Mr. Darcy gets up and comes over to us, plopping back down beside Gram, who puts a hand on his back and slowly rubs up to his neck and back again.
“I’ve never been good at this,” I say, looking at my hands, which are balled in my lap. “I guess I thought I was okay at it with Zach, but when he told me I’m uptight and insufferable, I felt like I’d been fooling both him and myself. I’m just not a woman who throws on an outfit from her closet and looks effortlessly beautiful. And Kit’s teammates are all married to those types of women. I don’t compare.”
Gram reaches over and puts a hand on top of both of mine. “That night you and Kit went looking for Mr. Darcy, how do you think you looked?”
I smile. “Like a drowned rat, I imagine. Plastered down hair and red-faced.”
“Why do you think he stayed, then?”
I shrug. “Kit’s a nice guy.”
“He helped you look for hours on end in an ice storm,” Gram says. “Because he likes you, Molly. You. My smart, beautiful, funny granddaughter. I’ve always seen you for who you really are, and he does, too. It’s you who needs convincing, after what that little prick Zach did to your self-esteem.”
My entire body is wound tight with tension. I think it’s because I know she’s right. Kit does like me. He wouldn’t care if I wore this outfit for our date. Somehow, he doesn’t like me in spite of my weirdness and anxiety, but because of it. And I don’t want to ruin that.
“I like him, too,” I tell Gram.
“I have an idea.”
I look up at her, and her eyes are sparkling with mischief.
“Let’s take a cab to that little row of boutiques we walk past sometimes and find you something to wear tonight. Something that will make you feel as beautiful as you are.”
“Oh, Gram, I c—”
She puts a hand up to stop me. “I won’t take no for an answer. I’m taking my granddaughter shopping for a new outfit, complete with some lacy underthings.”
“Gram.” I shake my head and smile.
“Just not one of those thongs,” she says, frowning. “I’ve never understood those. Aren’t they in your butt crack all the time?”
I burst out laughing. “I wouldn’t know, Gram. I wear briefs.”
“We can do better than that.”
“Fashionable clothes won’t look right on me. My awkwardness will shine through.”
“Let’s go, we don’t have all day.”
I take a deep breath, in and out. “Are you sure? Kit’s used to my regular clothes. I don’t think he cares.”
“Well, I care,” Gram says, standing up. “Even I didn’t wear briefs when I was dating your grandfather.”
“Okay, let’s go.” I grin at her, no longer worried. “And thank you, Gram.”
Three hours later, I open the door to our apartment and Kit’s eyes widen when he sees me.
“You look beautiful, Molly,” he says, passing me a long, white box.
“Thank you.”
Gram and a saleslady at one of the boutiques we went to assured me the sheer black blouse I’m wearing was the way to go. It has a deep V neck and lacy details on the three-quarter sleeves, the delicate buttons shiny and black.
Beneath the blouse and dark skinny jeans, I’m wearing a matching black lace bra and panty set. And even though I don’t think Kit will be seeing them tonight, Gram was right—I feel a lot sexier and more confident than I did in my everyday bra and panties.
“Roses?” I look up at Kit after peeking into the box and seeing a dozen long-stemmed red roses. “They’re beautiful, thank you.”
“Is your Gram here?” he asks, peeking inside the apartment.
“Oh, no. She’s walking Mr. Darcy.” I step aside. “Sorry, I should have invited you in.”
Kit grins and shakes his head. “Let’s get this date underway.”
I leave the flowers on the kitchen table, knowing Gram will have them beautifully arranged in a vase when I get home later. Then I put on my parka, leaving my Arctic boots behind in favor of the stylish black booties Gram bought me.
“We’re starting at a restaurant a friend of mine owns,” Kit says. “Just having a drink there, though. I have other plans for dinner.”
My heart races as Kit takes my hand right before we reach the stairs. He smells like woodsy cologne and leather from the jacket he’s wearing. The slight nervous excitement I’ve always felt around him is heightened tonight.
He drives us to a downtown restaurant called Aura, where he gives the host his name and we’re led to the bar. The restaurant is dark inside, candles burning in little jars on the tables. The décor is a mix of upscale and rustic finishes, the savory scent of grilled meat in the air.
I don’t drink much alcohol, but the white wine I order goes down smoothly. Kit has a beer, his eyes on mine as he sits so close I can feel the heat of his body beside mine.
“How you doing?” he asks softly.
“Good. How about you?”
“Never been better.” A smile tugs on the corners of his lips. “I’m not sure if I told you, but there’s this really hot reporter who finally agreed to go out with me. I’m pretty stoked about it.”
“Really hot, huh?” I laugh lightly. “Doesn’t sound like anyone I know.”
“She’s crazy hot. Pretty, but it’s a lot more than that. She’s smart. Tough. Stubborn. And her heart’s a little bit bruised, but I think I can help with that.”
My pulse pounds, a heady sensation making me just a little dizzy. This giant force of a man sounds completely taken with me. And the feeling is mutual.
“Do you?” I whisper, my eyes locked on his.
He leans in closer, so close the warmth of his breath dances across my lips. I close my eyes, reveling in the smell and feel of his nearness.
“Yeah,” he whispers back. “You’ll see.”
Suddenly, I can’t wait another moment to be alone with him.
“I want you,” I say softly.
Kit slides from his stool and takes out his wallet, taking out two twenties and leaving them on the bar. Then he takes my hand and leads me out of the restaurant, not saying a word until we reach his car.
“I think you’ll like the dinner plans I made,” he says, opening the car door for me.
My heart races as I get in the car, brushing against his arm. Now that we’ve made it to our first date, my walls seem to have fallen all at once. I’m not worried I won’t be enough. There’s no room for anything but the crushing, overwhelming desire I feel for Kit.
“I really like you, Molly,” Kit says as he drives, putting his hand on my knee. “I want you to know that.”
“I really like you, too.”
He grins and glances at me. “I wasn’t sure you ever would at first.”
“It was a slightly rocky start,” I admit. “That was my fault.”
“Nah. You just needed some time.”
He drives past several restaurants, and I’m tapping my foot against the floorboard, trying to figure out how I’ll make it through an entire dinner. All I want is to be alone with Kit.
When he turns to enter the underground parking garage of an apartment building near Lake Shore Drive, I look at him, my heart hammering with excitement.
“Is this your building?”
He gives me a sly smile. “You’ll have to wait and see.”
I take a few calming breaths as he eases into a parking place and we both get out of the car. Again, he takes my hand and leads me over to an elevator. We enter and Kit pushes the up button.
As the elevator doors close, we turn to face each other at the same time and he takes my face in his hands, desire racing through my veins and swimming in his eyes.
“Molly,” he murmurs, his mouth descending on mine.
His kiss starts gentle, but quickly turns passionate. The brush of his beard against my skin and the warmth of his mouth on mine make me lightheaded. I grab the sides of his jacket, holding on tightly as Kit’s lips leave mine, smooth and soft as
they caress my jawline.
The ding of the elevator doors sliding open makes us both pull back. Kit leads the way across the hallway to a door with a keypad beside it. He enters several numbers and the lock clicks open.
His apartment is large, the Chicago city lights visible through floor-to-ceiling windows. The wide-plank wood floors are a medium shade, and the open kitchen is a mix of grays and whites. I’m taking everything in—the leather couch and recliners, the modern wood furniture and even the black and white framed landscape photos on the walls—when my gaze stops on the dining table, where tall candles are burning, food is waiting under covered dishes and a bottle of champagne is chilling in a stainless-steel bucket full of ice.
“You did this?” I turn to Kit, dumbstruck.
His grin is sheepish. “I actually can’t take credit; I hired someone to do it.”
“Right, but you…did this. You…had this done. For me?”
“Yeah.” His voice is hardly above a whisper. “For our first date.”
I lunge at him, pushing his leather jacket to the floor and then reaching for his belt buckle to unfasten it. With a low groan, he pulls me into his arms, my feet leaving the floor as our bodies press together.
My insecurities are forgotten as he carries me into his bedroom, his hands cupped around my ass and mine cupped around his cheeks. He sets me down next to the bed and I immediately get back to peeling his clothes off. I’ve gotten his shirt and jeans off, but he stops me before I can pull his boxer briefs down.
“Come here,” he says, gently turning me so my back is against his chest.
He kisses my neck, his palm sliding beneath my shirt to my stomach. I gasp as his lips work magic on my skin, traveling from my jaw to my earlobe, and then down to my mouth. He unfastens the buttons on my blouse but leaves it on, the two sides hanging open as he moves to unbutton my jeans.
I let out a strangled moan as his hands slide down my skin, pushing my jeans down so I can step out of them.
“Damn, look at you,” he says against my neck. “So sexy.”
I lean back into him as his hands travel up and down my body, every nerve ending humming from his touch. It’s almost more than I can take, arousal making me ache in a way I never knew possible.
“I want you, Kit,” I murmur.
He hums his approval against my skin, making goose bumps appear up and down my arms.
“Tonight’s for you,” he says, sliding my shirt off and kissing my bare shoulder.
My mind spins, too entranced by his touch to protest as he unclasps my bra, slides down my panties and continues running his hands over my body. I shiver at his touch, wishing I could make him feel this way, too.
“Lie down on your back,” he whispers, and my body obeys.
His bedroom is dark, but enough light enters through the window for me to see the shadow of his body. He’s magnificent, all long limbs and firm muscles. I ache to run my fingertips over the ink on his chest and arms, but when I try to sit up, he shakes his head.
He bends down and kisses my inner ankles, sending a tingle all the way up my legs. His mouth follows in its wake, kissing me as he works his way up my calf to my knee. By the time he reaches my inner thigh, I can’t help the sounds of surprise and arousal that escape me.
I want this. But Kit’s touch is so smooth, the brush of his beard on my skin so agonizingly perfect, that I’m spinning. My fingers instinctively wind into his hair and tug as he reaches the apex of my thighs.
Then he licks me, and I moan in response, trying to say his name but only coming up with incoherent syllables.
It’s so good. Beyond good. He teases and kisses and licks until my hips are rolling and I’m panting. When I come, my hips and back arch into the air and bliss overwhelms me.
I fall back to the mattress, breathless. Kit kisses his way up my stomach to my breasts, and then whispers for me to turn around so my back is against his chest.
We lie like that and talk about everything from each other’s favorite ice cream flavor to favorite movie. My hunger is forgotten as his warmth relaxes me.
Awake since 5:00 a.m., I manage to slip into one of his T-shirts and snuggle back into him for a few minutes before I feel myself falling asleep with a smile on my face.
Chapter Sixteen
Kit
* * *
I blink, trying to adjust my eyes to the morning light. Molly’s dark hair is splayed out on the pillow next to me, and I’m dying to get a clear look at her.
She asked for a shirt to sleep in last night, and my gray Blaze T-shirt looks far better on her than it does on me. She’s curled up on her side, her top leg at an angle that showcases her bare thigh. I sneak a peek over her shoulder, my already stiff cock getting completely hard when I see she’s not wearing panties.
It took me a long time to fall asleep last night, arousal coursing through my veins as Molly slept softly beside me. I wanted last night to be all about her. She’ll soon find out that the even-keeled guy she’s now dating is extremely controlling in the bedroom. I’m hoping to ease her into it, and show her that calling the shots doesn’t mean I’m the only one enjoying things. To the contrary, all I want is to please her—but on my terms.
I quietly get out of bed to use the bathroom, and when I slide back into bed, Molly smiles at me, her eyes open but still sleepy.
“Hey,” I say, kissing her.
“Hey.”
“Sleep okay?”
“I slept great. How about you?”
“How can I sleep when you’re in bed next to me?”
She murmurs her amusement. I brush the hair back from her face and kiss her again. When her hand brushes against my chest and slides around to my back, I’m rock hard once again.
“This time it’s about you,” she says lightly, her fingertips trailing down to my hip.
I put my hand over hers, stopping her.
“It’s about both of us,” I say, kissing her neck.
From the way her nipples are pebbled beneath the T-shirt, I can tell she approves of that idea.
“Do you trust me?” I ask her softly.
“Of course I do.”
“Good.”
I slide the T-shirt up and off over her head. She moans as I flick my tongue over one of her nipples, circling it and then closing my lips and sucking gently. I take my time, enjoying each of her breasts before I return to kissing her neck.
Soon, she’s writhing beneath me, whimpering for more. I run my hand up her inner thigh, parting her legs, and she gasps. My cock brushes against her leg and I feel her reaching for it. I grab her wrist with my free hand and move her hand to the pillow.
“Hang on,” I say, moving over to open the drawer in my nightstand table.
I pull out a foil packet and rip it open, then take out the condom and slide it on. Molly watches me, her eyes glazed with desire. Jesus, I hope I can last long enough.
I take both her wrists in one of my hands and pin them to the bed above her head.
“Wait, what?” She gives me a confused look.
“This is the part about trusting me.” I look into her eyes. “You do, right?”
“Yes.”
I kiss her gently, my free hand cupping her cheek before sliding down to her breasts. I tease her nipples some more, keeping her hands pinned to the mattress. Once I have her arching to get closer and panting unevenly, I slide her thighs open with my knee and ease myself inside her.
“Oh, God,” she says in my ear.
“Want me to stop?”
“No,” she says, firm and fast. “I want you to not stop. I want you to…go.”
I kiss her harder, her mouth ravenous on mine since it’s the only body part she has control of right now. When I push into her further, she moans into my mouth and pulls on her wrists, as if wanting to touch me.
The uptight, apprehensive woman I know is nowhere to be seen as Molly lets go of her mind and her body takes over. Her hips work in time with mine, both of us groaning with pleasure.
It’s been a long time for me, not to mention that this is Molly—the woman I’ve been thinking about day and night. I have to slow down so I can keep my control.
“More,” she says in my ear, her breath hot and her tone desperate.
Fuck if I can say no to that. I grind my hips against hers, her loud and needy moans nearly sending me over the edge.
“Good girl,” I say, trying out some dirty talk. “Let me own you. Just lie there like a good girl and get fucked.”
“Oh.” Her eyes widen in surprise, but her thighs clench hard around me in pleasure.
I rock my hips into hers even harder, my headboard banging into the wall with the force of our fucking. She cries out as she starts to come, her wrists pushing against my hand once again.
The sound of her coming undone makes me thrust into her one last time and come, too, my entire body going taut as pleasure overwhelms me. We’re both breathless as I release her wrists and roll onto my side.
“Good?” I ask her softly.
She laughs lightly. “Amazing. I’ve never done anything like that.”
“You liked it, though, right?”
“I loved it.”
“Me too.”
Her smile is sweet and sexy. “That was a pretty incredible date.”
“First of many.” I tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear and add, “I hope.”
“So do I.”
“And this date’s not even over yet.” I pull the covers over both of us and she snuggles against me.
“Oh, really? What else do you have in mind?”
“I’ll go make some breakfast. You can come with me or stay warm in bed and I’ll bring it to you.”
“Mmm, you drive a hard bargain, but I’ll agree to it. I have to go home after that, though. I told Gram I’d take her grocery shopping this morning.”
I hate the thought of her leaving. We’re only one date in, and I’m already turning into a lovesick sap. Jesus.
“When can I see you again?” I ask.
“How about the next evening you’re free?”
“Perfect. Wednesday. Unless you want to come to my game Tuesday.”
Kit: A Chicago Blaze Hockey Romance Page 10
