4. Gwen
When Cade interrupted those guys bothering us on the dance floor, I immediately wanted to tell him to go away, that we were fine. But when I saw the look in his eyes as he watched me—his dark eyes full of hunger—all thoughts of sending him away flew out the window. The only thing I wanted to do was to keep my mouth shut and legs open.
It feels like the first time in a long time that he’s letting out that playful side of himself. Usually, he keeps anything resembling an emotion locked up in a vault. So obviously, I’m testing the waters, seeing how far I can push the limits before he snaps to his senses and reminds me just how bad of an idea this is.
The problem is that I’ve never thought it was a bad idea.
Luckily, tonight we both seem to be in the frame of mind that we just want to have fun—hopefully together, based on how he’s acting. But now, after being on the dance floor, in such close proximity to him, I need a little liquid courage to keep myself from overthinking everything. Like, why now? What’s different today that has him changing his mind—that has him willing to cross these boundaries with me? He’s always kept me at arm’s length, keeping the line between us well established. But now? Now, I’m not even sure there is a line.
After three… maybe four rounds of tequila with the last of our group, I’m finally feeling ready to dance with the big grump and see just how much trouble I can get into tonight because, dammit, I deserve it.
This is exactly what I need after the shit afternoon I had—a night of fun where I can forget the stress of the real world. The stress of not being in control and knowing that will never change. Working in the nursing field means there are a lot of things I won’t have control over, especially when it comes to someone”s health.
Looking at Cade across the table from me, I see his eyes drift over to Max and Cassie, who are on the dance floor putting on a show for the entire bar while Sawyer just shakes her head. She’s used to it by now, although it took a bit for her to get used to their PDA. It’s not long before Cade’s eyes come back to me, only now his dark brown eyes are glossed over with tequila and unguarded desire. Mix that with the backwards hat he’s now wearing and the crooked grin playing on his lips, and he’s the bad boy of my dreams.
We’ve become more and more flirtatious as the night has gone on, but it still feels like we’re tiptoeing around it. Nothing obvious has happened yet, just a lot of little touches and flirty comments. Right before we came back from the dance floor, he let his lips graze down my neck before pressing a soft kiss against my pulse point that nearly sent me into cardiac arrest. I want him, and I’m not sure what I need to do to make him finally snap.
“He’s staring again,” Sawyer whispers to me, nodding at Cade, who is chatting with the guys.
I already know, though.
I”ve been able to feel his eyes on me, piercing my skin with their heat. His usual light brown eyes are a dark, chocolatey shade, like his hair, as desire swirls through them. It’s intense in an almost dangerous way—like what I would imagine standing outside of a burning building would feel like. Close to the fire, yet not directly in it. It feels like a warning, but instead of nerves, excitement buzzes through me. I’m eager to run headfirst into the fire, just waiting to get burned.
“No, he’s not,” I lie.
“Bullshit.”
I just shrug and grab my water, hoping she can’t tell just how affected I am by this whole situation. It’s always fun to flirt around and throw Cade off —it’s one of my favorite little games. I’m just not used to him reciprocating, especially so obviously. He knows I think he’s hot, and I haven’t gotten laid in months. I”ve made plenty of little jokes about being well overdue for a good roll around in the sheets. I mean, the closest I’ve been to a man in the last twelve months was the night Cade and I went to a concert and stayed in Philly. Between the music, the booze, and the fact that he made sure to protect me in the pit, it did something to me that night. I still remember the feel of his chest pressed against my back while I watched with stars in my eyes, listening to Morgan Wallen serenade me. It was just Cade and I, and that was the one time we almost let things get carried away.
But that was also the night he made it crystal clear he doesn’t do relationships or feelings and that he and I would only ever be friends.
Just friends.
I’d fuck my friend, though, so I guess the joke’s on him.
When I look back at Cade, he’s still watching me, his tongue swiping along his bottom lip, and I can’t stop thinking about his tongue sliding down my body. The little grin on his face unnerves me—it makes me believe he knows what I’m thinking. I wonder if he knows that just his heated gaze has already done more to my body than any other man has done, ever.
“You look like you have something to say.” I set my glass back down, not exactly sure what to add with him looking at me like he wants to eat me. The man’s practically oozing sexual energy tonight—not something I’m used to being on the receiving end of.
But the way he’s watching me, leaning back in his chair with his glass in one hand and his other arm thrown over the chair next to him, has me about ready to climb into his lap and taste that whiskey he’s been drinking.
“You haven’t been out with us in a while,” he finally says matter-of-factly, no elaboration provided.
“No, I guess I haven’t.” I shrug.
“Why not?” Cade asks, his deep voice echoing through the noise in the bar, sending tingles down my spine and straight to my lady bits.
“I’ve been working. The hospital has basically become my second home,” I say, glancing around and spotting our friends on the dance floor. Everyone dispersed from our table, leaving Cade and me alone, and I can’t help but wish we were out there, too. I wish I could feel his hands on my body again—his body pressed to mine while our friends surround us as they dance.
Fuck, it’s so tempting, but I still can’t bring myself to be bold and tell him exactly what I want from him.
“You say that like it’s a bad thing. The rink is my life, and I love it.”
“The difference is that my job doesn’t help me get laid, quite the opposite actually. Your job, on the other hand, seems to be pretty damn helpful when it comes to helping you get your dick wet,” I joke.
His eyes widen in shock, but he just grins.
“Do you think about me getting my dick wet often?” he whispers, his gravelly voice making me even more turned on. He takes a sip of his drink and watches me like he didn’t just ask me if I think about him fucking other women.
“I mean… don’t you guys usually have girls throwing themselves all over you after every game? What are they called? Puck bimbos?”
“Bunnies,” Cade replies with a smirk, his thumb brushing against his lip, his eyes bouncing down to my mouth, and I can’t help it, I stare back.
“Yeah, that’s what it is. Puck Bunnies. I bet they go crazy over a guy like you,” I say, waving my hand at him.
“A guy like me? What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You’re one of the best goalies in the league, more saves than anyone else this year, and you’re all hot and shit. Girls go crazy for hot athletes, all the muscles and veins, hell, even the sweat. Mix that with the adrenaline that comes from watching you play? It’s fucking delicious,” I reply, not missing the twinkle in his eyes at my words, even if he doesn’t smile.
“So, you’re saying you think I’m hot?” Cade says playfully.
“Oh, shut it, Williams. That’s like asking if water is wet.”
“That’s a serious debate, Tink. Bad example,” he says with a wink.
I clench my thighs at the sight, the ache in my core intensifies by the second, and it feels like I’m a simple graze away from coming in the middle of this bar.
I just glare, which makes him chuckle. The banter with Cade when he’s in this playful mood is always my favorite, especially when I get to act like a brat because I love watching his eyes flare. But it only makes him broodier, usually. Tonight, it’s making him more possessive, like he’s almost daring me to test him.
I’m just worried if I do it, it’ll all be for nothing. I really don’t want to deal with that disappointment, especially because I’m tired of buying batteries to get my orgasms. I’m due for some fun with an actual man—one who actually knows what the hell he’s doing—so I swallow down my nerves as I stand up and drain the last of my margarita.
“I’m going to go dance,” I announce, the tequila going straight to my head as Cade watches me, his eyes on my cleavage. It’s been ages since I’ve dressed up for a night out, and the confidence I feel in this outfit, with this man”s eyes on me, makes me feel sexier than I have in ages.
Scrubs don’t exactly scream ‘fuck me’ unless you watch Grey’s Anatomy.
“Let’s go then,” Cade growls from his seat, but he doesn’t move.
“To dance?” I question, turning back to Cade as he stands up and makes his way around our table, toward me.
His face has turned to stone; his jaw clenched, while he watches the dance floor. I can see the apprehension in his eyes—the fight he’s constantly in to let go, let himself have a night full of fun. But the moment his eyes are back on mine, I can tell he’s cracked.
“Yes, to dance, Gwen. If you want to dance, it’s with me. There’s not a chance in hell I”m letting you go out there to dance with those guys. They are drunk little boys who aren’t allowed to fucking touch you.”
“And you are?” I ask, unable to stop myself from grinning. “I mean, I thought that broke one of those silly little rules you made. You know, the rules that keep you from touching me like we both know you desperately want to.”
The second the words are out of my mouth, I know I’ve won.
“Fuck,” Cade growls before grabbing my hand and pulling me toward the dance floor. His warm hand grips my own firmly as he slides us between others, more smoothly than I”d expect him to be at six-foot-four. When we finally make it to our group, Sawyer turns and winks at me before Rex spins her back into him, not wanting to share her attention.
The first few songs that play are more upbeat, clubby songs, and we end up all dancing as a group before splitting up as the music gets slower. I thought it would be awkward out on the dance floor with Cade, with our friends watching and all, but it doesn’t feel awkward. It feels normal.
It helps that he’s not weird about any of it, except fully touching me, which is getting annoying.
“Are you saving room for Jesus, or are you just that afraid to touch me?” I say as I watch him standing in front of me. He has his hands on my hips, but he’s making sure there’s still space between us.
After a moment, I feel his fingers loop into my jeans as he roughly pulls me into him. I fall forward, my hands meeting his firm chest. Before I can say anything, he’s spinning me to face away before molding our bodies together, no longer saving room for anyone.
“Does this seem like I”m afraid to touch you, Tink? I was just trying to be respectful,” he growls into my ear, the warmth sending chills down my neck.
“Well, stop it,” I groan when I feel his erection brush against me.
His breath hitches as I press back against him.
“Stop what?”
“Being respectful,” I say, turning to look him in the eye, not wanting him to misinterpret my words. “I’m respectfully asking you to disrespect the fuck out of me.”
The man growls. Like, actually growls in my ear before his fingers grip my hips even harder, almost guaranteeing I”ll have bruises in the morning, but I embrace it. “I hope you know what you’re asking for, Tink,” he says, as he grinds our bodies together to
Secretly, I love the idea of him marking me. Of me having a reminder of what it feels like to have him touch me.
For the next few songs, we lose ourselves in the music and in each other, both of us testing the limits but never going too far.
All I can think about, as his fingers slip past my waistband, teasing me, is how I can still feel him holding back.
“I need to go to the bathroom—come with me,” Sawyer whispers in my ear as the song ends, snapping Cade and me out of our little bubble.
I look up at him, and he just nods, his eyes a little dazed like he’s in shock.
“We’ll be right back,” I tell him with a smile.
“We’ll, uh, go grab water. Meet you back here,” he says before turning and walking away with Rex.
The next thing I know, Sawyer is grabbing my hand and pulling me toward the bathroom.
“What the fuck is happening with you two, and why is the tension at an all-time high?” she bursts out the second we’re alone in the bathroom, fanning herself dramatically. Thankfully, the bathrooms here are singles, but Sawyer and I never go alone—I mean, we’re girls. It’s our M.O.
“I don’t really know. I’m kind of just going with it.”
“I don’t blame you. I mean, it’s Cade. He’s got that broody hot guy vibe going that I don’t think any sane woman would turn down.”
“Yeah, he’s definitely… intense. Tonight just feels different, though. It feels normal. I expected it to be awkward, at least at first, but it wasn”t. I don’t know how to explain it.”
“You don’t have to. I’ve watched the whole thing unfold firsthand. You both just seem happy. I love that you’re happy, but it’s hot as hell watching you two figure this shit out.”
“I wouldn’t go that far. Like I said, my goal for tonight is to let someone else be in charge of my orgasm for a change, it’ll just be an added bonus if it’s Cade.”
“Then let’s stop wasting time and get back out on the dance floor. I want to see what happens when the tension finally snaps.”
Hopefully mind-blowing sex that ends in multiple orgasms, but I’d accept just a fun night of hot sex.