Hockey Christmas (A Holiday Sports Romance Love Story)

by Naomi Niles

  “Here’s another wine.”

  As I handed her the glass, I felt like I could spot a burning desire behind her eyes, one that had me gulping down a wide range of emotions. All I really wanted to do was wrap her up in my arms and kiss her, but I wasn’t fully confident enough to act upon that. Not yet; I needed a clearer sign first. I needed something to convince me that I wasn’t about to totally wreck everything.

  “So,” I started, needing to say something to break the atmosphere, “what exactly sent you into teaching, rather than being a doctor?”

  I instantly cringed as those words left my mouth. Anything to do with her parents was instantly a touchy subject – one that I should definitely stay away from for the time being – yet here I was, delving right into it.

  Idiot!

  “Yeah,” she sighed, closing her eyes for a few moments, losing herself in the heat of the hot tub. “I just don’t deal well with blood.”

  I took a big swig of my drink and nodded, agreeing with her. “Yeah, I couldn’t deal with that either,” I told her honestly. “I’ve seen enough gnarly accidents on the ice to know the kind of bad shit doctors have to deal with.” A shudder inadvertently ran through me as I recalled the broken noses, the bones poking through skin, the endless disgusting blood…

  Urgh, nope. Anything to do with that sort of stuff was not right for me.

  “Whereas teaching is totally different,” she continued, oblivious to my internal memories. “I get to pass on knowledge, to connect with kids on a different level, to help forge careers. I want to be the sort of inspiring teacher that helps lost kids find their path in life, to discover their purpose.”

  Hearing her talk about her future career with such animation and passion was utterly adorable. I could completely relate with her because I felt the same kind of drive for hockey. I was all for people making careers out of what made them happy; I just couldn’t understand why her parents didn’t seem to feel the same way.

  “It’s good that you’re following your dream,” I replied a little cautiously, not wanting to drag anything up. “It’s really admirable.”

  “Yeah,” she half smiled at me, a little lost in her own thoughts. “I’m glad you think so. Someone has to support me, right?”

  I needed to turn this back around, to bring back a positive attitude once more. I didn’t want Danielle to get down whilst she was hanging out with me. I wanted her to remember this date…or whatever it was, as a night of fun.

  “I’ll cheers to that!” I grinned, and we clinked our glasses together, giggling all over again. “It’s much better to do what you love than nothing!” I exclaimed, desperate to keep the good mood going. If she was focusing on my compliments, then she wouldn’t drown herself in her parent’s obvious disapproval.

  “Yeah?” she smiled. “You know someone like that do you?”

  “Erm, well actually, my best friend Sean is spending his whole life doing a lot of nothing,” I admitted. “He was in the burger bar with me when we met for the very first time,” I joked. “The red haired guy.”

  “Oh yeah,” she exclaimed. “I remember him now. He looked super sweet.”

  I rolled my eyes, unable to believe that Danielle had been captured by spell along with the rest of the world. I still couldn’t understand what he did, but it always worked no matter what. “Yeah, real sweet,” I laughed. “If you like rich playboys!”

  Reel it in, I warned myself. You’re starting to sound jealous now. That wasn’t what I intended when I began discussing this, but somehow that was where I’d headed regardless.

  “I mean, I love him to death,” I told her honestly. “He’s the best guy I know, and he’s been my best friend forever, but my God, he really is something else.” I shook my head, smiling, to prove to her that I meant it in the nicest possible way. “I guess he started hooking up with women late and he’s been making up for lost time…although, it seems like he might have a girlfriend now.”

  Oh God, what the fuck am I doing? Why the hell am I blathering on about Sean?I’m not even making any sense.

  “Anyway,” I shook my head, wanting to get off this topic as soon as humanly possible. “He doesn’t do much. His family is rich, so he doesn’t need to. He dabbles in stocks occasionally, but apart from that, he sleeps in late and parties all night.”

  “Must be nice,” Danielle interjected. “But I think I would rather earn my money. I don’t know how I’d cope with having everything just handed to me on a plate. That lifestyle just doesn’t really appeal to me.”

  I stared at her, wondering just how serious she was. She was a girl after my own heart; after growing up less than flush, I enjoyed earning my own way in the world. It was also refreshing to have a chick here who wasn’t just interested in my money. Ever since I’d found fame, it had been difficult to know who was genuine and who wasn’t. Most women really seemed to give a shit, but they never did. Not really.

  “So,” she sidled closer to me, sending me a seductive grin. “I’m much less interested in your friend’s romantic life, and would love to know more about yours.”

  Oh fuck – she has no idea what a can of worms that will open.

  “What do you want to know?” I asked through a strained smile. I didn’t want to blow that question off and have her suspicious, but I also really didn’t want to get into everything that happened with Hailey. I wanted to move on, to get past that. I really didn’t want to have to confront it when I was having such a lovely time.

  “How come you don’t already have a girlfriend? You’re too hot to be single!”

  A blush filled her cheeks as it started to hit her what she’d just said. She’d just basically admitted to finding me attractive, which left me with a self-satisfied grin spread across my cheeks. She was gorgeous, and freaking adorable too, which had my heart fluttering like crazy.

  “I guess I just haven’t found the right one,” I told her a little huskily. “I guess I’m just looking for a certain type of girl.”

  “Oh yeah?” She picked up on my flirty vibe, and she seemed to return it tenfold. “What sort of girl?”

  “Ooh,” I turned to face her, moving slightly closer to her. “She has to have blonde hair…green eyes…a curvy body… plump lips.”

  “I think I might know someone like that,” she rasped back, her breaths coming out a little labored. “Someone who’s pretty close to you right now.”

  The signs were clear; there was no misinterpreting them. It was just up to me whether or not I wanted to grab onto them with both hands. My body was screaming at me to lean in and to completely claim her with my mouth, but my brain was just trying to take stock quickly, to decide whether or not this was going to be the right thing for both of us.

  Danielle isn’t Hailey, I had to remind myself. She doesn’t want to hurt you at the first opportunity! She isn’t here with the intention of screwing you over.

  With that, my choice was made. I leaned in, to the point of no return, and I pressed my lips up against hers in a slow and romantic gesture. A big part of me wanted to lean in and to consume her passionately, but I knew that I needed to test the waters first.

  Much to my relief, she responded enthusiastically, moving even closer until I could feel all her body pressed up against mine, and wow! What a body! Those breasts, that torso, and those irresistible lips…

  I took the bull by the horns and wrapped my arms around her waist, getting a sneaky feel of those sexy curves as I did.As she seemed happy with this, I allowed my tongue to snake between her lips, turning the moment into something much steamier, more exciting, more leading somewhere.

  The alcohol was making me incredibly dizzy with desire, which was probably why I was acting so rashly, but I didn’t mind that. It didn’t even concern me that Danielle had been drinking a lot too – neither of us were wasted, we were simply tipsy enough to lose our inhibitions, which felt perfect.

  As Danielle pulled back to look deeply into my eyes, I could really see something there. It was t
he same passion that had been there all night, but it had been intensified by me kicking things up a notch and taking it to the next level. She really wanted me, and that made her even more irresistible than she was before.

  “You can stay the night if you want,” I said, hearing the desire filled tone in my voice. “You don’t have to, but the offer is there.”

  I really wanted her to say yes, so damn badly, but even if she didn’t, we’d had a lovely evening. I could be satisfied with that.

  Well, my brain could. My body was a different story entirely.

  She stared at me, biting her lip in a totally sweet way while she thought. I waited patiently, allowing the cogs to circle around and around in her mind while she decided. My stomach swirled around with fear, and my erection pleaded for her, desperately wanting to explore her, and my eyes were unblinking as the tension thickened around us.

  Then her lips parted, and I could sense an answer about to spill from her lips, causing everything within me to still.

  “Okay,” she finally announced. “Yeah, I’ll stay.”

  Oh thank God!

  I pulled her back towards me, and kissed her harder, finally allowing the passion within me to flow free.

  Chapter 12

  Danielle – Monday

  As soon as the yes flew from my lips, everything kicked up a notch. I couldn’t believe that I’d just agreed to have sex with this guy that I hardly knew, but that the same time, I couldn’t resist him at all. He was gorgeous, and sweet, and he was making me have all kinds of crazy butterflies floating around inside of me.

  Miles had his arms around me, kissing me hard, and that made me even needier for him. It was as if he was filling a hole inside of me, one that I didn’t even know that I had, and I couldn’t let him go. Maybe it was the passion, maybe it was the romance, maybe it was something else entirely. I wasn’t quite sure, but it felt absolutely amazing.

  I found myself actually experiencing fireworks inside of me, and that had me gasping for more.

  “Oh fuck,” I panted against his lips. “What the hell are you doing to me, Miles?”

  I had never acted in such a crazy way before, and it felt kinda good to just throw caution to the wind. As his body got closer to mine, and I actually managed to trail my fingers over the abs that he’d built up from a life dedicated to sport, I lost myself completely in the sensations. Any rational side to me completely disappeared as my body took over instead.

  An involuntary moan escaped past my lips as I felt his erection pressing against my leg. This was it, the moment that things were about to go to another level entirely, and rather than being nervous or at all self-conscious, I was only excited. I wanted Miles, so fucking badly, and it was making me feel amazing that he seemed to feel the same way about me.

  “Shall we go inside?” he panted, to which I shook my head. I didn’t want to leave the magic of the hot tub, I was loving it like crazy, and I didn’t want anything to intervene with that. “No, I mean,” he pushed me back for a second and stared into my eyes. “We have to go inside.”

  “Why?” I panted back as a response, trying to ignore my racing heart. It was pounding so loudly that I feared it could burst from my chest at any given moment. “What’s going on?” Was he rejecting me? After I had finally decided to have a little fun? If that was the case I might never step outside the box again.

  “Protection,” he eventually gasped, being much smarter than me. “It’s in my bedroom.”

  “Oh, okay,” I nodded.

  As he climbed out of the hot tub, I couldn’t help but admire his figure. Now that I was finally allowing myself to look at him through horny eyes, I could really appreciate absolutely everything about him. He was even hotter in person, and everything about his sculpted body was amazing. He was everything that I didn’t even realize that I needed.

  Kim was onto something – sports boys really are amazing.

  I followed closely behind him, into his bedroom, with my fingers looped through his. I barely noticed my surroundings as we moved through the rooms this time because my focus was all on him.

  I’m actually going to have sex with Miles Richardson. I really cannot believe that!

  As he rooted through his bedroom drawers, looking for his condoms, I laid my body down on his cool sheets, feeling much sexier than I normally would have. Here I was with a gorgeous, famous sportsman who could have just about any girl, and he was finding me attractive – that had to say something, right?

  Once he was sorted, Miles climbed over me and began raining kisses all over my neck. I tossed my head back in ecstasy and squirmed beneath him as he took me for his own. He had pricks of desire racing right down to my core, and I felt excited to have him explore that.

  His mouth travelled down my body, and he eventually found my breasts.He quickly tugged my bra from my body and began to play with my nipples, alternating between his fingers and tongue in a way that sent me oddly insane. It was a crazy set of sensations that I’d never experienced before, but somehow it was making me more turned on than I’d ever been before.

  “Oh God,” I groaned, as he drove me towards the point of passion very quickly. “Miles, you’re amazing.”

  Eventually he moved back to hover over me, and his fingers trailed down my body until they reached the outline of my panties, driving me wild. I was aching for him, pulsating for him, and I needed him to explore my hot, wet desire…but he wasn’t. Not just yet. He seemed determined to tease me until I was about to explode first.

  As my breaths started to come out intense and ragged, Miles leaned against me and started kissing my cheeks. “You know, you really are something else,” he mused, knowing that I was unable to answer him. “I really have never met anyone else like you, Danielle Fisher.”

  The way my name fell off his lips sparked a weird connection between us. I liked hearing it way too much, and I knew that was dangerous. I wasn’t here to develop feelings, to have my heart broken, and experiencing anything that dangerously close to deep emotions could only end in trouble.

  “I need you,” I gasped out, desperate to get away from my thoughts. “I need you now.”

  He yanked my underwear quickly from my body, and slid a finger inside of me. It felt nice – better than nice actually, it felt fucking amazing – but it wasn’t enough. I needed him, all of him, and I wanted him to understand that.

  “More,” I panted. “More, please.”

  He slid in another finger, and another, but that still wasn’t enough, so I grabbed hold of him and pulled him into me, kissing him hard. As I dug my nails into his back, showing him just how needy I was, he seemed to get it. He pulled back ever so slightly, and slid his length inside of me.

  “Oh my God,” I cried out excitedly, as I finally got what I wanted. This was enough to encourage him further, and soon he was thrusting hard and fast against me. I couldn’t even catch my breath long enough to pant or gasp, never mind speak. He was taking me, consuming me, and that made me feel wonderful. I felt a bond there between us, a deep connection, and for a brief moment I never wanted it to end.

  A hot pool of pleasure started to build in my stomach, and I gripped the sheets tightly beneath me, needing something to hold on to. Desire was flickering wildly all over me, sending me crazy. The pressure was building, increasingly intensely, and I was really losing myself within that.

  I’d never had sex like it, and I really didn’t want it to end.

  “Oh God, Danielle,” he moaned happily. “What are you doing to me?”

  With that, the waves of torturous pleasure shattered through my body, leaving me shuddering and bucking against him, clinging to him as if there were no tomorrow. In that moment, I wanted him, I needed him to be mine forever, and it didn’t even occur to me that wouldn’t be possible.

  *****

  However, when I woke up a few hours later, at 3 am, it hit me hard.

  What the hell was I thinking?!

  I glanced over to Miles’s sleeping form, feeling
a warmth within my heart as I spotted him breathing deeply with a completely peaceful look on his face. I liked him; there was no way that I could deny that to myself, I liked him way too much, and for that reason alone, I had to get out of there.

  I slide out from beneath the sheets and raced quietly back out onto the balcony to grab my clothing items. As I picked them up from among the empty bottles of booze, I remembered myself slowly and seductively pulling them off, as if I wanted to turn Miles on the entire time, and I cringed inside.

  How fucking embarrassing! Not like me at all.

  I needed to get away before I had to face him and suffer the consequences of what I’d done.

  As my eyes fell upon my phone, I knew exactly what I had to do. I needed to call my sister. I didn’t even care if it was some ridiculous hour and I was going to wake her up. Cynthia got me into this, and she could sure as hell get me out of it.

  “Cyn?” I whispered into the phone as she answered sleepily. “Can you come and get me please?”

  “What’s wrong?” she shot back quickly, sounding much more alert – as if she was misinterpreting my stress.

  “I need to come home,” I pleaded. “Please? I’ll text you the address.”

  “Sure, I’m on my way. I’ll see you real soon.”

  As I hung up the phone, I sighed with relief. At least she was coming for me, and she hadn't left me behind, and at least she’d had the decency not to ask me if I’d secured a date with her and Marek. It was the first sensitivity she’d shown me on the subject, and I was glad for that.

  Just as I was about to sneak out of the door, I realized that I couldn’t just run without at least saying goodbye – I just wasn’t that sort of girl. I also didn’t want to hurt his feelings and to have him blaming himself. Not when the reason I was leaving was to protect myself, because I had to return back to San Diego in only three weeks’ time.