Winning Whitney, page 12
part #3 of Alaska Blizzard Series
It was fucking amazing.
Her breath hitched when he pushed her against the wall and then simply stopped. Moving. Touching. Hell, it didn’t even look like he was breathing. He was just…staring. Despite being fully clothed, she’d never felt more exposed. The look in his eyes burned, like X-ray vision marked just for her. How the hell did he do that? It was exciting and nerve-wracking at the same time and she bit her lower lip.
“Do I… I mean, is it like you remembered?”
“You mean are you like I remembered?” he asked softly, moving in and digging one hand into the soft hair at the nape of her neck. “Fuck yeah. Better even. You get more beautiful every time I look at you.”
He lowered his mouth to hers, slowly, parting her lips with the precision of a surgeon. He found her tongue with deliciously patient flicks of his, taunting and dancing until a low moan escaped her. He drew the kiss out, the pressure of his hand in her hair growing stronger as he held her fast, forcing her to accept the prolonged teasing as warmth engulfed her. His other hand slid around her waist, fingers creeping under her sweater, finally touching skin.
She moved her mouth away, running her lips across the slight scrape of his beard, until she found the soft spot behind his ear. She’d never forgotten his reaction when she’d pressed her tongue there four years ago, and it was no different tonight. Now he was the one moaning, fingers tightening against her waist.
“You play dirty,” he rasped.
“Just nudging things along,” she whispered, her eyes finding his in the semi-darkness.
The curtains hadn’t been drawn, so light came in from the street, though it wasn’t much. Out of the corner of her eye she saw the snow coming down harder and memories washed over her.
“Bed, floor, or wall?” he asked.
“I thought you were making the decisions?”
“Keep kissing my ear like that and I’ll do anything you want.”
“Wall,” she said with a quirky smile.
He dipped his head as he pulled her sweater and the thin tank beneath it over her head. He deftly unhooked her bra and paused to rub his thumbs along her sensitive nipples. He massaged them gently, leaving her helpless to move, aware that her chest was rising and falling in time to the sweep of his fingers. She was so in tune to him already, it was like they’d been together for years. She’d never reached this level of intimacy with a man before, and though there hadn’t been a lot of romance in her past, she was astute enough to recognize how special this was.
He bent his head, sweeping his tongue along one tight, hard little nub, and she was mesmerized by the sight of his gorgeous face so close to her, his sensual mouth giving her so much pleasure. She ached for him, even more than during the years they’d been apart, and a whimper of frustration escaped her.
“You’re so ready, aren’t you, baby?” His voice was a low, sexy rumble and it washed over her skin like a dusty wind.
“Please don’t make me wait anymore. It’s been too long.”
He continued massaging her breasts, taking a nipple between his fingers and squeezing until she gasped, pleasure with a hint of pain arousing her even more. Her breathing was slightly ragged and when he began pulling down her jeans, desire jolted through her. Her panties disappeared, too, and she stepped out of both, practically panting with impatience.
He slid a thick finger between her folds, searching for the tight little nub that had been longing for his attention. She trembled, anxious for more, and his finger grazed over it again and again. He stroked her gently at first, increasing pressure as she arched into his hand. She was embarrassingly wet; his finger sliding between the slickness easily. Back and forth, up and down, circling her clit until she cried out. Every nerve ending flared to life and she bit her lip to keep from exploding. She was so close to coming, but wanted him inside of her first. Though she didn’t doubt he would please her more than once, it was inexplicably important that this first time they climaxed together. She needed that connection with him and was unable to express it in her current state.
“Please,” was all she could manage.
He unbuckled his belt and let his jeans fall to his ankles, quickly sheathing himself with a condom.
“I want to take you hard and fast, but we need to go slow the first time.”
“I…yes, maybe.” He understood. Thank God.
“So maybe it’s a good thing my damn pants are around my ankles.”
He lifted her and she wrapped her legs around his waist, his erection pressing against her core. Their eyes met just as he pushed inside, one slow, exciting inch at a time. His hands traveled to her ass, adjusting her slightly for better balance, and her head fell forward so her mouth was close to his but not touching. As he filled her completely she let out a shuddery breath, fingers digging into his shoulders.
“You feel so damn good, baby.” He found her mouth and took it softly, restraint written all over his tightly wound body.
“Been waiting so long for this,” she whispered against his lips, opening to him and losing herself in his touch. How had she lived without this for four damn years?
When he started to move, it was with firm, deliberate strokes, his cock seemingly thicker and harder each time he bottomed out. She shifted, overwhelmed with a beautiful mixture of incredible pleasure and the aching need for release.
“Fuuucckkk…” he growled. “I can’t keep this up, baby, I need to move faster.”
“Yesss.” She fastened her mouth to his and plunged her tongue inside, stroking his in time to the thrusts of his cock. It was thrilling to have him inside of her again. Had it really been four years? It felt like today and yesterday, now and forever, a little bit of forever thrown in for good measure. She’d never experienced anything so permanent, so perfectly in tune to her needs, her body, her very soul.
Sweat dripped between their bodies, warm and hot, like the blood raging through her veins. She felt a bizarre urge to lick it, but there was no way to reach and the insistent coiling in her belly told her she wouldn’t be doing anything but feeling in the next minutes.
“Yes, yes, yes!” Her words were rushed, almost garbled, no longer able to form thoughts or anything more than a simple word.
“Say my name,” he growled, pounding up and into her almost painfully, he was so deep.
“Jackson.” Somehow, his name slipped from her lips easily and her eyes found his again. “Make love to me, baby.”
“Fuck yeah.” He squeezed her ass cheeks, one finger sliding between her legs from behind, swirling around in her juices as he continued his relentless attack. The finger slid back toward her second hole and eased in, just a little, adding a different pressure. That was all it took and her shrieks filled the room.
“Jack-son! God, yes, fuckfuckfuckfuckfuck…” She repeated the name over and over as she bucked against him, milking him into oblivion. When he roared her name he slammed her back against the wall, his entire body shaking and pulsing.
Chapter Seventeen
He finally pulled out and set her down, slowly and carefully because her legs were shaking. Her arms were wound around his neck now, not letting go, and he would’ve been content to stand here like this all night. The bed might be more comfortable, though, and he gently disengaged, stepping out of his jeans and kicking them aside. She was still holding on tightly, so he scooped her up and carried her to the bathroom.
When he put her down a second time she was steadier, but her grip was somehow even tighter and he smiled down at her, loving this first glimpse of vulnerability. She hid it well the rest of the time, but this much intimacy had broken through some of the barriers she’d put up.
“Let me wash my hands, babe,” he said softly, nibbling the side of her jaw.
“Okay.” She reluctantly stepped back.
After they’d freshened up, he picked her up again—groom-style—and carried her to bed. He yanked back the covers and slid beneath them with her in his arms. She was quiet but seemed content, a faint smile playing on her lips as she molded herself to his body.
“You okay?” he asked after a bit. He was having a hard time reading her. Clingy but content, needy but unwilling to tell him why.
“Perfect.”
“Why so quiet?”
“Is post-coital conversation mandatory?”
“Not at all, but this has been a long time coming. So to speak.”
She chuckled. “And then some.”
“It’s okay if you don’t want to talk, but my gut tells me you do.”
“That’s the thing. I don’t want to talk—I want to feel. You’re so… larger than life. To me, I mean. I’ve spent so long missing you, thinking about you, aching for you. And now you’re here and I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop, for you to let me down.”
“Why would I let you down?”
“Because it’s inevitable.”
“Not with me,” he said firmly. He lifted her chin and looked into her eyes. “I will never let you down. I’m human and I’ll make mistakes, but in the grand scheme of things? I’ll never let you down. You can take that to the bank.”
Whitney stared up at him, something flickering across her face he couldn’t identify. Then she smiled and snuggled against him.
The alarm on Jake’s phone woke him at six forty-five and he rolled over in exhaustion, wondering why he was so tired. The soft breast that mashed against his chest brought back memories of the night before and a smile played on his lips as he allowed himself to snooze for ten more minutes. When his alarm went off the second time, he reluctantly pried himself away, though he paused to stare down at the beautiful woman who’d slept in his arms all night. Well, mostly this morning, but close enough. He had zero regrets about how tired he was going to be, though he vowed to take a good nap this afternoon, no matter how enticing she was.
He pressed a soft kiss to the top of her head and quickly got dressed. He had to go back to his room, take a shower, and get ready for breakfast. They had a morning skate in a few hours, then he would nap for a couple of hours before leaving for the game. He’d bought Whitney a ticket and Madison Square Garden was just a couple of blocks away. The routine was old hat for him, but she’d asked him a million questions about where to go and what to do. Not only did she want to see it all through different eyes now, she was also quick to say she didn’t want to embarrass him by calling out or doing anything a seasoned wife or girlfriend wouldn’t do. She’d been to a few games with Hailey, but not many, and apparently it was different now that they had a thing.
He loved that she’d been so worried about not embarrassing him, even though that was nearly impossible, and how focused she was on being there for him. He hadn’t had that with Addy. Once she’d become fixated on having a child, there had never been much of anything else on her mind. Including him. Unless it had to do with getting his sperm inside of her, which hadn’t been romantic or sexy in years.
Last night had changed all of that for him. He hadn’t forgotten Whitney, but he’d forgotten what it was like to share something so blissfully passionate with someone. Sex in and of itself was generally a pleasurable act, and he’d certainly gotten himself off every time Addy demanded they make love on her schedule, but the emotion and sensuality had disappeared. Whitney brought all that back and more. She was so lovely, inside and out, he wondered if their renewed relationship would be enough for her to trust him with whatever secrets she held on to so tightly. He’d do his damnedest to earn her faith but for the time being he was happy having her in his life.
He ran into Kane getting on the elevator and his friend wiggled his eyebrows. “You look like hell. That must mean you had a good night.”
Jake shrugged. “Don’t know what you’re talking about. I was in bed by ten.”
Kane snorted. “Yeah, okay.”
Sergei came around the corner and fell into step with them. “What’s going on? How’d the date go?”
“It went great,” Jake nodded. “She’s lovely.”
“I can’t understand how she’s still single,” Sergei mused.
“I think it’s by choice,” Kane said. “Hailey says she was never really into dating much in college.”
“She was twenty when I met her and she blew off every guy who hit on her that night.”
“Except you,” Kane reflected.
“Except me.”
“And she hasn’t dated at all in Anchorage,” Sergei added. “Except you.”
“So don’t fuck it up,” Kane said. “I have to live with her, and women with broken hearts are not my thing.”
“Somehow, I doubt she’ll be the one with a broken heart,” Jake mused. “She’s still pretty distant, no matter how good things are between us.”
“You think she’ll go back to Texas?”
“I think whatever unfinished business she has in Texas has to be resolved before she’ll move on, no matter what she says. I just wish she trusted me enough to let me help her.”
“You’ve broken through the first barrier, so maybe it’ll just take a little time.”
“Let’s hope.” Jake said the words but he doubted it would be that easy.
* * *
Waiting to skate onto the ice for the pre-game warm-up, Jake paced restlessly. He was always a little restless before a game, but tonight it was bad. Something about Madison Square Garden always riled him up and having Whitney here exacerbated everything. It wasn’t a bad thing, though. He was ready to play and looking forward to talking about the game with her afterward since she seemed genuinely interested in learning more about it. What he really wanted was to be with her, whether she enjoyed the game or not.
He followed Aaron out and took a few laps around, finding his legs and focusing on the sound of the crowd, the arena, the ice. Every venue was a little different, and he had certain rituals and routines that were personal to each. Oddly enough, though she’d never seen him play when he was in Boston, he always associated the TD Garden with Whitney. That was the city in which he’d met her, where they’d shared two of the best nights of his life, so he would always think of her when he was there even though their meeting had nothing to do with hockey.
There were a handful of Blizzard fans along the glass and he did a double take when he spotted the blonde wearing…his jersey, a wool cap on her head, and a big smile on her pretty face. He lifted a hand in greeting, giving her a wink as he skated past. When had she gotten his jersey? Had she had it all along? Most likely Kane or Hailey picked it up for her and he had to remember to thank them. Seeing her in it made him happier than he’d been in a long time and when he scored the first goal of the night, just minutes into the first period, he would have sworn he heard her call his name. Rangers fans were pretty intense so the booing had been loud, but he’d heard that one excited “Go Jake” amid the din and it made him chuckle under his breath.
“Was that Whitney?” Kane whispered as he sank onto the bench.
“I fucking hope so.”
“If you play this good every time she’s at a game, we’re gonna need to fly her out to all of them.”
“Works for me!”
* * *
They weren’t laughing when he scored an assist and another goal in the second period. Kane and Sergei had scored as well, frustrating the Rangers and leading to a scuffle on the ice. As the team’s captain, Jake tried to be the cool head, but when one of the Rangers crashed into the net, taking Aaron’s legs out from under him and causing him to land on his head, Jake had no choice. Sergei and Mikka were right behind him, keeping the other players out of it as he and the instigator duked it out. The refs broke it up, but not before blood dripped into his eye. He swiped at it but there was enough to blur his vision and he saw the ref motion to Ben Tremont, the Blizzard’s team trainer.
He headed into the tunnel, figuring he was going to need a few stitches, and saw Aaron already on his way to the locker room. Shit! That had to be concussion protocol. He wanted to call out to him but Aaron disappeared with Ben right behind him, which meant Dani would be stitching him up. It was the first time he’d needed her for anything outside of working out and stretching, so it was a little odd, but he trusted her. She wouldn’t have been hired if she wasn’t up for the job, and though being married to one of his teammates added a level of intimacy he’d never had with a trainer before, Dani was good people. He’d spent quality time with her and Sergei and this was just a carry-over of their friendship.
“Hey.” Dani was all business, pressing a cloth to his eye as he pulled off his helmet.
“Doesn’t hurt but I can’t see for shit,” he muttered.
“It’s swollen and there’s a good gash right below your eyebrow.” She was gathering supplies, her back rigid as she worked.
“You okay?” he asked softly.
“Ben and I made a deal that I would never tend to Sergei if he ever got hurt, but this is the first time it’s been one of…my friends. I’m professionally competent to stitch you up, but emotionally I might need to take a deep breath.”
“I won’t cry,” he said with a chuckle. “Promise.”
“Oh, thank god,” she breathed, as if she’d been afraid he would. “That would probably make me cry, too.”
They laughed together and he kept up a stream of conversation as she worked on him.
“So, you get some last night?” she teased, wiping excess blood off his face and handing him an ice pack.
“Am I allowed to talk about this stuff with you on the clock?” he asked, wrinkling his nose.
“While I’m sewing stitches into your face? Yeah. After that, no.”
“Then yes.”
“You want me to text her when we’re done here, tell her you’re okay?”
“Would you mind?”
“Not at all.” Dani finished up in silence and he lumbered to his feet.
“Thanks, Dani.”
“Now go back out there and kick some ass.”
He flashed a grin. “Oh, yeah.”
