by Steph
He really wanted to do naked things with her.
A grin formed and she looked up at that moment, caught him staring at her.
Her smile softened a little as their gazes connected, but it was the look in her eyes that made his dick hard. Hot. Sweet. But definitely heat there.
He knew she wasn’t like any other girl he’d dated in the past five years. And that meant he’d need to take this slow. It’d be a first for him but he’d do whatever it took to make sure Miss Aly hung around.
“You, my friend, should be very glad you saw her first.” Jake bumped Riley’s sore shoulder as he walked by but the shooting pain from the injury sustained in a late-third-period collision with the boards couldn’t deflate his dick.
“There’s no way a woman that gorgeous would give you a second look,” Shane spoke from behind them. “Though why she thought Riley was a better option, I’ll never know.”
Shane gave Jake a shove as Shane came up behind the other guy. Jake barely moved and didn’t even look at Shane. “Is too bad for her. I suppose Lad and I will go spread our joy to the women at West Reading. Have a good time, Chickie.”
Riley let the hated nickname flow right past him.
“Oh I plan to, Jake. I definitely plan to.”
* * * * *
“You deliberately baited a man who weighed fifty pounds more than you to take a swing at you? Are you crazy?”
Riley shrugged, the grin that had been driving Aly crazy all night reappearing on his lips.
“Some people say so, yeah. But he was killing us so we needed him off the ice. Took me until the third period but I finally got to him. While we were in the bin for five, my guys scored twice and tied up the game. We won in overtime.”
“Is that where you got the nickname?”
“What nickname?”
The wince gave him away.
“Chickie.”
He rolled his eyes as he turned onto the street where she lived. They’d spent the last three hours talking at the bar and he was a little amazed they hadn’t run out of things to discuss.
Then again, everything seemed easy with this woman.
“Hockey players think they’re funny.”
“Aren’t they?”
“Not most of them.”
“Then I guess you’re not like most of them.”
He slid her a glance. “You think I’m funny?”
Her smile made his cock twitch in anticipation. “I think you’re avoiding telling me how you got the nickname.”
He laughed. “I got it in college. One of the guys on my team was a farm boy from Pennsylvania, and after a game he told me how I reminded him of this chicken he had that never shut up. The other players started calling me Chickie and it stuck.”
“Did you play in high school, too?”
“My dad says I grabbed a stick when I was about four and never let go. It’s been my life ever since.”
“How long do you plan to play?”
He shrugged, not yet ready to admit his defeat aloud. “Not sure. When I’m done, I’ll figure out what to do with the rest of my life. I have a degree in sports management. The plan is to work with kids when I get out, but beyond that, I don’t really know. I’ve been too focused on playing for the past twenty years.”
Her eyes widened. “Twenty years? You’ve been playing since you were eight?”
The shock in her voice kind of surprised him. “Well, more than that really, but yeah.”
“Do you really love the game that much?”
“Yeah.” Something his ex had accused him of more than once. That he’d loved the game more than he loved her. It’d stung at the time…mostly because she’d been right. He’d been selfish. “You have to or what’s the point?”
After a short pause, she said, “You’re absolutely right.”
“Could you say that again so I can record it and play it for my mom? I swear, no matter what I do, she thinks it’s wrong. So, did you and your sister have a good time tonight? She was welcome to come with us tonight, you know.”
She laughed quietly and nodded. “I know but she, ah, had plans come up. But we did enjoy the game. I can’t believe how physical it is. How are you still able to walk? I saw you get hit really hard a few times.”
Shrugging, he automatically rolled his shoulder, happy there was no pain. “You get used to it. Besides, I knew I had a date to look forward to and I wasn’t missing it because of a few bumps and bruises.”
He slid her a glance and caught her smiling again.
“You’re kind of a flirt, aren’t you?”
“Just kind of?”
She laughed, as he’d hoped she would, and shook her head. “Okay, definitely a flirt.”
“Thank you. Would hate to think I was half-assing something.”
She was still laughing when he parked at the sidewalk in front of the address she’d given him.
“Is this yours?”
It looked so…suburban. He almost expected two-point-five kids to run out, screaming, “Mommy!”
“Mm-hmm. Technically, it belongs to my parents, but when they moved to Florida a few years ago, they asked my sister and me if we wanted to stay here. It was a no-brainer. My parents took out a second mortgage, bought a condo in Florida, and now my sister and I pay that mortgage and live here and my parents have their place in the sun and everyone’s happy.”
“You are way more adult than me.”
She sighed. “So I’ve been told.”
He looked back at her but couldn’t figure out her expression. He wanted to ask her if he could come in but he didn’t want to push her. They’d spent the past three hours talking, and even though he’d expected to carry the conversation, she’d held up her end. She was quietly funny, her laughter a husky rasp that bit him low in the gut.
And she seemed to think he was hilarious. She laughed at his jokes, which meant he’d had a constant hard-on. Still had one, as a matter of fact.
And when she bit her lip then said, “Do you want to come in?” he wanted nothing more than to say yes.
So why didn’t he?
“Yeah, I do. But…we’ve got practice tomorrow. Well, this morning, actually. And if I come in with you, I won’t want to leave.”
She blinked and her lips parted and he had to bite back the urge to groan. So he did what he did best. He kept talking.
“But Coach gets pissy when we don’t show up, especially the morning before a game. I might find myself riding the bench tomorrow night and that’d be a problem.”
He was expecting a pout. A lot of other women would’ve been pissed off. This woman smiled, which made him want to kick himself in the ass for saying no, even though he knew it’d been the right decision.
Because for the first time, he didn’t want to rush. Maybe he was growing up. Maybe he was learning some control. Whatever.
“And you would hate that, wouldn’t you?”
“It would suck, yeah. I don’t like riding the bench.”
“You’re too good to do it much.”
“Now who’s the flirt?”
And there was that smile again, the one that made him want to take a bite out of her. Her breast, her ass, the inside of her thigh… That smile wasn’t shy. Aly was a little reserved, yeah, but not shy.
“Come to the game tonight. I’ll leave tickets for you.”
That smile made him want to rethink his decision.
“Okay, thanks. My sister has to work, but I’ll be there.”
“Good.”
They sat there for a few more seconds, smiling at each other until she dropped his gaze and grabbed her purse.
Taking the hint, he got out and walked around to open her door. Without thinking about it, he wrapped an arm around her shoulders and drew her into his body. Her arms slipped around his waist, and when she put her hand on his hip, he tugged her even closer.
Walking her to the door, he stood by while she got her keys out of her purse and opened the lock. Then she turned and looke
d up at him with those blue eyes and no one could fault him for being unable to resist her.
He leaned in and kissed her. With his hand cupping the back of her head and the other on her hip, he pulled her in and didn’t hold anything back.
He’d been so damn good all night and he wasn’t going to follow her in that house. But he had to have a taste.
Her heat shocked him—in a good way. Her response nearly made him forget his resolution to take this slow.
And when her arms slid around his waist and she stood on her toes to kiss him, he might’ve groaned. Okay, he did groan. And then he opened his mouth over hers and inhaled her.
She opened to him immediately, her tongue meeting his without hesitation.
Holy Christ. Lust surged as their tongues tangled. Every nerve ending in his body lit up, and he pressed her mouth open even farther. Sucking in air through his nose, he sealed their lips together, his fingers spreading through her hair to hold her.
She didn’t balk at his possessive hold. Instead, she went soft against him, and he got even harder.
If he hadn’t been trying to be good, he would’ve lifted her against the door and pressed his aching cock into her soft mound.
It took every ounce of restraint he had not to grind against her or run his hands down her body. Her curves had taunted him all night. The woman had no sharp angles. She was made to be petted.
But not tonight.
He began to pull back but she followed him, going up on her toes to prolong the kiss until he was about to break his resolution to take this slow.
They were both breathing heavy when she took a step back.
Forcing himself to do the same, he fisted his hands so he wouldn’t reach for her again.
She swallowed hard and licked her lips before tilting her head to the side and all that silky hair slid over her shoulder, making him want to groan. Christ, he wanted to feel that hair against his skin. Preferably against his chest and his thighs—
He sucked in air. “So…I’ll see you tomorrow night.”
She nodded. “Will I sit with Lori and Bliss again?”
“If you want, yeah, I can arrange that.”
Her smile widened. “That’d be great. Since Vivi can’t go, I’d rather not sit alone.”
“No problem.” He’d make sure to give a huge thank-you to Cary’s wife and Shane’s girlfriend the next time he saw them.
Another quick smile. “Good night.”
He had to suck in air before he could answer. “Night.”
Then he waited until she closed the door and he heard it lock.
He was still smiling when he got back in his truck. Hell, he was still smiling when he walked into his apartment.
“Dude. Didn’t expect to see you back here tonight. Bad night? No luck, huh?”
Riley smacked Justin on the back of the head as he walked by on the way to his room.
“Fuck you. Great night. Going to bed.”
“Damn, thought you were too old for quickies. Although at your advanced age, I guess if you can keep it up longer than a minute, that’s pretty good.”
Riley kept walking through he did shoot Justin the finger over his shoulder. No way was he getting drawn into a conversation now.
“It’s past your bedtime, kid. You need to get your beauty sleep. St. John’s is fast.”
“Wait, are you really going to bed? You’re not gonna share at all?”
“Night, Justin.”
As he closed the door to his bedroom behind him, he smiled as he heard Justin bitch, “Dude, you suck.”
Chapter Three
“So.” Vivi drew the word out to about fifteen syllables the second Aly stepped into the kitchen Saturday morning. “How’d it go?”
Aly didn’t bother to answer right away. Yes, she was one of those disgustingly cheerful morning people though she did need coffee before she became fully functional for the day.
So she walked past her sister, got her mug and poured coffee that Vivi, amazingly, had already brewed. Since Aly was almost always the first one up in the morning, she usually made the first pot.
Bracing herself, she sipped…and managed to avoid a full-body shudder. Vivi made legendarily strong coffee. Aly was a little surprised she didn’t immediately sprout hair on her chest.
“Holy. Shit.” Aly managed to suck in a gasp of air before sliding into a seat at the little table by the window where Vivi sat. “How the hell do you drink this?”
“With my mouth.” With a sarcastic grin, Vivi lifted her mug and saluted her before gulping down half of her mug. “And what’d you do with your mouth last night? Not much, I’m guessing, because he left without coming in.”
Aly smiled, thinking about exactly what she had done with her mouth last night. And yes, all they’d done was kiss.
“But,” Vivi continued, “I guess something happened or you wouldn’t be smiling like a lunatic.”
Aly wrinkled her nose. “I’m not smiling like a lunatic. I’m just smiling. It was a nice night.”
“Nice?” Vivi hmphed. “How ‘nice’ could it’ve been if he didn’t even come in the house? What’s wrong with him?”
Aly took another sip of coffee and glared at her sister over the rim of her mug. “There’s absolutely nothing wrong with him. He was a total gentleman.”
“So he didn’t touch you.” Vivi shrugged. “Sorry.”
With a huff and a roll of her eyes, Aly set her mug down. “Not every guy’s just looking to get laid, you know. Sometimes, the foreplay’s just as much fun as the actual sex.”
Vivi’s turn to roll her eyes. “And maybe the guy’s got…” She held up her pinkie and wiggled it.
Aly laughed, shaking her head. “Yeah, no. I don’t think Riley has to worry about that. From what I could feel, that’s not even remotely a problem.”
“So what happened?” Vivi leaned on the table. “Why’d he leave? Did you not invite him in?”
“I did but he had practice this morning and he needed to sleep. He has another game tonight and I’m going to that and meeting him afterward again. He’s an actual nice guy, Viv.”
“Did he even kiss you?”
She smiled and let Vivi figure out the answer to that on her own. “I’m starving. I think I’ll make pancakes. You want some?”
“Sure, if you’re making. But I gotta leave in an hour. Double shift at the studio today and I’m picking up a shift at the bar tonight. Hey, why don’t you guys come over after the game? Chet won’t be there tonight so you won’t have to deal with his shit. And tell Riley to bring his team. The girls will love me if you do.”
One of Vivi’s three jobs was waitressing at The Bomb Shelter, one of the most popular bars in the area.
Aly didn’t usually go there. The music sucked, it was always crowded on the weekends, and a lot of the guys who went there were douchebags who thought women existed for their personal pleasure.
“I’ll check but I don’t know what he’ll want to do tonight.”
On the other hand, she had some great ideas about what she wanted to do tonight. Last night, she hadn’t been ready for anything really physical and somehow Riley had known that. She been a little worried, not that he’d force her, but that he’d push for something she wasn’t ready to give.
They’d been so in tune and she’d almost convinced herself to give him whatever he wanted.
Or maybe she was kidding herself and he’d decided he didn’t really want her and he’d text her today and tell her something had come up and—
Okay, she needed to stop.
Shaking her head, she ladled batter onto the skillet just as her phone rang.
She grabbed it off the counter, ignoring her sister’s laughter, then sighed when she saw the screen.
“Oh, I know that look.” Vivi shook her head. “You better answer it because if you don’t, she’ll call me and you know I’m not picking it up. Then she’ll call the police because she’ll think we were murdered in our sleep or some other horrible thi
ng and I’m not dealing with it.”
Because her sister was right, Aly took a deep breath and answered.
“Hey, Mom. How’s it going?”
“Did I wake you? It’s almost ten. I figured you’d be up by now. Were you out late last night? I know it’s Saturday but I know you don’t sleep in. Now, your sister…”
Aly rolled her eyes and sucked in a deep breath, hoping for patience as her mom continued to talk for the next thirty minutes.
She finished the pancakes while her mom relayed every ailment she and her dad had endured that week, in more detail than Aly ever wanted to know. Unfortunately, she was used to it because this was how almost every week’s call went.
Mom would start with the health update. Sometime she’d stick to just her and Dad’s health. If it was a slow week for them, Mom would throw in an update on the neighbors, all of whom were around the same age. The condo complex they lived in was mostly seniors but there were a few younger people. Younger being a relative term. Anyone younger than fifty was a kid to her mom.
After the health update, Mom would complain about the weather. Too hot, too windy, too rainy, or, oh my god, hurricane season. Aly would counter with the fact that, hey, it was Florida and they didn’t have to deal with snow or cold.
Then Mom would ask what was going on at home, and if Aly didn’t have enough to talk about, her mom would want to know what was wrong. Sometimes she’d ask specifics, like about work or she’d want to know what trouble Vivi was getting into.
If Vivi happened to be around, her sister would sigh, shake her head, and conveniently have somewhere else to be.
And sometimes, if Aly was really lucky, her mom would ask if she’d met anyone.
Yeah, that was fun. Especially when her mom decided she’d found the perfect guy for Aly. All she’d need to do was move down with them.
Apparently, it was Aly’s lucky day.
“Oh, and I met finally met Susan’s son. You remember Susan, right? She lives at the end of the first floor. Lost her husband to cancer a few years ago. Her son moved down here to be closer to her. He’s got a job with some insurance outfit in Tampa. Seems like a nice guy. When you come down, you should meet him. I think you’ll like him. He’s only a few years older and he’s handsome…”