“No.” Reid clenched his jaw. “I had to talk some sense into the asshole, make him see the error of his ways.”
“And he left?”
“Yeah.”
“Thank God.” Nadia gave him a warm, relieved smile. “You’re a good brother, Reid.”
He shrugged, embarrassed by her praise. “I try to be.”
“You are.” She stared up at him, studying his face for a long moment. “What else is bothering you?”
He stared back at her, shaken by how well she could read him. He’d never been with a woman who was so attuned to his moods. He didn’t know whether it was good or bad.
“Reid?” she prompted softly. “What’s on your mind?”
“Nothing I care to discuss at three o’clock in the morning.” He smiled to soften his words.
She studied him a moment longer, then smiled quietly and lifted her hand to his chest. He felt her touch all the way down to his groin.
“Come on,” she murmured. “Let’s get a few more hours of sleep, then I’ll fix you breakfast while you get ready for practice.”
Reid smiled slowly. “Sounds good.”
She took his hand and led him back down the hallway, back to the soft comfort of her bed and the warm curves of her body.
14
Bianca’s charity photo shoot was held later that morning at the Denver Rebels’ practice facility. Not only had Reid graciously agreed to pose for the charity calendar; he’d also reserved one of the arena’s rinks so that the photographer could get action shots of him on the ice, which would be used for the background for his calendar photo.
For Reid’s convenience, the photo shoot had been scheduled right after the team’s morning practice. So he was already suited up in his pads and skates, swapping out his practice jersey for the one he wore during games.
It was Columbus Day, so Nadia was off from work. Standing off to the side of the rink, she watched as Reid skated toward the photographer while shooting a puck. After staying up half the night making love to Nadia and then managing his sister’s crisis before getting up for practice that morning, he had to be exhausted. But you’d never know it by looking at him.
As he executed a series of action poses at the photographer’s direction, he showed no signs of fatigue. He was a natural in front of the camera. Probably because he was in his element, and since he already had several endorsement deals, he was used to being photographed.
It also helped that he was photogenic.
Mouthwateringly photogenic.
No wonder Braden Nile’s young blond assistant couldn’t stop beaming like a kid in a candy store.
Standing beside Nadia, Bianca fanned herself with a French-manicured hand. “Girl, that man is so damn hot, it’s a miracle the ice isn’t melting.”
Nadia grinned. “I’m telling Nelson.”
Bianca laughed. “You’d better not.”
“Keep misbehaving and I will.”
“Okay, okay. Let me stop ogling your man.” Bianca grinned. “I really appreciate Reid doing this for me. How did you convince him to pose for the calendar?”
Nadia shrugged. “I just told him it was for a good cause.”
“That’s all you had to do?” Bianca wiggled her eyebrows. “You didn’t have to employ your feminine wiles?”
A secret, naughty smile curved Nadia’s lips. “Well…”
Bianca grinned. “Thanks for taking one for the team.”
“Anytime.”
They both laughed.
“Since hockey season officially started this month,” Bianca said, “Reid’s going to be Mr. October.”
Nadia grinned. “October’s one of my favorite months. I love dressing up for Halloween and being wicked for the night.”
“Well, now, you and Reid can be wicked together.” Bianca grinned suggestively. “The wickeder, the better.”
Nadia merely chuckled.
They watched as Reid skated down the ice, moving with controlled speed and agility. As he neared the goal, he pulled back his stick and deftly fired the puck into the net. The photographer’s assistant cheered and clapped as enthusiastically as if he’d just scored during a game.
“Perfect,” Braden Nile called, clicking away with his camera. “That’s a great shot.”
Reid lazily circled the goal before starting back up the ice. Watching him, Nadia was reminded of the first time they’d met, right there in that arena. It was hard to believe it had only been a week ago. So much had happened since then.
As he glided toward Nadia, he gave her a sexy grin that sent her hormones into overdrive.
She blew him a kiss.
He winked at her, his cool fingers brushing her cheek as he skated by.
“Time for the eye candy shot,” the photographer’s assistant announced in a singsong voice.
Bianca raised an amused eyebrow at Nadia. “Is it just me, or did she sound just a tad too excited about Reid taking off his jersey?”
“It’s not just you,” Nadia grumbled. “She definitely sounded giddy.”
While Braden was taking the action shots, his efficient assistant had set up a portable backdrop and light stands in one corner of the rink, not far from where Nadia and Bianca stood.
Reid skated over, running long fingers through his sweat-damp hair.
The blonde beamed up at him. “I turned on the heat lamp to keep you warm. Are you ready?”
“Yeah. Let’s make this quick.” Reid removed his jersey and padding with an athletic economy of movement, revealing his drool-worthy bare chest.
The blonde’s jaw dropped.
“Oh my God,” Bianca breathed.
Nadia bit her bottom lip, unable to tear her gaze away from the mass of rock-hard muscles and bulging biceps gleaming with a sheen of sweat.
The blonde was clearly hot and bothered as she instructed Reid on how he would pose while Braden adjusted the lighting.
“Um-mmm-umph,” Bianca murmured appreciatively. “You are one lucky ass girl, Nadia.”
She smiled. It gave her a secret thrill of satisfaction to think that she was the only one there who knew what it was like to feast on Reid’s scrumptious body. Only she had experienced the pleasure of straddling his hips, bracing her palms on those eight-pack abs and riding him into oblivion.
Her mind went hot and hazy at the memory, her pussy growing slick.
As if sensing her body’s primitive reaction, Reid looked over at her.
Their eyes locked.
Despite the coolness of the ice rink, a rush of heat swept over her, radiating between her thighs and tightening her nipples into hard points.
Wearing only his hockey pants with his muscular chest glistening and his dark hair standing up in unruly disarray, Reid was the epitome of sex on skates.
As he stared at Nadia, she ran her tongue slowly over her lips. From where she stood, she could see his hand tighten around the handle of the hockey stick he was holding.
She bit her lip, her hungry gaze telling him how much she wanted to lick the sweat from his skin, how much she wanted to slide her body over his, how much she wanted to get naked and dirty with him.
He read all that in her eyes and swallowed hard, his pectoral muscles flexing with tension.
She smiled, slow and naughty.
He gave her a smoldering look that promised retribution.
She couldn’t wait.
After the photo shoot, they went to lunch with Bianca and Nelson, who left work and met them at the downtown restaurant.
At Nadia’s request, they were seated at a private booth in the back. She still felt hyperconscious of being in public with Reid now that there were photos of them floating around the Internet. She wanted to enjoy his company without having to worry about some paparazzi wannabe snapping pictures of them.
Over lunch, the foursome kept up a lively stream of conversation, the topics veering from current events to politics to the best travel destinations. As they laughed and bantered with one another, Nadia was str
uck by how natural it felt for her and Reid to be hanging out with Nelson and Bianca, as if they’d been double-dating for years. She also appreciated the easy rapport between Reid and her brother. Nelson had never cared for any of the guys she’d dated, so it pleased her to see him getting along so well with her current man. It didn’t hurt that Reid was a famous hockey player that Nelson had idolized for years.
When the conversation turned to sports, Nelson brought up the Rebels’ upcoming stretch of road games. It was a topic Nadia had been trying to avoid ever since she’d made the mistake of downloading the team’s schedule. After playing the Florida Panthers at home tomorrow night, the Rebels would hit the road for a grueling five-game series that ended in Montreal. Reid would be gone for ten days.
Ten whole days.
“Nadia’s gonna be lost without you,” Nelson teased.
Her cheeks warmed as Reid smiled at her from under the bill of his Detroit Tigers baseball cap. After the photo shoot, he’d showered and changed into a long-sleeved gray T-shirt with a pair of sweats and Timbs. His hair was still damp, the edges curling against his neck and over his ears.
His eyes twinkled at Nadia. “You gonna miss me?”
She took a sip of her chocolate martini. “Maybe.”
Nelson snort-laughed. “Don’t let her fool you, Reid. She’s never been a hockey fan in her life, but you should have seen the way she was glued to the TV when you guys played the Bruins on Saturday. Every time they announced your name or showed you on camera, Nadia got the biggest damn smile on her face. Seriously, man. I don’t know what she’s gonna do with herself while you’re gone.”
If Nelson had been sitting across from Nadia, she would have kicked him under the table. Hard.
“Pay him no mind,” she told Reid. “I always tease him about missing Bianca when she goes out of town. He’s just giving me a taste of my own medicine.”
Reid cocked an eyebrow at her. “Are you saying you won’t miss me?”
She felt herself blush. “Of course I will.”
“Good,” he drawled, bringing his face close to hers, “’cause I’m gonna miss the hell outta you.”
As a surge of pleasure swept through her, she smiled into his eyes.
He gazed back at her with an expression of tender warmth.
Across the table, Nelson and Bianca shared a knowing smile.
When Reid leaned back in the booth and possessively draped his arm around her shoulders, Nadia relaxed into his side, savoring his body heat and the smell of his warm skin and shower-damp hair.
She’d never been one for public displays of affection, but Reid was already changing that. He thought nothing of kissing her wherever the mood struck, whether they were standing in a dark parking lot at night or strolling down a busy sidewalk in broad daylight. Throughout lunch he’d maintained some sort of physical contact with her—rubbing his thigh against hers, feeding her off his fork, idly playing with her hair, holding her hand under the table and gently massaging her palm with his thumb. He was touchy-feely with her, and she liked it.
Liked it way more than she should have.
When they finished eating, Reid insisted on taking care of the bill, ignoring Nelson’s protests. While they waited for their server to return with Reid’s credit card, he excused himself to use the restroom. As he got up and sauntered from the table, Nadia watched him go, enjoying the way his sweats hugged his round ass. She was half tempted to follow him and make him pay for keeping her body in a state of semi-arousal during lunch. Every time he’d touched her, her skin had burned hot enough to melt her clothes off.
“Don’t even think about it,” warned a laughing voice.
Nadia swiveled her head around to blink innocently at Bianca. “What?”
“I saw the way you were staring after Reid. Don’t get any ideas about following him to the men’s room for a quickie.”
Nadia’s face heated. “I wasn’t,” she lied.
“Uh-huh.” Bianca grinned knowingly. “You and Reid will have to wait until you get back to his house to have each other for dessert.”
“Please do,” Nelson said with wry humor. “I’d prefer not to be anywhere in the vicinity when you two are getting it on.”
Nadia smiled sweetly. “I feel the same way when you and Bianca are having sexy time—loudly—in your bedroom.”
The couple laughed, trading sheepish glances.
As Nadia polished off her chocolate martini, Nelson said to her, “Seriously though. You and Reid seem really happy together.”
“They sure do,” Bianca agreed warmly.
Nadia smiled. “We’re enjoying ourselves.”
“I’m glad to hear that.” Nelson’s voice gentled. “You’ve been with a lot of assholes over the years. It’s good to finally see you with someone who clearly appreciates you.”
Nadia was touched by his words. “Thank you, Nels.”
He nodded, his face suddenly grim. “That said, I know all about Reid’s reputation. It’s too early to tell whether or not he’s a changed man, but I’ll tell you this. I may look like Clark Kent,” he said, touching the rim of his eyeglasses, “but if that dude ever does anything to hurt you, I’ma go straight Superman on his ass and fuck him up.”
Nadia choked out a startled laugh. “Nelson!”
“I’m just sayin’. You’re my sister, Nadia. I have to look out for you.”
She smiled softly. “I know. And I truly appreciate that. Trust and believe that if Reid ever hurts me, you have my permission to kick his ass.” She paused. “Or at least try to.”
As Nelson and Bianca laughed, Nadia looked up to see Reid coming toward the table. When their eyes met, he gave her one of those lazy smiles meant just for her.
Her heart flip-flopped.
She hoped her brother would never have to make good on his threat.
15
Reid was in heaven.
Sweet fucking paradise.
He had Nadia up on the hood of his Aero, her silky legs wrapped around his neck as he ravenously devoured her.
“Reid…oh my God!” She was sobbing and writhing against him, pulling his hair so hard it hurt. Hurt so good. “I can’t take…oh, shit, baby, what’re you doing to me?”
He smiled with dark satisfaction. He was punishing her for the way she’d been teasing and torturing him. Starting at the photo shoot and then on the ride to his house, licking those plump lips of hers, leaning over to dance her fingertips up the inside of his thigh. She’d had him so hot and bothered, it was a miracle he hadn’t veered off the damn road and crashed.
He couldn’t get them home fast enough. As soon as he’d pulled into the garage, Nadia, the naughty little minx, had darted out of the Aero and made a run for the door. But Reid was on her in a flash, carrying her back to the car, setting her down on the hood and stripping her naked. By the time he put his face between her thighs, she was already soaking wet, her honeyed nectar drenching his lips with one stroke of his tongue.
Now she was keening with pleasure, twisting and thrashing beneath him. He gripped her hips, holding her still while he sucked the hard knot of her clit and flicked his tongue back and forth inside her, savoring her taste and her scent. She smelled delicious and tasted fucking incredible. He couldn’t get enough of her. Where the hell had she been all his damn life?
When he slid his tongue between her slick folds, she bucked against him and pressed her thighs to his ears. He got off on the sound of her ragged breathing, the desperate little mewling cries she made as he ate her.
She gripped his hair harder, trying to pull him up as she begged, “Get up here now and fuck me. Please!”
Reid almost exploded in his pants.
Knowing he couldn’t hold out much longer, he slid just the tip of his finger into her anus, sucked the sensitive hood of her clit and sank his tongue deep inside her pussy.
The triple combo worked.
Nadia threw back her head, her back arching completely off the car as she screamed, “REEEID!”
He watched her come, watched her face contort in ecstasy while he sucked her pussy, savoring the violent pulses of her orgasm and the hot rush of juices that filled his mouth.
Convulsions continued rippling through her as she lay there naked beneath him, breathless and trembling from her orgasm.
With a husky groan of satisfaction, he stood and stripped off his T-shirt, then toed off his Timbs while reaching into his pocket for his wallet. Urgency burned through his blood as he pulled out a condom and tossed the wallet aside, then ripped open the foil packet and shoved down his sweatpants and boxer briefs.
His cock sprang free and slapped against his stomach. It was thick, heavy and hard as a rock, precum dripping from the narrow slit.
Nadia sucked in a breath and whimpered. The look on her face, the way she was staring at his dick and licking her lips in hungry appreciation…holy hell.
He had to be inside her.
He rolled on the condom with unsteady hands. Then he kissed his way up her body, licking her quivering belly and her breasts before sucking the tight points of her pretty chocolate nipples. She mewled and arched against his mouth, making him groan as he rubbed his cock in the wetness between her legs.
Lifting his mouth from her breasts, he braced his palms on either side of her head and stared down at her. He loved seeing her like this, spread out on the hood of his race car, completely defenseless and at his mercy. She was fucking gorgeous with her black hair fanned out behind her head, her brown skin glistening with sweat, her dark eyes glazed with lust.
He reached down and stroked her smooth thighs, then slowly spread them wider. She hooked her ankles together at the base of his spine, her breathing as ragged as his. Reaching under her, he gripped her lush ass and tilted her hips, raising them a little higher.
Slowly he eased himself inside her, his gaze locked with hers, watching her every emotion and response. She moaned as her pussy muscles clenched and stretched around him. She was hot and slick from her orgasm, her lubricated walls sheathing him so perfectly that a hard shudder rocked his body and his head fell backward, eyes closing in agony.
Wicked Games (Denver Rebels) Page 20
