Page 58 of Slash & Burn

“By the time we fuck, Jilly, you’re going to be begging for it.”

“What am I doing right now?” she bit out, exasperated.

Brushing my lips across hers, I pressed my hips into her so she could feel me again. “Right now, you’re asking nicely,” I cooed, tracing the shell of her ear with my tongue and feeling her shiver against me. “When you’re ready—” I gave her wrists a squeeze, watching her chest fill on another shaky breath—“you’re going to take every fucking inch of me, and I’m not going to stop fucking you until my name is the only word you can form with that pretty, smart mouth of yours.”

Jill swallowed, her eyes round saucers pinned to mine. I wanted this to be so good for her she’d never accept anything less. I wanted to shred any last doubt that asshole had put in her head because this woman in my arms was a fucking prize, and I wouldn’t stand for her to think otherwise for a single goddamn second.

“Understood?” I asked, canting my head to the side as she whispered a quick agreement. “Good.” When I let her wrists go, she leaned heavily into the door, watching me with lowered eyelids and a hunger I wanted to keep stoking. “Have fun tomorrow.”

At that Jill laughed, some of her senses returning. “Yeah, I’m sure it’ll be a blast.”

“I’ll be in Boston. But if you need me, you’ve got my number.”

Jill eyed me like that offer was unexpected. And maybe it was. I didn’t know how to tread the line of what we were doing here. But if she were my girl for real, that’s what I’d say. I’d want her to rely on me for whatever she needed. So, the same went for Jill, even if it was just for a couple of months.

“What’s in Boston?”

I almost laughed, but she wasn’t being sarcastic. “I’ve got to meet with my trainers and see the coaches for an update on my progress.” I shrugged, feeling a little more confident than I had last week about what I’d have to report. “I’ll skate around with the guys who are local.”

She nodded, her eyes scanning me as if she’d forgotten I was a professional athlete for a living. “I hope it goes well.”

“Thanks, gorgeous,” I said, leaning in to give her a quick kiss. I went to pull back, but she didn’t let me go. Her hands slipped into my hair and she tugged me down as she deepened the kiss. I groaned, my cock surging back to life as her tongue stroked mine.

When she finally released me, her eyes sparkled with mischief. “Maybe we’ll both be begging,” she shot coyly.

I laughed as I let her go, watching her disappear into her house before I turned back for the truck. Little did she know me and my cock had been begging for weeks.

I’d made the drive from Holden Cove to Brighton, Massachusetts more times than I could count, but as I pulled into our practice facility I yawned, the ride feeling twice as long. A knock on my car window scared the shit out of me.

“Wake up,” AJ barked, his bushy eyebrows low as if he was actually pissed I’d be tired. I’d played with him for over four years now, and he was a good guy, and an incredible goalie, but I think I’d seen him smile less than a dozen times.

Shoving my car door open and forcing him to move back, I sighed in aggravation. “Hello to you, too, asshole.”

He shook his head, looking me over like my black joggers and gray hoodie were offending him in some way. “At least you look better than the last time I saw you.”

“Thanks,” I muttered, retrieving my duffel from the backseat. The last time AJ had seen me I was still bandaged up and in a sling. My spirits had been as mangled as my shoulder and I was in a shit ton of pain. It was a relief to know I’d improved from that, I guess.

“How’s Maine?” he asked as we headed inside. We both waved at the social media managers as we went by, pausing our conversation until we’d passed them, since they were always filming our entrances.

“Good,” I said, my eyes on the floor. I wasn’t sure how much I wanted to share.

“Gentleman,” Cooper Walton, our star right wing, announced as he stepped into the nearly empty locker room and looked around. “It’s good to be back.”

AJ and I rolled our eyes at the same time, and went back to unpacking our gear. Cooper normally took a locker on the other side of the room, but he sauntered over and dropped his bag with a dramatic thud.

“What’s the latest?” he asked, his head pinging back and forth between us.

“Nothing much,” AJ said flatly, turning to head for the bathroom without a second glance.

Cooper pivoted, giving me his full attention, though I could have done without it. I was tired from being out late, and still a little off after what had gone down with Jill. It wasn’t a bad off—more like being tilted off balance in the best kind of way. Today’s practice skate wasn’t the same as being back, and all things considered, I’d rather have woken up to Jill’s warm body pressed to mine instead of an alarm and three-hour drive.

“You good, Holloway?” he asked.

Despite my annoyance, I could hear the sincerity in his voice. Cooper wasn’t a bad guy, he was just a little over the top.

“Yeah,” I said, taking a seat on the bench. “Things have healed up nicely, and I’m getting back into the groove.” It felt less like a lie after the last few days.

He pulled his skates out, dropping them between us. “That’s great, man. Never doubted you’d make a kick ass recovery.”

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