“You talkin’ a lot of smack for someone with a shit hand.” Dane raises an eyebrow over his cards, daring Hanson to say something.

“You know something I don’t know? ‘Cause I’m lookin’ at my hand right now and I think you’re in trouble.”

“Both of you need to shut up, I’m trying to concentrate.” I laugh at Leo’s grumbling, so typical of the hot-tempered Canadian.

I’ve never heard a sorry spill from his lips, unless it was facetious. And there was that time he apologized to another defensemen for having such an ugly face.

Yeah, that fight required a shit-ton of stitches.

“Play your hand or forever hold your peace.” I survey my cards, knowing exactly what I’m going to do. There’s no way I’m gonna lose this hand.

“Draw two, bitch.” Dane throws his card down, brown eyes flashing with triumph.

Hanson grumbles as he picks up his cards, then Leo puts down a color change card.

I fan out my last three cards and plop down my yellow and red 6’s. “UNO, fuckers.”

They all groan and I pick up the 20s from the middle of the table. “And that was last game, so you suckers need to let me sleep.”

“Isn’t that your phone ringing?” Hanson picks up the clicker and turns down the speakers. I hear the faint tone of my cell and wonder who’s calling at almost 2am.

Thought I started dodging that bullet when I got rid of my last fling. I grab up my phone from my nightstand and blink at the screen. One too many beers.

“Brandon? What the fuck man, you skipped out on us tonight and now you’re harassing me?” I put the phone and speaker and the guys rib him as he laughs.

“Yeah yeah okay, listen. Little afterparty at my place, the usual. You and the guys come through.”

“My man, it’s damn near 2am.”

“Yeah and you know we won’t have time for this shit soon, so get your asses over here and celebrate my birthday with me.”

“Your birthday isn’t for another month.” Dane scoffs.

“What can I say, I’m special.” We laugh, and I raise my brow at the guys, while they shrug and nod.

“Alright man, we’re on our way.”

Hanson calls for a car since we’ve all been drinking, and I grab a quick shower since the guys came to my place.

I give a fleeting thought to Kaija when I’m washing, but I guess she’s gonna be my one that got away.

* * *

“You sound like an only child.” I tease the brunette in front of me, and she laughs low, looking up at me through long lashes.

“You can tell so easily?” She walks a little closer, putting herself right between my legs and leaning slightly on one thigh.

“Just a little bit.” I brush a piece of hair away from her shoulder, getting closer.

There’s no doubt about what we both want.

“Harlan Reed.” A woman in a tight fitting blue dress leans against the bar next to me and smiles.

“I’m sorry, do I know you?”

“Nope.” She takes her drink from one of the bartenders (because of course Brandon can’t be bothered to mix other peoples drinks or let anyone have free reign of his alcohol).

“Do you want to get out of here? I drove.” The brunette puts a hand high on my thigh, and I try to remember if she said her name was Jess or Tess. The music was louder then.

“Actually, he’s spoken for sweetheart, but that guy over there,” The woman points out Dane, “is single and looking.”

Tess maybe Jess opens her mouth, but the lady steps closer menacingly and puts a possessive hand on my shoulder. “Run along.”

I guess Tess maybe Jess doesn’t like her odds, and she walks away without a second glance.

“Call me Mickey.” Blue dress pats my shoulder, friendlier now, and stirs her drink with the small straw.

“Why the hell did you do that?” I scowl, thumping my beer down on the wood.

“No need to settle for second best.”

“And who’s first? You?” She’s attractive, but seems just a little too mercenary for me.

“I’m spoken for. For the moment.” She laughs, winking. “My sister on the other hand…”

“You did all that to set me up with your sister?” This woman is off her rocker.

“Well apparently, you two already know each other pretty well.”

I shake my head, standing. “I’ll leave you to your word games.”

I walk away, and she doesn’t stop me. Tess maybe Jess is chatting up Dane, who she’s going to have zero luck with, and I don’t really feel like talking to anyone else now.

“Lookin’ a little tired old man, guest room’s free.” Brandon nods at me, and I decide that might be the best plan of action.

Walking in through the basement sliding doors, I keep the lights off, knowing the layout of the house well enough. There are side stairs that lead from the basement to the second floor, and I take them, keeping my footsteps quiet.

I pad down the hallway, yawning. I shake my head. It’s like 4am. Used to be that I didn’t run out of energy for days. The door’s ajar to the room I usually take, and I slide through.

But someone’s already here.

And looking for something.

Leaning against the wall, I roll up my sleeves and watch as a delectable ass wiggles. Very nice first impression. Inspiring.

She’s bent almost all the way over, cursing as she goes through a large basket. I creep up, fighting laughter as the woman mumbles.

“You’re a goddamned idiot. Clearly you need more excitement in your life. I thought he said there’d be women’s clothes in here. Why is this so difficult?”

“Maybe it’s because you’re in the wrong room.” I whisper, giving into laughter when she screams bloody murder and tips over into the basket. She stands up, basket stuck over her tits and jerks around, trying to throw it off.

“Oh my god!” she yells, “I can’t get it off.” I feel like half a bastard laughing, but it’s so damned hilarious. While I let her flail around a few seconds more, I take in her body.

She’s average height. Brown skin that has an alluring glow to it. An ass that sits high and round, begging me to cup it and tits I could easily imagine sliding my cock between while I hold a hand in her silky dark hair.

And her voice…Her voice sounds familiar, but I haven’t heard it enough to place it.

Maybe my night isn’t over after all.

“You know that’s laundry, right?” I tell her, gripping the bottom of the hamper and easily pulling off her. She swipes her messy hair out of her face and I blink at the same time as her mouth twists into a grimace.

“Kaija?”

“Harlan.” Her tone is unimpressed while mine is surprised. “I’d hoped I didn’t run into you tonight.”

I raise an eyebrow, crossing my arms.

“This is my friend’s house.”

“I’m aware.” She sniffs.

“The attitude would work better if I hadn’t just rescued you from an evil laundry basket.” I smirk.

“I’ll be leaving now.” She starts to make a move to step around me but I block her path, nodding at her soaked top.

“You gonna keep that wet shirt on just to get away from me?”

“Yes.” Annoyance is heavy in her brown eyes and it’s not what I want to see. Not when I’ve got a golden opportunity right in front of me.

I step closer, backing her against the wall and putting my hands on her hips.

Reflexively, her hands go to my forearms like she’s going to push me away, but she doesn’t.

“What are you doing?”

“Helping you get you out of this shirt.” I tease my fingertips under the edge and rub my thumbs over the soft skin above her hips.

Her chest rises and falls as she takes a deep breath, but doesn’t say anything to stop me.

“I think I can take a shirt off by myself.”

I slide my hands up her abdomen, holding her just under the cups of her bra but going to further.

“So tell me to stop.” I lift the bottom of one cup with a fingertip and caress the underside of her right breast, watching her face in the low light.

She stays silent, and I slide my hands around to the back of the bra, unhooking the clasp. I grip the bottom of the t-shirt and lift it up, taking it and the bra off as she raises her arms.

“If I remember correctly, you were cussing at me the last time I saw you.” I drop to my knees, and there’s enough height difference that I’m still at the perfect height to do exactly what I want.

I nuzzle my face against her nipples, and feel her slide a hand through my hair.

“I was cussing at you for good reason.” She murmurs. “You were rude.”

I bite down, testing what she likes, and when a moan spills from her mouth - I grip just a little harder then sooth the nub with my tongue before doing the same to her other nipple.

I’ve been dreaming about getting my mouth on her for what feels like forever. I could split rock with my dick right now.

“Your nipples would look even more amazing with bars.” I pinch them between my fingers, liking the way she’s holding onto me.

“There is no way a needle is going near my nipples.”

“I think you’d like the pain.”

“I think you’re a lunatic.” She moans the words, and I stand up, taking her with me and she anchors her legs around my waist automatically.

“You’re right, I’m crazy about your body right now.” I playfully lick her shoulder as we tumble onto the bed and I’m in the perfect place to grind my hips into hers.

“This doesn’t mean anything. This is a one off.” Hooking her ankles together at the small of my back, she talks against my lips and I groan, delving my tongue inside her mouth and kissing her until her grip is tight on my scalp.

I pull back and slow rock our hips together, enjoying the heavy-lidded look on her face, watching those shining deep pink lips part on small gasps.

Fuck.

You’d think it’s not possible to have any blood left to rush to my dick, the wood I’m sporting right now.

“You think one time would be enough?”

“I think it would have to be, because I still don’t like you and I still don’t like what you said.” I stop nipping down her neck like I’ve been doing, because her husky voice isn’t just laced with arousal.

“Are you really still mad?”

“Yes. You think the fact that I want to fuck you negates my anger? I promise you it doesn’t. So, let’s go ahead and get this out of the way and I can go about my life and forget you exist.”

Well, shit.

That is not the thought process I want this woman to have about fucking me.

Uncontrollable lust…can’t think straight…can’t form words…yes.

Getting it over with? What the fuck am I supposed to do with that?

I sit back on my knees, staring down at her. She crosses her arms and sets her mouth in a firm line.

“Alright. Let’s talk about it.” I haul her up before she knows whats happening and switch our positions, leaning back against the headboard and settling her onto my lap.

“Okay, let me up and we will.”

“We talk, we do it like this. I wanna make sure I don’t miss any of your terrifying glare.” That earns me an even deeper scowl and I can’t help but laugh out loud.

A mad, topless woman in my lap.

Not a bad way to end the night.