by Kat Mizera
“Yeah? You want to kiss standing up?”
She squinted a little, thinking. “Yeah… I want—you.”
He lifted her again, letting her settle against his hard-on. “You feel what you’re doing to me?”
She nodded.
“We don’t have nearly enough time for this to be the first time I make love to you, so for now, kiss me.”
And she did.
Brock was still smiling when they left for dinner. He had no idea what had come over her when he’d walked in the door today, but he liked it. She’d been shy about it at first, and then she’d been all over him. Touching her had been glorious and he didn’t know what had changed, only that he loved it. Watching her come again had been…well, if he was honest with himself, there weren’t words for how wonderful it was. He rarely spent a lot of time thinking about the women he had sex with because they hadn’t meant anything to him. Ashleigh wasn’t just another woman, though; she was his wife. His wife.
He’d said the words multiple times in the last couple of weeks, but it hadn’t resonated until now. Until her eyes had lit up when he’d walked in the door. Until he’d touched her and heard her calling his name as she had an orgasm that left him harder and hornier than he’d been since the first time he’d gotten laid. He’d known she would be hard to resist, he just hadn’t expected the feeling of completeness that had washed over him when she’d told him she’d missed him.
He could barely admit he’d missed her too because it made no sense. They’d spent a limited amount of time together, yet it was enough to make him want more. She was beguiling and sweet, so innocent in her own way, drawing him to her in ways he didn’t understand. While his brain reminded him how badly he could get hurt, his heart was pulling him in a different direction. He didn’t like the indecision or the confusion; he’d made up his mind to avoid romantic entanglements seven years ago and it had been no problem until now. Well, maybe that was a bit of an exaggeration. As he’d struggled with the humiliation of being cheated on, there hadn’t been any women who’d been able to tempt him before now. Since the night he’d met Ashleigh, he hadn’t looked at another woman, thought about getting shit-faced, or even considered going out partying. Sitting home thinking about Ashleigh was better than any party he’d ever been to.
You’re an idiot, he told himself as they got in the elevator. But then she looked up at him and he couldn’t remember why he’d called himself an idiot.
“Why are you smirking?” she asked curiously.
“Just thinking about hanging out with Jet Connor tonight,” he said, leaning down and brushing a soft kiss just below her ear. “Vlad’s gonna be pissed.”
“Vlad will have his chance, I’m sure.” She laughed.
Dinner was a lot of fun, and Ashleigh was grateful Brock and Jet got along. The four of them talked until long after they’d finished eating and it was late by the time Maya started to yawn, claiming pregnancy was killing her. After promising to get together again soon, Jet and Maya took a cab back to the hotel so she wouldn’t have to walk. Brock and Ashleigh decided to enjoy the weather and a chance to be out together. It was still nice outside, not hot yet but not cold anymore, either, and their hands linked together as they strolled down the bustling street. It was loud, downtown Nashville alive with tourists and club-goers, and Ashleigh was glad for the anonymity it afforded them. She wasn’t often recognized in L.A. because there were so many stars out and about all the time. When she traveled, though, it was a lot easier to spot her and she hadn’t yet decided how she would handle that with Bella.
Walking with Brock, however, she wasn’t worried about it, enjoying his company and the sweet knowledge she felt safe with him. He could protect her physically, of course, but there was something else, too. She couldn’t put her finger on it, but a gut feeling told her he wouldn’t betray her, either. It was a nice feeling, one she didn’t enjoy frequently.
“So, what do you think?” he asked as they walked. “Are you feeling better about everything?”
“I think so.” She nodded. “What about you? How are you adjusting to being married?”
“It’s been different than I expected, but with us living apart right now, there hasn’t been much opportunity to feel married.”
“You must be missing sex,” she whispered.
“Not really. Thinking about sex with you is way better than mindless sex with some puck bunny.”
“You never stopped touching me all through dinner…”
“Is that okay?” he asked quietly, his voice low against her ear. “Did you enjoy it?”
“Yes,” she admitted, glancing up at him. “Do you?”
“More than you know.”
She smiled up at him. “You do make me feel beautiful.”
He grinned back. “Because you are beautiful…”
She squeezed his hand and they lost themselves in the streets. Music poured out of the many clubs and they occasionally stopped to listen, swaying together in the semi-darkness of the sidewalk or pausing to look in a store window. Twice he tried to buy her something, but she just shook her head, tugging at his hand so they could move along.
“Why won’t you let me buy you a present?” he complained as she stared at a pair of earrings in a store that was closed.
“I can buy my own stuff,” she said with a slight frown. “The best thing you can give me is affection. My mother doesn’t have a maternal bone in her body, so having someone who likes the real me is much better than jewelry or fancy clothes.”
“I like you,” he whispered, dropping an arm around her shoulders and pulling her close to him. “You don’t have to worry about that.”
She could only nod, hoping he meant it, especially considering she was making him work for it. She couldn’t help but wonder if this closeness between them was linked to that, if he would lose interest once he wasn’t working toward the goal of having sex with her, but she tried not to think that way.
“You ready to head back?” he asked. “It’s getting late and I’ve got a game tomorrow. I have to get my beauty sleep, you know.”
She laughed. “You and me both. Let’s go.”
19
Brock was gone when she woke up in the morning but there was a note on his pillow telling her he’d see her when he came back to take a nap. She glanced at the clock and was shocked to see it was after ten. She almost never slept this late and she quickly grabbed her phone to call Bella, who was probably bouncing off the walls waiting to hear from her.
They had a nice conversation and she heard all about what Bella had been doing since Ashleigh had left yesterday afternoon. When they hung up, she padded into the bathroom to freshen up and contemplate whether to order breakfast or lunch. She’d just decided on lunch when she heard the key in the lock and Brock calling out to her.
“Hi!” She walked into the main room with a smile. “Back already?”
“We had breakfast and a short meeting,” he said. “I’m going to lay down for an hour and then I’ll have to get going.”
“I was just going to order lunch,” she said. “You go ahead and rest. I’ll wait until you leave to shower.”
He hesitated, meeting her eyes. “Yeah, okay.” He walked past her, leaning over to brush a soft, sensual, lingering kiss along her cheek as he went.
“What was that for?” she called after him.
“Because you’re beautiful,” he replied. “And I wanted to.”
“Thank you.”
He paused in the doorway, glancing at her over his shoulder. “You could come lay down with me.”
“You want me to?” A tiny jolt of excitement shot through her as she caught a look in his eyes she couldn’t decipher.
“Well, yeah.” He held out his hand and she froze for a moment before slowly reaching out to take it.
Brock wasn’t sure what was going through his head as he invited her to lay with him. She looked so vulnerable standing there in nothing but a T-shirt and panties that exposed what see
med like miles of smooth skin on her legs. Her blonde hair was still sleep tousled and when her violet eyes moved to his, napping became the last thing he was interested in doing. Damn, he wanted her. He’d been trying to be a gentleman and last night had just about killed him, but something in her eyes told him she was disappointed he was going to take a nap. So he’d invited her to come torture him for the next hour. How stupid was that? He needed to rest before games, and even though this one didn’t mean anything since it was the last game of the season, he didn’t ever like to put in a half-assed effort.
Ashleigh’s warm body curling against his chest sent all thoughts of hockey to another stratosphere and he wondered what to do. Not only did he need to rest, they didn’t have a lot of time. It didn’t seem fair to rush the first time he made love to her, and he made an abrupt decision to keep it from happening. Time was running out, though. Tomorrow he would head home to Vegas and she would be in Atlanta. How the hell was he going to find the time to take her on dates to give her the kind of romance she’d asked him for? He wanted to, but their timing sucked. The playoffs would demand all of his attention, and no matter how much he wanted her, hockey came first.
A lock of silky blonde hair swept across his biceps and he reached out to run his fingers through it. Soft waves fell over his hand and he leaned down to breathe against her neck. When goose bumps covered her skin, he smiled, blowing into her ear.
“You’re supposed to be resting,” she murmured, her body molding to his.
“You’re distracting me,” he said softly.
“Should I go?” Her eyes found his.
“No.” He was having a hard time thinking as she wiggled closer.
“Then you need to kiss me,” she breathed.
“Oh, hell, baby, you read my mind.” He didn’t hesitate to taste her, using his tongue like a compass to seek out every crevice of her mouth. It was a little intoxicating being with her like this, just the two of them. He wanted all of her; she was his wife, dammit, which made his need for her that much more acute.
When her shapely legs moved between his, he rolled onto his back so he could pull her on top of him and take back a little control. With her moving and pressing against him, things would progress quickly and he didn’t want it to happen that way.
“I want to go slow,” he growled, “and make it good for you… but damn, I need you, baby.”
“Take me,” she whispered.
“Did you forget you need to beg first?”
She shook her head. “I remember, but I don’t want to wait.”
He touched her, his big hands running down the sides of her body as he nuzzled her chest. “So many things I want to do, want to show you...” He licked a trail along her collarbone, up her neck, behind her ear, using his hands to explore the vast expanse of silky skin. He hooked his thumbs in the sides of her panties and tugged them down, letting his fingers travel the length of her legs. He sought her lips again, back to soft, fluttery nips and licks, leaving her hungry for more.
“Brock…” She pulled his head back to hers, sucking his tongue deep into her mouth and refusing to let up. When he slid one finger between her legs she sighed, a sound that fell somewhere between anxiety and desire. She wanted him, but she’d told him this was always the point where things fell apart. She was so small and tight, he figured men probably thought they could manhandle her. It surprised him no one she’d ever been with had understood that too much too soon would result in discomfort for her.
“You jerked away from me,” he murmured, raising his head to meet her eyes. “Did I hurt you?”
She shook her head.
“Tell me what feels good so I can adjust.”
“When you touch me it all feels good,” she whispered, looking down into his glittering blue eyes. “It’s usually once someone is inside me that it gets uncomfortable.”
“I’m prepared for that,” he said softly. He moved her to the side so he could slide off the bed. Reaching into his jeans, he pulled out a condom and another little package that he ripped open with his teeth.
“What’s that?” she asked, frowning.
“Lube.” He put some on his forefinger. “Now, lay back and relax.”
Ashleigh did as he asked and was surprised when he slid his finger between her legs again. After the initial shock of the cold gel, a true sigh of pleasure escaped her.
“Oh…” She relaxed against his hand and closed her eyes as he stroked her. His touch was light, swirling around her delicate folds with barely any pressure, and it was heavenly. He stroked up, his finger moving in a circular motion until he found it; no other man had ever managed to locate the sweet spot that felt so good when fondled, but Brock did it every time. She gasped, her hips jerking up against his hand and her breath leaving in a rush of delighted surprise.
There was a hint of a smile on his lips, but it was his eyes that were burning, intensely focused on her face.
She cried out without warning and started to move, anxious for more, anxious for him.
He sped up, teasing the hard little nub until she was panting, heat surging through her, over her, until her mouth fell open and she spread her legs wider, needing more. He added a second finger, gliding across the sensitive lips that often caused her so much discomfort.
“Okay?” he whispered, his other arm wrapped around her shoulders so he could hold her close.
“Y-yes…mmm.” She arched into his hand and he slowly pushed his middle finger into her. He plunged in and out with a firm but gentle rhythm, his gaze never leaving her face.
“Brock… Oh god…” Her eyes fluttered closed and she tried to remain in control but nothing had ever been so good. Even with her vibrator, she’d never experienced so much urgency. She needed him to go deeper, harder, give her more of everything. “Brock!”
“What, baby?” He never let up, fucking her with his finger until she was squirming and moaning.
“Please, please, please!” she whimpered.
“Please? Are you begging me to fuck you, baby?”
“Yes, yes, yes! Oh please!”
He flipped onto his back again and pulled her astride him. “Ride me, baby, and let me make you come.”
“Brock, I….” She hesitated.
“You guide things for now,” he whispered. “In case it’s too much. I’ll take over once I’m sure you’re okay.”
She positioned herself above him, loving the shade of blue his eyes turned as he watched her. She could feel herself stretching to accommodate him, and she squeezed her eyes shut, anticipating the usual burn, but it never happened. She slid down lower and lower, an inch at a time, and when he was fully sheathed her eyes flew open. “Brock…” Her voice was breathy with shock and delight.
“Yeah, baby?” His hands were at her hips, stroking her skin with his fingers.
“It feels…good.” There was wonder in her voice.
He reached up to put his hands on either side of her face. “I told you I’d never hurt you.”
“I don’t know what to do…” She sighed happily. “Usually when I’m in this position all I want is to get it over with.”
“Mmm, no.” He lifted his torso and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her chest against his as they landed back against the mattress with a thump. “Much as it’s killing me, we’re going nice and slow, until you’re begging me to let you come.”
She arched a brow. “You’re obsessed with making me beg…”
“Well, considering how much you like it, I’m thinking I’ve got the right idea.”
She smiled, her hips beginning to sway above him. As she moved, liquid fire began to coil through her veins, starting low in her belly and moving straight to her clit. For the first time in her life, the feeling of a long, thick cock inside of her wasn’t annoying or painful—it was delicious. She rocked her hips again, watching as a fine sheen of sweat broke out on his body. She leaned down to lick a trail up his throat, loving the salty taste and the warmth of his skin.
“Baby…” He was meeting her thrust for thrust, each stroke more perfect than the last. His hands drifted back to her cheeks, squeezing harder than before, guiding her rhythm as he stretched her farther than she’d ever imagined possible.
She moaned, letting him take over the pace, the pressure between her legs becoming unbearable. “Brock, please… Oh god, please let me come!”
“Oh, you’re definitely gonna come.” He licked his thumb and brought it to her clit, the obvious restraint he was using apparent as his body began to shake beneath her. “Come for me, baby…come with me.” He pressed feathery light swirls around her swollen nub and that was all it took.
She came so hard she almost lost her balance, crying out his name, digging her nails into his shoulders, riding out each wave as he slammed into her, chasing his own release. Even lost in her own never-ending spiral of pleasure, she managed to open her eyes as he growled and shot off inside of her. She could feel him pulsing against her sensitive walls, his hips jerking against her while his fingers gripped her hips almost painfully. She wouldn’t have stopped him if her life depended on it, and when he finally stopped moving, she collapsed against his broad chest.
“Damn…” He wrapped his arms around her, letting her nestle into him.
“Thank you,” she whispered, a strange level of emotion overwhelming her.
“You should never thank a man for sex…” He pressed his lips to her temple, trailing his fingers along her back. “We did that together, for each other, with each other—no one should be thanking the other.”
She buried her face in his shoulder. “I’m thanking you for showing me I’m not broken. Although I guess that might be the same thing in this case.”
“You’re definitely not broken.”
“We might have to do that again sometime,” she murmured. “Just to make sure.”
He chuckled. “Unfortunately, I’ve got to get going soon, but there’s going to be as much of this as we can manage.”
