At least not yet.
 
 No tentative licks or strokes for me. I took him in my mouth, or as much of him as I could, because not only was Hatch Kershaw gifted on the ice, he was gifted in all areas.
 
 “Oh, Christ!” Followed by a lusty groan that echoed off the tile as I sucked the hard length of him. Grasping his rock-hard butt cheek for leverage, I practically whimpered when the salty sweetness splashed my tongue. I peered up and saw that he had placed one fist against the shower tile. His other hand coasted to the back of my head, and now his fingertips raked my hair—cafuné, my favorite Portuguese word!—though his grip was a little harder than that phrasing implied. Less the casual hair rake of a lover and more the sensual grasp of a man needing to fuck his woman’s mouth.
 
 His hips rocked, gently at first, like he was trying not to hurt me. But I squeezed his butt, encouraging him to let go. To take what was his. He thrust deeper for a few strokes, but before he could set a rhythm, he pulled me off him and cupped my cheek.
 
 “Look at you,” he whispered, his tone one of awe. “Absolutely perfect.”
 
 And I felt that with him. With Hatch, I felt like I was a hot mess with potential.
 
 Precome leaked from his slick cock, so I cleaned him up with kitten-like licks, watching as his eyes smoked over. Before I could restart my very important task, he grasped my arms and pulled me to my feet. Then higher still, as he pinned me to the wall, both hands curving my ass, and pierced me with the cock I’d just sucked. Oh God. The feel of him inside me took me out of myself, shot me to a better place.
 
 I didn’t last long. Clawing at his back, I bit into his shoulder to muffle my scream of pleasure. He followed me over with a final, powerful stroke that lifted me high against the shower tile and impaled me fast.
 
 I was panting hard, breathing my way back to reality. The one where everyone thought I was an unfeeling, indecisive shitshow. The one where my best ally was the man I once thought hated me.
 
 The one where … hell. “We didn’t use protection.”
 
 He drew back, his eyebrows in a broody V. Probably wondering how I’d ensorcelled him with my witchy spells.
 
 “That was my fault,” he said. “I lost my mind there.”
 
 We both had. “I’m on birth control, but you’re not my only recent partner.” Stating the obvious, but it needed to be said.
 
 “It’s been a while for me. The last time I didn’t use a condom, I—” He broke off, likely remembering Ava and how she had done him wrong. “I’ve been tested since, so that side of it is okay. If anything happens, we’ll figure it out together.”
 
 We’ll figure it out together. That assurance fortified me, just as every moment with this man gave me hope that it didn’t have to be as it was with Dash. Kind, decent, unbelievably sexy men who didn’t view every mistake as a means to exercise leverage over me actually existed.
 
 He had barely softened inside me. After slipping out of my body, he lowered me gently to the ground and kissed my forehead.
 
 Needless to say, I loved when he did that. I felt so cared for.
 
 “Let me clean you up.” He threw my clothes outside the shower cubicle and turned the water on. Angling my body so my back was against his chest, he ran lathered hands over every curve, moving his fingers deftly and purposefully. His lips brushed the shell of my ear as he whispered words of loving approval mixed with filthy encouragement.
 
 My sweet girl … Open up for me … You feel so fucking good … Love this pretty pussy … That’s right, baby, I’ve got you … Look at those gorgeous tits … Want to suck them … Love how you taste … You need my cock again? … Fuck yeah, you do … And it needs you … So fucking bad … Come for me, baby … Yeah, that’s it … Summer … Summer … Sum—ah, fuck!
 
 Our moans echoed off the tile as he fucked me again and again, alternately with his magic fingers and rampant cock. Again, no protection. I didn’t care because he was my protection. Foolish, of course, but I was out of control where Hatch Kershaw was concerned.
 
 After, I pulled up my leggings and handed him his towel because frankly, the man needed to cover up before I dropped to my knees and sucked another orgasm out of him.
 
 The doubts rushed back in. “This isn’t really me taking the space I need to get my act together, is it?”
 
 Wrapping the towel around his trim hips, he grinned. “We all find ourselves in different ways. Cheese boards, shower sex, petty vandalism of an ex’s workplace.”
 
 I covered my burning face with my hands.
 
 Chuckling, he pulled them away and drew me close. “It’s okay, baby. You heard some bad news, and you acted out a little. I think you’ve been putting up with Carter’s bad behavior for years and now the freedom has cracked you open. Releasing all that tension is good for you. And I’m always happy to help.”
 
 “With orgasms,” I stated glumly.
 
 “Climbing my way to a hundred.”
 
 “While I’m dragging you into my mess.”
 
 He dropped a soft kiss on my nose. “No place I’d rather be, Sunshine.”
 
 Chapter Thirty-Two