The Game Changer

by Megan Ryder

  Finally, the night ended and everyone took their leave. Gabrielle hugged Savannah and made her promise to consider her for any help she needed with the rescue. The other woman had some great ideas for fundraising and Savannah hoped she could use her expertise when she was ready. Candice didn’t seem too eager to maintain the acquaintance, probably figuring Savannah was a sort-term girlfriend or whatever so no promises made there. And Savannah was just as happy about it.

  The men were all polite. Cody gathered her up in a big hug but he stopped short of a kiss with a sharp glance from Dylan.

  “Thanks for doing this,” he whispered in her ear. “I know this was your doing somehow. You’re good for the old man.”

  She hugged him back, truly seeing him as a young, exuberant brother. “Be nice. He’s trying to help you. Meet him halfway.”

  He grinned a crooked smile and waved goodbye.

  Dylan draped an arm around her shoulders, fingers stroking the side of her neck as they watched everyone drive away. “Well, we survived that pretty well.”

  Savannah’s hands trembled and she swallowed past a suddenly dry throat, fire licking along her skin from his touch. Feeling overwhelmed in that instant, unsure of what she wanted, she retreated into the house to find the dogs piled on each other, snoring loudly in the living room. “Well, I should be getting home. We’re exhausted.”

  Dylan followed her and put a hand on her lower back. “The dogs are down for the count. I doubt you could move them if you tried.” He slipped his arm around her waist, holding her close to his side, his voice lowering to a sexy husky level. “Besides, I haven’t thanked you yet.”

  She shivered involuntarily, her skin prickling with sexual awareness. Her heart pounded so loud she was sure he could hear it and her tongue darted out to moisten suddenly dry lips. His arm burned along her torso, the warm weight igniting a fire that had been smoldering since their shared kiss that morning. All day, Dylan had been stoking her desire, little fleeting touches, caresses, almost absentminded actions, except it had felt too deliberate, too intentional for it to be an accident. Now, they were alone and she had a choice to make. Her body was screaming for her to turn and take what she had been denying herself and her heart was in full agreement. Even her head was noticeably silent, tacit approval for the actions she was considering. He waited patiently, thumb stroking the sensitive skin at her lower back just above the indentation of her backside, a gentle seduction that made her bones want to melt into a puddle at his feet. She could have stepped back and it would have been fine; he would have respected her choice. But her body screamed for his touch, her breath coming faster.

  She turned in his arms and tilted her head, opening her mouth to speak. His lips closed over hers, tongue delving inside to stroke hers. He tasted of beer and potato chips, a dead sexy combination. His hand fisted in her hair, tilting her head for better access and holding her still for his kiss. It started gently, almost questioning, giving her time to back off, but she gripped the front of his shirt, pulling him closer, and the kiss deepened, his tongue diving in to play with hers. She moaned and arched into him, curving her hands around his torso, fingers digging into his back, pulling him into her. Her nipples hardened into little points, the sensitive tips rubbing against her shirt and him, the sensation arrowing straight down where her panties dampened.

  Dylan’s hand drifted lightly down her arm, her skin pebbling beneath his callused fingers, the rough skin teasing her nerve endings, sending them aflame with desire. Her body burned for him, now exploding into a passion that would not be denied. The point of no return had come and gone, although he’d stop in an instant if she asked. She’d been yearning for this moment for weeks. Probably longer, her body had been denied this basic need for touch and to be touched. Petting dogs didn’t fulfill that desire, and it never felt anything like Dylan’s rough caresses.

  His other hand rested lightly on her waist, the thumb rubbing the skin exposed between her shirt and shorts. He trailed kisses across her cheek and down her throat and her head fell back, giving him full access to anything he wanted. He released her hair and grasped her by the waist, breaking off his kiss. He stared down at her, urgency in his gaze. She slowly opened her eyes, dazed.

  “Stay with me tonight.” His voice was rough and harsh, shaking with desire.

  She nodded, not trusting herself to speak, not wanting to break the spell of this night. He took her hand and pulled her upstairs, leaving the dogs behind.

  She giggled at the image of the dogs in the bedroom staring at them and he stopped in the doorway and frowned. “That’s not exactly the sound a guy wants to hear when he’s about to seduce a woman.”

  “I was just thinking about the dogs walking in on us.”

  A slow grin spread across his face. “That’s got to be worse than walking in on your parents.” He firmly closed the door behind him. “They can wreck the house for all I care. Tonight is about us. Just us. No one else.”

  She covered her mouth with her hand to smother another smile. “I think they’ll be fine down there. They’re pretty tired.”

  He stalked her, intent in his eyes. “I hope you’re not too tired.”

  She liked this playful side to Dylan. She had expected him to be too serious and intense. Not that intense wouldn’t have been sexy as hell but she liked a little bit of teasing in the bedroom. Sex was supposed to be fun, otherwise, why have it? But Dylan hadn’t seemed the type. She wondered how far she could push him. She ran a hand down his chest, stopping just short of his waistband and the impressive bulge evident there.

  She faked a jaw-cracking yawn. “I’m a bit tired. I worked hard today for your cookout.”

  Before she could finish her sentence, Dylan pinned her to the wall, his hard body caging her neatly, his erection pressing into her lower belly, taking her breath away. Her eyes widened, and she stared up at him and swallowed hard. Her heart pounded in her throat and her skin flushed with heat. He gently traced the curve of her cheek with the back of his fingers and followed with light kisses. Her knees melted and she sighed, letting her head fall back, drowning in sensation.

  “You’re so beautiful, Savannah.” He almost breathed.

  “You’re just saying that because you want in my pants.” She laughed nervously, her tone shaky and high.

  He shook his head. “No, you’re sexy, amazing, and so kind. And if I don’t have you soon, I think I might burst into flames.”

  She reached down between them and brushed his erection through his cargo shorts and he hissed a sharp breath, jerking against her.

  She leaned forward and nipped his jaw. “Then don’t wait.”

  As if her words unleashed him, he slammed his lips down on hers, his tongue delving deep. She gripped his shirt, feeling as if she were in the middle of a late summer hurricane. His hand slid under her shirt and cupped her breast, thumbing over a nipple through her lace bra. She tore her lips away from his, gasping for air. Pleasure spiked through her, an answering tug deep inside her core. He pulled her shirt off, exposing her chest to the cool, air-conditioned air and her nipples pebbled from the cold and the intense stimulation. He bent down to suck one tip into his mouth, sucking deep and hard, then licking. His other hand toyed with other tip, plucking and twisting it, the pleasure pain combination driving her mindless with desire. She buried her hands in his hair, holding him close, tilting her hips into his, seeking a deeper connection, something to fill the throbbing between her thighs.

  He switched breasts, lavishing the same attention on the other mound, the lace from her bra increasing the friction and tension generated from his stimulation. She twisted a leg around his waist, trying to pull him closer and he chuckled against her nipple. One of his hands drifted down her side and over her ass to cup a firm globe, massage it, and slip under the leg of the shorts and trace the seam between her legs. She shrieked and jerked against him, desperate for a deeper touch than his light, teasing caress.

  He lifted his head and kissed her lightly
on the mouth. “Shall we take this to the bed?”

  Without waiting for a reply, he moved his other hand to her ass and, after a quick kneading action, lifted her effortlessly against him. She wrapped her legs around his waist, settling his erection firmly between her thighs and he strode to the bed. The action rubbed him against the place where she wanted him the most and she moaned at the sensation but he lightly tossed her on the bed and followed her down, shifting to the side. He traced a hand down her stomach and under the front of her shorts, unsnapping them and diving inside in one swift motion. She arched and grabbed his hand, placing him right where she wanted him.

  He covered her lips at the same moment as his fingers delved into the sodden panties, finding her happy spot in the first shot. Most guys needed a map, a guide, and a GPS to find it. Oh, who was she kidding. Most guys never asked for directions, even when she told them. But Dylan, wow, he got it on the first try. He plunged one finger in deep, then added a second and her eyes rolled back in her head and she came, arching off the bed with a loud cry.

  By the time she had come back down, he was naked and watching her with a very male smile of satisfaction on his face.

  She stretched and lifted a hand to his cheek. “Wow.”

  “You didn’t think we were done, did you? I’ve just got you where I want you.”

  She shivered and smiled. “Do your worst.”

  He kissed his way down her body, stopping to lavish more attention on her breast, divesting her of the lace bra this time, then moving further south, tugging off her shorts and panties until she was completely naked. He settled himself between her legs, spreading her by his broad shoulders and pressed a hot kiss to the top of her wet flesh and she forgot all about anything as he made her come again and again with his mouth and fingers.

  Finally, he surged up over her and grabbed a condom from the box by the bed and ripped open the package with his teeth. She tried to grab it from him, to sheath him but he held it away from her. “Not this time. I’m right on the edge. Maybe next time.”

  He sheathed himself and rolled over her, positioning himself at her opening, braced on his forearms on either side of her. She gripped his arms with her fingers, her nails digging in. He stared deep into her eyes. There he was, her intense and serious Dylan. So focused on her and her pleasure. She’d never felt so treasured, so wanted as she did in that moment.

  She buried one hand in his hair and pulled him down to her for a hot kiss, their tongues tangling wildly.

  “God, I love your taste.” He groaned and thrust inside in one smooth motion.

  She arched up to meet him, crying out, her legs wrapping around his waist to press him deeper inside.

  He rested his forehead against hers, breathing heavily, body stiff and unmoving. “You feel amazing.”

  She pounded his back. “I don’t need the commentary. Move, goddamnit!”

  He laughed and started to move and her mind blanked out, pleasure taking over. He hitched one of her legs higher so he could angle in deeper and he began to move, hitting an extra special spot on every stroke, then dragging over it again on every exit. He moved slow and steady, building the pressure until she began to claw at him, begging for more, faster, harder. He gritted his teeth and kept the pace until she came again with a loud wail.

  When she finished, she pushed at his shoulders until she rolled him onto his back. He slipped out of her and she bemoaned the loss of connection. She quickly straddled him, settling above him, positioning him in place.

  He gripped her hips and eyed her with a strained grin. “Impatient, are we? I thought a few orgasms would have relaxed you.”

  She slid him home, groaning at the full feeling in this position. Once he was fully sheathed, she paused there, enjoying the feeling.

  He flexed his fingers and she noted the strain around his mouth. “Are you ready, baby?”

  Then she slowly began to move, up and down, rocking her hips fast and hard.

  He gripped her breasts in his hands, flicking her nipples with this thumbs. “I could get used to this position.”

  She grinned and added a little shimmy to her motion at the end that made his eyes roll back. He dropped his hands to where they were joined and began stroking her intimately, bringing her off quickly. He rolled her over and, with a few quick thrusts, followed her over with a shout, collapsing next to her. He pulled her close and she snuggled into his body and sighed. She tipped over into a deep slumber, feeling safe and utterly satisfied.

  Dylan woke her three more times that night with kisses, caresses, and deep loving that wrung her out until she was left feeling limp and utterly sated, stretched out on the bed, unable and unwilling to move at all. The morning sun streamed in the window when she finally opened her eyes from where she had curled against Dylan, head cradled against his chest, his heart beating against her ear. It had been years since she had slept with a man. Even her ex-fiancé hadn’t been much for sleeping over or cuddling, preferring his own bed or, at minimum his own side, and he complained about the dogs always being around. But Dylan was possessive in sleep, his hand curved around her, cupping one breast, thumb idly flicking a nipple.

  Her eyes flew open and met his amused gaze. “I wondered when you’d finally wake up.”

  His erection pressed against her thigh and his hand grew bolder, tugging a little at the little point and she gasped at the sensation, her core swelling.

  She groaned. “You’ve got to be kidding me. Again? Three wasn’t enough?”

  He rolled her onto her back and took her nipple in his mouth, lashing the bud then sucking it. “Not even close.”

  She moaned and arched into his mouth, giving herself over to the sensations for a moment. He lifted his head, eyes gleaming. She tangled her fingers in his hair and tugged him up to her lips. He braced himself on his elbows and claimed her mouth in a rough kiss, tongue plunging deep. She ran her hands over his back to his shoulders then, in one quick movement, pushed him on his back, straddling him with her hips cradling his erection in the folds between her thighs. She rubbed against him, the movement hitting her in just the right spot. He grabbed her hips in his hands, positioning her, but she shifted.

  “Not yet. My turn to play a little.”

  He groaned but she leaned forward and flicked her tongue over his nipple, laving the hard disk with her tongue, then gently nipping it. He jerked under her ministrations, his fingers flexing on her hips, but he stayed still for her. She shifted to the other side, giving it the same treatment. His fingers drifted along her cleft, dipping into her core, teasing, flitting caresses, taunting her much as she did to him. She grinned and kissed her way down, shifting out of his hands until she was settled between his legs, his erection pointing straight up between them. She stroked him, her eyes meeting his darkened gaze. She teased the mushroom head and the deep vein underneath and he jerked in her hands.

  “Savannah, please,” he choked out.

  “That’s a nice start.” She purred. “More of that, please.”

  She licked him from head to base and he shot up with a strangled shout, then fell back, head back against the pillow. She took him firmly in her mouth, sucking lightly, then tracing her tongue along the shaft. She was lost in the moment, loving the power his wordless begging was giving her. His fingers plunged into her hair, tangling deep, twisting, holding her against him, his hips bucking under her.

  Finally, he tugged her up. “Not this way.”

  She grinned and took the condom from him. Ripping the package, she sheathed him and rose above him, settling down slowly. He felt so much bigger in this position, stretching her as she lowered herself until he was fully inside. She paused for a moment, enjoying the sensation. His hands flexed at her hips, then he shifted in a sudden movement and she found herself on her back, him poised above her, his face tight and strained. Then he began to move, slowly then faster. She wrapped her legs around his hips and arched up into his movements, her climax building faster than she expected. He angled her hi
ps so he hit her clit on every down stroke and quickly she was coming, exploding around him, screaming his name. He followed a few strokes after, collapsing on her for a moment breathing hard. She stroked his back, feeling the jerk of his muscles in the aftermath of his orgasm.

  He buried his mouth in her neck for a long moment, before rolling off to dispose of the condom. He came back to bed and spooned her. “Damn. Never enough.”

  She ran her hand down his arm and settled against him, feeling safe, warm and protected. Emotions she had never felt with anyone else. If this was just sex, it would be far easier to handle but this was far more than truly excellent sex. She liked Dylan. He was funny, actually listened to her, and cared about what she did. He was secure enough that he wasn’t threatened by her rescue and didn’t demand she give up everything for him and seemed genuinely interested in everything she did. But she couldn’t help but think about the future. What would happen in a month or two when the season ended? Would he stay or leave? His life wasn’t his own and she had responsibilities here. Could they make a relationship work?

  Was it even a relationship or was it just sex?

  Savannah’s breathing evened out and he slowly let his breath out, relaxing into the moment, relieved she didn’t want to have a postmortem on their night because, honestly, he wasn’t sure what he would say. This relationship was so far past just sex that he had no way of defining it and he had never intended to have any sort of relationship while playing ball because of the stress on a player’s family. His whole life had been an experience in watching how baseball messed with people. Growing up, they had all been satellites to his father’s career, driftwood in the tidal wave of the whims of baseball trades and contract changes. Whenever he’d been traded or signed a new contract, they’d be uprooted, their whole lives changed no matter what, as if they didn’t matter. His mother had been left to deal with the aftermath – figure out the logistics of the move, of settling everyone in the new home, getting rid of the old one, and finding new people.