Page 23 of Mine to Take

“Yes.”

His lips lift into a ghost of a smile as he shoves away from the door. Once he’s on the move, there’s no more holding back. I feel it in the shift of the atmosphere.

I’ve given my consent.

I’m here.

This is happening.

And I wouldn’t want it any other way.

His large hands drift over my cheeks until he’s able to cup the sides of my head. He angles my face upward so his mouth can crash onto mine. When his tongue sweeps across the seam of my lips, I open and allow him entrance. It never occurs to me not to. The second they part, he’s delving inside and dragging me beneath the surface of the ocean where breathing becomes impossible.

Unnecessary.

“So fucking sweet,” he whispers before diving back in for more.

Even though his mouth grows demanding, his lips remain just as soft as I imagined when I caught sight of him on the ice. It’s weird to think that it was only hours ago. It seems more like days or weeks.

His palms fall away, dropping to the zipper of my jacket.

“This needs to go,” he mutters.

As soon as the words are released, the sound of metal grinding against metal fills the room and then the black jacket is shoved away from my shoulders before it falls to the carpet beneath my feet.

His mahogany-colored eyes turn stormy as he stares at my jersey. Before I realize what’s happening, it’s yanked up my body and over my head. He glares at the scratchy white and blue material wadded in his hands before flicking a hard stare in my direction.

“After I’m finished with you tonight, you’ll never look twice at that jersey again,” he grits between clenched teeth before tossing it away like garbage.

I can’t imagine what would happen if he discovered that I’m not the puck bunny he assumes, but River Thompson’s sister instead.

Would he stare at me with the same kind of hatred he reserves for my twin?

That thought is enough to send a shudder of unease skittering through me. My nipples tighten into hard little points beneath the light-blue cami stretched across my breasts. His attention zeros in on the gentle swells and his previous desire returns full force.

“You’re like a beautifully wrapped gift on Christmas morning. I just want to tear the paper away until I can see what’s waiting beneath for me to play with.”

Arousal pools at the bottom of my belly as I lift my chin and say something I never thought I would. “Then what are you waiting for?”

Anticipation floods my system until there’s a good chance I’ll drown in it.

A growl vibrates from deep within his chest as his fingers grip the hem of the cami and drag it up my torso. Seconds later, it meets the same fate as both the jersey and jacket. A lacy pale-pink bra covers my breasts. The gorgeous material is sheer and reveals far more than it conceals. Unlike Holland, I’m not overly generous in the cleavage department. When you don’t need a lot of support, it’s easy to wear pretty little undergarments.

By the appreciative expression on his face, he’s in full agreement with that decision.

“Fuck. I seriously hope you’re wearing matching panties.”

“There’s only one way to find out.” The comment that shoots out of my mouth takes me by surprise.

I have no idea who the brazen girl standing in front of this stranger is, but I like her.

A lot.

That’s the only incentive he needs to get to the bottom of the mystery. The button of my jeans is popped and the zipper lowered. He wraps his hands around the waistband and shoves the thick denim down until it puddles around my ankles and I’m able to kick my way free.

He drags a hand down his face as his heated gaze roves over every inch of me, as if committing the image to memory.

“Way better than any Christmas present I’ve ever received.”

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