Chapter 24 #2
“I’m just leaving. Don’t burn the place down after I go.” While next week loomed over my head, I was light on my feet as I headed for the truck.
Even if my hunger was ravenous.
The drive didn’t take nearly as long as usual. The crew had been active over the past couple of days, clearing debris from the roads. But that wasn’t the reason I’d had the pedal to the metal.
I had a reason to go home.
My God. My palms were sweating. My pulse racing. Beads of sweat were rolling down both my enflamed cheeks and for fuck’s sake, all I could think about was burying my face into her sweet pussy.
Well, that and hockey. I’d need to put my libido on hold until after hearing about her great plan.
Funny. As I zoomed down the road heading to the house, I notice I was driving in excess of eighty miles per hour. Maybe we’d start with a little nookie first. Then we’d get down to business.
When I rolled up the driveway, rocks flew from under the tires.
It would seem I was more than eager to get home.
I stormed in, uncertain what to expect, but she was nowhere to be seen.
I finally found her in the same place I’d left her, in the office.
Only the area looked like a warzone. She had a whiteboard set up that I hadn’t even known existed with notes written in various ink colors all over it.
She’d also printed several articles and had them taped to the walls.
Currently, she was behind the desk, her fingers flying on her laptop.
I crowded the doorway, leaning against it with my arms folded, not saying a word.
She didn’t stop and also didn’t bother looking up. But she knew I was in the room.
“Are you going to just stand there staring at me all night?” The throaty sound of her voice sent a ripple of need through me.
“What would you prefer I do, stretch you across the desk and have my way with you?”
“Very funny. I’m working.”
“And I can fix that.”
She offered her usual reaction. A roll of her eyes. “What do you have there?”
I’d forgotten I’d brought home the newspaper. “An article written on some awesome dudes. Mighty sexy too if you ask me.”
“Let me see.”
Unable to help myself, I lifted it over my head. “Come and get it.”
“Oh, yeah?”
“Oh. Yeah.”
She rose from the desk slowly, the smile on her face as mischievous as the woman. What a pleasant surprise not to see her usual expression of wanting to eat me alive.
Wait. What was I saying? My cock was still aching.
As she sashayed closer, she never blinked until she was only six inches away. Then she did, using her long eyelashes to try to woo me. When I didn’t fall for her trick right away, she lunged forward and up, somehow managing to snatch the paper from my hands.
“Don’t mess with a former Choctaw High School basketball star,” she threw out while backing away.
“Ah, the things I learn about you.” I couldn’t take my eyes off her as she read the article. Even more interesting than the words on the paper were her reactions, one emotion rolling after the other.
Including shock followed by her signature wicked smile. A scheme had just slipped into her mind.
“What do you have cooking up?”
Her laugh wasn’t helping my physical condition. “I know the reporter. James Sparrow. Cool name, huh? We went to college together. We were in competition for contests, complete oil and water, but I consider him a good friend. It would seem karma is turning in our favor.”
“Should I be jealous?”
“Uh, not in the least.” She laughed, narrowing her eyes a few seconds later. “You’re jealous, huh?”
“You are my woman.” I grunted for emphasis.
“We’ll see about that. This could be magic.”
I was beginning to wonder if there was such a thing.
Her answer confirmed she had no clue what our mating would mean for the future.
It was my responsibility to tell her we were joined at the hip.
I had to let her know that no matter if she moved a thousand miles away, her body and mind would never allow her peace until we were together.
In a sense, I’d chained her to me. Not that I minded, but she might.
“I have an idea. A perfect, slam dunk of an idea.”
I walked closer, offering her an exaggerated sigh as I did. “You make me nervous when you talk like that.”
“You’re going to need to trust me. Can you do that?”
“That depends.”
“Oh, come on. With this pretty face?”
Did she not think enticing a wolf would have consequences? In being around her with every emotion hanging out, I’d found myself more uncontrolled than I had at any other time of my life.
I cupped her face, dragging her closer. While she tried to push me away, I was having none of it.
“Me wolf. You mate.” As if I could ever pass for an actor. But kissing her, devouring every inch I knew oh too well. Tasting her had become one of the sweetest aspects of my life. With our lips locked together, I pushed her across the desk, almost knocking her laptop to the floor.
The moment I thrust my tongue inside, she wiggled her hips and I knew the classic move of her trying to gain control. That just wasn’t going to occur. What did the brat do to fend me off even as I had my tongue down her throat?
She swatted me with the newspaper.
I did so adore a girl with verve. One who enjoyed it rough and tumble style was a bonus.
While the kiss had stood a chance of taking on a life of its own, her tongue and mouth enjoying mine, she was clearly distracted.
The realization didn’t appease my wolf, but he’d learn to live with disappointment.
For now.
When I pulled our lips apart, she licked hers before taking a deep breath. “How was your day, darling?”
Laughing, I couldn’t help myself, shifting my groin back and forth across hers. The friction could quite possibly be a mistake. I could see the same longing in her eyes. “We should talk.”
“Yes,” she cooed while pushing me with enough force she was able to crawl out from under me. “We need to. Right after I put the final piece of my revenge tour in place.”
“Revenge tour?” While she returned to the other side of the desk and to her laptop, I craned my neck while remaining lying on the surface to see another wave of consternation on her face.
“I think it has a nice ring to it. When the new hockey season begins, your notoriety will be boosted so high, I’ll need to peel you off the ceiling.”
I folded my arms across my chest, staring up at the ceiling. “Well, here’s the thing. There might not be a new hockey season.”
“What does that mean?”
“That means both Ford and I have a meeting with our agent, the Hellions’ owners, our coaches, and my guess is their attorney next week. Trust me that you don’t meet with the entire group of people responsible for your career for praises.”
“They’re taking the cheating thing seriously.”
“That would be my guess. Plus, rumor has it that Bronco is incapacitated, possibly never to play again. Those assault charges just might be put into place.”
A slow, steady, and evil grin slipped across her shimmering face. “You should stop underestimating me. I was at that game. Remember? I saw exactly what happened.” She pressed up from the desk, leaning over me like a vulture. The prettiest one I’d ever seen.
“While I appreciate your determination in dragging Ford and me out of quicksand, need I remind you that not only are there real photographs of our sinful tryst, but also doctored ones? In this society, people will believe anything.”
“As I said, you underestimate me. We’ll need to talk about that.
” She lifted her phone. “If there was anything decent about Matt, it was that he reminded me to take photos, documenting everything. Not only did I take a few pictures of the fight on the ice, I also hit record and created a video of the entire thing. And before you say anything, there are experts who can identify the truth from lies.”
I rolled over, getting in her workspace. “So you’re just going to release it?”
“Not without fanfare and I have the perfect idea. Just give me a couple minutes and I’ll go over the entire plan. We’re in this together. Right?”
When I didn’t answer right away, she narrowed her eyes.
“Why risk your career for me?”
“Why?” Sloane seemed confused I’d ask.
“Yeah, why. We barely know each other. We fight like cats and dogs. We live a couple thousand miles away from each other. That’s for starters.”
“Yes, yes, and yes, but you’re forgetting the most important reason I might be willing to put everything on the line to ensure you’re not railroaded into obscurity.”
“What’s that?”
“You just happen to be my mate.” With that, she walked away from the desk with the phone in her hand.
That was right. I was her mate.
Now what the hell was I going to do about it?