by LuAnn McLane
21
The Heat Is On
Jessica never understood what tears of joy meant until now. She attempted but could not contain her emotion. “I’m . . . okay,” she tried to assure him with a sniff, but then her shoulders shook with laughter and she had to swipe at the tears leaking out of the corner of her eyes.
“You’re not okay,” Ty insisted, and tried to turn her around so that he could see her face. “Jessica, what did I say to make you cry?”
“Oh, Ty . . .” She turned and put her hands on his cheeks. “You were just so cute, the way you declared your feelings, and it hit me straight in my heart. But then when you started bumbling around with your speech, it struck me as sweet and endearingly funny, and I just started laughing and crying at the same time.” She smiled and had to blink back more moisture. “These are happy tears. I just can’t contain myself. I don’t want to contain myself, and it feels amazing!”
“Thank God,” he said with such conviction that she giggled again.
“I’m sorry. You are just so cute!” she said.
“Damn, I’m supposed to be a tough-as-nails coach. Don’t let anyone know my cute, cuddly side. Okay?”
Jessica grinned.
“This is where you’re supposed to say that my secret is safe with you.”
“I promise not to tell anyone that Mr. Triple Threat is really just a softy,” she assured him, and then laughed again.
Ty leaned in and kissed her tenderly. “I’m a super softy where you’re concerned. Damn, girl, when I thought I’d made you cry, it tore me up. Seeing you cry brings me to my knees.” He kissed her again and then said, “I really do love you, Jessica. I know this sounds trite, but life feels empty without you in it.”
“Oh, Ty.” Her laughter died in her throat, and she searched his face for any sign of insincerity but saw only honesty in the depths of his eyes. Tears welled up once again.
“Please tell me those are still happy tears.”
Her laughter gurgled in her throat. “Yes. Oh yes!” Jessica’s heart pounded and she closed her eyes for a long moment. Finally, she inhaled a deep breath and said, “Ty, I love you too. I’ve known it for a long time now, but this little break we took solidified it. I am miserable without you.” She leaned forward and kissed him softly, soundly, but then a hot, sultry feeling of desire started at her mouth and slowly sank south. When Ty groaned, Jessica smiled against his lips and then boldly caressed between his legs. He was hard and ready. “Oh, and that part about you being a softy . . . mmm, not true. At least not here.”
He chuckled but jerked when she wrapped her hand around his erection. “Never for long when you’re around,” he readily admitted, but then pulled back and looked at her. “But you do have me wrapped around your finger. There’s no sense in denying it. I haven’t felt this good in days, Jessica, and it’s all because of being with you.”
Jessica gave him a slow smile. “And you’re about to feel even better.”
“God . . .” Ty breathed when she leaned back against the pillows. She allowed him to look his fill. While her breasts weren’t as firm as they once were and she had stretch marks here and there, Jessica had never felt sexier. The heat of his gaze melted away every last inhibition, and when he cupped her breast in his big, warm hand, Jessica arched up into his palm. He caressed her flesh, and when he rubbed his thumb over her sensitive nipple, she didn’t even try to hold back the moan of pure desire. “Oh, God!” she breathed when he leaned over and sucked her nipple into the silky, wet heat of his mouth. When he licked her in small circles, Jessica threaded her fingers through his hair and urged him on. He sucked and nipped lightly, sending sharp needles of longing shooting through her body.
A moment later, he shucked his sweatpants and they were skin to skin.
Jessica moved against him and was unable to get close enough. She loved this man. Absolutely loved him. “I’ve waited so long for this,” she said as she slid her hands down his back to his very nice ass.
“Almost two weeks,” Ty said.
“No,” she said with a catch in her voice, and he pulled back and looked into her eyes.
“All our lives,” he finished with the uncanny understanding that was beginning to come naturally to them.
“Yes.”
“Ah . . . Jessica,” Ty said, and wrapped his strong arms around her. “This is how much space you get from now on,” he told her, and gave her a hard squeeze. “So you had better get used to it.”
Jessica laughed and hugged him back. “I’ll get used to it, but I’ll never take you for granted.”
“I love your sweet honesty,” he said, and then kissed her hotly, deeply, before leaning to the side on his elbow. “I know. Believe me, I really know. I’ve seen too much deception and heartache not to appreciate what we have. It’s a gift, and I will treasure it always.”
Jessica started to blink back tears, but then gave in to her emotion and let the hot moisture leak from the corners of her eyes. “Me too.”
“Ah . . . damn, sweetheart.” When he kissed the wetness away from her cheeks, something beautiful broke open inside her. “I do love you.” He kissed her again, and she could taste the salt of her tears on his tongue. It blew her away that this big, strong, tough athlete could be so gentle and so very tender. In turn, she wanted to ease any pain, any ache that he would ever have. And when she kissed him back, it wasn’t just with her heart, but with her soul.
“And I love you.” After waiting so long to say those words to him, Jessica found that she couldn’t say them enough. She moved against him, loving the way their bodies fit. Smooth, warm skin slid deliciously, sensuously back and forth. Her nipples grazed his chest, sending hot tingles through her body until her toes curled. She wanted him like she had never wanted anyone else. Ever.
“I want you,” Ty whispered in her ear, echoing her thoughts once more. He rolled away briefly to slide on protection and then was back in her arms. He kissed her with wild abandon and caressed her everywhere. Jessica matched his passion kiss for kiss and moved her hands over his back, into his thick hair. When he entered her with one deep stroke, she welcomed him with a deep sigh and wrapped her legs around his waist. She wanted him closer, deeper. . . . And when tenderness turned to pure heat, Jessica let herself go. . . .
More than an hour later, they had used every inch of the king-sized bed. Pillows had been tossed to the floor, and the comforter was a heap at one corner of the mattress. Chocolate and caramel sauce had become finger paint, and Jessica would never again look at a strawberry the same way. “Oh, dear God.”
Ty chuckled. “Worn-out?”
“Mmm, yes,” she admitted, and then rested her head on his chest. “I need a shower,” she said in a weary voice, but couldn’t resist kissing his warm skin.
“Me too,” Ty agreed in the same tired tone.
“But I would have to move.”
“I know. It won’t be easy. Baby, that was some workout.”
Jessica’s low giggle seemed to give him energy. And when he rolled over and licked her caramel-flavored breast, she felt another long pull of desire. “We couldn’t possibly . . .” she protested, but when his hand moved between her thighs and he caressed her mound, a sweet ache rolled over her. She was bone-tired and tender and yet she couldn’t begin to tell him to stop. He nuzzled her neck and slid his finger over her in leisurely circles until her breath started to come in short gasps. “I can’t believe you can make me feel this way . . . again.”
“Believe it.”
“God . . . Ty!” Jessica didn’t think he could make her come yet again, but she felt the tight curl of desire start to unravel. She arched her back. . . . It was almost too much and yet achingly sweet, falling just short of pain. When he dipped his finger into her tender, wet heat, she moaned and jerked with the shock of sharp pleasure that she didn’t think she had left in her. His low rumble of laughter felt like silk sliding over her skin, and when he touched her swollen bud once more, Jessica climaxed as if in slo
w motion. The deep, exquisite pleasure tore a moan from her throat.
“Oh . . .” Jessica gripped Ty’s shoulder. When she whimpered, he chuckled again. “Dear God!” She felt as if she were made of warm honey, slowly melting into the mattress.
“Ready for that hot shower now?”
“Oh, right. Like I could stand. My body has gone from solid to liquid.”
Ty laughed. “How about if I fill up that big garden bath with some steaming-hot water? I’ll even carry you into the bathroom.”
“Now you’re talking.”
“It’s big enough for two,” he said suggestively.
“Even better.”
Her eyes were closed, but she managed a smile.
“Ah, baby, don’t ever stop doing that.”
“Stop what?” She tried to raise her eyebrows in question, but even they were weary.
“Smiling.” He traced the outline of her mouth with his fingertip.
“Well, you put it there.”
Ty groaned. “Now the pressure is on me.”
Jessica’s smile widened. “Can you handle it?”
“Absolutely. I perform well under pressure,” he said in a teasing tone, but then fell silent.
Jessica opened her eyes and looked at Ty. All traces of humor were gone.
“Hey.” He grasped her chin gently. “I want to make you happy, Jessica.”
“You already have made me happy,” she said, and it was true. She needed this big, strong, sexy man like a thirsty plant needed water. The intensity of her feelings made her hands tremble and her throat constrict. But Jessica suddenly felt exposed, shaken, and she would have looked away if Ty hadn’t had a firm grip on her chin . . . and a vise grip on her heart.
“I’m going to chase that haunting doubt right out of those amazing eyes of yours.” He sighed and dropped his hand. “I’m sorry. I am trying really hard to go slow with you, Jessica, but I just can’t stop myself. The last thing I want to do is screw this up. But I can tell you one thing for sure. You can put your faith and trust in me, and I won’t ever let you down.”
“I believe you.”
“Good. Never stop,” he said, and then scooted off the bed and scooped her up in his arms.
Jessica laughed as she looped her arms around his neck. “Where in the world are you getting your energy?”
“I’m getting my second wind. I guess after all of the moping around I did, I’m just ready to go. Think you can hang with me, girlie?”
Jessica laughed with pure delight. “I’m going to give it the old college try.”
Ty let her slide slowly down his body until her feet reached the tile floor, but instead of releasing her, he held her close. “It feels great to have you back in my arms once again.”
“There’s no place on earth I’d rather be.”
22
Truth or Dare!
Bella inhaled the pungent scent of dark-roast coffee as she scooped it into the paper cone. She usually liked to sleep in on her day off, but she wanted to cook Logan a big breakfast in honor of opening day. Plus, her mother would be arriving later for the game, and she needed all the energy she could get to deal with Nicolina Diamante. Her mother still didn’t know that Logan was a guy, but Bella shoved that little detail from her brain and concentrated on gathering together the ingredients for a big, old, country-style breakfast feast.
While humming to herself, she opened the refrigerator and located a carton of eggs and a package of sausage links. After fishing a bag of frozen hash browns from the freezer, Bella found the skillets she needed. She cooked as silently as she could in an effort not to wake Logan before he needed to rise. Once the sausage links and hash browns were popping and sizzling in the skillets, she paused to pour a big mug of strong coffee. After adding cream and sugar, she took a bracing sip and sighed.
“Something sure smells amazing.”
“Oh, my God! You scared the daylights out of me!” Bella squeaked, and almost sloshed her coffee over the rim of the mug. She turned to give Logan an accusing glare, but the sight of him in nothing but blue shorts made her eyes widen instead.
“Sorry,” he said with a sheepish grin, and headed over to the cabinet to grab a coffee mug. His blond hair was bed-head messy, and he nonchalantly scratched his bare chest while yawning. How could a person look so good after just waking up?
“Well, you shouldn’t sneak up like that.” Logan made her feel frumpy in her leggings and oversized T-shirt. Her face was washed free of makeup, and her hair was a mass of messy waves tumbling over her shoulders.
“Okay . . . but I do live here, you know.”
Boy, did she ever. “Yeah, but you aren’t usually awake this early, and I was sort of in a zone.”
“Couldn’t sleep,” he admitted while pouring the steaming brew into his mug. After replacing the carafe on the warmer, he looked her way.
“Oh, sorry to hear that,” Bella said, and tried not to stare at his near nakedness. She wondered if he paraded around like that just to turn her on. Not that she was about to let him know how much she wanted to grab him and do something crazy like lick his nipples or squeeze his butt . . . or both. She felt her face grow warm at the image, and hoped Logan thought it was from the heat of the stove. “Opening-day jitters?”
Logan took a long sip of his coffee but gazed at her over the rim of his mug. After lowering his arm, he examined the contents. “Not really.”
“What, then?”
He paused for a second and then lifted one shoulder, causing muscle to ripple. “Just . . . stuff,” he finally replied, but his gaze lingered on her long enough to send a hot shiver down her spine.
Were thoughts of her keeping him awake?
Don’t even go there, she sternly reminded herself, but it was getting more and more difficult each and every day she spent under the same roof with him. And it wasn’t just that he made her heart race every time he entered the room. She simply enjoyed his company and looked forward to the time they spent together. Bella felt more at ease with Logan than she ever had with David, and already knew much more about him. Conversation with Logan came easy, and she found herself thinking about him during the day. “Would you like some breakfast?”
“Sure. Whatever you’re making would be great. Thanks,” he said with one of those smiles that turned her inside out.
But it suddenly pissed her off that he could make her feel this way! Bella had overheard Noah talking on the phone about Logan just yesterday. He had said that Logan’s elbow was healed and his arm was coming back stronger than ever. It wouldn’t take long for a major-league franchise to sit up and take notice. Why get involved with someone who would be leaving town as soon as he could?
“Wow, and hash browns too?” Logan commented with another smile. “Thanks for cooking such an amazing breakfast, Bella.”
Bella shrugged. “I was bored and hungry,” she mumbled, and took a sip of her coffee.
“Oh.” His smile faltered, making her feel like an ass. “Well, lucky me, I guess.”
“Yeah,” she said as she lowered the temperature on the links and potatoes. “I overheard Noah say that your arm is stronger than ever.” She flicked a glance his way.
Logan nodded. “I’ve got the green light to pitch in relief.”
“Are you excited?”
“Sure.” He took another sip of his coffee but averted his gaze.
“You don’t seem like it.”
“I am,” he insisted, but without much conviction. She knew that she had hurt his feelings and it bothered her.
“Do you want your eggs over easy?” she asked, even though she knew damned well that he did. She knew everything from his favorite ice cream to how he liked his steak prepared.
“Scrambled like yours, if it’s easier.”
“No, I don’t mind fixing them the way you prefer.”
“I don’t want you to go to any trouble, even though you’re bored.”
Bella felt tears well up in her eyes, turned back to the stove,
and started flipping the golden hash browns. A moment later she put down the spatula with more force than necessary.
“Bella, I don’t get it. Did I do something to piss you off?”
Bella whirled around to face him. “Yes!”
“What the hell did I do?”
She stomped her foot so hard that the sausages rolled around in the skillet as if in surprise. “You . . . you’re almost naked!”
“That’s it?” He set his coffee mug down on the kitchen table with a thump and angled his head in question. “Do you want me to put on a shirt?”
“Yes!”
“Okay! Geez . . .” he grumbled and turned to leave.
“Wait. Oh, Logan, I lied.”
He came to an immediate stop and then slowly turned around to face her. His blond brows came together. “So you don’t want me to put a shirt on?” he asked slowly.
“Yes . . . no.” She shook her head and gazed up at the ceiling. “Oh, God.” After taking a deep breath, she decided to come clean. “Okay, here goes. I lied about fixing breakfast because I was bored. I was making this big spread for you.”
Logan’s frown remained. “So you went to all of this trouble, and I pissed you off by walking around in my gym shorts? I walk around in them all the time. Bella, we’ve been through this, and you insisted that it didn’t bother you.”
“I lied about that too.”
He gave her a lopsided grin.
“This isn’t funny, Lo-gan!”
“Okay.” When he took a step closer, Bella backed away and came up against the counter. “So, is this confession time?”
“No!” she said, but then realized he was talking about himself. “Okay, maybe.”
“What else have you lied about, Bella?” he asked softly.
Her chin came up. “It’s your turn,” she tossed back at him.
“Oh, really?” He arched one eyebrow. “How about a little game of truth or dare?”
“I hate that silly game,” she scoffed.
“Really?” He took a step closer, crowding her space. “Well, how about I let you go first?”
