“And you liked him enough to go out with him.”
“Obviously.” Nadia gave him an exasperated look. “Please don’t tell me you’re jealous, Reid.”
He was insanely jealous. Wanna-rip-dude-apart-with-my-bare-hands jealous. He’d never felt this degree of possessiveness over a woman before. He didn’t know how to handle it. Judging by the disapproving frown on Nadia’s face, he apparently wasn’t handling it very well.
Too damn bad.
“Why don’t you write him back and tell him you’re no longer available.”
She lifted a defiant brow. “Is that a suggestion or an order?”
He just looked at her.
She snorted, shaking her head in disgust. “I can’t believe you’re acting like this.”
“Like what?”
“Like a Neanderthal.” Grumbling under her breath, she turned away to respond to the guy’s message, her fingers pounding on the keyboard.
Without an ounce of shame, Reid leaned close to read what she was writing.
Hey, Jarrett. Thanks for thinking of me, but I’m afraid I’ll have to pass on dinner. And your friend was right about me and Reid Holden. So I guess I do get down like that.
A surge of satisfaction coursed through Reid’s veins. He wanted to pound his chest and let out a triumphant roar, but that would only reinforce Nadia’s Neanderthal accusation.
As she closed out of Facebook, he said somewhat humbly, “Thank you.”
She gave him a sour look. “I was gonna turn him down anyway. You didn’t have to order me to do it.”
Reid lowered his head, kissing the delicate place where her shoulder met her throat. Feeling her shiver beneath his lips, he smiled softly and murmured, “Did we just have our first argument?”
That coaxed a small laugh out of her. “I think so.”
He lifted his head and grinned at her. “Let’s commemorate the occasion by taking a selfie together and posting it on our Instagram pages.”
“What?” Nadia stared at him like he’d lost his mind. “We can’t do that.”
“Why the hell not? We’re a couple. Sharing pictures is what couples do.”
She shook her head. “Not us.”
He frowned. “Why not us?”
“Because…” She made a helpless gesture. “We’re not a normal couple, Reid. You’re a famous hockey player and…and….”
He crossed his arms over his chest. “And what?”
She sighed. “Have you seen the wives and girlfriends of most NHL players? Newsflash: I don’t look like them.”
Reid cocked an eyebrow. “And that’s a problem because…?”
“I’m not saying it’s a problem. I’m just pointing out how uncommon our relationship is.” She let out a breath. “Look, I don’t consider myself an insecure person. I know my worth and I know what I bring to the table. But you’re a sex symbol, Reid, and I’d rather not be picked apart by jealous fangirls on your Instagram page—some of whom are probably already wondering what you’re doing with a black woman. Hell, I still remember how certain fans badmouthed Nicole Beharie when she was dating Michael Fassbender. And don’t even get me started on the vicious backlash against FKA Twigs for having the audacity to get engaged to Robert Pattinson. Those Twihards lost their damn minds!” Nadia shuddered and shook her head. “Sorry, but I don’t want to be subjected to that kind of nasty vitriol from your fangirls.”
“Then don’t read their comments,” Reid said calmly. “Aria will delete them anyway.”
Nadia threw her hands up in exasperation. “It’s not that simple, Reid!”
He sat back in his chair and gazed at her through shuttered eyes. “Are you going to allow the racist opinions of strangers to dictate our relationship?”
She frowned. “Of course not.”
“Then what’s the problem?” A muscle ticked in his jaw. “Are you embarrassed about being with me?”
“What? Of course I’m not embarrassed.”
“You sure about that?”
She stared at him in disbelief. “Seriously? Have you not been listening to me? Why on earth would I be embarrassed about our relationship? You’re Reid Holden, one of the hottest freakin’ guys on the planet! Any woman would kill to call you her boyfriend.”
“Not you, apparently.” He wasn’t above laying a little guilt trip.
Nadia frowned at him. “That’s not fair.”
“Then prove it,” he challenged. “Post a picture of us.”
It was asking a lot, he realized. He knew what an intensely private person she was. He knew how much she’d already sacrificed just by being with him. That should have been enough. But he was greedy, and he wanted even more. It was that caveman compulsion, the urge to claim his woman in front of the world.
“There are already pictures of us out there on the Internet,” he pointed out. “Why not share our own photos, take back control of our own narrative?”
Nadia hesitated, worrying her bottom lip. He could see her contemplating the merit of his proposal.
So he went a step further. “It would really mean a lot to me.”
Her expression softened at once. She stared at him, searching his eyes for several moments.
He found himself holding his breath, waiting.
Finally she gave him a soft, winsome smile and nodded. “Okay. Let’s do it.”
His chest swelled with gratitude and relief. Not giving her a chance to change her mind, he pulled her out of her chair and onto his lap, then grabbed her phone.
“Wait.” She tugged down his jersey over her legs and quickly combed her fingers through her hair.
Chicks, Reid thought with a grin. He held the phone out in front of them. “Ready?”
“Not yet.” More primping. “Okay.”
“On the count of three…”
She giggled nervously. “One—”
“Two—”
On “three” he turned his head and kissed her cheek, making her laugh as he snapped the picture.
“No fair!” she protested. “You caught me off guard!”
He grinned. “Unguarded moments make the best pictures,” he asserted. When he checked the photo, his breath caught in his throat. Nadia’s hair was slightly mussed, her cheeks were flushed and her eyes sparkled bewitchingly as she laughed into the camera.
“God, you’re beautiful,” Reid breathed.
“Lemme see.” She leaned closer to inspect the selfie.
“We look good together,” he said.
“We do,” she agreed in a soft whisper. “We look like…a couple.”
His heart nearly swelled to bursting. They looked up from the photo and stared into each other’s eyes.
After a long moment, Nadia took her phone from his hand. “I’ll go first.”
As she pulled up her Instagram page, Reid nuzzled her nape and the silky skin of her shoulder exposed by the loose jersey.
“Here goes,” she murmured.
He watched as she typed out a caption “Chillin’ with The Rocket,” then posted the selfie to her page.
“Atta girl,” he said proudly.
She sighed with satisfaction. “I feel empowered.”
“Good. My turn.” He snagged her phone and sent the picture to himself just so he’d have it. Then he signed into his Instagram account and uploaded the selfie with the simple caption: “Everything.”
Nadia looked over her shoulder at him. Her eyes were soft, her smile tender.
No other words were needed.
They exchanged an affectionate fist bump, then Nadia slid off his lap and stood. “The sauce should be good and marinated by now. I’ll set the table while you boil the spaghetti so we can eat.”
Twenty minutes later, the table was set with a crusty loaf of French bread, two small bowls of salad and one generous plate of spaghetti topped with steaming sauce. Reid had suggested eating family-style for an intimate dining experience, and Nadia had happily agreed.
Once they were sitting side by side at the t
able, she twirled her fork in the plate of spaghetti and took the first bite.
“Ohhh,” she breathed, her eyes closing as she chewed. “That’s sooo delicious.”
Reid smiled, warm pleasure spreading through him. “Glad you approve.”
“Oh, most definitely.”
His smile turned mischievous. “So does that mean you’re having my baby?”
She choked out a laugh, then reached for her glass and took a gulp of wine. “Um,” she croaked, “that’s not what I said.”
Reid played dumb. “Isn’t it?”
“No.” Her eyes glimmered. “I didn’t say I’d have your baby if the spaghetti tasted good. I said I would name my firstborn after you.”
“Same difference.”
She laughed again. “Uhh…no.”
Reid grinned, twirling spaghetti around his fork and putting it into his mouth.
Candles flickered on the table, lending a soft glow to the darkened room. Smooth jazz played softly in the background, a soothing counterpoint to the rain lashing against the windows.
Nadia took another bite of spaghetti and made a rapturous, throaty sound of appreciation. “It’s official. Casa Holden beats any five-star restaurant in town.”
Reid grinned broadly. “That’s quite an endorsement.”
“A well-deserved one.” As her tongue swept a streak of sauce off her lower lip, his groin tightened with need. “Seriously, Reid. This is the best spaghetti I’ve ever had.”
He leaned closer until their thighs touched. “Does that mean I can expect a generous tip?”
“Umm-hmm.” There was a naughty gleam in her eyes. “Your tip will be very generous.”
“How generous?”
Holding his gaze, she sensuously twined her tongue around her fork and purred, “Do you accept payment in orgasms?”
His cock surged in his pants. “Jesus, woman.”
She laughed, a sultry sound that left him breathless. “I’ll take that as a yes.”
“Definitely. Now hurry up and eat so we can get busy settling your bill.”
They both laughed.
Over the next several minutes, they rarely took their eyes off each other as they ate from the same plate, each working from one end toward the middle. The sensual, mellow sounds of saxophonist Montana Wolf floated through the soft-lit room, enhancing the romantic ambience.
“Ooh, this just gave me an idea,” Nadia said with sudden excitement.
Reid smiled indulgently. “What?”
“Let’s reenact that spaghetti dinner scene from Lady and the Tramp!”
He blinked slowly. “What?”
“You know. Lady and the Tramp, that old Disney movie about the two dogs that fell in love. C’mon, Reid. It’s a classic.”
“Never heard of it.”
“What!”
He laughed at her flabbergasted tone. “Just kidding. Of course I’ve heard of Lady and the Tramp.”
“Good. Then you know what to do. I’m Lady—” she teasingly pointed from her chest to his “—and you’re the Tramp.”
His mouth twitched. “I’ve been called worse.”
She laughed. “I know you have. Not too long ago, as I recall.”
He scowled at the reminder of Holly’s little cockblocking stunt.
Grinning, Nadia picked out a long noodle from the plate, put one end of it in his mouth and then took the other end.
Staring at each other, they chewed the strand of spaghetti, eating from the ends as their heads moved closer together. When their mouths met in the middle, Reid felt Nadia’s breath hitch, and damn if his toes didn’t curl.
Their lips clung hotly before she pulled away with a breathless little giggle.
He smiled, feeling somewhat dazed by the kiss and the way her eyes sparkled in the candlelight. If his brother or teammates could see him right now, they’d permanently revoke his man card. But he didn’t care. He was having the time of his life. He never knew he could enjoy a woman’s company as much as he was enjoying Nadia’s.
Taking a sip of her wine, she sighed and grinned. “I’ve always wanted to do that.”
“Yeah?” Reid’s voice dipped low and husky. “Was it everything you ever hoped for?”
“Better.” She stared into his eyes. “So much better.”
It was all he could do not to pick her up right then and carry her off to bed. Who knew that sharing a plate of spaghetti with a woman could be so erotic?
He took a slice of bread from the basket, tore off a piece and brought it to Nadia’s mouth. As her warm lips closed around his fingertips, his cock throbbed. He bit into the remaining half of bread, enjoying the flaky warmth while watching her mouth as she chewed.
“So good,” she murmured. “Everything’s so good, Reid. Even the salad is delicious.”
He smiled, pleased. “Save room for dessert. Mrs. Keller made her tiramisu, and it’s outstanding.”
“Ooh, tiramisu. Yum.”
“Indeed.” He topped off their wine, then picked up his glass and sipped, watching as Nadia leaned back in her chair. Flickering shadows from the candlelight danced across her face as she closed her eyes, her body swaying to the seductive wail of Montana Wolf’s sax.
“Speaking of firstborn children,” she whispered, “this is some serious baby-making music right here.”
Reid nearly choked on his wine. Wiping the corner of his mouth, he gave her a crooked grin. “Baby-making music, huh?”
“Oh, yes,” she breathed with a dreamy smile. “That saxophone sounds so hypnotic and sexy. It makes me think of a smoky nightclub…two bodies swaying together on an empty dance floor…hips grinding slowly…sweat sliding over skin to melt between parted thighs. That saxophone makes me want to sneak outside and feel the cool rain washing over my heated body…soaking through my clothes…filling my mouth until water runs out the corners and down my chin….”
Reid stared at her, his own mouth running dry at the pictures her words conjured in his mind. She utterly captivated him. Part innocent, part temptress and all woman.
Slowly she opened her eyes and met his hungry gaze. She bit her bottom lip, her eyes glinting with mischief as her hand disappeared under the table.
“That saxophone,” she whispered seductively, trailing her fingers up his inner thigh, “makes…me…want…to…fuck.”
At that, Reid almost came in his pants. “Jesus H. Christ,” he rasped.
Nadia threw back her head with a wicked peal of laughter that sent shivers through his body and curled his damn toes.
His erection hurt like hell, smashed against the crotch of his pants. It was all he could do not to shove his hand inside the waistband, fist his hard cock and jerk off until he found release. It wouldn’t take long.
As Nadia’s laughter subsided, she wiped tears of mirth from her eyes and sighed. “That was too funny.”
Reid glowered at her, acutely aware of her other hand still resting on his thigh. “Mind telling me what the hell that was about?”
“That,” she said smugly, “was payback for behaving like a caveman earlier and bossing me around.”
Grumbling under his breath, Reid downed the rest of his wine and swiped the back of his hand across his mouth. “Just for that, you’re not getting any dessert.”
“Wait, what?” she sputtered.
“You heard me, woman. No tiramisu for you.”
“Aw, c’mon, Reid,” she laughingly protested. “Don’t be like that!”
“Nah. You’re not the only one who can hold a grudge.”
“C’mon, baby,” she cajoled, rubbing her head against his shoulder. “Don’t be cruel. Let me have some tiramisu.”
The heat of her hand on his thigh made him wish she’d reach into his pants and squeeze his throbbing dick. He shifted in the chair, adjusting his pants over his erection.
She smiled beguilingly. “As a peace offering…”
He didn’t know whether to be relieved or disappointed when she removed her hand. As he watched, she tw
irled the last few strands of spaghetti around her fork and fed him, her eyes twinkling.
“There. I let you have the last bite.”
“Uh-huh,” Reid grumbled, chewing morosely.
Grinning, she put her fork down on the empty plate, leaned back in her chair and patted her stomach with a sigh of contentment. “That was so good. I’m stuffed.”
“I hope so, because you’re still not getting any dessert.”
She laughed, taking his hand in hers. As he watched, she kissed his knuckles one by one, smiling at him through her eyelashes. “Thank you, Reid.”
He smiled at her. “For what?”
“For making this the best day off I’ve ever had.”
He swallowed. Oh, man. He was such a goner.
Gazing into her eyes, he tenderly stroked her cheek, brushing the pad of his thumb over her lips. “There’s no place else I’d rather be than right here with you.”
She beamed, her face glowing in the candlelight.
As he moved in to kiss her, a sudden clap of thunder rattled the house.
“Goodness,” Nadia whispered, glancing toward the ceiling. “I hope the power doesn’t go out. I was looking forward to us curling up on that plush sofa together and watching a movie.”
“That sounds good,” Reid murmured, rising from the table and taking her hand. “But I’ve got an even better idea.”
Reading the wicked intent in his gaze, she gaped at him. “Now? But we just finished—”
“After tomorrow I’m gonna be gone for ten days,” he drawled, pulling her to her feet. “We need to stockpile as many orgasms as we can.”
She laughed as he lifted her into his arms. “But we just ate dinner. Didn’t your mama ever tell you not to play on a full stomach?”
“Of course.” He winked devilishly. “But who said anything about playing?”
17
Nadia knew her parents wouldn’t approve of her relationship with Reid. Like the rest of the family, they were well versed in her history with athletes. If they found out that she was dating a professional hockey player, they would be surprised and disappointed. Since she wasn’t ready to discuss or defend her relationship, she swore Nelson and Scarlett to secrecy under pain of dismemberment.
Wicked Games (Denver Rebels) Page 24