Page 30 of Peak of Love
Heaven help him, her rage drew him like a moth to a flame. His arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her tight against his arousal. “The four ofuswill go to the zoo or hike a mountain or eat in any fucking restaurant up and down this coast. Whatever’s needed to make sure the boys don’t feel left out and you aren’t… ”
The pause lingered heavy between them, air filled with the sound of shallow pants and unspoken needs.
“Aren’t what?” The rasping quality of her voice reminded him of the sounds she made when they’d been overcome by passion. How could he not think about their time together? She was so close, so soft, so perfect.
His hand entwined with the hair at her nape, cradling and angling her head till he felt her knees buckle and body melt. He nuzzled his nose against her collarbone.
“Aren’t upset,” Dane whispered before moving up her neck with a graze of his lips. “Aren’t tired,” he mumbled against her skin. A few tiny kisses struck the chords of her languid hum, turning his skin into prickly points of acute sensation.
When his full lips brushed against the shell of her ear, Dane rasped, “Aren’t neglected.”
“And yet all you’ve managed to do tonight is upset me.” She sounded stubborn as well as very, very aroused.
“I know, sweet Celina. I know.” He was tormented by the admission. Torn apart by his rampant lust. “I hate thinking about you exhausted and alone, taking on so much by yourself.I need to be here for you more. For you and the boys. I need to be better. I need to do more.”
“You do plenty,” she spoke softly.
Her body, however, stiffened. Instead of collapsing further into his embrace like he expected, Celina bolstered her knees and lifted her chin. She stepped away and marshalled calm civility.
“Being tired is the universal state of mothers everywhere. I’m not at all unique in that regard. Besides, the rewards far exceed the effort.”
He respected her distance this time, although his eyes never left her mouth. Her gaze also plastered to his lips when he licked them. “And the other thing?” he inquired with a deep grumble.
“I’m notneglected.” She shrugged and added, “That’s what battery-operated toys are for.”
She ignored his slack-jawed surprise. It’s not that he had any prudish misgivings about female self-pleasure. Heaven knows he’d masturbated plenty while thinking about her.
Except now the memory of Whistler would mix with his vivid fantasies: Celina on the sofa overlooking the Whistler patio, back bowed as he led a vibrator into her channel. Celina squeezing her breasts while lying on his king-sized bed. Celina bent over the edge of the hot tub, her ass canted as she fondled her clit.
“Dane!” she said, with loads of irritation. “Dane, did you hear me?” She had obviously called his attention more than once. Back to default efficiency mode, Celina rattled her instructions.
“I’ll take them to soccer in the morning. You can meet us after the game to take them out. It’ll give me a chance to grab groceries. Lock up when you leave, please.” At that, she went up to her bedroom. He heard the click of a door shutting.
He stayed in the driveway till he saw the upstairs light dim. When he finally drove away, he realized he was in the same state as when he drove in.
Dane the dismissed.
Winter soccer in the Northwest was for fanatics. In an area dedicated to ice hockey, this band of footballers held hard to their sport.
Celina was the consummate soccer parent who carpooled to tournaments and helped with fundraising. She even volunteered to take the stats for the team. It was what Asher always did.
Her husband had been a great soccer player. Yet Asher was too much of a softie to strategize like a winning coach or berate like a losing one. Instead, Asher had loved supporting from the sidelines. He was the guy sitting beside the ones who were benched, grabbing ice for twisted ankles, and keeping track of assists and saves and goals. With pen and roster and purpose, Celina stayed busy during the games. It kept her from getting pulled into the gossip mill or sucked into referee grievances. Most of all, Celina felt close to Asher, often having conversations with him in her head while she watched from the sidelines.
I wish Jerome wasn’t anxious about today. They moved him to defense and, oh Asher, he’s so stressed. He’s amazing at coverage but he always takes it hard when they’re scored on. One of these days, maybe Jonas’s easygoing spirit will rub off on his brother. Also, did Pamela Reynolds get another boob job? Seriously, I don’t think it’s healthy to have that much saline in a petite body.
She was busily helping line up the coolers when she felt a pause in the indoor facility’s usual chatter. It took one second to figure out why.
Dane Verghese walked in with his dark jeans, cashmere sweater, and wool coat. His square jaw was newly shaved, his ruffled sexy hair the best cut money could buy. He was truly ridiculous, smoldering like a movie star in the middle of suburban drabness.
Scratch that. He wasn’t ridiculous. It was the parents staring at him slack-jawed who were ridiculous.Haven’t seen a hotshot millionaire who looks like Henry Cavill? Well, here you go!
His appeal skyrocketed when Jerome and Jonas threw themselves at him. Dane’s eyes sparked with so much loving attention it made her heart skip. He lifted his chin and when he saw her, his mouth widened in an infectious grin. She nearly dropped the clipboard.
It had been weeks since Whistler. Part of Celina assumed she imagined all their intense chemistry. It was easy to exaggerate raw attraction when in a romantic getaway. A hot tub over a spectacular view was bound to wreak havoc on her sex-starved imagination.
Last night confirmed a fact she should simply accept. When Dane was close, things happened to her body.
Whether in a hot tub or a public bathroom, a ski-chalet or a kitchen, being in his presence turned her nerves to sharp points of need. Thoughts evaporated from her brain. And whatever casual friendship they’d had for decades past was overshadowed by something palpable and fierce.
