Page 12 of Hooked On Them

I ran my thumb along the skin, having a hard time processing the grief she must have experienced not only from losing her mom but also from losing her career. “I’m sorry.”

She put her foot back on the ground. “My leg has never really been the same. I tried to get back into figure skating, but the strain with the jumping was just too much.”

I knelt down and made her turn to face me before lifting her left foot onto my knee. Her vulnerability hit me harder than I expected. Seeing her stand there, so open, in a way I hadn’t expected, made me want to shield her from everything, even if I didn’t understand it all.

“What are you doing?” A smile returned to her face as I ran my fingers down her calf to the straps of her heels.

“What does it look like?” I took off her left shoe and placed her foot back on the ground before grabbing her right. “This one needs some extra attention.” And I was nothing if not attentive to details.

I kissed along her calf until I got to her ankle, where I bit gently. She made a humming noise of approval as I unhooked the clasp and slid her foot out. With a soft kiss to the top of her foot, I stood, placing her shoes and my camera on a nearby lounge chair.

She turned back to the water as I rejoined her at the railing. I moved her hair off her shoulder, letting my fingers trail against her skin. The goosebumps that followed sent a satisfied thrill through me. “You’re incredibly sexy, Nora.”

She tilted her head slightly to the side, an open invitation to kiss her neck if I ever saw one. I brushed my lips across the sensitive skin beneath her ear, and she let out a contented sigh. “I have a question, and I want you to answer truthfully.”

Uh oh. Was she about to ask for my body count? “Okay… go for it.”

She turned to face me, and I placed my hands on the railing on either side of her. “Do you really not know anything about hockey?”

This sounded suspiciously like a test, and I couldn’t tell if my answer would determine my luck for the rest of the night or not. “That depends on several factors.”

She looked surprised. “Like…?”

“Like your definition of anything. Do I know there is ice, sticks, a puck, and lots of fighting for seemingly no reason? Sure.” My sports knowledge was about as deep as a kiddie pool.

She slid her hands up my chest and looped them around the back of my neck. “That’s the gist of it. Now the question is, do you know how to use your stick?”

“You’re giving me a run for my money with bad lines.” My eyes dropped to her lips. “I’m going to be very, very clear about my intentions with you, Nora.”

“Do share.” Her eyes darted to my lips and back to my eyes as she played with the hair at the nape of my neck. It felt so good that I almost closed my eyes and let my head lull forward.

I leaned in closer, my lips nearly brushing hers. “I plan on spending hours exploring every inch of your body with my hands and mouth until you’re begging me to fuck you.”

Her breath hitched, and her fingers tightened in my hair.

I nipped at her bottom lip, loving how her body arched into mine. “I want to find out if you can take direction as well as you give it.”

A smirk played at her lips. “And here I thought I’d be the one calling the shots.”

“Baby, I’m more than happy to let you take control if that’s what you want.” I slid my hands down to her hips, pulling her firmly against me. “But something tells me you enjoy letting someone else be in charge.”

Her eyes darkened with desire, and fuck if that didn’t make me want her even more. I loved a woman who knew exactly what she wanted and wasn’t afraid to show it.

“You seem pretty confident about that.” Her fingers trailed down my chest, stopping just above my belt. “I don’t know if I’m quite convinced yet.”

She pressed closer, her hand sliding over my growing erection. Her touch was bold and deliberate, like everything else about her. No hesitation, all intention.

I kissed along her jaw and stopped at the corner of her mouth. “Prepare to be convinced.”

I captured her lips with mine, and the world around us disappeared. Her lips were soft but demanding, matching my intensity with her own. One of her hands moved to grip my cock through my pants, and she tangled the other in my hair, using the leverage to pull me closer. I groaned into her mouth, loving how she took exactly what she wanted.

A throat cleared loudly behind us.

We broke apart to find Dominic standing at the entrance to the deck. His face was a picture of controlled fury, his jaw tight enough to crack walnuts and eyes cold enough to refreeze the melting ice caps.

“Nora’s ride is here.”

“My ride?” Nora wrapped an arm around my waist. “I didn’t call for one.”

---