Rush tagged along after him, waving as he went out the door. Following them, Coop opened the door a crack, making sure they went to their room.
He shut the door with a click and sank into the easy chair in one corner. “Watching out for those two is a full-time job.”
“Don’t I know.”
“I miss the good ol’ days when you were on a mission to nail every puck bunny within a ten-mile radius of every arena, and you kept watch on those guys while you partied together.” Coop stared pointedly at Cedric, who offered an insincere, apologetic smile in return.
“My partying days are over.”
“Because of Bella?”
“I guess you could say that.”
“You guess?” Cooper gave his friend a sideways glance that called bullshit.
“Yeah, Bella, but she’s in a bad way right now so we’re taking it slow.”
Coop groaned and blew out a breath. “The shit in her life along with Fawn’s illness has to be a relationship killer.”
“I’ve pretty much died a thousand deaths and none of them were pretty.” Cedric leaned back against the pillows, hands behind his head, and stared at the ceiling.
“I’ve lived through that particular hell myself, not knowing if we had a future and desperate to have one.”
“I know. I don’t want to go back to my hedonistic lifestyle. It doesn’t have the appeal it once did.”
“Hedonistic, huh?” Cooper nodded slowly. He’d never been a huge partier, but in their younger days playing in Florida, he’d managed to get into his share of trouble, all instigated by Cedric, who’d been damn proud of his ability to involve straight-laced Coop in his escapades.
Now none of that crap seemed so important anymore. He looked back on those days as shallow and inconsequential with remarkable similarities to his father’s fixation for aligning himself with politicians and corporate bigwigs. The old man had been the epitome of rising beyond the level of one’s incompetence. Cedric wondered if he’d ever been competent at anything other than schmoozing with the right people and marrying well.
Cedric wanted to be judged by his merit, not his ability to bullshit. Of course, he had to admit he was good at bullshit, one of those traits he’d inherited or absorbed from years of observing the master.
“You’re scaring me,” Coop said, but Cedric saw the smile in his eyes.
“I’m scaring myself.”
“Whatever you’re doing, keep doing it; you’ve been on fire this road trip.”
Cedric couldn’t explain that turnaround either, other than he’d finally separated his personal issues from hockey. He’d scored a hat trick one night and a goal the other two nights, all wins for the team. They were in the middle of the pack in the playoffs, and he liked their chances. He was optimistic about his chances with Bella too. He had faith in them.
“You haven’t exactly been a slouch out there either, Coop.” As usual, their conversation turned to hockey.
“The whole team is in the groove, and it’s a sight to behold.”
“Yeah, it’s fun.”
“It is,” Cooper admitted with a smile on his face. “I’m liking where we are right now.”
“But we have a long way to go. If we stay healthy, we’ll make a run at it.” Cedric leaned back against the pillows, lacing his fingers behind his head. “Imagine playing for the Cup. I’d almost given up on it happening, but not anymore.”
“Yeah, I know. Being purchased by Ethan Parker has been the best thing to ever happen to this team.”
Cooper hadn’t said that a year and a half ago when the billionaire Seattle businessman first purchased the team and relocated it to Seattle. It’d taken him longer than his teammates to warm to the rainy city, but he’d finally fallen in love with gray skies, green everywhere, and the blue of Puget Sound.
Cedric absently rubbed the fish tattoo on his upper arm. The entire inaugural Sockeyes team had the team logo tattooed on their arms to commemorate being the start of something special in this city.
“About Bella—” Cooper steered the conversation back to her.
“Like I said, we’re taking it slow, but we’re making progress.”
“We? As in a couple? Or as in Bella?”
“Both.” Cedric closed his eyes, suddenly tired.
“A word of advice. Woo her.”
“Woo her?” Cedric laughed. “Seriously? I’m hearing that word come out of your mouth? The man without an ounce of charm?”
Cooper grinned sheepishly and stood, stretching and yawning. “Yeah, woo her. Wine her, dine her, take her flowers, write a poem or a love song. Women love that shit.”
Cedric chuckled. “You’re a lost cause.”
“Welcome to the club, my man.” Cooper walked to the door. “Night.”
“Good night. See you at breakfast.”
After Cooper left, Cedric stripped off his clothes and crawled between the cool sheets. He fell asleep spooning a pillow and wishing it was Bella.
Chapter 10—Morning Skate
Bella couldn’t recall ever looking so forward to seeing Cedric, except for when she was horny for sex. While she wanted to have sex with him sometime soon, it wasn’t just the sex she missed. She missed Cedric. That was the new part. Or at least admitting it was new. Every time he left on a road trip, he took a piece of her with him, and she didn’t feel complete until he came back.
He’d been a star ever since the attack, treating her like a fragile princess. The old Bella would’ve balked at being treated with kid gloves, but this Bella didn’t mind so much.
The team had flown into Seattle early Sunday morning. To welcome him back, she invited him over Sunday night and cooked spaghetti. She warned herself if she did this domestic crap too often, she might find she liked it, which would never, ever do. Or Cedric might actually expect a home-cooked meal. She might be a new, improved version of Bella, but she didn’t plan to go so far as to become domesticated. Or would that be domestic?
The murder had thrown her off her game and set her back a few steps, but she pushed forward regardless, refusing to let the bastard who’d attacked her win. Today, she’d gone grocery shopping by herself and attempted to contact the detectives on the murder case since they’d never called her back. She didn’t have any luck getting through so she left a message.
Cedric threw his arms around her as soon as she opened the door. His strong arms cuddling her close felt damn good. She raised her face to his for a kiss, and it lasted longer than she’d planned, weakening her knees and curling her toes like it had before the attack. She was making progress and proud of it. When they parted, she smiled up at him, and he smiled back. Something in his gaze startled her, something too good, too scary, to contemplate. She extricated herself from his arms and slipped into the kitchen to stir the spaghetti sauce. Cedric followed her and rested his fine ass on the edge of a barstool at the kitchen counter. The fact that she’d noticed and appreciated that fine ass definitely showed improvement.
“So what’ve you been doing for the last week?” he asked, sounding as if he were making conversation, but she wasn’t sure that’s all it was.
“I—” She snapped her mouth shut, hesitant to tell him the truth.
He tilted his head, and his blue eyes narrowed, as he studied her face. “What aren’t you telling me?”
He’d read her perfectly. Bella had made a career out of keeping things on the surface. She didn’t tell anyone her deepest darkest fears, hopes, or dreams. Not even her sisters. Yet, she’d run to Cedric right after the attack and told him everything. Why not tell him about the murder and her suspicions?
“Bells.” His voice dropped an octave, and he came up behind her and rested his hands on her hips. She turned and hugged him tightly.
Tonight being in his arms felt so safe, so right. Funny she’d never noticed how right he felt before. Maybe because they’d been rutting like pigs all night long, and she’d never taken the time to enjoy anything but his body. And a very fine, sexy
body it was. She’d deprived herself of this man for far too long, but she’d need to do so a little longer. Until she got her personal act together, she couldn’t drag someone else into the mess that was Bella. Then again, maybe she’d already dragged him into it.
“Later,” she hedged, putting him off. “After dinner.”
He regarded her shrewdly, as if reading her too well and suspecting she wouldn’t want to talk after dinner either.
Dinner was a success, and Cedric cleaned his plate multiple times. Afterward they crashed on the couch and watched—what else?—hockey. Cedric didn’t bring up their earlier conversation, but Bella knew he wasn’t going to drop it. Most likely he was waiting for just the right time.
Cedric slanted a sexy, lopsided grin her way, his blue eyes hopeful. “Come to our next home game. It’d mean a lot to me.”
“A lot, huh?”
“A damn lot. Come on, Bells. My mission this set of home games is to get you out and about, within your comfort zone, of course.”
“Of course,” she added with a wink and a smile. He was right, as always, and it didn’t irritate her as much as it once had.
“Really? You’ll go?” He looked as eager as a teenager asking one of the popular girls out on a first date. How could a woman turn down someone as adorable as this man? Bella couldn’t.
“Yes,” she answered as he covered her face with big, messy, noisy smooches.
Bella started laughing until he silenced her with his mouth. Her body forgot to be fearful and melted into him, as if it was the most natural thing in the world. They kissed, slow and easy at first, building to an urgency, feeding the raw need racing through her veins and fogging her brain. She forgot why sex with him was a bad idea or why she’d been afraid, especially of this man, who’d never been anything but wonderful to her.
He deepened the kiss, and she buried her fingers in his blond hair, messing up Cedric’s perfect hairstyle.
“Bells,” he groaned, sliding his mouth along her jaw to her neck.
“Ceds,” she groaned back.
“You don’t think— Is it possible— Could we—” He stammered like a schoolboy.
“We could try,” Bella said shyly, and Bella was never shy. She framed his face between her hands and smiled up into his blue eyes. Then it hit her harder than a good kick to the crotch. She wanted him so badly her fears seemed inconsequential compared to the desire streaking through her.
His smile lit up his entire face, except his eyes. Those deep blue eyes didn’t smile, they smoldered. He picked her up as if she were his grandmother’s priceless china, treating her with such care, she couldn’t help but trust his gentle touch.
Cedric carried her to the bed and laid her on it. “You’re in charge, Bells. Have your way with me, take things at your own speed, and stop if you need to stop.”
“What’ll that do to you?”
“Fucking kill me, but I’m prepared to die tonight, hopefully, a thousand torturous, sinful deaths.”
Bella laughed and sat up on the bed. She could do this.
Tonight.
With Cedric.
Only Cedric.
And she’d reclaim her sexuality.
* * * *
Bella sat still for a moment, deciding on a course of action. Cedric stood a few feet away, his gaze hotter than she’d ever seen it, and she’d seen some wildfires in those eyes of his.
But it’d been a long time—for both of them.
Bella jabbed a finger at him. Using her best sergeant-major voice, she ordered him to strip. His grin spread so wide, the corners of his lips should’ve touched the back of his neck. Cedric didn’t bother with a slow striptease, he yanked off his clothes in record time and stood before her in all his naked glory, waiting for his next order.
Bella took her time, drinking in her fill of his shredded body. A fine sheen of sweat covered his well-defined pecs and chiseled abs. Her gaze dropped lower. His cock stood stiff and proud. His strong skater’s thighs bulged with restrained power.
Bella swallowed, waiting for the panic to grab her by the throat. She felt fingers of fear fluttering near her neck, but they fell away. She blew out a sigh of relief, relaxing slightly. She could do this as long as she was in charge. In fact, she wanted to do this, wanted to feel his cock inside her, stretching her, thrusting and retreating until they shed their mortal bonds.
“On the bed,” she commanded in a tight voice.
He hopped on the bed, flat on his back, head propped up on a mound of pillows, and watched her, waiting for her next direction.
“Hands on the headboard and don’t remove them.” He reached up and grabbed the headboard. His mouth twitched as he tried not to smile. Her officer act was amusing him. She’d wipe that smile off his face in a few minutes, once she had her way with him. He’d be too turned on to smile because she’d have him shouting in ecstasy.
Her next step took more effort than she’d expected. Her slow strip wasn’t slow to be provocative, it was slow because she was nervous. She pulled off her jeans first and kicked them to one side. A quick glance at Cedric revealed not a smile but a smolder. With shaking hands, Bella pulled her T-shirt over her head and tossed it aside. She swallowed hard and unhooked her bra, adding it to the pile. She knew the ugly red S scar Snake had carved on her chest was clearly visible, but instead of allowing the mark to cause her to hide her body, she thrust out her chest, displaying it as if it were a badge of courage.
Perhaps it was. She’d survived, and she would beat her fear and ultimately emerge stronger than before.
Tonight was the first step.
Removing her panties, Bella put a knee on the bed and leaned forward to grab a condom from the nightstand. She’d known this night would come—had to come—and had stored them there in preparation. Heart pounding in her ears, deafening her to any other sounds, Bella knelt on the bed and reached a tentative hand toward Cedric’s erection. His dick jerked in response.
With her index finger, she gingerly touched the velvety soft tip, sliding her finger over his precum and down the shaft. Bella liked the feel of him, wanted to feel more. She wrapped her fingers loosely around his shaft and slid her hand up and down. Cedric groaned, which made her smile and feel all-powerful. She needed that power over an obviously powerful man. It gave her courage and strength.
Bella continued her careful exploration of Cedric’s cock, touching and stroking every part of him with slow, deliberate strokes. With her free hand, she cupped his balls, savoring the weight of them in her palm and squeezing gently.
“Fuck,” Cedric muttered, drawing her attention briefly. His face was contorted with pleasure over what she was doing to him and agony as he sought to keep control.
Bella tore open the condom wrapper and expertly rolled the condom onto Cedric’s cock, like she’d done countless times before. Yet this time felt like the first time, for more reasons than the attack. Something was different between the two of them, like a fragile sprout poking up through the soil out of the darkness and into the light.
Cedric was her light.
He always had been, but she hadn’t seen it until now.
Straddling him, Bella leaned forward and kissed his mouth. He kissed her back, fucking her hard with his tongue, mimicking what he’d love to do with his dick. Bella’s body wanted that too.
She drew back and concentrated on her next move. Because of the wetness between her legs, her swollen slit slid easily back and forth across the head of his penis.
“Aw, fuck, Bells.” Cedric tossed his head back and forth on the pillows; his fingers gripped the headboard so tightly his knuckles turned white.
A slow, sultry smile played at her lips. She could feel it as she welcomed back the sexual side of her. She wanted this man inside her. She wanted him to fuck her until she lay exhausted in his arms in a sweaty tangle of limbs.
“Fuck me, Bells.” Cedric’s chest rose and fell, his breathing harsh.
“I’m giving the orders, not you,” she rem
inded him, giving him a swat on his chest. His eyes darkened into a stormy sea of rampaging emotions. If she wasn’t careful, she’d be flat on her back, and he’d be pounding into her. The thought did hold some merit. Okay, a fucking lot of merit.
But this time was hers. He’d have his moment later.
“Just fuck me.” This time he pleaded through gritted teeth.
“I believe I shall have my way with you, my lord.” She spoke in her best imitation of a snobby British royal.
“I’m here to serve, my lady. Now just fuck my bloody brains out.”
Bella had to laugh at his horrendous British accent, but she sobered immediately and lowered her body onto his erection. She had to have him inside her. Balancing her upper body by placing her hands on his chest, she slid downward, adjusting to his size, and greedily demanding more. Bella pushed harder until she was fully impaled by his fantasy-inspiring cock.
She blew out a breath as she paused and savored the sensation of him buried inside her. He appeared to forget their game, and his hands gripped her rib cage. She didn’t care to remind him. He flexed his hips, taking her deeper.
“Does my lady wish to be fucked hard and fast or slow and deep?”
She considered her options and met his gaze. “Slow and deep. Really, really deep.” She pushed off him and back down, developing a rhythm, while he assisted quite enthusiastically. He still allowed her to have the bulk of the control, but his ability to maintain a semblance of sanity appeared to be slowly slipping away with each downward thrust of her body.
Their passion built gradually, but finished hard and fast. Bella slammed into him with every stroke while Cedric fucked her with his hips, meeting each down stroke with his own upward thrust and angling his hips to go deeper. Bella’s inner muscles gripped his dick, and he jerked inside her as his orgasm engulfed him. With whatever shred of clarity remained, he rubbed her clit, and a split second later, he took her with him.
And he branded her heart as his.
* * * *
Bella felt like a virgin. She’d fucked lots of guys, gone down on them, hooked up with them, and banged them until she was brain-dead, including and especially Cedric. But she’d never, not once, made love to a man.
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