“I take it you made it work?”
She smiled, just a small one that curved her full mouth with a tiny bit of humor. “Yeah. Barely. It wasn’t easy but I wanted it so—” She shrugged again, the gesture telling him more than her words.
“So you made it work.”
“Yeah. It completely depleted my meager savings and I think I ate nothing but ramen for a year, but I made it work. Then Rick’s business started to take off so I graduated to mac and cheese.”
“And now you’re up to spaghetti.”
Lauren laughed just as the stove buzzer went off. She pushed back from the table, waving off his help, and moved into the kitchen. “Spaghetti is easier than steak so yeah.”
She gave him another grin then turned away, busying herself with draining and rinsing the pasta. Kenny shifted in his chair, turning so he could watch her, his gaze drifting to her ass as she bent over to pull the garlic bread from the oven. She had a nice ass, firm and high, almost heart-shaped. And he had thought her ass looked nice in the padded pants of her ref’s uniform? Nice didn’t come close to describing it, not with the way the worn denim of her faded jeans hugged the tight curves.
“You’re staring.”
“What?” Kenny pulled his gaze away from her ass and looked up, surprised to see her watching him over her shoulder. He cleared his throat and reached for the glass of wine, hoping that would hide the fact that his face was heating at being caught. She laughed, the sound soft and warm. Kenny looked around, his mind searching for something to say to change the subject. “So I take it you like plants?”
“Hm?” Lauren leaned her hip against the counter, her gaze moving around the room. Another smile teased her mouth as she nodded. “Yeah, I do. I have to be careful or I’m going to end up living in a jungle. I go overboard in the summer because I put a lot of them out on the balcony, then end up buying more for inside because the place looks empty.”
“You have a balcony?”
“Yeah, off the bedroom. That’s one of the perks of having a corner unit. It cost a little more but—” She shrugged again then turned back to the stove.
“You’d get along great with my sister. She has a huge green thumb, too.”
“I take it that means you don’t?”
“Nope. I’m a plant killer. Can’t even keep a cactus alive. Besides, I’ve been moved around too much the last few years to really worry about it.”
Lauren placed a huge bowl of pasta and sauce in the middle of the table, then returned with a heaping plate of garlic bread before taking her seat. Kenny stared at the food then raised an eyebrow in her direction.
“Are you expecting someone else?”
“No. But I never know how much spaghetti to fix. Besides, what you don’t eat, I can save for lunch.”
“You really think I’m going to eat all this?”
“You’re a hockey player, right?”
“Yeah, but still.” He stared at the food then shrugged, knowing he’d probably eat more than he thought he would.
“So, you said you’ve moved around a lot. Where were you before you came here? I mean, I know you played for York. But where else?”
“Well, there was college hockey in Michigan. Then I got drafted by Detroit and traded the following year without being called up. After that, I played in Maine, then out west to California, then finally got traded to Baltimore, who sent me to play in York.”
“Yeah, I guess you really have moved around a lot. That also explains the boxes lined up in your spare room.”
“I’m almost afraid to unpack them.”
“How come? I mean, you’re playing here now, right? You don’t think you’re going to stay?”
Kenny’s doubts and worries twirled in his mind, twisting and doubling up much like the pasta on his fork. He rested the fork on his plate and reached for his glass, taking a sip as he looked over at Lauren. Nothing more than simple curiosity filled her gaze. None of his own doubts or worries were reflected in her warm eyes. In fact, she almost looked surprised at his own worry.
“I like to think I am. I mean, just the fact that the Banners renewed my contract and kept me here should mean something, right? But I’m not one of the stars, not one of the big names commanding the big bucks. I know things can change in the space of a game. So yeah, I still worry. I figure if I can keep my head in the game with no distractions and keep working hard to prove myself, make sure I play my best, I might be okay.” Kenny took another swallow of wine and gave her a small smile. “That’s the hope, anyway.”
“Oh please. Your game is fine.” She paused, a glint of humor flashing in her eyes. “Except when you draw stupid penalties, that is.”
Kenny laughed, a deep laugh that burst from his gut and released all the tension and worry that had been wrapped around him. “That’s part of the job, you know.”
“No. The trick is to do the job without getting caught and drawing a penalty. Although honestly—and I’ll probably regret saying this—you don’t really draw that many. So I think you’re worrying about nothing.”
“I can always hope. I like it here. I like the coaching staff and the guys. I like Coach LeBlanc’s methods. So yeah, I’m hoping.”
“Well, for what it’s worth, I think you’re worrying too much.” Lauren paused to take a bite of spaghetti, taking her time chewing as she watched him. She took a sip from her glass of water then reached for her empty wine glass and held it out to him. He refilled it halfway then topped his own off. “So you mentioned your sister. Any other siblings?”
“No, just Kelly. She’s coming down for a visit in two weeks and bringing my niece with her. Talk about a pistol.”
“Your sister or your niece?”
“Both.” Kenny chuckled. “But I was referring to my niece. She’s three years old and handful already. Into everything. How about you? Any nieces or nephews?”
“None. I think Dale is going to be a bachelor forever and Lindsay…” Her voice drifted off, sadness filling her eyes. Kenny shifted in the chair, cursing himself for saying anything. He searched his mind, thinking of a way to change the subject, something that would remove the sadness from her eyes.
“So how did you end up getting into hockey, anyway?”
Lauren looked over at him. Did she know what he was trying to do? Probably. It wasn’t exactly like he’d been subtle. “That would be Dale’s doing.”
“I wondered about that. Does he play?”
“He did growing up, so of course I had to play, too.”
“Why’d you stop?”
Lauren raised her eyebrows, a small smile teasing the corners of her mouth. “Who said I stopped?”
“You still play?”
“Occasionally, if I have time. Dale’s in the fire department and they have a small beer league. If they’re short a player I might join them. Or I’ll just go to one of their practices and goof off, just to keep my skills up.”
“You any good?”
Lauren raised her brows again, the expression on her face almost comical. “Maybe.” He had the impression she wanted to stay something smart or sarcastic but she let it go at that.
“Yeah? Maybe I’ll come watch you one day.”
She rolled her eyes, letting him know she didn’t quite believe him. He wasn’t sure why because he meant it. He’d enjoy watching her play—especially if it meant she couldn’t throw him out of the game since she wouldn’t be officiating.
“How about your sister? Did she ever play?” Kenny regretted the words as soon as they left his mouth. Why the hell couldn’t he just keep his freaking mouth shut?
Shadows filled Lauren’s eyes and her mouth pursed, like she’d just gotten a taste of strong garlic. She focused on the last bite of spaghetti twirled around her fork, scraping it across her plate before finally sitting it down without eating it. She shook her head then pushed back from the table.
“Lindsay would never even think of playing hockey unless there was something in it for her. Even then she probably wouldn’t beca
use it’s too much like work.”
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said anything.”
“Not your fault, don’t worry.”
But he was worried. How could he not be when he’d just destroyed the easy-going conversation they’d been having? The night had been going well, the atmosphere relaxed and inviting. And then he’d gone and opened his mouth about a subject he instinctively knew he should have left alone. He hadn’t been thinking, had just wanted to know more about Lauren and her family, her life. It had seemed like such a natural question—until he stopped to think about it. And then it was too late.
Lauren grabbed her plate and carried it into the kitchen before returning for the salad and her wine glass. Kenny started to push away from the table but she placed a hand on his shoulder to stop him. “I’ve got this. You finish eating.”
“No, you cooked, I should clean up. Or at least help.”
“Finish eating then you can help. Deal?” She smiled at him but he could tell it was forced. He glanced down at the plate, shoveled the last two bites into his mouth, then stood up.
“All done. You sit and finish your wine, I’ll clean up.”
She watched him for a minute, indecision on her face. Then she smiled again, a real one that added warmth to her eyes as she leaned over and grabbed his empty plate. “How about you bring the glasses and we clean up together?”
“That works, too.” Kenny followed her into the kitchen with both glasses and sat them on the counter. He scraped and rinsed the plates as she placed the leftovers in a plastic container and put them in the refrigerator. Ten minutes later, they were sitting on her overstuffed sofa, all traces of the dinner completely cleaned up.
Kenny stretched his legs in front of him and draped his arm along the back of the sofa. It would be so easy to reach out with his hand and skim her shoulder, to brush the hair off her neck and run his fingers along her soft skin. He dug his hand into the back cushion to stop himself from doing just that, afraid of what she might say or do, afraid that maybe she wasn’t interested.
Yes, he’d kissed her already. If you could call what he’d done last week a kiss. And even though she said she was okay with that, maybe she really wasn’t. Maybe she changed her mind. Maybe she was just waiting for him to leave and that’s why she had a small frown on her face, like she was deep in thought, trying to figure out how to get rid of him.
He shifted again, crossing his feet at the ankles before clearing his throat. “So. What are you thinking about over there?”
“Hm?” She turned to face him, the frown slowly leaving her face as she tilted her head and watched him. “Oh, nothing much. I was just wondering if you were ever going to get around to kissing me again, that’s all.”
Chapter Fifteen
Kenny blinked, not sure he heard her right. He thought he did but he was afraid it might only be wishful thinking on his part. He opened his mouth to say something, he wasn’t sure what, but it didn’t matter because Lauren was suddenly straddling his lap, her arms wrapped around his neck and her mouth pressed against his. The kiss was soft, tender, a little hesitant.
Desire exploded inside him, sending heat and need through every part of his body. He was afraid to move, afraid to act on it, afraid of what he wanted to do.
Because what he wanted to do wasn’t even close to being soft and tender.
Lauren pulled away, a soft frown marring the clear skin of her forehead. “I’m sorry, I thought…I guess I was wrong. Sorry.” A small flush colored his face, turning her cheeks a deep pink. She shifted, ready to move off his lap. Kenny closed his hands around her hips, holding her in place.
“You weren’t wrong.”
“Are you sure? Because you don’t really seem into it.”
Kenny almost laughed, would have if he didn’t think it would come out sounding like he was choking instead. He tightened his hands around her hips and pushed up, letting her feel the hard ridge of his erection. Her eyes flared, becoming even darker as her pupils dilated. She opened her mouth but he didn’t give her the chance to speak. His mouth crashed against hers, his tongue sweeping in to thrust against hers. Tasting, learning. She moaned, nothing more than a breathy sigh, and pressed herself more fully against him.
His hands moved from her hips, drifting down to cup the firm roundness of her ass. She moaned again and deepened the kiss, driving her hips against him. Just that little bit was enough to make him lose restraint, make him want to pick her up and carry her back to her room.
Strip her down. Taste every inch of her. Lose himself in her.
Kenny tightened his hold on her and forced himself to stay where he was. To kiss her, tease her, taste her. He dragged his mouth from hers, across her jaw to the sensitive skin just under her ear. She shivered in his arms, her head falling to the side as he kissed and nipped his way along her neck. Her arms tightened around him, her breath nothing more than small gasps of need in the heated air between them.
He gave her tight ass a squeeze then dragged his hands up her back, catching the hem of her shirt and pushing it up. Her skin was silky soft under his hands, warm and alive and inviting.
He nuzzled her neck, listening to each breath, each soft little moan. He teased the skin where her shoulder muscles met her neck, felt her shiver again in his arms. He bit down, lightly teasing, felt her melt more fully against him as she gave a sharp little cry. He bit down again then kissed the sensitive spot before dragging his mouth up her neck to her ear.
“You like that?” His voice was ragged from need, nothing more than a ragged whisper.
“Hmm.”
Kenny smiled, taking that as a yes, and dragged his mouth to hers once more for another deep kiss.
Slow. Teasing. God, he could kiss her all night, take all night just tasting her. Learning her.
She moaned again, her hands tightening against his shoulders as she pressed her hips against his once more. He shifted, tilting his hips up to meet hers, swallowed her deep sigh.
He pushed her shirt up more, his hands resting along the lacy strap of her bra. He hesitated, wondering if he should stop, wondering if he was pushing things too fast.
She moaned again, a tiny whimper of need. Kenny unhooked the bra and dragged his hands along her side, around to the front, his thumbs brushing against the hardened peaks of her nipples.
She pulled her mouth away from his and Kenny froze, thinking he had gone too far, too fast. Her hands closed over his but she didn’t push him away. Instead, her head tilted back, her eyes closed, her chest rising and falling with each short breath.
He ran his thumbs across her nipples again, back and forth, feeling them tighten even more with each touch. Lauren’s breath quickened, her mouth parted as her fingers dug into his wrists.
“Do you want me to stop?”
She shook her head on another moan then slowly raised her head. Her eyes opened, her gaze fixing on him. Warm, sultry. Filled with unspoken desire. She shook her head again then released the grip on his wrists, dropping her hands to the hem of her shirt.
Lifting it up, pulling it over her head. She tugged the bra over her arms and tossed it behind her, her eyes focused on his the entire time. Then she covered his hand with hers and guided it until his palm covered the firmness of her breast.
Kenny swallowed and looked down, feasting on the sight of her bare flesh. Muscles lined her arms, tight and toned, long and lean. Her breasts were high and firm above a narrow waist, the skin smooth over taut muscle shaped by exercise and activity. Her flesh glowed like peaches and cream, so soft under his touch as he dragged his hand from her breast, down lower, his fingers just dipping into the waistband of her jeans.
Back up, cupping the light weight of her breast in his hand. He flicked his thumb across her nipple, watched the deep rose peak tighten even more. Then he leaned forward and closed his mouth over her, sucking and tasting, his tongue running over the hardened peak before he gently nipped it between his teeth.
She groaned, the sound lou
der as she arched her back. Her hands ran up his arms, along his shoulders, finally stopping when she tangled her fingers in his hair.
Holding him in place. Guiding his mouth, his touch. She rolled her hips against his, back and forth. Slow. Seeking.
Kenny groaned and grabbed her ass with one hand, holding her in place as he lifted his own hips up, thrusting. And God, she was driving him crazy. Insane with want, mad with need.
And he did need her. Needed to feel her flesh against his, needed to feel the warmth of her body wrapped around him.
He tightened his arms around her and rolled to the side, moving so that Lauren was now stretched out on the sofa, her body tucked under his, their legs tangled together. He leaned down and kissed her again, his mouth claiming, possessing. She eased her hands between them and he pushed up on his elbows, worried he’d been crushing her.
But no, it wasn’t that. She had been reaching for his shirt buttons, her long fingers quickly undoing each one. The backs of her hands skimmed his chest, the sensation making him suck in his own breath. Then she opened the shirt, easing the material to the side as her hands explored every inch of his chest. Her fingers brushed against his own nipples, lightly pinching them. He broke off the kiss and clenched his jaw as sensation exploded inside him, startling in its intensity.
“Do you like that?”
He almost smiled at her question, a near echo of his own earlier one. He growled in response and pressed his mouth against hers in a hard kiss. “You’re driving me crazy.”
“Good.” He saw the smile in her glazed eyes, on her lips, soft and swollen from his kisses. God, he wanted her. With a ferocity that almost scared him.
He kissed her again, slow and deep, then dragged his mouth along her neck, hitting the sensitive spot so she arched against him. But he didn’t stop, just kept moving lower, touching every inch of her with his mouth, his tongue, his teeth.
Down to each breast, tasting and teasing. Down across the flat plane of her stomach, lower to the waistband of her jeans. He snagged the button between thumb and forefinger and popped it open, eased her zipper down. Looked up at her, waiting for her to stop him.
On Thin Ice (The Baltimore Banners Book 8) Page 12
