Table of Contents

Title Page

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Loose Id Titles by Selena Illyria

Selena Illyria

Witch Field Prowlers 2:

FACING OFF WITH ALEXI

Selena Illyria

www.loose-id.com

Witch Field Prowlers 2: Facing Off with Alexi

Copyright © August 2015by Selena Illyria

All rights reserved. This copy is intended for the original purchaser of this e-book ONLY. No part of this e-book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without prior written permission from Loose Id LLC. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author's rights. Purchase only authorized editions.

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eISBN 9781623009618

Editor: Jana Armstrong

Cover Artist: Fiona Jayde Media

Published in the United States of America

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This e-book is a work of fiction. While reference might be made to actual historical events or existing locations, the names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

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Chapter One

What the fuck did I get myself into?

The thought prodded Alexi’s brain with its extra-sharp pitchfork while his best friend, Tianna, turned the wheel of his SUV. She navigated the winding road that led to Little Witch Fields, as residents called the small town outside the city proper, with ease, having taken this route for years since that first summer in college. Her neatly trimmed red nails glimmered in the light. Her long, elegant fingers clutched the steering wheel. His dick jerked, and sexual awareness swirled in his gut. He opened his mouth to ask her something, anything to distract him from just how tight his pants were, but nothing came out. His traitorous brain had decided entertaining ideas of what her soft, smooth hands could do to his body were far more important than getting through the drive in one piece.

Why did I ask her to drive?

Again no answer from his lust-swathed mind. He shifted in his seat. Each moment that passed caused his pants to grow tighter until he was sure the denim was strangling his cock.

“So what do you think? You never told me if you liked my new haircut or not.” Tianna lifted a hand and ran it through her silky, chin-length locks. The highlighted strands slipped forward to caress her chin. He wanted to turn her head toward him, grab a hank of hair, and hold her still while he explored the lushness of her mouth, like he’d done on New Year’s Eve. A bolt of heat speared him through his midsection and filled his groin. His clothing trapped the warmth that needed to escape. Rather than ask for her to turn on the AC, he hit the button for the window. Cool air flooded the cabin, swirled around him, taking some of the edge off.

“You don’t like it, do you?” She tucked a few strands behind the delicate shell of her ear, drawing his attention to the ruby studs he’d given her three Christmases ago. His heart contracted at seeing her wearing one of his gifts. He smiled, and for a moment, the lust stalled.

“I do like it. It suits you,” he managed to get out despite how gravelly his voice sounded. He reached over and traced the curve of the cartilage, savoring the warmth and softness. She shivered under his touch and giggled.

“Stop that. What are you doing?” She tilted her head away.

“Sorry.” Just the velvety softness under his fingertips caused the craving for more to increase. “Anyway, yeah, I really like the cut, short and sexy and perfect for summer.”

“Whew. My regular stylist was on maternity leave, and I had to find someone on short notice. Never been to her before, but she was here, so…” She slowed the car to a stop and wriggled around in her seat. “The woman was white. I didn’t know if she’d ever done black hair before. I was really scared she’d fuck it all up.” She gave a shaky laugh.

He reached over and gave her forearm a squeeze. “She did a great job.”

Tianna nodded. “Yeah, she did.” She glanced at him, a smile on her face. “She was awesome, really funny, put me at ease, and assured me I wasn’t the first black woman in her chair. Although she said it more sarcastically than that. We got along like a house on fire.”

“Good. If Denise isn’t there for a while, will you use her replacement again?” Part of him hoped she’d say no.

“Yeah, probably. I know what you’re doing. You just want me to drive all the way over here to get my hair done and see you more.” She nudged him with her elbow, laughter in her voice.

“Well—” He wasn’t going to deny it. If he could just get up the nerve to explain his feelings to her.

She shook her head. “A few hours at the salon and an overnight visit with you wouldn’t be so bad, but the commute is hell. You’ve been on the highway at rush hour.”

“All the more reason to move back here,” he blurted out. He waited for her to push him off.

“Alexi, this is a new job for me. I can’t just move back here because my best friend misses me. You do know we can text, call each other, and do video chats, right? You’re not dying without me.” She put on the turn signal and pulled into the parking lot of Gus’s Grab and Go. Although there were other small stores where they could get their food and personal needs, they preferred to make their first stop always Gus’s.

“Mama Leslie’s afterward? I’m dying from some of her double-decker cheeseburgers, spicy curly fries, and her bourbon pecan pie, no wait, her French silk pie, wait…the white chocolate macadamia nut pie. Damn it.” Her enthusiasm warmed his soul and sent a ripple of happiness throughout his body but didn’t wash away the disappointment of having her so far away.

“We’ll just get the usual order, and if we need to, we’ll go back.” Alexi knew that even if they’d gotten enough food for an entire week, they’d still go back to Mama L’s every day.

Tianna pulled into a spot in front of the store and shut off the engine. For a moment they just sat there. Tianna dropped her head back and closed her eyes, a smile played on her lips. “I have to admit being here with you does feel good. Hell, being in LWF is great.”

“LWF, Ti? Too tired or lazy to just say Little Witch Fields?” He couldn’t resist teasing her. It kept him from leaning over the gear shift and tracing the edge of her jaw with his lips before moving lower to her neck. In more private, sexy circumstances, he wouldn’t have hesitated, but his newly discovered romantic love for Tianna made him skittish. Besides that, she wanted a friendly vacation with him.

Tianna yawned. “A bit. The big city has this nonstop energy, but here, you can unwind. Just seeing so many trees and all that greenery relaxes me. We’re going to be among nature, Kurraine!” She opened her eyes and gazed at him, the hazel depths sparkled with happiness.

“You say that now.” He unbuckled his seat belt and leaned over and undid hers. “As soon as you see an insect or a bug, boom, screaming, demanding bug spray and flamethrowers, and telling me how they’re disease-ridden creatures that need to be exterminated. You do realize we need some of those bugs to, like, live and keep the planet healthy?”

She snorted. “So you say.” She shrugged out of the strap and opened the door. “But if a scientist came out and said we don’t really need mosquitoes and black flies, well, death to them. Death!”

He followed her lead. Neither one of them bothered locking the car. The police station sat across the street. Anyone who would steal Alexi’s car was just asking for trouble. He could see Deputy Hodgeson coming out of the double doors. Alexi gave him a wave, but the officer didn’t see him. He kept right on going straight into the bike rack. Alexi glanced at what Hodgeson had been staring at only to stop in his tracks too. Tianna was bent over, rounded ass perfectly outlined by her tight jeans, tying her shoe.

Yeah, keep staring. You haven’t got a chance in hell… The thought came out of nowhere. He couldn’t quash it if he tried. Lately, he’d found that his desire to declare his emotions for her had increased. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that so many of his teammates on the Witch Field Prowlers had found significant others and were in serious relationships, whereas he and Tianna had kept things in the best-friend category—well except for New Year’s, but neither of them had really wanted to talk about it after it had happened, and he didn’t know what to say to her now.

“What? Was my underwear showing?” Tianna straightened up and tugged on her waistband.

“Uh.” Heat flushed his face. “No. Just…um…Hodgeson was staring at your ass.” He decided it would be best to blame the other guy rather than admit to ogling her himself. “Anyway, come on. Let’s get some grub.”

To distract both of them, he wrapped an arm around her waist—his hand settled on her hip—and guided her to the wide-open entrance of the store. They stepped up onto the worn pine veranda. It felt right being this close, holding her like she was his.

Ancient weather-beaten soda and ice machines with faded paint and pictures hummed next to a worn rocking chair where Gus’s golden retriever, Miner, lay. The dog opened one eye and lifted his head and let out a soft whoof but didn’t rise to greet them.

Tianna drifted out of Alexi’s embrace, grabbed his hand, and guided him over to the dog. She crouched down and began to scratch behind Miner’s ears while Alexi petted him from the base of his spine to the tip of his tail. Miner let out a whine and a small huff as his tail thudded against the floor, bringing up mini dust clouds. Alexi coughed but didn’t move away. Instead, he just turned his head to draw in some clean air.

“Awww, miss us, Miner, huh? I knew we’d be seeing you, so I brought you a treat.” Ti reached into her purse and produced a small turkey sausage patty.

“Hey! That was part of my breakfast,” Alexi protested. He’d wondered why he’d had to go without his usual starter meal in order to get them on the road so early. Now he knew why. She’d been hoarding food for the dog.

“Don’t be selfish! See that, Miner. Alexi can be so narrow-minded. Didn’t even think about you, but I did, didn’t I?” She grinned, unwrapped the meat treat, and set it in front of the dog, who gobbled it up in the time it took to blink. He licked Tianna’s hand and moved on to her face. She didn’t even complain about her makeup getting ruined.

Lucky bastard. If Alexi’d kissed her with that much enthusiasm in public, she’d nudge him away. Alexi wanted something more substantial.

“Always putty in your hands, Tianna, my dear,” Gus’s wind-roughened voice called out. Years of being on a fishing rig and shouting to be heard above the waves and wind had hoarsened his voice to a medium rasp.

Tianna rose with grace and turned to greet their friend. “Well, like his owner, he’s a total ladies’ man. Who can resist either one of you?” She gave the older man with the salt-and-pepper hair a bear hug to which he responded by lifting her off her feet. She squealed and giggled.

“Hey now, I don’t get that kind of greeting when I come here all by myself.” Alexi pretended to be upset but couldn’t stifle the shot of envy he felt. Gus flirted with all the women, young and old, who came through his store, but he seemed to be sweeter on Tianna than anyone else.

Gus gave Alexi a wink over Tianna’s shoulder before setting her on the ground. “Gotta get my kicks somewhere, and when a voluptuous woman offers me a hug, who am I to not show my appreciation.” He grinned, showing off his chipped front teeth.

Tianna turned around and poked Alexi in the chest. “Don’t get jealous. I’m spending an entire week with you at horror-movie cabin. Maybe I should stay here. At least the company here, Gus, will slay my bug pests for me and give me all the creamy crack cookie butter I can get my hands on.”

Gus grinned at him and traced a bottle shape in the air with his hands followed by another wink. “Don’t you worry, my sweet. Ol’ Gus will defend you from those bloodsuckers and provide you with a king’s ransom worth of cookie butter spread.”

“Careful. I’ll make you sleep out on the screened-in porch if you keep this up, and devour your precious cookie butter,” Alexi warned. He let the words sink before he followed her to the entrance. Alexi would never do that, but just the threat alone should keep her in line.

“Ha! If Tianna honored me with being my woman, I wouldn’t let her out of bed, much less put her on a screened-in porch. But then I know how to treat a lady! Go on with you. Your favorites are stocked, and don’t forget to stop by on your way out of town. Miner missed you last year.” Gus took his place in the rocking chair and picked up a piece of wood and his jackknife. It looked like he’d starting carving what would become a hawk in full flight—wings spread wide, looking majestic as it rode the currents.

“We will.” Alexi went after Tianna into the store, trying not to pull a Hodgeson and stare at her ass as he went. He grabbed a basket and went to the snacks aisles, focused on stocking up. His stomach grumbled.

“I’m hungry since someone decided a dog deserved my breakfast more than I did, so after this, Mama L’s.”

Tianna headed for the other side of the store, which contained the freezers. “Yeah, I’m pretty hungry myself. All I had was a granola bar.”

He frowned. “Honey, you need more than a granola bar for breakfast. What the hell is that personal trainer of yours telling you?” It didn’t sit well with him that she was forgoing necessary food just to look a certain way. “I prefer you curvy.” He uttered the last bit without hesitation.

“Nope. Just wanted to get on the road before morning rush hour, so I grabbed what I could. What time is it?” she called back.

He noticed that she didn’t defend her new personal trainer.

“Close to eleven thirty. Mama L should still be serving breakfast. Make sure you get the homemade local peanut butter brownie ice cream.” If he was going to dive off the eating healthy bandwagon for a week, might as well go all the way.

“Ugh, I want some of her garlic hash browns, spicy bacon, and pancakes or French toast. Crap, both?” He heard the fridge door open and close with a thunk.

He glanced around. They were the only customers shopping that morning. “I want some sausages.”

“That’s all? Jeez, dude. I’ll buy a subscription for you to sausage-of-the-month club if they mean that much to you.”

He couldn’t resist wading in. “Just sausage? All I’m saying is you’re buying since you value a dog’s appetite more than mine.” He waited for her to protest.

“Ha! You just want to take advantage of my new income”—she snorted—“but I’ll pay if it means that much to you.”

“Thanks, punkin,” he teased as he grabbed some of his favorite cheese puff snacks, her potato chips, some whole-wheat pretzels with sea salt, and a pack of peanut butter chocolate chip cookies he knew Ti couldn’t resist. Once he was done, he headed into the coffee and tea aisle. Neither one of them would be fully functional without a few cups of java and tea. He grabbed several packages and even added some of her favorite imported hot chocolate to his choices. Might as well go all the way. He spotted the cookie butter spread and put four jars into his basket. If he’d passed those up, there would be hell to pay. He doubted she’d be happy with four, but his cabinets didn’t open to an extra dimension where he could store stuff.

After picking up some soup and items to use for cooking for the nights when they didn’t go out, he met her in the center of the store and compared their picks. “I did good, right?” He riffled through his basket.

“Oh my God! They have the Irish cream hot chocolate still in stock? Go back and get more! Never mind. I’ll get it.” She rushed past him. He followed, amused at her excitement.

“You’re going to have to leave some for others.” He doubted she’d take his advice.

She snorted. “You snooze, you lose.” She got to the aisle, found the hot chocolate, and grabbed package after package until there was a blank spot where the bright green boxes used to be. He didn’t point out that she’d passed up the cookie butter right across from it.

“Rude,” he teased.

“Smart,” she retorted as they headed up to the front to pay.

“Did you get the—” He prayed she hadn’t forgotten the ice cream, Popsicles, hot dogs, and ground beef along with the cheese. Last time she’d forgotten the buns, and they’d had to eat without them. It had been an awkward experience to say the least.

“Who do you think I am? I learn from my mistakes. I’ll go get Gus.” Tianna put her basket up on the counter and left the store.

Alexi took this time to study the choices in magazines, gum, and candy. Nothing appealed to him. His gaze passed over the sports sections. This week would be a hockey-free zone. Besides he didn’t want to see the current Stanley Cup champs on the cover with their prize. Having been knocked out first round, his pride was still bruised. Once he determined there was nothing for him, he did a mental calculation of what they’d do for the rest of the week. His thoughts faded away at the sound of Ti and Gus’s footsteps on the worn wooden floor.

“Don’t worry. I’ll make sure we come back often. Now ring us up. We’re hungry.” She tugged him to the open space that led behind the counter. To punctuate her statement, her stomach rumbled yet again.

“Not keeping the lovely lady fed? For shame, Kurraine,” Gus admonished with a toothy grin.

“No, it’s her fault. She wanted to leave early. At least we missed the charity football game traffic around the stadium.” Alexi shuddered at the thought of getting caught up in that mess.

“Was that today? I heard ‘Steam Engine’ McClain was gonna be there. And Bobby ‘Bear’ Brady. Man, both of them could play. And Steam Engine had an arm on him.” Gus rang up their purchases. If he was annoyed at having his entire stock of Irish cream hot chocolate being bought out, he didn’t say.

“Yeah. My brothers wanted to be at the game, but they couldn’t due to football preseason. And I didn’t want to be around a crowd.” Alexi ducked his head and refused to meet Tianna’s gaze.

Tianna gave his hand a squeeze, but he didn’t glance up.

“No shame in losing, son. It’s staying down on your ass or getting up that matters.” Gus swiped the last item and gave them the total. “You do realize I have two whole boxes more of that hot chocolate, right?”

“Hand it over, Gus, and no one gets hurt. I have to wait all year round for those things to come out, and I can only get them here.” Tianna followed Gus to the back, where he grabbed the last of his stock.

“There you go. I actually saved them for you. Ordered them special when Alexi called and let me know you’d be coming down here.” Gus nodded at Alexi, who lifted his head and grinned.

Tianna came at him, wrapping him up in a bear hug that made his cock jump and his heartbeat stutter. Fire threaded his veins as he hugged her back, savoring the feel of her lush curves against his muscular body. If they could stay like that forever, he’d be the happiest guy alive. Gus’s cleared throat drew him out of the moment. They paid and promised to come back during the week and before they left.

As Alexi climbed into the passenger seat of his SUV, he hoped Tianna hadn’t noticed that his dick was just as happy hugging her as the rest of him had been. She didn’t make a single remark about his erection and instead focused on rattling off all the food they’d be ordering at Mama Leslie’s. Now if only he could survive the rest of week without getting another boner and keeping things friendly, he’d be fine, he hoped. Although the question reared up in his mind again: What the fuck did I get myself into?

Chapter Two

Tianna dug into her meal with gusto, savoring the heat and crispness of the hash browns, the fluffiness of the pancakes, and the smoky sweetness of the bacon. So long as she didn’t glance across from her, she could focus on her food rather than her hunk of a best friend. Neither of them spoke, but since arriving at his apartment last night, she’d felt a tension between them that hadn’t been there before. Every so often she’d catch him giving her the once-over or a heated glance that made her tummy flip and heart beat just a little bit faster while liquid need flooded her sex. She had to remind herself that they were best friends only. This should be their usual friendly get-together. If only her libido would listen to that.

Awareness at how far away and yet how close he was flickered through her. Every little move, each glance that landed on her body reminded her she would be spending alone time with him. Their own secluded forest getaway; whether things would burn down to sex or nothing, she couldn’t quite say. From under her lashes she took him in. His pale blond hair—the sides and top were longer than the last time she’d seen. His thick, dark brown lashes and brows framed cool gray eyes. He had dark circles that worried her. The last time they’d spoken, he’d sounded so tired.

In person he seemed to be forcing himself to be upbeat. He would be thirty-six this year. Was he worried that he’d have to retire soon? As far as she knew he was in perfect shape, always took care of himself, only during special occasions like their annual summer get-together week did he let loose on his diet. A distance she hadn’t been aware of yawned between them. She didn’t like that she didn’t know something about him. She opened her mouth to ask but stopped herself. This was a talk they should have in private, not where anyone could overhear and then post it on social media.

Frustration at having to bite her lip took hold, pushing back some of her sexual desire for him. He’d never been one to keep things from her. Well…there was his erection from before. She hadn’t missed that thick bulge when she’d hugged him. That had been the fourth time she’d felt proof of his arousal since she’d arrived. The first time she’d dismissed in the name of a friendly week; now she couldn’t push it out of her mind. What the hell am I going to do? Clear the air? She glanced around. So far, no one was trying to take selfies with him; in fact, since walking through the door, everyone had left them well enough alone. Which was good. She hated when his private time was taken over by people who thought it was just fine following him into the bathroom or propositioning him after they’d just met him.

She shook her head, loosening those thoughts. Concentrate, she ordered herself. “What’s wrong?” The question got blurted out, and she gave herself a mental smack. “Never mind, forget it.” She prayed he wouldn’t answer.

She dug into her food, waiting for him to respond or not.

“And don’t say ‘nothing.’ I know you, remember.” Yeah, we’ll just talk about other shit and ignore the sex stuff, she thought.

“Yeah, sorry, I’m just tired. Haven’t been sleeping lately.” He ran a hand over his face and through his hair, turning the placid locks into messy waves. Something flashed in his eyes that she couldn’t quite read.

“Worried about your place on the team?” In for a penny, in for a pound, as they said.

He shook his head and put down his fork to sit back in his chair, shoulders slumped, face drawn. “No, it’s not that. It has nothing to do with hockey. Well, not really.”

Well, that answered something—not. “Family?” She’d spoken to his mom and pop before she left, and all was fine on that front. As far as she knew his brothers were also doing okay, both prepping for preseason in football with their respective teams.

“Nope.” He stared at her, indecision filling his features.

Her stomach fluttered in worry. “Me?”

“I think so, but we can’t talk about it here.” His face hardened, and his lips thinned.

Cards on the table time, I guess. “Okay. Once we get to the cabin. Did you have it cleaned, or am I going to enter only to run out demanding you set fire to the whole damn place because a group of mutant spiders have made it their home? I refuse to have this turned into a fantasy book moment. I am not making deals or friends with them, got it?” She pointed her fork at him, hoping it lifted up his mood.

He cracked a smile. “They’re not real, you know. It’s called CGI. You know, digital work?”

She shook her head. “Didn’t you see that post on my Facebook page? They are so too real and getting deadlier by the day. There’s a species that can give guys deadly erections. Can you imagine that? Dying all because you got a woody?”

Heat flashed on her face as she remembered the feel of his thick bulge pressing into her stomach. She swallowed. Stop thinking of that, she admonished herself but doubted it would work.

“Are you sure that’s a real story and not on one of those satire sites?” Skepticism filled his face.

“Yes, I looked it up and asked a friend who was a bug expert.” Her stomach threatened to revolt at the thought of those creepy crawlies. “Why would someone want to go into that field of work? I like bees and butterflies and ladybugs, but the others, no, no, and no.” She took a sip of her cookies-and-cream latte to stave off the nausea. It worked but barely.

Alexi chuckled. “You are so adorable, I swear. I still don’t understand why you come up to the cabin with me. You’d have to interact with all of that and more.”

She let out a squeak and shook her head. The newly shorn edges slapped her jawline each time, grating and scrapping against her skin. A few more days and she wouldn’t notice the sensation.

“Still getting used to the cut?” Alexi wiped his mouth with a napkin and settled back against his chair, his mug of coffee cradled between his hands.

“Yeah, it’s weird when I sleep; it feels so irritating.” She eyed his longer hair. “Are you going to shave off all your hair for the summer?” Her stomach tugged at the thought of all that gorgeous hair shorn so short.

“Maybe just a trim.” He ran a hand though his tresses once more, making her wish she could just reach over and touch him.

She missed his hockey-season beard; all that remained was a bit of brown stubble that shadowed his sharp jawline. Once she’d realized just how in love she was with her best friend, she’d found herself wondering what it would be like to fuck him with his play-off beard. Unfortunately that realization came around the same time as her new job did.

“Ti, you want to order lunch and dinner to go since you’re finished?” Alexi nodded toward her plate.

She glanced down to find she’d eaten every bit of her brunch without thinking about it. Damn it, no more stalling. “Yeah, sure.” She glanced over the menu to cover how flustered she felt.

“I want to drive to the cabin. I know the way better, and I won’t end up flipping off an old lady for driving the speed of the blob.” Alexi’s lips quirked in a smile.

She blushed but refused to feel bad. “She was driving so slow, and we were in the fast lane. What was I supposed to do, tailgate her so she’d drive faster?”

“But did you have to flip her off?” His grin grew wider, showing off straight white teeth. All his, none lost even after a few really bad fights, much to her amazement.

“She did it first, or are you gonna deny she made a rude gesture to me just ’cause she looked like Grammy Ruth?” She waited for him to contradict her, enjoying their normal, everyday banter.

“She looked nothing like Grammy Ruth, not with that witch’s wart! Would you hurry up and order? I want to get the grill ready for the week and prep the meat.” He moved around in his chair and played up his impatience with facial gestures that made him look ridiculous.

She laughed so hard she started to hiccup. Alexi called their waitress over for a glass of water and placed their usual weekly order, which included burgers, fries, and several slices of pie, cake, and breakfast pastries as well as some salads. “Gotta at least have something green and healthy.”

“Uh-huh.” She hiccupped and accepted the water. Her stomach muscles and throat ached, and every once in a while she’d dissolve into giggles until she finally took a breath, held it, and downed the water. After a minute or two she swore. “Shit, gotta go to the bathroom. Do not eat my peanut butter cup cream pie!”

Alexi rolled his eyes. “Like I would touch your precious pie. Jesus, you’re as bad as that guy on that paranormal show about hunters. Obsessed with pie. How the hell do you look so damn sexy and eat that much pie?” He snapped his mouth shut, a ruddy flush filled his cheeks.

She grinned but decided not to press him on the sexy comment. Not yet anyway. “Be back in a bit.”

She got out of her chair, making sure to put a little extra something in her step just in case he watched her go. When she got to the bathroom door, she peeked behind her to find his gaze glued on her ass. She headed into the room, did her business, washed her hands, and took in her features. Both he, Hodgeson, and Gus had found her attractive despite her only wearing a bit of tinted lip balm and some mascara. She didn’t need a man to tell her she was sexy or beautiful. Tianna felt comfortable in her own skin, despite not being the image of what should be acceptable. At a size 18, she loved her curves from her generous DD breasts to her wide hips. She exercised, kept healthy, but didn’t punish herself for her love of sweets. Clearly, Alexi and other men wouldn’t turn their heads to watch her walk by because they thought she was missing something.

She tucked her short hair behind her ear and shivered as she remembered Alexi’s touch on the sensitive area. The door opened, admitting one of Mama Leslie’s waitresses. “Hey.” She nodded.

“You two make a totally cute couple. All the waitstaff think so.” The young woman grinned and gave her a wink.

Rather than deny it, Tianna just accepted it. “Thanks. Um”—she moved closer to the woman who was primping in the mirror—“is there any of that peanut butter cup pie left, like a whole pan of it?” She hoped there would be a yes.

The young lady’s name tag, which read Jill, shook her head. “Sorry, one of our most popular flavors, but we do have some pans of strawberries and cream and grasshopper pie with dark chocolate and white chocolate shavings. Please, take them. If you don’t, we’ll end up eating it, and I’m kind of sick of pie.” She made a sour face.

All Tianna could do was stare at her. Sick of pie? The sacrilege! Rather than go on a mad spiel about all the wonders of pie, she agreed to take them. “Add them to my bill, please, and make them to go.”

“You guys gonna be around for the parade and fireworks? I’m a senior at WFH. We’re doing a dance routine during the parade. We’re also selling cookies to raise money for the local daycare center.”

Aha! So there was more to this meeting. Tianna decided to play along. “What kind of cookies?” If she got any, she’d have to hide them from Alexi. God knows he’d devour them if they were the right flavor.

“They’re leftover scout cookies. We have all the flavors.” A shrewd light came into Jill’s eyes.

“How much for all of them?” Sold! Ti knew she should have the word suckeR stamped on her head. Leftover, my ass.

Jill laughed. “We have some earmarked for a few people, but if you can wait ten minutes, I can get you three boxes of the shortbreads, the peanut butter chocolates, the peanut butters, the lemon, and the caramel coconut all for sixty bucks.”

Tianna thought it over. “Deal!”

Jill grinned, the shrewd light in her eyes not leaving. Tianna had a sinking feeling she wasn’t the first person to fall for this type of deal, but who in their right mind would say no to leftover scout cookies? Plus, it was all for a good cause. Her sweet tooth. Now to figure out how to get them and hide them from Alexi. As she left the bathroom, she spotted Alexi kneeling down to the level of a little girl wearing a Prowlers jersey. Emotions filled her heart at the sweet sight of him laughing, smiling, and ruffling the girl’s hair. Okay, maybe he could have some cookies. He hugged his littlest fan, and she sighed. Fine, he could have more than the cookies. Her vaginal walls rippled in agreement. Damn sexy hockey players, plucking on her heartstrings.

Chapter Three

Alexi called himself all shades of stupid as he climbed into the truck, settled in, and buckled up, being in the driver’s seat forgotten in the face of his mistake. Out of the corner of his eye, he watched her putting things in the backseat, several bags that he knew they couldn’t possibly have ordered, before she got into the driver’s seat, locked her seat belt in, and turned the key in the ignition.

“Ready?” Her tone was bright and cheery.

“Yep.” That single word was all he could utter, not daring to say any more for fear of spilling his guts right then and there.

She pulled out of the parking lot and onto the curving mountain road. He watched the scenery go by.

“You think I’m sexy, huh?” The teasing note in her voice didn’t sit well with him.

“I wasn’t kidding,” he bit out. “And I won’t take it back. No more hiding how I feel, Ti. I’m tired of all that shit.” There, out in the open.

“Didn’t think you were. So you want to get serious?” Caution filled her voice.

“Yeah, very serious.” He hoped by her pressing the issue that she was willing to take the next step into an actual relationship.

“What do you want, exactly?”

Alexi thought over his words, not wanting to scare her off if he asked for too much too soon. “My contract with the Prowlers ends in two years. After seeing so many of my teammates settling down, I realized that that one New Year’s encounter isn’t enough for me.”

“Go on,” she urged.

He shifted in his seat, not wanting to glance over at her and see something that would steal his courage. “I’ve come to the conclusion that I want to get serious with you. I love you, Ti, more than just my best friend.”

She downshifted and snorted. “I wish I’d known that before. Might’ve saved me a lot of bad choices.”

“Huh? What the hell are you talking about?” He prayed that she wouldn’t say what he thought she was talking about.

“Well, there was Joe and Dave and then that asshat Mick, your ex-teammate from Ottawa.”

Shit. “Are you saying if I’d made it known to you that I wanted more before this, you wouldn’t have dated those morons?” He didn’t know how to feel. Annoyance, anger, and amusement warred within him.

“Joe and Dave were nice but boring as hell. Mick started out nice, but then he told me he was only doing it to get on your nerves, which I didn’t believe, but now I have to wonder given how pissed off you always seemed to be when you saw he and I together.” She flipped on the turn signal and guided the car onto the paved hidden driveway that would take them to his hideaway from the city.

“Well, I knew the guy better than you, so of course I’d be pissed at you dating him. You deserved better, and I told you so.” I just didn’t suggest it should be me. “I hadn’t started to really see you outside of being my best friend and one-time lover until then,” he admitted. “But you’re saying you wouldn’t have dated any of those guys if I’d been honest with my feelings. I’m not sure how I feel about that.”

“What I’m saying is I would’ve had to look at you differently if you had said something, and I may have been forced to admit that yeah, I may want more, but now, I don’t know anything beyond my new job.”

He turned his attention to her and tried to think of a comeback. “When did you figure out you thought of me as more than what we had?” Alexi hoped that it wasn’t a recent thing. That she had thought long and hard about it all and what it would mean if they decided to take a step farther.

“I’m not sure. I just knew that somewhere along the way I was starting to have romantic feelings for you.”

He heard the hesitation in her voice. “What aren’t you telling me?” He could guess but wanted to hear it from her.

“Well, it all started off with this really crazy, erotic dream and snowballed from there. Remember that New Year’s kiss that led to sex?”

Fuck. “Yeah.” He swallowed. Alexi had hoped she wouldn’t remember his clumsy attempt to kiss her on the mouth. “I was aiming for your cheek,” he lied.

“Do you think I was born yesterday? The way you were looking at my lips…” She pulled up in front of the cabin and put the SUV in park. “Between the pasta and the snuggling we were doing, you were in the ‘mood.’” She gifted him with a smile. “And so was I. I didn’t want to move. It felt wonderful being all cozied up with you. We didn’t even have champagne.”

“You came to stay with me before my game. I was miserable.” Memories surfaced, causing him to feel warm and happy all over again.

“All your teammates had plans but you. So you called and I got on a red-eye just so you wouldn’t be alone.” She unbuckled her belt. “I didn’t even hesitate or think about it. Didn’t think about what could happen. I didn’t care that I’d have to fly back that morning. I just didn’t want you to be lonely, not when I could do something about it.”

The catch in her voice made him pause and stare at her. His heart tugged at the need he heard, the desire for him to never feel bad or lonely. “I love you, Ti.” He uttered the words without reservation or hesitation.

“I know.” She gave him a shy smile on her rosebud mouth.

“This is real life, not that movie, you dork. You’re supposed to say it back.” Only half joking, he hoped she’d say the words back. Time stood on a knife’s edge as he waited for his sentiment to be returned.

“We’ve known each other most of our lives, been there for each other through the darkest darks and the brightest moments. Do you honestly think I couldn’t love you after everything we’ve been through?” She leaned over the console. Her kiss felt like feathers brushing against his mouth. Her lips were warm, so soft and pliant. Never in his life had it felt so right to kiss someone. So true. He reached out, grabbed her arms, and held her still to keep it going.

His lungs burned, demanding oxygen. His heart pounded against his rib cage in a demand for air. Pressure increased in his ears as his body heated. Arousal and adoration filled him up like a balloon ready to burst.

She gave him a gentle push and gasped. “I like breathing, Kurraine,” she said with a shaky laugh. “And besides we can kiss again.”

“Yeah but not like that. Not as two people who’ve finally been honest with each other.”

“I haven’t said the words. Yet.” She poked him in the chest.

He opened his mouth, but she cut him off by covering his lips with her hand.

“I love you, Alexi Kurraine. Have for the last few years. There. It’s free and wild in the world. Now, let’s get this all inside before the ice cream melts, ’cause if it does, there will be hell to pay.” She pulled back and opened the door.

He chuckled. Happiness buoyed his spirits. The elephant between them wasn’t there anymore, although he couldn’t shake the irritating thought, What do we do now? You live in Cutter City, and I’m here. He didn’t say his worry aloud, not yet. Nothing should dampen this moment for them. Later they’d talk it over.

He got out of the car and helped her unload the bags. “Honey, what the hell did you get from Mama L’s?” He peeked in the bag and paused. “Holy shit. They gave us scout cookies!”

“No! No! Mine. Hand over the bag.” She stormed around the truck and tried to take the sack from him. He held it up high over her head.

“Nope. You were gonna hide these from me, weren’t you?” He grinned and carried his prize high only to stop at the door. “Shit. Do you have your key?” He glanced over his shoulder to find her holding her key ring, making a show of flipping through the choices.

“Give me one box of the caramel coconut ones and the shortbread, and I’ll open the door. Otherwise we’ll have to eat everything out here.”

A sneaky idea came into his brain. “Honey.”

“What?” She placed a hand on her hip and stared at him.

“There’s a bug on your shoulder.” Three…two…one…liftoff.

Her eyes widened, her mouth opened, a scream issued forth so high-pitched he had to wince at the sound, sure that dogs were whimpering and hiding.

She tossed the keys at him and started stomping around, hitting her shoulders. “Open the damn door now!”

He snatched them midair, got the door unlocked it, and pushed it open, allowing her to rush past him smacking her shoulders. She stripped off her short-sleeved T-shirt and proceeded to stomp on it until it was covered in dirty footprints. While she was doing that, he made quick work of unloading the car before locking the door behind him. He found her in her bra, chest heaving, a wildcat look in her eyes.

“You son of a bitch! There was no bug, was there? Oh, you’re going to pay for that. You will pay dearly.” She snatched her top off the floor and marched out of the room toward the staircase. He could only chuckle, knowing full well she could truly make things uncomfortable for him, and in the wake of their mutual confession, she had more ammo. I have to do something to stave her off. He unloaded the groceries, taking inventory of all the food they had gotten.

Checking the cabinets, he found that his property manager had stocked him with everything he would need for grilling. He stored their burgers and fries for later if she wanted that for dinner.

No running water could be heard, but a few thumps and thuds came down the stairs.

“I’m going to check on the grill to make sure it’s ready for tomorrow, okay? Can you do a look through the house and make sure everything is as it should be?”

He replayed their admissions in the car and grinned. At least they had that out in the open. His brain also rewound entering the house and finding her in only her bra, her generous chest hidden from view behind lime-green lace and satin with a dainty pink bow in the middle, a potent temptation. If he hadn’t been in such a hurry to unload things and get them stored, he would’ve stopped to admire the sight more. Even though he’d seen her in a bikini, he had been careful not to leer at her like a perv. Now he could openly appreciate her when she wore something sexy—in his opinion, everything she wore was seductive—and could compliment her on it without it coming out weird or creepy.

The chirp of a cell phone caused his thoughts to scatter. He dug it out of his back pocket. The caller ID read that his coach was calling. He answered it as a chill raced down his spine. Flashbacks to the years before the Prowlers got their house in order crept up on him. The egos, the fears for positions on the team, the money issues. He prayed none of that would come back to haunt him. The team had work to do with the new additions from the draft.

“Hey.”

“Hey, Alexi. I just wanted to call and say you’ve done an excellent job last season, and I look forward to seeing you at training camp.” Coach paused.

Alexi blew out a breath. No emergency or changeup in the coaching staff. “Thanks, Coach, and I have to wish you an early happy birthday.”

“Thanks, son. You in Little Witch Fields? We’re on the family farm just a few miles away. If you and Tianna find the time, stop by, okay? Carin and I would love to have you over for my birthday party later this week.”

Alexi grinned. “We can make it. Just make sure to have some of those bratwursts you had last time and we may not leave.”

“Oh, gonna steal those, huh? I don’t think so. I may be older than you by a good fifteen years, but that doesn’t mean that I can’t take you.” Coach chuckled.

“Well, it’s not me. Ti is sort of in love with them,” Alexi lied.

“No, not just her, you too. Maybe I’ll tell you where I get it; you’ll just have to stop by and see. Look, gotta go. The girls are fostering puppies, and we’re in the middle of training.”

“What kind of dogs?” He could think of a few people in his life who would love to have puppies.

“Irish setters. Old Daniels had an unexpected litter, and the girls volunteered us, without talking to me about it, to take them in and train them so they can be adopted. I’d rather have cats.” Coach sighed. A crash could be heard in the background. “Shit. Gotta go. See you sometime this week, Kurraine.”

He hung up before Alexi could respond. Alexi put his phone down and returned to his prior activities, all while trying to picture a life of him settling down at the cabin with Tianna and a dog. Nice notion, but he doubted he could entertain that idea anytime soon. He still had two years if he didn’t get injured before then.

“Ah, clean. I love how it feels.” Tianna came out of the bathroom wrapped in only a towel. “Even though you lied.” She poked him in the chest. “Who was on the phone?”

“Coach called to invite us to their farmhouse for his birthday party.”

“Will he have those yummy brats that I can’t find anywhere else?” She licked her lips, drawing his attention to her mouth, absent of any lipstick or gloss and still just as seductive.

“Yep.”

Tianna opened her arms and hugged him. “I feel bad for you, but then again, you won’t be able to have ice cream and pancakes, and I will, so, no, I don’t feel sorry for you.” She pulled back and stepped out of reach. “I will eat all that for you and tell you every gratuitous detail about how buttery and delicious it all is.”

He shook his head. “Thanks a lot, friend, but take on the burden alone?” He attempted a grab for her, but she dodged him.

“Because you’ll be storing up room in that bottomless pit of a stomach for those bratwurst. Anyway, can you heat up the burgers and fries from lunch??” She shooed him off. “I have to go change. I’m hungry again.”

He blinked. “How can you be hungry again with what we ate at Mama L’s?”

“Being stressed out does that to a girl.”

“Why would you be stressed out?” He returned to the kitchen, turned on the oven before he got out the food he’d wrapped up. The buns weren’t soggy, but the fries needed to be crisped up. He grabbed a baking pan and aluminum foil, wrapped the foil around the sheet, and put the food on it, then stuck it in the oven. “Give it a few minutes,” he called out.

“Set the table on the deck and I’ll be out with the grub soon. And I would be wrecked trying to watch for those bird-flipping grannies on the road.”

“You sure you want to eat out there? There could be bugs.”

“Yes, and don’t worry. Just light the citronella candles and we should be fine.” He checked on the food. The fries had become a nice golden brown and the meat sizzled. Just a few more minutes, he thought before he shut the door. He could hear Ti moving around the deck, the strong citrus smell of the candles wafted in. In the meantime, he puttered around the kitchen until he could smell the aroma of their lunch. “Food’s done.”

He grabbed an oven mitt, took out the sheet, and let it sit on the stove to cool.

“Well, if you didn’t get anyone to clean, then you’ll just have to be my bug killer.” Her footsteps thudded against the wooden floor. She appeared in the entryway to the kitchen wearing jean shorts and a tank top, the straps of her bra peeking out from under her shirt. A smile played on her lips, and her eyes sparkled with mirth. She was perfection made flesh in his opinion.

“No, you kill your own bugs. I’ll go set up. I have to make sure the grill is in good condition.” He left the kitchen, padded across the dining room and the living room area to the outdoor deck that wrapped round the side and back of the house. He unlocked and opened the sliding door, allowing in the scents of the outdoors. Among the perfumes he could smell wild strawberries and the earthiness of the nearby mushrooms. He could see the irises, musk flowers that he’d let his house manager plant in various shades of purples and whites with a few eastern prairie fringed orchids here and there.

He stepped out on the worn wooden deck and inhaled deeper. The sweetness of maple surrounded him. Dark red beams formed the framework and flooring of the deck with screens spread between the openings to allow in the warm summer’s kiss of air. His heartbeat slowed, and his muscles loosened as he took in the well-loved patio furniture with their plush cushions and faded headrests. Here nothing of his hockey life existed. No posters or hockey sticks or pucks from past games or jerseys from the many teams he’d been on. He walked around a corner and went through the open entryway leading out into the backyard area. In the distance he heard the gentle lap of water against a shore. One of the reasons he’d taken this place was for the ability to fish and unwind during his off time.

They had yet to catch a lot of fish due to not enough time and Ti’s hatred of mosquitoes, and he was pretty sure the pond was exactly like the one in that popular sci-fi show where a team traveled through a portal to other alien worlds. Still, he tried. He headed over to his trusty grill, a large block of metal and brick with a smoker attached to it. Every year he and Tianna had their before-training-camp get-together, and they made a week of celebration, if only an excuse to use the barbecue. This time, however, he wanted to keep things simple.

He lifted the lid. The metal grill bars gleamed in the afternoon sunlight. A hint of fire, ash, and charcoal lingered. An examination of the smoker showed it in the same condition. He checked the bin where he kept the firewood, matches, and charcoal, all fully loaded.

“All ready?” Tianna called.

“Yup. We’ll have to go to Gus’s for more meat, though.”

“Some spicy sausages and beer?” she teased.

“Maybe.” He joined her on the porch. There was no ceremony, no place settings or anything. Just card tables and cans of pop and only nature as their mealtime music.

“So what was wrong?” Tianna’s question brought him back to what would happen after this week was over.

Reality.

He tried to find words. “My mind is racing to what happens after this. We go back to our usual lives—you to the law firm, and me to prepping for training camp. I…I just want to get things settled between us now.”

“So what? We explore what we have and then at the end make a decision…?” Her voice trailed off.

He considered her question. “We do our usual thing and maybe explore this new side of our relationship?” He waited for her to deny it, make an excuse. Neither of them were attached to anyone. He hadn’t been for a long time. This vacation seemed like the perfect time to start something. “We may not get a lot of time to go on dates, and you live in a different city, but I don’t see that as an obstacle, more like us working that much harder.”

“Basically what we do normally only on a romantic level?” she threw out.

“Well…” He thought about his answer. They had a good communication already; they didn’t hold back from each other and could talk about anything under the sun. Romance on the other hand may make this awkward or weird between them at times, but nothing in his opinion that they couldn’t work out. “Yeah. Like we can do date night via video calls and that kind of thing.”

Even though he hated the idea of not being able to be with her for her law firm parties and outings with other couples, that was par for the course with their busy careers.

“Could get sexy,” she teased.

“Hopefully.” He didn’t want to think about all the teasing he could get from his on-the-road roommate Brice Douglas, but then again, Brice was in a committed relationship himself, so he had some idea of the need for privacy.

She raised an eyebrow. “You don’t sound so sure. Are you finally going to wow me with your romantic skills or not?”

He made a T with his hands. “Whoa, whoa, I didn’t plan on romance…”

She started to guffaw. He held up his hands. “Hey now, I can get romantic and be sexy too.”

She laughed even harder. “Not helping yourself.” Tears slipped over her cheeks. The tank top did nothing to hide her chest from view, causing him to notice her breasts and the way they jiggled even more. She gasped and wiped away the moisture. “God, you are such a dork. Why would I want to date someone like you, huh?”

He rolled his eyes. She gazed up at him, her eyes more green than hazel now. He bent down, placing his hands on either armrest, and leaned over her until they were nose to nose. “Because of this.”

He took her mouth in a slow kiss, sucking on her bottom lip with gentle pressure, releasing it and doing the same for the other, tracing the plump flesh with his tongue in a light caress. He tugged, nipped, and moved his mouth with hers until she whimpered and rose up, pressing against him. With a quick peck, he pulled back, straightened, and returned to his seat. She seemed to be frozen with both of her hands on the armrests, as if pushing herself out of her seat. He returned to his food, feeling smug about his effect on her. She sank into her chair with a huff.

“That,” she said, pointing at him, “is playing dirty, Kurraine. I bet you can’t make me react like that again. In fact I bet I can turn your world upside down with just a kiss too, and I can make this week more romantic than you can.”

He raised an eyebrow at her. “I turned your world upside down? Well now.” His pride swelled. Without thinking of the consequences or past experience, he ventured forth. “I bet you can’t. I bet you all those scout cookies you just bought that you can’t make me forget my own name with a kiss and outdo me in the romance department.” He settled back in his seat, sure in his position.

“Oh, it’s on like Donkey Kong, my potential boyfriend. You just wait. You won’t know when it will happen, but it. Will. Happen.” She snuggled into her chair, grabbed her plate, and returned to chowing down.

A sinking feeling filled his stomach as unease grew in his mind. What the hell have I done? Despite his misgivings, he was sure he could outdo her. He just had to take stock of everything they had and surprise her when she least expected it. So, for now, play it cool and friendly.

“Wait, and sex?” He had to know if that would be added into the equation.

“Not until after I’ve won the bet.” She lifted in her chin, a devious light in her eyes.

He snorted. “When I win the bet, then I’ll blow your mind, so for now we can kiss and cuddle but nothing sexy.” As soon as the words left his mouth, he knew he was in trouble. Tianna would want to win sooner rather than later. She was impatient like that.

She gifted him with a smile. “I’m going to make you squirm, Kurraine. You just wait and see. Pinkie swear on it?”

She held her hand out, pinkie extended. He did the same thing, and they shook on it.

Chapter Four

Tianna scraped the dishes before putting them in the dishwasher. Her lips tingled, even now, after the kiss. She wanted more. So much more. Prickles skittered up and down her inner thighs. Her panties had become so damp she wanted to change them. Every move he made behind her, she couldn’t ignore. Her awareness of him had increased tenfold. Every step that thudded on the floor echoed in her head. When he cleared his throat or coughed or sneezed, she stilled, wondering if he had a cold. Right now he stood at the island, scooping out ice cream while water boiled on the stove to make her after-dinner treat, the Irish cream hot chocolate. He didn’t even ask if it was what she wanted. He just did it. It was a truly comforting feeling having someone who just knew you without even having to voice your wants and needs. She didn’t want to get too complacent about this new development in their relationship.

There were a lot of things they would need to clear up before she could really, truly give him all of herself. Her new job for one thing. She couldn’t just pick up and move back to Witch Fields no matter how much she wanted to. Even though she was settled, she hadn’t wanted to admit to missing him like crazy, more than her father. Alexi’s confession of wanting something more serious had come at the perfect time. Her thirty-fifth birthday had gotten her thinking about her future. She’d dedicated most of her adult life to the law firm.

Alexi’s revelation didn’t change much except for her outlook in her personal life. Could it work between us? We know we’re good in the bedroom. And we’re best friends in real life. Is that all it takes? Would it just be like their usual interactions? She tried to wrap her head around possibly calling Alexi her boyfriend or significant other.

“You know this relationship, you and me being best friends, really matters to me. I just want you to know how precious this is to me. Besides my pops, you are the most important man in life.” She let the words come out rather than thinking them through. “I want the romance as well. I want it all.” There, out into the ether. She waited for him to say something, make her feel silly for worrying about losing what they originally had.

“We’ve been with each other in good times and bad. We can’t go a day without talking even if we’re mad at each other. You’re the first person I want to talk to when I have news.” He paused. She hung on to that little gap in his speech, waiting to see if there would be a letdown. “We’ll take it slow, but I won’t deny how I feel about you. Like I said before, I love you, Tianna, and I’m in this for the long haul.”

You think that now, the little spear of doubt thrust into her brain. She didn’t dismiss it outright. Instead, she turned over his words and nodded. “Okay, slow it is.”

She knew she was poking the bear, and that’s just what she wanted, so they didn’t get too serious or too worried about what may happen in the future.

“Oh, honey, you have no idea what you’ve started. Ice cream is done. Paranormal or action tonight?” He moved behind her, opened up the freezer, and put the ice cream away before he returned and dumped his utensils in the sink. She rinsed them off and put them in the dishwasher.

“Both, duh. And in space.” She followed him into the living room area while he carried a tray with their food into the seating area. Behind her the kettle whistled.

“Damn, almost forgot about that.” She turned around, ready to go back.

“No, sit, get comfy. I’ll make the hot chocolate.” He stepped aside and went back into the kitchen, brushing past her, raising goose bumps on her bare arms and across her chest as he went. She shivered. Her nipples tightened, and her stomach muscles tensed as her panties became damper.

She doubted she’d be able to keep her hands to herself, not when she wanted to cuddle into his heat, feel all that solidity and his muscles against her and under her hands to explore and remind herself that reality was better than her imagination. It had to be better than her daydreams, right? She shook her head and dismissed those thoughts. Take it slow, she ordered herself. Easier said than done when he returned and bent over the table as he put down the mugs. The denim of his jeans stretched tight, molding his muscular ass. Her fingers tingled to pinch, mold her palms around the muscular cheeks, and give them a good squeeze, maybe while he pumped into her.

Damn it! She’d gone almost eight months with just her vibrator for comfort. Being around the very center of her fantasies wore some of her control away, especially after that kiss. She squeezed her eyes shut. Get it together. She inhaled and exhaled slow and steady until some calm settled on her. She opened her eyes to find him crouched in front of the TV slipping a DVD disc into the player.

A small giggle erupted before she could stop herself. “You know, there’s that streaming movie service, right?” She reached over and grabbed a small tray with her ice cream and a mug of hot chocolate on it and settled it on her lap. This will give me something to do rather than grab and pinch.

“Can’t I just be old-fashioned? Besides this is how we used to watch movies back in my day,” he teased. “Don’t you remember our old summer sleepovers before we hit puberty? The VHS tapes and then the DVDs and now we do movies on the computers when we’re not in the same city.”

A ping in her heart reverberated around her chest. “Yeah.” Her voice grew soft as old memories rose up. They had spent most of their lives together. She couldn’t suppress how unbalanced her life had become without them being in the same city. As long as they lived close by, she could walk to his place and spend more time with him. Now not so much. Being around him hit her in the emotions. How to surmount what their lives were now, that was the question.

“No need to get sad about it. We still make time for each other. We’re just not in the same place anymore.” Something in his voice tugged at her heartstrings.

“Yeah, but we’re in different cities. And if I’m honest, I hate it. Now I have to take your word for it.” One of many things she’d come to realize while watching him from her new home.

“And?” he pressed.

With his back turned, she couldn’t see his expression, but by his tone, she could tell he wanted to hear more from her.

“Okay, fine. I love my new job. I’m making friends and learning my new city, but I’m homesick.” She snuggled into the back of the couch. “I miss you like crazy. I was used to you being on the road, but with so much distance now everything is…different, and I hate it. I can’t just take you out for coffee. I won’t be able to get you up at the ass crack of dawn to take me out to get doughnuts. I won’t be able to drag you to a Christmas office party because you may be off, and I don’t want to stab someone with a candy cane for yet another round of karaoke. You won’t come pick me up at the office during the summer to take me out to dinner or a barbecue or hanging out with your teammates.” As she listed all her grievances, she realized just how much she was missing out on due to the distance and their schedules.

She dug into her ice cream to avoid looking at him to see his reaction. No way to back out now that they were baring their souls or anything. Not even she could predict how much she’d spilled in that short time.

“I know. You’ve been more talkative as of late. Hell, you’ve been asking about Mom and Papa after you’ve visited with them, even going on and on about the friggin’ weather here. The weather, Ti.” He stood up and walked over to her. The sound of his footsteps on the wooden floor caused awareness to flare along her arms and legs. From under her lashes she watched his confident stride in that short space. For a second, she wondered why he hadn’t changed. She studied her own outfit: tank top, cotton shorts, and flip-flops. Simple and comfortable but the cold air swirling around her did nothing to stop her nipples from being on constant alert. Her only saving grace to shield him from her body’s reaction to his nearness was her bra. Thank goodness for small wonders.

“Alexi, why didn’t you change when we got here?” No exhaustion or lack of enthusiasm. They were the only ones here, and as far as she knew, no company was on the way.

“Because I was too hungry to? And you used up all the hot water.” He settled next to her, rested his arm over the back of the couch, and his hand came down to trail over the bare skin of her shoulder. She shivered as a lick of fire raced along her arm to caress her fingers. Goose bumps rose on her bare skin.

“Cold?” Alexi lowered his head and nuzzled her ear with his nose as he picked up the remote and hit Play.

Her brain short-circuited at his touch. Any witty response died a quick death in her head. The blare of previews couldn’t pull her out of the cozy sensation that ran through her as she snuggled into him, wanting more of that contact.

“Nope, just perfect.” Her hip bumped his before her leg pressed against his fully. She wanted as much contact as she could get away with before this turned from friendly to steamy in a matter of seconds.

The urge to get closer, to lay her head down on his shoulder, prickled at her consciousness. She gave in without hesitation, wanting to continue the sensation of his closeness. Snuggling into his side, she laid her head down. He wrapped an arm around her, drawing her closer. After a few seconds of watching the previews, her body stilled. This is sort of weird. He’s my best friend and one-time lover, and we’ve never really done something like this before. I’ve kissed him, seen him naked, felt him inside me, and am now snuggling with him as if we’ve done this forever.

“What’s up?” Alexi shifted his body toward her but didn’t remove his arm. He paused the movie without looking at the screen.

“Is this weird? Are we moving too fast?” She titled her head back to gaze up at him, hoping he would reflect some of her confusion and understand her.

“It’ll take effort. I won’t lie and say I haven’t wondered about what it would be like to be here with you, among other things. We just have to take it one day at a time.” He dropped a kiss on her head. “And if things feel weird, we tell the other person.” He shrugged as if it wasn’t a big deal.

Just like usual. But this is romantic. Not a need to fulfill some sexual desire or just hanging out as friends. She wasn’t sure how to do what he’d suggested.

“So this week won’t be a feeling-out period at all. You just want to pass go?” She knew Alexi well enough to know he didn’t commit himself to something on a whim. He’d thought about it, run the odds, and took in all pros and cons.

“Very. I know we live in different cities now, but that doesn’t mean we can’t explore where this goes, and if things get really serious between us, we’ll cross that bridge together. Now shut up and watch the movie.” He dropped another kiss on the top of her head and shifted his body away from her and faced front.

She patted him on the stomach. “Now I’ll just talk through it all. You just wait.” Focus on the movie; think about everything else later, she thought to herself.

While digging into her ice cream, which was mostly soup, she commented on his pick—a classic about a woman being all that was left on a marine mission into space before they were overrun by aliens. No matter how hard she tried, and despite his words, she couldn’t help but think that their relationship dynamic had changed, but she didn’t know if it could be seen as for better or worse. She could never look at him as just her best friend ever again. Now she had to see him as a possible romantic interest. The question was, did she want to see him in this light with all the miles between them?

Chapter Five

Tension radiated off her and bounced off him. She didn’t seem to be able to find a spot that would make her comfortable. He gritted his teeth, resisting the urge to wrap an arm around her shoulder and hold her still. When she shifted for the fifth time in half an hour and her elbow hit his forearm, he couldn’t hold his tongue any longer.

“Ti?” He had an idea that would stall her. He just hoped she wouldn’t call him a cheater. This was not the way he would win the bet, that was for sure.

She tilted her face up at him, her eyes filled with confusion and affection; for a moment he allowed himself to get lost in her gaze before he lowered his head and kissed her. Her lips parted, and her tongue darted out to play along the seam of his mouth. He opened for her and engaged, tangling and sliding his tongue against hers as the taste of the ice cream and her drink rolled over his taste buds. With a groan, he threaded his hands in her hair as he took what he’d wanted for years, plundering, tasting, tormenting both of them with only a hint of what could come of this week.

She pulled back on a gasp. Huffs of air gusted against his bruised lips. Once his lungs were filled, he returned for more. She didn’t resist, responded by gliding her mouth against his. She placed a hand over his heart, which he covered with his own. The erratic rhythm pounded in his ears as desire warred with prudence. They had to go slow or this could lead to sex. Screw it. He wanted her, had needed her for weeks, waiting for this time with her to finally sate his fantasies made flesh. She moved closer only to have their lap trays clunk against each other and their empty bowls and mugs rattle.

He cursed and tried to move again, only to be blocked. She laughed until she started to hiccup.

He frowned. “What’s so funny?”

“This, us.” She gestured toward their trays and then between them. “God, it feels like eons since we’ve kissed and…” She shivered. “You’re a damn good kisser, Kurraine. Damn near had me forgetting my name, but it wasn’t orgasm-inducing…” She gave him a once-over that seared his flesh and caused his cock to twitch.

“And the humor?” He still didn’t get it.

“I’ve never wanted to kiss my exes like I want to with you. I just… Damn…I can’t explain it. Everything is so perfect when we come together.” She shook her head. “Just…screw it.”

Tianna picked up her tray and put it on the coffee table and did the same thing with his before throwing her leg over his thighs and straddling his waist. “Much better.” She scooted closer until they were groin to groin and his erection pressed against her stomach.

“What? Wait… This isn’t how it’s supposed to go,” he protested as he lost control of the situation.

“Kiss me like you want me come, Kurraine. Show me what I’m missing.” Her face hovered only an inch away. Her breath caressed his still-heated lips.

He raised an eyebrow.

“Scared, Kurraine? Don’t you want to win this bet?” Her eyes narrowed, and the dare hung in her hazel depths.

“Never backed off from a dare in my life. You asked for this.” Unable to tell her that her actions had thrown him off, he reached up and grabbed her head, letting his fingers sink into the silken tresses he’d dreamed of holding. He took from her lips, starting off slow with gentle pecks and slides before going deeper and pressing his mouth to hers to twine and glide against her tongue. She moaned and pressed herself against him. Her breasts pillowed against his chest. Even with her flimsy top and her bra, he could feel the peaks of her nipples. He kissed her until the rest of the room faded away and only she existed, until his lungs burned and his brain screamed for air. Only then did he pull away, taking a breath and moving in for more.

The kiss turned hungry, primal, needy, filled with so many emotions it became difficult to keep his head straight. He lost track of time as his teeth scraped over her bottom lip before laving the hurt with his tongue. When she ground against him, he responded by rolling his hips, showing her what she could have if she asked for it. And he was sure she would. Once more he pulled back, but this time, he placed his hands on her hips and gave them a squeeze.

“No, no, enough.” He felt a damp spot on his boxers.

“You surrendering, Kurraine?” She licked her lips, drawing his attention to her bruised and reddened flesh.

He brushed her swollen bottom lip with his thumb. Just the sight made him want to cover her in love bites, mark her as his, but instead, he pulled back. “No, just testing the waters.”

“Testing the waters, huh?” She snorted.

He refused to shake his head yes or no. Wouldn’t give her that satisfaction.

She pulled back but didn’t get off his lap. She reached down and cupped his denim-covered erection. “So, this is just what? Your reaction to breathing? The queen alien bitch? Dust motes?” She gave him a mild squeeze. “Well?”

He let out a strangled laugh when she did it again. Sweat beaded on his brow as she kneaded him with the palm of her hand. Pleasurable shocks rocketed up and down his shaft and from his toes to his head. Everything in him wanted to move into that touch, to undo his fly, take out his hardened cock, and let her have at him, but much to his irritation, that wasn’t the way the game was going to go. His inner competitive streak raised its ugly head.

“Unless you want me to blow my top right here and now?” He waited for the words to sink in.

She released him, without treating the situation like she’d touched a hot stove, and backed off until she stood before him. She ran a hand through her hair. “I don’t know what to do or where to go.”

He reached out and grabbed her hands, holding them until she lifted her gaze to stare into his eyes. “You think this is easy for me? You felt my hard-on? I want more than anything to take you to bed right now, but if I did that, this could become awkward and you would back off and we’d return to where we were before, with tension between us. I know you. So with that, I think movie night is over, okay?”

A stubborn glint came into her eyes, and she pressed her lips together.

He tugged on her hands. “Okay?”

“No, I’m not ready for this to be over. Pick another movie.” She lifted her chin, daring him to nix the idea.

“You sure? You don’t need time to decompress?” He wanted to make sure she wasn’t pushing herself to spend time with him just because she didn’t want things to be awkward.

“I want this. I can’t keep running away from you. So pick a movie.”

He released her hands, stood up, and made his way to the TV, happy that she wasn’t going to hide from him. But later would be another matter. As surreptitiously as he could, he adjusted his erection, but he doubted anything but a quick jerk-off session would alleviate his state of being. This would be one of many times, he was sure of that.

Chapter Six

Tianna lay in bed. Tingles raced along her thighs and her sex. Her nipples pulsed, demanding attention. Cold air from the AC system permeated the thin material of her tank top, doing nothing to stave off the need flooding her body. Ugh, Alexi. She couldn’t go to him to finish what they’d started in the living room. Despite the flirtation and bet, she had mixed feelings about just giving in and going with the flow. It was nice to know how he felt, but there was no way she was sacrificing their friendship to give in to lust, so she was on her own.

She got off the bed and padded across the room, taking care to tread as lightly as she could. Alexi may be a heavy sleeper, but he’d not be asleep yet. She pulled open a drawer and extracted her bag of sex toys. There had been no expectation for the week except to hang out with her best friend. This had always been their yearly no-lovers-or-significant-others week for them. No drama or forced interaction, just a chance to catch up and bond. Now sexual tension had come between them. Damn New Year’s Eve and giving in to desire and the awkward eight months of not discussing that night or confronting what had been happened.

She needed something to get the job done quickly. She brought her bag over to the bed and dumped out its contents, wincing at the clattering sound before turning on the little nightstand lamp.

She tiptoed over and checked out in the hall, pausing to listen for any movement or any indication that he was awake. Nothing. She shut the door and went back to her bed. After sorting through her options, she chose her favorite vibrator: purple with a detachable clit stimulator with thrusting and gyrating capabilities. She restored everything to her bag excerpt for the dildo and a bottle of lube.

Anticipation lit up her nerve endings. The tingles that raced along her inner thighs increased. Her cream dampened her pussy, soaking her panties. She climbed onto the bed, more than ready to sate some of the heated desire coasting through her body. After settling against her pillows, she grabbed a few tissues, put them next to her before she picked up the sex toy and placed it on her lap. She grabbed the lube, flicked up the top, and squeezed out a dollop before shutting the lid and putting the bottle on the nightstand. The cool gel was a soothing contrast to her warm skin. She grasped the dildo’s handle. The weight and rattle reminded her that it wasn’t real. A ping of sadness bounced around her chest. She wished that she could smell the woodsy, spicy cologne he used, the simple fresh soap, his sweat-dampened skin. Unable to put the dildo down, she scooted off the bed and padded over to the dresser once more, pulled open a drawer, and tugged out one of his old jerseys. She always kept one along with a bottle of his cologne for the moments when loneliness overwhelmed her and she needed to be near him in any way she could.

With her hip, she shut the drawer and padded back to her bed, climbed up, and settled down once more. Just having the jersey near her gave her some comfort. She spread her legs, letting the jersey brush against her skin once. Her mind painted a picture of the last time he’d worn it. Just after he’d been traded to the Prowlers. The silver, purple, and black symbol of the hammer on the front had become chipped and faded. He’d smiled at her, that grin that turned her knees to jelly. Even now a slight weakening drifted down her legs. A flush filled her face, slipped along her throat, and cascaded across her chest. Her nipples tightened, setting off sparks. She squirmed, unable to keep still. Her vaginal walls rippled, and more of her cream leaked onto her inner thighs.

With her free hand, she reached up and cupped her breast. She imagined it was Alexi’s hand on her globe. His roughened palm pressed against the silken warmth of her flesh. A ripple of electricity shot from her nipple straight to her clit. She bucked her hips off the bed, suspended in sensation for a moment before sitting back down and parting her legs wide. Electricity danced along her limbs. She knew if Alexi had been with her, he would take his time, plumping the full mound, admiring the way it overflowed his hands, teasing the thick peak with pinches, rolls, and tugs. She moaned, arching her back, giving herself up to the pleasure and pain. Needing more stimulation, she flicked on the vibrator to the lowest setting and touched it to her nipple. She hissed as the vibrations increased her desire.

“Alexi,” she moaned. She ran her fingernails across her chest in a soft rake that would leave no marks to the other globe. The slight burn only enhanced the feelings buzzing through her. She repeated her actions on her other breast until both tips were too tender to touch. The cold breeze drifted across her chest, setting off a shower of sparks. She moved her touch from the center of her cleavage, over her abdomen to circle her belly button before drifting across her stomach, scratching the skin, imagining it to be Alexi’s stubble or the velvety rasp of his tongue.

She viewed the world through a narrow slit of dark lashes, painting the room in shadow with spots where the moonlight silvered the room. Sweat slipped down her brow, coated her chest and stomach. Her body temperature increased with each swipe of her nails. She followed the path of her free hand with the vibrator, allowing the gentle pulses to increase her fervor. Her breathing hitched as her the smooth head passed over her mound. She licked her lips as her need reached a new level. In her desire-soaked mind, one damning thought nudged some of her need away. Damn Alexi. Why couldn’t he have just given in to me?

She shook her head and ignored the rebuke and concentrated on what would come next. Her hand shook as she parted her thickened labia, the slick flesh fever hot. Her clit throbbed for attention. The needy bundle of nerves jumped as her fingertips passed over the head. With sure touches, she stroked and traced along her slit and around her entrance, sinking her fingers as far as the first ring of muscle before pulling back. Just a tease for now. She continued to trace and torment her pussy until she reached the edge. She shut her eyes and lay back, getting comfortable before she touched the flared head of her dildo to her nether lips. The gentle quivering stimulated the nerve endings, sending a shock wave from her clit through her body. Her toes curled. Her breath stalled. She gritted her teeth to stave off the rising tide.

In her mind’s eye, it wasn’t the warm plastic that touched her pussy but the head of Alexi’s penis. The thick crown dragged along the seam. White-hot desire rose, threatening to engulf her. Don’t want to climax just yet. In her fantasy, Alexi had come to her, explored her body, bet forgotten in the heat of passion. Now he hovered above her, ready to fuck her senseless. She tilted her hips up and pressed the tip of the vibrator to her opening and pushed it in slowly, taking her time. No rush. She kept her vulva parted with her index and ring finger, using her middle finger to stimulate her clit with brief taps and rubs. The deeper the toy was pushed, the more pulses she felt radiating through her.

She sucked in air through clenched teeth as she worked the vibrator in and out with shallow thrusts at first. Her hand became slippery with sweat. Pearls of water glided over her body, making it feel as if thousands of fingers slid along her skin with each shift. Her vaginal muscles bore down on the device, relaxing and pulling it deeper with each retreat and return. In her mind, it was Alexi pushing and withdrawing within her. His name became a chant on her lips, begging her absent lover to fuck her harder.

When she could no longer continue to hold onto the vibrator, the flip of a switch turned the sex toy into what she needed. The dildo fucked her with slow, deep thrusts, nudging her closer to climax, but left her hanging. She tapped another button, and the clit stimulator came to life, flicking and beating against the thickened nub. With her hands free, she massaged her breasts as she dug her heels into the mattress. She climbed higher and higher, so close to the peak, just a little more, and she would be there. Tianna pinched and held her nipples. Arcs of lightening shot straight to her clit, lighting up her body, shorting out her nerve endings. She came, crying out Alexi’s name as she became swept up in a maelstrom of fire, pleasure that bordered on tormenting. When she came back down, limp arms and legs lay on the bed, too heavy to move for a moment. Damn, Alexi. This bet better be worth it.

Chapter Seven

Alexi leaned against the door, biting his lip. He fisted his thick erection through his cotton boxers. A damp patch on the fabric showed him he shouldn’t have stayed once he realized what she’d been doing.

“Alexi.” Her low, husky moan tugged at something inside him.

Tianna was alone, using what he assumed to be a vibrator, fantasizing about him. His free hand shook as he reached for the handle, ready to burst in and help get her off, only to have his earlier words rise up like a wet blanket, coating him in shame and disappointment. He stifled a moan and stood still, caught between going in or taking a cold shower before binge watching TV shows that had nothing to do with porn. Maybe something in the vein of true crime; maybe that would scare the shit out of his needy cock.

With a deep breath, he took one step back, followed by another until he was far enough away that he could give her doorway wide berth. Like a flash, he grabbed some cookies and water from the kitchen and headed back to his room. He took a quick ice-cold shower and dried off before he settled into bed.

He put on his earphones and selected some program dealing with serial killers. As soon as the voice-over announced the killer had an obsession with brunettes, Alexi closed the window and tried something else. His rampant erection had died down, but he didn’t want to try his luck. He gorged on cookies, not caring that he was getting crumbs on the bedsheets and what would happen if ants got in. All he needed was a few more hours before he could take another shower and wash the sheets at a time that wouldn’t seem suspicious or make her think he’d lost his mind.

He found himself checking his alarm clock every half hour. Nothing held his interest. Once in a while, he’d take off his earphones and listen for the telltale buzzing, even though two doors and a hallway separated them. How am I gonna get through breakfast without letting her know I heard her? The question popped up after he’d finished the first row of coconut and chocolate cookies. No answers came to mind after that. Rather than focus on the nonanswers, he decided to check out the latest news around the league. Nothing killed a boner like getting down to business. Except it didn’t. All his lust-draped brain could come up with was all the ways he could use ice to drive Tianna crazy.

Shit.

He got up, checked the time. Five o’clock. Close enough. He stripped his bed, grabbed his bag of dirty clothes—which wasn’t a lot—and headed into the little laundry room off the kitchen. After loading the machine, he got the vacuum out and hoovered up all the cookie crumbs and stray dust that the cleaners had missed, and in desperation, he cleaned off his laptop keyboard. He finished his task. A loud banging jostled him. He dropped the hose attachment and opened his door a crack. Tianna stood there, hair puffed up, sleep in her eyes, wearing one of his old jerseys—which stretched across her chest in interesting ways—the bottoms of the white cotton shorts she’d worn last night peeking out before showing off a long expanse of dark chocolate skin. His dick did a little jerk, and he cursed himself for not being able to keep the appendage under control.

“Ti, what are you doing up?” As if he didn’t know.

“Well, I was wondering why you’ve gone all cleaning psycho nanny on me at five in the fucking morning?”

He blinked. “What the hell?”

She stopped rubbing her eyes and glared at him. “You know, the nanny from that children’s series who forced those kids to clean using magic?”

He frowned. “She wasn’t psychotic.”

“Uh-huh. Tea parties on ceilings isn’t a bit dangerous? Anyway, what cleaning bug jumped up your ass and possessed you?” She moved closer, bringing the perfume of clean skin with a hint of his cologne.

“Ti, why are you wearing that jersey, and why does it smell like my cologne?” Anything to distract her from trying to get into the room.

Twin dark red patches appeared on her cheeks. “Um, never mind. Just keep it down, okay?” She turned on her heel and rushed away.

He shook his head and shut the door. “When did she become so weird?” But at least she didn’t try to get into his room or press him about his early morning cleaning. I better make it up to her with bacon and hash browns. But first another cold shower.

He stripped and got into the large cubicle. The icy spray woke him up and killed his erection in a matter of seconds. After a quick soap, he turned the waterfall to a warmer temp before rinsing off and then shutting down the spray. He dried and dressed in boxers, jeans, and a T-shirt and sneakers. They weren’t planning to leave the house, but that didn’t mean they wouldn’t venture into town if the need struck. His first task was to get breakfast going to make it up to Tianna for all the racket he’d raised. Tianna. Just the thought of her looking so sexy and adorable with her hair mussed, in his jersey, gave his flaccid cock new life.

When he got into the kitchen, he found Tianna puttering around, still in her earlier outfit. “Just so you know, if I threaten to stick noisy little children into an oven due to lack of sleep, that’s on you. Why is this coffee taking so damn long?” She bent over and rested her elbows on the countertop, giving him an excellent view of her rounded ass and her lower buttock cheeks. His already growing dick thickened and pressed against his pants. With her back turned to him, he took a risk and adjusted his erection, hoping that he could find some distraction in cooking. He got out the ingredients while she shifted her hips from side to side, staring at the coffeemaker.

“Drip, drip, drip. This is going to drive me crazy. What are we having for breakfast?” She straightened up, opened a nearby drawer, and drew out forks, knives, and napkins. “I’m going to go set the table on the deck.”

Before he could give her an answer to her first question, she ambled out of the room and onto the back deck. He got the pans going, cut the bacon in half, and placed it on racks before putting it in the oven. The smell of cooking meat, buttery potatoes, and eggs cooking filled the air. The coffeemaker dinged, and Tianna rushed back into the room. “I heard that!”

He grabbed her coffee mug before she could reach for it and poured some java into it, then handed it to her.

“Thanks.” She blew on the top and eyed him over the edges as she took a tentative sip.

“For your information, hash browns, eggs—scrambled—and bacon. Anything else you want?” His stomach grumbled, and the buzzer on the washing machine cut through the pops and sizzles. He handed her the spatula, which she took, and headed to the small laundry room.

From the kitchen he heard the fridge open and thud shut. Despite his curiosity, he loaded up the dryer, turned it on, and rejoined her.

“Needed cheese and I got some turkey sausage to make up for yesterday.”

One more pan sat on a burner, and he noted that she’d managed to stir some cheese into the scrambled eggs without burning them. She handed him back the spatula. “I’m going to shower and change. I want to hit the fair and some of the fruit stands before we hit the butcher’s. We’re grilling tonight, right?”

“Yeah, I didn’t get a chance to yesterday, too full.” He turned over the sausage before plating the eggs.

She laughed. “That’s what you get for not working out before we’d left for the cabin,” she called out.

He resisted the urge to remind her that she’d done it too. By the time she’d returned, he had finished cooking and had the table set.

“Wow! That was fast.”

He eyed her outfit: jeans, dark purple tank top with a V-shaped neckline, sandals, and the ruby earrings he’d given her. The matching necklace nestled over her cleavage, drawing his eye to it no matter how hard he tried to look away. He became both choked up and aroused, wanting to mark her as his and show her off to the world as well as get her to commit to him fully.

“You look beautiful, Ti. Really beautiful.” The words came out before he could think about them. He didn’t regret saying it. “And sexy,” he added.

She grinned and tossed her head. “Thanks. I know I look hot today, which is what I was going for.”

“Trying to kill me before I win the bet, huh?” he teased.

“Not kill, honey, bring you to your knees.” She cocked her hip out and crossed her arms under her breasts, pushing them up and giving her more cleavage.

Fuck, I’m in trouble.

She chuckled. “Yes, yes, you are.”

He blinked. “I said that out loud, didn’t I?”

She nodded, her hair slipping back and forth as she did it. “Oh yes, you did. Now let’s eat.” She made her way past him, poured herself another cup of coffee, and darted around him to enter the back deck. He followed her, unable to keep his gaze off the sway of her hips and the way her butt cheeks moved up and down in the tight denim.

He been so focused on her that when she stopped, he crashed into her. “Shit. Sorry,” he muttered.

“Hey, are you trying to get me bent over the chair? If you want to call off the bet, just say so, and we can start fucking like bunnies.”

He grunted and moved back. Temptation reared its ugly head, but he pushed it down with willpower. “No, not gonna let you get out that easily.” He made his way around the table and sat across from her. For a moment, he contemplated telling her what he’d heard on his way to get a midnight snack.

“Of course you wouldn’t, and I wouldn’t let you unless you declare me the victor.” She grinned and placed her napkin on her lap.

He decided to just tell her and get it out of the way, even though he hadn’t stayed long enough to hear anything except his name. “Look, don’t freak out, but I heard you, um, masturbating last night.” He held up his hands. “Not the whole thing, just long enough to hear you murmur my name and that’s it.”

She raised an eyebrow. “So what? The bet is off? I’m disqualified, or is that why you decided on the clean-a-thon last night?”

Need to be careful with this part. “Um, no. I just ate a box of cookies and surfed the Web.”

“So you had to vacuum up the evidence, huh? I see. You owe me.” She tossed her head. “You owe me.”

“That’s it?” He’d expected her to try and take it out of his hide. “And you’re not mad about the cookies?”

“Well, if there’s no sex, what the hell was I supposed to do? Just be horny? No, don’t think so. I’m a grown woman, and I enjoy sex. You know that. Not going to punish you since you didn’t stay and listen or jerk off while I was in there all alone without you. But you will be punished for the cookies. They are part of the reward, Alexi. At least one of us is behaving.” She snorted and dug into her meal.

They fell into quiet, him wondering what she was plotting. Every glance he threw her way told him nothing. She had put on what he called her “lawyer face.” A sinking sensation filled his stomach. Great. She’s probably gonna make me eat something disgusting, like one of those protein shakes she swears is delicious despite the faces she pulls while downing them. He slumped in his seat. At least my erection has deflated. With that thought, the little fucker twitched. Shit.

“I’ve decided that instead of punishing you, we’ll just up the ante. I’ve been playing it safe and flirty, but now all bets are off, mister. And just to really stir the shit, I’m throwing in a blowjob if you win, and if I win, you have to act out any fantasy I want.”

He studied her face. Every line and curve of her features had hardened, and there was a steely glint in her eyes.

“You’re serious?” He ruminated over the new prizes. “So the BJ would be separate?”

She nodded. “By itself, yes.”

He noted that she didn’t specify time and place. “Anywhere or you decide?” He didn’t care who got the say about when and where. He just felt honored she’d want to do that for him.

“You get to call the shots on that so long as it’s not in public and it won’t ruin my reputation—not that you’d do that,” she added.

“How about I throw in eating you out anytime anyplace you decide? Fair is fair, Ti.” He wanted to show her that they were equal in all things, sexual acts included.

She gifted him with a winning smile that made his stomach flip. “Deal. You drive a hard bargain, Kurraine. And thanks.”

He shrugged.

“You do realize that this is going to heat things up, right?”

He swallowed and nodded. “Yeah.”

“You didn’t think of that, did you?”

He shook his head. I’m fucked. Tianna fought dirty when it was something she really wanted, and he could only imagine what he was in store for.

“Let the games begin.” She went back to eating.

What the hell did I just do?

Chapter Eight

Tianna tried not to stare as Alexi walked past her for the third time, shirtless and in shorts that molded to his ass. After yesterday’s little breakfast tête-à-tête, things had become hot under the collar, so to speak. They’d returned from the town fair, which ended up not being set up yet. Alexi had taken to walking around without a shirt on, cooking on the grill and working up a sweat. He’d started brushing against her or walking close to her when they were cooking or setting the table. Last night had been another session with her vibrator. Whether or not he heard her, she didn’t care. The desire had been too potent to ignore. All those muscles, the tats, the light bit of chest hair that covered his pecs and arrowed down to the place he denied her—it was too much. Whenever she turned around, she couldn’t ignore the tenting of the fabric of his pants at groin level.

To keep herself from turning into a horny, drooling mess, she focused on gardening…well, as best as she could before getting attacked by every flying pest and spider known to man. Then she’d tried reading until lunch. That became a washout after Alexi decided that going with no shirt was a fantastic idea. Rather than shut herself in her room, she’d opted to change into a bandeau top and short shorts, showing him two could play at that game. The plan’s weakness became evident after five minutes of sitting in an air-conditioned room and needing a blanket to get warm.

He hadn’t commented on this development and whether he found her actions amusing or not. She didn’t know as the grill was out of her view. When reading failed, she turned to TV, thankful for the satellite dish on the roof. A thousand channels, nothing on. Next to try: movies. For lunch he’d presented her burgers with the cheese molded into the center of the burger patty rather than on top of the meat, corn on the cob, and for dessert slices of fruit cooked on the grill. He’d kept the conversation light and didn’t mention her blanket. No mentions of bets or cookies or anything of that nature. Dinner was the same affair, only she’d changed into yoga pants and a tight V-neck shirt, no bra. They’d repeated the movie date, cuddled up into each other, his arm around her shoulder, her snuggled into his side as they watched a classic rom-com featuring pirates, giants, and sword fighting.

She’d even fallen asleep in his arms, and he’d carried her to bed only for her to wake up alone and horny, hating the bet with every fiber of her being. On the plus side, when she’d woken up, he’d presented her with breakfast in bed: homemade buttermilk strawberry waffles, bacon, hash browns, and a large mug of coffee. He’d told her that he would be fishing for most of the day, so she’d be on her own. A small bit of relief for the both of them. He’d bent down and pressed the softest, sweetest kiss against her mouth that left her flesh tingling and her yearning for more.

Banked energy buzzed along her limbs, demanding movement. Rather than watch the maids do their thing, she headed into town on foot, wandering around, nodding at people she knew, stopping off at farm stands for small treats in fresh fruits, nuts, and vegetables. She checked in on the fair once again, only to find they still weren’t finished setting up; the need for repairs had delayed them a bit. After that, she returned home for lunch. The cleaning staff Alexi hired for their stay had already left. Alexi lay in the boat, line in the water, hat covering his face. She stood on the small dock and called out to him, “Coming in for lunch?”

He just waved a hand but didn’t move his cap off his features. “Dinner.”

“Okay.” She made herself a strawberry and chicken salad with a strawberry milkshake for balance and settled herself in for junk television. After several of her brain cells got killed off watching housewives fight, she returned to movies, this time a classic sci-fi trilogy about good and evil with robots and laser sword fights. Buoyed by the triumph of heroes, she decided to try her hand at the grill for tonight’s menu: boneless barbecue chicken breasts, potato wedges, a summer greens salad, and for dessert, s’mores. She’d changed into a sundress and set up the back porch with candles and lanterns, creating a more romantic tone.

Alexi returned to the house with his clothes soaked through and his fishing equipment drenched.

“What happened?” She pressed her lips together to keep from chuckling.

“Damned bird landing on the edge of the boat. Let off this huge screech, startled me, and I fell in.” He put his tackle and pole down against the far wall before he stripped off his T-shirt, undid his fly, and shoved down his shorts, leaving him in only his boxers and sneakers.

Her mouth went dry. She’d seen him naked once before. Alexi was a work of art, all muscle and sinew. Tanned skin stretched over toned and well-defined muscle. His hair seemed whiter, burnished by his time spent outdoors, even if it had only been two days. He gave her a dark grin, kicked off his shorts, and strode toward her, a king in his domain, confidence radiating out of every stride. He didn’t stop until he had her scooped into his arms and an unquestionable erection pressing into her stomach. She wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist, pressing herself against him until not even air could get between them.

“Well…” The word gusted out of her mouth on a breath. “Welcome home.” Heat cascaded through her chest, climbed up her throat, and filled her face.

“Hi.” He brushed his lips against hers, a whisper of skin that left her mouth tingling and aching for more contact. Arousal flared to life in the pit of her stomach. Liquid need flooded her pussy, dampening her nether lips and soaking her panties. Her nipples tightened to hardened points. It had seemed like a century since last she’d had him like this, solid muscle pressed against her softer curves. The thick ridge of his erection between them sent a shiver of need through her. Her vaginal muscles constricted; an ache took up residence deep inside her womb. She moved her head forward, taking his lips with more pressure, only to have him withdraw.

“Alexi.”

“Not yet.” He placed her on her feet and gave her a quick peck on the lips. “Have to go shower. Thanks for making dinner.”

“Damn you, Kurraine!” The only problem was she didn’t know how to make dinner romantic or sexy. There was no way she would sit through dinner naked. As amusing as it would be to drip barbecue sauce on her breasts, the idea of the additive of grease didn’t make the idea more appealing. She could try the bandeau approach but felt that it had already been done and hadn’t gotten a rise out of him. So instead, she settled for using words, phrases, and innuendo to get her way or at least to get her revenge.

After a brief look over to make sure that everything was in place, she sat at the table and waited for him. He returned in just shorts, no shirt or shoes.

She raised an eyebrow. “Trying to distract me?”

He chuckled and took his place across from her. “No, just trying to cool off. It was hot and humid around the pond. No fish as usual but relaxing.”

“Yeah, I saw you, taking a nap. Is that how we fish nowadays? Sleep and let the pole and line do all the work? I thought there would be more activity.” She picked up the plate of chicken and passed it to him.

“That would be if we’re on the open seas. Here we relax and let it happen.” He winked at her, damn him.

She tried to ignore her desires and focus on the meal. Throughout dinner words formed, but nothing rolled off her tongue. Alexi saved her by asking about her day. Relief swept through her at the opening he gave. She told him about the stops at the farm stands, checking in on the fair, and whom she spoke to.

“I’m sure they’ll have the stuff finished tomorrow. We can go if you want. This is really good, honey. Thank you.” He grinned at her.

She ducked her head. “Welcome. Figure it was my turn at the grill.” She grinned.

“I am not a grill hog. The coach’s birthday is Friday, by the way. ”

“I wasn’t trying to say that. I just wanted to make something for us to eat. Okay.” Words failed her.

“And our special Popsicle drinks.” He gave her another wink.

She laughed. “Wanna get me drunk? I will be very aware of what happens, especially since that is when I will win my bet.”

“Oh, you’ve been playing me all this time, honey? We’ll see about that.” Mischief danced in his eyes.

Her tummy flipped at his stare. She swallowed. A sense of disquiet filled her. “Don’t you dare try anything funny,” she warned.

“Would I do that?” His features transformed into a mask of innocence, but the devil remained in his eyes.

“Yes”—she pointed at him—“yes, you would. I won’t fall for it.”

He grunted. “So movie night, I’m going to suggest classic noir.”

She thought it over. “Okay, s’mores are all ready.”

He nodded. “Deal.”

For a second, her gaze took in the room, and she sighed. The gauzy light, the shadows that played in the corners, the soft night music beyond the screens and door, and the cool breeze that drifted into the room causing the candle flames to flicker—all of it wasted, it seemed. She didn’t know how to do romance with him. It always turned to something comfortable with them. Nothing special.

Alexi shook his head. “Don’t. I love this. We’re comfortable with each other, and this is special. It’ll just be my turn next time. Now you clear the table, and I’ll get dessert, okay, beautiful?”

She nodded. A warm glow began in her belly and spread through her body in a gentle wave. “I’ve always been crap with trying to do something romantic,” she confessed.

“Don’t worry about it. You’ll just have to wait until I try and wow you.” He winked at her again before he pushed back his chair and got up. “I’ll get dessert.”

She glanced down at her plate. The orange glaze gleamed up at her. “Wow, I didn’t realize that I’d finished.” She chuckled.

“That’s because the meal was so good, honey.” He took her plate and utensils. “I’ll be back with the s’mores. You get settled on the couch.” He nodded toward the house.

“I get too used to this, I may not go back to my apartment in the city and move in with you.” A ping hit her heart, and she regretted the words as soon as they came out of her mouth. A teasing reminder of the one hurdle she didn’t in her heart of hearts think they could overcome. It all seemed like too much work to her for something that would make them that much more resentful of the distance. Rather than wait for his response, she followed him into the cabin and got started on their nightly ritual.

Maybe if I lose myself in the movie and being snuggled up to him, I’ll forget. She hoped that was the case. The sound of dishes being rinsed off reminded her of just how sweet Alexi could be. Tears blurred her vision for a second, and that damned heart-of-hearts place opened up, revealing what she wanted: to move back home and give it a go for real, but her biggest fear of all was losing him when the distance became too much. Being friends was one thing. Becoming more was another. They would have to work triple overtime for it. She wasn’t sure she had the commitment, what with her job taking up so much room in her life right now.

She wiped away a few stray pearls of water and put on her best front, hoping that Alexi wouldn’t notice. Take the rest of this week and treasure it, she told herself. Next time I may lose him when it all gets too much.

“Hey? Here you go.” He handed her a bowl with the s’mores sitting on the top.

“Thanks!” Her voice was too bright, and she knew it.

Alexi narrowed his eyes but, thank God, didn’t say anything. Instead, he settled in next to her, kissed her temple, and wrapped her up in a one-armed hug before starting the movie.

“Whatever it is, Ti, we’ll get through it together, understand? It’s always been like that and always will be like that.”

Yeah, you say that now, she thought.

Chapter Nine

They arrived at Coach’s farm before anyone else. They were put to work cooking and placing the food. Seeing Tianna in a setting where she could bond with his team family made his heart lighter and filled his soul with a happy fire that couldn’t be dampened. Even when pearl-gray clouds rolled in and the distant sound of thunder could be heard, he kept that grin in place and just moved the tables and chairs into the empty barn. Every once in a while he felt Tianna’s hand graze his lower back or give his butt a gentle slap when no one was looking.

Last night he’d left his door open and masturbated, letting her hear every moan and groan. She’d responded by doing the same thing until he’d heard her come. He, on the other hand, hadn’t found his bliss. Instead, he’d been left unfulfilled and irritated that he hadn’t been with her. Now some of that unresolved passion reared its head. The arrival of his teammates and members of the coaching staff helped keep his mind from how tight his pants were, with no place to sneak off to—he wouldn’t do that to his friends and family—and no relief in sight. He’d just have to grin and bear it. His long T-shirt covered the evidence of his frustration.

He spotted Brice with his arm wrapped around his girlfriend, Ava. Alexi made a beeline for them, greeting people as he went. Snatches of league gossip and news drifted around him. Just as he reached his friend, Coach let out a loud whistle. “Hey! No league talk. Just enjoy the party.”

Alexi chuckled. He doubted anyone would give Coach’s command any serious mind. The men couldn’t help it, and with their new team members from the draft, the shop talk only increased as people got to know everyone.

“Hey, Brice, Ava.” He nodded to Ava.

“Hey, yourself. Is that Tianna?” Ava tilted her head in the direction of his best friend.

“Yup.” Pride swelled in his chest at the ability to claim a close relationship with her.

“Gorgeous. Good job, Alexi. Didn’t think you had it in you,” Brice teased.

Alexi rolled his eyes. “Talk all you want, but you’re damn lucky you landed Ava here or I would’ve had to step in.” He was only kidding but knew it would ruffle Brice’s feathers.

“Not on your life, bro. She was always mine.” Brice gave him a huge grin only to let out a soft, “Omph.”

“Not always. Don’t get a big head, and I mean the one on your shoulders. Anyway, I’ll go say hi. You behave and don’t eat all the potato chips.” A warning glinted in Ava’s eyes.

Both men nodded. “Yes, ma’am,” they said in unison.

Ava laughed. “Dorks, both of you.” She wandered away to join Tianna.

“So, how are you?” Brice nudged. Something flashed in his eyes.

Alexi sighed. They knew each other so well. “She’s driving me nuts, and we have this crazy bet going. I don’t know how long I can go on without giving in. There are scout cookies on the line.”

Brice whistled. “Where the hell did you get those?”

“A hookup in town. Anyway, so I’m hoping to get through this without losing my mind.” Alexi knew he would give in to Ti’s sexiness before long.

Brice clapped him on the shoulder and shook his head before answering. “Just let her win, man. That’s what I learned. Convince her to just go with it. It helps get some things out of the way, and then you can deal with the other shit. Oh look, there’s Blue. Let’s go say hi.” An evil spark lit up Brice’s green eyes.

“You are such an ass. Yes, let’s go say hi.” They made their way over to the newbie teammate, and they weren’t the only ones. Jokes, handshakes, teasing, and personal questions ensued until they knew enough about their new friend to pull several pranks throughout the year. Alexi didn’t get so lost in the bonding that he didn’t keep tabs on Tianna throughout their time there. Seeing his opportunity, he rushed over to help her with the coach’s birthday cake. All through the celebratory song, he stood hip to hip with her. He reached out and twined his fingers with hers, stroking over the back of her hand with his thumb. She didn’t pull away, only tightened her hold on him. Electricity rushed up and down his arm at the simple touch. She returned the favor by mimicking his actions on him.

A fever slithered into his blood. The barn became too hot and confining, the crowd of his teammates too close and claustrophobia inducing. The sound of the distant incoming storm added to the tension tightening between them. Each breath he took was weighted with unsaid words and noises. In his head he heard her moans, her pleas for him to fuck her hard, faster. His heartbeat raced in time with her demands. He could feel the ghost of her nails scratching up his back, marking his flesh as hers. The heavy thud of his pulse in his shaft reminded him of how tight his boxers and jeans had become, adding to the pressure to escape with her and find a place where they could forget the bet, their possible problems with distance, and focus on what truly mattered: being together. He squeezed her hand and glanced down at her.

She gazed up at him and nodded before she mouthed, Let’s go.

He grinned. A crack of lightening electrified the atmosphere, and Coach whistled again. “Okay, folks. Time to pack this up. Go now. Don’t stay behind. We want you to be safe. We’ll do this again sometime later this month before training camp, promise. Now, git!”

In that moment Alexi could’ve kissed his coach. Instead, like the rest of his teammates and extended family, they all fled to their cars, he and Tianna laughing all the way. By the time they got there, they were breathless, and the sky had opened up, but the downfall wasn’t heavy. They scrambled into the truck and slammed the doors, shutting out the others and the rest of the world. Warmth brushed against his bare arms and traced patterns on his hands. She reached over and caressed his flesh, setting off a ripple of electricity.

He sucked in a breath as her touch moved up his limb, down his side, and over his thigh to give it a squeeze. A rush of arousal slipped up his cock, causing it to press against the fabric. The discomfort drove him to turn on the SUV, put it gear, and peal out of the space and down the driveway, mindful of the other vehicles trying to get out too. He slowed down; the rain-slickened streets caused caution.

Tianna’s hand inched its way toward his crotch. She leaned over the console and kissed his neck.

He sucked in a breath. “Honey…you should… Oh God.” A shiver raced down his spine when her teeth scraped against the lobe of his ear. “Ti, maybe…shit!”

Her hand wrapped around his erection and gave it a squeeze. Everything stopped for a second before his brain reminded him that he was driving. Fire tickled his ear with every flick of her tongue tracing the sensitive shell. “Ti, please.”

Her hand flexed again before rubbing up and down his shaft. He gulped, not sure whether to cry or groan. Pleasure and pain mixed and parted, only to come together again with each swipe. He heard the pop of the button going through the hole and stilled all over again, every nerve in his body, his entire focus on that one sound. Fire lit up his face. He moved his free hand over hers, stalling her actions. “Tianna, no. Slow the fuck down. Not here. I’m driving, for fuck’s sake.”

As much as he wanted to fuck her right now, he wasn’t going to pull the car over or speed up, not when it was now a deluge. The wipers were working overtime as the downpour blurred his vision. She pulled back and moved her hand down his thigh.

“And buckle up,” he growled, counting down the minutes until the opening for the driveway came in view. He didn’t relax until he heard the click of the seat belt setting in place.

“Sorry,” she mumbled.

“I know; I’m horny too.” He patted her hand and gave it a squeeze as he maneuvered the truck onto the driveway.

He came to a stop in front of the cabin. After setting the parking brake, he got out. Tianna beat him out of the truck without his help and darted to the door with a squeal. She got the entryway open, and he followed her in after hitting the toggle lock. Once he had the door shut, she was on him in a matter of seconds, all lips, arms, and hands.

With a groan, he leaned against the thick slab of wood for support. He grabbed her hips, holding her in place while his mouth and tongue explored hers with gusto until they both lost breath and had to pull back, huffing out puffs of air. His heart hammered against his rib cage in a rushed staccato beat that made his head swim. His blood sang with desire, and his cock ached to be freed from its denim cage.

She moved a step back, hands tugging on the knots in the tied straps on her top. Taking a cue from her, he removed his shirt and let it drop to the floor but didn’t unzip his fly, not yet. That could wait. Once the straps were undone, she pulled down the elastic top, shoved it over her hips and down until it pooled around her ankles. She stepped out of the fabric, leaving her in only her strapless bra, jeans, and flats. He took her in, picturing her in nothing at all. She gazed back at him with a dark heat in her eyes.

They came together once more. He ran his hands over her back, her ass, her sides. The fabric halted his movement, causing frustration. Hard metal eyelet clasps pressed into his fingers. With practiced ease he got the closures open and pulled it aside. Her breasts came free, sliding against his chest. He pressed kisses all over her face, down her neck, across her chest and the tops of both mounds. The bra dropped to their feet. She threaded her fingers in his hair, urging him toward her nipple. He didn’t fight her direction, going where she sent him. He lapped at the thick nub with slow licks, circling the peak before taking it between his teeth and sucking it into his mouth.

Her moans and breathy whispers egged him on. He tugged, scraped the tip with his teeth in a gentle brush before laving any pain away. Over and over again, she tried to push him away. He moved to the other nipple, showing it the same attention before planting kisses over her abdomen.

“Alexi, lower, go lower.”

“So beautiful and soft and warm.” He gripped her hips, holding her in place. Once he had her still, he released one curve to reach around and give her ass a slap. She jumped, and her hips bucked against him. “More,” she urged.

He did it again while he traced the waistband of her jeans with his tongue. She tasted of salt, sweetness, and ozone. With quick fingers, he undid her fly and parted the panels to reveal a triangle of purple lace. Her musk floated up to him. Needing more, he yanked on the pants, following their progress down with slow kisses.

“Let me kick off my flats,” she murmured above him.

He released her jeans and lifted one foot, slipping off the shoe, pausing to kiss the top of her foot, then the instep, followed by the ankle, then moved on to the other one, giving it the same attention before he pulled off her pants completely and threw them to the side. He placed her feet on the ground and urged her legs apart before he went back and forth with kisses and nips on the inner skin, climbing higher, moving closer to the source of the sweet perfume that emanated from heaven.

“Alexi, more,” she breathed.

He didn’t stop, only gave her what she wanted until he reached the apex of her legs, holding her still with his hands on her hips. With openmouthed kisses, he dampened the fabric further, tasting a hint of her cream through the thin barrier of her panties. He found the distended bud of her clit and lapped at the small bump. She rocked her hips. Moans and distorted words rained down on his head. She grabbed hold of his hair, tugging the strands, bringing him to the edge of pain, but he refused to let go. His knees began to ache for each moment he remained on the hardwood floor. Meanwhile, she begged, pleaded, and urged him on, her hips moving faster and faster. He pulled back to take a breath, inhaling the scent of her arousal with each gulp of air.

Alexi returned between her legs to nip and tease the hidden bud until she shook against him.

“Fuck.” She moved her hips away from his mouth. “So close.”

He shook his head. He took hold of her underwear and dragged it down until it became a puddle of lace on the floor before he buried his head between her legs, increasing his hold on her to keep her in place as he ate her out properly, lapping, sucking, circling, and teasing her pussy and clit until she broke apart above him with a soft cry. He slipped one finger into her dripping channel, prepping her for what was to come. Her vaginal walls tugged the digit in farther, clenching and rippling around it.

“Alexi!”

He inserted a second and then a third finger, fucking her slow, setting the pace as he worked her clit. Her body heat pressed against him; her musky perfume along with the scent of sweat increased. Her pussy tightened and held him as it milked his fingers like it would his dick later. He groaned, wishing he were inside her now. Instead, he lapped up her excess juices and withdrew his fingers while she recovered.

“Round one to me.” He planted a kiss on her mound before standing up. Once he rose to his full height, he took in the pleasure in her relaxed features and the blissed-out look on her face. He scooped her up, carrying her through the house to his bedroom, where he deposited her on the bed. Now he removed his shoes, jeans, and boxers as quick as he could, strode over to the nightstand, and took out a box of condoms. Removing one of a line of packets, he ripped it open and sheathed himself, letting the tattered wrapper fall to the floor as he climbed onto the bed. This time he slowed down. Despite the ache in his balls, this was about her, as always.

“How are you doing, honey?” He pressed kisses all over her face, balancing on his side while he waited for her answer.

“Good to go, but my clit is sensitive.” The sound of her voice, soft and husky, rippled down his spine.

He nodded. “I’ll be gentle.” To buy time, he covered her with his body, balancing on his elbows and toes to keep his weight off her. He lowered down but continued to lift his upper body. He took her lips, giving her slow kisses, gliding his mouth against hers, teasing the warmed flesh with quick licks and slides before dipping his tongue inside her mouth to twine and taste her all over again. Lemons and the sweet heat of barbecue sauce rolled over his taste buds once more, dulled by time but still there. Each moment that passed gave her a little more time to recover.

He moved down, paying closer attention to her body, touching her with soft caresses.

“God, I love your body,” he murmured. “So beautiful. I adore your curves and dips, every inch of you, Ti.” He kissed the tips of her breasts. “Gorgeous.” He traced the curve of each globe with his lips, adoring all the skin he could get to before moving down to her stomach. Each place he went, he continued to chant how much he adored her, murmuring words of praise and adoration until he returned to her sex. Rather than pause, he continued on down one leg and up the other.

He paused to gauge where she was at. “How are you doing? Feeling good?”

“Alexi, please, do something.”

He chuckled. “I am.” To prove it, he planted openmouthed kisses over her mound, tracing the thin line that led to the top of her slit. With light sweeps, he outlined her outer labia using the tip of his tongue before parting the folds for a deeper taste. He tested how ready she was for him by slipping one finger in. Her wet heat squeezed his digit tight before releasing it. Good. He withdrew and kissed his way back up to her breasts to show them some love and attention with slow circles, quick flicks, and nips, sucking in the tightened buds one at a time. She bucked and cried out and wrapped her legs around him, grinding her slick pussy against his hardened cock.

“Please, Alexi, please, fuck me,” she begged.

“As you wish, honey.”

She released her legs, and he took hold of his cock, giving it a slow pump, wishing there was no barrier there, before he positioned himself at her entrance and pushed in. He sank into her channel with ease. Alexi withdrew and plunged in once more, not rushing to finish. He watched her face, all the myriad expressions that flitted across her beautiful features. Unable to resist, he dipped his head and took her lips for a soft kiss. She pulled her legs tight to his body as she moved with him in a slow dance. Her hands played over his back before sliding down and gripping his buttocks. Her short nails dug into the flesh. With a growl, he stopped, reached back, took hold of her wrist, and dragged it up over her head, followed by the next one. He held her wrists captive—a tight grip but not too much—as he drove into her over and over again, increasing his pace.

She moaned his name, lifted her head to plant kisses on his skin. Her teeth scraped his shoulder as her vaginal walls rippled around his cock. She moved her arms and took hold of his hands, threading her fingers through his. He placed her hands to either side of her head. The wave built, a rush of heat and sensation, with each pump of his hips. Electricity swirled in his balls. He felt her orgasm; her pussy clutched him like a fist, rippling all around him. His own climax crested before it rushed into him like a tidal wave, dragging him under. He came on a cry. “Tianna, I love you.”

Heart pounding in his ears, breath rasping in his lungs, he floated up to bliss where everything was beyond pain and pleasure, to form a middle ground where only he and Tianna existed. The cloud dissipated. He came to with the realization that he still held on to her hands. Alexi let go and rolled to his side, the strength to hold himself up gone. For a moment he lay there, taking it all in. Once the energy returned enough for him to move, he got up and went to the bathroom where he wet a towel, disposed of the condom, cleaned himself up, took care of his business, and returned to clean her up. She rose and headed to the bathroom herself. In the meantime he changed the bedsheets and climbed in, awaiting her return. It didn’t take long. She got into bed with him and curled up beside him. Once he lay down, she rested her head on his chest and let out a sigh.

As the ardor cooled and he listened to the slow and steady rhythm of her breathing, he held her close. If only they could be like this forever and she was willing to take the chance on him. He hoped that by the end of this week, she would.

Chapter Ten

Tianna and Alexi moved around the kitchen in their usual no-words dance. It soothed her but left her uneasy, as if there was something to be said but whatever it was, neither would utter it. Every time she opened her mouth, she shut it a second later. Last night had been beautiful. This had been a slow buildup unlike New Year’s Eve.

A soft glow filled her as she remembered the scrape of his two-day beard on her skin and the whisper of his lips over her abdomen. She had loved the firm grip of his hands on her hips when he dived between her legs and didn’t come up for air until she’d come on his tongue. Her internal muscles clenched, readying, slickening for another round. She shook her head. Not yet. Now that they had made love their problems had become more apparent.

A nervous flutter in her stomach reminded her of her true, deep-down fear—she couldn’t lose him if things went pear-shaped. Her biggest fear: people leaving. Her mother had left her and her father all alone, past boyfriends and lovers had traded her in for a more professional model during high school and college, but not Alexi. She wasn’t going to lose him, so play her part she did.

“So French toast, but can we have sausages instead of bacon and some other side dish instead of eggs? Kind of getting tired of them.” She puttered over and opened the fridge to find something to include with breakfast.

“Sure. What’s up? Why the tension?” Alexi’s voice sounded right behind her.

She jumped and hit her head. A burst of pain rocked her, but she managed to stay on her feet. “What?”

“Whoa, honey.” Alexi put his hands on her hips and guided her back with shuffled steps, helped her straighten up before tugging her over to a stool and settling her on it. “Stay right there.”

She gritted her teeth and held herself as still as possible. A dull throbbing echoed from the spot that had been hurt. “Yeah, I’ll get that,” she muttered.

Alexi returned with a bag of peas.

She jerked back, only to start a fresh wave of pain. “How long has that been in the fridge?” She winced but sat upright, letting him place the substitute cold pack on her head.

“Not sure. It was just there. Eat some grapes, and I’ll get some aspirin.” He left her side and returned with a bowl and a glass of orange juice.

Once the pounding in her cranium stopped, she started snacking on the fruit while trying to ignore the smell of cooking meat. When Alexi returned with two tablets, she accepted them, swallowed them with the juice, and put the peas down.

“Hey, don’t—”

“I’d like to avoid brain freeze. Why don’t I go settle on the couch and you can serve me there?”

He grinned and pressed a kiss on her forehead. “You got it.”

She went to her new position, turning to watch him move around the space with no shirt or shoes, just the purple joke boxers with the rubber ducks on them that she’d gotten him as a gag birthday gift. She couldn’t help but smile, feeling a touch of nostalgia, only to experience another rush of arousal as her gaze zeroed in on the way the worn fabric stretched across his ass. She let out a sigh.

“You know this could be us in the mornings when you and I are off.” He continued to move around without turning to look at her.

She sighed. Looks like there would be no avoiding the talk. “Yeah, I know, but…”

“It can work. We just have to give in and try it,” he urged.

“But the distance…” She let her words trail off, knowing she wouldn’t be able to use that defense forever.

“Nothing doing, Ti. Distance isn’t the problem. So in the next few minutes, you’ll have to give me another good reason, because we are talking about this and it will be today.” He fell silent, making her uneasy all over again.

Fifteen minutes later her headache had subsided and he was bringing over the food and coffee.

She decided to go on the attack first. “You can’t be so quixotic, Alexi. We have to be practical. I have a career to think of.”

“And I don’t?” Alexi straightened. “I have two more years to think about what I’m going to do after my career on the ice is over or if I even want it over. I’m not getting any younger.”

She mulled over his words. “I know that, but you have options. I have a new job, a reputation. I can’t just quit that.”

He huffed out a cloud of air. “I’m not asking you to do that, Ti. I would never ask you to give up your career for me. What I’m asking is for you to consider us, you and me. A relationship. A future. I don’t want to be just your fuck buddy you see every once in a while or just your best friend. I want to be both and so much more. Why are you so damn scared of that?”

“I’m not scared!” she shouted, her voice too loud in the quiet room. Only the trickle of the rain against the windows and the crackle of the fire in the hearth broke into the rising tension.

“Then why run? This can’t be your job. This can’t be a distance thing.” Alexi frowned. “It can’t be another guy. So, why? I can’t see it.”

She tried to figure out what to say or do to stop this right in its tracks. She hated feeling like the bad guy. She fought so hard to not settle into the warm and welcoming fold of being in a relationship with him, of finally doing what she’d wanted to for years and belong to him.

“Ti, honey, talk to me.” He reached out, his warm, calloused palm pressed against her cheek. A touch that soothed some of her irrational fear.

“I don’t want to lose you, Alexi,” she whispered.

“Honey—”

“You say that now, but you don’t know what I’m like in a relationship. You may not like that side of me.” She let the words flow without checking them in hopes he’d get it.

“So? You’d see the same thing in me.” Alexi shrugged.

She shook her head. “You matter to me, in ways you couldn’t possibly imagine. I can’t and won’t lose you if things go south.”

“They won’t.” His features firmed into hard lines, a stubborn light in his eyes, body rigid.

“How do you know? You can’t know the future. A lot could happen. You could meet someone,” she pointed out even as her gut tugged at the thought of him being with someone else. A possessive devil poked her in the back, wanting her to stop all this talk and show him who he should belong to despite her private unraveling a bit.

“And so could you. I should point out that you meet a lot of rich guys working in corporate law. That’s not a good enough excuse. Is this about the risk in my career? About your mom? The cancer that killed her? Is it the injuries?”

She shook her head. All the thoughts crowded together, becoming a mass of words and phrases, but nothing clear or succinct burying her real reason for all the fronts she put up. “Look, I just…”

Her words were cut off by the buzz from her cell phone. “Shit…hold on.” Rather than let him try and stop her, she answered the call. “Hello?”

Her assistant from the office blurted out, “I’m sorry to interrupt your vacation, and I wouldn’t call if it wasn’t important, but we’ve gotten into a bind with the Carter negotiations. They need you in the office ASAP.”

Tianna growled. She ended the call and ran a hand through her hair. When she’d left, things had been peachy keen. What had happened in the three days she’d been gone? “They need me at the office. Let me go take care of business, and I’ll come back.”

She started toward the bedroom area only to stop. “Fuck. You need to drive me.” She peeked at Alexi, hoping he wasn’t angry.

“Okay. Take the time away to think about what I’ve said, and when you get back, you better be ready to be honest with me, okay? I love you, Tianna, and I want this to work between us on all levels, including romantic.” Alexi strode over to her, bent down, wrapped her up in his arms, and kissed her until her lungs burned, her head throbbed, and fire raged in her body. Ache from last night be damned. She lifted her leg to curl it around his.

He pulled back and shook his head. “No. No sex until you make your decision, understand? I’m just telling you. I want you clearheaded about this.”

She nodded and disentangled from him, took a step back, and struggled to ignore the steady pulse in her nipples and between her thighs. Rather than try and seduce him, she went to her room and began packing. The trip back home couldn’t have come at a better time, but she hated leaving him like this with things unsettled. Part of her wondered if things would be resolved in time for the fireworks that the town liked to put on during this time of year. Her mind turned over their conversation, letting his words sink in. Maybe a break would make her feel less defensive. She knew in her job when she got frustrated, she needed to step away for a bit and come back to the problem before she found the solution.

She put away enough clothing as well as dirty laundry to be gone for a few days while leaving most of her stuff behind. No matter what, she wanted to be back with him by the weekend.

“Ready, Betty?” Alexi teased.

She grinned. He couldn’t be mad at her if he was making a stupid joke. “Let’s go, Joe,” she responded, giving him a light punch on the arm. “God, we’re so dorky.”

“But we’re cute dorks.” He slung his arm around her shoulder and guided her to the truck, where he stowed her stuff in the back while she settled into the passenger side. The rain had let up, but the gray clouds still remained and no sun in sight.

“I hope it clears up for the fireworks. I’m sure the fair will be in full swing once you get back, and then we can go get some deep-fried goodness.” Alexi climbed into the driver’s seat and got started.

The ride back to the city was uneventful. They made small talk—as a rule she didn’t discuss her issues with clients or her firm with outsiders, Alexi included—until they entered the city proper. “Do you want me to drive all the way there or…?”

“Drop me off and I’ll take my car. This way I can drive to the cabin myself whenever I get done.”

“All right.” He wove through midmorning traffic, one hand on the wheel. The other would drift to her leg to give it a squeeze. An ache had taken up residence in her heart at having to cut their bonding time short. “You’ll figure it out. I believe in you.” He stopped at a light, leaned over, and pressed a kiss on her cheek.

The ache lifted a little.

“I’m sorry I’m such a mess, Alexi, I just… I don’t want to lose you. I can’t,” she blurted out.

“I know. I feel the same way, but like I keep saying, being a couple won’t really change much between us except allow us to get all gushy in public.” He chuckled. “We should try. Think about it, honey, okay? I’ll always be here for you.”

She knew that but couldn’t squash her reservations. Having friends who were divorce lawyers who would tell her horror stories of marriages gone wrong didn’t help matters. “Okay.”

“Good.” Once they made the switch to her car, she had to admit that she didn’t want to leave him like this but had no choice. Before leaving, she rose up on tiptoes, dragged him down to her, and wrapped her arms around his neck, giving him a huge kiss.

“There, you think about me, Kurraine. I’ll try and be back by Friday at the latest, okay? I’ll be too brain-dead to talk to you during the rest of the week but count on me being there for the fireworks.” She got into her sedan, slammed the door shut, and started the car. Just having that small barrier between them made her feel cut off from him, and she hated it.

Why the hell do I have to be such a scaredy-cat about this?

Because at the end of the day, Alexi is one of the most important people in my life, and losing him would be devastating. What am I going to do?

Chapter Eleven

Alexi checked his phone for the fifth time in an hour. Two days without her and no word drove him crazy. There was a hole in his heart that nothing could fill. He’d distracted himself by walking into town, going out to lunch, going fishing, checking out the fair, which was in full swing, and going up to Coach’s farm and shooting the shit. In desperation, he’d even invited a few of his teammates over for a movie so he wouldn’t be alone when he went home.

They’d managed to eat everything in the fridge and the leftovers from Mama L’s from the beginning of the week. All he had left was one box of scout cookies he’d saved for Tianna and her hot chocolate. He’d been forced to go to Gus’s for more food for the weekend. Any questions about Tianna were avoided, but he’d stayed long enough to get the local gossip.

He had a small inkling about what her true reason for refusing to commit to him was, but he wouldn’t know until she spilled it, and she would. He wouldn’t let this go with her. They had gone through so much—the loss of her mother, her getting into law school, him becoming a pro hockey player, her move to a different city—and they’d kept an open line of communication through it all. In his opinion, becoming a couple just closed any gaps between them and made things more permanent.

He got up from the couch, padded into his room, grabbed his laptop, and brought it back to the living room. After turning down the volume on the TV, he opened up a word program and began typing all the reasons why he felt that being with her was a good idea. The words flowed, some good lines, and others he had to rework several times. He got lost in his argument, trying to figure out ways to block her in and give her no wiggle room to get out of saying what she truly felt. Late afternoon turned into night. He only paused to make himself a plate of leftover barbecue, potato wedges, and grilled veggie skewers with chocolate peanut butter cheesecake pie for dessert.

Without even thinking about it, he’d devoured his meal and went back to the task at hand. Car headlights coming in through the windows around the front door illuminated the room. His heart hammered, and he prayed that Tianna had returned. He pushed the laptop off his lap and onto the couch before rushing over to the door and throwing it open, not caring about the spectacle he was making of himself.

“The fair better still be going on. I’m in desperate need of deep-fried everything,” Tianna’s weary voice called out, followed by a slam of the car door.

He rushed out of the house, barefoot and not caring one bit, and scooped her up in his arms. She let out a soft shriek before wrapping her arms around his neck. Her overnight bag crashed against his back.

“I missed you too.” She laughed and bent her head, taking his lips in a desperate kiss that left their teeth bouncing against each other and their tongues engaged in a brief bout of war before they pulled back, both of them breathing hard.

“Put me down. I’m exhausted. Is there anything to eat? I didn’t stop on the way here.”

He placed her on her feet, grabbed her hand, and led her inside. “Yeah, I had to go to Gus’s. I invited the guys over for movie night, and well, they almost ate me out of house and home.” He paused to hold up a hand to stall her arguments. “I made sure to save you a box of cookies and your hot chocolate.”

“No pie?” Her voice was small, filled with disappointment.

“I did get a pie, peanut butter chocolate cheesecake, but that’s it.” He closed the door behind them without letting go of her hand.

“Good enough.” Her stomach rumbled.

“Here, why don’t you give me your bag and I’ll put it in my room and you help yourself.” He held out his hand and accepted the sack. “I’m glad you’re home.”

“Almost didn’t drive here. Thought it wouldn’t be light enough.” Her voice followed him up the stairs and down the hall. “Also, I was so mentally tired. Hope you don’t mind. I stopped off at your place and took a nap before I continued on here.”

He grinned. “Don’t mind at all.” He returned, finding her in the living room, curled up on the couch, a tray on her lap and his computer next to her, her attention turned to the screen. “Shit, Ti, I’m not… Don’t read that!”

She didn’t look up, nor did she stop. “You love me no matter what. You’ve seen me at my worst—no makeup, sick, and with horrible breath and still hugged me, even though you hate bad breath and loved me. You can’t live without me in your life and want more than just sex and friendship, you want it all well into the future, even marriage. Wow, Alexi, I had no idea that dealing with morning bad breath was such a big deal with you.”

He shrugged and dropped onto the couch. “Well, it can be kind of gross, especially since you’d been throwing up and all.” He pulled a face and shuddered.

“Well, there is that. Good point. What is this?” She nudged the laptop away from her but didn’t turn it around.

“My list of arguments to make you see that we should become a couple.” He watched her face. No flinching or withdrawing, which was a good sign to him. “You’re my other half, Tianna. You get my stupid humor. You know me in and out. Seen me at my worst and best, keep me levelheaded, and pop the big ego balloon. You keep me grounded. I love you with every inch of my being and then some. I need you in my life, not just as my best friend but as my partner, my lover, my everything.” He waited for her to reject him.

“I’ve been thinking about it. In between beating my head into the table because of my client’s reticence for practical advice.” She gave him a rueful smile. “I’m so damn tired I’m giving you a glimpse into my work life which, you know as a policy, I don’t do. Not just for my clients but for my reputation.”

He nodded. “Go on.”

“So for the past two days, when resisting the urge to strangle several of my colleagues and my client, I’ve been thinking over what you told me.” She picked up the tray, put it on the coffee table, and turned to fully face him. “I’m afraid, Alexi. I know, I know, but I still am. After my dad, my relationship with you means everything to me. I’ve heard the horror stories from friends of mine who are divorce lawyers. Stories like ours, best friends turned lovers and then got married and then things went to shit. I don’t want that to be us. I’m scared of losing you. I can deal with injuries, road trips, and all that stuff, but the thought of it getting so bad between us that I can’t pick up the phone and just call you scares the shit out of me.”

She swallowed and paused long enough to take a drink of water. He reached over and rubbed her legs, trying to give her all the support he could with his touch without interrupting her. “But after really contemplating it, all the things we’ve been through, I know one thing: I want you by my side in this life. Without you, I’d have nothing else other than work and Dad. You bring me out of my head. You make me see the world and life, even if it’s just the two of us. I love you for that, for all the little things you do and put up with me. Even when my schedule is crazy and I can only see you for lunch, that means everything to me that you’d take that time for me.” She gave him a small smile.

“So if you want to, we take it slow. We go on dates, we work it out, we talk, and if I get scared again, we still talk about it, okay?”

He let out a whoop and tackled her to the couch until he lay on top of her. “More than okay. I promise, no pressure. We’ll work it out, we always do.”

“Yeah, still scared,” she muttered as he got off her. She picked up her tray, put it on her lap, and began eating once more. “Now, put on a movie before I have a freak-out, okay?”

He understood her fear. She hated change, always had since her mother died; even going to different colleges had scared the shit out of her. I stood by her and we worked through it all, he thought as he put in the movie. They could get through anything.

* * * *

Fireworks bloomed overhead. Tianna put the finishing touches on the picnic blanket. Torches flicked a few feet away, bathing the area in rich golden pools of light until the red, blue, green, and yellow exploded. Music and firecrackers popped in the distance as the town proper celebrated. Even the boom of Witch Fields could be heard this far away.

“Going for a second try with the romance, ’cause I have to say it’s working.” Alexi approached with a bottle of wine.

“Well, yeah, I’m going to keep trying until I get it right.” She grinned and accepted the vino. “What? No beer?” she teased.

“Wanted something special. Tomorrow afternoon we drive back. This is our last night here until we can coordinate our schedules again so I figured…” His voice trailed off.

Goose bumps rose on her bare flesh. She swallowed as emotion filled her heart, weighing it down but making her feel light. Her mouth widened into a grin until it ached.

He reached out and trailed his fingertips over her cheek. “I feel the same way. I’m so damn happy I feel like I’m going to burst with it. I just hate that we wasted an entire week trying to figure this thing out.” He shook his head.

She wrapped her arms around him and rested her head against his chest. The steady thud of his heart soothed her some but did nothing to calm the prickles that raced over her exposed skin. For a moment, she stood still, allowing the experience to seep into her being for later when they would be in different cities and then the hard work would begin. A small voice told her it wouldn’t work, that he’d find someone else and she’d lose him. She told it to shut the hell up and refocused on the here and now.

“Okay, enough. Gotta finish setting up or we’ll miss it all.” She tried to extricate herself from his embrace, but he held on tighter.

“No, not yet. I won’t get to hold you like this for a while. Anyway, I want you to hear something.” He stepped back an inch and gazed down at her, his gray eyes filled with such love and acceptance it hurt to stare too long, but she couldn’t turn away. He took her chin between his thumb and index finger and held it fast. “We will work on this together. No matter what happens, we’re a team, and no matter what I’ll keep reminding you of it until you accept it, understand?”

She nodded. “I understand. Now do you want to watch the fireworks or not?”

He ducked his head and kissed the tip of her nose before stepping back and releasing her. “Let’s finish this picnic.”

He cooked the last of the burgers and hot dogs on the grill while she made sure everything was organized on the table. Fireworks burst overhead, painting the area in a rainbow of colors.

“They really went all out this time. Jeez. I don’t remember it being this colorful before.” A crack from the forest could be heard, followed by laughter.

“And now they’ve taken over the woods.” Alexi shook his head. “There goes our peaceful night.”

She laughed. “Did you honestly think that easy access to firecrackers and poppers was not going to cause the kids to go nuts? It’s fine. I’m sure we can figure out how to drown out the noise.”

“Yeah,” Alexi nodded. “There’s always the sweet audio system we have in the cabin. And just remember my bedroom is all set up.” He winked.

She rolled her eyes. “I think I know what you want to do.”

“And you know, all this food can wait.” He nudged her.

She shook her head. “No, we’re eating. I didn’t do all this so you could spoil my attempt at romance.”

“It won’t spoil it. It will enhance it, I swear.” Alexi slipped his hands around her waist. The heat of his touch seeped through the thin barrier of her sundress, warming her from the outside in. She leaned into him, savoring the solidity of his body against hers. The ridge that tented the material of his jeans pressed into her back. She tried to marshal the sexual awareness flooding her body.

“No, we have to have this picnic. I worked really hard to set the mood.” Despite her words, the idea of spending the last night they had together in sexual bliss appealed to her, but the stubborn part of her wanted to have the romantic evening she’d intended.

His hands moved up, blazing a trail to her breasts, where he cupped and kneaded the mounds. Her nipples pebbled. Her pussy contracted, dampening her panties even more. She pressed her thighs together, only to make the problem worse. Her clit pulsed, demanding stimulation. She clenched her hands to keep from reaching up and showing him how she wanted to be touched.

“Go ahead,” he whispered. His humid breath brushed against her ear, teasing the sensitive shell.

She laid her head back and gave in for just a second. He found the tightened peaks and pinched them through her dress. “Alexi,” she moaned.

“Yes, let go.” He tweaked her nipples again, sending a jolt of electricity straight to her clit.

She clenched her jaw. The pleasure built, but she refused to forget the notion of sitting down and having a nice candlelit dinner together. With reluctance, she pushed away from him. He dropped his hands, and his arms hung at his sides.

“You really want the dinner, don’t you, honey?” Amusement lit up his tone.

She whirled around and pointed at him. “Yes, yes, I do. I want this to go well even if we’re having burgers and hot dogs, okay? Just humor me.” She prayed he’d understand.

He bobbed his head. “Okay, I’ll give you this.”

She stilled. “What?” She didn’t recall him winning anything.

He grinned and hooked his thumbs in his pockets. “You and I had sex. You gave in to me, soooo…I won. Let’s eat.” He turned around and pulled out a chair for her.

She lifted her chin. “I don’t recall you winning anything. In fact, we never called a truce. As for the sex, it was mutual. So no, you did not win.”

“As I recall—” he started.

A flare of irritation doused some of her earlier arousal. “No, don’t even try it. We had sex, but you didn’t win. And your friends ate my cookies, don’t even try it. The bet is still on.”

“I made you beg,” he argued.

She didn’t buy it. “So? That doesn’t mean you win. I can you make you beg; hell, I can make you bark if I want to.” She preened to watch the flash of disbelief on his face.

“Fine. After this, my room. Let’s put your skills to the test.” He sat back, a smug expression on his face.

“Oh, don’t you worry. I’ll ace this. Now eat your food. You’ll need all that energy for later.” She settled into her chair and moved it closer to the table as he made his way around to the other side and sat down.

During dinner, they made small talk, watched the fireworks overhead, and dodged questions of sex but kept things light and flirty. In the back of her mind, she plotted all the ways she knew to make him into a puddle in her hands.

“Can I do anything I want to you?” she asked.

He snorted. “I trust you, Ti. You know that, and you know my limits, so yes.”

“Good.” She knew just what she wanted to do to make her objective successful. “I’ll do the dishes so you can save up your strength.”

“That sure, huh? Okay, I’ll go get ready for you.” He left the kitchen area, his footsteps thumping against the wood floor.

She doubted he would really get ready. He’s probably just setting things up to catch me by surprise, she thought. She finished rinsing off the dishes and putting them in the washer before going out onto the back porch to check things over, making sure that everything was put away and there was no garbage to attract any wild animals. In the distance, the fireworks show went on, and in the woods, she heard the pop and crackle. A few times she thought she saw a flash of light before it disappeared behind a tree. She shook her head and prayed whoever was out there wouldn’t come near the property. There were no other houses nearby, so they had privacy.

She shut and locked the doors, shut off all the lights, and headed for Alexi’s bedroom. As she climbed the stairs, a stray scent of jasmine drifted past her, catching her attention. The closer she got to the top floor, the heavier the scent became. Oh, that sneaky bastard. She went straight to his room to find he had lit several tea candles all over the space. When he got them, she didn’t know, but they covered every solid surface from dressers to the nightstands and windowsills. Jasmine petals covered the bed in a display of delicate ivory-white ovals.

“Where—” Her gaze went from the bedspread to the headboard. Two sets of padded cuffs, each attached to a spoke on either end of the headboard, with one manacle open and ready for use, sat on the pillows.

“I figured if you really wanted to blow my mind, you’d have to hold me down to have your way with me. I’d want to touch you, tease, and ramp up your desire, so I’m at your command.” He grinned at her, twin spots of red in his cheeks.

She stood for a second, taking it all in. “What? No blindfold?” she teased.

He dug into his pocket and produced an eye mask. “My turn.”

“You trust me to do this?” She had to make sure.

“Always.” He put the covering on the bed, reached down, took hold of his hem, and began to lift his shirt.

“Stop. I want to undress you.” She swallowed, a flush of nervous energy bursting through her. In this moment, she would be in control, but he was trusting her in all things, including his aftercare and his pleasure. She wanted to get this first time of many right, not only for him but for herself.

“I want to go slow, savor this.”

He’d never made himself so vulnerable like this except in talk.

She waited for him to tell her it was stupid, but he nodded. “Okay.” He let the shirt fall back into place. “I took off my shoes and socks. Is that okay?”

She chuckled. “Yes, totally fine.” She swallowed again and tamped down a flutter in her stomach. “I’m in charge,” she muttered to herself.

She approached him, her chin lifted, head tilted back. She took him in, starting from the top of his head on down. His blond hair was a mess of waves as if he’d been running his fingers through them a lot. His sharp cheekbones were covered in dark brown stubble. His white shirt had a faded Prowlers emblem on it with the paint chipped in some places. The brightness of the shirt showed the contrast of his now darker golden skin from all his time spent outdoors. She stopped with a few inches between them, rose up, and kissed him on the lips. A soft touch, a glide of flesh against each other, the dart of her tongue along the seam of his mouth, diving in when he opened for her. Fresh mint rolled over her taste buds. She resisted the urge to pull back and smile that he’d been so thoughtful. Instead, she concentrated on giving in to the moment, opening herself up to everything he offered.

She placed her hands on his chest, feeling the warmth and heat, letting it seep into her, accepting the gift he’d given her. The softness of his shirt wrinkled under her hold the deeper she sank into the kiss. Hunger, rich and heavy, filtered into her blood, demanding she touch more of him, paint the contours of his chest with her hands, feel all that hard muscle under her caress. Rather than give in, she hung on, focusing all her energy on the kiss until her lips throbbed and ached and her lungs burned and she became light-headed from the need for air. Small whimpers and sounds came from the back of her throat. Despite the hurt, she pressed on, taking more and more of him, needing to be so close to him that there would be no way to tell where she started and he ended.

She lifted the material until his pecs became exposed. He took hold of the hem and pulled it off. She scraped the edge of his jaw with the tip of her tongue before carving a path along the center of his neck, lapping at the bumps and ridges of his Adam’s apple onward to the hollow at the base of his throat. She tasted, kissed, sucked, marking him until she knew tomorrow he’d have a hickey there, declaring her his for all to see. She couldn’t stop. Just seeing the flush of red at the base of the dip before his pectoral muscles started sent a rush of pride through her. Not wanting to halt, she continued, marking him with tongue and teeth and lips. He shuddered, moaned, and urged her actions on with guttural noises and grunts.

When she finished, his chest was covered in spots of red. She went back in for more teasing and tormenting his nipples with scrapes and sucks on the rose-pink tips.

“Don’t stop,” he chanted above her. “Please, Ti. Keep going. Mark me.”

And she did. She ran her hands over the ridges and valleys of his abdomen, going on to trace with delicate fingertips along his waistband before she took hold of his button fly and undid it, followed by his zipper. Reaching into the material, she located his already thickened cock, hard and hot to the touch, and gave it a slow tug from base to tip. The slit at the center of the crown grew slick with his precum.

“Fuck, Ti.” His voice was very deep and gruff. The very sound tripped down her spine and buzzed around her body, increasing her arousal. Tingles raced along her inner thighs, her pussy lips, her ass, and along her lower back. Her vaginal walls tightened. Her panties damped further, and her clit demanded attention. Ignoring her own wants, she continued to torment him.

Her kisses bisected his abdomen before trailing over each rise and dip, she dipped her tongue in the well of his belly button. She paused long enough to lick her palm before returning to stroke his thick shaft, up, down, up, over, and repeat. The denim restricted her movements, but she didn’t want to give him—or her, for that matter—too much freedom. She wasn’t ready to taste and suck on his cock just yet.

All the while, Alexi held his hands clenched at his sides while he shook against her. The more she gave to him, the more aroused she became. Her blood fairly sang with hunger to fuck him senseless until she passed out from pleasure. In some small part of her brain, she wondered if she could come just by bringing him to orgasm. The half of her wanted to try; the other part enjoyed what she was doing far too much to care. She followed his treasure trail until she had to stop jerking him off to tug down his pants. He kicked off the denim and spread his legs. Crouching, she admired the light fur of hair on his muscular legs, his heavy balls, and his cock sticking out—not quite as aroused as she’d like. She got on her knees and began her journey to his groin from the bottom, kissing her way up one leg, pausing to tickle the back of his knee and see if he responded. He chuckled and tried to move away from her touch.

“Ha! Found a ticklish spot. Must remember that for later.” Before he could respond, she continued on. The springy, soft hair of his legs tickled her palms as her hands coasted up the contours of his muscles. “God, you’re so damn fit. Not an ounce of fat on you anywhere. Not even after a week of junk food.”

He opened his mouth to respond, only to stop on a groan when she bit his inner thigh before sucking his flesh to mark him where only they would know and see. His gasps and moans were her music and encouragement. She traced the dip that bisected his thigh from his torso with her tongue, tasting the salt of his sweat. Humidity rose up to caress her face, a perfect contrast to the cold air circulating around the room. She inhaled the musk of his arousal, the scent here denser than anywhere else. The thatch of curls was neatly trimmed. His cock stood straight from it, turning to the right a bit; the flared, ruddy head had a single droplet at the slit. She moved to the front of him, took hold of his dick, and lifted it, exposing his balls. She nuzzled the soft skin, denuded of hair. She took hold of the sac with one hand and held it with a tight enough grip to position his balls however she wanted but without hurting him.

With slow laps, she tormented him, first on one ball, sucking it into her mouth using firm tugs, laving it with her tongue before moving to the other, showing it the same attention before releasing them and turning her attention to his dick. Starting from the base, she traced the thick vein on the underside of his cock from root to tip over and over again.

“Fuuuck.” The word seemed dragged out from the depths of his soul.

She grinned and continued her work, changing things by swirling her tongue over his crown, moving her hand up, following the trail she made and then licking the precum. She repeated this, switching her actions to the sides and the top of his penis before taking him into her mouth. She planted her hands on his thighs, using him for balance. He buried his hands in her hair, guiding her movements. Every sound he made told her whether he liked what she was doing or not. She bobbed her head up and down, never using the same rhythm, fast or slow, lightly scraping him with her teeth, soothing away any hurt with her tongue. She lost herself in pleasing him, her own arousal a heavy thud in her body that moved in time with her heart but didn’t overwhelm her.

“Enough. God, please. I can’t take much more, honey.” Alexi tugged on her tresses, not too hard but enough to get her attention.

She released him with a soft pop and grinned up at him.

“I better get on that bed before I lose all control, scoop you up, bend you over the bed, and fuck you until you scream my name.” He moved away from her, opened a condom packet, rolled one onto his cock, climbed on the bed, and lay down, hands gripping the bed spokes.

She wiped the excess saliva and stood up, stripped, toed off her sandals, and joined him but didn’t buckle up the cuffs. “I appreciate the gesture and maybe later, but I want you to hold me while we make love.”

She threw a leg over his thighs and positioned herself above his cock. With one hand, she placed him at her dripping entrance, and she planted the other on his chest for balance. Without taking her gaze off him, she lowered herself on his cock. Pressure built inside her as her body adjusted to his shaft once more. Anticipation urged her to move faster. Instead, she went slow, savoring this moment. Up, down, rotating her hips so that his penis rubbed against all the right places, increasing her pleasure. With both hands on his chest, she rode him, setting the pace. He gripped her hips, pushing his hips up, meeting her downward thrusts. She bent over him, and he lifted his head; their lips met in a tangle of passion.

“God, Alexi, yes, more,” she moaned. She increased her speed, and he followed her. Their grunts, the slap of sweat-misted skin against each other, and the dull hum of the air conditioner filled the air.

“Fuck, Ti, yes,” he grunted.

She tightened her vaginal walls around his invasion, pulling him farther inside her, keeping him longer, not wanting the moment to end. “So good. Harder, Alexi. Fuck me harder.”

She moved her hand to between her thighs to stroke and circle her clit, adding to her delight. A wildfire built inside her, burning through her limbs, circling around her torso and filling her head. His grip strengthened. He slammed into her pussy, driving her closer to orgasm. Pressure increased until like an elastic band, it snapped. She came, body shaking, time stilling, and his name a litany that rolled off her tongue.

“Tianna! Shit!” His cock flexed inside her as he followed her down. Her strength gave way. She lay down on his chest. Her juices slipped down her thighs, and her muscles jumped and twitched in the aftermath. Alexi kissed the top of her head and hugged her tight to him.

“I love you, Tianna,” he murmured.

“I love you too, Alexi, my new boyfriend.” She grinned. A small thrill went through her when she dubbed him that moniker.

“Mmm, so that’s what I am now?” He reached up and brushed some hair out of her face. “I like it. It makes me so happy to know that you’re mine in all things.”

She shook her head. “Whoa there, partner. We’re not married, just dating.”

He snorted. “You’ll give in to me on that soon enough, but for now we’ll date.”

She sighed. “You have this all planned out, don’t you?”

“Yup, and you’ll eventually see that I’m right.” He grinned up at her.

“We’ll date and see how it goes. Don’t get ahead of yourself, buster.” Despite her words, a little flutter went off in her stomach at his intention. He truly was serious about them being together. The voice of doubt remained silent, but she could feel the skepticism.

“But we’ll date first, let you get used to the idea of being with me before I put a ring on you. Now, let’s get some sleep. We have quite a drive and have to stop off at Mama L’s for breakfast and then Gus’s for driving grub.” He rolled her over and slipped out of her.

She missed the warmth of his body but didn’t protest. While he cleaned up, she turned over what had happened and his words. Despite some of her reservations, she wanted things to work. At least they were taking it slow, and that was all she could ask. She watched him stride to the bed, a grin on his face. Pure happiness radiated from his features. Her heart swelled with emotions. She loved him with every ounce of her heart and being.

“We’re in this together, Tianna. Never forget that.”

She nodded. “Yeah, together.”

“And if you get scared, I’m here for you. I’m committed to you.” He bent down and took a soft kiss. “You’re all I want, honey; just remember that when you start to doubt things.”

She swallowed. “Okay. I love you, Alexi.” She had to say it again, to have him hear it.

“And I love you too, Tianna.”

She climbed off the bed, went to the bathroom, cleaned up, and joined him under the covers. As she closed her eyes, she snuggled against him. He wrapped an arm around her waist and held her close.

“We can do this,” she whispered to herself.

Loose Id Titles by Selena Illyria

The BLOOD CLAIM Series

Trapped

Prelude

Tainted

* * * *

The WITCH FIELD PROWLERS Series

Thawing Ava

Facing Off with Alexi

Selena Illyria

Multi-published author, part vampire, part pixie, Selena Illyria was born with a need to write and enable. Her imagination takes her into the paranormal, sci-fi and fantasy genres and all sorts of mischief. When not writing she enjoys catching up on her TBR pile, watching some of her favorite programs, and listening to her favorite music, as well as teasing people with posts on decadent food and plot bunnies.

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Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Title Page

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Loose Id Titles by Selena Illyria

Selena Illyria