Chapter 4 Nox
The arena lights flicker once, twice, then plunge us into darkness.
"Perfect," Joey mutters from somewhere to my left. "Just perfect."
Boston's worst blizzard in twenty years, and I'm trapped in the practice facility with the one woman who makes me forget how to breathe.
The emergency lights kick in, casting everything in a dim blue glow.
I knew she would still be here. She is always here working.
Thank God I decided to check before I left.
"Could be worse," I say, following her voice. "Could be trapped with Anderson."
"Anderson wouldn't be undressing me with his eyes."
"No?" I find her in the dark, close enough to touch. "His loss."
She's still wearing those glasses, perched on that perfect nose. Her hair's come loose from its usual tight knot, falling around her shoulders. The professional blazer's gone, leaving her in a silk blouse that's doing incredible things in the cold.
"The generators should kick in soon," she says, but her voice shakes slightly. She started to close her computer, packing up to go home. She stood up and grabbed her handbag.
"They won't. Too much snow." I step closer. "We're stuck here, Winters."
"Don't sound so pleased about it." She said as I saw a flush start to creep up her neck.
Got her.
"I'm not pleased." Another step. "I'm thrilled."
She backs up until she hits the wall. Just like in the conference room, but this time there's no phone to interrupt us. No teammates. No professional boundaries.
Just the storm, the dark, and two years of wanting her.
"Nox..." It comes out breathless. A warning or a plea? I'm not sure which.
"Say it again." I brace one hand beside her head. "Say my name again, Joey."
Instead, she grabs my shirt and pulls me down to her level. "Elf you."
"Not yet." I brush my lips against her jaw. "First, I want to hear you say something stronger than 'elf.'"
Her breath catches as I trail kisses down her neck. "I don't – oh!"
I bite gently where her pulse races. "Don't what?"
"Don't swear." But her hands are in my hair now, holding me closer.
"Never?" I suck lightly at her collarbone. "Not even when you're alone?"
She shakes her head.
"Not even," I slide a hand up her thigh, under her skirt, "when you think about me?"
"I don't think about you."
"Liar." My fingers trace the lace edge of her underwear. "Want to know what I think about?"
She nods, then gasps as I stroke her through the fabric.
"I think about making you forget every proper word you know." I push the lace aside. "About making you scream things that would shock your PR team."
"Please," she whispers.
"Please what?" I circle slowly, barely touching. "Use your words, Joey."
"I can't, oh god."
I pull back entirely. "Then I'll stop."
"No!" She grabs my wrist. "Don't you dare."
"Say it." I kiss her neck again. "One real curse. Just one."
Her eyes meet mine in the dim light. Something snaps.
"Fuck me," she breathes, and it's the hottest thing I've ever heard.
I crush my mouth to hers.
"Are those?" Nox breaks off kissing my neck to stare at my feet in the dim emergency lights. "Are those different elf socks? How many pairs do you have?"
"My feet were cold and I thought I was alone.” I try to kick them off, but he catches my ankle. They're festive."
"They have bells on them." His laugh rumbles against my collarbone. "You're wearing jingle bell elf socks during our first time."
"I wasn't exactly planning on a blizzard seduction," I gasp as his hands slide higher. "Besides, you're wearing candy cane briefs."
"That's different." He nips my ear. "Mine are sexy."
"Nothing says sexy like peppermint striped—oh!"
His mouth finds that spot behind my ear that makes me forget how to be professional. The tiny bells on my socks chime with each movement.
"You're still wearing them," he murmurs against my skin.
"What?"
"The socks." His hands grip my thighs. "Keep them on."
"You have an elf kink I should know about?"
Instead of answering, he shows me exactly what he thinks about my holiday accessories. The bells create a rhythm that would make Santa blush.
"More. I want more," I breathe as he moves lower.
"There's my girl." His breath is hot against my stomach. "Say it again."
I grab his hair. "Make me."
He does.
The emergency lights flicker as we move together, casting shadows on the training room walls. My socks chime in time with our rhythm, a holiday soundtrack to match our building urgency.
"Next time," he pants against my mouth, "reindeer underwear."
I laugh, but it turns to a moan as he shifts angle. "You're impossible."
"You love it."
I do. God help me, I really do.
Hours later, we're tangled together on the training room treatment table. I've lost count of how many real curses I've earned from those perfect lips.
"We should probably talk about this," she murmurs against my chest.
"About how you secretly have a filthy mouth or the elf socks again?"
She smacks my arm. "About us. The team. My job."
I pull her closer. "Let me make it simple: I want you. Not for the cameras, not for my image, not for one night. I want morning skates and late meetings and stupid PR events. I want to make you blush in public and scream in private."
"A relationship?" she finishes. "You want that?"
"Yeah." I kiss her forehead. "Problem?"
She thinks for a moment. "Management will hate it."
"Management can go get elfed." I grin. "See? You're a bad influence on me already."
"Pretty sure it's the other way around." But she's smiling.
My phone lights up with a weather alert. The storm's letting up.
"Ready to face the real world?" I ask.
She kisses me, slow and deep. "One more hour."
"That's not very professional, Ms. Winters."
"I think we are part the professional bit."
I laugh against her mouth. "I've created a monster."
"Your monster," she says.
"Mine," I agree, pulling her back down. "Now, about those other curses I want to teach you?"
Outside, the blizzard rages on. Inside, we make our own storm.