by J. H. Croix
Oh my fucking God. She was going to kill me. I’d come to learn Daisy wasn’t the least bit shy when it came to sex. Pity for all the men before me who’d failed to satisfy her because they had no idea what they were missing. I stopped about a foot away, my cock so hard it ached. She flicked one button and then another and another, her blouse falling open. Behind her almost proper white blouse, she had a see through white lace bra on. It was close to pointless and doing a pathetic job of covering anything up.
Her dusky pink nipples peeked at me through the lace—taut and perky. My mouth watered to taste them, but I held back and waited. Daisy’s hands hooked over the waistband of her skirt and pushed it down slowly, shimmying her hips as she did. It fell around her feet. With a flick of her foot, she kicked it away. With a shake of her shoulders, her blouse slid down her arms and slid to the floor in a soft whoosh.
She now stood before me in nothing but a scrap of white lace panties and that ridiculous excuse of a bra. My control was frayed to the point of snapping, and I didn’t even care. In two strides, I reached her, lifted her against me and walked straight back until we bumped the kitchen counter. With her legs twined around me, I didn’t want to create any distance, but I needed enough space to get my cock out and bury it inside of her.
I eased her hips onto the counter and stepped back.
“Hey, where are you going?” she asked, biting her lip and narrowing her eyes.
“Nowhere,” I managed as I caught my shirt behind my neck and lifted it off, flinging it to the floor behind me.
I needed to feel her bare skin against mine.
I looked back to Daisy to see she’d propped her feet on the edge of the counter. Fuck me. I was close enough to see the wet silk between her thighs. Whether she meant it or not, she’d just put her pussy on display for me. I shoved my zipper down as I stepped to her, roughly dragging my fingers over that wet silk as I did. I pushed the silk out of the way with a groan and buried two fingers in her. She was drenched, her channel pulsing around me instantly.
I was distracted at the delicious feel of her and didn’t notice she was busy pushing my jeans and briefs down. My cock bounced free, and she curled her palm around it.
I meant to drag this out, to make her as insane as I felt inside, but I simply couldn’t. I didn’t have the control and need was raging like a wildfire inside of me.
“Oooh,” she murmured, sliding her thumb over the pre-cum at the head of my cock.
Dear God. She was going to kill me. She released me only to suck on her thumb, her eyes on me—those wide brown eyes that could bring me to my knees with a look.
She drew her thumb out with a pop, the sound mimicking the snap of my control inside. I slid my fingers out of her and yanked her to the edge of the counter. Gripping my cock in my fist, I positioned it at her entrance. Her pussy was pink and so wet it was glistening, and the insides of her thighs were damp.
A soft gasp came from her when I dragged the head of my cock back and forth in her folds. On the heels of her breath, I surged into her, sinking to the hilt at once. I looked up, colliding with her gaze. My heart clenched, a wave of emotion rocking me, mingling with the need burning like fire in my veins.
Her eyes were hazy and dark, her cheeks flushed pink. I held still, my heart thudding against my ribs. Lifting a hand, I brushed a loose lock of hair out of her eyes. On a breath, I began to move. Her legs curled around my hips, and she flexed into me with each thrust. Inside of seconds, I was pounding into her, holding onto her for dear life as pressure tightened inside of me. I could feel her channel start to throb around my cock and reached between us to swirl my thumb over her hot, wet button of need.
She cried out, my name falling in a broken shout. Her core clenched tightly around my cock, sending my release hurtling through me. I distantly heard my own voice growling her name over and over. I was so spent from the force of my release, it was a damn good thing I could lean into the counter. Otherwise, I was fairly certain I’d have stumbled. My forehead fell to hers, and I curled my arms around her.
Her skin was damp against mine, and it suddenly occurred to me I hadn’t even bothered to take time to taste her nipples. I could feel their taut peaks against me through the lace. I wasn’t used to losing control the way I did with Daisy. A thread of unease ran through me, but I ignored it. It felt too good to be here—buried deep inside of her with her warm and pliant in my arms.
After a few minutes, her skin pebbled against mine, and I reluctantly lifted my head. I started to draw back, but she tightened her legs around me.
“Where are you going?” she murmured, a thread of a pout in her tone.
I looked back at her, fighting my grin. I gave in once she actually cocked her head to the side and pouted.
God, I loved this woman.
Whoa. What the bloody hell did I just think?
My mouth almost dropped open. I loved her? As my mind tested this question, the answer was resounding. Yes. I loved her. I remained still for a beat, trying to get ahold of myself. I was still balls deep inside of Daisy. The physical moment grounded me. I clung to that and ignored the rest for now.
“You’re cold,” I replied, stating the obvious.
“I know, and you’re warm,” she countered.
I couldn’t help but laugh. I stepped back to her and lifted her against me. “In that case, I’ll carry you to the shower.”
She easily curled her legs around my waist and looped her arms around my shoulders as I carried her down the short hallway to her bedroom. A steamy shower reminded me that I was all but a slave to Daisy. Or rather my body was. I generally considered showering a practical task. With her beside me, soap bubbling on her skin and every inch of her lush body right there, well, it never felt too practical. More than once we’d run out of hot water.
A bit later, I stared up at the ceiling in the darkness. Because it was Daisy and she was ever whimsical, she’d decorated her ceiling with glow in the dark constellations. They glowed softly in her bedroom. I fell asleep thinking the end of our month was racing toward us, and I didn’t know what the hell to do. The only comfort was to pull her close and savor the feel of her against me.
Chapter 24
Daisy
I stared idly at the row of pasta boxes on the shelf in front of me. I was squeezing my grocery shopping in at lunch because tonight the Seattle Stars had a game. I might have a vivid recollection of the feel of Tristan buried inside of me last night, but I only vaguely recalled Harper and Olivia were picking me up for the game this evening. The haze I’d been floating along in was clouding my entire life. I couldn’t remember to take care of the basics and hardly remembered plans I made with friends. My cabinets were bare enough I needed to get some groceries. Tristan’s presence in my life was pushing everything else out of the way, and I wasn’t so sure what to think about it. I was normally a fairly organized person, but I hadn’t been shopping in over two weeks and only realized how bad the situation was when I went to grab a yogurt this morning, and there were none. That led to the discovery I was out of coffee, eggs and every other basic item I liked to have around.
So here I was shopping at lunch because I couldn’t even contemplate not going to the game tonight. For one, I enjoyed watching the Stars play. I’d avoided going to games for too long once I started avoiding Tristan. Now, the idea of not seeing him tonight almost made me physically ache. Oh hell. I knew I was in deep, but every so often it hit me like a hammer to my heart. Another weekend, and we’d be at the end of our month. I occasionally allowed myself to obsess over what Tristan meant by ‘reassess.’ Most of the time though, the second I started thinking, anxiety bloomed in my chest.
Like right now, I kicked that train of thought to the curb and contemplated the fact that there were way too many choices of pasta. I snagged several different boxes, tossed them into my cart and kept moving. As I wheeled around the end of the aisle, I almost ran someone over and came to a quick stop.
“Sorry about that!” I exclaimed as I looked up.
Right into Renee’s face. Renee whose last name I didn’t know and who I really, really didn’t want to care about. There she stood, looking pretty much perfect for a grocery store run. I mean, I looked good in my usual workday outfit of a blouse and fitted skirt with low heels. My hair was up in a twist, and I had on dangly silver earrings today to match my silver bracelets. I liked the way the earrings felt when I turned my head—playful and silly. Still though, I was busy and in a rush and instantly felt flustered.
Renee had to be close to six feet tall and looked down at me. I swear, she wrinkled her nose.
Shallow, petty bitch.
Really? You’re going there? It’s not like you don’t know why she has a thing for Tristan.
Okay, fine. I’ll cut her a little slack. But still, does she have to look so fucking perfect?
I sighed internally and straightened my shoulders, giving her a carefully polite smile. She flicked her hair over her shoulder and eyed me.
“So, you’re Tristan’s latest?” she asked.
Well, geez. I was all prepared to try to be nice, but she had to go and start there. Claws out. I could win an award for bitchiness when called upon.
I arched a brow. “Excuse me?”
Renee rolled her eyes. “Look, I’m not stupid. I saw the way he was looking at you. Let me just give you a little warning. If you haven’t already figured it out, he’s incredible in bed. Just don’t let yourself hope for anything more. He’s uptight as hell about ‘expectations’ and even when it’s obvious there’s more going on than he wants to admit, he’ll act like there’s not,” she said, complete with a snide tone and air quotes.
There was no way in hell I’d let on that she managed to hit right at the core of what made my heart ache and my mind start running in circles over Tristan. Annoyed she’d managed to do that even though she didn’t even know me, I felt hot and prickly and not in a good way.
“Sounds to me like jealousy talking. Tristan is nothing more than a friend. Maybe you should wise up and stop making a fool of yourself,” I said, not even bothering to hide my snippy tone.
Renee’s eyes widened and then narrowed before she let out a bitter laugh. “I suppose you have a point. Well, if you’re just friends, I’d suggest keeping it that way.”
At that, she stalked off, her heels striking the tiled floor loudly with each step she took. I stayed where I was for a beat, pointlessly slipping my phone out and reading my grocery list. My chest was tight, and my gut was churning. As pissed as I was that Renee had dared say anything, I was reeling from how accurately she’d zeroed in on my fears. Hope—stupid, feckless hope—kept trying to convince me Tristan felt something for me too. Perhaps he did. It didn’t change the fact he was who he was, and he’d been nothing but clear about his limits.
***
Later that evening, I sat with Harper and Olivia in the owner’s box at the stadium. It was halftime, and we’d just fetched drinks and were seated at a small table in the corner where we had a clear view for the game, but could relax and actually hear each other speak. I didn’t mind the perks of being friends with enough team members and their respective spouses to be able to watch the games up here, but sometimes I missed the messiness of being in the crowd.
Tonight was one of those nights. I could’ve used the low cacophony and the buzz of the crowd to get my mind off of its treadmill of Tristan. I’d considered canceling, but I’d been torn. It was never easy to back out of group things, not when I had friends who knew me too well. Even worse, as off kilter as I’d been since running into Renee at the store, I couldn’t seem to keep away from Tristan. I wanted to see him. Badly.
I took a sip of my wine and looked out over the stadium. Olivia was talking with someone I didn’t recognize, while Harper was listening to a voice message on her phone. Another few minutes passed, and I must’ve zoned out until I felt a nudge on my shoulder. I turned to see Olivia grinning.
“What’s on your mind?” she asked.
I shrugged. “Not much. Long day at work.”
Olivia nodded slowly, a curl bouncing on her cheek. “So, things seem pretty, uh, hot and heavy with you and Tristan,” she said, not bothering to build up to her point.
My cheeks got hot, and I rolled my eyes. “Hot and heavy? All we did was have dinner.”
Harper set her phone down, her perceptive gaze flicking between us. She stayed quiet though and took a swallow of beer.
Olivia returned my eye roll. “Dinner while Tristan could barely keep his eyes off of you. I thought he was going to throw you over his shoulder and carry you out.”
Harper bit her lip to keep from laughing. I glanced between them and sighed. “Is this how it’s going to be? If you’re wondering why I didn’t want everyone to know about us, this would be the reason.”
Olivia cocked her head to the side, the gleam in her eyes fading. “Okay, okay. I couldn’t help it. I mean, he was so obvious about it, I couldn’t believe it.”
“I stand by what I said before. He likes you. A lot,” Harper added.
Oh God. I did not need this. Hope—stupid, annoying hope—started practically spinning in circles inside my heart. A few years ago when I decided it was time to find the right guy, I’d been so hopeful and confident about it all. Because I was who I was, I’d told the whole free world about it. I’d been rather let down at first because all the men I came across seemed permanently stuck in college—they just wanted to have a little fun and move along. I’d gotten hopeful all over again when Olivia and Liam found each other. I’d thought that was how it was supposed to happen. Then, Harper and Alex collided and the magic happened all over again. I mean, hell, Harper had officially sworn off men after she’d been raped in college. She truly hadn’t been looking for love, but it found her anyway.
All through that, I’d tried to stay hopeful, but my hope got tired and ragged around the edges, like an old, worn blanket that couldn’t keep me warm anymore. I’d been stunned when Ethan fell for Zoe. My God, he was the player of all players—nothing but light and casual for him. Tristan might not be into serious relationships, but Ethan had taken it to another level altogether. Now, to look at him with Zoe, it was hard to believe he’d ever been like that. He flat out adored her and would do just about anything for her.
So there I was with my hope, which was just too tired to keep me trying much more. I’d figured that was part of the problem. I’d been trying too hard to find someone. Then, I kissed Tristan in that stairwell at the hotel, and it was like I couldn’t let it go. Now, I’d gone and fallen for him. Hard. I’d spent most of the afternoon trying to shore myself up inside and remind myself no matter what happened with us, it was worth it to have the time I’d had with him. The sex was mind-blowingly good. He’d more than kept his promise to give me an orgasm. I’d had so many I’d lost count. I seriously doubted anyone else could meet the standard he set. I needed a reality check, preferably yesterday.
So I looked over at Harper and tried not to get too excited.
Olivia had to go and make things worse for me.
She looked to Harper and nodded emphatically. “You’re right, but then you usually are.”
Olivia looked back to me. “I’ve never seen Tristan the way he was last night. Because Liam makes me go to all the team stuff with him…”
“Oh you want to go,” Harper added with a nudge of her elbow in Olivia’s side.
Olivia flushed and shrugged. “Okay, maybe I do. Anyway, thing is because I’ve been to so many places with them, I’ve seen Tristan on other dates. I don’t even know if he would call them a date, but whatever. Anyway, my point is, he’s never looked at anyone the way he was looking at you. Honestly, I’d never say he was rude because he’s not. Tristan is nothing but nice, but when it comes to women, I always thought he was a bit distant. Not with you though. Oh no.” She fanned her face with a sly grin.
By this point, hope wa
s stomping its feet and pounding its chest. I managed to laugh a little, but it didn’t last. I wanted too much. Even worse, Tristan just had to go and be practically the perfect guy for me. Let’s start with the obvious—international soccer star with a body to die for. It didn’t hurt at all he was too handsome for his own good with his dark curls, hazel eyes, chiseled featured and a mouth made for sin. I’d thought his mouth was sexy before he’d buried it between my legs and sent me flying time and again. So, on the surface, he was probably a 10 plus.
He was also smart without being a cocky jerk about it. My God, he was a doctor and he’d pulled off this feat while he was playing professionally. Granted, he’d told me himself he figured he’d have to put off his residency until he got injured. His injury bought him time he wouldn’t have otherwise had. So there was another thing—he was a hard worker. He easily chatted with me about work without his eyes glazing over from the boredom of it all.
I was beyond in too deep. I loved him.
Chapter 25
Tristan
I scrubbed a towel over my face and chest as I walked from the showers toward my locker. We’d won tonight, but it had been a bruising win. My knee was holding up fine, and I’d scored one of our team’s two goals for the night. The locker room was humming with the chatter of the team and staff. I ignored everyone and dressed quickly. I had one thought in mind—Daisy and how soon I could get to her.
I’d seen her briefly right after the game, and she’d seemed out of sorts. On the surface, she’d been normal—friendly and teasing. Yet, I’d sensed a guarded quality to her. I didn’t like it.
Not much later, we walked out into the night. I’d driven here for the express purpose of driving Daisy home. I’d known she’d caught a ride here with Harper and Olivia, and I fully intended to spend the night with her again, so I’d planned accordingly. As I’d predicted, Alex caught a ride with me here and was now leaving with Harper. Olivia was latched to Liam, which left me with Daisy. Precisely what I wanted.