“Oh, Ethan,” she moaned, her hands in his hair, holding his mouth to her body.
He popped the clasp, and she dropped her hands, allowing the fabric to pool between them.
Her entire body trembled when his fingers met her flesh, tweaking her nipples. He dropped his head, pulling one breast into his mouth, his tongue swirling around the tip.
She rocked her hips, and he swore he could feel her heated core through the layers of their clothes, and his cock hardened to the point of pain.
She reached for his chest, quickly popping open the buttons of his shirt, trying to push it from his shoulders but his arms locked around her, stopped her, and she growled in frustration.
He pulled back, stripping off his shirt, and kissed her again as her nails skated down his chest, reaching for his waistband.
And that was when he realized she was straddling him.
“Wait? Is your knee okay for this?”
Her cheeks flushed brilliant red, and her eyes softened at his inquiry. She’d never straddled his lap before. Her injury made bending her knee painful, if not impossible, months ago.
“Yes, I’ve done all the therapy, and I’ve been practicing—”
He cut her off. “Practicing?”
“Of course. I wanted full range of motion back. I’m still nervous about it going out again, but I think I’m good,” she stated. He couldn’t stop his chuckle at her rational logic.
“Now, are you going to pick me up and take me into the bedroom so we can enjoy my new flexibility?” she asked, a grin playing at the corners of her well-kissed mouth.
“I always do as the lady asks,” he said, standing with her in his arms. She linked her legs around his waist, her core shifting against his painfully hard cock. She was so damn adorable, he was never letting her go.
Chapter 21
“Why didn’t you call me yesterday?” Amanda pouted as Penny walked into Lexi’s house. “And it’s nice to see you, too,” Penny replied as she kicked off her heels. Stupid torture devices. She curled her toes into the plush carpeting in Lexi’s living room before sinking down on the couch. Today had been rough.
“Bad day?” Lexi asked.
“Ugh. It started out so nicely.” Maybe since she’d still been in a sexual haze from spending the weekend with Ethan. He’d stayed until this morning.
“What happened?” Lexi asked.
“Kevin is terrible. I think he spends more time looking at my chest than at the computer. How am I supposed to train that?”
“That sucks. But can we get back to you not calling me?” Amanda asked.
“I might’ve been busy all weekend,” she said, her cheeks heating as she remembered the last two days with Ethan.
“She did have a pep in her step today when she got to the office,” Lexi confirmed.
“Really? So, everything is going well? Even with all the bullshit rumors and your pictures up on social media?”
“Please don’t remind me.” She’d just started to forget it. Not really, but Ethan had done everything in his power to wipe her mind clean this past weekend.
“Sorry. Eventually they’ll go away. I’m just happy it’s working out for you two,” Amanda said.
“It was fantastic. We spent all weekend together, and I’m sore in places that haven’t been sore since Italy.”
“Awesome.” Amanda grinned. “Keep talking. What did you do? I mean, besides have tons of sex. I’m so proud of you, Penny.”
Penny rolled her eyes. “Should we really be discussing my sex life with Abby in the house?” Penny looked around for Lexi’s impressionable six-year-old daughter.
“Abby’s with Grant’s mom, so dish,” Lexi replied as she filled wine glasses and set them on the coffee table.
“And don’t leave out any of the good stuff,” Amanda piped in.
She told them about her weekend with Ethan. Yes, they’d had a lot of sex. Possibly in every room of her townhouse, but it wasn’t just that. They oohed and ahhed at all the right moments.
“You really like him, don’t you?” Lexi asked.
“Yes. And it freaks me the hell out. I mean, I just got out of a relationship. Yes, it was six months ago, but Michael and I were together for years. What if this is just a rebound, and it doesn’t last?”
“But you said you have stronger feelings for Ethan than you did for Michael. That should count for something,” Amanda replied.
“I don’t know. We’ve been spending so much time together, in between his away game trips. We never run out of things to say, or stuff to do.” She wiggled her eyebrows for good measure, and they all laughed.
“Sounds perfect, but is it just lust and infatuation?” Amanda asked.
“I don’t know.” Penny paused. “No, you know what? It’s not just that. Or is it just new and thrilling and I don’t know what I’m doing? What am I doing?”
“You are having fun. And getting back out there with a great guy,” Lexi said, squeezing Penny’s hand.
“Are my feelings amplified because it’s a rebound and Michael hurt me so badly? How do I not keep that in the back of my mind? I mean, it’s only been like two months since we really started dating.”
“Whoa. Slow down,” Amanda started. “You are freaking yourself out, and I can see that overanalyzing vein popping out on your forehead.”
Penny ran a finger over her brow, frowning.
Amanda laughed. “It’s not an actual vein. Work with me here. You overanalyze everything. Just have fun. See where it leads. This is the happiest we’ve seen you in, possibly, ever. No one said your first relationship after Michael had to be a rebound. I say go for it. But be careful. You’ll know in your gut if you can really trust him.”
“Right. Like I knew it my gut that Michael was cheating?” Penny scoffed.
“Stop doubting yourself. Michael was a scumbag, and he hid it well. I have a good feeling about Ethan. Just be smart about it. Maybe take things slow. Like don’t move in with him tomorrow,” Lexi said.
Penny laughed. “It’s nice waking up next to him, but I’m not ready to share my space with a boy again.”
Amanda chuckled. “Yeah, they’re messy slobs.”
“Right, because you’re a neat freak,” Penny replied. She remembered their dorm room in college. Amanda always said that her mother told her as long as there was a path from her bed to the door, clutter was okay. Although Penny doubted that any sane mother would say that, but Amanda was adamant that it’d been a family rule.
“I hate cleaning,” Amanda grumbled.
“Ahh, no one likes cleaning, but I have to make sure I pick everything up or else I’d spend all day tripping on things,” Penny said.
Amanda grinned. “See, it pays to be graceful. It allows me to be messy.”
“Very funny.”
“I’m glad things are working out with Ethan. You two having a lot of sleepovers?” Lexi asked.
Penny grinned. “Define a lot.”
Amanda let out a bark of laughter.
“Hey, it’s a stress reliever,” Penny said.
“I’m not knocking it,” Amanda replied. “We’re just jealous. Okay, maybe not Lexi, but I’m jealous.”
“The serial dater is jealous?” Penny asked.
“Wait. Did you just call me easy?” Amanda asked in mock outrage, grinning.
“Of course not. Just a connoisseur of men,” Lexi replied.
“Connoisseur of men? Fancy title. Is that like calling a garbage man a waste disposal engineer?” Amanda asked. Penny would never call her friend easy, she just enjoyed playing the field more than Penny and Lexi did.
Lexi chuckled. “You know what we mean.”
Amanda grinned. “Yeah, and I’m not offended.”
“We know,” Penny replied with a chuckle.
“I still want to know why Penny knocked back that glass of wine before we sat down. If everything is going great with Ethan, what’s with the bad week?” Amanda asked.
“It’s Kevin, isn’t it?
” Lexi asked.
“Yep. He’s pissing me off. He told me two weeks ago that he didn’t care about learning anything because it didn’t matter since once his dad retires, he’s going to be handed the company. It’s just gotten worse since then.”
“What a punk,” Amanda said.
“He tried to hit on me last Friday,” Lexi added.
“Are you kidding me?”
“I politely turned him down,” Lexi said.
“He asked me out for a drink the first day I met him, and I immediately said no. And the other day he made a comment about me dating Ethan. Actually, he said Mr. Knight’s nephew, as if he was trying to hint that I’m trying to work my way up the food chain like he is.”
“What a douche,” Amanda exclaimed.
“I think he’s sleeping with Jessica, too,” Lexi said.
“Great. Biggest gossip in the office. I feel like I’m in high school,” Penny whined as she dropped her head to the table.
“She’s an idiot, sleeping with a moron. Great combination. Ignore them,” Lexi replied.
“I wish I could, but the petty jabs are getting to me.”
“You could quit,” Amanda said.
“She can’t quit. She’s the best accountant we have,” Lexi said.
“Actually—” Penny started.
“Please don’t quit. Who would I go to lunch with?” Lexi asked.
“Glad to see your true concern.” Penny grinned at Lexi. “But don’t worry, I’m not quitting, at least not yet. I’ve been thinking of going out on my own. Not to open a CPA firm, but just to work for myself.”
“That’s a great idea,” Amanda said.
“It is a risk, so I’m still weighing my options, but I’ve always wanted to be my own boss, and I’m not moving up at Knight and Welling the way that I’d hoped. I mean, how long can I stay there in the same position? Especially when that idiot is going to end up running the company.”
“I say go for it,” Amanda cheered.
“Thanks. I think I want to take a risk. My entire life has been about being smart and playing it safe, and look where that got me. The first time I took a risk, I ended up in Italy and met Ethan. I have no regrets there. Who’s to say going out on my own won’t work too?”
Amanda grinned. “Wow, who are you and where’s Penny?”
“Very funny.”
“I’m serious. I’ve been waiting for this for years now. And if I have to thank Ethan for it, then point me to him.”
“I agree with Amanda. This could work. And you should take risks. Not crazy risks, but if that’s what you want, I think you need to go for it,” Lexi said. “And if you get busy and need someone to run payroll or admin work, you know where to find me.”
“My mother hinted that my father would send me clients if I smoothed things over with Michael.”
Penny tried not to laugh as Amanda’s eyes widened. She knew that statement would piss them off.
“Are you kidding me? You told her you were thinking of quitting?” Amanda asked.
“She surprised me at the office last week and took me to lunch. I was angry from dealing with Kevin, and it slipped out. I told her that I would never take their help and I had no plans to smooth things over with Michael.”
“Man, your parents have some big balls,” Amanda said.
Penny chuckled. “Yeah, I’m sure my mother didn’t enjoy me storming out on her at lunch. She told me to put the athlete aside and try to work things out with Michael.”
“Delusional.” Lexi shook her head. “You should bring Ethan to dinner one night as a surprise. Maybe they’ll invite Michael.”
“Wish I could see that,” Amanda replied, and grinned.
“I have no plans to see them any time soon, so you could be waiting awhile,” Penny said as she polished off her second glass of wine. “What time’s the takeout getting here? I need to soak up the booze so I’m not useless tomorrow.”
“Parents are the best,” Amanda said, raising her glass.
“This is why you pick your friends,” Penny muttered, taking a sip of her water. The wine would wait until after she had some carbs in her belly.
“You have me for the entire weekend, whatever are you going to do with me?” Ethan said, shooting her a wink after the waitress left their table Saturday night. Their schedules had been crazy this week. He’d had back-to-back games and she’d been swamped at work. Tax season was gearing up, so convincing her to take a break and show up at his games, which resulted in sleepovers and very little sleep, wasn’t easy. She was determined to stay on top of everything, and not ask for any help at work, so no one could claim favoritism.
They still hadn’t figured out who’d started the rumors, but Ethan’s money was on Kevin. Ethan itched to say something to his uncle, but he resisted. This was Penny’s fight, and he’d back her up in whatever way she asked, and she’d asked him to stay out of it.
“Oh, I don’t know. I’m thinking movie marathon and then passing out. I’m exhausted,” she said. The tiredness was evident in her eyes, but she backed it up with a naughty smile. He was on to her.
“The bedroom could play a large role in our weekend, but sleeping wasn’t high on my list,” he teased.
“I’m sure we can compromise.” Her hand disappeared under the table, her fingers trailing up his thigh, and he squirmed in his seat.
“Listen, troublemaker, if you keep that up, we aren’t staying for dessert.” He grabbed her wandering hand and leaned over, pressing a hard kiss to her lips. At least their table was in the corner of the restaurant, with a tablecloth to hide what she was doing.
“Pretty sure you started it with the sleeping isn’t high on your list,” she teased, scraping the thumb of her trapped hand along his palm, and calmly taking a sip of her wine as if she wasn’t testing his resolve under the table.
“Complete trouble.”
“You could always sit across from me instead of next to me. Keep that temptation out of my reach.” She grinned behind her glass, then sputtered and coughed when he released her hand and trailed his own fingers over her upper thigh.
“Ethan, you shouldn’t,” she said, catching her breath. “We’re in public,” she admonished, and he couldn’t stop his bark of laughter.
“I’m sure I could scrounge up some dessert at home. Want to get out of here?” he asked.
“Nope. We ordered a brownie sundae, and we are going to enjoy it like civilized people, and then we are going home to be uncivilized.”
He wasn’t sure what thrilled him more, the idea of what he was going to do to her as soon as they walked in his front door, or the fact that she called his house home. Yes, it’d only been a few months, but the idea of having her be the first person he saw in the morning and the last person he saw at night had been in the forefront of his mind more often than not.
That damn rumor had thrown a wrench in his plans to ask her about moving in. He understood her need to pull back, and keep their relationship under the radar at work. He wasn’t happy about it, but he understood. Right now, she could say they were just casually dating. Moving in was a completely different story, so he’d held off. But not forever. At some point, she needed to accept that this was happening, and it had no bearing on her job.
“Promises, promises,” he said, squeezing her thigh under the table, relishing in her sharp breath, just as the waitress brought over their dessert.
“Do you need anything else?” the woman asked.
“Nope, we’re good,” Penny said, eyeing the sundae with a bit more enthusiasm than she’d eyed him a minute ago. They’d need to work on that.
After the waitress walked away, Penny dug in.
“Yum. I mean, not as good as Ghirardelli, but still awesome,” she said between bites. “So, do you think teams lose momentum with this All-Star break? You have four days off, some of the guys are taking short vacations, some guys are playing in the game. It just seems random to put an All-Star Game in the middle of a season.”
&nbs
p; Her statement came out of left field. One minute they were discussing dessert, then next she wanted to debate hockey. He loved it. She wasn’t pretending to be interested, she was actually interested.
“Seriously, where have you been all my life?” he said.
“Umm, here.” Her cheeks flushed and he leaned over, kissing away her blush.
“You actually care about hockey. It’s not just to get in my pants.” He couldn’t stop the remark from spilling out of his mouth. Most women he’d hooked up with over the years only cared about the fact that he was an athlete, and his money. But Penny wasn’t most women. He’d known that from the moment they’d met in Italy.
“I mean, getting in your pants is always at the top of my list, but I love learning about hockey. I’m almost done with that book. The sport fascinates me. All those numbers and stats.” Her gaze took on a dreamy quality, and he chuckled.
“All sports have numbers and stats.”
“Yes, but I’m not interested in watching other sports. Nothing is like hockey. Not only is it fast, but you’ve basically attached razor blades to your feet and skate up and down a sheet of ice, while trying to avoid getting slammed into the boards, and chasing around a small rubber disk. I’ve tried to skate before. Sprained my ankle all four times. So yes, I’m impressed with the sport.”
He puffed his chest out in pride at her description. He wanted to take her home now and show her just how much he appreciated her enthusiasm for the sport he loved.
“And don’t even get me started on hockey butt,” she threw in, as calm as could be, then fanned her face with her hand. He couldn’t stop laughing. “Oh, shut up, you know all about it.”
“Yes, I do. And this hockey butt, along with the rest of me, is all yours,” he said, pressing a hard kiss to her lips.
Her moan was soft, and she gripped his thigh again. He finally pulled back, licking a spot of chocolate from her lips. “You’re not so bad yourself. Tasty, too,” he said, his body tightening with need as her eyes darkened.
Breakout (San Francisco Strikers Book 1) Page 22