Kane (Face-Off Series Book 2)

by Jillian Quinn

  She peeks up at me beneath those wide, blue eyes that suck me in every time and extends her arm so I can help her to her feet.

  Pulled up into a short ponytail, her blonde hair hangs over her shoulder, the ends slightly curled. Kennedy wears a minimal amount of makeup on a regular day—when she’s in reporter mode—but today she’s even more dressed down than normal. She’s beautiful and even more so when she doesn’t even try. Something about her lack of effort makes her more real to me.

  While Kennedy has plenty of clothes and accessories, a result of coming from wealth, she’s no longer living like a spoiled rich girl. And she stopped wearing those stupid outfits that I knew had to be a joke. Because who would wear things like that at her age? I figured she had to be playing games with me—either that or seeking attention.

  Instead, she fessed up and told me about her little experiment with her friend, Sydney Carroway, the famous romance author.

  With Kennedy in my arms, she wraps herself around me like a koala bear hanging onto its mother. She’s very affectionate today, more so than usual. It must be all the sex we’ve had over the past week. Ever since we met at Broad Street Beans for coffee and I spilled my guts, we have been fucking like crazy.

  Now that I have a few months off before the next season begins, I have plenty of time to hang out with Kennedy before our summer training starts.

  I hold onto Kennedy as she steps onto the ice, her body trembling as she tries to gain her balance. For me, ice skating is no different than walking on a flat surface. I had played for so long, learned how to skate long before I ever picked up a stick, that this part comes naturally to me. Clearly, Kennedy is rustier than she had thought.

  As we glide along the ice, my arm hooked through hers and holding her in place, she holds her left hand out at her side. I guess she thinks that will somehow help her maintain her balance.

  I laugh to myself, and of course, she notices. This woman doesn’t miss a beat.

  “You think this is funny, don’t you?” She flashes daggers in my direction, her expression softening, and a smile tugging at the corner of her mouth.

  “It’s a little bit funny. You were the one who proclaimed you knew how to skate and said this would be a good idea.”

  Taking her by the hand, I skate out in front of her and grab hold of her other hand, moving backwards as I drag her along.

  “You’re such a show off,” she says, shaking her head, a pout on her lips. “And you’re doing this to make me look stupid.”

  “I do this all the time just not when dragging a beautiful woman along for the ride. This is a lot more fun with you.”

  Her frown quickly turns into a tiny smile. She turns her head to look around the rink as I pick up the pace, the wind blowing her ponytail off her shoulder.

  Kennedy giggles, a thick but childish laugh that sounds so fucking sexy all I can think about now is the noises she makes when she comes. And now I want her to come for me. She’s so fucking beautiful, natural and innocent, and the sad part is she has no clue.

  Oblivious to the world, she sees herself as the shadow of her famous, model type friend. But I see her in a different light.

  “Stop staring at me like that,” she says, turning away from me, the blush spreading from her cheeks and down to her chest.

  “I can’t help it.” I grin like a fucking idiot. “You’re beautiful.”

  She smiles so wide it reaches up to her bright blue eyes. “You’re sweet, Tyler, but you don’t have to say things like that to get me to sleep with you again.”

  “Just stating a fact, babe.”

  As we skate around the rink, I think of the last time I did this with a girl and Payton comes to mind. I did the same thing with her when we were in high school. Our first unofficial date was at the ice skating rink close to my house. We went with a group of our friends, but even so, it was still what I would consider our first date.

  I suppose Kennedy is considering this our first date as well, which makes me feel like a jerk knowing that I used the same moves on the last girl—except that was over ten years ago. Does the thought count? I wanted this day to be special for her, for me even, because it has been far too long since Payton, and I want to start this relationship off on the right foot.

  “Tyler,” Kennedy laughs, clamping down on my hand and tightening her grip.

  “I got you, babe. Do you trust me?”

  She narrows her eyes at me. “I don’t know. Depends on what you’re planning to do.”

  Swinging her around the rink, she squeals as I pick up the pace.“Tyler, slow down.”

  “Do you trust me?” I ask her again.

  “I guess.” I can hear the panic in her voice. “Just don’t let me fall.”

  “Never,” I say, confident.

  The smile on her face is priceless as we make our second and third revolutions around the rink. But after the next one, I can tell she’s getting tired, and I know I could use a break. I slow down a little bit, just enough for her to adjust to our new speed, and by the time we reach the door to the side of our bench, I’m able to stop right in front.

  “That was fun. Thank you, Tyler.” She kisses my cheek, holding onto my shoulder for support. “I was so sure you were going to try some fancy figure skating shit on me.”

  “I considered it for about a split second before I realized you would freak out if I were to lift you up or do anything other than skate in circles.”

  I let go of Kennedy’s hand to open the door, swinging it open and step to the side to allow her room to get by. As she lifts her feet, the blades taking chunks from the ice in her wake, she holds her arms out to balance herself, the look on her face so childish and goofy. She’s adorable, too cute not to make her mine.

  But she misjudges her steps, and before I can stop her from losing her footing, she falls backward and lands hard on her tailbone.

  She laughs, her voice throaty. “Tyler, you promised you wouldn’t let me fall.” Her hand instinctively goes to her back, so I know she must be in pain.

  I drop to my knees and pull her into my arms, massaging her pain away. “Where does it hurt?”

  “Here,” she says, taking my hand and moving it over her lower back.

  Afraid to touch her too much, out of fear she may have hurt something, I hold her tight against my chest and continue rubbing the same spot. “I’m surprised you made it as long as you did and still fell in the end. Does it still hurt?”

  She nods, her hair brushing up against my cheek. “It’s much better now, but I’m wet.”

  I lick my lips. “Mmm…I love it when you’re wet.”

  “Not like that, stupid.” She smacks me in the arm with a playful grin. “I mean I’m sitting on the ice, my ass is freezing cold, and now my pants are wet.”

  I shove my hand between her legs, touching her over her jeans. “Are you sure about that, baby? You know I make you wet.”

  “Leave it to you to make falling on my ass about sex,” she deadpans, her head tilted back, so it’s resting on my shoulder.

  She nuzzles her cheek against my jaw, and when she reaches her arm around to pull my face closer, I lean down to kiss her. Her kisses are soft yet rough, and as our tongues collide, I grab her by her hair, pulling on her ponytail. I need her, want to fuck her right here on the ice. But even I am starting to get cold.

  “Wanna take this into the locker room?” I ask, separating my mouth from hers, my voice almost a whisper.

  “Yes,” she purrs, her moans still caught in her throat.

  I hop to my feet, this time making sure she doesn’t fall and lift her up to throw her over my shoulder, giving her ass a hard slap in the process.

  “Oww,” she cries out, laughing. “Tyler, you’re such a bad boy.”

  “You like it when I’m bad.” I exit the rink, practically running in my skates down the long hallway toward the locker room.

  “You know I do.” I can almost hear the smile on her lips as she speaks and enters the locker room with a
shit-eating grin. “Now, hurry up and undress me.”

  Her legs are as cold as ice cubes, and without giving it too much thought, I head straight to the showers. After I set her down, I take off my skates, as she leans against the wall, rubbing her hands together to warm up, and then I help Kennedy remove her skates.

  Pulling my shirt over my head, I throw it onto the floor, walk into the shower room, and turn the knob on the first stall. I stick my hand under the water to make sure it’s warm enough, but Kennedy already has her hands all over me. Distracted by her arms laced around my stomach, my dick so fucking hard it’s about to pop through my jeans, I don’t even notice how hot the water is until she squeals out in pain.

  “Shit. Sorry, babe.” I move her behind me and fix the temperature, the water hitting me in the face as I try to adjust the setting. It’s as hot as a motherfucker.

  Ignoring my own pain, I stand under the water, wasting no time to pluck a condom from my pocket and slide my pants and boxers over my hips. Kennedy lowers herself in front of me, balancing her weight on the balls of her feet, and tugs my clothes the rest of the way down so I can kick them off.

  She positions the head of my cock in front of her mouth, her eyes seductive as she grabs hold of my length with both hands and licks the tip, teasing me. I suck in a deep breath and grab the back of her head, my attempt to coax her into sliding the rest into her mouth.

  She does as I wish, the water hitting my back and running down my face. For the most part, I’m shielding her, but a mist washes over her. She ignores it and quickens her pace, knowing what to do to make me come. Her tongue feels amazing and combined with the warmth of her mouth and the way she strokes my shaft, I am so close, but…I’d rather come inside her.

  Grabbing her by the shoulders I say, “C’mere, baby.”

  She stops mid-sucking, my dick in her mouth and her eyes open wide, the look on her face so fucking hot I have a hard time keeping my shit together. I want to come right this second. Releasing her hold on me, she wipes the corner of her mouth and stands to remove her shirt.

  Before she can reach behind her back to unsnap her bra, I have her in my arms and push her up against the tile wall. She hooks a leg around me, digging her heel into my ass as the rain pours over us. My mouth is on hers, our tongues colliding and dancing together, our moans cancelling out the other. I unclip her bra, the straps sliding down her shoulders and to the floor. In a hurry, I tear open the foil packet and roll the condom on.

  I don’t want to waste another second. Sick of the layer of clothing between us, I unbutton Kennedy’s pants and remove them along with her panties. She steps out of them, her mouth finding mine once more as she slips her tongue inside.

  I lift her up and hold her against the tile so she can wrap her legs around me, not stopping to break the kiss. There’s so much passion behind each kiss, and for once, this doesn’t feel like just sex to me. My new feelings for her are so foreign yet welcome, every sexy sound and thing she does making me like her more. But she’s so much more than sex, and what we’re doing together is so raw and real, my heart now hers for the taking.

  She stares into my eyes, her mouth open wide, as I push inside her wetness. Making my way from her mouth to her neck, I leave a trail of kisses down her skin until I reach her breasts, taking one of them in my hand and the other in my mouth. She trembles beneath me, her breathing labored and sounding like a purr as she moans. I love the noises she makes and the way her body responds to me.

  “Tyler,” she screams. “Fuck me harder.”

  She’s used to my size now, and I no longer need to take it slow with her. Pumping faster and harder, slamming her back into the tile while using my arms to brace us, I do as I’m told and fuck her. Just the way she likes it.

  Kennedy digs her nails into my shoulders, the death grip she has on me somewhat painful, and screams my name, her body writhing beneath me. I come not long after her, taking her face in my hands and kissing her passionately, not wanting this to end.

  She threads her arms around my neck and leans her head against the wall and whispers, “Tyler.”

  “Uh-huh,” I mutter, still holding her up against the wall and inside of her.

  She locks eyes with me. Her facial expressions are unreadable. “Fuck me again. But this time harder.”

  With each moment we spend together, she lures me in further. The sex is fucking amazing, and though I know our sexual chemistry has a lot to do with my newfound feelings, I do not want to screw this up.

  The corner of my mouth turns up into a wicked grin. “Whatever you say, boss lady.”

  Chapter Thirteen

  KENNEDY

  Over the past few weeks, Tyler and I have grown closer, our relationship turning into something that feels real, or at least to me it does. But the sex…my God the sex is out of this world. Tyler takes me to places I have never been with another man. He does things to my body and my heart that I cannot even describe.

  For a change, we had sex in my bedroom and on an actual bed. Most of our sexy times have been impromptu make out sessions that led to fucking on my couch, locker room showers, and even a few public places. I’m not proud of the bathroom at Luciano’s, but hey, when an orgasm calls, you need to answer it.

  Tyler holds me tight against his chest, his sweat matting my hair. He’s still trying to catch his breath after fucking me into another dimension.

  “That was…” He stops for a second to gather his thoughts and kisses my hair.

  “Amazing,” I finish for him with a smile, staring up at him.

  He returns my smile, his lips brushing against my forehead, cheek, and neck as he kisses me. “Better than amazing. I’m at a loss for words with you, Ken.”

  “I could say the same about you.” Toying with the idea, I decide to make a slight confession. “You know, you are my favorite hockey player.”

  “Yeah?” It’s a question, and for some reason, he looks surprised as if liking him on both a personal and professional level is so surreal. “Is that why you knew so much about me the first day we met? I had a few stalkers before. I can’t say I’ve ever liked one as much as you.” He chuckles to himself, and I hit him on the leg, slapping my hand down hard.

  “I’m not a stalker, you idiot,” I say, sitting up. Folding one leg over the other, I lock eyes with him and shake my head in disapproval. “It is my job to know things about professional athletes, which means it’s also my job to know information about the captain of our local hockey team. Don’t flatter yourself, Tyler.”

  He gives me a cocky but sexy-as-fuck smirk, the kind that goes right to my core and makes me want him to fuck me again. I can never get enough of Tyler. He’s sexy and fun, passionate and caring, the mental attraction more present than the physical. We connected on a different level the day he first spoke of his son and ex girlfriend. It was hard for him to open up to me, and I respected him so much more for being so real and honest, despite already knowing the truth.

  “You need another story to write about me. Is that it?” He’s joking, but in all honesty, I do need another story to push my paper to the point where I can afford to pay the monthly overhead.

  “No, I’m sure I’ll find something newsworthy to report. There has to be a scandalous baseball player out there with secrets of his own.”

  “I don’t know how you do it, babe,” he mutters, taking my hand in his. “Do you need anything from me?”

  Confused, I narrow my eyes at him. “Like what? I don’t see how you can help me with my paper.”

  He shrugs, nonchalant, and leans back on his elbows, still naked and looking like perfection. “If you need money or connections, you know I have plenty of both.”

  “You’re sweet, Tyler. Thanks for the offer, but I have to do this myself if that makes sense.”

  He dips his head lower. “Perfect sense.”

  While I could use some cash to stay afloat, I’d resort to selling off my Chanel collection before I borrowed a single cent. I have too much pri
de to ask my boyfriend for money. And my father would keel over if a Lockwood accepted a handout.

  Even when his company was in the process of crumbling, he refused to borrow funds from colleagues and investors who could have helped him buy back his majority stake in Sentry Publications. Looking back on his decision, it was a stupid one, a mistake I bet he will always regret. I have a few months of rent payments stashed away for a raining day, my security blanket that I am hoping I will not have to touch.

  “You know if you need anything all you have to do is ask.” Tyler pushes himself up from the mattress to wrap his arms around my stomach, leaning back against a stack of pillows as he cradles my head against his chest. “I could lay here just like this all day with you.” His voice is soft and sensual. “How do you feel about children?”

  His words take me by surprise, but I’m too afraid to glance up at him, so I keep my eyes pointed toward the ceiling. “What do you mean? Are you asking if I want to have kids?”

  “No…yes…I guess what I’m trying to ask is if you’re okay with having Blake in your life. He’s part of my life, and you’re becoming a big part of it as well, so I want to…no, I need to make sure you are okay with children.”

  “Yes, of course, I am okay with Blake. I want children. Just because I don’t have any yet doesn’t mean anything, you know.”

  “Good.” He runs his hands down my sides, the heat from his touch spreading like wildfire throughout my body. All I can think about is having him inside me again, the physical torture of this simple gesture causing my legs to tremble. That is, until he speaks again, his words taking me by surprise. “I was hoping you would come with me this weekend to see him.”

  “To see Blake?” I have no idea what else to say because we have only been together for about six weeks and he wants me to meet his son.

  This situation between his ex girlfriend and his parents is rather strange, and while I don’t understand it or what caused the ripple effect in his relationship with them, because I did not want to pry, I am somewhat curious. For a few seconds, I have a mental freak out when I realize meeting Blake also means meeting his parents, and I know how big of a step this is for Tyler.