THAT NIGHT I decided to blow off some steam and go for a run. I swung the door open, and Krista was standing there, about to knock. She was wearing a blue-and-white kimono dressing gown and a pair of flip-flops. Her hair was wet, and her face was scrubbed clean. But she looked like she had been crying. I’d never seen anyone look as beautiful as she did in that moment.
Without speaking, I held open the door.
She hesitated. “You look like you’re going out.”
I grabbed her wrist and gently pulled her into my apartment before shutting the door. “What’s going on?”
She wandered away from me. “My mom was here. She dropped by unexpectedly.”
Which explained the crying. “You okay?”
She turned and gave me a quick smile. “She and I see the world very differently.”
I worked not to share how I really felt about her mother. “That’s an understatement.”
She made a little sound. “I guess.”
I motioned for her to sit on the couch. I sat down across from her and gave her my full attention. “Tell me what happened.”
She stared at her hands and frowned. “You know, I’ve had this one dream for a long time. There is this Forbes list of the top hundred most powerful sports agents in the world. And this year, there’s a possibility I could make that list.” She lifted her eyes. “That’s kind of our Stanley Cup.”
I felt my heart fill with pride. “That’s incredible, Krista.”
“When I was talking to my mom, I had this epiphany.” Her bottom lip trembled. “I realized tonight that a huge part of why I do stuff is to prove something to her.” She swallowed. “Tonight, she told me that my life is easy and that everything is handed to me.”
“She doesn’t recognize your efforts or your talents.”
Those blue eyes that were tinged with sadness looked at me. “I think I realized that it doesn’t matter which list I make or how hard I work—she’s never going to see that part of me.”
I grabbed her hand and squeezed.
“I had to ask myself. Would I even be an agent if I weren’t so driven to prove something to her?”
Is this where Krista quit her job as an agent? I had no idea what she would say next. “I think you’d still be an agent.”
That made her pause. “Really? Why do you say that?”
“Because you’re good at it.”
She tilted her head. “Thank you. Well, I came to the conclusion that I love my job.”
I couldn’t keep the smile off my face. Every conversation with her fascinated me. “I’ve never met anyone like you before.”
“I have no idea what that means.”
“It’s a compliment.”
“I still want to make that damn list, but I want it for me and all my work. Not for anyone else.”
She wasn’t meeting my eye, and then it hit me. She had asked me for time to think, and she had made her decision about us.
“You need us to stop kissing.”
She played with the sash of her robe. “There are so many moving pieces—you don’t know the half of it—but it’s not just about my career. The choices we make impact your future too.” She lifted her gaze to mine. “But that doesn’t mean I make this decision lightly.”
I respected this woman so much. She did what very few people could do, and she excelled at it, but it didn’t stop me from asking, “Are you going to start dating Brian?”
She shook her head. “No.”
I couldn’t bring myself to ask if she would be dating other men, mostly because I didn’t think I could handle the answer. “I appreciate you spelling it out for me.”
She unfolded her legs and stood up.
Without speaking, I walked her to the door and held it open. She turned and looked back at me over her shoulder.
“A different lifetime, maybe?”
“I hope so.”
She gave me a rueful smile. “Good night.”
“Night.”
I shut the door and stood there, hanging my head. This was it. This was the end. We hadn’t even started. I understood her reasons, but it didn’t make this situation any easier.
I needed to go for my run.
I yanked open the door and stopped cold. She was standing in front of my door, and she visibly jumped when the door swung. She gave me a guilty look.
I took it as a sign of hope that she hadn’t walked away. I took it as a sign to try once more.
“Were you leaving?” She couldn’t meet my gaze as she asked.
I waited until she looked back at me. Then I spoke. “You know why you’re still standing here?”
Her hand fluttered to her throat. “Why?”
“You’re wondering if you made the right decision.”
She swallowed, but she didn’t protest. She stared up at me.
I continued. “Give me one more kiss.”
“Yes.”
The words had barely left her lips, and then I was yanking her against me. My mouth was on hers, devouring her in a kiss. I felt her hands yank at my hair, pulling my mouth down harder against hers. My hands could not get enough of the slippery satin of her robe. She had the most perfect hourglass figure with her tiny waist, voluptuous rack, and luscious ass.
I dragged her back inside my place and shut the door.
She yanked my T-shirt over my head and planted her hands on my chest. Her nails lightly dragged down my skin until she got to my sweatpants. I kissed her while her hands fumbled with the drawstring.
I grabbed her by the wrists and backed her against the wall. When I had her where I wanted her, I kissed her until she was moaning. She struggled against my grip, and I lifted my head and gave her an amused look.
“You going somewhere?”
She was breathless. “Keep going.”
Oh, I plan on it. She gasped when I lifted her into my arms so her legs were wrapped around my waist. Her fingers were in my hair, so I used that time to find the sash of her robe. I felt like I was unwrapping a gift. I pushed the robe over her shoulders and groaned when I saw her breasts. They had dark-pink nipples and were lightly dusted with freckles. Unable to help myself, I ducked my head so I could capture a nipple in my mouth.
Her fingers yanked at my hair. “Hurry.”
I carried her closer to the island, set her down on her feet, and spun her around so she faced the island. Then I bent her over it.
She gasped as her bare skin met the cool marble, but she didn’t complain.
I stood behind her and bent over as I slid her panties down her soft legs. “I’ll warm you up.”
I knelt behind her and, with patience, slowly spread the cheeks of her ass so I could take in all of her pink pussy from behind.
Wondering how much she liked to be shocked, I dove face-first into that sweet bit of heaven and didn’t hold back. She smelled incredible, and she tasted even better, like the epitome of femininity. Her thighs were creamy and soft. I used my fingers, my tongue, and my mouth to pleasure her until her legs were shaking uncontrollably. She went completely silent, and then her entire body stiffened with a leg-shaking orgasm. She gasped out a scream, and then another, as her orgasm rolled over her and my tongue continued to plunder her.
I stood up, lifted her into my arms, and carried her into my bedroom. I lay her on her back and yanked her down the bed, so her core was in front of my face.
“What are you doing?” She lifted her head in a daze.
“What does it look like I’m doing?”
She looked confused. “You just did that.”
“Did I mention that I love eating pussy?”
She shook her head.
I slid one finger through her slick folds. “This time I want to finger-fuck you while I suck on you.”
I made her come twice more before she started to beg me.
“Please, I need to feel you inside me.”
I slowly sucked on her swollen clit and felt her entire body tremor in response. “Which part would you like inside of you?”
“Your cock,” she gasped.
I thought she’d never ask. I had been holding off because once I got inside of her, my ability to take it slow would diminish greatly.
But I never could resist a bit of begging. I stood up and stared down at her face. With one hand, I guided my cock so the tip was pulsating against her pink, wet entrance.
“Do you have a condom?”
“I do, but I’d prefer not to use one.”
That made me pause. “Really?”
“I got tested after we had our hookup. I’ve seen your medical records. We’re both clean. I’m also on birth control.” She noticed my hesitation. “Unless you’d prefer to use one?”
I shook my head and spoke the truth. “No. I’m just not sure how long I’ll last without one.”
She smiled. “I guess we’ll find out.”
I’d never had sex without a condom before. With complete reverence, I took my cock and positioned it at her entrance.
Inch by inch, I slowly pushed myself into her tight depths. The sensations were so intense it almost short-circuited the connections between my dick and my brain. It took all my effort not to start wildly fucking her.
She sighed, her eyes never leaving my face.
I buried myself into her depths before I pulled her knees together. Using superhuman effort not to pump myself into her, I gently kissed the top of one knee. I reached up and cupped her breasts with my hands, feeling myself go even deeper inside her.
I grunted as electricity zapped up my spine. Pure instinct made me push her legs open. I leaned over her so I could plant my hands on either side of her, and then I started thrusting my hips.
I gritted my teeth, trying to make myself slow down, but it felt so good, I barely had control. “Oh god.”
I winced as I slowed my movements.
Her eyes widened. “Keep going.”
To torture her a bit, I managed to completely stop my thrusts. It took an inhuman effort, but the look of frustration on her face was worth it. “You like that?”
“I like it when you lose control.”
One arm at a time, I grabbed her by her wrists and pinned them above her head. I felt her legs wrap around my waist.
“I’m not sure why I’m working so hard to stay in control,” I told her, before I kissed her long and hard. I kissed her mouth until her hips were thrusting up against mine, trying to create some friction between us.
I started to pump my cock, sliding it slow and steady into her tight pussy. Her head went back, and her eyes shut as her body took in all of me with each thrust.
I leaned back on my knees and spread her legs wider. I fucked her harder and faster, loving all her little sounds and noises. We stared into each other’s eyes when my fingers found her clit.
“Levi.” Her head arched back into the pillow. “I’m so close.”
I pumped a bit faster and watched as she came apart before my eyes. Her entire body shuddered and arched as a flush spread over her chest. Then with a guttural cry, she came on my cock.
I flipped her over onto all fours and pushed her legs apart so I could taste her again. I made her come another time, and only when she was crawling away from my mouth did I stand up and yank her back onto my cock.
One, two, three hard thrusts, and then I was exploding, coming like a volcanic force inside of her.
We were still except for our rapid breathing. I slowly pulled my throbbing, still-hard cock out of her before dropping down beside her on the bed.
I grabbed her hand, folded it in mine, and put it against my pounding heart.
She lifted her head and looked at me with an almost bedazzled expression. “I’m in so much trouble.”
