The Winning Season

by Alison Packard

  “Was it hard to stop?” He’d been curious about her eating disorder ever since she’d shared it with him, but it didn’t feel right to come at her with a million questions so he’d decided not to say anything unless she brought it up.

  “It was the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life.”

  He shoved his hands into the front pockets of his jeans. “I thought that was dealing with me.”

  The tension eased from her face as she laughed. “You were the second hardest thing.” She brushed her hair back over her shoulder. “That reminds me. Nice job in the media room tonight. The team really needed to hear what you said.”

  “I meant every word. I honestly believe we have what it takes to get to the Series.”

  “You’re making them believe it too. After we lost Rick, the team’s morale tanked big-time.” She moved to stand in front of him and put her hand on his biceps. Her touch was electric. A current of heat shot straight to his groin. “You’ve changed that. You’re becoming their leader.”

  “I don’t think Rizzo would agree.” He slipped his hands from his pockets and slid them around her waist, drawing her closer. She stepped into his embrace, a perfect fit.

  Kelly wrinkled her nose. “Let’s not waste time talking about him.”

  “Works for me,” Matt said, very much aware of the length of her body pressing into his. He dipped his hands to the sweet curve of her ass and nudged her hips forward. The ridge of his cock pressed into her softness. A knowing smile curved her lips—she was fully aware he was quickly becoming turned on. “So, what do you want to talk about?” he asked as he gently kneaded her pliant flesh.

  “I don’t want to talk.” The sudden intensity in her eyes mesmerized him. He could barely think, or breathe. All day, even during the game, he’d thought about this moment—the moment when he would have her again.

  “What do you want?” he asked, surprised by the need that threatened to consume him.

  “I want you.” Her voice was low, hypnotic and unbearably sexy. “Can I have you?”

  Chapter Sixteen

  Could she have him? Matt didn’t have to think twice before answering that question. But instead of words, he gave Kelly his answer by capturing her mouth with his. The taste of her, silky and warm, was all it took. He parted her lips and groaned when their tongues met in a slow sensual duel that rocked him to the bone.

  Completely immersed in her, he was only marginally aware of her hands sliding up his shoulders. But then, when she caressed his nape with her fingertips, a tingling sensation ran up his spine and made him shiver. What the hell was that? Whatever it was, he damn well wanted to feel it again. And he did when she massaged the back of his neck with soft gentle strokes. Growling soft and low in his throat, he pulled his lips from hers, surprised by his body’s reaction to the mere touch of her fingers on his skin.

  Kelly’s lids fluttered open, revealing eyes smoky with desire. “I guess that answers my question.” She rested her hands on his shoulders and continued with a suggestive tilt of her lips, “I have a confession to make.”

  “After last night, I know you’re not a guy. So what’s the big confession?” he asked and chuckled when she let out a short burst of laughter. He kept one hand on her firm ass and slid the other along the curve of her back. He could feel the band of her bra under her dress. Both would be coming off very soon.

  “I’ve been thinking about this all day.”

  “Join the club,” he said and kissed her again. He couldn’t believe how sweet she tasted, how good she smelled and how right it felt to hold her in his arms. As their lips fused together passionately, his only thought was he wanted to bury himself inside of her and not come out until he’d gotten his fill.

  With that goal in mind, he broke their kiss and took a step back. She stared at him mutely as he reached for the bow tied at her waist. Before he could get it undone, she put her hand on his. He looked up and saw a flicker of apprehension in her eyes.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “Maybe we should turn the lights out.”

  “Why?”

  “It’s kind of bright in here,” she said, averting her gaze.

  He cocked his head. “You can’t be nervous about me seeing you naked. Not after last night.”

  “Maybe a little.” She looked back at him, her expression pensive. “Last night, well, it just happened so fast and the light in the room was pretty dim.”

  “It wasn’t that dim.” He lifted his hand and gently stroked her cheek. “Baby, you’re beautiful. Every inch of you.”

  “And there are a lot of inches, aren’t there?” Her tone was flippant, but it was evident this was no joke.

  Lowering his hand, he quickly figured out what was going on. This insecurity had to be a part of her eating disorder. Almost every woman he’d ever been with had some sort of complaint about her body, but for someone like Kelly, every perceived flaw was most likely magnified a hundred times, or more.

  “If you want the lights off, that’s fine. But I’m telling you right now, your body looks pretty damn amazing to me.” He grinned. “Speaking of confessions, I have one of my own to make.”

  She regarded him warily. “What?”

  “That time in the kitchen—you know—the night Stacia brought me back to your condo.”

  Kelly’s eyes narrowed. “I remember you had a handful of Stacia’s ass. That’s what I remember.”

  “Yeah, well.” He cleared his throat. “That was before you walked in. After I saw you in those skimpy shorts and tank top, I sure as hell wasn’t thinking about Stacia, or her ass. You hide your body under those baggy clothes at work, but you don’t have to, Kelly. You’re tall, strong and athletic. That’s nothing to be ashamed of.”

  “It doesn’t bother you that I’m as tall as you are?”

  “Not at all.”

  “And it doesn’t bother you that I weigh over 150 pounds?”

  “No. You’re almost six-one and you play ball. My guess is you have a pretty low percentage of body fat.”

  She regarded him thoughtfully for several seconds. “Maybe we could turn off one light.” A rueful smile curved her full lips. “Unless I’ve totally killed the mood.”

  “You haven’t,” he said and meant it. He was beginning to realize just how hard she had fought to overcome her illness. And he knew from being with her last night that when she wasn’t thinking so much she was able to let go and fully enjoy the moment. “Which light do you want off?” he asked.

  She pointed to the floor lamp next to the couch. “That one.”

  Matt moved to the steel-based lamp and switched it off. That left only the small table lamp atop the nightstand on. The room was considerably less bright, but not so dark that you couldn’t see anything. “Is this okay?”

  “Yes. Thank you for...for understanding.” The luminous smile she gave him took his breath away. How had he not seen how beautiful she was that night in L.A.? Dumb question. He was too busy ogling her sister. But now he couldn’t even conjure up an image of Kayla Maxwell. All he saw was Kelly.

  Their eyes locked and a deep sexual hunger stirred to life in his midsection. He didn’t break eye contact until Kelly reached for the tie of her dress. With deft fingers, she unraveled the bow and tugged at the dress until it was partially open, revealing a glimpse of her black bra and what appeared to be a matching half-slip. She paused and inclined her head. “Take off your shirt.”

  Matt obeyed her husky command and when his shirt was in a heap on the floor, she stared at his chest. Her bold perusal sent a prickle of anticipation over his skin. “Take off your dress,” he said, enjoying this little thing they had going on right now.

  Without a word, she slipped the dress from her shoulders and let it fall to the carpet. As he suspected, she was wearing a sexy and sheer black bra and a black slip with a lace hem short enough to reveal a tantalizing glimpse of her creamy thighs. Although she was athletically built, her defined waist and curved hips were enticingly feminine.
His grin faded and the blood in his veins burned hot as he took in the magnificence of her body.

  “I know the drill,” he said before she could speak. Using his feet, he kicked off one shoe and then the other, glad he’d forgone socks. He sensed her eyes on him as he unbuttoned his jeans and tugged at the zipper. He slid both the jeans and his briefs down over his hips, stepped out of them and straightened.

  Kelly’s gaze, dark and smoldering, slowly slid downward. Whether it was unconscious or not, she licked her lips. It was his undoing. A primal reaction kicked in and, unable to wait any longer, he crossed the short distance between them, and pulled her to his body. He smothered her soft sound of surprise with his mouth. It was no gentle kiss. He sucked at her mouth, groaning as their tongues scraped together. Like a starving man, he dove deeper; she reciprocated, kissing him ravenously, devouring him just as he was devouring her. Completely immersed in her, he couldn’t remember ever wanting a woman so badly. His heart thundered in his chest, his body was on fire and his dick was getting harder by the second.

  Sliding his hand up her supple back, he unhooked her bra and then, still kissing her, he backed her toward the bed. It must have been closer than he realized because they toppled to the mattress together and Kelly let out a grunt as he landed on top of her.

  “Are you okay?” He rolled off of her and, leveraging himself on his elbow, he stared down at her flushed face.

  “I’m fine. Help me with this damn thing.” As she tugged at the straps of her bra, he eased it off of her and flung it across the room. “Be careful with that,” she said indignantly. “It’s from Victoria’s Secret.”

  “Duly noted. Do the panties match or are you wearing a thong?”

  “No. I hate thongs.” She wrinkled her nose and hooked her finger into the waistband of her slip. “When I wear one it feels like I’ve got a constant wedgie.”

  Matt laughed as she extricated her legs from her slip and panties and tossed them on the floor beside the bed. She didn’t seem to be self-conscious about her body anymore and she was definitely more relaxed. He hoped it was because she felt comfortable with him.

  She lifted her arm and gently touched his cheek with her fingers. “You didn’t shave today.”

  “I got lazy. I’ll shave tomorrow.” He stared at her breasts and then lowered his head and drew a rose-colored nipple into his mouth. Her breath hitched and she twined her fingers in his hair. Just because he knew it drove her crazy, he took his time, moving from one nipple to the other, lavishing both with his tongue until they were taut and glistening from his mouth.

  “Matt,” she whispered and tugged at his hair. He lifted his head, desire twisting in his gut at the arousal glittering in her eyes. “I want you.”

  He wanted her too. Badly. But before he had her there was something he had to do. Something he’d been thinking about all day.

  “The condoms,” she said after he’d moved over her and was between the thighs she’d spread readily for him. “They’re on the nightstand.”

  “Don’t worry. I know where they are.”

  “But...” she began just before he lowered his head and cut off her words with a kiss. She sighed against his mouth and then her hands were on his shoulders, her fingers teasing his skin with featherlight strokes. Although supporting his weight with his palms braced on the bed so he wouldn’t crush her, his cock was in direct contact with the softness between her thighs. With memories of last night still fresh in his mind, it took all of the willpower he possessed not to slide into her and fuck her until they were both sweaty and satisfied.

  He couldn’t do that. At least not yet.

  For the past year he’d sought out women to assuage his pain, to help him forget what he’d lost. He was fairly certain that if those women had been polled about his performance in the sack, selfish would be right there at the top of the list. It was true. He’d cared more about his own needs than he had about theirs. But now, everything had changed.

  Consumed with the need to please, he kissed his way to the pulsing hollow of Kelly’s neck and then moved lower. His cock got harder as he suckled her taut nipples and she made those same breathy sounds of pleasure that had turned him on last night. He dipped lower and pressed his lips to her smooth flat stomach, tracing the outline of her belly button with his tongue. She quivered beneath his mouth, but he was the one affected when he caught a whiff of her womanly scent. His body reacted immediately, the need for release strong. It would have to wait. Right now, Kelly came first.

  When he reached his final destination, the wetness shimmering on her feminine folds mesmerized him. Her soft pink flesh, swollen with excitement, was both erotic and beautiful. Unable to resist, he lowered his head and tasted her for the first time. It was everything he’d imagined, and more. Soft, silky and wet. Wet for him. It was intoxicating.

  “Matt.” Her husky voice invoking his name spurred him on, reminding him of his quest. He grasped her hips, lifted her to his mouth and licked her thoroughly before he zeroed in on her clit and circled it with his tongue. “Oh God, that feels so good,” she whispered. Withdrawing, he did it again. He felt her shudder and her low moans of pleasure filled him not only with satisfaction, but with the desire to make her come so hard and so good she would never forget it.

  He teased her. First circling her sensitive bud and then flicking it gently until she was whimpering with need and spreading her legs even wider, offering herself to him with no inhibitions or insecurities whatsoever. Before long, the only sounds in the room were her soft pants of pleasure. The quivering of her body told him everything he needed to know. She was on the brink and it was time to send her over the edge. Covering her clit with his mouth, he sucked on it until her body shook, and those soft pants turned into one long moan of pleasure that filled the room and echoed off the walls.

  Fully aroused, Matt couldn’t wait one more second to be inside of her. He tore his mouth from between her legs, crawled over her and reached for the box of condoms on the nightstand. After making quick work of putting one on, he moved back between her luscious thighs and entered her with one smooth thrust.

  After that, there was no thinking. It was all about how she looked up at him with passion-glazed eyes, and how her hips quickly matched his rhythm as they rocked together on the bed. It was about how warm, wet and tight she felt around his cock, how soft her skin was and how her fingers, caressing the back of his neck, were driving him fucking crazy. With his orgasm closing in, he shifted his weight to one side, lifted Kelly’s knee over his shoulder and went deeper. She gasped but matched him stroke for sensuous stroke until the heady rush of pleasure exploded in his groin. He rode it out and with a satisfied moan, he collapsed on top of her, content and completely relaxed.

  “If I don’t move I’m going to fall asleep on top of you.” He lifted his head from the crook of her neck. She was smiling. “So, I am that good,” he said and grinned. “I mean, why else would you look so happy?”

  “That’s not why I’m smiling,” she said but recovered quickly when he gave her a pained look. “Not that you aren’t that good. Because you are. You’re very good. Spectacular even.”

  Matt rolled his eyes. “Yeah, whatever.”

  “I was thinking about the night we met,” she said as she skimmed her fingers languidly down his back. Her touch was soft and soothing. He didn’t want to move a muscle.

  “How could that put a smile on your face? Didn’t I tell you to fuck off? Or was it you who said that?”

  Kelly’s eyes sparkled mischievously. “You said, ‘Fuck you.’ And then I said, ‘Fuck me? You should be so lucky.’”

  “And your point is?” He stared at her, not quite getting it.

  “My point is you got lucky.”

  He thought about it for a second and then gave her a cocky grin. “Actually, if you count last night, I got lucky twice.”

  * * *

  Seven days later, Kelly sat in a window seat on the plane taking her and the team back to San Francisco.
It was late and the plane, quiet. The interior lights were off and almost all of the guys were asleep. Their final game with the Cardinals had gone into extra innings and in order to secure the win, nearly every player on the team had been utilized. There hadn’t been time to celebrate the much-needed victory, or even send the clutch players to the media room to take questions. The team showered immediately, then everyone got onto the bus and they were whisked away to the airport.

  She had mixed feelings about returning to the Bay Area. Yes, she was tired of living out of a suitcase, sleeping in hotel rooms and ordering room service every night but, undeniably, this had been the best road trip she’d been on all season. Could anyone blame her for not wanting it to end?

  Every night while they were in Washington, D.C., Matt had spent the night in her room, but due to a screwup by the Blaze travel department, the players had to share rooms at the hotel in St. Louis. Of course, Matt and J.T. had buddied up, but after J.T.’s curfew snafu in Miami, neither she nor Matt thought it appropriate for J.T. to see Matt ignoring the same rule they expected him to abide by.

  Staying in their respective rooms had to happen at some point. They even joked about finally getting a good night’s sleep. But what she hadn’t counted on was the way she missed him lying next to her, his body warm and protective as he held her in his arms. Or the way he tenderly kissed her goodbye each morning before he slipped out of her room and went back to his.

  Now, because of the feelings he stirred in her, she couldn’t help but worry about how things would be between them when they got back home.

  Would their relationship continue? Did they even have a relationship, or was it just sex? Matt’s past told her that whatever they had would be casual and short-lived, but her heart was having a hard time believing what her mind knew to be true. Matt didn’t do commitment, and she just might be nearing her expiration date.