Page 5 of Mother Pucker

“You ready, Nordstrom?” She bats her eyelashes at me with exaggerated innocence. “I’ve been dying to get you all to myself— on the ice. I can’t wait to see what you’ve really got. ”

The woman is infuriating, and it only makes me want her more. Her relentless stubborn streak and hot temper would be enough to break a weaker man. I recognize the wildfire in Payton. It’s the same one that burns in me.

She’ll never break me, but fuck do I want her to try.

Payton looks up at me with eyes like midnight. A dozen wicked dares dance behind that dark gaze. I want to strip her down and devour every inch of her.

“Hey?” Payton smiles, an unspoken invitation dripping off every word. “Don’t hold back out there Erik. I mean it.”

The suggestion in Payton’s voice is a physical caress. It whispers along my spine before coming to rest at the base of my aching cock. I’m rock hard, which is nothing new when she’s this close.

A practice helmet rests on the bench beside Payton as she laces up her skates. Standing over her like this, the difference in our sizes is striking. Payton is tall and muscular, but even on skates, I tower over her.

She stands suddenly, glaring up at me from beneath the wispy strands of her blonde fringe as if sensing my thoughts. Her hands rest on the narrow slice of her hips, energy crackling in the silence between us.

“I’ve always suspected you like to play rough, Payton.” My dick swells painfully beneath the tight hold of my compression shorts as I watch the rapid rise and fall of her chest. “Don’t worry, I wouldn’t dream of going easy on you. I know you can take it.”

I’m playing a dangerous game. But hockey players aren’t generally known for overthinking.

Or thinking at all.

“Would you like a safe word?” I take a step closer, invading Payton’s personal space. “Just in case things get too—”

I frown, searching the heated fog of my thoughts for the right word.

“Intense?” I raise an eyebrow, and the heated flush of Payton’s cheeks tells me I got my point across.

Learning English came easy to me as a kid, but being near Payton makes me forget how to use language— and common sense. This close, her scent prickles along my senses and threatens to drive me mad. She smells like black coffee, lavender soap, and healthy sweat. It affects me on a primal, instinctive level.

“I don’t tap out. I don’t quit, and I never give up.” Payton’s lips twist into a practiced smirk. “Don’t be shy, Erik. I promise I won’t break. Just don’t be surprised when I end up on top.

True to her word, Payton doesn’t back down. She’s close enough for me to make out the tight points of her nipples straining against the front of her jersey. Close enough for me to simply pick her up and—

The pain is fast, like rows of red-hot teeth that grip my inner thigh. It bites down hard, making my vision swim and my stomach turn violently. Sharp needles of electricity claw their way up my back and rocket down one leg before the piercing jolt subsides to a dull roar that threatens to buckle my leg. Only my own stubborn determination keeps me on my feet.

It’s a grim reminder— proof that I’m in over my head.

I keep my expression neutral, but Payton’s mahogany eyes don’t miss a thing. Her gaze tears through my casual posture with unmasked efficiency. Whatever she sees puts a line of concern between her eyebrows.

She knows I’m hiding something.

It won’t be long before Payton realizes that I’m injured. And once she figures out what’s going on, I may as well kiss the rest of the season goodbye.

So why the hell can’t I stay away from her?

Payton Lawson has the soul of a shieldmaiden. She’s a warrior at heart, willing to fight for what she wants— no matter the cost. And right now what she wants is me.

Gods help me, I want her too.

No— not want. I need Payton. Need her like I need my next breath.

Not yet. Not like this, damn it.

“Just have to finish suiting up,” I jerk a thumb over my shoulder, where the last of my gear is piled up. “I’ll meet you on the ice. Try not to wear yourself out before I get there.”

She searches my face, a challenge burning in her dark eyes.

“Sure,” she shrugs, clearly unconvinced. “Safety first, right? Besides, I want to make sure it’s fair and square when I show you up. Get ready to get wrecked, Nordstrom.”

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