15. Connections #2
But that isn’t what catches my attention.
Taryn comes out of the room, followed by Colsen a few seconds later.
I don’t know why I take a step back, finding cover behind another huge potted plant.
COLSEN
From the second I saw Taryn in her short pink dress, I’ve been dreaming about taking it off of her. Maybe with my teeth.
Watching her from afar in the crowded room of the Country Club has been torture, but I was biding my time until we could slip out unnoticed by our coaches.
I fight the urge to take her hand in mine. The long hallway right outside the function room looks deserted, and I take a calculated risk.
“You’re going in the wrong direction, pretty girl.” I whisper, catching up to her as she heads toward the club’s exit.
Taryn stops in her tracks. “Oh? I thought we were going back while everyone is still here? But if you changed your mind, I understand.”
I look left and right to confirm that we’re alone before pulling her against me. “I haven’t changed my mind about spending the night with you. But I have a little surprise for you.”
“What is it?” Her smile is cautious.
I show her the room keycard that has been burning a hole in my pocket all night. “If we go home, one of us will have to sneak out before morning and risk getting caught. I want to sleep with you in my arms all night, so I got us a room here at the club.”
Her smile widens and eyes light up, and I feel like a million bucks for putting that huge smile on her face. “That’s so cool. But it must have cost you a fortune. And I know we’re getting paid by the reality show and for the dolls, but we haven’t seen a cent yet.”
I nod. Some of us don’t have rich parents funding our college education, and we were hoping to get at least the advance on the dolls’ royalties straight away. It sounds like we’ll have to wait until summer training is over.
“Yeah, I know. Don’t worry about the money. I have my ways.”
Taryn’s eyes widen. “Colsen. Please don’t tell me you stole a key or something.”
She’s adorable, and for a second I think about teasing her and making her think that she’s right. But I want to get to our room before someone sees us. So I grab her hand and lead her toward the main lobby.
“Nothing like that. Remember Chance Hunter, one of the sophomores who scored against UCLA?”
“Isn’t he the mayor’s son?” She asks.
“That’s him.” I confirm. “He’s pretty tight with Jules Cutler, the son of the club’s owner. I asked him if he could hook me up and Jules gave me the friends and family discount.”
The doors of the elevator in the club’s lobby open, and we step in.
Taryn pulls me closer the second the doors close with a ding.
“Thank you so much for thinking of this.” Our noses are touching, and it’s gonna take the smallest of movements to close the distance between us and kiss new.
“Oh. There’s just one problem with your plan.
I’ll have to try to sneak out early, anyway.
I can’t be seen coming back to training camp in tonight’s dress. ”
I let go of her hand to wrap my arms around her waist. “Right ahead of you. There’s an overnight bag with a change of clothes for you in the room.”
The surprise on her face is worth the extra planning it took to make this happen.
“How did you do it? Did you sneak into my room or something?”
“Nah,” I chuckle. “Too risky if someone saw me. The club has a cute clothing store. I just had a look online and asked Jules to bring the items I chose to our room.”
She blushes. “That must have cost you a fortune.”
“Friends and family discount, remember? Besides, it’s just a change of underwear and a little sundress. Nothing crazy.”
“How did you know my size?”
The elevator arrives on our floor. This time I’m confident when I take Taryn’s hand to lead her down the hallway and to our room.
“We’ve taken our clothes off together a few times.
It wasn’t that hard to notice what size you wear.
I promise I’m not a creep; I’m just observant.
It’s a good skill to have when you’re always watching the puck, looking for an opening. ”
Taryn doesn’t say anything as she follows me to our door and steps into the room.
Worried about her silent reaction, I barely notice the gorgeous room Jules reserved for us. He went above and beyond by giving us a suite. I’ll have to make sure to thank him tomorrow, whether Taryn decides to stay or not.
The look on her face is making me panic. She’s looking around without saying anything, and I hope buying her clothes wasn’t too weird.
“Hey,” I eat the distance between us. She’s at the master bedroom’s doorjamb, staring at the California king-sized bed in the middle of the room. A cream colored shopping bag with Star Cove Country Club printed in blue on the front is sitting on the silk of the comforter.
She doesn’t resist when I take her into my arms. “Taryn, I hope I didn’t overstep. If I did, I’m so sorry. I promise it wasn’t my intention. Please, pretty girl, tell me how I fix this.”
“Oh no, Colsen.” Her eyes are huge and shiny as she looks at me; like she’s on the verge of tears. “That’s the most romantic, most thoughtful thing anyone has ever done for me. I don’t think I deserve it.”
“Are you kidding me?” I pull her closer until her soft chest is flush with mine. “You deserve everything, pretty girl. I wish I could take you to a nice place like this every weekend. Once I go pro next year, I’ll be able to do stuff like this any time we can get away together.”
I’ve actually been meaning to talk to Tucker about planning a nice vacation for us and Taryn for next summer.
By then, we will no longer be Cove Knights.
And even if our girl decided to audition again for a second year with the Shooting Stars, that horrible no fraternization clause wouldn’t apply to us.
We’ll have had our sign up bonuses, and we’ll be able to afford to take her somewhere awesome. Maybe the Caribbean, or even Paris.
“Colsen,” she murmurs, her hands running down the lapels of my suit jacket. “There is something I’ve been meaning to talk to you about. I was thinking about getting you and Tucker together to tell you, but…”
She looks worried.
“Are you breaking up with us? Or with one of us?” The panic from earlier rears its head again. If I had any doubts that I’m falling for Taryn, the way my heart drops at the thought of losing her confirms that I’m done for.
Taryn shakes her head. “No. It’s just something about my past that I think you guys should know.”
Relief floods me again. “Then it can wait until tomorrow. We’ll try to find somewhere to go together, the three of us. Somewhere where we can talk without getting spotted and causing trouble for you.”
She hesitates for a second, but eventually she nods. “Ok. So since we’re all talked out and we’re alone in this beautiful suite, I think you should kiss me.”
My smile mirrors her own. “Yeah?”
“We wouldn’t want to let this beautiful room go to waste, right?”
“That would be rude.” I agree and finally, fucking finally, I do what I’ve been dying to do since I saw her arriving at the party in this perfect dress.
I kiss her.
Fuck. Her lips are soft, and when she melts against me, I struggle not to immediately deepen the kiss. I got us this room so I could take my time with her.
Our last few encounters have been in situations where we could have gotten caught. I’ve been dreaming about worshipping her body, exploring her with my hands and mouth like on the first night we were together.
So I purposely keep our kisses playful and shallow.
“Colsen,” she pants, fisting my shirt as my mouth leaves hers to glide down the column of her neck.
“Hmm?” I find the spot at the base of her neck that drives her crazy and open my mouth.
Taryn arches her back to give me better access, and I suck on the soft, smooth skin near her collarbone the same way I’m dying to do to her clit.
She pulls my face up. “When I asked you to kiss me, I meant like this.”
Sweet Jesus. Her mouth covers mine, and when I feel the tip of her tongue brushing against the seam of my lips, I can’t help but allow her in.
She tastes like Champagne and pure sin. Every brush of her tongue against mine sends sparks of heat down my spine.
I feel my way down her perfect body while I devour her. Our breaths come faster as we lick and nip, exploring each other. But it isn’t enough. It’s never going to be enough with Taryn.
My hands cup her perfect ass over her dress and I press her against my body. My cock is so hard that it’s almost painful.
Fuck. I said I was gonna take my time. “Wait, wait.” I cover her hand with mine when she tries to open the button of my pants.
“Is something wrong?” She asks.
“Nothing is wrong.” I pant, willing my pulse to slow down. “I’m just trying to go a little slower. I don’t want you to think that I brought you here to act like a caveman.”
The corners of her lips curl into a sexy, wicked little smile. “What if I want you to act like a caveman?”
It’s my turn to smile. “Don’t encourage me, pretty girl. I was trying not to ruin the romantic vibe.”
She palms my cock through my pants and I swear I see stars. “Give me the caveman treatment first, and we have all night to be romantic. Unless you’re too exhausted after the game to go more than once.”
I don’t even dignify that statement with an answer. I’m a hot-blooded, twenty-one-year-old elite athlete with enough stamina to play two hockey games and fuck my girl all night long.
“Colsen!” Taryn half-squeals, half-giggles when I hoist her over my shoulder. “What are you doing?”
The skirt of her dress rides up as she’s bent over my shoulder. I can’t resist the urge to lift it a little higher and lower my face to take a bite of that perfect ass clad in pink lace that matches her dress.
She lets out a surprised little scream, and I use my tongue to soothe the sting I just caused. “You bite now?”
“You said you wanted caveman” I chuckle. “I’ll give you caveman. One day, if you let me, I’m gonna fuck that perfect ass of yours. Maybe while Tucker takes your perfect little pussy.”
“Oh my God.” I can feel the way she squeezes her thighs together.
Taryn loves the idea of me and Tucker taking her together. Could she ever be more perfect for us?
I start walking to the huge bed, already planning all the things I want to do to her.
A knock on the door stops me in my tracks. “Who the hell could it be?” I bite out, annoyed by the interruption.
“Did you order anything from room service?” Taryn asks from over my shoulder.
“No.” Could someone have seen us sneak out? I hope it isn’t Coach Harrison, or God forbid, one of Taryn’s coaches.
Thank goodness Star Cove Country Club offers the most modern amenities to its guests. Rather than a peephole, each guest room has one of those video cameras on the door, and there’s a digital screen the size of a large smartphone on the inside.
I walk to the door with Taryn still dangling from my shoulder and grunt when I see the biggest cock blocker on the West Coast.