Lover

by Marni Mann

  “Do I want to know what you had to take care of?”

  I hold her tits in my palms, grazing my thumbs across her nipples. “It doesn’t matter. This is much more important.”

  She moans, putting her fingers on top of mine. “We have a flight to catch.”

  “We’ll make it.”

  I lift both of our hands off her chest and lean my face down to take one of her nipples into my mouth. She groans even louder when I hold it between my teeth, flicking just the end, sucking when I know she needs more pressure.

  “We have plenty of time, Piper. Let me taste you—”

  She slips her body away from me and rushes toward the bathroom, shouting from the doorway, “As soon as we get to Boston, you can have whatever you want, but we are not going to miss this flight. Now, get your butt in the shower.”

  I laugh as I pull my T-shirt over my head and toss it on the bed. I drop my shorts on the floor and leave my sneakers somewhere by the door, and then I follow her over to the sink. My hands move around her waist, and then one goes as high as her nipple while the other trails to her navel and down until I feel the wetness of her pussy.

  “You think you can escape me that fast?” I say into her neck, rubbing my cock into her ass, watching her expression in the mirror. “All I want to do is make you come. But you’re right; I need a shower, so that means you’re coming in with me.”

  “West, I already—”

  “Showered?” I turn her around and toss her over my shoulder. “I know. But you’re going to have another.”

  “West!” She kicks her legs against my stomach, her arms swing on my back, and she yells the whole way until I set her on the bench inside. “You don’t know how to be quick, and we’ll never make it to the airport on time.”

  I kneel on the floor between her legs, so my face is right in front of hers. “You know that ticket I printed for you?”

  “Yes.”

  “It’s fake.”

  She pushes my chest with the palm of her hand. “You mean, we’re not going to Boston?”

  “We’re going.” I move south, kissing my way down her stomach until I reach her pussy. “We’re just not flying commercial.”

  “I don’t get it.”

  She’s so fucking sweet, so inexperienced to the luxury I can afford. But I didn’t pay for this flight. One of the networks is sending their plane to give me a taste of what the travel will be like if I sign with them.

  “We’re flying there on a private plane,” I tell her. “And it can’t leave without us, so we’re not going to miss the flight.”

  “You’re kidding.”

  I swipe my tongue across her clit, making sure the whiskers of my beard scrape the top of her pussy and the inside of her thighs. “I’m going to be down here for a while, so stop thinking about the flight and start thinking about how many times I’m going to make you come.”

  When we land, an SUV is waiting for us outside the airport. The driver has the backseat door open, and he helps Piper climb in. I walk to the other side, holding the door, taking a look around.

  “Let me get that for you,” the driver says, reaching for the handle to move it open even wider.

  “I got it, buddy. Thanks,” I tell him.

  He nods and slips into the front seat.

  I don’t immediately get in. I take a few deep breaths and look around. There isn’t much to see from here. Just a hell of a lot of traffic and some ramps that lead cars out of the airport. But, still, I felt the city’s energy from the second I stepped off the plane. And I took in the smell. We don’t have that harsh, gritty odor in Florida or the sharp chill in the air that stings the second it hits your bones.

  “West, is everything okay?” Piper asks from inside.

  I take a final glance and smile as I slide in beside her. She moves to the middle seat and leans into my side. Once I shut the door, the driver veers onto the ramp.

  “Look at you,” Piper says, facing me, as I gaze out all the windows, trying to find the one that shows me most of the city.

  “What?”

  “You’re so happy here.”

  Our eyes connect, and I brush a piece of hair off her face. “It just feels good to be back.”

  “Do you regret ever leaving?”

  I sigh, shaking my head. “I had to leave.” I wrap my arm around the back of her and pull her even closer. “When I retired, I couldn’t be in the city anymore. But leaving made me realize how much I miss it.”

  She nuzzles her face into my neck.

  “And, if I hadn’t left, I wouldn’t have met you.”

  Her lips travel up my face until they land on my cheek. Her kiss is so soft, so full of passion. “I’ve never seen you like this before.”

  I turn my head, so my mouth is inches from hers. “Every time my lips are on your cunt or my cock is inside you, I have the same look on my face. You’re just too turned on to notice.”

  Her neck tilts back, and she laughs. I want to bottle that sound and hold it against my ear, so I can hear it on replay.

  “You’re too much, you know that?”

  Several seconds pass before I say, “This is my place, Piper. I hope you love it as much as I do.”

  Her eyes turn so serious. “It’s a part of you, so of course, I will.”

  I point out my window when the skyline of the city comes into view. “You’re going to see me everywhere out there.”

  “You mean, on billboards?”

  “I’m sure some of those are still hanging around, but what I mean is, I think you’ll understand me a whole lot better after this week.”

  “It sounds like I’m about to meet your best friend.”

  I kiss the top of her head. “You are.”

  Piper

  It was easy to fall for West in Florida, but here, in Boston, it would have been impossible to deny him. Since we stepped off the plane, his face has been lit up like the Fourth of July. His smile is even more infectious, and his kisses punctuate every memory that flickers in his eyes.

  “Why don’t you come to the meeting with me?” he says. “I feel bad, taking off and leaving you here by yourself.”

  The hotel is insane. There’s nothing for him to be worried about. For once, I don’t mind being alone. In fact, I have at least five things I want to do as soon as he leaves. The first is starting in the biggest bathroom I’ve ever seen.

  I thought the hotel in Florida was impressive. Well, that place has nothing on Boston.

  “I’ll be fine,” I tell him as I stare over his shoulder.

  He glances behind him, no doubt wondering what’s caught my attention. But all he sees is a bathroom. “What are you up to?” he asks with a smirk on his face.

  I shrug my shoulders because, while it’s pure bliss in my head, it’ll probably sound silly, saying it out loud. “Nothing.”

  “You’re lying, little girl. Tell me why you want to stay, and I just might let you.” Each word is followed by another step closer to the bed.

  I already know I’ll be flat on my back in a matter of seconds if I don’t come clean.

  But I love West’s playful side, and I think it might be fun to push him a little more. To hold my pathetic little wish hostage a bit longer.

  That is, until he pinches my nipples and tugs with just the right pressure, and the words tumble out of my mouth. “I want to take a bath,” I tell him.

  He’s not playing fair, and he knows it.

  “A bath?” he questions with a raised brow. “Here I thought, you were going to get naked and touch yourself.”

  “That’s your job.”

  “Haven’t I been doing it?”

  “You have.”

  He rubs the pad of his thumb over my bottom lip. “Do I need to push back my meeting? Make sure my girl’s taken care of first?”

  He took care of me last night and this morning. I have no doubt, he’ll do it again tonight.

  “You’re going to your meeting. I have a date with the tub.”

&n
bsp; “The tub?”

  “Yes. Have you seen it? I think I have something similar pinned to my dream board on Pinterest.”

  West lets go of me and walks into the bathroom. I hear the shutter on his phone camera click, and then he’s back in front of me, tucking his phone into his pocket.

  “Why’d you take a picture?”

  “I’m not on Pinterest,” he says with a straight face. I don’t think he even knows what Pinterest is. “And I can’t buy you one if I forget what it looks like.”

  “West,” I whisper, “you’re not buying me a bathtub. That thing has to cost a fortune.”

  “If a bathtub gives you a smile that big, then I’d fill my house with them.”

  I don’t think I’ll ever get used to his lifestyle. West isn’t flashy about his money, and he doesn’t throw it around, but he’s generous. He’d buy me whatever I wanted. Only that’s the thing; I don’t need anything. If I have him, then I have it all.

  “How about this? You take your bath and do your girlie stuff. I’ll go to the meeting, and when I get back, we’ll walk around the city and have dinner.”

  I push up on my tippy-toes and kiss his lips. “That sounds perfect.”

  I know how important it is for him to show me his city. He wants me to fall in love with it, and it’s already happening. Because, no matter where we are, it’s the best place I’ve ever been. Right now, Boston has my heart, just like he does.

  As soon as West’s done in the shower, I draw a bath and climb inside. When he’s ready, he peeks in the bathroom, and my eyes widen. I’ve never seen him dressed up. His navy suit pants hug his thighs and show off every toned muscle. It’s been months since he played hockey, but his body hasn’t changed a bit. If anything, it’s only gotten better. I should know; I Googled him once I figured out who he was and saw a shot of him shirtless in the locker room.

  “Should I button this top button?” he asks. “I wasn’t going to wear a tie.”

  “No, you’re not a tie guy. Leave it open.”

  Cannon’s a tie guy. I love that they don’t have that in common.

  After he sprays himself with some cologne, he walks over to the tub where I’m soaking and leans down for a kiss. I see the way he glances beneath the bubbles, hoping for a glimpse.

  “How long are you going to stay in there?”

  “I’m never leaving,” I tell him. “This is heaven.”

  “I bring you to Boston, and all you want is a bath.”

  My guess is, Tilly was never that easy to please. If her new car is any indication, she likes the best of the best and won’t settle for less.

  “Not true. I want you. And whatever you want to do with me.”

  He adjusts his pants and checks his watch. “Fuck, if I only had more time,” he mumbles. “I’ll make it up to you, baby.”

  He takes one more look at my chest, and then he kneels down next to the tub and grabs the back of my head, pulling my mouth toward his. Our lips clash so violently, our teeth crash together, and if I didn’t have to worry about messing up his dress clothes, I’d grab his neck and pull him in the tub with me.

  When he pulls away, he chews on his lip, like he’s thinking about coming back for more. I wish he would, but he turns and walks away, completely out of breath.

  “West!” I yell. “What am I supposed to wear to dinner? You haven’t told me where we’re going.”

  “Nothing!” he yells back. “I’m going to fuck you first.”

  I clench my thighs together, his promise hitting me so low, I can feel myself getting wet even though I’m sitting in a bathtub full of water. West’s promises are my favorite. I just hope he gets good news at this meeting and comes back in the same mood he left in.

  West

  It was one of the best weeks I’d ever spent in Boston. I showed Piper the different sections of the city, the rink, my old condo building, and she even met some of my teammates when we all went out to dinner. It was like I’d never left, yet I was playing tourist in a place where I should have been living.

  My billboard is still outside the stadium, and when I close my eyes, I can remember what it felt like to be in my gear with the camera pointed at me. My face is on TV commercials that advertise the team—one I no longer have anything to do with. Restaurant managers came to my table to introduce themselves, just like they had when I got paid to eat at the different places around town, but now, I’m no one, and I was there because I wanted to be.

  When I walked down the streets, there was a familiarity in each step. It felt so fucking good. Not like being on the ice. This was like returning to the house you had grown up in after being away from it for years.

  You’d never forget that first home.

  I’ll never forget this one.

  And, now, we’re back in Florida, and I’m already thinking about my next trip up north. If it wasn’t for Piper, I’d already be there.

  But she means so much to me.

  I watch her sleep from the other side of the bed. She’s on her stomach, the sheet wrapped over her ass, leaving her back completely bare. From this angle, I can see the side of her tit, her left cheek, half her lips, and a closed eye. Her skin looks so soft, I want to rub my face against it and feel her warmth.

  When she’s dreaming, I get to stare all I want without her knowing my gaze is on her. She can’t hide; she can’t cover up. Her body looks so delicate, so innocent, even though I know the naughty things it’s capable of. And she lets me do those things. She trusts me.

  But can I ask her to move to Boston with me, knowing I’m only thinking of myself and not her?

  She’s so fucking excited about returning to work. It’s her constant when everything around her has changed. I’m only going to add to that.

  Out of all the contracts that were offered to me, there’s only one I want. I’d be working directly with my old team, which would require me to move back to the city and travel at least once a week. I’d be commentating at every home game, broadcasting straight from the press box. The other gigs would allow me to stay in Florida, but I’d travel to games.

  Jesse called last night. He said the networks were increasing their offers and new ones would be coming in early this morning. I haven’t told Piper that. I don’t want her to worry. I’m sure she’s already been doing plenty of that, and this will just add to it. But knowing those emails are going to be arriving soon has kept me from sleeping.

  Just as I reach forward to move a bit of hair off her cheek, my phone dings. I pull my hand back and roll over to get my phone from the nightstand.

  Jesse: Check your email.

  I climb out of bed, throw some clothes on, and go out onto the balcony. It isn’t our usual day, but I don’t give a shit. I need someone to talk to, and Eddy has become that person.

  “West,” he says as he answers, “is everything all right, man?”

  “Sorry for the unexpected call, but I could use some advice.”

  “You can call me anytime; you know that, buddy.”

  I move to the edge of the balcony and look down at the beach. It’s starting to fill up, and the pool is getting busier. The music will be blasting soon, and I’ll have to get out of here for the day.

  “They upped their offer,” I tell him.

  “Which network?”

  I laugh, shifting the phone to my other hand. “Don’t know. I called you before I looked at my email. But I know something is in there, waiting for me.”

  “I’m assuming it’s not the job that you’re hesitant about. You know what it entails. If it doesn’t include something you want, you’ll negotiate it into your contract. Your concern has to do with Piper.”

  “Yep.”

  “You called because you want me to be honest with you, so that’s what I’m going to give you. But I’m warning you right now; you’re not going to like what I have to say.”

  I sigh. “I know, and I have to hear it.”

  “You can’t think about her. You have to think about you. That mea
ns, if it feels right—and I’m pretty sure it does—you have to take the job.” He pauses while I walk over to one of the chairs and sit. “You lost your identity when you were forced to retire, and you’re just starting to get it back. Right now, at this stage, you’ve got to make yourself whole again. You can’t be what she needs if you’re only giving her a part of yourself. And I know that part isn’t your best half; that one is in Boston.”

  I predicted he’d say all this. Still, I needed to hear it from someone who had gone through it, from someone who wouldn’t say Piper and I were too early into our relationship to even consider taking the next step.

  “So, I move back,” I confirm. “If shit’s supposed to work out between us, we’ll catch up with each other when Boston plays Tampa, and I’m in Florida for the game. Maybe she’ll come up for a few home games, and I’ll come down during our bye week. We’ll have texts, phone calls—all that.”

  “Don’t forget video chats. Those are the best.”

  “Yeah, those, too.”

  “What’d you do when you were with Tilly? Wasn’t much different than this, was it? I mean, you told me you were in the same city once you started dating her, but during the season, you were on the road nonstop, so you hardly saw her anyway.”

  My relationship with Tilly just existed—during season and off-season. We fucked when I was in town, and we had phone sex when I was gone. I did what I needed to do on the ice, and she kept things running back at home.

  “It was just different, wasn’t it?” he asks, as though he’d heard my thoughts.

  “Yeah, man. Big time. It was nothing like this at all.”

  “Have you talked to Piper about moving up to Boston with you?”

  I glance over my shoulder. The balcony’s off the living room, so I don’t have a full view of the entire bedroom. But I can see the edge of the mattress and how her foot’s hanging off the side.

  “Nah. I don’t want to put that kind of pressure on her.”

  “We can figure out plays, how to dominate a defense, and how to score with only five seconds left on the clock, but give us a woman who actually matters, and we don’t know what the fuck to do.”