Page 12 of Trick Play

I shook my head. “Wait for another time.”

I could feel the tension easing out of her hands. “For how long?”

“A day. A week. Whatever.”

“If you want to go…”

“I don’t. But I’m not looking for a one-time deal. We can set up a date and take it from there.”

“Seriously?” There was a smile hovering on the edges of her mouth.

I nodded. “How about just a kiss for now?”

Her eyes blinked, the crease still in her forehead. I leaned down and pressed my lips to the furrow.

I pulled back and she freed her hands, reaching up to my neck and dragging me down to press her lips to mine. She might not be used to hookups, but she knew how to kiss. I tugged her to me, hands sliding over the soft material of her sweats as she melted against me, tongue swiping against my lips. I opened up and she pressed in, my hands moving to her ass to bring her even closer.

She eventually stepped back, eyes hazy and a smile on her lips.

I took a moment to catch my breath. “So how soon can we have this date?”

Kelli

* * *

I checked my reflection one more time.

Larry had said casual, so I was wearing my best jeans—they made my ass look incredible—and a soft sweater with my sexiest underwear underneath. My hair was mostly behaving, and my makeup perfect. A long way from the Raggedy Ann he’d seen a few days ago.

I drew in a long breath. I was doing this. Last time, I’d let fear get to me, but not tonight. I’d been playing it safe since Dad died, dating safe guys and avoiding risks. All I’d gotten for it was a couple of boring boyfriends.

Not that I expected Larry wanted to be my boyfriend, but I needed to do this for me. My longtime crush, the guy I’d always compared others to, could be mine for tonight.

He was a hockey player, but also he was sweet and really nice. I saw his parents sometimes, and they were full of the things he did for them and the charities he helped with. He’d been patient with the kids at the ice rink. My ovaries had sat up and taken notice. Then I’d panicked when I had him in my apartment.

I was lucky he’d wanted to see me again, even though we hadn’t done anything but kiss. Tonight those nerves could just fuck all the way off. I was ready. So ready. My vibrator had been getting a workout since my last boyfriend, but I wanted the real thing.

He messaged that he was outside so I straightened my shoulders, reminded myself that I was an attractive and sexy woman and I was going to do this. I grabbed my coat and purse and went out to meet him.

“Seriously?” My stomach hurt from laughing. “Their names are Beast and Goober?”

Larry nodded, eyes dancing as he talked about his friend and former teammate Remy in Austin. “I swear. Beast is a little demon dog. But the cat has him trained.”

The more he told me, the more I wanted to know. “Do you have a pet?”

“Too difficult while I’m playing. I travel half the time, could get traded—it’s not ideal for an animal.”

“Would you want one? Someday?”

“Yeah.” He sounded serious now. “I’d like the whole thing. Wife, kids, house, dog and cat.”

His gaze met mine and my stomach clenched. I wanted that too. And the idea of having it with him? Took my breath away.

I swallowed. “Want to get out of here?”

“Where would you like to go?”

“My place, your place—doesn’t matter.”