Chapter 6

Kendra continues to regard me steadily. Warmly. “I’m sorry. That must have been very difficult.”

“Yeah. That’s putting it mildly.” But man, this is not what I want to talk about with Kendra. This is depressing and I want to have fun with her. “Anyway, when she got sick, I took time off to be with her.”

Her face softens and she makes a gentle sound.

“I didn’t really think I was going to end up missing the whole next season, too. But it happened and now I have to deal with it if I want to make it back onto the roster.” I smile and try to lighten the mood. “I’ll go get our dinner ready. I know you’re pretty excited for the quinoa pilaf.”

I love the smile I get from her.

“What can I help with?” She follows me back to the kitchen.

“Not a thing. Our trainer has these packages delivered to us. Some meals are already made, and there are ingredients for making some of the other menu things. I’ve got marinated chicken breasts I’ll cook on the grill, and the pilaf just needs to be heated up.”

She takes a seat on a big brown leather stool at the counter and toes off her high heels, letting them fall to the floor as I pull food out of the fridge. When I turn, I catch her checking out my ass, and her eyes are warm. My lungs expand and I try not to drop the chicken. The intense flash of heat between us is a little…stunning.

“Hopefully you’re okay with this.” I give her an apologetic grimace. “Going out for dinner is a challenge when I’m trying to follow this meal plan.”

“I can see that. And I’m fine. I try to eat healthy myself, but I indulged in deep dish pizza last night, so this is great.”

Who’d she have deep dish pizza with last night? A hot little flame flares briefly in my gut. But that’s not my business. “You gotta have deep dish pizza when you’re in Chicago. It’s the law.”

She gives a low laugh. “Truth. Though it’s not really pizza.”

“What?” I stare at her in horror.

“Not like New York pizza.”

“Phhhht. There’s nothing special about New York pizza. Deep dish pizza, on the other hand, is unique.”

She grins. “Hmm. A difference of opinion. Anyway, I also went for a run, so hopefully that made up for it.”

“You run?”

“Yeah. Can’t say I love it, but I love to eat, so I do it.”

“Where’d you go?”

“Along Lake Michigan.”

“See, another advantage of Chicago—beautiful running routes.”

We chat about a whole bunch of stuff while I turn on the gas grill out on my balcony, throw the chicken breasts on there, and heat up the pilaf. I get out plates and cutlery and she arranges them on the island in front of her and the stool next to her, and then we keep talking as we sit and eat. She noticed my book, The Mind of a Champion, on the coffee table, and asks about it.

“It’s pretty good, although I just started it. It talks about how your mind influences your performance just as much as your physical skill does, maybe even more.” I pause. “I guess you know something about that as a psychologist.”

Her smile is so goddamn gorgeous it makes my chest hurt. “Maybe a little. I’m not a sports psychologist, though.”

“Right. You’re a sexologist.”

She laughs. “No, I’m not. Sexology is a very specialized discipline.”

My mouth drops open. “You mean there really is such a thing?”

She laughs again. “Yes! I took courses in human sexuality, but I went into counseling.”

I barely taste my food because I’m looking her. Watching those lush lips close over her fork, her sip her beer, watching her smile. Intelligence lights up her eyes as we talk.

What’s even hotter? She’s watching me, too.

It’s a huge stroke to my ego. Kinda makes me feel like I can conquer the world. I haven’t felt this confident or in control for a long time.

Before I know it, we’re done eating and she’s helping me clean up the kitchen.

It all seems so comfortable and easy, and yet there’s that current of electricity running between us, a low-level anticipation that has my balls full and aching.

We both know why I invited her over and it wasn’t for the healthy wonder grain. I’m pretty proud of my restraint, seeing as I’ve been nursing a semi since she climbed into my SUV. But my restraint is fraying and as she dries her hands on a kitchen towel, I crowd her up against the counter and kiss her.

Her hands go still and she opens for me with a soft sound of pleasure, kissing me back with all the heat and hunger I’m feeling for her. Sensation rushes through me, that incredible mind-scrambling pleasure of having a woman’s body against mine, her mouth on mine, her hands gripping my T-shirt after she drops the towel and pulling me even closer.

I curve my hands around the sides of her neck and lick inside her mouth, wanting to devour her. I press my dick against her softness and feel her sharp inhale. “You feel that?” I murmur against her lips. “Feel how hard I am for you?”

“Mmmm.”

“You want that?”

“Yessss…”

My thumbs rub over her jaw and I tilt her head for another deep kiss. Then my hands go to her waist and I lift her onto the counter. I step between her legs and she grips my hips with her thighs and drapes her arms over my shoulders. Our eyes meet in a burst of sparks.

“Right here?” Her lips curve up into a smile.

I nip at her jaw, then her earlobe, curving my hands around her narrow rib cage. “What’s wrong with right here?”

“Nothing.” Her head falls back and I kiss her throat. “I’m good with it.”

Fire races through my veins. “Well, kitchens are for eating.”

She lets out a breathy laugh. “That sounds promising.”

“Yeah.” I unwind the light scarf from around her neck and toss it aside, then kiss my way down her neck and over her chest in the low opening of her top. My hands slip under it, gliding up her smooth back, then around to her front, slowly pushing up the top. “I know we just ate, but…I’m starving.”

She meets my eyes, hers heavy-lidded and dark, and sinks her teeth into her bottom lip. That heats my blood even more. She lifts her arms and I draw the top over and off, leaving her in a little pink lace bra that’s barely there and her jeans.

Women are beautiful. Soft, smooth, but firm and strong, too. All the curving lines and silky textures.

Kendra is beautiful.

“Pretty.” I trace the edge of one triangular cup, then run my fingertip from between her breasts down the groove in the center of her torso. I linger on the piercing at her navel. “This, too.” Then I pop open the button of her jeans.

Her breath stutters.

I lower the zipper and start to work her out of the tight jeans. She pushes her hands into the counter and lifts her ass up to help me, and I peel them down her legs and off. Now she’s sitting in front of me in that little pink bra and a matching thong that’s sheer lace at the front. My tongue wants to hang out of my mouth.

My hands go to her calves. I stroke up and down the backs of them, lingering behind her knees. I can tell by the way her lips part that she likes that. Then I curve my hands around firm calf muscles and lift her legs up. She balances herself on her hands behind her, then lowers to her elbows.

“Okay?” I murmur. “The counter’s hard.”

“I’m okay.” She’s watching me with avid eyes as I prop her bare feet on the edge of the counter, opening her to me. Her toes curl, the toenails painted a bright, sexy orange. “Take your shirt off.”

I pause. “Okay. Why?”

“I want to look at you. I love your chest.”

Okay, then! I reach behind my neck and grab the T-shirt to pull it off over my head, my chest swelling with pleasure that she likes to look at me as much as I like to look at her. And that she’s willing to tell me that.

She gives a soft sigh as I drop my shirt on the counter beside her.

I bend down and lick the inside of one thigh. She shivers. I kiss and lick the other one, then press a kiss to the triangle of pink lace. I already know she’s bare under there and I can’t wait to stroke my tongue over that soft skin and taste her arousal.

I raise my head and straighten to bend over her and kiss her mouth while my hand pets her pussy, palming it, rubbing it slowly over her panties. She whimpers against my lips as our tongues tangle. When I lift my mouth from hers, I pause to smile into her eyes.

“God,” she breathes. She slides her elbows down and lowers herself to flat on her back, her hands going up to push into her hair.

I can’t take my eyes off her, she’s so into this, so excited, so sexy. Once more I lay a trail of kisses down her chest, pausing to suck her nipples through her sheer bra. They tighten into hard little points and I kiss her abdomen, tug her little diamond barbell into my mouth, then kiss her lower belly.

With my face between her legs, I breathe in her scent. It makes me feel drunk. Who needs booze when I have this? My head spinning, I press my mouth there.

One of her hands lands on my head, fingers spearing into my hair. “Please.”

“Mmm. Patience, spice girl.” I hook a finger into her panties and tug them aside, revealing her pink plumpness. “Oh fuck, yeah, look at you. Jesus.” My heart thunders in my chest, my breath coming in sharp pants.

Her tongue slides over her bottom lip, her eyes closed. “That’s so hot.”

“What is? Me looking at you?”

“All of it…looking at me…like that…talking like that…taking charge.”

“You’re gorgeous.” Now I have my wish and I can lay my tongue on that silky softness. I lick her up and down, kiss and suck, then investigate deeper with my tongue. Her taste fills my senses, delicate spice. “And wet. So wet.”

Her ass clenches, lifting her against my mouth.

I have to get rid of the thong so I have total access. I grab the side string and give a hard tug and it snaps.

Kendra gasps and lifts her head, eyes blazing at me, her mouth open.

“Sorry, babe. Too impatient.” And I bury my face between her thighs again, reaching for her breasts and filling my palms with them.

Her head goes back again and she’s lifting her hips to me, rolling them, making all these hot little sounds that drive me crazy. And drive my dick crazy, too, because he’s straining in my jeans, so fucking hard, my balls aching. I press a hand there but it doesn’t help.

I lick up all her sweet honey, circle her clit. She’s quivering beneath me. I pluck at her nipples and close my mouth over the swollen bud and she lets out a little scream. Her feet push into the counter and her hips rise as she comes hard. I suck every last tremor out of her until she’s limp and panting, her head rolling back and forth.

“God,” she whimpers. “Oh, my God.”

Male satisfaction ripples through me. I lift my head and wipe my mouth, and her eyes catch mine.

“Go ahead and smirk,” she manages to say, the corners of her mouth lifting. “Yes, that was amazing.”

I let my grin break free. Damn. I love making her come.

I slide her hips along the counter and then pick her up. She squeaks and grabs my shoulders. “What are you doing?”

“Taking you in here. The couch is softer.”

As I approach the white leather couch, I note that its wide, flat arms are perfect for fucking. I bet the designer wasn’t thinking about that when she picked this out.

I lay Kendra down along the arm of the couch. She’s wide-eyed and flush-cheeked, her skin smooth and peachy against the padded leather. “Oh, wow,” she breathes. “You’re…”

“What?” I begin to unfasten my jeans. Her gaze follows my hands as I shove my jeans and boxer briefs down and step out of them.

“Different.”

I pause and frown, my hand automatically going to my dick to give it a stroke. “Different than what?”

“The other day…at the hotel.” Her gaze drops to my hand, then lifts back to my face. “Tonight you’re so…um, dominant.”

I tip my head. “Is that good or bad?”

“I like it.”

“Okay, then.”

I guess she’s right. The other day I was embarrassed after passing out, nervous, uncertain…tonight I definitely feel more confident. And she’s got me pegged—heh, get your mind out of the gutter; we’re not ready for that yet—as in, I do like to take charge and be adventurous when it comes to sex.

Sure, let’s call it adventurous. Some might say sick or perverted. I admit I have a lot of dirty thoughts about women. I’ve watched my share of porn (and when a guy tells you he doesn’t watch porn, don’t believe him) and fantasized about all the filthy ways to fuck I’ve seen. Sometimes I even surprise myself at how depraved I am. I’ve been with women who are into a lot and women who aren’t, and it’s all good. I’d never act on something that’s not consensual. But think about it?…hell, yeah.

And what I like about Kendra…I think she’s right there with me.

The room is dim with the overcast skies and rain still drizzles outside, the fire casting a warm, flickering glow on us.

“Let’s get rid of this.” I slip my hands beneath her to find the clasp of her bra. She arches and I fumble around for a few frustrating seconds until I can unhook it and then pull the scraps of lace away from her. “There we go. More beauty.” My eyes feast on her tits. They’re fucking perfect.

“This feels…decadent.”

“Fucking on the couch?” I tug her hips a little closer to the edge and she braces herself with an arm on the seat.

“Yes…and in front of the windows.”

“Nobody can see us.”

She bites her lip. “Probably not.”

It does feel a bit wicked, but truthfully, it’s not bright in here, the windows are streaming with water, and a voyeur in one of the neighboring high-rises would need a telescope to see us. I mean, that could happen but…who cares.

“Condom, dammit.” I bend to grab my jeans and pull out the condom packets I stashed in the pocket earlier when I bought them. “Sorry.”

The curve of her mouth takes my breath away. “Don’t apologize for safe sex.”

“Right.” I’m an idiot. I roll on the condom, then bend over for a long, slow kiss. My tongue lingers on her bottom lip and she moans when I draw back. I bend my knees and slick my dick up and down through her wetness. Wow, she’s so juiced up I fucking love it, and then I find her entrance and start to ease in.

She’s watching me, eyelids lowered, lips parted, her cheeks all pink. Damn.

“Okay, baby?” I slide out, then back in, going deeper. “You’re so tight. Feels amazing.”

“I’m…good.” She bites her lip. Her hands cup her breasts and squeeze.

I swallow hard. Pressure’s already building, I’m so close to coming. Heat rushes through my body, my balls growing tighter. And yet, I don’t want to come, I don’t want this to end, because it feels so goddamn good and I want more. I want to do more to her. Make her come again. And again. In a million different ways.

I’m balls deep inside her now. She’s making those sexy little sounds again, and tingles race up my spine and down my legs. I tighten my buttocks and thrust into her, harder, deeper. I steady her with a hand on her chest between her breasts, my other hand holding one thigh. She rests her foot on my shoulder and I turn my head down to kiss the top of her foot.

“Fuck, you feel good.” I drive inside again, the sweet friction of her tight, hot pussy nearly making me insane. I lift both her feet to my shoulders and press a hand to her lower belly, holding her gaze with mine as I pump in and out.

Okay, okay. Gotta stop. Too fast. I’m panting, I’m burning up. I suck oxygen into my lungs as I pull out. I gently ease her knees to the side and she rolls off the arm and onto the seat of the couch, on her knees, elbows on the back of the couch. I kneel behind her, nudge her legs apart, and enter her again from behind. The view from here makes my knees weak. “Fuck, Kendra, your ass is gorgeous.”

“Oh, God.” She whimpers. “This is…crazy.”

“That soft little pussy looks so goddamn fuckable…gonna give it to you so hard…”

She makes another strangled sound. She’s looking out the window and it’s getting dark enough that I can see her faint reflection—her hair wild around her pale face, her eyes big and shadowy, her breasts bouncing.

“Okay?” I’m not pushing too hard, am I? She said she likes it. And I’m fucking on fire, flames of pleasure licking over my body, my legs quaking as I drive in and out of her, one hand curled over her shoulder.

“God, yes. Oh, my God.” She pushes up onto straight arms, her hair flowing down her back, and she lifts her arm and curves it behind my head. I find a breast and squeeze it as I continue to thrust into her tight heat. My other hand slides down to find her clit and I slick up my fingers and rub in tight circles.

She cries out, her body clenching around me so hard I damn near lose my mind.

“That’s it,” I growl, leaning over her to rub my face against her hair. “That’s it, you tight little beauty, you made me come…fucking now.” I let out a long groan and I feel her squeezing me, contracting around me, as sensation explodes in my center and my cock jerks inside her with wrenching spasms.

She whimpers, her head down, her body glowing with a sheen of sweat. Yeah, we’ve created more heat than the fireplace.

I pull her hair aside and kiss the back of her neck, then between her shoulder blades. Then I slide a hand to her cheek and turn her face so I can find her mouth in a long, hot kiss.

“Holy shit,” she whispers moments later.

“Are you okay?” Concern swells in my throat.

“Oh, yeah. I’m…fine.” She blows out a short breath. “Better than fine. I’m…kind of blown away.”

I lean my forehead against her back, my heart still knocking. Blown away? I’m damn near destroyed. “Me, too, baby. Me, too.”