Her own desires and Jake’s lovemaking had kept it at bay last night, but it was now establishing a familiar and unwelcome beachhead. “It would be so risky, Jake. I hate worrying like this, but I can’t help it.”

  He stroked her hair, trying to soothe her. “I know, but we can minimize the risk. We’ll be together when we can safely see each other, and when we can’t, we won’t be. It’s sure as hell not ideal, but what’s the alternative at this point? Not see each other at all?” He snorted at the idea. “Sorry, babe. I can’t do that.” He raised his eyebrows, challenging her not to give into her insecurities.

  She darted her gaze away, unable to look at him. Hell, she’d love to be as brave as he was, but he was Jake Miller. Even if the worst happened and they were exposed, his career would survive. Hers? Not so much.

  But he didn’t retreat an inch, gently tipping her chin up so she had to look straight into his eyes. She couldn’t miss the stubborn determination in their depths. “Maddie, all I know is that we want to be together. So, we’ll make it work somehow, no matter what. Like I said, just give it a chance. We can start out slow, if that makes you feel better.”

  “Easy for you to say,” she grumbled. But she acknowledged defeat, resting her head on his chest. “I guess you’re right. What else can we do? I’m really going to hate sneaking around like we’re doing something wrong, bu
t if that’s what it takes to be with you, then…” And she did hate the idea. It wasn’t wrong that they wanted to be together, but she’d always held her professional life to a high ethical standard. It grated on her to have to sacrifice that.

  His arms wrapped around her in a comforting embrace. “Then what?” he prompted.

  She sighed. “Then we’ll just have to get really good at sneaking around, won’t we?”

  Chapter Thirteen

  Ten days.

  With an effort, Maddie pulled out of her reverie when the waiter delivered her glass of chardonnay. She still found it hard to believe that only ten days had passed since she and Jake had first made love that incredible night in Chicago. It seemed much longer, but so far their caution and discretion had been working. They had to keep their distance during the day, suppressing every single hint of the passion that raged between them. But at night, after the games ended—that was an entirely different story.

  She had arrived a few minutes early that afternoon at her favorite Italian restaurant, an unpretentious, family-run place on 2nd Street where she’d agreed to meet Martha. Maddie had the day off, with one of her colleagues covering this afternoon’s game in her absence. She and Martha hadn’t had a chance to catch up for a few weeks, so Maddie was looking forward to lunch. Though she really shouldn’t tell a soul about her relationship with Jake, she trusted Martha completely. Plus, she needed someone to confide in or else she might very well go nuts.

  As was her style, Martha swept in fashionably late, turning the head of every man in the restaurant. Maddie wished she had a tenth of her friend’s beauty and flair. She couldn’t help feeling a little envious, but then she reminded herself of what she did have—a wonderful, insanely sexy man. Every time the thought of Jake crossed her mind, which was at least a few hundred times a day, she felt like doing a little happy dance.