I laugh and we keep walking. "I don't think that'll be a problem. At least, before the game. So did you think of what you'd like to do tonight?"
April nods, and ruffles my hair. "Yeah . . . I was thinking that I'd like to go fly a kite."
"A what?" I say with a laugh. "Did you just say a kite?"
"Yeah," April replies, smiling. "I saw a couple of people the other day when I was out running some errands for you using some cool stunt kites that they had doing all sorts of twists and spins. I know we can't fly those, but still. You can watch and relax.”
“Sounds like fun. Don't tell me you already have a kite, though."
April shakes her head, smiling. God she's amazingly beautiful when she smiles and isn't being shy. "Actually, they rent them at the park by the lake. I checked it out the other day. They're open until seven thirty, and a regular kite rental is only three dollars."
“Cheap entertainment. I love it,” I say, wrapping my fingers through hers tightly. "Let's go fly a kite."
We drive to High Park, which isn't exactly on the lake but is across the street, and is one of the larger 'urbanized' parks in the area around my apartment and the stadium. There's a lot of sculpted grass, a mini-zoo, and even a kid's play area. In the late afternoon light it's pretty, and not too hot.
"Wow, it's a lot different than what I’d expected,” I comment when I see the kite that’s available for rent. I thought kites were fun little things with a tail and a string, but even this supposedly starter kite has two strings, an aluminum and plastic frame, no tail, and looks like it could carry me in a strong enough breeze. “Are you sure that we can control this thing?”
“No clue,” April says with a grin. “Come on, let's go."
It takes us a while, getting the hang of controlling the two strings, and more than once April and I send the whole thing crashing into the grass. But we stick with it, and pretty soon, we have a fluttering, gently hovering nylon hawk looking thing on the end of our string.
“Congratulations,” I tell April, who's holding the two handles of the kite. “You got the hang of it faster than I did.”
“That's just because I got to sit back and watch the past few times while you struggled with it,” she counters with a happy little smile. “You seem to have a knack for that.”
“For what?” I ask, and she reaches out with her hands, offering me the handles to the kite. I take them, giving her a quizzical look.
“The whole time since getting to Toronto, you've been willing to look like a fool in order to set me up for success,” she explains. “You've been there to help me look a lot better off than I am.”
I shake my head and steer the kite a little, trying some turns right and left. “You sell yourself short — I bet you always have. Seeing you do well has been my favorite part about coming to Toronto.”
We keep up the flying until the sky is orange with sunset, and by the end April even manages to get the kite to do a figure 8 in the sky, which is pretty awesome. I intentionally crash the it in the end, doing a series of loops until it hits the ground, and we turn it in to the rental cart, watching as the guy breaks it down with eerie speed. It took me ten minutes to put together, but he takes it apart like he's folding an umbrella.
“Ready to go home?” I ask, reaching out and taking her hand. “Or do you want to stay a little longer?”
“A little longer,” April says, nestling against me. “It's unavoidable I guess, but with the way the team demands so much of your time, I feel like the only time we get to spend together is either as part of the team, or at the apartment. Which, by the way, I have to thank you for. I noticed you didn't even bat an eye when I took over most of the shower caddy with my stuff.”
“Actually,” I tease, “I've been stealing your conditioner . . . where'd you get it?”
“Just at the drug store. Why?”
“It smells great, and I was thinking I should get some,” I tell her. “You know, so I don't steal all of yours.”
April laughs. “I thought it was running out faster than normal. Don’t worry, I’ll show you all my little secrets.”
I stop, pulling her closer and wrapping my arms around her waist. She's so perfect in my arms, not petite, but not too big either. Kinda like the Three Bears, not too big, not too small, just right. “All of your secrets?” I ask, looking into her eyes. “You sure about that?”
She nods, putting her arms around my neck. “All of them.”
“Then explain to me this spell you’ve casted on me? Don't tell me . . . First Nations magic?”
April chuckles and kisses me, her lips soft and melting against me, our bodies responding to the close touch. “We natives, we have our ways. I didn't think you'd noticed.”
“That you are part First Nations? Yeah, I noticed. I think it's amazingly,” I reply, kissing her again. Our tongues touch lightly, and in an instant, I know that tonight’s going to be a good night. It'd be the first time since she's moved in with me, and to be honest, I couldn't be happier. “You're a beautiful woman, April.”
“With you, I feel beautiful,” she murmurs. “And I know what I want to do more than anything else right now.”
“What's that?”
“Take me home, and I'll show you.”
Chapter 12
April
There's none of the rushing or tearing at each other like the first time Tyler and I had sex. It isn't that the desire isn't there, it's there more strongly than ever. But there's a certain sense of comfortable anticipation, like savoring a meal at a Michelin star restaurant. You want to tear through it with a gusto, but you know the experience is better if you take your time, draw it out and savor each moment.
So instead of rushing from the elevator to the front door, we walk slowly, hand in hand to the front door, pausing at the door to allow Tyler to take out his keys.
He quietly unlocks the door, and scoops me up in his arms, carrying me like a feather through the apartment. “I've been wanting to do this for days now,” he rumbles, his blue eyes flaring with desire. “You have no idea.”
“I do. Trust me, I do,” I reply, wrapping my arms around his neck for balance.
We reach the bedroom and he carries me across, laying me on the sheets. “We're taking our time, and I don't want there to be any regrets between us.”
Before he can reach for me, I sit up, putting my hands on his stomach. “Then let me get rid of a regret I've had for a while now.”
Tyler nods just a few inches, knowing what I want as I get to my knees on the bed in front of him. Reaching down, I cup his cock through his jeans and rub slowly, humming in pleasure as he grows hard under my hand. “I still haven’t returned the favor.”
Tyler nods slowly again, enchanted as I unsnap his jeans and pull the zipper down, his cock bulging against his shorts. I have to laugh when I see that he's wearing the electric pink boxer briefs that I'd teased him about before. “Lucky game undies?”
“Something like that,” he says as I pull them down, and his cock emerges. He's so big that despite him being iron hard and even twitching with his pulse, it still droops down, and I'm caught off guard again. I hesitate reaching out, shocked at how warm he is, almost burning, but in a way that warms the fire inside of me even more. I start to slowly pump him, pulling back on the skin around the head and down his shaft, looking up as I stroke him tenderly.
“You're ruining me for other men, you know that?” I whisper as I pump his shaft with my hand. Tyler groans as I speed up slightly, enjoying the feeling of having this strong, powerful, sexy man literally in the palm of my hand.
Tyler moans, and I push his t-shirt up with my free hand until he takes it the rest of the way off, exposing his ripped upper body to me. I scoot closer, kissing the swells of muscle on his chest and finding his nipples, giggling when his moans increase as I lick around one nipple.
“Mmm, I like your sensitive side,” I murmur as I kiss higher, until I'm pressed against him, nuzzling and sucking on the skin ar
ound his throat. Tyler's hands stroke my hair and back, but he's letting me have total control, knowing that at this moment, that's just as important as his touch.
I kiss my way back down his body until his cock his directly in front of my face, and look up in his eyes while I reach out with my tongue and run it around the tip of his cock. Teasingly, I wrap my lips around the head and slide him into my mouth, the thrill of my control as heady and powerful as sex itself as I take inch after inch inside me. Tyler's hand comes to rest on my hair and I stop, slowly shaking my head side to side, and he pulls back, understanding. I'm the one to control him right now.
I pull back, letting his head pop free of my lips with a smack and a grin. He pushes his pants the rest of the way down and gets on the bed. While he's doing that I push my shorts and panties down, and pull my green shirt off, which I'd bought just yesterday to make sure I got the exact shade of Western Kelly green until my little surprise for next week gets here. Finding Kelly green lingerie is more difficult than you'd think.
I look over and see Tyler lying on the bed, his arms at his side and his eyes gleaming in the overhead light, a small smile on his lips as I move over his face and lower myself slowly toward him. I reach out and take his cock in my hand again and lean forward to lick his cock from base to top and then suck him in deeply just as his tongue finds me, and sparks jump through my body, electrifying every inch of me.
I suck Tyler up and down, deeply pulling him inside me even as his tongue teases and traces my labia, tearing me in half between wanting to push back into his face and wanting to please him. Caught in between, I force myself to do what I wanted, which is to worship him, to show him how special he is and how much I have come to think of him. I can't even say the word to myself yet, but it's burning on the edge of my thoughts the whole time as I suck him in and out, my tongue swirling around his shaft and tip each time.
Tyler's extra height allows him to keep licking me even as I speed up, both of us not pushing the pace but just going with what’s natural, beautiful and harmonious. We're rising, pushing each other as we go higher and higher, and I reach around, grabbing his hips and ass even as he grabs mine, burying my face on his cock all the way until my nose is pressed against the crinkly hairs at his base and the head pushes against my throat, wanting to gag me but I won't allow it. I caress him with my lips and mouth, drawing him in faster and faster.
I nearly lose control when his tongue finds my clit and starts flicking over it, each feather light lick blasting through my body in rapid, machine gun bursts of pure pleasure. I'm being driven toward my orgasm, and I want to bring Tyler to the brink first.
We're moaning, groaning into each other as we get caught up, Tyler's cock sliding in and out of my mouth faster and faster while he licks me, both of us not holding back anymore, greed and serving mixing together until I'm trembling on the edge, one lick away. I feel Tyler swell in my mouth and he groans, exploding deep into my mouth even as his tongue strokes me one more time, and I'm coming, moaning as I feel like I’m floating on a cloud.
“April . . .” Tyler cries out, and I suck him harder, wanting every precious drop. “Oh God . . . April . . .”
His cock slides out and I lick him lovingly before carefully dismounting his face and head toward the bathroom.
I do a quick little cleanup, and lay down beside his exhausted body. We look in each other's eyes for a long time, saying nothing, there's no need for words.
Finally, Tyler breaks the silence. “Will you stay the night in here with me?”
I nod and snuggle in beside him, laying my right leg over top of his thigh, not even needing to say my answer.
My phone rings, and I stop in my tracks. It's the special tone I programmed in that means it's from the hospital. It’s Saturday night, and if they’re calling, it can’t be good.
“Hello, this is April Gray.”
“Miss Gray, it's Doctor Valkenburgh. There's been another incident.”
“Oh no, what happened?”
“Your father . . . he was trying to help your mother when he stumbled and fell. He hit his head on the wall, and he's had a major setback.”
“Is he all right?”
“No . . . he's slipped into a coma. To be honest Miss Gray, we're not sure if he's going to come out of it with full use of his limbs, he convulsed after falling. Your mother is scared, and as you know, many Alzheimer's patients are difficult when they get frightened.”
“I understand. I . . . I can be there in three hours.” Actually, I can get there faster, once I hit the sticks outside Hamilton, but I'll be peeling the paint off the road to do so, and the RCMP isn't that nice about speeders in that area.
“That would be most helpful. Miss Gray . . . please, don't worry. Your father is in stable condition, and your mother is under mild sedation. But your being here would be helpful for her, and him if he comes out of it quickly.”
“Three hours. Thank you, Doctor.”
I hang up the phone to see Tyler coming in with fresh clothes for me. “I can drive you.”
I shake my head and get off the bed, putting my hand on his forearm. “I appreciate the offer, but I can't accept. This…”
My stress breaks me down and I fall quiet, tears falling down my cheeks as he holds me, comforting me. There's no sobbing this time, just sad acceptance that this may be one of the last times I can see my father alive. “If you need me, I'll be there. I can tell the team about it.”
I shake my head, sniffling and wiping at my nose. “No, you can't. I've already used all my sick days with the team. I'll go down and be back tomorrow night. Tyler, I said you shouldn't go because of Mom, that's all. If she's agitated, strangers can make her more nervous. I'd rather introduce you to my parents when she's maybe going to be able to recognize me and be able to understand what I'm saying.”
Tyler looks me in the eyes and nods. “Fine . . . but you stay as long as you want. If the team asks, or if Mr. Larroquette calls, tell him I'm being a prima donna asshole who's sending you on day long errands or something.”
“You want me to lie to my boss?” I ask with a smirk, and Tyler shakes his head. He goes over to his jeans and bends over, picking them up and taking out his wallet, fishing out a five-dollar bill. He comes back and puts it in my hand, and I raise my eyebrow. “What's this for?”
“Where's the hospital?” Tyler asks instead of answering. “This is important.”
“It's on the east side of London,” I say, wanting to say more . . . but now isn't the time.
“London, huh?” Tyler says with a hint of recognition, and he smiles wistfully. “I knew someone from London once . . . anyway, fine. You officially have an errand from me. I hear that the Tim Horton's in London has the best coffee in all of Ontario, and I'm ordering you to go and get me a cup, to be delivered, well, whenever you get back.”
I give him a quick hug, and he holds me close, lifting me into the air. “Thank you . . .”
“Go. Take care of your parents, and I'll keep the fort here.”
Tyler sets me down, and I get dressed quickly, and by the time I'm finished, he’s got my backpack ready to go and has a reheated thermos of coffee ready for me too. “I put two changes of undies in your bag,” he said, handing it to me. “Just in case.”
I nod and look at him, and I can see that he wants to come with me, but he's respecting my request. “Tyler . . . there's so much more we need to talk about. Another time though.”
He gives me a supporting smile. “For now, go take care of your father and mother. Go, and drive safely.”
I nod and go to the door, opening it. I step through, when Tyler calls to me again. “April?”
“Yeah?” I ask, hope flaring inside me as I see the words trembling on the edge of his lips, the same words that have been running through my head since he hugged me after the phone call.
“I . . . give me a call when you get there. I just want to make sure you're safe.”
I smile, and nod. “I will. Thanks again,
Tyler.”
“Be safe.”
Chapter 13
Tyler
“Good evening, and welcome everyone to Football Canada Today, your number one rated program on all things football. I'm Trisha James, and with me as always are my co-hosts Owen Steen and Mick Wilson. Guys, we've got a great show lined up today!”
I'm just off the set, fiddling with my tie, and wishing that the Fighters didn't have a policy that all non-game day interviews had to be conducted in a suit and tie. It's not that I can't wear a suit, but that doesn't mean I like it. Especially since I'm wearing makeup, am going to be under blazing studio lights, and it's already seven at night. I want to be home and relaxing before tomorrow's game. It's our last home game for a month, with a bye week in the middle, and I’d like to just get some sleep.
“Okay, so remember, we avoid any talk about the injuries on the defense,” Mr. Larroquette, who's accompanying me on this visit, says. I'd rather have April with me, but I sent her on another errand, this time to get me some goose sausage from a specialty butcher's in the city. She left this morning, and if traffic is good, she might get back in time for the end of the interview, and we can go home together. If not, she'll meet me at home. “Any questions outside your own play, keep to the prepared answers.”
“I've got this, Mr. L,” I reply, giving him a smirk. He hates when I call him that, but sometimes I just can't help it. “Remember, I've done interviews before. I'm cool.”
“Still, just be careful. Trisha especially, she's gotten more than one player to open up too damn much with that smile and cleavage combo.”
I have to admit, Trisha James is certainly a beautiful woman. Long blond hair, a body that looks like it should belong on a stripper more than a sportscaster, I could see why she's been voted Canada's favorite female sportscaster for three years in a row. She's the sort of woman who probably has creepy YouTube channels in her honor.
Rushed: A Second Chance Sports Romance Page 10
