by Elise Faber
All the nerves.
“Baby,” he murmured.
More steps. More climbing. They were almost to her floor.
“I—eek!”
She was suddenly in the air, legs and arms flailing as Blue scooped her up and cradled her against his chest.
“Arms around my neck, sweetheart.”
Breathless, she did as ordered, her fingers weaving into the bristles on his nape. She loved the way those shorn hairs felt. “You should put me down. I’m heavy and don’t want you to hurt yourself one game into the season.”
He snorted and pressed a kiss to the top of her head, ignoring her and instead nuzzling the sensitive skin of her throat. “Like the jersey, baby.”
Her pulse settled as he began to climb the remainder of the stairs. “You’re giving me all the endearments today, aren’t you?”
“I’m going to give you something,” he murmured, making her giggle.
“My keys?” she asked innocently, trying to shift so she could reach into her purse, since they’d now reached her door.
“Hmm.” He leaned against the wall, pinning her between the surface and the firm expanse of his chest. One hand traced upward along the outside of her leg, drifting over the back pockets of her jeans. “Are they in here?”
“I think you thoroughly examined that on the stairs.”
“That was a visual inspection only,” he said, calloused fingers slipping under the jersey’s hem then down beneath the waistband of her jeans. He traced the top of her ass, the roughened fingertips making her shiver. “Hmm.” He pretended to think. “Maybe I just need to search lower.”
Her breath came out in a long, slow hiss.
“Search inside my apartment,” she demanded.
“I don’t know,” he said, removing his fingers from her jeans, but not from beneath the jersey. He kept pressing forward, holding her against the wall with one arm and his lower body, and while that felt fabulous, it was his free hand that was so devastating to her concentration. “These walls look pretty thin. I remember how you like to scream, sweetheart. Maybe we should continue this another day at my place.”
“My walls are plenty th-thick.”
Rough fingers against bare skin.
Fluttering movements on the outsides of her breasts.
Her breath caught when a warm palm cupped her over her bra. “Blue,” she moaned.
“Like my name on your lips, baby.” Then his hand was gone.
“Wh-what?”
The reason for the absence of his delicious hand was evident a few seconds later, after he’d managed to extract her keys from her purse then unlock the door to her apartment. One minute she was on the outside of her place, the next she was inside, flush against the wood panel and Blue’s mouth slamming down onto hers.
Fire.
One touch of his mouth, and her nerves erupted with heat.
Pleasure danced down her spine, coiling into a tight mass below her belly button. Her thighs were spread wide, his hips pressing against her, but it didn’t stop them from suddenly throbbing with a deep-seated need to press together, to find some way to slake the aching emptiness inside of her.
“Fuck, baby,” Blue groaned against her mouth, hips rocking, hard cock pressing the seam of her jeans against her clit.
She cried out and threw her head back, arching her back and trying desperately to get closer.
Too many layers.
Skin.
She needed skin.
Blue moved with the lightning-quick speed she’d witnessed on the ice, tearing her jersey over her head before dropping to his knees. Somehow, she managed to stay on her feet, but it was pure luck.
Or maybe, his hands were what kept her aloft. One palm flat against her belly, a scalding brand, as the other worked at the button on her jeans. Then her zipper.
Then tugged her jeans down to her ankles.
He lifted one foot and then the other, removing her shoes and socks before her jeans followed suit. She stood before him in her bra and panties, a set she’d put on earlier that evening because part of her knew it would come to this.
The draw between them wasn’t one and done.
It was more. Deeper.
She needed him more. And deeper.
“God, I love you in lace,” he muttered and nipped the inside of her right thigh. She jumped, but he had her, that large palm rubbing up and down, up and down. She arched, wanting him to pick a direction and stick with it, to delve his fingers between her thighs or to bring them up to her nipples and pinch and tease like he’d done that night several months ago.
Anything but this slow and steady up and down, up and down.
She lifted shaking fingers to the band of her bra and undid the clasp.
Blue’s growl made her shiver, that ache between her thighs even stronger.
“Touch me,” she moaned.
And thank God, he did. His mouth latched onto her nipple, his fingers slipped beneath her panties, caressing the damp heat of her. In less than thirty seconds she was crying out, hips jerking, pleasure spiraling outward from her center. Then he did something with his thumb and in thirty seconds more, she was summiting the precipice, screaming as she plummeted over the edge into orgasm.
“Fuck, you’re beautiful,” he said, tugging her panties down and pressing his mouth to her center.
He didn’t give her a second to catch her breath, not one moment to recover from the orgasm, not a heartbeat to remember her name or what city she lived in. Instead, he slid his tongue up through her folds, circling the sensitive bud of her clit before sucking it firmly into his mouth.
Lightning flashed behind her eyes, and her knees gave out.
She probably wouldn’t have felt a damned thing, even if she had crashed to the ground, the sheer volume of pleasure was so great. But Anna didn’t get that far because the moment she began to slip, Blue caught her.
He broke her fall, guiding her to the entry rug, his mouth barely leaving her pussy before he was right back at it, shouldering in between her thighs, fingers spreading her wide and mouth taking her right back up to the edge.
“Oh God!” she cried.
And that was the last rational thought Anna had before she exploded again.
Pleasure spiraled up and out from her center, spreading to her limbs and making them heavy. Her brain blinked out, nothing but blissful blackness filling it for one long moment.
It wasn’t until she found herself almost six feet in the air, in Blue’s arms, that consciousness began to return.
He carried her down the hall and into her bedroom, setting her gently on the mattress. She propped herself up onto one elbow as he stripped out of his suit jacket and tossed it on the chair. His shirt came next, the crisp white cotton separating to reveal a chest she wanted to lick like a fucking Popsicle as he made quick work of the buttons.
That too landed on the chair.
By the time his fingers reached for the button on his slacks, Anna had regained feeling in her legs.
She pushed off the mattress and knelt in front of him, loving how his gaze went somehow even hotter as she did so. “Let me.”
He hissed when she fumbled with the button, the hard length of him pulsing against her palms, the squares of his ab muscles standing out in sharp relief as he stood perfectly still while she worked at the clasp. She sensed that he was teetering on the edge of control, but couldn’t bring herself to slow down or tread carefully. He was heated granite beneath the cotton, and she needed, absolutely needed his cock in her hands, her mouth.
Carefully, she lowered the zipper.
His cock sprang out, and Anna couldn’t wait any longer. She stretched up to take it into her mouth.
They both groaned at the contact, Blue’s hand coming to the back of her head, not pushing but gently holding her as she worked him deep into her throat. In and out, in and out. So long that she needed both hands and her mouth to hold the whole length of him, so thick that he made her jaw ache after only a few strok
es.
She’d work on that, though.
Because Blue was losing patience.
One flick of her tongue on the underside of his head and her mouth was tugged free. Another squeeze of her hand had the offending limbs brushed away. Wiggling closer had her tossed back onto the mattress, Blue between her spread thighs.
He tore open a condom, rolled it on, and then flashed her what only could be described as a sinful smile.
“Time to test those walls, baby.”
He pushed home.
She screamed.
And based on all the disgruntled pounding from her next-door neighbors, it turned out that Anna’s walls weren’t thick enough after all.
Eighteen
Blue
Sunlight streamed in through windows and a beautiful blonde was snuggled in his arms.
Also known as heaven.
Anna smelled like roses, her skin was like silk, and her . . . pussy was pressed directly against his thigh and getting wetter by the second.
Which wasn’t helping his morning wood situation, especially when her hips tilted, and one bare thigh rubbed against his cock. Blue held his breath, forcing himself to stay still.
At least until one slender hand drifted down his chest to cup him.
Eyes flashing open, he caught a glimpse of her smirk.
“You’re intent on tormenting me.”
She placed a hand on his chest, pushed up slightly. Well, pushed up enough that he got an excellent view of her breasts bobbing as she shrugged. “Maybe.” Another shrug that kept his gaze locked on those glorious nipples. “Maybe not.”
He flipped their positions, took one into his mouth.
“Fuck!” she cried, hands weaving into his hair, thighs parting to let him slip between.
Moisture spread over his dick, hot wet heat that was so fucking tempting.
He released her nipple, scrabbled for the condom he’d left on her nightstand . . . but it wasn’t there.
Shit.
He leaned back, glancing over the side of the bed, the movement bringing their hips into better alignment, and it was so damned tempting to shift slightly, to slide home.
Condom.
Fuck, he needed that condom.
But it wasn’t on the nightstand.
Or the floor.
Or the pillow beside them.
“Blue,” Anna moaned, writhing against him. “What’s the matter?”
He was panting now. “Condom,” he said. “I can’t find it.”
Her eyes were glazed, hips undulating, so hot and wet against him. “I’m on the pill,” she said between rapid breaths. “Clean.” A sucked in breath as he cupped her breast. “You?”
“I’m clean.” He bit back a groan and tried to focus. “Tested before the season started.”
“Good.” Her thighs dropped open. “Then fuck the condom and just fuck me.”
He froze, the words making a red haze form behind his eyes. He’d never had sex without a condom before, but this was Anna and—
God, he wanted her so much.
“Blue?” she asked, her voice almost hoarse.
“You sure, baby?”
A nod. “Only if you are—”
He pushed into that slick heat.
Holy. Fucking. Shit.
Never had anything felt as good as sliding into Anna’s wet pussy with no barriers between them. She was scorching, the sopping evidence of her desire making every rational thought flash away into nothing.
“Oh fuck,” she groaned, head thrashing from side to side, hips bucking up and—
Blue didn’t think any longer.
He couldn’t think.
He just moved.
Pulling out and sliding in, angling his hips so he hit the spot that never failed to make her gasp and doing it over and over again with absolutely no quarter. Because this? It was fucking incredible, and even though he’d made love to her twice the night before, Blue knew he’d be lucky to last another thirty seconds.
Thankfully, Anna didn’t need more than that.
She wrapped her legs around his hips, met him stroke for stroke, and just when he was worried that he might fall over the edge before her, she exploded with a loud scream that had her neighbors pounding against the wall in protest.
Again.
Not the he could summon a fuck because one more stroke and he was over the edge.
“Next time,” he said, when he had finally managed to catch his breath. “We go to my place.”
Anna was face down on the mattress, limp and sated, but his words had her making a valiant effort to roll over. In the end, he helped her, tugging her up against his chest. She smiled and patted his cheek, eyes already sliding closed. “Your place,” she agreed and fell headlong into sleep.
Blue wasn’t far behind her.
The next couple of weeks were a blur, filled with hockey and travel and long, pleasurable nights with Anna whenever they could manage.
At his place.
Mostly.
So her neighbors didn’t hate him too much.
He snorted, knowing that was totally false but not caring in the least. Not when he’d gotten to spend so much time with Anna, not when seeing her was so fucking incredible.
Every minute with her seemed to lace them closer, and he thought . . . well, he thought that he might love her.
Idiot, he imagined her teasing him.
But a lovestruck one.
So he smiled, tucking that buoyant feeling close to his heart and pulled out his cell to send her a text.
Dinner?
She hadn’t been able to make it to the game because of a big exam the following day, but he’d hoped to at least squeeze in dinner, since the team was flying out early the next morning for an extended road trip.
Knowing the response wouldn’t come immediately if she was knee-deep in studying, Blue went through his post-game routine and showered before checking his cell again.
No response.
Weird.
He knew she’d been expecting him to text since they’d talked about it that morning. Maybe she’d fallen asleep?
You okay?
Blue waited a half-hour, finishing up some outstanding things as he hung around the arena. Hell, who was he kidding? He was just killing time on the off chance she’d text back and so he wouldn’t have to change directions and drive to her place, closer to the arena, but also in the opposite direction of his house.
Still nothing.
He sent one more message as he walked to his car, knowing she’d probably crashed and fallen asleep with her study guide stuck to her forehead, but not able to stop a sinking feeling from forming in his gut.
I know you’re probably sleeping, but text me as soon as you get this, so I don’t worry.
It seemed to take an eternity, but his phone finally buzzed with a message as he started up his car.
I’m so sorry. I fell asleep. I’m too tired for dinner tonight. Rain check?
Blue released a relieved breath. See? Worried for no reason.
Of course. I’ll text you tomorrow.
A buzz.
Don’t text me. I’ll text you.
His brows pulled together into a frown.
I don’t want my cell going off during class.
Um. But before he could process that, his cell buzzed one more time.
:)
Blue texted back, promising to wait to hear from her, then another, responding to her goodnight. They were all the right words, all the right sentiments, and yet he couldn’t forget that smiley face.
Somehow it was all wrong.
Somehow everything suddenly felt wrong.
Nineteen
Anna
She was freaking the fuck out.
Yes, she’d had an exam that morning.
No, that wasn’t what had frightened her.
She was late.
As in. She. Was. Late.
Groaning, she unlocked her car door and plunked into the driver’s seat
. It had been barely a month since the Gold season had gotten under way, and she and Blue had spent as much time together as possible . . . which meant they’d spent as much time fucking as possible.
Without condoms.
Which she’d never done before.
But it was Blue and . . . shit, she didn’t have any other reasoning aside from the fact that it was Blue, and he made her feel safe and protected. Like he would always be there for her. No matter what.
And now she was late.
Her eyes stung and she plunked her head down onto her steering wheel. If she was—
Fuck, if she could barely think it, how was she going to say it?
If she was pregnant—there, mission complete. Gold star for her for managing to think the word, but that didn’t matter at all, did it? Because the only thing that truly mattered was: what the hell was she going to do?
She’d just gone back to school.
Was barely one semester in and mere months away from starting the program at her first choice.
Babies were a hell of a lot of work, and she didn’t have time to be pregnant, let alone to devote every waking moment to their needs. She’d spent the last few years doing just that—spending all of her energy focusing on first, Diane, and then second, Brayden. She was done.
She wanted to focus on herself for a change.
But—Anna released a shuddering sigh and pressed her hand to her stomach—she might be pregnant.
And that changed everything.
Not to mention the fact that all of the changes she’d been thinking about were on her end. She hadn’t even begun to consider what Blue might think, how a baby at this point in the season—or more importantly, at this point in his life would transform everything.
She bit her lip, tears burning the back of her throat. He hadn’t even wanted her at first, what if he didn’t want—
Her phone buzzed.
“Shit,” she said, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand and glancing down at her cell, hoping it wasn’t Blue, praying that if it was, she would come up with a few magic words that could explain the situation and would put everything to rights.