The Playmaker

by Cathryn Fox

  I turn to him, grab the soap and lather my hands. “Yes, I know, but you’re supposed to be taking it easy, and because of that, you no longer get to call the shots tonight—I do.”

  “Call the shots, huh?”

  “You like that,” I say. “Getting some hockey terms in there.”

  He chuckles, but it turns to a heated groan when I run my soapy hands over his body and drag them lower, until I’m holding his cock.

  “I believe your doctor said something about me doing all the work.”

  A grin tugs at the corner of his mouth and raw need shimmers through me. “He did, but you know me well enough to know that I don’t take without giving.”

  “I do know that,” I say. Cole might be a lot of things, but he’s definitely a considerate lover, always making sure to take care of me. But now it’s my turn to take care of him.

  “I was thinking you probably shouldn’t be exerting so much energy.”

  “When I’m with you, I can’t help it. Plus, I thought this shower scene would be a great one for your hockey romance.”

  “True, there is a lot I can pull from it once I figure out my plot, but I’m not going to be the girl to keep you from the ice. So there’s only one way I can help you with this little problem,” I rub his hard cock, which is anything but little, “and keep you from exerting too much energy, and winding up on the bathroom floor again.”

  “How?”

  “By tying you to the bedposts.”

  10

  Cole

  I can’t fucking believe my hands are tied to the goddamn bedposts. But more importantly, I can’t believe that I’m giving Nina this kind of control. Keeping the reins tight, well, that’s sort of my thing. But this is Nina, and that somehow has me going against everything that’s protected me in the past. I know I’m not worthy of her, she deserves so much better, and I should end this right now, but when it comes to her, I’m so fucking weak. Not only that, how the fuck can I possibly walk away?

  She asked for two things from me—hockey and sex lessons. She needs both for her books, and I can’t forget her empty cupboards and overdue bills. I want to call her out on both. I really do. But it doesn’t seem like something she wants to talk about, and I don’t want to embarrass her or make her feel like a failure because she’s not making a living with her writing.

  “Look at you,” she says as she clucks her tongue and walks around the bed, gazing at me likes she’s a dominatrix about to make me pay for all the cruel things I’ve done to her. “All tied up and mine for the taking.”

  I squirm under her scrutiny, partly because I’m so fucking hard, and partly because she has a mischievous look in her eyes. “You’re going to make me pay for being a bastard, aren’t you?” I ask, and wince when she runs her teeth over her bottom lip and eyes my throbbing prick.

  Dressed in one of my shirts, since I asked her too—because yeah, I like seeing her in my things—she grins at me. “Oh yes. I’m definitely going to make you pay, Cole.”

  She climbs onto the bed and settles herself between my legs. My cock is so goddamn hard, if she doesn’t touch me soon, I’m going to blow my load.

  “Is it going to hurt?” I ask.

  She takes my throbbing dick into her hand and pouts. If I could only get my mouth on those lush lips of hers… “It looks like it already hurts.”

  “Fuck me,” I groan as she leans forward to lick the pre-cum pooling on my crown. She moans, and it turns me on even more. Hard to believe, I know.

  “If I was cruel, like you were, I’d take you into my mouth, bring you right to the edge and leave you hanging.”

  “Thank fuck you’re not as cruel as me.”

  She grins. “No, I’m not. I wouldn’t have stayed here to help you if I was a monster.”

  “I want to touch you,” I say, and wiggle my tied hands.

  “No, we can’t risk too much exertion.”

  “But I want my mouth on your sweet little pussy.”

  Her cheeks flush at that, and I still get a kick out of her shyness. She uses all kinds of dirty words in her books, but hopefully after this affair is over, she’ll be more comfortable saying them out loud, asking for what she wants. In the meantime, I’ll use my words.

  “Why don’t you lift that shirt up and show me your hot cunt. Let me see if you’re wet for me.”

  Her breathing changes, and I know I’ve got her right where I want her, despite the fact that I’m the one tied up. That gives me a measure of comfort.

  She grips the hem of my dress shirt and slowly lifts it, until I can see her sex.

  “Yeah, that’s it, Pretty Nina. Since I can’t touch you, why don’t you touch yourself for me, show my how you used to slide your fingers over your clit when you thought about me.”

  She gulps. “I’ve never…”

  “But you want to, don’t you? You want to get all kinds of dirty with me, so you can spice up those sex scenes.”

  “Yes, but—”

  “No buts. Open those pretty pink lips and let me watch you finger yourself.”

  She has a brief moment of hesitation…then a change comes over her. She touches her hot cunt, widens her lips, and slides a finger inside.

  Motherfucker.

  Yeah, I was playing with her, unsure if she would follow my commands or not, but now that she is, I’m two seconds from losing my shit. I lick my dry lips, swallow against my parched throat, knowing there is only one way I’m going to be able to quench my thirst tonight.

  “That’s it, don’t hold anything back, Pretty Nina. Push your finger in deep and rub your clit with your palm. Grind against it, baby. I want you to come for me, then I want you to climb onto my face and let me taste your sweetness.”

  My words seem to do something to her. She spreads her legs even more and tosses her hair back, her fingers moving inside her body at a faster speed. I swear to fuck the vision before me is the sexiest one I’ve ever seen. I wish like fuck I could free my hands to touch her, or myself. I supposed if I wanted to, I could, but Nina wants me tied up for her own reasons, so I won’t break free.

  Her keening cries grow louder, and I coax her. “Keep doing that, keep making yourself feel good.” Her eyes open, her gaze locked on mine as her sexy noises curl around me. “Jesus, you’re beautiful when you come,” I say.

  Her body convulses, quakes, and she leans forward, gasping.

  “Come here. Sit on my face and let me lick your hot juices.” She shimmies up my body and lowers herself until her hot, wet cunt is on my mouth. I dip my tongue in and swirl it through her wet heat, lapping up every delicious drop and wanting more. She moves against me, presses harder to my mouth, and whimpers as I taste her. I find her clit, give it a long, slow lick, then flick it with the blade of my tongue.

  “Cole,” she cries out as arousal pulls at her again.

  “Slide down and get on my cock,” I demand.

  She pulls her pussy from my face and goes up on her knees. Her soft fingers grip my cock and she positions it at her sweet opening.

  “Fuck me, baby. Fuck me the way you need to be fuck.”

  She whimpers and sinks down onto my cock, and the world fades to black around me.

  Her hot cunt squeezes so tight in this position, I have to bite the inside of my cheek to hold on. She moves her hips, and lifts up and down, massaging my dick with each stroke.

  “That is so good,” I groan. “We should fuck like this every day.”

  “Yes…every day,” she says breathlessly, and leans forward to press her lips to my chest. I move my hips, power into her, and she gasps.

  “I want all my cum in you. Tell me you want that too.”

  “I want it all,” she says as she peppers me with kisses.

  As much as I like her lips on me, I say, “Sit up and touch your tits for me, Nina.”

  She does as ordered and squeezes her beautiful breasts. Her nipples are hard as she takes them between her fingers and gives them a squeeze.

  “You are so be
autiful,” I say, and her eyes dim with desire. I lift my hips, drive into her, and her mouth opens. “Touch your clit,” I say.

  She takes one hand from her breasts and puts it between her legs, and her hot cum pours over me the second she connects with the sensitive bundle of nerves. Her cum sears me, drips down my cock and onto my balls. Fuuuuuck, that is good.

  My body spasms. “I’m there,” I say, and jettison my cum into her, filling her with every last drop. She collapses on top of me, and when she shifts, my cock eases out of her, still rock fucking hard.

  Her mouth finds mine for a lazy, soft kiss. One that tells me she’s sleepy and drained.

  “How about a few hours’ sleep and we do this again? Only I get to tie you up.”

  She chuckles against my throat. “While I like the sound of that, your concussion, remember?”

  “When I’m better, I’m tying the fuck out of you and having my way with you, all goddamn night,” I warn.

  She goes still against me, too still, and I nudge her. What the fuck did I say?

  “Nina?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Untie me.” She reaches up and releases the bindings, then slides into bed beside me. “You okay?” I ask.

  “Just sleepy,” she says, but I get that it’s more than that.

  I just told her I wanted to continue this after I recuperated. But the fact of the matter is, when she gets the information she needs, and I’m better, she’s out of here. We’ve already established that.

  With a knot tightening my gut, I reach for her. “Come here. Let’s get some rest.”

  I hold her in my arms, her breath warm on my chest as she drifts off. I close my eyes, exhausted, but they fly open when she suddenly sits up, equal amounts of horror and shock on her face.

  I nod as I look at her, because I figured sooner or later—and from the look on her face, I can see it’s sooner—she’d come to her senses and realize I’m not the kind of guy she should be playing games with. I am so beneath her standards.

  “Cole,” she gasps

  “Yeah,” I say, and make a move to get up

  She grips my arm to stop me. “Where are you going?”

  “Uhh…” In the dim light, I take in the unease on her face. “I thought you wanted me to leave.”

  Her face is scrunched up, perplexed. “Why would I want you to leave?”

  “I don’t know.” Cripes, what am I supposed to say? You’re a nice girl, and smart enough to eventually catch on to that I’m not good enough? “What’s wrong, then?”

  “We didn’t use a condom.” Her eyes go wide.

  That shocked realization sends cold shivers through me. “Dammit, Nina. I’m sorry. I’m so fucking sorry. I’ve never in my life forgotten a condom. I was so caught up in the moment—”

  “Me too.”

  I push my hair back and ask, “Are you…on the pill?”

  She gives a slow shake of her head, and I scrub my face. “Fuck, man. I can’t be a father, Nina.” I have zero idea on how to raise a child. I’d make him all kinds of fucked up. A wife and family are all the things I can never have.

  I guess that’s why I’ve yet to take her to my man cave on the lower level of my house. What I have in there represents a life that’s not meant to be mine.

  I briefly pinch my eyes shut, and the sudden image of Nina, pregnant with my child, fills my head. My heart stalls at the visual, but then I quickly shut it down. That life is not for me.

  “Cole,” she says and touches my arm. “I know where I am in my cycle, and getting pregnant isn’t what I’m really worried about.”

  “Ah, shit, yeah.” Of course she’d be worried about her health, as she should be. Fuck, she knows my reputation. “I’m clean. I promise you that. I’ve never gotten carried away like that before. I use protection all the time.”

  “Not all the time.”

  I scoff. “Apparently not.”

  “I’m clean, too.”

  “I know.”

  “How do you know?”

  “Nina, I know this isn’t the kind of thing you do all the time.”

  She lies back down and averts her eyes. I shift and cup her chin until she’s looking at me. “Why are you embarrassed?”

  “I don’t know why I said that. It’s not like I want you to think I’m a puck bunny.”

  “I know you’re not. You’re a nice girl, Nina.”

  “The kind of girl your decorator designed this house for.” As soon as the words leave her mouth, she blinks rapidly, and her mouth opens and closes like she’s working through an entire pack of gum. “I mean…I’m not saying…”

  “Say what you want, Nina.” I press my lips to hers. “None of it matters because we don’t even like each other, remember?”

  Nope, we don’t even like each other one bit.

  Yeah, I am so fucked.

  11

  Nina

  As Cole jumps from the sofa and does a fist pump, my heart races, I’m so happy for him and his team. They made it to the playoffs, and he’s over-the-moon happy. I just pray he gets the all clear so he can rejoin his team. I drop my notepad and stretch out on the sofa.

  “That was one hell of a close game,” I say.

  “Yeah, it was. But our man Cason came through.” Cole sinks back into the cushions and briefly closes his eyes

  “You okay? Headaches back? You did get a little worked up in the end there.”

  “No, it’s been almost a week without one. I’m hoping tomorrow Doc will give me the all clear to get back on the ice. Maybe we can hit the rink after my appointment.” He opens his eyes and turns his head to see me. “I need to be in the playoffs, Nina. It’s the most important thing in the world to me,” he says, a shadow of worry on his face.

  “I know. You will be. I’m sure of it.” I look him over, feel stress vibrating through his body. We’ve been relaxing all week, swimming and cooking together, but maybe he needs a change of scenery. This house is huge, yes, and I haven’t even explored it all, but I think he needs to get outside these walls. “How about after your appointment tomorrow, we go to that new Italian café for lunch?”

  I put my hand on his thigh, and he closes his over mine. A small quiver goes through me. I’m still shocked at how fast we came to this place, where we’re completely comfortable with each other, and we both know that it’s a given that I’ll be driving him to his appointment.

  He gives my hand a little squeeze, humor in his eyes. “Tired of cooking for me already?”

  “No, I just thought it would be nice to go somewhere, get out of the house for a bit.”

  He eyes me, and I try not to shift, try not to show any kind of discomfort, but this is Cole, who can seem to read my every mood.

  “Is lunch after the appointment a stalling tactic because you don’t want to get on the ice with me?”

  Maybe a little.

  “No,” I say quickly. He doesn’t need to know the fall destroyed my confidence and getting back on the ice scares the hell out of me. “I just thought—”

  “We had a deal, Nina.” His voice is firm but there’s tenderness in his eyes as they meet mine. “Are you breaking it?”

  I shake my head and turn this around, making it about him and not me. “I just don’t want you doing anything too early and risking your chances of getting back to the game. Let’s just wait and see what the doctor says.”

  He glances at my notepad and pulls me to him. I settle against him, feel his strong heartbeat beneath my hand. “Any breakthroughs on story ideas?”

  “No, not yet.”

  “So, what’s going on, anyway?” He shifts positions, lying on the sofa and pulling me between his legs. With my back pressed to his chest, I settle in, completely comfortable. He runs his fingers through my hair and I relax into his touch. “Why are you blocked?

  “Blocked, huh? I like how you worked a hockey term in there.”

  “The things I do for you,” he teases.

  “Truthfully, I don’t know what
’s going on. I can’t seem to come up with any good ideas lately.” I exhale slowly and wonder if he really wants to be talking about this. Other than Jess, no one wants to hear me go on about my books or my characters.

  “How can I help?”

  “You are helping with all the sex and hockey lesson.”

  “Seriously, Nina. I might not be able to give you any ideas, but you can use me as a sounding board.”

  “Are you serious?”

  “Hell yeah, I am.”

  My heart wobbles a bit, touched by his gesture.

  “Do you know what a trope is?”

  “Not really.”

  I grab the remote and flick the channels until a chick flick comes on. “This is my favorite Ryan Reynolds movie,” I say.

  “Never seen it.”

  I lower the volume and stare at the screen. “You don’t watch romantic comedy?”

  “Do I need to remind you about my man card again?”

  I laugh. “But you read romance books?”

  “Only yours.”

  “Okay, tropes. You know in my book, Tempt Me Twice, the hero is a construction worker and the heroine is a rich socialite? They come from different sides of the tracks. That’s a trope.”

  “I get it.”

  “Cinderella, that’s a rags-to-riches story.”

  He nods. “Makes sense.”

  We both briefly turn toward the TV, in time to see Ryan Reynolds spill his coffee all over himself as he hurries to bring his witch boss her drink.

  “Hey, maybe you could use fake marriage, like they do in this movie. That’s a trope, right? Maybe one of the hockey players has to get married for whatever reason.”

  I sit up and stare at him. “Really, Cole?”

  “What, that will work, won’t it?”

  “You’re a freaking liar.” I point to the TV. “You said you’ve never seen this, yet you know exactly what the trope is.”

  A sexy grin curls his mouth. “Good guess.”

  “Big. Fat. Liar,” I say, and he drags me to him.

  He runs his thumb over my bottom lip, lust pushing back the humor in his eyes. “This smart mouth,” he says, and presses his lips to mine. I melt into him, and his kisses are soft, slow, as his hands slide down to cup my ass. “This ass,” he murmurs. His erection swells against my leg, and I move restlessly.