Bad Business

by Nicole Edwards

  He turns to face me, obviously hearing something in my voice to tell him otherwise. “What is it, Savannah?”

  I shrug, then move past him toward the door. “Nothing serious.”

  He stops me again. “Did you not get the hint the other night?”

  “What hint?”

  “The one that said there’s nothing you can hide from me, nothing that’s going to send me running the other way.”

  Crap. I really didn’t want to get into this with him. I was hoping to come over and relax, enjoy a little bit of time with him. Not talk about all the crap that’s going on.

  “You did great,” I say, hoping to deflect the questioning. “Handling yourself tonight.”

  He reaches around me and pushes the front door open. “I know what’s at risk. I don’t tend to go off half-cocked.”

  I laugh, but I can’t think of anything to say to that. I should’ve known that was where his head was at. The man won’t do anything to harm the team. It’s one of the reasons I admire him so much.

  Stone lays out the food on the dining room table while I set my purse on the counter in the kitchen.

  “Congrats on the win tonight,” I say, wanting to keep the subject light and easy. I’ve been thinking about everything that’s going on and the best way to get Stone some stress-free evenings, time to focus on what’s important to him.

  And I think I’ve figured out what’s important to him in the time I’ve spent with him.

  His family and football. Those seem to be where he focuses his time and energy.

  “All right, spill it, Andrews,” Stone says firmly when I join him at the table. “What’s on your mind?”

  I lift my eyes to meet his. “Nothing. I’m just…What’re you doing for Christmas?”

  I was trying not to make a big deal out of the fact that tomorrow is Christmas and I don’t have any plans. My brothers will be sharing their meals with their in-laws and my father informed me tonight that he’s going to be traveling.

  I know that last part’s a lie. My father is going to see my mother, and he doesn’t want me to know. I’ve never been scared to tell him how I really feel, and I’ve never been worried about hurting my mother’s feelings either.

  On my way over, I called Allison to see what her plans are and found out that she’s in Houston with her grandparents already.

  Looks as though I’m on my own for Christmas.

  “Well,” Stone says, leaning in close, his heated gaze pinning me in place. “The first thing I intend to do for Christmas is you.”

  My belly flutters with heat. “Is that so?”

  “Absolutely.”

  “And after that?”

  “Well, I’ll probably do you again.” He grins, the move sexy and mischievous. “And after that, I’m going to my mother’s for dinner. She promised not to cook.”

  I smile, remembering what he told me about her lack of skills in the kitchen. She’s not alone. I’m not that great in the kitchen either.

  “Will your brother be there?”

  Stone nods, but he isn’t eating. I know he’s waiting for something, but honestly, I have nothing else. I’m just making small talk.

  “What are you doin’ for Christmas, Savannah?”

  “Well, I guess I’ll be doin’ you,” I say, keeping a flirtatious grin on my face.

  “Most definitely. But after?”

  I give a half-shrug.

  “Will you go to my mother’s with me?”

  My eyes widen. “You want me to meet your mother?”

  His dark eyebrows dart down. “Of course. I was just trying not to rush things. But she’s already asking about you.”

  “She is?” Wait. I frown. “How does she know about me?” Crap. “Did she see Devereaux’s segment?”

  “Yes, but…” He smiles. “I told her about you before tonight.”

  “You did?”

  “Let’s put it this way. My mother is very nosy. She asks tons of questions. Jeremy and I learned long ago that we can’t keep much from her.”

  I smile.

  “So what’ll it be, Andrews? You up for some Christmas sex with me tonight, then maybe some turkey and dressing tomorrow evening?”

  The lump in my throat swells and my heart flutters a little bit. “I…” Unable to answer, I nod.

  “Good.” Stone glances down at the food. “Now eat up. You’re gonna need your energy.”

  Chapter 28

  Stone

  Somehow I manage to make it through dinner. Although my mind wasn’t on the food, I did successfully go through the motions. Now that Savannah and I have cleaned up, I’m ready to move on to the next phase of tonight’s activities.

  Unfortunately, it seems I’m the only one on board with that plan.

  “Do you mind if I freshen up?” Savannah asks, nodding toward the bathroom.

  I shake my head. “Not at all.”

  “Okay. Well, why don’t you relax. I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

  I nod, then watch as she grabs what appears to be an overnight bag and retreats to the master bedroom.

  This isn’t going like I thought it would.

  Maybe I should’ve offered to shower with her. That would’ve been smart. Only I didn’t and now I have nothing to do but wait.

  After today’s game, I should be exhausted. Hell, I should be passed out in my recliner right about now. My body hurts, and my brain is exhausted. However, sleep is the absolute last thing on my mind right now.

  Moving into the living room, I drop down into my recliner, then pick up the remote to turn on the television.

  I hit the power button, but nothing happens.

  Right.

  I broke the damn remote.

  Dropping it onto the side table, I sigh as I lean back and stare at the darkened screen and contemplate getting up to turn it on.

  Yeah, that’s not happening.

  I don’t need television anyway.

  It would be so easy to close my eyes, but if I do that, then I won’t get to spend time with Savannah. Oddly enough, that’s the only thing I want to do right now.

  It’s hard to believe that it’s only been a few weeks since the woman walked into my life. Ever since that night at the club, I’ve had a hard time focusing on anything but her.

  Well, I guess that’s not true. Somehow I managed to keep my focus down on the field. It’s the very reason we’ve gone undefeated for the past fourteen games. I’m not even sure that’s happened to me before. On that note, though, I think Savannah has played a big part in it, too. She doesn’t make me weak, she makes me stronger, gives me a reason to work even harder than I do.

  I hear a noise behind me, but I don’t turn around. If I do, I’ll likely pick Savannah up and carry her to my bedroom, toss her on the bed and have my wicked way with her.

  “So, I was thinkin’,” Savannah says, her sweet lilt washing over me, bringing that same sense of peace, calming me instantly.

  “What were you thinking?” I ask when she pauses.

  She doesn’t answer, but she does step around in front of me and that’s when I notice…

  “Holy. Fuck.”

  I’m out of my chair in an instant, my eyes glued to the woman’s rocking body sporting that super-sexy cheerleader outfit that I’ve been teasing her about.

  “Where did you get that?” I ask, moving around her. When she starts to step away, I halt her with a hand on her shoulder. “No, don’t move. Let me…look.”

  I peer down at her face and notice a blush crawling over her cheeks.

  “I have to say, you might’ve missed your calling,” I tease. “Then again, if you were down on that field with the other cheerleaders, it’s possible no one would even bother
watching the game.”

  “So, I assume I’ve passed your inspection?”

  “With flying colors.”

  “Are you sure?” she teases, turning so that she’s facing away from me.

  My eyes drop to her incredible ass and the teeny-tiny white shorts she’s wearing.

  “Lord have mercy,” I groan, stepping closer to her. “In order to give my full approval, I’ll need to…touch.”

  She moans softly when my hands cup the rounded globes of her ass. The woman has the nicest ass I’ve ever seen. And her thighs…I allow my hands to slide down her smooth thighs, my palms grazing the soft skin.

  Savannah moans again and my dick strains against my shorts.

  I remember the words I spoke to her, how I told her that I want her in my bed every single night. And though the thought of touching her every night, sinking inside her tight, warm body, heats my blood, there’s more to my declaration than merely sex.

  This woman has gotten under my skin.

  She makes me want things I didn’t think I’d ever want.

  She makes me need things I didn’t think I’d ever need.

  It’s in this moment that I realize this thing between Savannah and me is not purely sexual. It’s something else. Something more.

  Something I refuse to ever let go of.

  Pressing up against her back, I wrap my arms around her as I slide my lips against her neck.

  “As much as I fucking love this outfit, I’m trying to figure out why it is I want to strip it off of you…with my teeth.”

  “I’m not opposed to that idea,” she says softly, her voice rough with desire.

  “No?”

  “Absolutely not.”

  “Good. Because that’s exactly what I plan to do.”

  And I’m not about to waste another second.

  Savannah

  I’m not sure what prompted me to snatch this outfit from the facility, but I did.

  I’m not sure what prompted me to put it on, but I did.

  And I’m not sure what I like more, the way Stone’s hands feel on me or the way his chest rumbles as he touches me.

  The man turns me on in ways I never thought possible.

  From the day I met him, I haven’t stopped thinking about him. And every second that I’ve spent in his presence has only intensified my feelings for him. Sure, it might’ve started out as lust, but there is certainly something more at play here. Something deeper, stronger, all-consuming.

  His lips glide over my bare shoulder and I feel his strong fingers working to unhook the halter behind my neck. My nipples pebble painfully as the warmth of his breath fans my neck.

  Goosebumps raise on my skin as his fingers slide over my shoulders, down my chest. He follows the fabric as it drops from my breasts, his fingers gliding over my nipples.

  I sigh as I lean into him, loving the strength I feel in his touch, the warmth of his body, the desperation in his groan.

  When he hefts my breasts in his hands, I moan. He deftly plucks my nipples, a sharp, erotic pain mixing with the intense pleasure that his hands offer.

  “So soft,” he whispers against my ear.

  Unable to resist, I grind my ass against the hard ridge of his erection that is pressed up against me.

  He groans again and I cover his hands with mine, applying more pressure to my breasts. I need more than this slow, sweet seduction. That’s the way it is between us. Every time I’m with him, I’m overwhelmed by this devastating desire. It floods my body, heats my blood, makes me feel far too empty inside. I want to feel him filling me, covering me, consuming me in every possible way.

  Just when I think my knees are going to give out, Stone steps away from me, his hands falling from my breasts, leaving me cold and wanting.

  “Turn around.”

  The roughness of his voice sends a shiver racing down my spine. I turn to face him, my eyes instantly lifting to his face. The hunger I see there is enough to send my body temperature soaring another few degrees.

  When he drops to his knees, his hands sensually scraping my hips, I know what he’s doing and I silently urge him to hurry. I want to feel him. All of him.

  My hands slide into his hair as he strips the shorts down my legs, then tosses them across the room, leaving me naked in front of him. It’s kind of erotic to be naked in front of Stone. Especially when he’s fully clothed. The way his eyes rake over my skin sends warmth pooling between my thighs.

  “Are you wet for me?”

  I know it’s a rhetorical question because his fingers slide between my thighs, grazing my mound before sliding between my lips. I cry out when he brushes my clit. For a second I think my legs might buckle, but somehow I remain standing.

  “Sit,” he orders, helping me onto the cushioned arm of the couch.

  As soon as my butt hits the cool leather, he forces my thighs apart and dives between my legs, his tongue gliding through my slit, teasing, tormenting. I know it’s not going to be enough. Sure, he’ll likely make me come just like this, but I want to feel him inside me. I’m not sure what’s driving this need to be one with him, but it’s intensifying. I want to feel him surrounding me in every possible way.

  “Jason…” I cry out when he flicks my clit, pleasure darting through me.

  While he teases me with his tongue, I tug on his T-shirt, wanting to remove it so I can see him. He pulls back just enough to get the soft cotton over his head before he resumes his feast.

  Lifting my knees, I open myself fully to the onslaught, my breath shuddering in my chest as I pant. Pulling his head closer, I give in to the intensity of his mouth on my pussy. It doesn’t take but a few frantic strokes of his tongue before I’m soaring, my orgasm slamming into me, knocking the air from my lungs as I scream out his name.

  Before I have a chance to come down, Stone is on his feet, his shorts dropping to the floor.

  I focus enough to see the hot, hard length of his erection bobbing in front of me. Wanting to touch, I reach forward and wrap my fist around him, stroking slowly as I look up at his face.

  “Put those sweet lips on my dick, Savannah.”

  I don’t think I’ll ever tire of that commanding tone, the desperate plea that falls from his lips.

  I sink to my knees between the couch and Stone’s big, hard body. Without wasting a second, I take him in my mouth, his velvety length gliding over my tongue as his hips punch forward. I take as much of his cock as I can, laving him with my tongue as his fingers twine in my hair. He tugs roughly, taking what he wants from me, and I freely give him everything that I have.

  “Aww, fuck.” Stone jerks his cock from between my lips, taking a step back.

  Then I’m on my feet, but only for a second before I’m in his arms, my back against the living room wall. The next thing I know, he’s filling me.

  Fire shoots through my veins as his cock tunnels into me. It feels better than anything I’ve ever known. His thickness brushing against sensitive nerve endings. He crushes his mouth to mine as I hold on tight, my arms wrapping around his neck.

  The next thing I know, Stone’s pulling back, his eyes locking with mine.

  “Condom,” he mutters, his eyes hooded and glazed with passion.

  It takes a second for the word to register. That’s when I realize what feels different. He’s inside me without any barriers and it feels amazing.

  For whatever reason, I’m shaking my head. I don’t want him to stop.

  “Pill,” I mutter, hoping this will suffice.

  His eyes remain locked with mine as he moves his hips, his cock lodged deep within my body as we both groan.

  We’re both well aware of the significance of this moment. It might not seem like anything more than a reckless encounter, but it is. We are both pr
esent and accounted for, and we both want the same thing.

  “You sure?” he whispers roughly.

  I nod and the words that come out of my mouth scare me. “I love you.”

  His eyes widen, but he doesn’t appear shocked. No, definitely not shocked. The smile on his face gives that away.

  “Ah, damn,” he groans, leaning in, his lips brushing against mine. “I’ve been waiting to hear you say that.”

  “Really?” I’m merely urging him to say the words back. Although I don’t regret them, my heart longs to hear him say the same.

  “Yes, really.” He pulls back so he’s once again looking in my eyes. “Because I fell in love with you a long time ago.”

  I grin. “Then prove it,” I taunt, squeezing my inner muscles around his cock.

  He groans, his eyes rolling back in his head, and he seems content to accept my challenge and I can do nothing more than hold on tight as he slams into me again and again. It doesn’t take long before another orgasm consumes me. My muscles lock, heat travels through my bloodstream, making my skin tingle as I cry out his name.

  “Savannah…oh, fuck…That’s it. Come all over my cock, baby. Holy…fuck…”

  His hips slam forward once more, impaling me as he comes. It’s then, in that moment that I feel every emotion crash into me, swirling together until I’m overwhelmed by it. Burying my face in his neck, I smile knowingly.

  This…the overwhelming sensations that flood my entire body…

  This is love.

  No, this is more than that.

  This is…everything.

  Chapter 29

  Stone

  We’re down to the last seconds of the game and I can feel the excitement of the crowd in my veins. The adrenaline floods me, making my heart pound loudly in my ears. Like I told the reporter, every game matters. Not just those that will get us to the playoffs. They all matter. For me, for my team, for the fans.

  And this is a heady feeling.

  While their quarterback moves into position to make one final attempt to get closer to their end zone, I glance around. My teammates are smiling and laughing, their enthusiasm palpable.