“Which is why we’ve been working on a plan B.” Leo laces both hands behind his head. He’s drawing out the moment. He thinks it’s charming and funny.
I think it’s irritating.
“Wait,” I say. “You two expected me to fail?”
“No, dumbass,” Leo says. “We expected you to wise up like you just did and ask for help.” He scoots forward until he’s perched on the edge of his chair. “Let’s take Checkmate public. The windfall of cash will be more than enough for the expansion.”
Finally. It’s all out in the open, and a million pounds of stress have lifted. I turn my attention back to the one person who deserves it the most. “Sorry I had to do this right now, but it affects your future too, so I needed to get it all off my chest before I have a heart attack at twenty-nine.” I chuckle. “I’ll make it up to you.”
“How?” Her fingers crawl up my chest.
“Buy her a big, honkin’ ring,” Leo says, like he’s not interrupting a thing. I take Ava’s hand and lead her to the front door. “Women love that—”
The door closes behind us, blocking out Leo. I pull Ava into my arms as we wait for the elevator. “Family can be annoying,” I murmur against her lips, and she giggles. “Do we really have to spend the holidays with them?” The back of my fingers smooth over her creamy cheek.
“Yes, but then we get to go home alone and get naked.”
My heart skips, and my pants grow tighter. “I want that. I want it all with you. The good, the bad, and everything in-between. I especially want morning coffee with you for the rest of our lives.”
“It’s still morning.” Her voice is breathy. “I say we go get coffee, then get naked.”
“That’s the best idea I’ve heard all day.” I give her a soft, quick kiss. “Except for staying here in New York.”
“Shut up and kiss me.” Ava fists my shirt and pulls me in for a sloppy, wet kiss.
The elevator opens and we step in. As soon as it closes, I press a button and it freezes. We’re suspended above the earth, hanging there like time is standing still for us and us alone.
At first, Ava’s brows knit with confusion. But when I turn to her and she looks in my eyes, she knows what I’m about to do. A naughty smile plays at her lips.
I ease her back against the wall of the elevator, which is all mirrors. “Let me put a little cream in your coffee.” I chuckle and slide my hand under her dress. “Are you attached to these leggings?”
“Not especially.” Her heart is thundering where her chest touches mine.
“Good.” I reach down and tear a hole right between her legs. “I’ll buy you a new pair.” I nip at her bottom lip. “A better pair.”
She swallows and sucks in air as I press my hard-on into her.
“I’m guessing you’ve never done it in an elevator.” I tug her panties to one side and slide a finger into her. She’s already wet and throbbing, and she arches into me.
“No,” she breathes out.
Within seconds I’m finger fucking her to an orgasm. “Neither have I. Another rookie card gone.”
She moans and her eyes slide shut as she rides my hand, quickly exploding into a fierce climax. Her wetness fills my hand. I turn her around to face the mirror and go for my zipper. Her eyes flare when she realizes what I’m about to do, and she licks her delicious lips.
When I reach for my wallet, she shakes her head. “No condom this time.”
I don’t know if she’s on the pill, and I don’t care. I slide into her, skin on skin, and we both groan. The pleasure is almost too much to take. Fucking her bare is the best thing I’ve ever felt.
She braces herself against the mirrors and watches me fuck her from behind. I bend until my lips are next to her ear, but our eyes stay locked. “I want to fuck you every day for the rest of our lives.” I talk dirty to her, making sure to drop the F-bomb because it turns her on.
A breath escapes through her lips, and she slides a hand over her shoulder, into my hair. My hips pick up speed until I’m fucking her hard and fast. Her skin flushes, our breathing gets hot and heavy, and we come apart together.
By the time we step into the lobby, our clothes are put together again—less one pair of black leggings. We get coffee and spend the morning in bed at her place. Then I take her shopping for a big-ass-honkin’ ring, and life is good.
In fact, it’s so much better than I ever thought it could be.
Epilogue
Christmas Day
“Love the new place,” Chloe says when she and Leo walk in carrying an arm full of glittery presents. “It’s very warm and inviting.”
“It says family, doesn’t it?” Ava loops her arms around my waist, and I pull her against me.
That’s right. I ditched my high-brow apartment for a cozy brownstone on the Upper East Side. We’ve just moved in, so Ava isn’t done decorating, but we went out last night and brought home our first Christmas tree. She wanted white lights. I wanted colored lights because they remind me of a county fair. We compromised and put both on the tree. Then we had incredible sex on the floor next to our work of art.
Oz walks in next with a bottle of wine and a shopping bag full of gifts. I can’t wait to see what Mr. Thoughtful gives everyone this year. Last year it was flip flops and socks. No lie.
He sniffs the air. “Something smells good. I’m starved.”
Ava’s got a turkey cooking in the oven, and I’m making the side dishes. The aroma fills the house and my soul at the same time.
Magnus and Gerard even flew in from Europe. I’m sure the fat block of company stock they’re going to get as a bonus when Checkmate goes public didn’t influence their decision to accept our invitation for Christmas dinner in the least.
We sit around the long dining room table and pass dishes that are brimming with holiday food. I wanted to sit at the head of one end of the table with Ava on the other, like you see in the movies. Ava refused and claimed the chair next to me. She’s talking to Magnus, who is sitting on her other side, and they’re discussing drapes and linens and paint colors. Under the table she’s tracing a path up and down my thigh. Silverware clinks, everyone chats, and I sit back and watch. This is my family—this wonderful, crazy band of misfits. We love each other.
Most of all, I love this woman sitting beside me. That’s where I always want to be: by her side. I lift her hand to my lips and feather kisses along her fingers.
She leans in and breathes me in. Her brows pull together. “I don’t recognize your cologne.”
“It’s a new scent I’ve had Oz working on. It won’t hit the market until next spring.” I give her a naughty caveman stare. “It’s called Rookie Moves.”
She returns the naughty look in spades. “I love it. It’s sexy as hell.”
I pick up a piece of silverware and tap it against my wine glass. Everyone quiets down, and all heads turn in my direction.
I clear my throat. Suddenly, it’s closing up, and I find it hard to speak. Ava’s hand closes over mine and squeezes.
“I just wanted to say thanks for letting us hold the Christmas celebration here at our new home.” My voice waivers, and Ava gives my hand another squeeze. “I hope every Christmas is spent just like this…only with kids running around eventually, and maybe Oz will finally bring someone special. If he can ever find someone to put up with his grumpy-ass self.”
Murmurs skitter around the table, the gist is mostly how that’s entirely impossible.
He mouths “fuck you” at me from the other end of the table, and I mouth it back.
I lift my glass. “Here’s to family.” I bring Ava’s fingers to my lips and press a kiss to them.
We all toast and knock glasses and spend the rest of the evening opening gifts by the tree.
Oz…well, let’s just say he’s Oz. The tacky boxers with phrases he thinks are funny written across the ass are meant with the best of intentions.
My favorite gift isn’t the Italian leather jacket from Leo and Chloe. It isn�
�t the new watch from Magnus and Gerard. Those are great and special, and I treasure both, but one gift outshines them all.
Ava hands me a larger than average gift, and I peel back the paper. I swallow back the emotion that wells up inside of me because of her thoughtfulness and the love I know she put into this present. I lock my eyes with hers. “You got me a cotton candy machine.”
“You mentioned you liked cotton candy. I thought it would be fun, like our morning coffee,” Ava says.
I nod and kiss her long and hard. I’m looking forward to building a lifetime full of little traditions, because to me, they’re everything.
Coming Soon!
Sinful Games – Book 3 in the Checkmate Inc. Series
Acknowledgments
As always, I owe a huge debt of gratitude to my critique partner and beta reader, Shelly Chalmers. Her input makes my prose shine. Also, I’m so lucky to have Jo Swinney and Annette Stone in my corner.
About the Author
Shelly Alexander is the author of contemporary romances that are sometimes sweet, sometimes sizzling, and always sassy. A 2014 Golden Heart® finalist, she grew up traveling the world, earned a bachelor’s degree in marketing, and worked in the business world for twenty-five years. With four older brothers, she and her sister watched every Star Trek episode ever made, joined the softball team instead of ballet class, and played with G.I. Joes while the Barbie Corvette stayed tucked in the closet. When she had three sons of her own, she decided to escape her male-dominated world by reading romance novels and has been hooked ever since. Now she spends her days writing steamy contemporary romances while tending to a miniature schnauzer named Omer, a toy poodle named Mozart, and a pet boa named Zeus.
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Rookie Moves (A Checkmate Inc. Novel Book 2) Page 17
