EVEN THOUGH I only had 5 days off, my body already adjusted to sleeping in. It hurt when my alarm woke me at 6 AM.
At the airport, players milled around. I didn’t see Max until I was standing in line to board the plane. I glanced over my shoulder, taking in his angular features, height and muscular frame. The man was drool-worthy. He winked at me when he busted me checking him out.
We arrived in San Jose, and we headed to the rink for a practice. Afterwards, we had a team meeting lunch and then everyone parted ways with some downtime.
I spent the rest of my afternoon in my room, working through the endless number of emails. I was debating going out to find some dinner when there was a slight knock on my door.
I opened it to find Max standing there with a large brown paper bag.
“Hi,” I sounded breathless and too eager.
“I finished the book.”
I opened the door wider, and he stepped into my room. “You know there is going to be a verbal quiz.”
“Just a verbal quiz?”
“What were you thinking?”
“I was hoping we could play a game of Quidditch.”
“You think you’d be good at that?”
“I think I could catch the golden snitch.”
“You seem confident for someone who has never flown on a broom before.”
“I’m confident I could catch on.”
I could feel the goofy grin on my face but I couldn’t stop smiling if I tried. “What’s in the bag?”
“I might have stolen something.”
“You stole something?” my eyes were wide. “What?”
“An idea.”
“I’m confused.”
“I stole a page out of the Baby Boys’ book.”
“Now I’m intrigued.”
“Do me a favor and climb on the bed?”
“With or without my clothes.”
“You dirty girl,” he teased, but his eyes darkened as they focused on my mouth. “Clothes for this stage.”
I climbed on the bed. He set the box down and put his hands on his hips. “I’ve never done this before.”
“Done what?”
He stared at me for a moment. “I brought you dinner.”
“What?”
“It’s a picnic.” He dug into the box. “Here is the wine.” He pulled out a bottle of white.
“You brought me a picnic?”
“Yes.”
That day on the plane, I had told Max that the Baby Men brought me picnics. And he had scoffed. Now he was here, looking slightly unsure of himself.
“I thought you didn’t do this kind of stuff?”
“I don’t.”
Which made this even more meaningful. I sat on my knees and the smile on my face was huge. “Show me.”
“Fruit.” He pulled out a plastic tray of cut fruit.
“I love fruit.”
“Veggies.” Another plastic tray followed.
“I adore veggies.”
He studied a box. “Some saltine crackers.”
“How did you know those are my favorite crackers?”
“Cheese?” He held up a block of cheese. Not a Camembert or a delicately wrapped Emmental, he had bought a block of plastic wrapped marble cheese. It might be the most adorable thing anyone had ever done for me.
“My mouth is watering.”
He took a deep breath. “And I bought dessert.” He held up a bag of brownie bites.
“I thought I was your dessert?”
“You are. This is for you.”
I smiled at the food on my bed. The Baby Men used to bring over handmade pasta, homemade appetizers and gourmet pastries from the finest bakeries, but this gesture meant the most to me. “This looks amazing.”
“I couldn’t find candles.”
I reached out to grab his hand. “Come here.”
I pulled his face down so his mouth was on mine. “This is better than any meal anyone has ever brought me.”
Our kiss was so hot, so intense, I debated ravishing him, but I didn’t want to spoil his gift. I pulled back from him and stared into his eyes. “Thank you.”
“You like it?”
“I love it.”
“You hungry?”
“You have no idea. Now get on this bed so we can eat.”
He poured me a glass of wine and cracked open a beer for himself. We clinked glasses and then began to eat.
“This is so good,” my mouth was full. It was, but it wasn’t the food. It was that the man I adored, had gone out of his comfort zone to do something he thought I’d like. And now he was lying across the foot of the bed, looking relaxed and happy. My happiness made everything taste better, including my saltine crackers and marble cheese.
“You sure they fed you over Christmas?”
I laughed. “I ate for five days straight.”
Blue eyes met mine. “Did you have a good vacation?”
“I got caught up on my sleep. When did you get back?”
“About 3 AM last night.”
“Oh no.”
“My flight was delayed.”
“You must be tired.”
“I had a nap this afternoon.”
I wanted to, but didn’t ask him about Lolita. “I found out some interesting news.”
“Oh yeah?”
“Baxter was supposed to be promoted to assistant GM.”
Max’s eyes went wide. “Isn’t that your job?”
“It is.”
“What happened?”
“Baxter wanted to contract Joseph Flanynk.”
Max went still. “Oh yeah?”
“But my dad wanted you instead.”
Our eyes met.
I could see the surprise in his eyes. “Really?”
I nodded. “Baxter pushed back too hard and I guess my dad decided he didn’t want to promote Baxter.”
“Wow.”
“I was supposed to be working in media, but my dad decided at the last minute to put me in this role. The thing is, my dad has never talked about this with me. Katina told Calder, and he told me. My dad has always pretended that this was his dream for me.”
“Are you going to ask him?”
I shook my head. “Nope.”
He nodded. “I get that.”
“Don’t take Baxter personally.”
Blue eyes met mine again. “You worry about me.”
I shrugged, not wanting to talk about my feelings. “So how come you didn’t want to go home for Christmas?”
“My family doesn’t celebrate Christmas.”
“Why not?”
“It’s just my mom and my uncle and usually my mom insists on working the Christmas shift.”
“Even if you come home?”
He studied his beer can. “Especially when I come home.”
“You don’t get along?”
His honest blues held mine. “It’s a work in progress, but my mom and I had a falling out years ago and she’s never gotten over it.”
“Do you talk to her?”
“I want to have a relationship with her, but she’s never forgiven me.”
“Max.”
He gave me an enigmatic smile. “It’s fine, but if I head home for the holidays, she stays at work. And then she doesn’t have any time off.”
“So, you stay away.”
“I stay away.”
My heart couldn’t even process what he had shared with me. All I knew is it made me sad. “I’m sorry.”
“It is what it is.” He sat up. “You finished with all this?”
“This was the best picnic ever.” It was the truth. This meal would make it into the top five of all meals in my life.
He leaned over and planted another kiss on my lips. “I’m glad you liked it.”
I helped him pack everything back into the bag. When we were done, I grabbed his hand and pulled him back onto the bed to lie down beside me. “Want to watch some TV?”
Amusement crossed his features. “Just like old times?”
He was referencing that first night in North Dakota. “Just like old times.”
“I’d love to.”
We picked a movie, only this time, I settled up against his chest, curling my body against his. I sighed into him. I wanted to tell him how much it meant that he had opened up, but I didn’t want to ruin the moment. So, instead I snuggled closer. His arm wrapped around me, pulling me close.
“This is nice.”
“Yeah, I think cuddling is underrated.”
We watched the movie, and I soaked up every moment with him. We still hadn’t talked about us. We still had so much to say, but I didn’t want to talk. I only wanted to absorb this moment.
When the movie ended, I lifted my head so I could study his beautiful face. Max glanced down at me with a content smile.
“You ready for your bonus?”
He laughed. “You serious?”
I moved to straddle him, my hands on his chest. “Do you think you can handle it?”
“I sure as hell will try.”
I pushed my hands up beneath his t-shirt, marveling at the feel of the smooth, hard expanse of his abdominal muscles. Our eyes met. His gaze was dark.
“Put your hands behind your head.”
Curiosity reflected in his expression, but he tucked his hands behind his head.
I took my time enjoying the feel of his body before my hands slid down to the button on his jeans.
“What are you doing?” He lifted his head.
“Shh,” I soothed, as I focused on undoing his pants. His cock was hard and straining up against the black cotton of his underwear. “What do we have here?”
He laughed as his head fell back on the bed. “Oh boy.”
I peeled his underwear down and licked my lips when I saw the sheer size of him. I grasped his cock by the base and lifted it up so it was free from the confines of his clothing. It was thick, long and rock hard. My fingers traced over the wide head. I bent down and licked the tip, loving the taste of the salty pre-cum on my tongue. He tasted like clean living and hot male.
Max groaned as he lifted his head to watch. “Oh shit.”
“What do you think I should do now?”
I blinked at him with a pretend wide-eyed innocence.
“I think you should slide that gorgeous mouth around my cock.”
I moved my head down. Without breaking eye contact, I opened my mouth and sucked his hard length into my mouth.
“Oh yeah, fuck, just like that. Take me into your mouth. As far as you can go.”
I dropped my jaw open and brought more of him in. I swirled my tongue along the ridged veiny length of him. I felt his hips jerk.
I loved his guttural groan.
I stretched my lips over his length and my tongue was going crazy along the bottom, teasing him. Using my fist on the base of his cock, I bobbed my head, sliding him in and out of my mouth.
Two big hands pushed my hair off my face. Every so often I would pull my mouth to the tip and suck and swirl my tongue over the thick tip of his dick. My eyes never left his face. He was breathing hard. His beautiful lip curled as he stared down at me. His face was a mask of concentration.
I wanted more than anything to please him. To make him feel as good as he made me feel. I wanted to know what made him tick, what he liked and didn’t like. I also wanted to watch him lose control, like he always made me lose control.
“Jesus,” he tipped his head back.
I sucked harder, wanting him to come.
He yanked me up the bed, flipped me onto my back.
I gave a breathless laugh when he reached down and pushed my yoga pants and panties down off my legs.
“Are you going to tell me where you learned to do that?”
“I don’t remember,” I breathed, excited beyond belief.
“Good answer.”
He shifted, so he hovered above me. I spread my legs, and he reached between our legs, and I could feel the head of his cock tease my opening.
“You have no idea how many times I’ve thought of you like this.”
I wrapped my arms around his thick neck. “What is this?”
“Hot, wet and about to get fucked.”
His mouth claimed mine, and I moaned as his kiss deepened.
“Ready for me?”
“Oh yes.”
He lifted his head and blue eyes watched me make a soundless cry as he slowly pushed his cock deep into me. It felt intimate, intense and so perfect, my eyes almost rolled back in my head.
“Max.”
His corded arms strained as he looked between our bodies where we joined. “Fuck you feel so good.”
I wrapped my legs around his back. “Are you going to move?”
A smile played on his lips. “You want me to move?”
“Do you want to?”
He laughed. “I’m trying to restrain myself so I can do this nice and slow.”
“What if I don’t want it slow?”
He bent down and pressed his lips to mine. “Tell me what you want.”
“I want you to lose control.”
“Well you’re in luck because I’m barely hanging on here.”
His thrusts began slow. Long and hard. I moaned and moved with him. He increased his speed. I moaned. He grunted. And then we were riding wild. Fast, furious. Intense.
Noises, wild uninhibited noises, were coming out of me.
“Come for me gorgeous, before I embarrass myself.”
“I’m so close.”
“I’m about to lose control.”
I tightened my legs around his waist, loving how fast and hard he was thrusting into me.
He yanked at my hair, pulling my head back. “Your pussy is so fucking hot and tight, I’ve never felt anything so perfect in my life.”
I clawed my nails down his back.
“I want my face between your legs. I love the way you taste.”
I moaned.
“I’ve been thinking about being inside you all day.”
I could feel my body tighten as my climax shivered at the base of my spine.
“I want to feel that sweet little pussy clenching around my cock when you come.”
I felt myself spasm and then my entire body stiffened as my orgasm rushed over me.
“Oh fuck,” he grimaced and then he pulsed his release into me.
We lay there, both panting. He lifted his head and pushed the damp hair off my face. “My girlfriend likes dirty talk.”
My eyes widened at the term girlfriend. “I do.”
He rolled off me and yanked my body against his. “Damn I think you’re going to ruin me.”
I smiled and rested my chin on his chest. “I knew you’d be good at that.”
“Oh yeah?”
“I knew it the moment I laid eyes on you.”
He kissed me. “I wish I could spend the night. I have about four thousand other positions I’ve fantasized with you.”
I checked the clock. “Oh shit. You’re past curfew.”
“Doesn’t matter.”
I sat up and shoved at him. “It does. You should go.”
He sat up and kissed me again on the lips. “You using me and losing me?”
“Never.”
“You going to come to my next game and cheer for me?”
I laughed. “I’m at every game.”
“But are you going to cheer for me?”
I lifted my hand to his cheek. “I always cheer for you.”
