Page 14 of Arrogant Rucking Player

His tongue pushed into my mouth as his knee nudged between my legs. I moaned at the dual sensation, unprepared for the overwhelm that leftme shaking in his arms after so little contact from anyone for so long.Starved for affection?But he removed my ability to think with every touch, and I was grateful for that. Mason released my other wrist to sink his fingers into my hip, squeezing roughly.

The second sound that tore from my lips froze me in place as my mind slammed into gear. I leaned back but he came with me, his kisses insistent, unceasing. The taste of him, the peat whiskey he’d been drinking, paired with something sweeter, rolled through me. I knew I’d associate that scent with him forever. My hands slid up his chest and with the last remnant of my willpower, I drew everything I had left behind a single effort andpushed.

Mason didn’t so much as budge, but he did lean back a bare inch, breaking this kiss that left me somewhere in No Reindeer Land, my lips halfway between bruised and tingling. I hated how much I loved that sensation and craved more of it.

“Am I hurting you?” he asked, his brow dipping as he searched my face. The hand at my hip softened a touch, but he didn’t let me go. “Nyla? What did I do?”

I didn’t realise I was panting until I tried to etch a word out. “You– I– Here–” I closed my mouth and tried to make a full sentence like a proper grown up.It took me two more tries and bless, Mason must’ve had the patience of a reindeer patron saint to deal with me right then. “I can’t do this. Not here. Please,” my voice cracked on that last word.

The pressure of his fingers on my hip lessened as he eased back a step. “Alright.”

“Okay.”This is too easy.Or just wrong.

The moment Mason stepped back, releasing his grip on my neck, I could breathe and think clearly again.

Part of me wanted to scream for him to come back, but I pushed him away and I couldn't rescind that. Because what I'd said was true. We couldn’t do this here. Intimacy. Anything resembling a personal moment more than the precious seconds we just stole.

Not with the chance of his teammates or coach, who frankly scared all hell out of me, walking back down those stairs at any moment. Or one of my girls, or worse, coming through the swinging doors.

And if I just shattered the only moment I’ll ever have with him?

My heart cramped in my chest at the thought, the smoky/sweet taste of him lingering on my tongue. I raised my fingers to my still tingling lips. His narrowed gaze locked in on the movement.

“Are you gonna let me take you somewhere so we can…keep talking?”

A twisted laugh bubbled in my throat that I managed to keep to myself lest I paint a picture of an insane reindeer before him. “Talking? That’s what we’re calling this?” I hissed, pointing a crooked finger between us.

Mason’s slow smile was beyond devastating. “Gorgeous, you can call it whatever the hell you want, as long as you promise me that’s not the last time I’ll taste that mouth…or other parts of you.” His gaze took a lazy survey of my body that overheated on demand.

My reindeer persona melted on the spot.

“I’m just going to take Rudolph for a walk before I need to change,” I muttered, fanning myself to his booming laughter.So much for keeping a stolen moment to ourselves.“You are not out of trouble, Mason Hale.”

“I wouldn’t have it any other way, Nyla.” The way my name rolled off his tongue left me shivery and hot all at once.

I slipped out of the dark space as the fluorescent light bulb made a desperate dash for life. It flickered too brightly right as I sneaked into the kitchen to find Chaz giving me a thumbs up.Brady’s flushed face stared up at me from the dishwashing station where he wore an oversized t-shirt that far from fitted his slim frame. A bright smile split his face.

The fluorescent bar behind me glowed like the sun. Too bright—as every light in the kitchen seemed to follow suit, before the entire restaurant plunged into darkness.

I covered my face in my hands, and let out a small wail as the music died as well. Apparently, the front of the house ran on the same fuse, or the box had blown entirely. Who knew?

“Myla, power’s out,” Captain Obvious—probably Josie—called from what sounded like the bar.

“Fucking brilliant,” I muttered into my hands, hoping my words came out muffled.

From the snicker that came from one of the tables near the kitchen at my back, apparently my hands didn’t muffle shit.

Nor did the silence do a damn thing for the volume of my overly enthusiastic son who chose that moment to yell at the top of his lungs, “Hey, Mum! Did you kiss Mason Hale?”

Cue more restaurant general hilarity and my freshly reinstated Rudolph status. Chaz flicked on his phone flashlight app that nearly blinded me as Iraised my face to find him still giving me a thumbs up.

The smile slid off his face as I pivoted on my heel to deal with whatever stood behind me.

Please be Mason. Please be Mason.

But I knew even as I turned around from the overpowering, atrociously super sweet aftershave that accosted me that it wasn’t the male specimen that I hoped for.

Stuart glowered at me as I faced off with him in a stale, silent moment. Then he jerked his head toward the door at the back of the kitchen. “Outside. You can fix this.”

---