“Whaaaat!” the group cried as one.
“I didn’t know it was your bed!”
“I started taking my clothes off in the dark,” Jodie explained. “Not knowing he was there. Then when I was totally naked I turned the light on, and when I saw him, I screamed and woke him up.”
“To this day, I wish I’d been sober so I could have fully appreciated it.”
Everyone had a good laugh about that.
Bomber went next, and he took a dare.
“Play a song by slapping your butt cheeks until someone guesses it.”
He wrinkled his nose and stood. “Hmmm…okay.”
He turned his back on the group and started smacking his blue-jeaned ass.
I collapsed into laughter while everyone else shouted out guesses.
“ ‘The Star-Spangled Banner’!”
Bomber stopped and gave Pilker an incredulous look.
“What?” Pilker shrugged.
Bomber resumed slapping his ass.
“ ‘Friends in Low Places’!”
“ ‘Crazy Little Thing Called Love’!”
“Jesus Christ,” Bomber shouted. “No!”
Finally I yelled out, “ ‘Mary Had a Little Lamb’!”
“Yes!” Bomber jumped around and pointed at me. “Thank fuck, my ass is getting sore.”
Cam chose a dare.
“Of course.” Chase smirked.
“Change clothes with someone of the opposite sex,” Katelyn told him.
Everyone roared with laughter.
Cam looked around the room at the other women. “There’s no way any of your clothes will fit me.”
“This will fit you.” Kendra stood, gesturing at her swingy sleeveless sundress that had room for her seven months pregnant belly.
“Oh my God.” I fell back into the couch, laughing.
“Okay.” Cam pulled his shirt over his head, then dropped his jeans, right there in front of everyone. He stood in his boxers.
My eyes nearly popped out of my head. Everyone else collapsed in laughter.
“Okay, I’m not stripping down in front of you.” Kendra grabbed Cam’s clothes and disappeared down the hall. She came back a few minutes later, Cam’s jeans dragging on the floor, his big shirt swamping her, and handed him her dress.
With a grin, he slid it on over his head and tugged it down over his thighs. It barely covered his boxers.
“Little snug in the chest,” he said.
“Shows off your legs,” Chase wisecracked. “Shoulda shaved though, man.”
I ran my hand up and down his hairy calf. “Sexy.”
This man was a crazy nut…and I was crazy about him.
I was also falling for his friends.
Shit.
Chapter 19
Cam
The party was winding down. Olivia and I were alone in the kitchen, having helped carry the remaining food and dishes in. I caught her between the counter and my body and smiled down at her. She was a little drunk, and so was I…a little liquored up and a lot happy. She wrapped her arms around my neck and we kissed, our mouths hungry for each other. Her fingers played in my hair, and a groan rumbled in my chest.
“Wanna get you home,” I murmured.
“Mmm.”
“Gah. Jesus, you two, get a room.”
I lifted my head and flashed a middle finger at Bomber, who’d walked into the kitchen. “That’s the plan, Bomber. Just need a taxi.”
We took an Uber back to my place since we’d both had a lot to drink. It had been a fun party. I was pleasantly plastered, and Olivia was snuggling up to me in the backseat and running her hands all over me. I liked it.
“Don’t forget the sex rule,” I murmured in her ear.
She giggled softly. “Oh yeah.”
Luckily it wasn’t a far drive, and we were soon being greeted by Magnum in my apartment. I loved Magnum, but damn, I wanted to get horny Olivia into my bed way more than I wanted to take him out to do his business. Way more than just about anything.
“Be right back.” I kissed her mouth. “Go ahead and get into bed.”
“I might have to start without you.”
I groaned. “That’s okay. You’ll be nice and ready.”
She trailed her fingers over my chest and disappeared down the hall.
Damn.
“C’mon, boy, let’s be quick.” I grabbed his leash and dragged him out of the building.
He was eager for fresh air and sniffs, and took his time. I was impatient, but couldn’t blame him after being cooped up inside for hours. “Tomorrow, buddy. We’ll do a nice long walk in the park, no leash. You can run and sniff to your heart’s content.”
Finally he’d done the deeds, and I hustled him back to the apartment, thinking about Olivia naked in my bed, stretched out, legs apart, touching herself…Christ.
I made sure Magnum had water before putting him in his room for the rest of the night.
I bolted into my room, and sure enough, Olivia was in bed. The lamplight made her hair glow gold, her skin lustrous, her mouth a perfect work of art as she smiled seductively at me.
I tossed my clothes off in world record time, if there was a world record for undressing, jumped onto the bed, and tugged the covers down. “Baby, you’re gorgeous,” I said hoarsely, revealing her to me. “But you’re not naked.”
“Was I supposed to be?”
“I was hoping. But…this…”
“I thought you might like it.”
My jaw loosened, and it’s possible I might have drooled a little at seeing what she wore…a powder pink silk slip with tiny straps and a wide embroidered border of ivory lace at top and bottom. Her nipples were outlined by the delicate fabric, and the lace hem brushed her thighs, bunched where her hand lay between her legs. I swallowed.
I touched the lace bottom and inched it higher to confirm there were no panties beneath. Her fingers played between plump, pink lips.
Breathing faster, I sat back. “Show me.” My voice scraped out. “Show me how you touch yourself.”
Her smile deepened, and she parted her thighs wider.
Fuck. Me.
My cock jutted out over my heavy balls, and I grasped the aching shaft.
Her gaze dropped there and her lips parted. “That’s hot.”
“Yeah.” I gave my cock a rough stroke. “You’re hot. Touching that pretty, wet pussy. Are you aching, Liv?”
“Yes.”
With avid eyes, I watched her fingers move, sliding through pouting flesh, slicking up her juices, then circling over her clit. I sat back on my heels on the bed and reached for her legs, draping them over my thighs. While she stroked herself, I jerked my cock, both of us watching in fascination.
With her other hand she drew one strap low on her shoulder, sliding it down her arm until the loose slip lowered too and revealed one perfect round tit, her nipple hard and mouthwatering. She curved her fingers over the soft flesh and squeezed, then caught the tip between two fingers and tugged.
A groan rumbled in my chest at the erotic sight of her like this. “That’s it, baby. Make yourself feel good.”
My hand moved faster, my balls pulling up tight. Pressure built at the base of my spine, climbing up, electricity tightening every muscle. I couldn’t stop the harsh noises I made, a counterpoint to Olivia’s higher-pitched whimpers. I couldn’t take my eyes off her pretty pussy, so pink and swollen and slick. Throbbing sensation built inside me until I was gone, fiery ecstasy exploding inside me. I cupped my balls and tugged my cock, coming all over Olivia—her hand, her pussy, her lower belly.
“Oh God.” She let out a moan and, gasping, I opened my eyes to watch her come too, her abdomen tightening. Her thi
ghs tensed; her hips lifted. A flush climbed from her chest up her throat and into her face, that adorable orgasmic blush that she hated.
“God, you’re beautiful, Liv. So fucking beautiful.” I leaned down to kiss her mouth.
Olivia
“There you go, beautiful girl. Gonna clean you up.”
Cam gently rubbed a warm, wet washcloth over me, wiping away his come, easing the cloth between my legs and over my lower belly. He reached for my hand and folded the cloth around it to clean it too. Then he tossed the cloth to the rug and slid down under the covers with me, kissing the top of my bare breast before tugging the strap of my chemise back up to my shoulder.
“Damn, that was hot,” he murmured, wrapping his arms around me.
“Mmm.” I snuggled into him. It had definitely been hot. Watching his hand move on his cock, faster and faster, and then him coming on me like that…I’d never watched him do that, and it was sexy and erotic for sure, but even more than that, it felt…intimate.
The way he’d watched me…his eyes hot and avid, his face enthralled…the murmured words of encouragement he’d given me. He made me feel sexy. Desired. Confident enough to do this with him.
This was the ultimate vulnerability, but he made me feel desired and confident out of bed too. I could totally be myself and be open about my doubts and fears…my crazy family, the man who’d dumped me, the guys who’d used me, my old chubby self, my worries that I wouldn’t be able to help as many kids as I wanted to. He stood up for me. And not only that…he admired me. Here in bed, and out of it.
And I felt the same about him. He had an amazing body, strong and fit. He knew how to give me pleasure and if he didn’t know, he wasn’t afraid to ask what I liked, or what worked for me. But more than just turning me on to the point of desperation and giving me incredible orgasms, I admired his generosity and his determination, and his irresistible charm that I now knew wasn’t just superficial but came from a genuine interest in people.
I was in love with him.
As his hand slowly stroked up and down my back, my face pressed to his chest, I tried to figure out what to do about this.
This wasn’t what I’d wanted when I’d suggested turning the bet around on his friends. But it had happened, and it was hard to feel badly about it, when it felt so good. Love expanded in my chest, soft and full. I turned my head to press my lips to his skin, and his hand cupped the back of my skull, caressing my hair. I wanted to say the words, but I kept them inside me. For now.
He had to be feeling it too…didn’t he? He’d said he didn’t do relationships, but the way he acted with me felt like…a relationship. Like we were going through this together, this falling, this caring, this growing together and learning more about ourselves as we learned more about each other.
As lethargy crept over me and slumber pulled me down, I felt a spark of hope inside me, because something that felt this good and right and perfect couldn’t be just one sided.
Cam
It was the day before our first playoff game. What we’d been working toward all year. This was it…the Stanley Cup playoffs.
“What does a playoff team look like?” Coach paused up at the front of the meeting room and looked around. I focused on him intently. “It looks like this.” He lifted his hands, indicating all of us. “A playoff team is tired. They’re in pain from a long season. They’re frustrated about losses. But they’re full of passion. Passion that will let them overcome the fatigue and the pain.”
He walked across the room. “A playoff team has to have energy. They have to be prepared to do whatever it takes. To battle one-on-one late in the third period. To block shots. To play two or three overtime periods, if that’s what it takes to win. They have to be the first to the puck. Clear the net. For the next two months, a playoff team has to bring that energy to the arena every night.”
I nodded.
“It’s not just the passion and the energy. It’s not just physical conditioning.” He tapped his head. “It’s mental conditioning too. You have to stick to the game plan. You can’t let fatigue or distractions get in the way of how you play. Some of you men have never been in a playoff game. Everyone will tell you it’s a whole new season. Everyone will tell you it’s intense. You have no. Fucking. Idea.”
I scrunched my face up.
“All of you have trained yourself to leave everything behind when you step on the ice. And that’s what you have to do now.”
More nodding all around.
“Leave the regular season behind. It’s done. It’s meaningless now. You have to make the mind shift that this a new season. The only thing that matters now is what we can control—being ready for the next game. That means sticking to a routine. No late nights. Lots of sleep. Take care of yourself. Deal with distractions. We love our families, but they can be a distraction—your parents and long-lost cousins you don’t even know are going to fly into town and want you to get them tickets to the game. But your thoughts have to be focused on the game.”
Yes, this was true. My parents were coming to Chicago and were going to be at the game tomorrow night. Also, I seemed to spend a lot of time thinking about Olivia lately.
“You have to have confidence in yourself. And in your teammates.” Coach gave us an intense look. “Some of you guys haven’t been playing together that long. But I’ve seen the teamwork you all bring. The work ethic. I’ve seen the relationships and the chemistry develop. You have to have trust in each other…and that means being trustworthy. Being there for each other. For the team.”
I closed my eyes. Yeah, I had to be here…for the team.
“You have to have trust in the coaching staff,” Coach continued. “Trust in the game plan. Trust in the preparation.” He looked around the room again. “I have trust in you,” Coach finished quietly. “We can do this.”
Al hit the lights, and the room went dark. A video started on the big screen on the wall.
The team’s video coordinator had put this together, highlight clips of every one of the players: A goal by Duper. A hard, clean hit by Army. A blocked shot by Rosser. A face-off win by Pilker. Hallsy battling for the puck. Benny clearing a rebound away before the other team could get it.
The uplifting music added to the emotional impact of the highlights. Interspersed with these moments were short interview clips, the guys who had playoff experience giving their advice.
There was Nicky saying, “Yeah, it’s the playoffs. Yeah, it’s important. But don’t get distracted by that. Don’t overanalyze things. Focus on the game plan.”
Army was up next. “Embrace it. Have fun. The atmosphere will be crazier than you can imagine. Make the most of it.”
I could feel the energy buzzing in the room, everyone attentive and animated.
I couldn’t fail at this. I didn’t fail. Okay, the last few years we hadn’t won the Cup, but this was our year. Everything was aligned for this. This was our time.
Olivia
They lost the first game.
I couldn’t even describe the crushing disappointment I felt, so I couldn’t imagine how Cam felt. And the rest of the guys.
How had that happened? They’d been so ready, so prepared. And not that I was a hockey expert, but it seemed to me that they hadn’t played badly. They’d controlled the puck most of the time, and they’d had eighty-five shot attempts, for God’s sake. And yet, they lost, three–two. They’d just tied up the game in the third period when a Minneapolis player buried one of the only high-quality chances they’d had in the whole game when he got the puck after it bounced off Andrew Ross’s stick at the blue line. Unlucky bounce.
They had a few days between game one and game two, apparently because of the way the league wanted the television schedule, so they didn’t play again until Saturday. Thursday, a bunch of the guys got together at the Sin Bin
for dinner and drinks, and I joined them along with a few other wives and girlfriends. The mood was okay—not in the dumps, but definitely not energetic. A bit somber.
“We watched the tape,” Cam told me. “But there was more to like than to correct. Fuck, that’s frustrating.”
“I know.” I laid my hand on his knee and squeezed.
“Coach is trying to keep this from fucking up our minds, talking about what we did right and what small things we can do to clean up our game.” Cam shook his head. “Now we’re really anxious for the next game.”
“Probably more nervous now, after losing the first game,” Chase added. “Maybe we needed that lesson to make sure we weren’t overconfident.”
There were nods all around.
“Hey, Brick.” Chaser picked up a French fry and pointed at him. “Today’s the day. Two months.” He glanced meaningfully at me.
The world stopped. All the air left my lungs. Today was the day? The bet was up today? Shit! I’d never known the exact date, only that it was around the time the playoffs started.
The voices and music in the Sin Bin faded away. My insides started to tremble, like that shiver you get when you’re super cold and can’t stop shaking. In my head, I knew this day was coming, but somehow my heart had started hoping…hoping that maybe Cam’s feelings for me had changed…like mine had for him.
I loved this man.
My mouth went dry, and my heart bounced around in my chest. What was he going to say? Surely he was going to be honest and tell them he had feelings for me. I might have stopped breathing; air bottled up in my chest.
Cam glanced at me, then down at his steak. “I thought maybe you’d forgotten about it,” he mumbled.
Oh. Oh God. That was good. He wanted them to forget it. So we didn’t have to end things. With a shaky hand I picked up my beer and took a quick sip, my throat constricted. Please, please…let him tell them he lost…
My chest squeezed, my stomach quaking.
Chaser’s grin widened. “ ’Cause you lost, huh?”
Game On Page 20
