Fearless King

by Hughes, Maya

  She took a step closer to the curb, and the shiny glint along the concrete caught my eye.

  Did you know there isn’t a consensus from scientists about what makes ice slippery? Some say it’s about the pressure from someone stepping onto it instantaneously melting it, others say it’s a thin film of water that gathers on top. With all the time I spend on the ice, you’d think I’d know a bit more about it myself, but the only thing I know is that it hurts like hell when you wipe out on it.

  Liv’s arms flailed in a windmill, her phone clutched in her hand as her feet flew out from under her in those damn sexy purple shoes.

  Lunging for her, I threw my arms out to steady her, but all I managed to do was find my own nice little patch of ice. For a hockey player, I’d like to think I’d be more graceful in a fall, but all bets are off when you’re trying not to crush someone.

  Folding myself over her as much as possible, I shifted my weight to take the brunt of the impact. My back slammed against the cold ground, and Liv landed squarely on my chest. Pain ricocheted up my back, and I knew it would leave a bruise. There was a bounce and a skid, then silence. Even the chirping birds had shut up to watch us bite it.

  I kept my arms around her, her face buried in my chest. There was a faint tremble that ran through her body, and my fear ratcheted up.

  “Are you hurt? Did I crush you?”

  She looked up at me with tears in her eyes and a huge smile on her face. Her shoulders shook, and she gasped for air. “Dude, I thought you’d be more graceful than that.” Her laughter continued as she wiped the tears off her face.

  “I deserve a little credit. Who’s the one who saved you from a face-plant?”

  “You did, although you didn’t save me from flashing the entire neighborhood my thong.” She ran her hands along the back of her dress and pushed up off my chest.

  A flash of her bare skin with my fingers sinking into her ass shot through my head. I groaned at the weight of her body shifting over mine. Was she made of eighty percent elbows and knees?

  “Oh shut up, you big baby. You have two-hundred-pound hockey players slamming into you nonstop.” She planted her foot, which slipped again, and everything moved in slow motion as her knee came back down.

  There’s a moment when you know the pain is coming, and it’s almost worse than the actual pain—almost.

  The pointiest knee in all of mankind made direct, unflinching contact with my balls. The nauseating stomach-drop feeling slammed into me.

  “Oh shit.” She scrambled off me.

  I lay there on the cold pavement, praying for death while curled up into a ball.

  “Ford, oh God, I’m so sorry.” She stood over me with her clenched fists pressed against her mouth, trying and failing not to let me see her laugh. Reaching out, she grabbed my arm.

  I leaned against her as she helped me off the ground. Gritting my teeth, I sucked air into my lungs.

  Bent over at the waist, I waved her off. “Totally fine.” The words came out like a wheezy whistle.

  “The taxi is here. Let’s get you inside. I’m so sorry.”

  “Sure thing. Once the feeling returns to my legs, I’ll walk it off.” Barely able to fully stand, I braced my hands on my hips.

  “I feel terrible.” She stood in front of me, backlit by the midday sun, looking like an angelic bringer of pain. “I guess I’m stronger than I look.”

  I held the door open, and she slid across the seat with a worried look on her face, darting nervous glances at me.

  I closed the door, and the taxi merged into the light afternoon traffic. “Really, I’m fine. It won’t be the last time I get nailed in the nuts.”

  She stared at me, nibbling her lip.

  “Seriously.” I reached over to give her a reassuring pat on the leg. My mistake was made crystal clear the second my hand made contact with her skin. The sizzle of electricity that had been broken by the knee to my balls rekindled and pulsed between us.

  She held my gaze. Her tongue darted out, and she bit her bottom lip. The expanse of skin I’d pushed out of my mind until that exact moment heated under my touch. Every cell of my body screamed, Don’t stop touching her. All the air was sucked out of the cab, and the only sounds were my thundering heartbeat and her quickening breaths.

  My thumb traced a path along her leg, and I tightened my grip on her thigh when the cab hit a pothole. The slow path of my thumb became the gentle caress of my whole hand.

  I couldn’t break the connection. Inside this cab, we were apart from the rest of the world. It was our bubble where everything we’d tried to hold back came rushing forward. The path of my touch widened, and so did her thighs. Her dress inched higher as she let her knees fall apart, and with a mind of its own, my hand traveled higher up her leg.

  The light pink fabric of her underwear peeked out from under the skirt of her dress. My jeans got uncomfortably tight as my dick throbbed in time to my pulse. It was a bad idea to start something we couldn’t finish right then.

  The best worst fucking idea ever. Another interruption was bound to crop up, so I’d take what I could get. My hand moved higher, the rubbing long past comfort and straight into a tease, but I didn’t know who for, me or her. Her shuddering breaths were a soundtrack I already knew so well, but in person they were even sweeter.

  She covered my hand with hers, pushing me even closer to the apex of her thighs, to the fabric-covered prize that kept me up late into the night. My fingers danced along the edge of the lace as I lurched forward, nearly slamming into the plexiglass divider.

  22

  Liv

  I’d never wanted to strangle someone more. Ford’s fingers whispered across the fabric stretched over my wet core, and the driver screeched to a stop. It was the sharpest brakes in a taxi ever. He could have at least circled the block. Seriously, help a girl out here, buddy.

  We rushed into the lobby of his building. Ford’s grip tightened around my hand, and we beelined it straight for the elevator.

  “There you are.” Loud, familiar voices shook us right out of our foreplay-drunk haze.

  We disentangled our hands like they’d caught fire, and turned the corner.

  “Hey, Liv!” Mak hugged me. Not that I didn’t love her, but why the hell were they there?

  “I know we’re early.” Declan grinned.

  If I could’ve, I’d have grabbed him by the back of his coat and launched him through the front door. I wanted to get down on my knees and scream up at the sky, What did I ever do to you, universe? Why the cock block to the extreme?

  Ford’s nostrils flared, and he clenched his hands at his sides.

  At least I wasn’t the only one hurting. Let the torture begin.

  “I can see that. Luckily, so are we. Liv was at my mom’s and wanted to come too.”

  Everyone’s gaze swung to me. My cheeks did their best tomato impression.

  “So, what’s for dinner?” Emmett sat on the arm of the leather loungers in the lobby with Avery on his lap.

  Ford’s eyes got wide, and he clenched his teeth, sucking in a long breath. “Burgers and bourbon?”

  “Hell yeah!”

  “Sounds good to me.”

  “I knew you forgot.”

  It seemed the group was in agreement that this was an excellent plan.

  “I just need to run across the street and pick them up. I’ll be right back. Here’s the key to my place. Ninth floor. Liv knows the way.” He tossed the keys, and they landed in my hands as he bolted out the glass doors. I slowly spun on my heels with a sheepish smile. Once again, everyone’s eyes were on me.

  “He rescued me after a party and brought me back here because I was maybe a little drunk.” I held up my thumb and pointer finger the slightest bit apart.

  We all piled into the elevator and headed up to Ford’s apartment.

  “Don’t worry, Liv, we’ve all been there—some of us more recently than others.” Declan grinned at Mak, who shoved his shoulder.

  This wasn�
�t exactly how I’d imagined my next time at Ford’s place would go. I had figured it would be more of a hazy blur, a tangle of limbs, and certainly without the entire Kings squad along for the ride.

  I unlocked the door and held it open while everyone filed in.

  The girls gathered around the bar setup while the guys unpacked some of the food they’d brought over and poked around the apartment.

  “The expedition has found themselves in a rare position.” Heath narrated with an imaginary microphone as he tiptoed around the apartment. “They are seeing the natural habitat of the elusive Kings goalie. Very few explorers have caught a glimpse of his territory, let alone been invited inside his den.” He tugged open a closet door and jumped into a fighting stance like he imagined a wild tiger might jump out at him. “Why the hell does he have so many board games when he never has anyone over?” He pulled out a stack of five classic games. “Or has he been cheating on us?” Heath’s eyes got wide, and he sniffed the games like he’d be able to smell other friends encroaching on the Kings’ turf. “Has he been inviting other people over to play without us? Going out to drinks with them?” He dropped the games onto the table. “How dare he?”

  The front door burst open, and Ford slammed it shut with sweat pouring down his face. “The burgers will be here in half an hour.”

  Raiding the bar area in his kitchen, I made a few drinks for everyone. The burgers arrived with a solid knock to the door. A sweaty guy with an unamused look on his face handed over the giant bag of food, and Ford slipped him a massive wad of bills.

  I helped Ford unpack everything and get it onto plates. In the kitchen we worked together, every brush and bump bringing me right back to the taxi, right back to where his hands had been and where I wanted them again.

  I had to keep reminding myself not to let my gaze linger for too long, not to reach out and touch him like I wanted to.

  With full stomachs, everyone sipped their drinks, including the cranberry-orange mimosas I whipped up for dessert. Who said mimosas are only for brunch?

  “You two are ringers. This isn’t fair.” Declan threw down his Scrabble tiles and walked away from the table in disgust.

  “It’s okay; you’ve got more than me. I only have thirty points.” Mak laughed and set down her last tiles: I and S. She shrugged. “I tried, and I’m damn proud of my thirty points.”

  “You’re killing me, Books. You’re supposed to clean the floor with them.” Declan wrapped his arms around her waist and hugged her to him.

  “If we’re talking purse-string sutures to close a wound, I’m your gal, but Scrabble…I’ll leave that to the professionals.” Mak dropped off her dishes in the kitchen.

  The last two turns were me and Ford. I had 438. He had 442.

  His gaze jumped from the game board to the tiles in front of him. He ran his hand across his forehead before squeezing his temples. The intense concentration looked sexy on him. He wasn’t just a worthy competitor in online Scrabble.

  I rearranged my tiles on my holder and sat up straight as the Scrabble gods smiled on me. Tapping two tiles on the table, I glanced around the room. Full stomachs, good drinks, and great friends—this was what I’d always wanted. I slipped two of my tiles back onto my holder and put down the rest: I-R-K-E-D, leaving the Q-U still on my tray.

  “The fierce competitors are locked in a battle for dominance.” Heath slipped back into commentator mode.

  Emmett and Avery had long since excused themselves from the game. He was a second from re-consummating their engagement as she used him as her personal recliner. That ring of hers nearly blinded me from across the room. I still couldn’t believe he’d bought it back in high school. Colm had never been that reckless with the money our parents left behind, but I guess people do crazy things when they’re in love.

  Ford lifted an eyebrow in my direction and put his word down on the board: B-U-S-T-E-D.

  Heath picked up the notepad and scribbled down the scores. “We have a winner.” He walked to the side of the table between us and leaned in for the dramatic pause. Covering both our hands with his, he lifted Ford’s in the air. “The reigning champ continues to dominate.”

  Ford’s gaze shot to mine, and my heart sped up.

  With the first yawn from Avery, Emmett called it.

  “We’ll get out of your hair.” Emmett stood up, bringing Avery with him. She pushed against his chest until he let her go. “Thanks for having us over.”

  The couples all grabbed their coats.

  “We’ll have to do it again sometime,” Ford said, picking up the dishes around the apartment.

  “Don’t worry, man. Now that we know where you live, we’ll be annoying the crap out of you.” Declan clapped him on the back.

  “Especially with burgers that good around the corner.” Kara put her hand up to the side of her mouth, shielding it from Heath. “I think they’re even better than his.” She jerked her finger in Heath’s direction.

  “I heard that.” Heath pushed his way toward us. “Next time, burger cook-off.”

  Ford grinned. “I look forward to that.”

  “Liv, do you need a ride?” Mak buttoned her coat. Everyone else stood at the door.

  “No, it’s okay. I’m going to a friend’s place on my way home. It’s right around the corner, so I can help Ford clean up and then get out of here.” I hoped that sounded convincing.

  Hugs from everyone and they made their exit. The silence in the apartment was louder than when everyone had been there.

  “Are you ready for a rematch?” Ford’s deep timbre tickled the shell of my ear, and a shudder shot through me. His chest pressed against my back, and the heat of his body set mine alight. “No holding back this time. I saw what tiles you had left. I’m not taking a pity win.” He tucked the hair behind my ear and dropped a quick kiss on the curve of my neck.

  I couldn’t hold back my smile. Oh, this was going to be fun.

  23

  Ford

  “You know you’re technically breaking the law, don’t you?” She shook the tumbler at me, the ice clinking against the side of the glass. I was seconds away from climbing over the table and ripping the thong off her body.

  From the second we’d stepped out of the taxi, this had been bound to happen. There wasn’t a thing in the world that was going to stop me. That didn’t mean I didn’t know it came with its complications, but right then I didn’t care about those. All I cared about was hearing my name on Liv’s lips as she screamed out her pleasure on my fingers, on my tongue, on my dick.

  “Like you don’t have a full bar in your apartment.”

  “True. So why did you bring this bottle out after everyone else left?”

  “This is a twenty-five-year-old bottle of bourbon.” It was a thing of beauty, only meant to be taken out for special occasions.

  “Same age as you. And older than me.” She lifted an eyebrow like a challenge, to see if I was going to back down again.

  “It deserves to be savored.”

  Tipping her glass back, she sipped it like I’d shown her. She let the flavors settle on her tongue, her expression changing the longer she held it in her mouth. “It’s got a smooth burn. There are a lot of layers to it. I can see why you like it.”

  “Stop stalling—it’s your turn.” I lifted my chin toward the game board.

  With the widest grin ever, she laid down the tiles. B-E-Z-I-Q-U-E.

  “What the hell is a bezique?”

  “No idea, but I know it’s a killer scrabble word and gets a triple word score.”

  “No way. Give me that dictionary.” I reached for the thick book on her side of the table.

  She jumped up, clutching it to her chest. “You don’t trust me?” she taunted.

  “Not when it comes to Scrabble. Hand it over.” I stood from my seat, and she hopped back. “Give it.” I motioned for her to hand it over.

  “I don’t think so.” She spun around and ran off. “It’s a word. Take your defeat gracefully.”


  My apartment was a loft, so there weren’t a lot of places for her to run to. She rushed into the corner of the open-plan living room where the brick met the drywall, refined meeting rough. With the dictionary wrapped in her arms, she leaned into the corner like she’d be able to keep it from me.

  Coming up behind her, I wrapped my arms around her and grabbed for the book clutched in her hands. My body pressed against her, and our laughter filled the room.

  “Just give it to me and take an honorable defeat.” I reached around her, the back of my hand scraping against the brick.

  “Not happening. It’s a word!” She shoved her butt out and tried to open the dictionary.

  Two things happened when she did that. My hand dropped off her arm and smacked into her leg—her bare leg—and the part of her body pressed up against me came into laser focus. Her ass, in that skirt, was right against me.

  My fingers skimmed just below the hem of her skirt. I squeezed her thigh, and her head rocked back against my chest. The fire I’d tamped down while everyone was here came roaring back like we’d hit the snooze button and were finally ready to wake up.

  I stepped closer, sandwiching her between me and the wall. I lifted her skirt, my fingers inching higher up her thighs. I ran my lips along the exposed nape of her neck. Goose bumps covered her skin, and her breath caught when my fingers brushed across the fabric covering her pussy.

  The heat radiating from her body was off the charts. My cock thickened, and I bit back a groan as she ground herself against me.

  Pushing my hand higher, I covered the only thing standing between me and the piece of her I’d tried to resist. Her legs parted. The thunk of the Scrabble dictionary falling to the floor did nothing to deter me.

  My fingers danced along the lips of her pussy, slowly wetting my fingers through the fabric of her panties. Her hips rocked against me in a gentle rhythm, and I wanted to be nothing but closer.

  I ran my lips along her skin, and her moans drove my need to be inside her even higher. I was going all in. I needed to have all of her—tonight.