The Puck Charmer

by Cathryn Fox

  “Your secrets are safe with me, Aly.” I draw a breath to steady myself, and try to quiet my racing heart before I say, “I’m glad you had Rose and Vince.” A warm smile touches her mouth.

  “Me too, but it wasn’t easy for them either, not knowing what happened to their son. But they gave me the best life they could.” She puts her hand over her heart. “They filled me up with love.”

  “You deserve all the love, Aly,” I say quietly, as everything I feel for her rushes over my skin like a windstorm. Our eyes meet, lock together, as my heart hurts for the little girl who’d been abandoned. “I can see why you won’t leave here.” She spent a lifetime of everyone leaving her—her parents, friends, boyfriend—but sweet Aly, well, she’s full of integrity and character, and doesn’t have a mean bone in her body. No way will she hurt those she loves the way she’d been hurt.

  “I’m not leaving,” she says matter of factly, emotions flickering in her eyes.

  No, she’s not, but I am. Fuck, I’m no different than anyone else in her life. I lift my head to find her looking at me.

  “I’m okay, Alek.”

  “I know,” I say.

  “I don’t want you to get the wrong idea here.”

  I angle my head, not sure where she’s going with this. “About what?”

  “Us. What’s between us is just a fling. A fun summer adventure. I’m not looking for anything that resembles a relationship. I know you’re passing through, and I’m okay with that. What we have here,” she says, her voice so sure and steady, my muscles tense and my heart retreats. “It’s all I want.”

  I swallow past a tight throat, and struggle to ignore the heavy ache in my chest. “Yeah, me too,” I say, at the sobering reminder of what this is and what it isn’t.

  Shit, I have a hockey career to get back to, and she has a grandmother to take care of. It’s not like I’ve been thinking about a future together, or wondering if we could somehow make it work. I scoff. Shit, I’m not about to ask her if we could figure out a way to make it work.

  Not now anyway.

  “I got one,” she says, her eyes wide as she refocuses on fishing. I stand back, work to ignore the lump in my stomach as I watch in speechless fascination as she pulls the line, the fish fighting the whole way. “Can you grab me the net?”

  I trudge through the water and come back with the net for her, and she scoops the fish up.

  “What a beauty,” she says and holds the net out for me to see a good twelve-inch speckled trout.

  I rub my stomach. “Good eating tonight.”

  “I thought we were doing catch and release,” she teases and pretends she’s going to release him back into the water.

  “Oh, hell no,” I say and take the net from her.

  “Want me to teach you how to clean it?”

  “Nope, I know how.” I take the fish to the shore, and grab the knife from her tackle box. I make quick work of cleaning it, and don’t hear her coming up behind me. Her fingers brush over my hair, and I glance at her, note the sudden shift in her mood. Her fingers move to my face, and she leans into me, like she needs the connection. Her heat reaches out to me, and eyes that are soft, full of desire meet mine. As I soak in her warmth, I take a breath, and stand. My mouth finds hers, and a shudder races through her.

  “Do you think that’s enough for dinner?” she asks and gestures toward the fish. “Or do you want to stay longer, until you catch one.” She steps closer until her body is flush with mine.

  “If I’d known fly fishing turned you on, I would have asked you to take me here earlier.”

  She chuckles. “That’s not what’s turning me on.” She puts her hand over my heart and it beats rapidly against her palm. “I thought we’d go home, and get naked and I could be your catch of the day.”

  I drop everything. “You don’t have to ask me twice.”

  14

  Alyssa

  As Alek negotiates my truck though the downtown core, my gaze wanders to his big hands, hands that have touched me all over with passion and care, and are soon going to be on my body again, inside and out. Warmth threads through me, shimmering over all my erogenous zones.

  He casts me a glance, and I grin, sensing the anticipation in him. I have to say, I loved fishing with him this afternoon. I loved teaching him all the tricks, and I loved the enthusiasm, strength and confidence that poured from his every pore, as he followed my careful instructions. He’s athletic and energetic, a real natural at everything he does. But what I loved the most about fishing with him was the way his steady eyes stared at me, taking pleasure in the mere sight of me enjoying my favorite pastime—at least, it used to be my favorite until I met Alek.

  And therein lies the problem. Being with him, talking, touching, or just hanging out, has quickly become my favorite thing to do. Which is why I straight up told him that I didn’t want more. It was a lie, yes, a big, fat bold-faced lie to be exact, but after talking about my past, I didn’t want him to think he was following in the footsteps of the people who came and went from my life, disappearing without so much as a backward glance.

  We both knew what we were getting into here. He told me he was only here for a short time, and no way do I want him to feel any sort of obligation to me because we’ve been spending every possible moment together, enjoying one another, and having out-of-this-world sex. I just want us to both see, and appreciate this for what it is—and for what it isn’t. My broken heart is my responsibility, not his.

  “You’re quiet,” he says softly, and reaches across the cab and takes my hand.

  “Just sleepy,” I say. Why wouldn’t I be? We’ve been falling into bed together every night, lost in each other for hours, but I wouldn’t change a thing, even if his impending absence is going to gut me in much the same manner he gutted that fish.

  “Thanks again for teaching me how to fly fish,” he says. “That was fun, and I think I was getting the hang of it.”

  “We can do it again,” I say. “Practice makes perfect.” My heart quivers in my chest as I take in his strong profile. “Maybe you can teach me to play hockey.” His brow instantly furrows, and he tugs at the collar of his T-shirt, like it’s suddenly choking him. “You did say that was what you liked to do, right?”

  “Yeah, sure,” he says. “That’s something we could do.”

  “I once read an article that says sharing hobbies makes relationships hotter. Not that we’re in a relationship, and not that things between us could get hotter,” I add with a small laugh. “But you know what I mean.” As the muscles on his jaw ripple, I ask, “What position do you like?”

  His eyes briefly close and for a second it seems like he’s at war with himself, but then his gaze slides to mine and he gives a wicked grin when he says, “I like all positions.”

  A surge of pleasure shoots through me as my mind drifts back, recalling every moment in that limo last weekend. God, the way that man touched me. The way I touched him. It was so risky, so out of character for me. So much fun.

  “One track mind much?” I ask, but who am I to talk.

  We pull into Tyler’s driveway and I stretch my arms out before opening my door. I slide from the vehicle and Alek is right there, collecting the cooler and taking my hand in his. Inside the house, Captain Jack comes barreling down the hall looking for food and love.

  “I better take him out, and fill his bowl,” Alek says as I bend to pet the dog. Captain Jack begins to sniff my pants, dancing around me in a frenzy.

  “You smell the fish on me, Jack?” I ask. Jack barks, and jumps up and down like he’s jacked up on Red Bull. “The scents are obviously driving him crazy.” I crinkle my nose. “I better go jump in the shower.” I lean in, press my lips to Alek’s, and give him a look full of intimacy and promise when I say, “See you soon.”

  “Sooner than you think,” he says, and ushers Jack outside. “Make this a quick one buddy.”

  Chuckling, I kick off my shoes and make my way upstairs. I strip off in the master bat
hroom, since I pretty much moved in here after the first time we had sex, and turn the spray on to hot. Steam fills the room, and I take a peek at myself in the fogging mirror. My freckles have darkened, and the smudges under my eyes remind me that I haven’t been getting a great deal of sleep. I’m not complaining. The well-fucked woman look suits me. I grin at that, and push my mess of hair from my face, and step into the gigantic, open concept shower with dials I’ve yet to figure out, and stand under the spray. A low moan catches in my throat as I revel in the warmth.

  “I could hear your moans in the hallway. You better not have started without me,” Alek teases, and my heart jumps. My God, his voice alone does the craziest things to me. I wipe the glass, and need tugs low in my pelvis as I devour the sight of him as he strips his clothes off. He’s so goddamn perfect it leaves me breathless. My gaze drops to take in the hardness in his cock and I know it, the second he touches me I’m going to fall apart, in so many ways.

  He slides in behind me, and I glance over my shoulder as he tugs me against his body. Damn, it’s so nice to be held by him. My eyes drift shut as I lay my head against his chest and listen to the beating of his powerful heart. Right there, that’s his need reaching out to me, a need that matches my own. I exhale a shallow breath as my mind drifts, branching off in erotic directions.

  His fingers slide over my naked skin, a barely there caress as he outlines my curves and there’s no denying that I could so get used to this. It’s scary, really. Scary how much I like this guy, how much fun we’re having, how this all feels so…right.

  “I missed you,” he whispers, breathing the words into my hair.

  “You were only gone five minutes.”

  “Five minutes too long.” He spins me around and I nearly gasp at the dark intensity—the possession—in his eyes as his mouth closes over mine. Tension builds in my body as he kisses me deeply, hungrily, like a man hell bent on making up for being deprived of what he wanted.

  His tongue finds mine, tangles playfully, relentlessly, and need washes over me. He growls into my mouth, and my nipples harden and press against his chest. His hand slides up my back, and he grabs a fistful of hair and gives a little tug. My God, I love this rough, demanding side of him. I nearly come from the sheer need in his eyes.

  His mouth moves to my neck, his lips like fire on my skin, and I moan as he lightly sinks his teeth into my sensitive flesh, like he’s marking me as his. I reach out, and take his hard cock into my hands, giving it a few long strokes.

  “Is this what you plan on using to bait your catch of the day?” I tease.

  “Yes, and to prepare for my feast, I plan to tie you up and take my time devouring every inch of you.”

  My sex flushes hot and he reaches down and slides a thick finger into me. I rock against him, wanting more, wanting…everything.

  He scoops up the bar of soap, manly soap that smells like a mixture of pine and cedarwood. I love that I’m going to smell like him all night. He lathers my body, leaving heat and need everywhere he touches, and I close my eyes, welcoming the delicious sensations. With my skin soaped from my neck to my toes, he pumps shampoo into his hands, and washes my hair. As he touches me like I’m some sort of treasure, a new kind of closeness fills my soul.

  “So nice,” I say, a soft moan tumbling out of my mouth.

  “You like this, Aly? You like me taking care of you like this?”

  “Yes.” I answer him honestly. No sense denying that I like handing myself over to him.

  “Good, because once I rinse you off, I plan on taking care of you, every damn inch of you,” he says, his hand sliding down my body and cupping my ass. My pulse leaps in my throat. Is he talking about—

  “This virgin ass. It’s mine,” he whispers into my ear. Heat floods my sex, and he adds, “I want all of you. Tell me I can have it.”

  “You…you can have it,” I say as he backs up and puts me directly under the rain shower nozzle. Hot water pours over my body and I tilt my head to rinse away the shampoo. The enticing scent of soap reaches my nostrils as Alek washes his own body. I run my hands over my breasts, and down my stomach, cleansing the last remnants of the soap from my skin.

  As hot water drips between my spread legs, my sex aches for him and deciding to relieve some of the pressure I put my hand between my thighs and lightly touch myself. I exhale a soft mewling sound and grin when his heated curses reach my ears. Under the guise of touching myself deeper, I bend forward a bit and brush my ass over his steel rod, taunting him.

  “Fucking tease,” he says and gives my ass a slap. I gasp, but it’s from utter pleasure. “Oh, you like that, do you?”

  He presses his chest to my back, and slides one hand around me to cup my breast, and his hand slides lower. His finger joins mine inside my body and I can’t believe how deliciously dirty, how incredibly arousing it is to have both of our fingers inside me at the same time.

  “Yeah, that’s it, Aly. Show me how you fuck your fingers when you’re in bed alone.” I work my finger in my sex faster, and with his big hand swallowing mine, he pushes against my wrist, moving it back and forth over my clit. “Let’s get this hot little cunt all ready for my big cock.”

  “Oh, my God,” I gasp out, his filthy words stoking the fire inside me and doing insane things to my pussy.

  My muscles lightly clench around our fingers, and he chuckles into my ear. “Your sweet cunt and ass are mine tonight, babe. I’m going to bury my face between your legs and eat you until you’re so goddamn delirious, you’ll be begging me to put my cock in your sweet pussy and tight ass.”

  “Alek,” I gasp as intense pleasure ripples between my legs, and I rock my hips, taking both our fingers to the third knuckle, yet unable to get him deep enough. He moves his body and bends until his hard cock is pressed against my ass cheeks. He rubs himself against me, and an intense pleasure hits so hard, there’s no stopping it now. Wet heat gushes from my sex, and his growl wraps around me and feeds the desire coursing through my veins. I clench hard, my chest rising and falling rapidly as I gasp for breath, lost in him, and unable to think about anything other than the intense explosion between my legs. I clutch air, searching for something to hold on to. Alek’s arm goes around my waist, anchoring me to him, keeping me safe and steady.

  He drags his finger from my body, and runs it up my belly to my nipple, swirling my hot juices over my engorged bud. His breath is hot as he exhales against my earlobe and says, “I love making you come.” He spins me around, dipping his head to taste my nipple with the soft blade of his tongue. Emotions and sensations ripple through me as he slowly, leisurely, sweeps it over my hard bud and one thought dances around in my brain. Why did I ever think he was the kind of guy I could have a brief hook-up with?

  He turns the spray off and wraps me in a big fluffy towel before tying one around his waist. A second later, I’m splayed on the bed, and that’s when I notice the neckties laid out. My heart leaps. He was serious when he said he was going to tie me up.

  He grins at me, and with a flick unties the towel at his waist. It falls to the floor. “You have something to say, Aly?” His tongue snakes out and he swipes it over his bottom lip as I splay my arms and legs, giving him the answer he’s looking for.

  “You hooked me in, now I’m yours to do what you want with.”

  “There’s a lot I want to do.”

  “Why don’t you show me,” I say, and I gesture to the necktie. His grin turns wicked as he snatches up the tie and wraps it around his hand as he circles the bed, like a predator toying with its prey. I’m pretty sure I’ve never been this turned on in my entire freaking life. He touches my knee, trails his finger up my inner thigh, and parts my lips. He angles his head to see my sex.

  “So fucking pretty,” he says. One thick finger slides inside me, and my hips lift. “I’m going to wreck this sweet pussy tonight,” he says, his intense gaze sliding to mine.

  “Yes,” is all I can manage to say.

  His expression changes, soft
ens, as his hand slides lower to tease my back passage. “But don’t be afraid. When I take you here, I’m going to make it good for you. I promise.”

  Every inch of my skin burns with want for this man. “I trust you,” I say, and for one brief second, something darkens his expression.

  “I’d never purposely hurt you, Aly,” he says, quietly.

  “I know,” I tell him and move my hips up and down, forcing his finger inside me deeper. His expression changes, and his grin is devilish as he removes his finger, so goddamn agonizingly slow it hits all my hot spots, and I almost come. I whimper with protest when he pulls his finger all the way out, leaving me empty, but that objection turns to a moan when he proceeds to tie me to the bed posts, my arms and legs spread wide open, leaving me on full display. A giddy laugh bubbles up inside me.

  “Look at you.” He kneels on the bed and crawls between my legs, and I pull on the bindings, but in no way want to be free. No, I love being at his mercy and totally trust him with my body. “The perfect catch of the day,” he says.

  He lightly pets my sex, and his cock jumps, pre-cum pooling from the tip. I whimper, hating that it’s going to drip onto my thigh instead of my tongue. So aware and connected with my needs and thoughts, he takes his cock into his hand.

  “What, you want this?” he asks.

  Instead of answering, I stick my tongue out.

  “Fuck, yeah, you are so sexy.” He straddles my body and shimmies upward, his cock only inches from my mouth.

  “You know, I loved this sweet mouth wrapped around my cock in the limo, but this is so much better, babe. This way I get to see your expression and the pleasure on your face as you taste me.” He taps my lips with the wet tip of his arousal. “You like sucking me, babe?”

  “Yeah, I do,” I say.

  He brushes my hair back, and teases my tongue with his swollen crown. “That makes it all that much better.” I lift my head, and suck on his cock, drinking all the come from his slit. “Jesus, you are so good at that.”