Holiday Face-off (Puck Battle Book 1)

by Kristen Echo

  “I couldn’t disagree more.”

  He kissed her again, with renewed vigor. She could feel his determination to change her mind. As if a kiss could prove they were perfect for one another. As though this one moment could erase years of pain. When their lips were sealed together, nothing else mattered, she got lost in the sensations. He growled when she latched onto the scar on his lip and sucked it into her mouth. He tasted better than she imagined.

  She hadn’t noticed they were moving until the back of her knees hit the couch and she fell backwards onto it. His mouth never left hers. He was so strong and so good at this. Too good. She placed her hands against the solid muscles of his chest.

  “I can’t do this with you,” she said, pushing him off her. They both moved to their respective corners of the couch. “I’m sorry.

  “I’m not. That was amazing and I know you feel whatever it is between us too. If you need time, I’m a patient man.”

  “Theo… I, we—”

  “Okay, Miss Smarty-Pants, why don’t we share secrets and get to know each other better.” Theo cocked his head to the side and flashed her a cocky grin. His charms wouldn’t get him anywhere with her.

  She crossed her arms over her chest. She was not in the mood for games and shook her head from side to side in silent refusal.

  “Come on, we’ve got time to kill. Would it make you more comfortable if I went first?” He asked, sitting upright on the couch next to her. It didn’t escape her notice he had moved closer. His arm grazed her leg and shivers raced across her covered skin.

  Every time they touched she reacted the same. Would that ever stop?

  Theo exuded some serious heat as Carly shifted away from him. She was already too warm. “No, thank you. I don’t want to know your deepest, darkest secrets and I most certainly do not care to share mine.”

  She kept her eyes on the window because she couldn’t do anything else. Spilling her guts to the hockey superstar made her want to run back outside barefoot until the skies cleared. Plus, if she looked at Theo she would have to admit that up close he might be the best-looking man she had ever seen. He wasn’t perfect, which made him more attractive. The tiny delicious scar on his lip was one of many, no doubt received from sticks and pucks to the face.

  From the corner of her eye, she caught Theo sink back into the worn cushions. He placed his feet on the coffee table without a care in the world. “All right, I’ll go first,” he said, ignoring her refusal to play along. Theo linked his fingers behind his head, appearing relaxed and at ease. The opposite of her at that moment.

  Carly huffed an exasperated breath, this guy couldn’t take anything serious. “Why do we need to get to know each other? Can’t we sit here quietly and wait out the storm?”

  “I like your feistiness, are you this way around all men, or is this snarky attitude reserved for me?”

  Carly turned and glared at him. Theo got under her skin when he shouldn’t. Why did being alone with him put her on edge? He’s just a boy, like all the others, she reminded herself. No one special. Right, who was she kidding. Instead of ripping into him she closed her eyes and counted backwards from fifty. Her angst wasn’t with him, it was with herself.

  “What are you doing? Are you counting?”

  Carly finished her comforting ritual before responding. “Yes, I count as a way of calming myself. I’m sorry for being rude with you, it’s this situation.” She opened her eyes and found him leaning forward, mere inches from her face. His eyes fastened onto her lips. “I mean, this… this isn’t how I expected to spend Christmas.”

  “This might be my favorite Christmas ever.” He shifted himself closer, his leg next to hers. “It’s not every day I get to spend my holidays with a beautiful woman.”

  Carly laughed. Was this guy for real? “Those lines might work on your many admirers, but I’m not falling for any of it. You didn’t notice me when I was serving you coffee. I’m no more special now. The only reason you want to kiss me is because we’re stuck here together and I’m saying no.”

  “Or… I want to kiss you, because you are exactly the girl I’ve been looking for. Strong, smart and sexy, sounds like a good package to me.” Theo tucked a wayward curl behind her ear. His touch was soft and gentle. Carly would have moved away, but she was already pressed against the armrest.

  “Trust me when I say I’m none of those things, except smart. I’m too smart to fall for cheesy pickup lines. Don’t you have your fill of hockey bimbo’s throwing themselves at you?”

  His finger trailed down her cheek and cupped her jaw. “Did I mention sassy is at the top of my list? Carly, did I offend you by not falling at your feet in the restaurant?”

  “No, I wouldn’t expect that. But I know your type. You hockey players are all the same. The I’m here for a good-time not a long-time kind of guy. Am I right?”

  “Wrong. Just so you know, I had one girlfriend throughout high school and still dated the same girl my first year after being drafted into the league. We broke up this past summer, and I have dated no one since her. It was a mutual decision since she didn’t want to leave Montreal. We had been growing apart, and I was okay with her not coming west. She’s moved on already, but I wasn’t ready until recently. Carly, I’m not sure who you think I am, but I’m not a player.”

  This news forced Carly to admit she’d judged Theo prematurely. That could have been a lie, but she didn’t think it was. Painting him with the same brush as the other hockey players wasn’t fair. “I’m sorry. Beth, my roommate has dated a few of your teammates, and let’s just say they weren’t the best guys. They used her, and I don’t want to get hurt.”

  “Some of my teammates like the attention the girls offer. The recognition and fame can go to your head. Especially the young guys my age. Puck bunnies are around every corner, it’s a novelty some guys can’t resist. But the majority are decent guys. Relationships end and people get hurt, but it’s still worth the risk. If you ask me.”

  “Are you a decent guy, Theo?” Carly desperately wanted him to be a good guy. The world had enough bad boys.

  “I try to be.” He licked his lips again.

  A lump formed in her throat as her walls crumbled. What if they kissed again, would that be so bad? “What are you looking for, Theo? Are you worth the risk?” Her voice sounded throaty and hoarse.

  “You tell me.” He inched closer until there was no distance between them.

  The intensity in his eyes overwhelmed her. “Some risks might be worth taking.” Carly was a planner, not a risk taker.

  “You might be the perfect girl, Carly. Can I tell you a secret?” He took her hand and drew lazy circles on her palm.

  The contact stole her sanity. Unable to say another word, she nodded in response.

  “All I’ve ever wanted to do was play for the NHL. But with that job comes a lot of expectations. More demands than I ever thought possible, and that’s just from my family. Everybody wants something from me, even my dad.”

  “Is that who you were chatting with at the diner?”

  Theo looked away for a second and his intensity softened a little. “Yeah, he wants me home for the holidays but not for a family Christmas. It’s mostly so him and my brothers can drill me about my performance thus far. Oh, besides the unsolicited coaching, he’ll want to parade me around the legion. I’ve become a commodity.”

  “What do you want?” She asked, taking his face between her hands.

  His blue eyes looked to hers for answers. Ones she couldn’t provide. “I’ve been asking myself that a lot these days. In this business, it’s hard to trust people. They tell you what they think you want to hear, but rarely ask what I want.”

  Carly smiled. This was their most honest conversation yet and things were getting real. Theo leaned in and pressed his lips against hers again. She melted into him, and she didn’t have the strength to push him away.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  H is lips consumed hers, leaving no pretense behind. The scruff on
his chin tickled. Theo kissed her with a finesse and skill mere mortals couldn’t emulate. She liked the feel of his mouth on hers; of his cheek under her hands. She opened and granted him full access. He took advantage and Carly liquefied into a puddle of lust.

  He moved their bodies into a lying position on the couch. His body covered hers, but he kept his weight to the side, propped on his elbows. The sensual way Theo kissed blew her Christmas print socks off. A mix of hard yet soft, demanding but inviting. Never had her tongue relished the taste of another.

  Their lips were locked, and fused together by the laws of attraction. Too overwhelmed by the sensations coursing through her body, she couldn’t stop. As the kiss grew more intense, so did her desire to touch him. Her fingers itched to feel more of him. To learn and explore every inch of his body.

  She dove her hands into the soft mop of his hair, twisting at the strands. He seemed to enjoy her playful side as he growled when she pulled harder, angling his head for a deeper kiss. She couldn’t get enough.

  His tongue licked along her bottom lip as he maneuvered her shirt up over her breasts. The kiss broke for a moment as his eyes devoured her body. His fingers worked the front clasp of her red bra. It popped open, freeing her breasts from their satin confines.

  The color of his irises became the most breathtaking shade of cobalt as he ran the tip of his fingers over her nipple. It beaded under his gentle caress. He plucked at both tips, alternating and watching them harden. “You’re beautiful,” he said, as he palmed one breast in his large hand.

  Carly believed him. She no longer had a reason to doubt his words.

  It was only fair, if he got to look, then so should she. She tugged at the hem of his sweater and he pulled it off, tossing the garment to the floor. Theo Montagne was ripped. His body was in peak physical condition.

  Carly reached for his thick biceps. He satisfied her arm fetish and then some. She could not wrap her hands around the muscle, but she didn’t need to, to pull him on top of her. Skin to skin. Her breasts were crushed against a wall of solid muscles, and she liked it. This time, she kissed him and it was the most intense kiss of her life. As if their tongues spoke a language of their own, communicating perfectly with one another.

  She closed her eyes and allowed the sensations to take over as her hands roamed freely. So what if they were breaking the law by trespassing. Who cared if they were stranded in a blizzard. The only thing that mattered was them.

  She raked her nails over the ridges of back muscles, loving the hard planes of his body. It would be too easy to lose herself in the moment, to let the chemistry and sex appeal rule her. The war waged within her whether to keep going or... was there another option?

  Everything felt so good. She couldn’t stop; not yet. Theo wasn’t the player she pegged him to be, but that didn’t make her easy. She’d never moved so quickly on the physical side with someone who wasn’t her boyfriend. She wasn’t another puck bunny.

  The battle of whether to let things progress or stop him was lost when the zipper on her jeans lowered. His fingers dove inside her panties and he rubbed her bare mound. She moaned into his mouth.

  Theo brushed Carly’s slit with the side of his finger, slowly exploring her folds. She should have been embarrassed by how wet she was; by how turned on she had become from a kiss. There was no denying it. Within a few swipes, his digit was drenched with her arousal.

  He slipped one finger inside her and applied a heavenly amount of pressure with his palm. They continued to kiss as he explored her wet heat. Carly moaned again as Theo inserted another finger. He fingered her slowly and then faster until the climax built. His thumb flicked her clit, and she shot off the couch. He smiled against her mouth and kissed down her throat.

  His pace slowed, making Carly delirious for more. He circled her nub while pumping his fingers in and out. He latched onto her nipple, engulfing the hard tip in his heat. She was so close, getting closer with each kiss and suck he provided to her breasts. She rocked her hips against his hand, reaching for her orgasm, but he kept it out of range.

  “Theo,” she said, not sounding like herself. Who was this wanton woman? Carly didn’t care; she needed release. “Please, make me come.”

  He flicked his tongue across her sensitive nipple and kissed his way to her navel. “Your wish is my command.”

  Yes! She expected him to finger her until she shattered, but he removed his hand.

  She whimpered in protest and lifted her hips to chase his hand. He pulled at her pants and panties, lowering them past her butt. She wiggled her hips to help him remove her clothes, leaving her exposed from the waist down. He drew off each of her socks and he added the items to an ever-growing pile on the floor.

  Theo sat back on his heels and pushed her knees apart. She wanted to close them, but the way he admired her body made her feel beautiful, not embarrassed. He lifted her leg and kissed his way up from her ankle to the top of her right thigh, then repeated on the left. With both of her legs draped over his shoulders, he pressed his nose into the bare flesh and inhaled.

  “Damn, that’s good. I hope you’re ready.” Without more fanfare, he licked along her entrance. One long, torturous stroke.

  A shiver raced across her spine. He used his fingers to part her folds, then he licked Carly’s entire length before kissing her clit.

  There was so much she wanted to do. Lock her legs and capture him there forever, open them wider to give him full access, and scream his name all at the same time. Instead, she sat up on her elbows to watch. Theo’s shaggy brown hair bobbed between her legs as he tasted her. His tongue worked its magic, reaching deep inside. He added his fingers into the fray and Carly became a writhing mess within seconds. He devoured her pussy and kept going.

  His fingers penetrated her while he circled her clit with his tongue. He started slow but increased his speed quickly. Carly clenched against him as her climax neared. He must have sensed it too because he doubled his efforts and sucked her clit hard.

  “Oh… Theo… Oh…” She splintered into a million pieces and shot off like a firework display on New Year’s Eve. She entered the land of bright lights and sparkles.

  Theo slowed but didn’t stop until he’d wrung every last ounce of her orgasm from her. Once her head fell back onto the couch like a useless rag doll, he put her back onto the cushion. He kissed her body, and paid homage to her breasts again, but not for long.

  “That was… I can’t talk yet, but give me a minute and I’m sure I can be clever.”

  Theo chuckled, and the sound crushed the last of Carly’s defenses. He wedged his body beside her, his head propped on his arm, while the other traced an unknown pattern on her skin. He trailed his fingers down the center of her chest, across her ribs and up her arms. His gentle touch left goosebumps in its wake.

  This amazing man had given her the best orgasm of all time. She’d never come so hard or for so long. She wasn’t a virgin, and this wasn’t her first oral experience, but this was far and away the most explosive.

  Would she be able to repay the favor, did he expect that?

  She needed to catch her breath before she could try. She also needed a heavy dose of courage, it had been a long while since she’d pleasured a man, and the truth was she’d only been with boys. High school boys who'd got off almost as soon as she touched them.

  Theo wasn’t cut from the same cloth as those guys.

  She twisted to face him and followed his lead, using her fingers to trace a similar pattern on his body.

  He closed his eyes, and Carly could tell he was enjoying her touch. She repeated his actions several times before her hand traveled down his abs and traced the top of his jeans. His erection strained against the zipper, needing to be released. She lowered her hand, ready to free him, but he stopped her.

  “What’s wrong?” She wanted to give back. Make him fall apart and unravel like he’d done to her.

  “We can go slow, Carly.”

  “I don’t get it.” Her con
fusion was written all over her face. “Don’t you want me… want me to touch, you know...” It was impossible to talk about that kind of thing with Theo Montagne.

  He lifted her hand and kissed her palm. “You asked me to make you come, and I wanted to make you feel good. I couldn’t resist tasting you and feeling your body contract against my face. So pretty. But I don’t want to rush things. It’s obvious you have some wildly incorrect notions of who I am, so let me prove myself. Let’s get to know each other.”

  Those words were sweet and totally unnecessary. “I thought we were doing that,” she said, looking down at the bulge in his pants. “Maybe I want to make you feel good too.”

  “Perfect, because you are.” He adjusted her bra and pulled her shirt back down to cover her breasts. “I really like you Carly, and I wouldn’t want you to regret anything. Trust me, I would love nothing more than to make love to you, but it’s too soon. I’m not looking for a quickie, plus, I don’t want you to think I’m a player.”

  “I don’t think that anymore,” she corrected him.

  He hugged her, an act more intimate than the kissing. “Good. Turn over.”

  She turned over, and he pulled her body against his, angling their bodies so they were spooning on the couch.

  Her back settled against his front. He reached onto the back of the couch and pulled a blanket over them. “You’re not the first person to misjudge me. I’m always under public scrutiny,” Theo said, resting his chin on the top of her head. “Every move I make is public knowledge. People can be royal pricks and they will judge us.”

  “Us? I’m not exactly famous. No one will care we’re friends.” The word friends didn’t fit, but she wasn’t prepared to think of them as anything more.

  “They care. Why is anyone’s guess? But they’ll want to know everything about you. Like what you do for fun, who your friends are, and they’ll dig into your past. So, is there anything you’d like to tell me before we continue this relationship?”

  “We are not in a relationship,” she reminded him.