Going for the Goal

by Sara Rider

  This was nuts, Jillian told herself. Nick didn’t belong to her. If anything, she ought to be grateful there was another woman who could distract him from the unhealthy attraction brewing between them. Of course, it’d be easier to be grateful if said woman weren’t currently rubbing her full breasts right into his chest.

  “This isn’t working!” The photographer lowered his camera with a huff. “Where’s the chemistry? Nick, you’re stiff as a board. Maria, you’re supposed to be desperate for this man.”

  “I am,” the model responded with a scowl before turning back to Nick, curling her fingers into his shirt collar and brushing her lips against his jaw. Jillian wanted to look away, but she couldn’t neglect her responsibilities just as things were starting to unravel.

  “Stop!” the photographer yelled impatiently after a few more frames. “This looks more like a porn shoot than a high-end campaign.”

  “Nick, try to bring some of that earlier magic to these shots,” Evan said. “You need to touch Maria like you want her but know you’re going to break her heart. Can you do that?”

  Nick nodded, but instead of improving the chemistry between him and Maria, the advice made him grow even more rigid while Maria’s attempts to engage him grew more salacious. The photographer and Evan grew increasingly aggravated, harping commands at the pair until the energy in the warehouse soured. Maria eventually threw her hands up in the air and stormed off the set.

  Time to intervene.

  “My client is overdue for a break,” Jillian said calmly before beckoning Nick off the set so that she could speak with him in relative privacy. “What’s going on?”

  He crossed his arms defensively. “What do you mean? I’m doing everything they’re asking.”

  “You’re doing the physical actions, but there’s no emotion. No desire. No . . .” She struggled to come up with the right word that would get through to him. “No sex.”

  His eyebrows shot up. “You want me to have sex with Maria?”

  “No!” she said a little too vehemently, cheeks flushing red hot. “I want you to want to have sex with her. Or at least pretend you do so that you can sell the product. Don’t you find her attractive?”

  He glanced over his shoulder to where the model was currently arguing with the shoot director. “She’s beautiful, but she’s not really my type.”

  Great, the one time she needed the man to act like a horndog, he decided to go the chivalrous route. “That’s ridiculous. She’s gorgeous with big boobs. That’s everyone’s type. And I know you’ve dated women like her in the past.”

  “Maybe my tastes have changed.”

  Her stomach tingled like she’d just swallowed a kaleidoscope of butterflies. “Then fake it. Think about someone else. Do whatever it takes to make it work.”

  He curled his hand around her hip and leaned in. “You know exactly who I’ll be thinking about. And what.”

  She inhaled sharply and flattened her hand against his chest. “I don’t care, as long as it works.”

  His grip tightened. “Yes, you do. I want to hear you say it.”

  She gasped.

  “That’s it!” the photographer shouted. “That’s the kind of chemistry we need. Can we find her a dress that fits?”

  “No, no, no.” Jillian put up her hands defensively, but an equally enthusiastic Evan overruled her pleas.

  “Yes, you’re perfect. The heat coming off you two right now is sizzling. Plus, you have the kind of cheekbones the camera will love. Come on, let’s get you to wardrobe.”

  She was about to dig her heels in, but Nick’s hand drifted to her lower back, urging her forward. “Whatever it takes, right?”

  Dread pooled in her stomach, but she couldn’t ignore her own words being thrown back in her face. She reluctantly followed Evan to the wardrobe station, but to no one’s surprise, none of the clothes had a chance of fitting her short, thin body. The director clasped his hands together in front of his mouth and examined her like she was a lab rat. A grin spread across his face. “I know exactly what to do!”

  He led her back to the set, where Nick was waiting in front of the camera, and tugged the hem of her sweater upward.

  “What are you doing?” she shrieked, pushing the soft cashmere back down her waist.

  “We need you to be topless for the shoot,” he responded, as if it were a perfectly reasonable request. “Your sweater is too casual to fit with the image we’re trying to create, and a bra alone would be tacky. But your creamy skin and those jeans would be luminous!”

  She looked around the large warehouse, wondering if the half dozen other people in the crew recognized that Evan was insane, but all she got were enthusiastic nods and smiles. And a smirk from Nick. Of course.

  The whole idea was preposterous. Her place was on the sidelines, observing and scheming as necessary. She didn’t stand in front of the spotlight.

  “Who knew you were such a shy person deep down,” Nick said with mock sincerity.

  Evan put his hands on her shoulders. “You’re modest, I understand. But there’s no reason to worry. This is a professional, respectful environment. We’ll only show your back, maybe your profile, but not your face. No one will ever know it’s you. We want the focus on Nick.”

  She looked up at the cocky athlete, needing his confirmation. “You promise not to look down or give me a hard time?” God, she hated feeling vulnerable.

  His face sobered. “Promise. You’re safe with me.”

  There was no trace of insincerity this time. She exhaled deeply. “All right. I’ll do it.”

  With that stupid decision made, she ran through the hair and makeup stations and was given a short white robe to cover herself with.

  Her heart pounded so hard and fast as she made her way back to the set, she couldn’t hear the directions being given to her. It was like walking through a swirling haze of nerves and fear. But when her eyes locked onto Nick’s, a strange calm settled over her. He looked at her like he was proud of her, and somehow that infused her with just enough confidence.

  She awkwardly slipped off the robe, keeping her small breasts covered with her arms and hands, and joined him on the set. At first, the intense lighting had her worried that her every flaw, every freckle, would be on display, but it was so glaringly bright that it was almost impossible to see anything.

  “Ready?” Nick asked, keeping his glance level with her eyes.

  “No. But let’s do this anyway.”

  He pulled her into him in a way that was almost protective, rubbing his hand along the chilled skin on her back.

  “All right, let’s see that chemistry,” the photographer called out as the camera flashed. Nick’s hand skated up to her nape, threading through her hair and tugging her head backward. His boldness startled her, pulling the air from her lungs. His possessive grasp on her body was too close to what she’d fantasized about all these years. And her body’s reaction was too dangerous.

  “You can do this, Nichols,” he rasped against her cheek. “Just loosen up.”

  His words hypnotized her, and she forced every clenched muscle in her body to relax. The set and people around them seemed to disappear and she lost herself in him, letting him shift and control her body as he worked the camera. It was overwhelming. Irresistible.

  And it was over too soon.

  “Okay, that’s a wrap! We’ve got what we need,” the photographer yelled a few short minutes later.

  She snapped back to reality, remembering that she was in a cold warehouse, surrounded by people who were probably staring at her like she was a fool. With her arms crossed in front of her chest, she dashed to the chair where her robe lay and threw it on.

  Jillian ditched her sweater and jeans as soon as they were back at the hotel and changed into a sharp black suit. Letting her guard down this weekend with Nick made her feel like a child who�
�d lost her security blanket. She needed to find a way to regain her self-control, and the tight pencil skirt, fitted jacket, and white collared shirt made for an outfit that screamed “business,” making her feel like she was wearing a suit of armor during dinner with Evan and Nick while they looked over the preliminary results of the shoot.

  The photos were amazing. The solo images of Nick were incredible, but even she had to admit the ones with her had an undeniable je ne sais quoi. True to Evan’s word, her face and chest were angled away from the camera in every shot and her hair photoshopped to a completely different color, which helped her to rationally analyze the results. By the end of the evening, she started to feel like the collected, capable agent that she knew she was.

  “That went well, right?” Nick asked when they were in the hotel elevator following the dinner.

  “Better than good,” she answered with her eyes conveniently focused on the email she was typing on her iPhone. “This campaign is going to sell you as a sophisticated but rugged sex symbol. It’s exactly the kind of image you need right now, and combined with the way you’ve been playing lately, it’s going to make you one of the most exciting players in the NHL again.”

  The elevator door opened with a ding. He followed her to her room, trailing behind her as she fumbled for the key card.

  “Great job today. I’ll see you in the morning. Our flight’s at nine a.m.,” she said dismissively, shutting the door in his face before he could say anything. She exhaled heavily and rested with her back against the heavy dark wood.

  A thunderous knock vibrated through the door, making her jump. She was too smart to deny that she knew who it was and what he wanted, yet she twisted the handle open anyway.

  “Forget something?”

  The hunger burning in his eyes as he leaned against the doorjamb was too much. She turned her back to him, removing her earrings and setting them on the narrow desk along the wall.

  He stepped behind her, pressing his body into hers. “Forgetting would be a relief. I haven’t been able to get the feel of your skin out of my mind all day. It’s driving me crazy.” His fingertips skated along the back of her thigh.

  “Nick—”

  The words fled her mind as he moved his hand higher, edging inward until he was caressing the sensitive skin along the edge of her panties. “I kept my promise. I never looked down when your half-naked body was pressed up against me. And now I’ve spent the last four hours wondering what your tits look like. Wondering what it would be like to have my mouth all over them. But it’s not about what I want. It’s about what you want. So tell me.”

  He stroked the damp lace between her thighs, shattering the last shreds of her resistance. “I . . . I want you.”

  He spun her around and his lips were on hers instantly, hot and possessive as he stripped off her jacket. The edge of the desk bit into her lower back while his tongue slid against hers, full of wicked promises. She’d held back her desire for him for so long that it was like a flood breaking through a dam. Too powerful to stop. Her body was on fire for him.

  He trailed his mouth down her throat to the unbearably sensitive spot at the crook of her neck and worked open the buttons of her shirt. She buried her hands in his dark hair, desperate to keep his mouth there forever, but he wasn’t the type to give her any control. He wrenched her bra down until her breasts spilled out of the cups and sucked her nipple into his mouth. She threw her head back and cried out from the wet heat of his tongue singeing her skin.

  “More,” she begged.

  He licked a lazy circle around her nipple, teasing her, before gliding his hand between her legs and stroking her heat. His thumb found her clit as his mouth moved to her other breast. He pinched her sensitive bud with the perfect amount of pressure to make her knees weak.

  “Hang on, babe,” he rasped against her skin, catching her with a strong arm around her waist before she tumbled gracelessly to the ground. He slid his hands onto her butt and yanked her upward, rocking his powerful erection against her center. She gasped and wrapped her legs around his waist, needing more pressure, more friction.

  He groaned when she circled her hips and slanted his lips over hers once again. He carried her to the king-size bed and flopped down on his back so she straddled him. The action shocked her. He was so demanding and controlling, and yet he’d just put her in a position of complete dominance. She reached for the top button on his shirt, knowing exactly how she wanted him and what she wanted to do to him.

  “Not yet,” he growled, batting her hands away. He gripped her hips and yanked her forward until the juncture of her thighs was poised directly above his face. The air rushed from her lungs as he eased her skirt up to her waist and stroked a thumb along the inner elastic of her panties. “Pretty,” he murmured so close to her skin that she could feel his warm breath on her aching clit.

  “And expensive,” she said throatily.

  “I’ll replace them.” He tore the thin, delicate fabric off her body, exposing her completely to him, and stroked his tongue along her seam.

  She couldn’t contain her cries and moans as he feasted on her most sensitive spot with a primal hunger until her thighs shook. She squeezed her eyes shut and gripped the headboard for control while he licked and sucked her into a frenzy. Waves of pleasure built inside her, finally crashing in the most intense, erotic orgasm of her life.

  He rode her through the sensation, caressing her bud with delicate licks until the final aftershocks trembled through her, leaving her with an even more desperate ache. “I need you inside me. Please,” she managed to say despite the heavy pants from her convulsing lungs.

  His eyes narrowed, burning with the kind of predatory lust that would’ve frightened her if her orgasm hadn’t just obliterated her brain cells. He flipped her onto her back and spread her legs wide, settling his huge frame between them. His erection strained against his pants, teasing her with the strong steel she needed inside her so desperately that her body writhed from anticipation. Except . . .

  “Condom,” she whispered, half demand, half despairing plea.

  “Already taken care of.” He reached into his pocket and produced a small foil packet. Her relief was so strong, she groaned. He tossed the condom next to her head and worked open the button of his jeans.

  “Wait,” she hissed. “All your clothes come off. I need to see you completely naked.”

  “All you ever had to do was ask,” he said, grinning wickedly. He backed off the bed and slipped the top button of his shirt open with painful deliberation before moving to the next, keeping his eyes locked on hers like he was performing a torturous strip tease. By the time he reached the last button, she was whimpering and squirming uncontrollably.

  He shucked off his shirt, then reached behind her arched back and unclasped her bra. She pulled the straps down her arms and threw it on the floor. Free of her restraints, she grabbed the condom and tore it open with her teeth.

  “Hurry up,” she ordered, reaching for his fly.

  He caught her hand, squeezing it gently. “Maybe I don’t want to rush this.”

  “Then maybe I’ll start without you,” she growled, slipping her hand between her legs and using her fingers to fill the aching void.

  “Damn, that’s hot,” he hissed.

  She froze when he kicked off his pants and boxers, too mesmerized by the sight of his thick, hard cock springing free to continue with her charade. He was beautiful everywhere. Corded muscle covered every inch of his large body, and his huge erection was more than proportionate.

  He plucked the condom from her other hand and rolled it on slowly, looking at her with the kind of dirty desire that revved her up no matter how much she tried to deny it. He was gorgeous, cocky as hell, and she wanted him more than she’d ever wanted anyone.

  He crawled back onto the bed and poised his heavy length at her entrance. “Ready, babe?”

/>   She nodded, mouth too dry to answer.

  He pressed the tip of his cock inside her, and the thunderous rush of heat to her core was almost too much to bear. She grabbed on to his hard shoulders, not caring if her fingernails were digging into his skin, trying to pull him into her, but she couldn’t begin to compete with his strength.

  “Tell me how long you’ve wanted this.”

  Her entire body shuddered. “You know how long.”

  He leaned down to kiss her jaw, filling her an extra inch, but it wasn’t enough. “Since that night in the stairwell?” His voice was gruff, commanding.

  “Yes,” she whispered.

  “Me too.” He plunged into her, filling and stretching her with his thick length. The heady mix of pain and pleasure was so intense, she screamed, tightening her grip on his shoulders.

  He pulled her hands away from him and locked them above her head, holding her wrists in place with one hand. He thrust inside her hard and fast, giving her exactly what she needed while he kissed her neck, breasts, and mouth with frenetic urgency. His unmistakable display of dominance made her feel sexy and desirable, not weak. Like he needed to have complete control just to keep from shattering too quickly inside her. Because of her.

  None of her fantasies over the years had come even close to capturing the pleasure, the passion of the real thing. The buildup of sensations was so strong, she couldn’t hold off another orgasm any longer. She wrapped her legs around his waist and he smothered her cries with his mouth as the rush of ecstasy exploded inside her.

  He came with a furious growl a few quick thrusts later, her core still contracting and pulsing around him. It was beautiful to watch. He collapsed on top of her when it was over, breathing as heavily as she was.

  She stroked her hand along his back, not ready for the moment to end. “That was incredible.”

  He raised his head just high enough to flash her a grin that made her stomach tingle. He kissed her sweetly this time, capturing her lower lip with a soft tug.