6
The next morning, she was awakened by the buzzing of her phone.
Groggily she opened her eyes and lifted her head off the pillow. Her satin scarf had come askew and was pulled over to one side of her face. She tugged it back into place, then rolled over and fumbled her phone off the nightstand.
She had a text from a strange number.
Good morning.
She blinked several times and then froze, staring down at the simple greeting.
Reid?
Omigod! Reid!
Instantly she was wide awake and alert, her heart pounding with excitement. She sat up in bed, an impish smile curving her lips as she texted back: R u stalking me?
She could almost hear the low, sexy rumble of his laughter before he responded: Not yet.
A shiver ran through her. Shaking her head, she typed: Should I be worried?
Pause.
I think I’m the one who should be worried.
Intrigued, she texted back: Why?
A few seconds passed before she got a response: Because I can’t stop thinking about u. It’s game day and I woke up with u on my mind.
Her breath caught at his words. She leaned back against the headboard, her pulse thudding as she stared down at her phone.
Before she could stop herself, she shared her own confession: I went to bed thinking about that kiss.
Me too. I can still taste u.
The provocative words set off a heated ache between her thighs. She bit her bottom lip, feeling deliciously naughty as she texted back: Do I taste good?
Better than anything I’ve ever tasted. I want more.
Another surge of arousal streaked from her breasts to her sex. God, how she wanted to give him more. But she knew better. And because they were dangerously close to having phone sex, she decided to change the subject.
Do u have any special pregame rituals?
She imagined Reid blinking at the non sequitur, then chuckling before he wrote back: I see what u did there.
She grinned like a Cheshire and then texted: Don’t u have practice this morning?
Morning skate on game days, he explained. Practice on off days. But yeah. Leaving soon.
Nadia felt a pang of disappointment. She was enjoying their conversation way too much.
He sent another message: Come tonite.
He was talking about the game, but her body reacted as if he’d just parted her legs and thrust himself inside her. As her clit throbbed and damp heat trickled from her sex, she bit back a groan and squeezed her thighs together under the covers.
Will u come? he persisted.
She stared down at the screen for a long moment. Then she made a decision, one she would probably end up regretting.
Yes, she acquiesced. I’ll come.
Seconds passed.
Wish u could see my face right now.
So do I, she thought. I’d like nothing more.
Are u smiling? she asked him.
From ear to ear.
So was she. She was smiling so hard it was ridiculous. Kick ass tonite, she told him.
Will do, he promised.
Nadia put her phone down on the nightstand, then settled back against her pillow with a dreamy sigh of contentment.
Closing her eyes, she found herself reliving the feel of Reid’s lips against hers, his silky tongue sliding in and out of her mouth. As her body heated, she reached down and lightly touched her small breasts. Her nipples peaked against the soft fabric of her T-shirt. She rubbed them slowly, wondering what it would be like to have Reid caressing her like this, running his callused palms over her breasts, her hips and her thighs. Did he have a gentle touch? A slow hand?
Aroused by the thought, she reached under the covers and slipped her hand into her cotton boy shorts. The flesh between her legs was hot and slick. Biting her lip, she eased two fingers into her wetness, shivering as her womb contracted and her toes curled.
She began stroking herself, imagining Reid’s fingers down there in place of hers. She imagined him pressing deep inside her, finding her most sensitive spot while his thumb teased and circled her pulsing clit. As a moan slipped past her lips, she arched back on the bed. Her skin was flushed and tingling, thighs trembling as she fucked herself with her fingers while picturing Reid’s face above—
“Nadia? You up?”
At the sound of Nelson’s voice, she yanked her hand out of her underwear like a guilty teenager who’d been caught masturbating by her parents. Which, thankfully, had never happened.
“Yeah, I’m up.” Her voice was shaky with embarrassment.
“I’m heading out early,” Nelson called through the door. “See you later.”
“Okay. Have a good day.” As his steps retreated down the hall, she called out, “Oh, hey! Wait!”
He came back and cracked the door open to peer at her. “What?”
She hesitated. “I changed my mind…about the game. I’m going.”
“For real?” Nelson looked surprised. And pleased. “What made you change your mind?”
Her cheeks warmed. “I just did.”
“Cool.” Nelson grinned. “Why don’t you invite Jess, and I’ll see if Bianca wants to come so we can all hang out in the press box. Garrett usually brought two or three friends to the season opener.”
“Sounds good,” Nadia agreed.
After Nelson left, she lay there debating whether to finish what she’d started. But the mood had been totally killed. Besides, she needed to hop in the shower and get to work so she could sneak out early. Since she didn’t have any high school visits or campus tours scheduled, she planned to spend the day in her office updating her prospective student database and catching up on other paperwork. And maybe she’d skim through a few chapters of Hockey For Dummies so she wouldn’t be completely lost during the game.
She’d get herself off later, she decided, climbing out of bed. After seeing Reid tonight, she knew she’d be hot and horny by the time she got home.
Since she had no intention of sleeping with him, self-service would have to do.
“You are shitting me.”
Those were the first words out of Jess’s mouth when Nadia finished telling her everything that had transpired with Reid. She’d left out no detail, not even the panty-wetting kiss in the very public parking lot.
Leaning back in her chair, she grinned at Jess. “I’m not shitting you. Trust me.”
“Wow.” Perched on the edge of Nadia’s desk, Jess shook her head incredulously. “You and Reid Holden. I can’t believe it.”
Nadia chuckled. “There is no ‘me and Reid Holden.’ I mean, it’s not like we’re dating or anything. We’re just…”
Jess lifted a perfectly sculpted brow. “Just what?”
“Flirting. We’re flirting.”
Jess snorted. “Girl, please. Flirting is something you do with a cute delivery guy or the buff trainer at the gym. You and The Rocket have shot right past flirting and gone straight to foreplay.”
“We have not,” Nadia protested, glancing self-consciously at the closed door of her office.
“You haven’t?” Jess challenged. “Well, let’s see. In less than twenty-four hours, you and Reid have gone out on a date, played tonsil hockey in public and started off your day sexting. Sure sounds like foreplay to me.”
She had a point.
“Technically it wasn’t a date,” Nadia argued. “We just went out for coffee.”
“You had food too. So, technically, that counts as a date.”
Got her there too. Damn.
“I can’t believe you didn’t call me on Tuesday night after you met him,” Jess accused.
Nadia shrugged. “It slipped my mind.”
“Seriously? One of the most popular players in the NHL comes on to you, and it slips your mind?”
“It could happen,” Nadia said, plucking a speck of lint off her gray pants. “Besides, I didn’t want to distract you from studying for your theory test.”
Jess, who worked in the college’s admissions office, attended grad school at the University of Colorado. After Nadia earned her master’s degree in counseling last year, Jess had been inspired to do the same. Like Nadia, she’d chosen the Higher Education and Student Affairs concentration. She had one more year left in the program.
“Since you don’t have class tonight,” Nadia said, “why don’t you come to the game with me? Nelson gets three guest passes for the press box, and he’s bringing Bianca. I don’t want to be a third wheel.”
“Sure. I’ll go. Should be fun.” Jess grinned. “Maybe I’ll get lucky and catch the eye of one of Reid’s hot teammates.”
Nadia chuckled. “I could definitely see that happening.”
With her fair complexion, hazel eyes and long curly hair, Jess was a knockout. Whenever Nadia went out with her and Emily, she always felt like the world’s biggest Plain Jane. Not surprisingly, guys gravitated more to her friends than her.
At the thought of Emily, Nadia glanced across the room at her coworker’s empty desk. Emily had called in sick today. When Nadia called to check up on her, she hadn’t answered her phone. She hoped she was all right.
“Have you Googled him?” Jess asked.
“Who? Reid?”
“Duh. Who else?”
“No, I haven’t Googled him.” Not that she hadn’t been tempted.
“Well, what’re you waiting for?” Jess scooted off the desk, nudged Nadia out of the way and pulled up the search engine on her computer.
Nadia gave her an exasperated look. “I’m trying to work here.”
Jess ignored her, manicured nails clicking rapidly across the keyboard as she entered Reid’s name into Google. Over thirteen million results popped up. He was mentioned in a plethora of articles, press releases, hockey fan forums and top-ranked player lists. There were YouTube videos dedicated to his greatest hits on the ice, as well as Tumblr pages created by fawning fangirls.
Jess clicked on a Sports Illustrated article featuring the highest paid NHL defensemen. Reid was number two.
“He signed a thirteen-year $98 million contract,” Jess read from the piece, “so he now earns about eleven mil a year with the salary cap. That doesn’t include the $3.5 million he makes annually in endorsements.” She whistled. “Girl, you’d better sink your claws into this man before someone else does.”
Nadia smirked at Jess. “Gold digger, much?”
“Not gold digging. Sound investment planning, as my wise aunt likes to call it.” Jess clicked on the Google link for images.
“Holy shit,” she breathed, her eyes widening at the photographs that filled the screen. “He is so fucking hot. Look at those eyes. Wow.”
Nadia hated that her pulse raced as she stared at the collection of photos. There were action shots of Reid gliding across the ice with his stick, checking opponents into the boards, firing slap shots from the blue line and celebrating goals. Off the ice he was shown grinning boyishly in a Detroit Tigers baseball cap, sporting a full scruffy beard, signing autographs for young fans, holding up the Norris Trophy that he won and posing for magazine spreads. There were also a number of photos of him with various bimbos on his arm.
“Do you think he’s ever dated a black woman before?” Jess speculated, scrolling down the page.
“I don’t know.” Nadia sighed. “Judging by those pictures, probably not.”
“Hmm. Well, that’s okay. You can be his first.” Jess grinned wickedly. “You know what they say. ‘Once you go black…’”
Nadia’s face heated. “I’m not sleeping with him.”
Jess snort-laughed. “Of course you are.”
“No, I’m not. Seriously, Jess. I can’t.”
“Why the hell not? You’re both adults. He’s sexy as hell, and the two of you are already in lust with each other. What’s the problem?”
“The problem is that he’s a jock, and you know how I feel about jocks.”
“Yes. I know.” Jess’s expression softened. “Maybe Reid is different.”
Nadia frowned at a picture of a tall blonde suctioned to his side. “I seriously doubt it.”
“You’ll never know unless you give him a chance.”
Nadia grumbled, “You’re just saying that ’cause he’s gorgeous and rich.”
“Well, there’s that,” Jess admitted with a grin. “But I also think you should give him a chance because you seemed to really connect with him. That doesn’t happen every day. In fact, it almost never happens.”
Nadia said nothing.
Jess closed out of Google and leaned her shapely hip against the edge of the desk. “So what’re you wearing to the game?”
“I don’t know. Jeans, I guess.”
“Uh-uh. You have to wear something sexy.”
Nadia rolled her eyes. “I’m going to a hockey game, not the club. I want to be comfortable.”
“Girl, please,” Jess scoffed, flapping her hand. “There’s a time and a place to be comfortable, and this ain’t it. You know I love you, Nadia, but you need to step up your game in the wardrobe department. You’re gonna be competing with hot young white girls who don’t play around when it comes to getting their man. Have you seen what those chicks wear to professional sporting events? They dress sexy because it’s all about getting noticed by the players, not being comfortable.”
Nadia scowled. “They dress sexy because they’re thirsty groupies who have no damn self-respect. I’m not trying to look like some slutty—”
“Not slutty. Sexy.” Jess snapped her fingers. “Wear that black jersey dress you wore to the club last month. The one that makes you look super curvy and shows off your amazing ass. Dudes couldn’t keep their eyes off you that night.”
“Or their hands,” Nadia grumbled darkly. “I seem to recall getting groped one too many times in that dress. A couple times by you.”
Jess grinned. “What can I say? I was shitfaced drunk. And it’s not my fault you’ve got an irresistibly phat ass. Just make sure you wear a pushup bra to give yourself some cleavage. You know your girls need a little help. Ooh, and I’ll bring over my cute gold chain belt. It’ll look like you’re rocking the Rebels’ colors. And wear those spiky suede ankle boots. Those are hot.”
“They’re also scary to walk in,” Nadia said with a grimace. “What if I fall and break my damn neck while climbing up the steps at the arena?”
“Oh, stop it. You’re not gonna fall.” Jess’s eyes twinkled. “But if you do happen to take an embarrassing tumble, at least you’ll look hella good.”
Nadia snorted, shaking her head in amused disgust. “You’re ridiculous, you know that? And might I point out that I caught Reid’s attention while I was dressed the way I am now?”
“That’s true,” Jess conceded. “You’re a natural beauty, and Reid obviously recognizes that. Good on him. But just remember that he’s a fine ass hockey player who can have any woman he wants. If you want to hold his interest, it wouldn’t hurt to vamp it up a little.”
Nadia sighed. She’d never said anything about wanting to hold Reid’s interest, but rather than argue with Jess, she simply said, “I’ll take your advice into consideration.”
“Good. You’ll thank me later.”
“Sure, Tyra.” Nadia swiveled back to her computer. “Now that you’ve finished dressing me for the evening—right down to which bra I should wear—you need to scram so I can get some work done. Capisci?”
“I suppose.” Grinning, Jess pushed off the desk and sauntered toward the door. “Something tells me tonight is going to be very interesting.”
“I know,” Nadia murmured under her breath. “That’s what I’m afraid of.”
* * *
When she arrived home that evening, she was surprised to find a large gift-wrapped box sitting on the coffee table in the living room.
As she closed the front door, Nelson emerged from the kitchen drinking a glass of water.
“That just came for you.” At her questioning look, he grinned and held up a hand. “It’s not from me.”
Intrigued, Nadia dropped her purse on the sideboard and walked over to the gift box. It was gorgeously wrapped in shiny red paper and tied with a black silk ribbon with a huge bow on top.
With mounting curiosity and excitement, she untied the fancy ribbon and removed the tape, careful not to tear the pretty paper. Nelson wandered over as she lifted the lid off the box and parted the sea of black tissue at the top.
She gasped in shock.
Nestled inside the box were several brand new designer handbags.
“Oh my God,” she breathed.
Peering over her shoulder, Nelson asked, “What are those? Purses?”
“Not just any purses,” she whispered, lifting one out of the box. It was a vintage Chanel shoulder bag made of black caviar leather with the signature gold chain strap. She admired it for several moments before reaching for another one, a classic red flap bag.
“Damn,” Nelson exclaimed, picking up a quilted lambskin satchel. “How many are there?”
Nadia counted. “Seven.”
“Seven?” Nelson gave a long, low whistle. “That must have cost a fortune.”
“Definitely.” Nadia was smiling so hard her cheeks felt like bursting.
Nelson reached back inside the box and pulled out a small card. “Here. See who sent them.”
She knew even before she opened the envelope and read the words printed on the card:
For our next tug of war. One for every day of the week.
—R.H.
Nadia didn’t know whether to laugh or let out a dreamy sigh. So she did both.
Nelson grinned knowingly. “Do I even need to guess who these are from?”
She couldn’t stop smiling. “They’re from Reid.”
“Of course.” Her brother’s grin widened. “What exactly happened between you two yesterday?”
Her cheeks warmed. “Nothing.”
“Nothing?” Nelson snorted. “A guy doesn’t drop thirty-five grand on a woman he just met over nothing.”
“How do you know how much he spent?” Nadia countered.
“I did the math. The purse you’re holding costs $4,900. I know because Bianca wants the same one. Assuming the rest of these bags are in the same price range, Reid spent at least $35,000. Plus tax.” Nelson grinned, shaking his head. “Dude’s got it bad.”
Nadia blushed, biting her bottom lip. She ran her hand over the luxurious leather bag, fingering the iconic gold interlocking Cs. She’d never owned such an expensive purse in her life, let alone seven of them. It was too much. Way too much.
Nelson snagged the card out of her hand and read the message, brows furrowing in bewilderment. “Tug of war?”
“Inside joke.” Nadia snatched the card back and put down the flap bag, then went to retrieve her phone from her purse—her cheap, practical, no-name purse that now seemed embarrassingly gauche in comparison.
Phone in hand, she padded back to the living room and flopped down on the sofa. As Nelson checked out the remaining bags in the box, she sent off a text to Reid: Totally unexpected and amazing gifts. But u shouldn’t have.
She assumed she wouldn’t hear back from him since he was probably getting ready for tonight’s game. So she was surprised when her phone buzzed a minute later.
Do u like them?
Her pulse quickened. Grinning, she texted back: It’s Chanel. What’s not to like?
He responded: Glad u approve :)
Her grin widened. U have excellent taste, she wrote. But what does a macho hockey player know about buying Chanel purses?
The salesgirl was helpful, he admitted.
Nadia chuckled. I’ll bet. She got one helluva commission. Ur probably her favorite customer now…if u weren’t already.
She hit send and then cringed. It was so obvious that she was fishing for information, trying to find out whether he made a habit of lavishing expensive gifts on women.
Her heart pounded while she waited for his response.
That was my first time there.
She felt an irrational surge of pleasure. So maybe he didn’t do this sort of thing all the time. Not that it mattered.
Biting her lip, she stared at his words a moment longer before texting back: I love the bags, but I can’t accept them.
Yes u can.
She shook her head as she typed: I can’t. Really. They’re too expensive.
I’m not taking them back, he told her.
Just then Nelson held up a turquoise-colored fur boy bag. Oh, God. It was to die for.
She must have whimpered because Nelson laughed.
Reid sent another message: I gotta run, baby.
Her stomach flip-flopped. Baby. The man could melt her with just one word, one offhand endearment.
With a deep sigh of defeat, she texted back: See u soon.
A few seconds passed before he responded: Not soon enough…