His lips cocked into a smirk as she worked her way down the slope of his neck. “This is good news,” he said.
Her knees buckled when they hit the back of the bed and she fell back, with him following her. He landed on top of her, his arms on either side of her face, preventing her from even attempting to escape.
Not that she planned on it.
Now, he was in control and she had to deal with whatever he planned on doing to her. Which was just fine with her.
He sat on her pelvis, making sure his weight was minimal on her. He grabbed the hemline of her thermal pajama shirt – not the sexiest thing in the world, she realized – and slowly lifted it over her head. Since she didn’t wear a bra to bed, she was already completely exposed, a fact that took Negan by surprise because his movements faltered when he realized this and simply stared.
“Shit,” he said, revealing his surprise.
While Katella had never been insecure about her looks, there was something nerve-racking about a man she really liked looking down at her bare torso. Were her boobs too big? Too small? Her nipples too big? Too small? Could he tell they were different sizes? Did they look weird since she was lying on her back?
“You’re fucking beautiful,” he told her finally, his eyes reaching back to her own. She could see his desire, his hunger, in the stare and she didn’t think she had ever wanted him more.
From that point, everything happened slowly. It was as though time paused for this moment, like this time with Negan could be extended as long as it would take, as long as they wished to be wrapped up together, and only when they were ready to return back to life and reality, it would end.
His fingers slid underneath the cotton material of her pajama pants and slid them off of her so she was left in a pair of colorful boy shorts.
"This is exactly what I pictured you'd wear," he said with a soft smile. His eyes were sparkling as he looked at her and Katella realized that no one had ever looked at her this way before. And she loved it. She could get used to it. She never wanted him to stop looking at her this way.
It wasn't long before he slid those off as well. To be honest, she thought he would be more passionate and fast, wanting to be inside of her as quickly as he possibly could. This... this was a nice surprise. Perhaps he had that passion - from the way he fought, she was certain of it - but he wanted to take his time with her. He wanted to enjoy her.
When she was completely naked, he did nothing but stare at her. She didn't feel uncomfortable under his gaze. Instead, she took the opportunity to study him, to look at the muscles that composed his body, the abs he had even in his thirties, the way his hips formed into a V just before dipping into the slacks he wore.
He was too dressed. Her hands had his pants and she unlatched the hook before tugging them down. He chuckled at her eagerness and his smile captured her breath. He wore navy blue boxer briefs that clung to him in just the right way and God, how was she supposed to concentrate on anything when he looked like some Greek god born in the wrong time?
His mouth found hers again and he kissed her long and slow. She could feel his hardness press against her and she arched her back, pressing against him even more. He moaned - a sound that chilled her to her bones in a pleasurable way - and she realized she wanted to be the reason he made that sound.
It wasn't long before his boxer briefs joined the rest of the clothes. Katella had a condom in her nightstand that Negan put on quickly - probably the only hastened movement he made all evening - and then he was back on top of her, looking down at her like she was a thing to behold, like some kind of goddess that needed to be pleased and worshiped.
When he slid himself inside of her, it was like coming home. It was like bliss and happiness and joy and all the positive words to describe a feeling wrapped into one. He didn't go fast. He drew it out, pushing himself deeper inside of her so she stretched out around him. He was molding her to him. She clutched his back desperately. The noises she made she couldn't control and the way his eyes darkened to black, she could tell he approved.
When she came, she saw stars. He followed, whispering her name through a grunt.
It was a beautiful way to say her name.
Immediately, she fell asleep in his arms. The last conscious thought she had was that she hoped he would be there in the morning.
Chapter 17
Katella woke before Negan did. She wasn’t surprised, although she did miss sleeping in on her lazy Sundays. She quickly threw on a shirt and some short shorts before heading down the stairs to make coffee. Did Negan drink coffee? She pressed her lips together and cocked her head to the side, gripping the handrail as she used her momentum to turn towards the kitchen. She had never been in this position before. With Xander, romantic feelings weren’t involved so he took off in the morning and she didn’t have to worry about what he liked and what he didn’t. Her brows shot up when she saw Seraphina already sitting at the table, her hair pooled over her left shoulder. She was wearing an oversized sweater and pajama pants.
Her blue-gold eyes picked up from the surface of the table and Katella realized Seraphina had been crying.
“Hey,” she said, all thoughts of Negan completely gone for the moment. Her sister came first, especially considering Seraphina had gotten better at hiding her emotions since inheriting the team. She slid into the seat next to her sister, placing her hand over Seraphina’s. “Are you okay?”
Seraphina nodded. “Did you see who won Brandon?” she asked in a meek voice.
Katella shook her head. She had been so focused on bidding on Negan she hadn’t even thought about Thorpe, which was stupid, she realized. Seraphina was expected to MC the evening and Katella hadn’t realized what that really meant. Since she was in love with Brandon Thorpe, she would be forced to watch any woman who wanted to spend one-on-one time with him without breaking down, blinking an eye, or twitching a lip. She would have to hold herself together even though she was falling apart.
Nothing of the sort happened last year, considering people still thought he was a jerk for holding out for more money and being a brief suspect in Ken Brown’s murder. However, this year, enough time passed to forget who people thought he was and see him for who he really was. And Brandon Thorpe was a good-looking guy in that brooding, mysterious bad boy sort of way.
“Some picturesque beautiful blonde young woman with big boobs-“
“Sera, have you seen your boobs?” Katella asked but Seraphina didn’t hear.
“-and she’s just so perfect that I don’t even know what to do with myself,” she finished. Tears accumulated in her eyes but she blinked them away. “I know I’m pathetic. And I know what you’re going to say: do something about it, but-“
“Are you talking about Cameron?”
Both women snapped their heads to the entrance of the kitchen to find Negan standing there in nothing but his black slacks from the previous night.
“Katella,” Seraphina drawled, her eyes still pointed on Negan. “Why is James Negan standing in front of me without his shirt on?”
“What makes you think I had anything to do with that?” Katella asked defensively. She kept trying to keep her eyes on Negan’s face but they kept slipping down to his shoulders and that stomach – Jeez, she could do laundry off those abs – and those hands and fingers that touched her in places that caused her to get wet just thinking about it.
“Kat,” Seraphina snapped.
“He might have stopped by last night,” Katella said, cupping the back of her neck sheepishly. “And spent the night.”
Negan shot Seraphina a charming grin as he took a seat next to Katella without waiting for an invitation.
“Who’s Cameron?” Seraphina asked.
Her blue eyes never looked so desperate and if Negan even thought about making fun of Seraphina in her moment of weakness, Katella would kick him out of the house and her life, regardless of how she felt for him. Seraphina was her sister and she was having a vulnerable moment, a moment she rar
ely had. A moment she never had in front of anyone else.
“Cameron Thorpe,” Negan said slowly. “That’s his sister.” He glanced over to Katella, almost as though he needed her to realize he was telling the truth just as much as Seraphina needed to hear the gorgeous blonde who had won Thorpe was related to him. “I’m surprised you even wondered. They look practically alike except for the hair. When we first met her, we thought she was his twin.”
“He introduced her to the team?” Seraphina asked slowly, almost disbelievingly.
“A couple of weeks ago,” he said, “during the sibling’s trip. I don’t remember even introducing you to my sister.”
“I wasn’t there for the celebration,” Seraphina said slowly.
Katella pressed her lips together. Seraphina had probably thrown herself into work rather than to get personal with her players, too afraid to socialize with them. Katella had been too busy planning the auction to attend the festivities, though she would have if both events hadn’t clashed.
Seraphina cleared her throat, suddenly realizing that Negan was her player and therefore her employee. She shouldn’t be talking to him about the guy she was in love with. And even if he wasn’t a Gull, he was Katella’s….
Katella scrunched her face. Truth be told, she didn’t quite know what he was to her. And she wasn’t sure how she felt about that.
“I’m sorry, Negan,” Seraphina murmured. “I shouldn’t have-“
“Look, this isn’t any of my business and I’m slightly uncomfortable with where this conversation is going,” he admitted, “but Cameron is Thorpe’s sister and that’s it. I haven’t seen him go out at all, much less on a date. But Thorpe isn’t exactly a sharer and we don’t ask about everyone’s love life.”
Seraphina forced a smile. “Of course not,” she said. “Thanks for that clarification.” She placed her hands flat on the surface of the table. “Well, I’ll let you guys talk about… whatever you guys talk about. I’ll be upstairs. In my room. With the door closed.” She grabbed her coffee and headed out of the kitchen, leaving an awkward air behind her.
There was silence that followed Seraphina’s departure, but Katella couldn’t tell if it was awkward or not.
“Would you like some coffee?” she asked, quickly standing up and heading over to the machine to pour him a mug.
He shook his head. “I actually don’t drink coffee,” he said.
She pushed her brows up. “Really?” she asked, an interested smile on her face. “What do you drink?”
He reached up to cup the back of his head with his palm, a sheepish smile on his face. “Tea,” he said.
She raised a brow. “Tea?” she asked.
“Tea,” he confirmed with a nod.
“Anything in particular?” she asked, sliding back into her seat and leaning towards him. “Ice tea? Hot tea? I’m not a tea drinker so I really don’t get specifics.”
He smiled. “Maybe one of these days I’ll make you some,” he told her. “You’ll become a tea drinker once I introduce you to my tea.”
“Is that some kind of sexual innuendo?”
“Would you like it to be?” he returned. He glanced down at his hands, pressed flat on the surface of the table, a small smile on his face.
Another silence settled over them, this one more comfortable.
“Did you want to go out to breakfast?” he asked, glancing over at her. “I would offer to cook but I don’t know your kitchen.”
“What are you doing?” she asked, furrowing her brow. This wasn’t the Negan she knew. This was a softer side of him that she wasn’t quite sure how she felt about. She didn’t know if this was real.
He looked confused by her question. “Asking if you wanted breakfast?” he said slowly. “Don’t try to pretend you’re one of those girls who doesn’t eat, Kat.” He narrowed his eyes at her. “I’ve seen you eat on multiple occasions and still can’t believe you’re not fat. I’m sure your insides are screaming for food right now.”
Katella’s mouth dropped open but she couldn’t refute that claim. Instead, she looked away.
“I’m sorry,” she said. “I’m just not used to you being… considerate. I’m not sure what to make of it. Are you trying to get into my pants?” She raised a quizzical brow.
“I already did,” he pointed out. “I figured we had moved past me trying to impress you to get into your pants.”
“What, you think one fuck gets you an annual pass?” Katella asked, almost offended with how easy he thought she was.
“I was kind of hoping,” he replied honestly.
She rolled her eyes and backed her chair on the tile. She could not believe she slept with him.
“You know what, Negan,” she said, pushing herself into a standing position, curling her fingers into fists. “Just because you were the best I’ve ever had does not mean you suddenly have the right to take me whenever you want. I can’t believe you would even think… God, you are so entitled, you know that?”
She had been pacing up and down the kitchen and didn’t notice Negan standing right behind her until she spun around and nearly ran into his rock-hard chest.
“You are not easy,” he agreed. “I’m not entitled; I just know what I want. And I want you.” He pressed his brows together. “And if I want to take you out to breakfast, it means I want to take you out to breakfast. Don’t assign meaning to it other than what it is.”
Katella pressed her lips together, looking rightly chided. She nodded her head, picking her eyes up from the floor to lock with his own. “You’re right,” she agreed. “You’re right. I’m sorry. I just…” She shook her head, placing her hands on her hips. “I’m just not used to anyone wanting to be with me to just want to be with me, you know? I’ve been preconditioned to question simple gestures.”
Negan nodded his head. “Yeah, well,” he said. “I’m not like any of the guys you’ve been with before. Despite my prickly personality, I find I’m actually a decent enough guy, especially when it comes to what I want and what I care about.” He cocked his head to the side. “And, in case you were wondering or had any doubt, that’s you.”
Katella pressed her lips together, trying to suppress a smile. “Oh, really?” she asked.
“Yeah,” he said, a wolfish grin back on his face. His canines popped out, almost like a wicked promise. “I’m going to start cashing in on that pass, Kat. Last night was unforgettable but I prefer letting my instinct take over when we’re in the moment.”
Katella felt her heartbeat start to quicken and her breath left her. “And what does your instinct tell you to do with me right now?”
“Take you out to breakfast,” he said, his voice now low and husky, “and bend you over the table and fuck you until you scream my name. I’m not quite sure what order, though.”
Katella’s breathing hitched and she could feel her eyes darken as she narrowed them at him. She was sore between her thighs but she didn’t care. The incessant need she felt for him, to feel him inside of her once more, was winning over all logic and comprehension. She bit her bottom lip and his eyes narrowed in on the gesture.
“Don’t,” he told her, taking a step towards her.
“Why?” Her voice came out in a whisper and her body tingled.
“Because you’re going to make my decision for me if you don’t stop,” he explained.
She nodded once. "Upstairs," she told him.
He didn't wait. With ease, he tossed her over his shoulder and headed up the stairs for round two.
Chapter 18
Sunday night games were earlier than games during the week. Puck drop was five o’clock. Katella walked through the first floor of the ice rink, where the locker rooms and Zambonis were located in order to bypass the crowd trying to find their way to their seats. She was early, a fact she was proud of, and pulled off her aviator sunglasses and slipped them into her purse. She wore a maroon colored boyfriend shirt with a V-neck tucked into low rise skinny jeans and motorcycle boots. Her hair was lef
t down and wavy, blunt bangs teasing her eyes. She felt good.
Possibly because Negan was amazing in the sack.
Her lips curled into a grin just thinking about it.
There was an elevator down the hallway that would lead up to the floor where her suite was but something off to the side of the locker room caused her to pause. Negan, fully dressed minus his helmet, was talking to someone.
No, not someone.
His ex.
How the hell did she get down here? she thought to herself. And what did she need to speak to Negan about?
Katella clenched her teeth together. She had never been well-acquainted with jealousy. Even with Matt and all the girls who had thrown themselves at him during their relationship, she never once felt possessive over him, and that was something she was proud of. Now, though, she felt her eyebrows furrow over her eyes and her teeth bit the inside of her bottom lip, gentle pain that reminded her it wasn’t ladylike or professional to go over to this lady and claw her eyes out.
The feeling surprised her. She and Negan hadn’t even talked about what they were or what they wanted. Yet here she was, looking at this woman as a potential threat to her potential relationship.
And his ex was a threat.
They had thirteen years of history together, three of those years being actual marriage. You couldn’t just erase that overnight, or however long Negan said he had been over his wife. Didn’t memories just come floating back and feelings came back and…? Okay, this was too much like a movie.
Instead of focusing on her, Katella turned her attention to Negan. He seemed agitated, tense, even, which wasn’t a good place to be just before a game. If he didn’t get rid of her, Katella would have to walk over to her and do it herself. Katella wished she could read lips but the most she could make out was Negan wanted nothing to do with her, especially before a game, while she wanted to talk.
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