Chapter 15
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
R owdy
I’d never been so happy to see a woman smile at me than I was right at this second.
Women smiled at me all the time. Older women. Younger women. Girls. Babies. Women who wanted to sleep with me. Even women who wanted to smack me usually smiled after they thought better about it.
But this woman… Fuck, this woman made me want to fall to my knees and pledge my undying devotion. And that was before I noticed she was soaking wet and wearing nothing but a towel. And that smile.
“Hey.” Her voice held a little bit of a rasp that made all the small hairs on my body stand straight up in excitement. “Sorry, I was in the tub. I’m not late, am I?”
Late? For what? Oh…
“No. I just wanted to say good morning.”
Jesus, I’m an idiot. If that wasn’t the absolute worst? —
“Good morning.”
Her smile widened and, okay, maybe I wasn’t that much of an idiot. Except I didn’t know what else to say that wasn’t, “Damn, you’re gorgeous. Can you drop that towel and I’ll worship your body?”
“You sleep okay?”
She nodded, her smile softening. “Yes, although Krista woke me up a little earlier than I expected. Your mom took her so I could get ready.”
“I think my mom likes that little girl more than she does her own children.”
Her laughter made my cock stir. “I think your mom would love to have grandchildren.”
“Believe me, I know. She hasn’t exactly been subtle the past couple of years.” And I hadn’t been anywhere close to granting her wish. But then this woman had stumbled into my arms two nights ago. And I thought, now, I might be ready.
Rebel would tell me I was an idiot for even thinking about this. Rain would tell me I was an idiot if I didn’t. And Rocky… well, Rocky would ask what I wanted.
I wanted her.
“It’s nice, and Krista loves the attention.” She shrugged. “We don’t see my mom a lot and,” she readjusted her grip on the towel, and, sue me, I wanted her to just let it drop, “your mom’s kind of a rock star.”
I couldn’t argue with that, so I just nodded. “So can I come in?”
She paused, and I wondered if she was going to say no. Then she gave me a look that sealed my fate and waved me in with the hand currently not holding her towel together.
“Sure. Just let me get some clothes.”
I caught her free hand, wrapped my fingers around her wrist and brought it to my mouth. Pressing my lips to the pulse beating under her soft, warm skin, I watched her eyes narrow and her lips part .
I wanted to linger, her skin soft and warm beneath mine, and, damn, she smelled good. But I wanted to taste her lips. Her breath hitched and the hand on her towel tightened its grip.
Then she leaned in and pressed her lips against mine and stole my breath. And my sanity. Because right now, I didn’t care if my parents were in the same house, I wanted to rip that towel away, pick her up and lay her out on the bed. Then I’d kiss my way down that luscious body and make her come with my mouth before I ripped off my jeans and fucked her until neither of us could walk.
When she pulled away after only a few seconds, I clenched my hands at my sides so I wouldn’t just grab her. That’d be a dick move, and I didn’t want to be a dick.
“I need to get dressed.”
I bit my tongue so I couldn’t say she didn’t need them. Instead, I nodded.
She turned and headed back to the main bedroom, but not before she sent me a look over her shoulder that made my blood snap, crackle and pop. Fuck, I really hated being the better man and not following her into the bedroom.
“I thought you said brunch wasn’t until eleven?”
Her voice drifted out of the bedroom, and I closed the door behind me before I walked into the sitting room, heading for the couch.
“It isn’t. I’m early.” I thought a few seconds before adding, “I wanted to see you.”
Silence. Okay, maybe I’d shot myself in the foot by being too honest.
“Rowdy?”
“Yeah?”
“Come here.”
I turned to find her standing in the doorway to the bedroom in just a bra and panties. They weren’t lace or silk, just pink cotton that probably covered more than a bikini would. But my heart raced and every nerve ending in my body burned. And the look on her face…
Holy shit. She wasn’t exactly smiling, but she definitely had something good on her mind. And when she crooked a finger at me, I couldn’t get across the room fast enough. I didn’t exactly run, but…
When I reached her, she grabbed the front of my shirt, tightening her fingers in the cotton and dragging me even closer. I had plans to resist. She wanted to control the situation, and I didn’t have an issue with that. In fact, I kinda liked it.
“I’m glad you came by.”
Her lips whispered against mine, and I rethought the whole control issue. Maybe I could just?—
Her lips pressed against mine, her body melding into mine as she kissed me. And yeah, I put my hands on her ass and dragged her even closer, right against the erection that throbbed behind the zipper in my jeans.
If she pulled away, I’d let her go, but damn, she felt so right here. Plastered almost naked against me, every soft curve begging to be touched. Kissing me like she wanted to inhale me.
But just as I was about to lift her up and press her back against the wall, she pulled away. My eyes flew open, and I stared into hers, the blue almost a stormy gray right now.
“Sorry, that was?—”
“Amazing. Don’t apologize.” Though it almost pained me to do it, I released her and stepped back. My momma raised me right. “Let’s just call it a preview for later.”
Her laughter seemed to surprise her. “I thought we had the full show last night?”
“Oh, no, Princess. That was just a taste. Like the spoonful of ice cream you get at the shop. Just makes you want more.”
“So what flavor are you?”
“I guess you have to decide that for yourself. But you’re definitely Birthday Cake. ”
Her expression turned confused. “Why Birthday Cake?”
“Because you’re sweet…” I pressed a kiss to her cheek, just to the left of her lips, “and made for a party.”
She got that look again, the one where her lips parted and her eyes widened, and I could tell she was thinking something, but I couldn’t tell what. Then she laughed again, that full-belly sound that eventually led to that delicate snort I found so fucking adorable, but that she obviously felt embarrassed by. Her hand came up to cover her mouth, and she turned away for a second, shaking her head.
“I don’t know what to make of you.”
She sounded genuinely perplexed, but I just shrugged because I’d heard it before.
“I’m just a guy, standing in front of a girl?—”
“Wait, wait, wait. You are not going to quote ‘Notting Hill’ at me?” Now she looked astounded and amazed, and I bit back a smile.
“What’s that?”
She stared for another few seconds, her mouth hanging open in shock, before she smacked me in the chest with one of those delicate hands of hers.
“I honestly don’t know what to do with you.”
“I have a few suggestions.”
And all of them had to do with her naked and me worshipping every inch of skin on her body before I fucked us both into oblivion.
Her eyes got brighter, and her expression transformed with sheer joy. Absolutely beautiful.
“And I really hope we get to do a few of them tonight.”
“I’m looking forward to it.”
Another pause, another smile, but this time, there was something else there, something a little sad.
“I guess I should get dressed.”
“You don’t have to on my account. ”
“I think I might be a little cold if I go out in this. And I think I might shock your parents.”
“Princess, my parents have owned a minor league hockey team full of misfits for the past two decades. They wouldn’t be surprised if you walked out of here naked.”
Her brows arched. “Are you trying to tell me something?”
“My life’s an open book. Ask me anything.”
I thought she’d make a joke. Instead, her eyes narrowed, and I could tell she was working something over in her head, and that I should probably be worried. I’d just given her a free pass to my life. And I’d meant it. I just hadn’t expected her to take me seriously.
“Do you ever think about moving away from here?”
Damn, it’s like she know exactly what I’m hiding. “Sometimes, yeah.”
“Have you never thought about playing for another league?”
“Once or twice, yeah.” Or, like, five hundred times in the past few weeks.
Her head cocked to the side, and she looked at me like she could read my mind.
“Why do I think that’s not entirely true?”
Because I was a pretty shitty liar, and everyone around here knew that. But I was damn good at telling people what they wanted to hear without answering a straight question.
I shrugged, letting my lips curve in a grin that usually allowed me get away with almost anything. “So maybe I’ve thought about it more than a few times. But, I love it here. I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else.”
But would I like to play somewhere else? Play for a team that actually gave a shit about winning? And leave behind a group of guys who counted on me to be here, to be the one stable thing in their lives?
“But would you play somewhere else?”
Maybe she could read minds .
“My team depends on me. My dad depends on me.” Hell, the town depended on me, to some degree, because I was the face of the team and the town depended on the team. And that wasn’t ego. That was just the way it was.
She continued to stare into my eyes, and I could practically see those wheels turning. “But what do you want?”
“You.” Hell, I didn’t even have to think about that answer. Right this second, she was the only thing I wanted. Not hockey. Not to play for another team. Not anything. “I want you.”
For a second, I didn’t think she was going to let me get away with the dodge. Because even though what I’d said was true, I hadn’t really answered her question.
Putting my hands on either side of the wall so I wouldn’t grab her again, I leaned forward and nuzzled my nose against her neck, breathing her in. She sucked in a quick breath before leaning forward and tilting her head farther to the side, inviting me to do more than run my nose along her warm skin.
I pulled back before I decided to take her up on the offer.
“You better get dressed or risk Krista finding you in a compromising position.”
She huffed out a laugh and put her hand on my chest, though she didn’t push me away. She petted me as she smiled up at me, those blue eyes sparking with amusement.
“Then you need to leave.”
Nodding, I took a few steps back. “See you in a few, Princess.”
I forced myself to walk out and around the house to the front door, smiling all the way.