Play Hard

by V. K. Sykes

  “I can’t wait to see you,” he finished.

  Logan slipped her blouse over her shoulders and deftly unclipped her bra—which was a miracle considering he was all jittery, like a damn teenager. And he knew he needed to keep a cool head because this was different. This night. This moment.

  He couldn’t explain exactly the why or how of it, it just was.

  The lamp in the hallway bathed Billie in a swath of light that fell over her skin in an ethereal wash. She didn’t say a word. She just stood before him, breasts bared, the nipples hard and wet from his mouth. Her hair fell in ripples over her shoulders and the sight of her like that, half dressed, body bathed in shadow and light, lips bruised from his own—was something he didn’t think he’d ever forget.

  Her fingers were at the snap of her jeans but he pushed her hands away.

  “No way, Barker, this is all mine.”

  He tugged on her zipper—eyes widening—hell they nearly jumped out of his freaking head when he saw the surprise inside. She was completely naked.

  Holy. Hell. Commando had never looked so good.

  He kneeled and rolled her jeans down her hips and past her knees, where they bunched around her calves, his eyes fastened to the hot opening between her legs. If she moved she would fall and her hands fell on his shoulders for support.

  Before she had a chance to steady herself his mouth opened over the part of her that she’d teased him with the night before—that sweet spot between her legs that had looked so damn hot via Skype. His tongue swept over her and when he reached around and cupped her sweet ass, she moaned and leaned into him.

  She tasted like heaven, a womanly, heavenly musk that made him even harder as he inhaled her sweetness—her desire for him. When his teeth scraped the hard, swollen nub between her folds she would have fallen if not for his hands holding her in place.

  He tasted her for the longest time, enjoying the sounds she made, and when he sank his tongue deep inside, when he slid a finger into her hotness, she groaned—and then came, shuddering into his mouth. That sweet sound she made at the back of her throat nearly did him in.

  “Oh, Logan,” she breathed. “I can’t feel my legs.”

  He couldn’t speak. Looking up into eyes that told him she was just as affected by him as he was by her, undid him. It tightened him up—everywhere—inside and out.

  Logan ran a hand through his hair as he tried to calm his racing heart. He wanted her on the most basic level that a man could want a woman, but it was so much more than that. It wasn’t just about sex and the need to be inside her so badly it hurt—it was all the other stuff to. The need to matter. The need to be selfless.

  The need to love.

  He stood in one fluid motion and grabbed her up into his arms. With several strides he was in the family room. Soft light fell inside from the bay window and when he placed her over the edge of the sofa, the groan he let out pretty much said it all.

  Her ass, that perfectly sweet and fine ass, was tipped up toward him and with her legs spread slightly, the soft, moist treasure between them glistened for his eyes only...

  She kicked off her boots, her jeans following suit while he dropped his jacket and pulled his T-shirt over his head.

  “I have never wanted anyone the way I want you, Barker.”

  His jeans were next and he glanced across the room into the mirror, hung floor to ceiling and opposite the leather sofa. Her large eyes were half closed and she rolled her hips suggestively against the leather armrest, a soft moan escaping her lips as she locked her gaze onto his.

  “Then do something about it Logan because I feel like I’m going to come apart if you don’t—”

  He was inside her before she could finish, settled between her legs, cock buried as deep as he could go. For a few moments, he did nothing. He took the time to enjoy the feel of her around him. Her heat. Her tightness. Her amazing ass grazing his lower abdomen as she slowly rocked against the sofa.

  His hands splayed across her roundness and she gasped when he kneaded her lower back.

  And then as she watched him in the mirror, her mouth open slightly, eyes wet with emotion—he began to move. Slowly. With long torturous strokes that drove him crazy—because all he wanted to do was pump fast and hard and relieve the pressure that had built all week. But he wanted this to last, so when she tried to control the rhythm he bent over, hands like vise-grips on her hips, and whispered.

  “Payback’s a bitch, sweetness.”

  She moaned. “Logan, I need it,” but she couldn’t finish and began to move beneath him, her hands down between her body and the leather that she was bent over.

  “What? What do you need?”

  “You,” she said simply and his heart rolled over.

  “Open your eyes,” he said hoarsely. “I want to see you.”

  She obeyed and met his gaze in the mirror. As Logan increased his rhythm, she arched her back, she gasped and cried out. He’d never seen anything as hot as Billie, totally in the moment.

  Totally with him as he approached the cliff.

  When he couldn’t stand it anymore, when his control had reached the point of no return, Logan slipped his arms around her and held her tight. He panted and groaned, as he shuddered into her.

  For the longest time he held Billie, her back flush to his chest, her body shivering as the aftershocks of her orgasm rolled through her.

  When he finally stepped back, she turned and immediately wrapped her arms around him.

  “I missed you,” she whispered. “So much.”

  Logan’s heart swelled and he kissed the side of her temple, his mouth slowly making its way down to hers. He parted her lips again, but this time his touch was gentle, almost as if he was tasting her for the first time.

  He could spend hours just kissing this woman, and when he had done a good and thorough job of it, he paused and glanced to the side. “Son-of-a-bitch.”

  She followed his gaze and swore. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”

  They had an audience. A furry, purring little thing, who flicked a crooked tail back and forth while holding out a paw to be licked.

  A cat with one eye. An eye for porn.

  Chapter Twenty-five

  It was nearly three in the morning when finally Billie snuggled next to Logan in his king size bed. Her body had been thoroughly loved—more than once—and as she lay against him, listening to his steady heartbeat, she couldn’t remember ever feeling this content and happy.

  Sure she’d had some highlights in her life. Competing in the Olympics came to mind, but this was a different high. It was different and scary.

  She traced his tattoo and sighed.

  “You can’t be ready for another round.” His voice rumbled against her cheek and she giggled, resting her chin on his chest so that she could look up into his eyes.

  “Why? You’re not?”

  A slow grin spread across his mouth as his hands twirled a piece of her hair. “Woman, I’ve got the stamina of a race horse but even I can’t make miracles happen.” He shifted a bit and encircled her with his arms. “So,” he said casually. “What’s your news?”

  Her brows furrowed. “Hmm?”

  “Your news. The text?”

  “Oh!” She squealed. “I made a life altering decision while you were gone.”

  “You did?” he murmured against her hair.

  Billie paused, bending her head to the side as he massaged her scalp. His fingers were full of magic. There could be no other explanation.

  “I did. I made a decision about my future.”

  “I see,” his fingers were at the base of head now, his voice low and husky. “Are you planning on being my sex slave for life?”

  She smiled as his fingers moved down to her shoulder, where he continued to work his magic. Shit, if he kept this up she’d fall asleep before she could share her good news. “Well, that is pretty high on my list of things to do, but, no.”

  “Damn,” he retorted. “Guess I’ll have
to take out another ad on Craig’s List.”

  She nipped his pectoral. “Bastard.”

  “Seriously,” he murmured. “What’s up?”

  She’d kept this news close to her chest all week, only sharing it with Bobbi and Herschel. Would he be as excited for her? Was it even that big of a deal?

  Suddenly shy, she bit her lip and looked away from him.

  “Don’t do that,” Logan said.

  Her eyebrow shot up. “What?”

  “Bite your lip.”

  “I didn’t bite my lip.”

  “Yes you did and every time you do, it makes me want to kiss you. And that will lead to expectations.”

  She smiled. “Expectations?”

  “Yes,” his fingers slid along her jaw. “Sexual expectations and my batteries are running low at the moment. So don’t be expecting anything for at least”—he glanced at the clock on the table beside his bed—”another twenty-two minutes.”

  “Twenty-two minutes,” she repeated softly.

  “I could maybe get started at the twenty minute mark, but I can’t promise anything spectacular until I at least hit twenty-two.”

  She laughed softly. “Okay,” she said. “Got it. Twenty-two is your number.”

  “Twenty-one might work.”

  She punched his arm.

  “And your news is?” he prodded.

  “I’m going to open my own hockey school.” The words came out in a rush, tumbling one after the other until she was nearly out of breath.

  Billie explained how she had run the session with Kendall’s team and how much she enjoyed it. She told him how the coaches and the trainer had expressed interest in hiring her to work with the team and word had spread. By Wednesday night she had interest from an entire roster of girls and boys, ranging in age from five and up.

  “I looked into ice time and there isn’t much available for the coming season at the new twin pad, but then Mr. Talbot called in a favor with the Mayor and as long as I’m willing to pay to have ice installed in the old arena, then I can use it for now until I decide what to do.”

  “But that must cost a fortune.”

  She nodded. “It’s not cheap but here’s the thing. You don’t even want to know how much parents are willing to pay to have someone with my experience teach their kids everything I know about hockey, plus, I have money set aside that I can use if I need it. A good friend who runs his own school out in Colorado is willing to fly out and help me get things organized and Bobbi has already volunteered to help out on the business end of things.”

  Billie twisted until she sat up, too full of excitement and nervous energy to lie still. Logan’s opinion mattered.

  “What do you think?”

  “I think you’re amazing.”

  Logan sat up as well, his broad shoulders set against the headboard as he studied her for the longest time without saying anything. The nightlight plugged into the wall beside the bed threw shadows across his square jaw, and half of his face was hidden. With a day’s worth of stubble and the serious glint in his eyes, he looked sexy and dangerous and…pensive.

  Alarm hit Billie, square in the gut. Something was wrong. But what?

  “Logan?” Her mouth went dry. “What’s going on?”

  “We need to talk,” he said carefully.

  Billie’s mouth went dry. Her stomach rolled and a cold sweat beaded across her flesh. She grabbed the blanket and pulled it up to just underneath her chin.

  How could she have gone from ecstasy to this cold, awful feeling in so little time?

  She pushed a tangle of hair behind her shoulder and stared at Logan, not really sure how to proceed.

  “Okay, what’s up?”

  She retreated a few inches from him and waited, not able to read the look in his eyes or judge his body language.

  Logan ran a hand over his chin and blew out a long hot breath.

  “Billie, these past few weeks have been…”

  Oh my God, he’s breaking up with me.

  “Incredible.”

  But can we break up if we’re not really a couple?

  “You are the most interesting…”

  Interesting? That’s bad?

  “Sexy, kooky, pain-in-the-butt lady I’ve ever met.”

  I miss him already.

  “You know, when we first got together I didn’t know what to think. I mean, here was this woman, someone I’d always thought of as a kid, and you weren’t—”

  The dread inside Billie tightened and she found it hard to breathe.

  “A kid at all. You were a passionate, funny, pain-in-the—”

  “Butt…I know,” she interrupted. Billie inched forward, still unsure, still scared, but knowing she couldn’t take this torture anymore. “What in the hell are you trying to say, Forest? If this whole night has been about a last roll in the sack then fine. But spit it out because I’m not a mind reader and right now I have no clue what the hell it is you’re trying to say or even what you’re leading up to.”

  “I don’t want to hide anymore.”

  She blinked. “What?”

  Logan shrugged. “I don’t want to sneak around like some horny high school kid. I’m done with that.”

  “You want to go public? With our relationship?”

  “I wanted to punch the crap out of Danvers tonight. Break his nose. Pound him to a pulp because he was all over you, and I like the guy. But, more importantly I don’t blame him for wanting you. He’d be an idiot not to.”

  “But we’re together.” He bent forward and grabbed the hand she was nervously biting on. “I don’t give a shit what any of the guys in the league think.” He paused and rubbed his forefinger along her wrist. “And neither should you.”

  Her heart squeezed tight and as the dread rolled away, it was replaced with a heady, light feeling. He wanted her.

  “So,” she bit her lip and smiled when his eyes widened. “Are you asking me to go steady, Mr. Forest?”

  Logan grinned and lunged forward, pinning her beneath him in a swath of linen and naked skin. “I guess I am.” He nuzzled her neck. He found that one spot that drove her crazy and it was all Billie could do to sound coherent.

  “Okay,” she replied, ending on a moan as he pulled her earlobe into his mouth.

  His hand sank into her hair and then his mouth claimed hers in a dizzying kiss that was one part surrender, and one part possession. It was incredible and sweet and hot and—

  “Are we at twenty-two minutes yet?” She murmured against his mouth.

  Logan pulled back. “Not quite. I still have something that I need to say to you.”

  Her tongue snaked out and scored a taste of his mouth. “Can’t it wait?”

  But Logan wasn’t going to be deterred. He grabbed her hand and gently pushed her back. “No. I need to tell you this.”

  Once more, Billie found herself fighting back that sinking feeling of doubt and worry and insecurity. She sat back.

  For a few moments there was nothing. No words. No sound.

  Weird jumped onto the bed and settled in the far corner, on board for another bout of cleaning—or spying—but still Logan remained silent.

  Until finally he spoke.

  “You need to know about something that I did and as much as I’d rather not tell you, I know it’s the right thing to do.” His eyebrows arched. “Hell, maybe you already know.”

  Billie could only shake her head helplessly, hoping that he wasn’t going where she thought he was.

  “I slept with your sister.”

  Shit. He went there.

  Now would be the time for her to come clean, but…

  “Which one?” she quipped, while her mind whirled in a thousand different directions.

  “It was a long time ago and I was drunk, or at least half way there, and that’s not an excuse, it’s just what it was.”

  “I don’t care,” she said moving closer to him.

  He continued on as if she hadn’t said a thing. “It was a Christmas
party so you can imagine the booze and people and it was just a crazy night. Shane and Bobbi had just hooked up and Betty was there and she’s one hell of a flirt.”

  I know, I was there too.

  Pain crumpled around her heart and she was surprised at how much it still hurt that he didn’t know. After all this time.

  “Your sister was all over the place, kind of wild and she followed me into a room and,” he looked so uncomfortable it tugged at her heart. “Well, we had sex. It was only that one night and I just…” he looked away. “I just thought you should know.”

  Weird meowed and hopped off the bed, obviously bored with their talk. Billie watched the cat disappear and then she turned to Logan, moving into him, wrapping her arms around him.

  “Okay,” she said softly.

  Tell him the truth!

  She opened her mouth because if ever there was a moment to spill her guts to him, it was now. She rested her cheek against his chest, listened to his heart, and drank in the heat of his body.

  “Are you sure you’re okay with that?” he murmured.

  Tell him.

  But she couldn’t. As much as she knew she needed to, she just couldn’t. How could she tell the man she loved that she’d been lying to him for years? How could she let him see just how pathetic she was? How she had tricked him into having sex with her?

  She couldn’t do it. Not right now.

  Not just yet.

  She ignored his question, leaned into him and whispered. “We just hit twenty-five minutes, Mister. You’ve got some catching up to do.”

  Chapter Twenty-six

  “I hear the Angry Pirates are playing the Cornucopia tournament in the city.”

  Logan grabbed a roll of tape and tossed it on the counter for Mr. Talbot to ring up. He had just gotten his skates sharpened and was in a hurry. It was nearly six and he was due at Billie’s for dinner.

  He grinned at the thought. Dinner with Billie.

  Dinner with Billie and her family. Their kinda-sorta official first public date.