Hip Check (New York Blades) (18 page)

There came a point when Esa let his hands drop from her waist, and she started skating on her own. She’d been concentrating so fiercely that she didn’t notice he’d stopped supporting her until his left hand reached out to hold hers. The jolt of realization that he hadn’t been supporting her nearly caused her to tumble, but she caught herself in time.

“You okay?” Esa asked.

She took his hand. “Fine.”

“See what a good teacher I am?” he boasted. “You’re skating beautifully.”

“Maybe you just had an exceptional pupil.”

“Maybe,” Esa murmured with a boyish smile.

“Actually, I think you must be a good teacher: Nell seemed to pick it up right away.”

“Genetics might have helped a
little
bit.”

“A little.”

Maybe it was because he wanted to make sure Michelle had her sea legs first, but Esa didn’t skate straight over to Nell. Instead, his hand remained clasped around hers as they continued skating the perimeter of the rink in a leisurely fashion. Michelle was enjoying it: the magic feeling of gliding across a surface as flawless as a pane of glass, the small chill in the air, the mini boost to her confidence that came from having not tripped or sprawled when he’d let her go. But most of all, she was enjoying holding hands with Esa and skating with him. She’d never skated with a guy before, and it was fun.
Fun. Right. Use the word you really mean, Michelle: romantic.

It
was
romantic, the warmth of his hand suffusing hers, the sense of two striding as one as they glided around and around . . . Very romantic, which was why it was time she gave herself a good kick in the ass and made herself remember who she was and why she was here.

“I think it’s time we skated with Nell, don’t you?” she said. “She’s been very patient.”

Esa, who appeared to have been daydreaming, nodded. “Yes, she has.” He looked as though he were trying to bring the world back into focus as his fingers slowly unfurled from around hers. Michelle wondered what he saw when he looked at her.
You value your attractiveness so little?
Why did she have to think about that now?

Side by side but not holding hands, they skated toward the blue line, where Nell was still buzzing back and forth. “Nell,” Michelle called out when they were close enough for her to hear, “I think I can skate well enough not to embarrass you and your uncle here, so if you still want the three of us to skate together, now’s your chance.”

Esa took Nell’s hand. “Are you sure you still want to do this?”

“Yes! Of course!” Her face fell. “Why? You don’t want to?”

“No, nothing like that. I was just trying to tease you.”

“Oh.” Nell considered this, and so did Michelle. Nell had a sense of humor, and so did Esa. But his efforts to connect with her through teasing were hit or miss. All roads led back to the same thing: he needed to get to know her better. Then he’d have a sense of what would fly, and what wouldn’t.

Nell reached for Michelle’s hand, smiling up at her as she did. “Are you ready, Michelle? I think you are.”

“Oh, you do, huh?”

“Yes. I was watching your skating lesson a bit and I think you’re doing very well.”

“Then what are we waiting for?”

It felt to Michelle as if the whole world was holding its breath and watching as she, Nell, and Esa lined up, and at Esa’s count of three, pushed off on their right skates. There were a few wobbly seconds at the beginning before they got in sync, but then they were off, gliding down the shimmering carpet of ice, nice and slow. Michelle stole a surreptitious glance at Esa: on the outside he was the confident, cool uncle, but the hope in his eyes gave him away; she could see how important it was to him that Nell was having a good time. Michelle wished she could point out that he had nothing to worry about: skating between them with Esa holding her left hand and Michelle holding her right, she looked
ecstatic
.

She looked up at Michelle with a big, happy grin. “Isn’t this lovely, Michelle?”

Michelle grinned back. “It is.” It was.

Nell nodded to herself, as if Michelle had just confirmed something. Nell looked at her uncle, asking him the same question. “It’s great!” Esa replied with unabashed enthusiasm. Nell’s entire body seemed to light up.

“I bet if anyone came in right now and saw us, they’d think we were a proper family!” she said giddily.

Thawap! Michelle felt as if she’d just been hit in the chest with a little girl-sized snowball. She instinctively turned her head, watching as Esa’s gaze slowly traveled to meet hers. What should I say? his eyes seemed to be asking. That
was
what he wanted to know, wasn’t it? The gaze continued and she broke eye contact, fearful that if she kept staring into his eyes much longer, she’d stumble and fall. Fearful of that, and more.

25

“I enjoyed today
very much.”

Michelle, standing at the sink scouring some large pots that couldn’t fit in the dishwasher, smiled warmly as she looked over her shoulder at Esa as he strolled into the kitchen.

“Me, too.”

“I’m glad.”

It had been a tiring day, but a happy one for Nell and her uncle. Nell was starting to warm up to Esa a little. He still couldn’t broach the subject of her mother with her—and sometimes, Michelle got the sense that he didn’t want to. She liked to think it was enough for now that Nell was beginning to open up to him. Bonding with her uncle on their shared loss would come eventually.

Esa came and stood by the sink, lifting a pot out of the drying rack. “I can dry.” His eyes traveled around the kitchen. “Where do you keep the dishtowels?”

Michelle lifted a hand from the soapy water, pointing out the lower drawer where the dishtowels were folded. “Knock yourself out.”

Esa fetched himself a towel and began drying the pot. “I think Nell really enjoyed herself. Don’t you?”

“C’mon, Esa. You know she did.”

“Did she say anything when you tucked her in?”

Michelle concentrated hard on scrubbing the saucepan in her hand. “No. But she really didn’t have to, did she? She was high as a kite all day.” She did mention being a “proper family” again, but Michelle saw no reason to go there, not when they were having a nice relaxing conversation.

“She really does have natural skating ability,” Esa enthused. “Is there a girl’s ice hockey team at her school? Maybe it’s something she’d want to do.”

“Maybe.” Michelle began rinsing off a pot. “You should ask her.”

She felt a bit dowdy standing there with her dishwashing gloves on, but her mom had always worn them, and had always advised her to wear them since she was a little girl. “You can always tell a woman’s age by her hands,” her mom had said. Weird that she was thinking about that now.

“Esa.”

“Mmm?”

“I just had an idea.”

Esa looked dubious. “What’s that?”

“I thought what you did with Nell today was great. But another thing that might help bring you two closer is if you tuck her in more often on nights when you’re home.”

“I do tuck her in!”

Michelle hesitated. “Sometimes. And sometimes she goes off to bed on her own.”

Esa hesitated. “Don’t you think she’s too big to be tucked in?”

“
No
,” Michelle said, shocked. “She’s a little girl! Why on earth would you think that?”

“It just feels—”

“Uncomfortable?”

“Mmm.”

“Might I remind you it’s not about you?”

Esa laughed lightly. “Ah, the Beck slap on the wrist. It’s been awhile. I’ve missed it.”

Michelle forced her attention back to the soapy water as a tiny jag of arousal went through her. Esa was silent as he finished drying the pot in his hands, quietly placing it on the counter. Michelle knew what was going to happen next, and she knew she should leave the kitchen now. But she didn’t. And so, when Esa slid up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her to him, she leaned back against him, eyes closing as she felt the heat of his lips upon her neck, provocative.

“Michelle?”

“I know. I know what you’re going to say.” As gingerly as she could, she took her hands from the soapy water and peeled the rubber gloves off, putting her arms over his.

“Tell me, then,” he murmured in her ear. Michelle moaned, trying not to let herself become so overwhelmed so easily, so quickly.

“You’re going to tell me,” she said weakly, eyes rolling up in her head as he lightly nipped her earlobe, “that this is inevitable and it’s useless to fight it.”

“Correct.” He pulled her tighter to him, his rising hard-on pressing into her ass. “And you’re going to tell me this isn’t a good idea.”

“It’s not.”

Esa’s laugh was low and seductive. “Haven’t you figured out by now that I’m a bad man?”

Michelle couldn’t speak.

His mouth was pressed to the shell of her ear again, his hips pushing ever so slightly against her. “I want you, Michelle. Why don’t you tell me what you want?”

It was too much. Michelle turned in his embrace, and taking his face in her hands, dragged his mouth to hers, her whole body straining against his. Esa gave a wicked little laugh and then his tongue was in her mouth, sinking deep, swirling, demanding a response. She answered him, heat charging through her. If he was bad, then she was worse, because she knew this was wrong, but she was going to do it anyway.

Esa ended the kiss, the unapologetic lust in those hooded, ice blue eyes of his enough to make her woozy. Taking her by the hand, he led her through the vast living room to the other side of the apartment where the bedrooms were. All she wanted to do was get him out of those clothes and ride what she had no doubt was that magnificent cock of his.

He ushered her into his bedroom, kicking the door closed behind them and locking it. Michelle barely had time to catch her breath before Esa had her pressed up against the wall and was crushing his mouth down on hers, rough and demanding. Michelle arched against him, heat pumping through her. Esa groaned, and a small thrill of triumph played through Michelle, knowing that using her body this way turned him on. But she wanted him tighter against her; she wanted to be able to feel him throbbing through his jeans. She lifted one leg and, running it smoothly, silkily up the outside of his thigh, wrapped it around his hip, pulling him closer.

Esa gave a low animal growl as he bit her neck. Michelle inhaled sharply, giving herself over to the tiny bursts of pain he was inflicting on her. Her mind was so fogged she couldn’t decide whether she wanted to have this torture continue, or to beg him to fuck her right now.

Esa made the decision for her. Tearing his mouth from her neck, he pushed the leg she had wrapped around his hips down, falling to his knees in front of her. Oh, God, the torture was going to continue. She could feel the pulse beat between her legs as his impatient fingers worked the zipper of her jeans as he pulled them down over her hips.

“Black lace panties,” he murmured approvingly, glancing up at her. “Are these a pair of those new knickers you bought earlier today?”

Michelle laughed.

“I’m guessing you wanted this to happen,” said Esa, his tongue flicking out to lick her between the legs. Michelle gasped, hands instinctually reaching for his shoulders. “You’re so wet,” he whispered as he continued to lap at her. “I think we better do something about that.”

Michelle shuddered as he hooked his thumbs over the top of her panties and yanked them down. She kicked her panties and jeans away, her nails digging into his shoulders with anticipation. Her breath held as Esa took the pad of his thumb and slowly began rubbing her clit. “Is this all right?”

Michelle could only nod as her nails dug even deeper, her legs beginning to tremble.

“How about this?” he continued in a low voice, slipping two fingers inside her as his thumb continued to play. Michelle began pumping her hips against him in rhythm to his fingers. Christ, she was close. He had to know. He did know: plunging a third finger inside her, his voice was deep and authoritative as he commanded her to come for him.

She came hard, her orgasm thundering through her body, her cries of pleasure coming from deep within. She was filled with such joy that she began laughing, looking down at Esa.

“Wow.”

“That’s all you can say?” Esa replied in amusement. “‘Wow’? You’re a teacher. Tell me what my grade is.”

“Definitely an A plus.”

“I think that might be the only one I’ve ever gotten in my life, though I’d like to try for another.”

The ache inside Michelle returned full force as Esa started unbuttoning her shirt. He looked pleasantly surprised when the shirt opened to reveal a black bra with lacy-edged cups.

“Michelle. Never in a million years would I have suspected this is what you’d be wearing under your everyday clothing.”

“Really?” Michelle asked, gazing back at him hungrily as she slid the bra straps down her shoulders. “What did you think? I wore granny panties and a training bra?”

Esa laughed. “I’m not sure what I thought.” His eyes widened with appreciation as she tossed her bra aside. Michelle couldn’t believe how uninhibited she felt. This was not the way she usually was in the bedroom. Not that she was boring or unresponsive, but there was something about the way Esa made her feel when he looked at her, like she was the sexiest woman on earth, that gave her permission to be bad.

“You’re beautiful,” he marveled. He reached out, fingertips brushing her nipples. Nice, but not naughty.

Michelle stilled his hand. “That’s not what I want.”

Esa’s eyes flashed with desire.

“What I want,” Michelle purred, reaching down to stroke his erection through his jeans, “is for you to take off your clothes, take me over to the bed, suck my tits until I’m close to losing it, and then come inside me hard.”

Esa looked at her in wonder as he sucked in a ragged breath. “Jesus, who
are
you?”

“I’m the nanny.”

This time his laugh was low, bordering on a growl as he whipped his long-sleeved T-shirt off over his head and hastily undid his jeans, shoving them, along with his boxer briefs, down his hips, and kicking them clear when they hit the floor. His body was as Michelle knew it would be: rock hard, cut, muscular, sculpted, his dick as big as she expected it would be. The ache inside her intensified.

Esa scooped her up in his arms, dropping her on the bed. Climbing atop her, he braced his weight on his forearms, and lowering his head, he began flicking his tongue against her right breast, then her left. And all the while, his large, hard erection was pressing against her. There was no way Michelle could resist moving her hips against him to increase the friction. Esa growled, his mouth moving on to suck her tits, hard. The aching inside her was turning into desperation. Panting, she grabbed his face in her hands, kissing him hungrily.

“Fuck me,” she whimpered. “Please.”

Sitting back and kneeling between Michelle’s splayed thighs, Esa reached over and pulled a condom out of his night table drawer. He tore the package open with his teeth, then sheathed himself before putting a hand on each of her thighs. “Open your legs for me, Michelle.”

Groaning with need, Michelle accommodated him, but he wasn’t quite done yet. His gaze hazy with lust, his hands slid up to her knees and he pushed them up, hard. “I want to go deep,” he said. Michelle, so aroused she felt close to delirious, could only nod.

She lifted her head off the pillow, watching as he slowly pushed his way deep inside her, then slowly pulled out again. Slow and deep again, then out. Michelle let out a strangulated noise as she put her head back on the pillow, shuddering at the sensation of how he filled her.

“This okay?” he asked hoarsely, coming forward so they were face-to-face.

Michelle shook her head vehemently. “No. No. I want it harder.” She pulled her knees up a fraction higher, locking her ankles around his upper back.

“Fuck,” Esa whispered as he thrust into her with more force, giving her what she wanted. Michelle gasped, her hands gripping his shoulders as she rocked against him.

Esa threw his head back and continued thrusting, hard and fast, as Michelle felt the waves of sensation rapidly building inside her. She was trembling uncontrollably now, frantic for release.

“I’m close,” she panted. “I’m so close . . .”

Esa started slamming into her, again and again and again, faster and faster until Michelle felt herself begin to shatter, her orgasm screaming through her. She lost herself in it, reveling in every hot pulse of pleasure. Esa tensed, giving himself over to a few final deep thrusts, his body shuddering against Michelle’s as she held him tight. Both of them finished now, he put his sweaty forehead to hers, then kissed it. An unexpected wave of tenderness for him swept through her, catching her completely off guard. It scared her, so much so that she pushed it out of her mind. They’d taken care of the sexual tension between them. That was all that mattered.