The Season: Rush (Austin Arrows #1)

by Nicole Edwards

  Kingston

  I had no idea what to expect when Julie directed me to Ellie’s office. I simply stopped by to see her, thought I’d have a beer and see if maybe she wanted to grab dinner later.

  This…

  Yeah. I’m not sure I’m going to survive this.

  The moment Ellie took on that authoritative tone, directing me to remove my clothes … my dick roared to life. The woman clearly doesn’t realize the power she has over me. She could’ve pointed and I would’ve done her bidding.

  And now, as I watch her kneeling between my legs, her warm lips wrapped around my throbbing dick…Well, it’s safe to say I’m not going to let a second of this pass me by. I do my best to keep my hands planted on the arms of the chair while she works me thoroughly with her lips and tongue. I have to bite my cheek to keep from groaning. It feels so damn good.

  When it gets to be too much, I slide my hands into her hair. Not because I’m going to stop her but because I want to touch her. I want her to feel what she does to me. If she’s restraining my voice because there are people who could overhear us, then I’ll make sure she knows in other ways.

  I hold her hair back, mesmerized by the way she’s bobbing up and down, my dick tunneling past her lips, sliding over her tongue. Her breathy moans vibrate along my shaft, sending shards of pleasure crashing through my veins.

  “Fuck, baby,” I whisper, trying to keep my voice low. “I fucking love your mouth.”

  Ellie cups my balls in her warm hand while her other begins to stroke me, her lips sliding up and down. She’s going to make me come. I know that’s her plan, but I don’t want to come. Not yet. This is perfection, something I never want to end.

  This sweet woman on her knees, giving me a blow job in her office while people move back and forth past that door… It’s hotter than fuck.

  Her cheeks hollow as she begins to suck me harder.

  Cradling the back of her head with one hand, I guide her down, forcing her to take a little more of me. She moans again. It’s clear she likes when I take control. I do, too, but this was her plan, so I’m trying not to ruin it for her. Nothing short of a tornado taking out the building right now could ruin it for me.

  “Fuck… Yes…” She’s bobbing faster, taking more of me. I rest my hand on the back of her head, letting her know how much I like it. “Oh, damn… Fuck, baby… That’s it…” I’m keeping my voice as low as possible, but it’s not easy. “Goddamn, Ellie… I’m gonna come in your mouth. Is that what you want? Fuck…” I can’t take much more.

  Ellie moans her agreement and that’s all it takes.

  I bite my tongue to keep from roaring as I grab her head, holding her still, my dick pulsing as I fill her mouth. My gaze never strays from her face, watching in wide-eyed wonder as she drinks me down.

  And ladies and gentleman, that is the hottest fucking thing I’ve ever seen.

  40

  Bianca

  Friday, December 9th

  “Your mom’s really going on a date with him tonight?”

  I stare at Gabby from my spot on her bed. I’ve been at her house for most of the day. Ever since my mom mentioned that she was going to go out on a date with Kingston tonight.

  “Yep. It’s their first one.”

  Gabby looks at me, her forehead wrinkling. “They haven’t been on a date before?”

  I shrug. “Not an official one, I guess. That’s what my mom said, anyway.”

  “Still nothing from your dad, huh?”

  I shake my head. I can tell Gabby’s kind of sad about that. She’s been rooting for me this whole time, but it’s been almost two months, and my mom hasn’t said anything, so I guess that means she hasn’t talked to my dad. Part of me knows she’s going to be mad when she finds out, so I keep watching her, trying to see if she is angry, just not telling me. Since she seems normal, I don’t think she has heard from him.

  “Well, maybe you’ll hear from him on Christmas.” Gabby grins. “Wouldn’t that be the coolest Christmas present ever?”

  I smile as warmth fills my heart. It would be. I would take that over anything else. I don’t care if my mom didn’t get me any presents. That’s all I want.

  Gabby hops up. “Let’s go to the kitchen and get some cookies.”

  I follow, trying not to imagine what it would be like if my dad showed up on Christmas Day to surprise me. I giggle. That would be the best thing ever. And I think my mom would probably think so, too. Even if she was angry at me for not telling her. If it was Christmas, she couldn’t be too mad at me, right?

  Which makes it even better.

  Ellie

  For the first time that I can recall, it’s possible that I encouraged my daughter to go spend the night with Gabby. I also might’ve been tempted to call in sick for the first time in … well, ever … and I probably would have if Noelle hadn’t been so kind to let me off the hook for tonight.

  I want to see Kingston and merely the idea of it makes my body hum. I don’t know why, and I’m not spending too much time trying to figure it out. It’s simply the way things are right now. And luckily, in about fifteen minutes, that’s exactly what I’m going to do.

  I’m going on a date.

  My first real date in at least a year—breakfast with Kingston or grabbing a hamburger after we deliver food all day doesn’t count. This is the real deal. The dress-up-like-you-want-to-knock-his-socks-off kind of deal.

  Excitement mingles with anxiety, both of which run rampant through my veins. I spent the afternoon getting a mani-pedi, then treated myself to a facial, which I haven’t had in longer than I haven’t had a date. After that, I came home, soaked in the tub for almost an hour, then took a shower, dried my hair, and put on makeup.

  I’m not sure I was this edgy on my prom night when I waited for my date—who was late, I might add—to come pick me up and face the wrath of my father.

  Oh, how I wish my dad were here. He loved Kingston, and I’m sure he would be happy for me.

  After pulling on my dress, I stop in front of the bathroom mirror and check my makeup. It’s subtle, I hope. Maybe more mascara than I usually wear. Still, I think I look good. I hope I look good.

  When the doorbell rings, I suck in a deep breath and feel it rattle all the way through my body. I have no idea why I’m so freaked out. Kingston is the guy I’m having sex with. This is just a date.

  Just a date.

  Ha!

  I can’t even think that with a straight face.

  Before he has to ring the doorbell again, I make it to the front door. One more deep breath and I pull it open, gearing up to see him.

  Jeezus, the guy looks like he just walked off of GQ, the sexy hockey edition. Only this hockey player looks nothing like he does on the ice. He’s wearing a black button-down, black slacks, and a black jacket. No tie, which is sexy in its own right.

  “Hey, gorgeous.” Kingston holds up a single red rose—only this one is made of glass and looks incredibly fragile in his masculine hand—and I practically melt into the floor.

  “Thank you.” My voice sounds strangled, but I can’t help it. The rose is an incredibly sweet gesture. I’m not a fan of flowers because to me it’s a waste of money since they die within a week. But a single glass rose… Very sweet.

  His smile widens as though he can sense my anxiousness and possibly finds it endearing.

  Before I can turn to get my purse, Kingston reaches for my arm, his big fingers circling my wrist as he pulls me into him.

  “It’s probably not customary to kiss before the date…” His voice lowers an octave. “But I can’t seem to help myself.”

  Personally, I don’t give a crap about customary, and I prove that when I meld my lips to his, exhaling as our bodies align. The kiss lingers for a few seconds, and Kingston is the one to pull back. Good thing, too. I’m not sure I would have.

  “You ready?”

  “Sure.”

  Ready to get naked, absolutely.

  Ready for sex, most def
initely.

  However, I don’t think that’s what he meant by the question, so I take the rose to the kitchen. It only takes a second to retrieve a hand towel from the drawer, lay it on the counter, and set the fragile rose on it. I don’t want to risk it falling off and shattering on the floor. With it securely in place, I head over to the counter and retrieve my clutch, opening it to ensure I put my cell phone and my house key in there. I did, so I’m good.

  After I lock up the house, Kingston walks me to the truck.

  “Where are you taking me?” I ask as Kingston helps me inside.

  “Depends.” He leaves that hanging between us while he walks around to the driver’s side.

  The instant the door is open, I’m questioning him again. “On what?”

  “On whether you want seafood or steak.” Kingston puts the key in the ignition and starts up the powerful engine.

  “So no reservation, huh?” I tease.

  His smirk is slow and oh so sexy.

  “Give me some credit. I’ve got reservations.” He winks. “I simply have to call and cancel one of them.”

  “Sneaky.” And deliciously romantic, although I’m not sure Kingston would see it that way. “I like that.”

  “I thought you might.” After putting the truck in reverse to back out of my driveway, he turns to me. “So which is it?”

  “Seafood.” That’s a no-brainer.

  “Seafood it is.”

  Oddly enough, my nerves settle rather quickly during the drive to the restaurant. Although I’d gotten myself all worked up prior to Kingston’s arrival, being with him has become comfortable. However, the sexual tension is still thick.

  Kingston reaches his hand over the center console and grabs my wrist, pulling my hand toward him. I stare, not sure what he’s doing until he links his fingers with mine. This guy is now holding my hand and it feels … quite possibly better than sex.

  Okay, maybe not, but the romantic gesture is the equivalent of a donkey kick in my chest. I give his hand a gentle squeeze, then return my attention out the window, hoping I can keep myself together until we get back to my place.

  As it is, I’m tempted to crawl into his lap right now and ask him to make love to me.

  Doesn’t matter that he’s driving.

  Kingston

  I’ve wanted to take Ellie out for a while now. Not because it’s part of the agreement but because I enjoy being with her. It seems the only time we see each other is when we’re either at the Penalty Box or naked. Both are great, mind you, but I want to go beyond that and give her a night out.

  Hence, the fancy seafood place.

  I wasn’t lying when I said I had reservations at two places. I’d done it just in case. Although I had suspected she would pick seafood, I wasn’t going to risk it.

  And I’m glad that was her choice.

  For the last two hours, we’ve been here at the table, enjoying expensive wine and delicious food while we talk about anything and everything. Like how Bianca decided blue was more her color than pink or purple, so of course her hair was changed to reflect that. How Bianca is insistent that YouTube is educational and it’s okay to laugh if you’re learning. I’m not sure what that means, but okay. About how Christmas is coming up and neither of us have any plans. And how the team is steadily working its way toward the play-offs this year.

  Unlike our first breakfast date, Ellie doesn’t seem as nervous. Not after we arrived at the restaurant, anyway. I’ve come to enjoy our conversations, no matter the topic. I simply like talking to her, looking at her, listening to her. The woman has captivated me in a way no other has before her.

  “So, how about dessert?” I prompt when I see the waiter coming our way.

  Her cheeks brighten. “I was thinking we could have dessert at my place.”

  Damn, I don’t think there’s a more perfect woman in the world.

  When the waiter arrives, I ask for the check, then promptly take care of the bill before leading Ellie back outside. I like the way she loops her arm through mine as we walk. She smells so damn good it’s a wonder I’ve managed to keep my hands off her this entire time.

  While we wait for the valet, I can’t resist kissing her. It doesn’t matter that we’re out in public, in front of a relatively busy restaurant, or that a few people in the restaurant recognized me. The only thing I want to do is put my mouth on hers.

  Well, technically that isn’t the only thing I want to do (or the only place I want to put my mouth), but it’s high on the list.

  When my lips touch hers, Ellie leans into me. She tastes like the sweet wine she had with dinner. And when she moans softly, it’s all I can do not to back her up against the wall.

  It’s then that I realize how much I’ve missed her. I want to spend all my time with this woman, not only a couple of nights a week or a few dates a month. I want to have her with me all the damn time. Day, night. I’ve never felt that way about a woman. Ever.

  The arrival of my truck puts a damper on the make-out session, so I regretfully pull away and help Ellie inside. I tip the valet on the way to the driver’s side, then climb in and pull away from the curb.

  I’m eager to get back to her place. We haven’t spent the night together for a while now, and I’m looking forward to it. I want to make love to her until neither of us can breathe, then I want to fall asleep with her in my arms, wake up with her in the same place so I can make love to her all over again.

  “Thanks for dinner.”

  I glance her way and grin. “My pleasure.”

  As I’m driving, I hear a muted ringtone, and I glance down at Ellie’s purse. “I think that’s you.”

  Ellie instantly grabs the tiny clutch, pops it open, and retrieves her phone.

  “It’s the bar,” she says, but I’m not sure if she’s informing me or questioning it.

  I glance her way and she meets my gaze. She looks confused, as though she doesn’t want to answer. She confirms her hesitation with her next question.

  “What if there’s a problem?”

  “Answer it,” I tell her. If she doesn’t, she’ll just be freaked out, anyway.

  I try to give her a little privacy when she answers, but it’s not easy because of the tight quarters.

  “This is Ellie.”

  Since I can’t hear what’s being said on the other end, I try to focus on the road.

  “Yes.” Pause. “Okay.” Pause. “I’m … uh … I’m not sure I understand.”

  The cracking in her voice has me looking over at her, and I see her eyes are wide and she’s staring straight ahead.

  “Yes, I heard you.” Her eyes dart to mine. “No, now’s probably not a good time.” Pause. “That sounds good. Yeah ... okay. Sure.”

  Based on the look on her face, I feel a sense of dread come over me. I don’t know why, I don’t know what caused it, but the more I look at her, the more I know there’s a very good reason for it.

  “Ellie? Is there something wrong?”

  “Huh?” She sounds a little lost.

  “Did something happen?”

  When I come to a stop sign in her neighborhood, I briefly wait for her to talk to me.

  “That was Noelle.”

  Based on the way she looks, I’m not sure that’s a good thing. Was it bad news? I notice her hands are shaking, so I reach for the one closest to me. “Talk to me, babe.”

  Her eyes are wide and there might be a hint of fear in them, I’m not sure.

  “That was Noelle,” she repeats. “She called to let me know that I need to call … James.”

  I frown at the mere mention of a man’s name.

  Ellie swallows hard, her throat working as she continues to look at me. A tear catches me completely off guard, spilling from her eye. With my other hand, I reach to wipe it away.

  “What’s going on?” I sound a little irrational now because she’s crying and I have no clue what I’m supposed to do.

  “He called.”

  I continue to stare. Askin
g “he who?” probably won’t get me too far based on how well this has gone already.

  “He called me.” Her eyes widened. “He called the bar. And I have to call … him.” She glances down at the phone in her hand. “James.” Her eyes meet mine again. “Bianca’s dad.”

  And just like that, my stomach drops. I don’t know what I’m supposed to say or feel, so I release Ellie’s hand and pull past the stop sign. I need to get her home. I don’t know why, but I do.

  Within minutes, we’re pulling up to her house, but she hasn’t said a word. It’s starting to freak me out, so I hop out of the truck, walk around to her side, and open her door. As though she’s physically present but mentally somewhere far, far away, she climbs out but doesn’t seem to know what she’s doing. I guide her to the front door, take her key from her purse, unlock the door, and walk her inside.

  “I don’t know how Bianca found him,” Ellie mumbles, lowering herself to the couch. “I looked and looked and…”

  I’m confused. Ellie is supposed to know how Bianca found him. If she monitors her Facebook, she had to have seen the post.

  She did see the post, right?

  Based on her expression, she didn’t know about it. And that makes me a total asshole for not saying anything. I guess I should feel relief that she wasn’t keeping it from me, but … no, I don’t. No matter what, Ellie’s going to be upset that I knew and never said anything to her. I’m mad at myself for keeping it in, but I’m more pissed at this James character for coming into their lives now.

  Seriously.

  Why now?

  There’s a trickle of dread that slithers down my spine. With him coming into Ellie’s life, what will that mean for us? Just when I thought we were making progress…

  “Why aren’t you saying anything?”

  I look down at her and see that she’s staring at me. I shrug, but I know I’m not sporting my poker face, so she’ll probably suspect something.

  “Kingston?”

  I meet her eyes again, waiting.

  “What aren’t you telling me?”

  That’s when my heart climbs into my throat. I have to choose my words carefully because what I say next will likely change everything between us. And quite frankly, I’m not sure I can stand to lose Ellie at this point.