Release: New Adult Sport Romance (Fire and Ice) (8 page)

“I do. This is good.”

I sip on my wine and am comfortably sated. “Would you like another piece?”

He sits back with a sigh. “Naw, I think I’m full. Is that your mom’s recipe?”

“My grandmother’s. My mom isn’t much of a cook. She’s a research scientist and says cooking reminds her too much of work. My dad made most of the meals when I was little. And then when he left, I did it.”

“Divorce?” He pours himself more wine.

“Yeah. But it didn’t affect me much. I was off training and not living at home less than a year after Dad left.” I get up to clear the table.

“How did you do schoolwork?” Kaleb follows me with dishes.

“Homeschool. I took most of my classes on the Internet. I graduated when I was sixteen and started on college courses.”

“Really? A smart girl.” He nudges me away from the sink full of dishes and bubbles. “I’ll wash, you dry.”

“Not that smart. I just knew I couldn’t be a skater forever and wanted to make sure I prepared for the future.”

“Did you train with other kids your age?”

“A couple. But…” We approach dangerous territory. “My coach didn’t like me to get too friendly. He was afraid I’d lose my competitive edge.”

“That had to be lonely. Not even a best friend?” I hear water gurgle down the drain.

“It was.” Time to change the subject. “Go find us a movie, and I’ll finish up here.”

Kaleb fills our wine glasses with the rest of the bottle, and I hear him turn on the TV. “What do you like?”

I fill the baking dish with soapy water to soak. “How about something James Bondish? Not too much gore, and not too chick-flicky.”

“Got it.”

* * *

Movie over and wine gone, I’m cuddled against Kaleb’s chest, but nerves take over. “Should I get the dessert?” I pop up before he can answer.

I’ve anticipated a heavy make-out session, but am suddenly chicken. Throughout the movie he rubbed my back, and his fingers flirted with the bare skin at my waist. My body simmers right now, but my head freaks out. I’ve only been with one guy. It was good for a while, and then it wasn’t. What if being with Kaleb brings on a panic attack? What if he thinks… No. Normal guys aren’t like that.

I take a deep breath and open the bakery box. Releasing a big sigh I sense Kaleb near me. His palms land gently on my shoulders. “I’m nervous, too.”

I turn to him. “You are? Why?”

“Let’s see. Well, what if all I am is a good kisser? What if I touch the wrong places, or you don’t like my body, or I’m too sweaty or—”

I put my fingers on his lips. “You’re adorable. Okay, here it is. I’ve only been with one other guy and it didn’t end well. I don’t…” Damn it. “I wasn’t very good at it.”

“My last girlfriend didn’t think I was very good at it, either. We can be dorks together. Okay?” He leans down and kisses my neck lightly. I welcome the shiver it causes and thread my fingers through his hair.

He whispers, and his hot breath teases me. “I’m in no hurry. We can take all the time you need.” He moves his lips to my mouth and kisses gently. He waits for me to take the lead.

I nibble on his lower lip, slide my tongue into his mouth, and he meets me. We gently caress each other until he pulls away and says, “Let’s do dessert.”

He slides a piece of dense chocolate cake onto the plate I set out. “I won’t eat more than a couple of bites, so why don’t you keep the other for tomorrow.” He closes the lid and puts it in the refrigerator.

I grab the plate along with two forks and lead the way to the couch. I sit with a leg tucked under me. He takes a fork and lowers himself onto the sofa. “I think you’ll like this.”

I put a bite into my mouth and hold it on my tongue. Espresso-infused chocolate flavor spreads in my mouth. “Ummmm.” I close my eyes and swallow the cake slowly. “Oh yeah, that’s good.”

He chuckles softly. “Now to get you to say that about me.”

With my next bite I tilt my head and remove the fork coyly. “I hope you say it about me.”

Feeling brave, I stick a finger in the thick cream and raise it to his mouth. He sucks it and rolls his tongue around the cream. My eyelids drop as the sensation travels to my core.

I set the plate on the coffee table and swipe a little more cream. Rising up on my knee, I put my finger in his mouth and my other hand on his shoulder. I’m inches from his face. I lick my lips, and when he nips at my hand, I crush him with a kiss.

This time it isn’t sweet. It’s hot and sexy, and a low sound escapes my throat. I release my grip on the firm muscles of his arms and move my hands over to his chest. My goodness, he’s ripped. Ridges so defined. I use my fingers to trail the edges of his pectorals and bump over his abs. I fiddle with the bottom of his shirt, wanting to take it off and touch his skin. Reaching under it, I let my hands make their way back up.

He grips my shoulder blades and breaks away with a low groan. “Should I take my shirt off?”

I nod and bite my lip. He reveals what my hands already know. Light hair disappears by his nipples and reappears in a line below his navel. “Not too sweaty, nice body.” I raise my eyebrows at him. “Ummm, this is good.”

I lean into his chest and kiss his neck as his hands move under my sweater. His thumb grazes over my nipple, and I shudder with the desire for more.

Kaleb moans. “You feel so good.”

I pull away, and he tilts his head in a question. I assume he wants me to take my top off. Surprisingly, I want to. I nod and pull my sweater over my head. My full breasts are on display in a pink lace push-up bra. A soft gasp escapes from his parted lips, and his desire shoots through me. Kaleb places a finger on the hollow of my throat and moves it slowly down.

He says, “Not too sweaty.” My chest muscles tighten, and he goes lower. “Nice body.” My core trembles and my breathing quickens. His hand gently cups my breast as he pulls me in by my waist. His voice tickles my ear. “Ummm, this is good.”

His kisses move down my neck and toward my cleavage. My breasts tingle and crave his lips. I unhook my bra, and he reaches under it. Twirling a finger around my nipple, his mouth moves closer. With his tongue, Kaleb licks my hardened peak, and I shudder. Soft lace falls to the floor.

He grips my hips as he rises up to my mouth. I squirm against his chest to feel the sensation of his skin against mine. A sound catches in my throat.

His kiss is intense as he pulls me against his arousal. A knee-jerk reaction, my body tenses before I can squelch it, and Kaleb relaxes his hold. His hands move to the middle of my back. “Should we stop now? It’s up to you, babe.”

His look of compassion tugs at me. What’s my problem? This guy isn’t forcing a thing.

But the moment is ruined, and I’m not ready to go further. I nod under his smoldering gaze. This man is practically perfect. I want him to stay and keep holding me.

He hands me my bra, and I put it on as he reaches for his shirt. I pull my sweater over my head and pull out my hair. It crackles with static. “I’m sorry,” I say.

“No. It’s really okay.” He takes my face in his hands. “I’m happy to take this slow.” His lips brush mine. “Let’s finish the dessert.”

We sit and eat cake. He’s kind and endears himself to me as he tells me cute stories about his family. When we finish, he decides it’s time to leave.

I stand at the door, reluctant to let Kaleb go. I put my hand on his cheek, and he leans into it. “I had a great time,” he says.

“Me too.” I stand on my tiptoes and meet him in a kiss. It’s sweet, and while not passionate, it’s exactly what I wanted. It’s as if he can read my mind. What does he know?

Chapter 11

A pile of clothes is on my bed, and it just might be everything I own. I try to figure out what to wear on a group date with Kaleb, Nick, Megan, Jason, and Casey. We’re going to the Cowboy Café, which is a great place for burgers and pool.

Having never played pool, I have the movie version in my head. Women lean over to shoot and show off their cleavage while the hunky lead can’t wait to get the heroine in bed. I smile to myself and think it’s a pretty good plan, but not who I am.

I finally decide on skinny jeans, tall boots, and a long-sleeve tee with a boat neck. I blush thinking Kaleb knows what’s under it, but I don’t need to share that view with my friends and strangers.

A glance at the clock tells me I’d better hurry. He’ll be here in thirty minutes, and I haven’t done my hair and makeup. I’m going for bouncy curls and smoky eyes tonight.

Squeezing an eyelash curler, I hear the crunch of ice and snow as Kaleb pulls into the driveway. The metal device clatters in the sink when I drop it to jog the few steps to the door. I throw the bolts open quickly and return to the bathroom.

My nervous hand swipes on mascara, and I hold my breath to keep from poking myself in the eye. I finish just as Kaleb knocks.

I walk to the door and throw back my shoulders. Cotton is smooth in my hands as I tug my shirt down. My fingers click the cold metal lock open, and I let Kaleb in.

“Hi.” His deep voice ignites my desire and just about does me in.

My eyes are confused about where to look first. And I thought deciding what to wear was hard. I settle on his face. His lips, to be exact. A small sound escapes the back of my throat.

Amusement dances in Kaleb’s eyes. “Cat got your tongue?”

“No. I…” I let my eyes move down to his Henley shirt that strains at his chest. I shrug. “I like what I see, that’s all.”

“You always know the right thing to say.” Now his voice is husky, and he steps closer. He doesn’t touch me, and I realize he’s teasing. He rakes my body with his eyes and says, “I happen to like what I see.”

Two can play this game. I step closer, and we’re not even an inch apart. I tilt my head back to an uncomfortable position and look up at him. A playful smile forms on my face as I keep my hands by my sides.

I pull out a Casey trick I saw the other day and dart my tongue out to lick my lips and then bite the bottom one. Magic. A small groan comes from Kaleb, and he closes the distance between us with a tug of my hips.

His hands move to my face, and he bends down. His kiss is hungry, and I’m sucked in. Our height difference makes it awkward, and I stumble back with Kaleb’s weight.

He catches me, and his hands slide down to the back of my thighs. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to knock you over,” he says. With one quick movement, he lifts me up to his waist, and my hands hold on to his neck and shoulder. I can’t help but wrap my legs around him.

“Clever,” I say and thrust my hips into his waist. The sensation of his heat seeps into my core, and my insides quiver with desire.

He covers my mouth with a kiss that turns me into a trembling mess. I break away with a pant. “I’m playing with fire, aren’t I?”

He sets me down. “You are. We don’t have to go.” He teases again, but I’m tempted to call his bluff.

“Let me get my coat.” I touch my lips and send him a smoldering look before I abruptly turn away, knowing my curls bounce. I’m rewarded with a guttural noise that sends a quick pulse of electricity through me.

My heels click down the stairs as Kaleb leads us to his car. A flicker of humor crosses his face at my footwear choice, but he says nothing. His sisters must have taught him not to question a girl’s fashion decisions.

We pull into the parking lot across from the restaurant. Kaleb nods toward the red truck on my side. “Jason and Casey are here. That’s Jason’s truck.”

I don’t tell him I already know that. I smile to myself because Jason and Casey are adorable together. I’m glad they worked things out. Kaleb walks around to my side as I get out. Not saying a word about my high-heeled boots in the snow, he takes my arm.

We enter a western-styled restaurant. Round wooden tables are circled by bar stools with bases that resemble barbed wire. Old road signs and horse paraphernalia adorn the walls. There must be one hundred different beers on tap, and the smell of beef permeates the air.

Jason calls to us. “Kaleb! Over here.” He waves a hand in the air, and we walk over.

We’re the last to arrive, and I see numerous small glasses scattered over the table. Most have beer in them. Nick says, “You got here just in time. We’re picking the beer of the night.”

I look at Casey and Megan. “All of us?” I ask.

Casey shrugs her shoulders. “I’m going with the flow. We’ll get two pitchers to make sure we can have something lighter in flavor.”

I sit on the stool next to Megan, and she slides three small glasses toward me. “We’ve narrowed it down to these for the girl pitcher,” she says. “You pick which one.”

I take a sip of each and do my best to determine the difference. They all taste similar, but each has a slightly different hint of flavor. Two are berry, and one might be pumpkin. “I don’t know, maybe one of the berry ones,” I say. “I guess I’m not very good at this.”

Casey says, “Hey, you’re doing better than me. I thought all of them tasted the same. Let’s go with the raspberry one and call it done.”

“Agreed,” says Megan.

The guys discuss their choices with a lot more detail. Megan elbows me and leans forward. “This could take all night.”

Nick sees us and says, “I heard that.” But from the toothy smile he gives us, I know he sees the humor.