Edge (18 page)

Luke

We hadn’t even made it out of the driveway when I jumped Ryke for his opinion of the woman whose spell I’d happily fallen under.

“So what do you think of Dell?”

“I think she’s great.” He waved at the kids, who were standing at the front window watching as we pulled out to head to the game. I rolled down my window and waved at them too.

“She is,” I agreed.

“And I think you’re in love with her.”

I considered. “She’s definitely a woman I could fall for.”

“Already fallen,” he said conclusively. “I’ve never, ever seen you like this over a woman. I thought you were gonna call her ‘poopsie’ or some shit and rub noses with her.”

I rolled my eyes and punched his arm. “Motherfucker, this from the guy who can’t even sit in separate chairs with his wife?”

“I like having her on my lap.”

“Well, I like having Dell here. And I was an ass last time I saw her. I don’t want her to feel like a piece, you know?”

“That’s good. Just don’t go all soft on her in the bedroom.”

“There isn’t gonna be any bedroom in this visit.”

Ryke wrinkled his face with disapproval. “That fucking sucks, man. Especially if you’re not getting it from anyone else.”

“I’m not. But she’s got Kyler here and they’re staying at a hotel.”

“They’re not staying with you?”

“She didn’t want to.”

“Is that cool with you?” Ryke asked.

“Yeah, it is. I was disappointed, but she’s right, you know? Kyler needs to get to know me better before they stay over at my place. I love the way she puts him first.”

“Funny how shit changes as you get older,” he said. “When I saw Kate loving on Vic and Dawn’s baby that time, it got me. Having a woman you know will be a good mom to your kids is huge.”

“Slow the fuck down,” I said, and Ryke moved his hand to glance at the speedometer. “No, with the talk about us having kids. Christ, we haven’t even known each other that long.”

“Is that a hot button or something? Do you not want kids?”

“I’m 28, not 48.
Fuck
.” I shook my head.

“Yeah, but … answer the question. Do you not want kids?”

I shifted in my seat. “I don’t know. Haven’t really thought about it.”

Ryke glared at me and spoke in a pissed off tone. “So you asked a single mom to come here, with her kid, and you’re falling all over her, but you haven’t thought about whether you want kids? You’re either lying or you’re an asshole.”

“Fuck off.”

He pulled up to a red light and turned to me. “Luke, it’s me. We’re BFFs, remember? Best Fucking Friends?”

“Fine, asshole.” I looked over at him, aggravated. “I don’t think I’d be a good father, okay? I had a fucked up example and kids are too important to wing it with.”

“What about Kyler?”

“He has a dad. I want whatever part Dell wants me to have in his life. I just don’t think I can handle being a dad to a kid from birth to … forever, you know? That’s a hell of a lot of chances to screw them up.”

“It’s not as hard as you think.”

I shook my head and watched the city roll by through my window. “Just this – asking Dell to come here – was a big thing for me.”

“Yeah, it was. I’m glad you did it.”

We rode the rest of the way in silence. I was lost in my own thoughts. Though I knew I was happy Dell was here, I didn’t know where things were going with us. A relationship would be so fucking hard during the season. Nearly impossible.

But I’d known that when I asked her to come here, and still, I couldn’t stop myself from doing it.

Dell

Luke was a powerhouse. I couldn’t see any reminders of his injury in the way he moved on the ice. He and Ryke moved in tandem, anticipating each other’s next move better than anyone I’d ever seen.

Baby AJ was at home with Kate’s mom, so it was just me, Kate, Kyler and Melody. The kids had taken to each other immediately, and I was getting a huge kick out of eavesdropping on their conversation.

“Luke really likes you,” Kate said, turning to me during a timeout in the game.

“I like him, too.”

“He’s a good guy. Really easygoing and a great friend. But he’s always alone at events for the team.”

I nodded with understanding. “It’s hard in this league, because jersey chasers are aggressive, and the guys don’t know if the interest is about their money or them.”

“You really get the culture, having grown up in it.”

“Yeah. It’s good and bad. You won’t meet anyone more cynical about hockey players and relationships than the girl who travels with a hockey team.”

Kate smiled. “Luke’s like Ryke. He means what he says.”

“He hasn’t said anything,” I said, shrugging. “We didn’t get to spend much time together before he had to leave, at least not away from the rink. I think we’re just … keeping in touch, you know?”

“Uh, no. Luke’s never introduced a woman to Ryke.”

I turned back to the game, letting her words sink in. Luke hooked his stick around the puck and was pummeled into the wall face-first. It was a hard hit, and I bit my lip with worry.

He slid down the wall, nearly hitting the ice before he shook his head and pulled himself up. He was dazed – I could tell from his sluggish movement. It was all I could do not to jump up and run down there like a mother hen.

“Mom, is Luke okay?” Kyler asked me.

“He’d say so if he wasn’t, sweets.” But I knew he probably wouldn’t. I’d seen guys play through broken bones, fractures and concussions.

I was on edge as I watched him though a trainer’s eyes. His sluggishness passed and he seemed to be balancing fine when he controlled the puck. I didn’t relax until he came out and went to the bench, tipping a water bottle up to his mouth and squeezing it. He was talking to a player next to him. If he was hurt badly, he wouldn’t likely be doing that.

Our team was down 2-1 when I glanced over at Kate. “How’s Ryke after a loss?” I asked.

She rolled her eyes in response. “Not really angry or anything, just broody.”

I smiled at her word, a fitting description for the mood in my team’s locker room after a loss.

“That’s if he’s home,” she added. “If he’s on the road, he’s usually over it by the time he gets home.”

They tied it up and left us all breathless by winning 3-2 in the final seconds of the game. Kyler and I were jumping and yelling with everyone else in the stands. I didn’t usually get to do that at the end of a game, since I went right to the locker room to get ready for post-game treatment of injuries.

I’d also never gotten to see Luke walk out of the locker room after a game, all swagger and sex appeal in his suit, since I was always still stuck in the locker room. Just that was worth the hour and a half drive. My mouth dried when he grinned at me, his eyes twinkling happily.

He and Ryke signed autographs and chatted, and the jersey chasers didn’t even bother trying to flirt with two women and children waiting for them off to the side.

Luke rode with me to a pizza parlor we followed Ryke to. Kyler was already comfortable enough with the Rykers to ride with them. I danced inside when Luke twined his fingers with mine as I drove. Hand holding was another first for me.

“You guys will stay and spend tomorrow with me, I hope?” he asked as we were walking in to the restaurant.

“Sure.”

I’d never been more content. Kyler was laughing with his new friend and Luke’s hand rested on my thigh beneath the table. I felt his eyes on me throughout the meal and wondered if he was sorry we couldn’t sleep together tonight. I was, but I wasn’t. It was nice getting to know him this way, and see him on his home turf with his friends.

My heart tugged when Kyler complained on the way out that he was tired and Luke gave him a piggyback ride to my car. This family feeling was exactly why I never dated. I didn’t want Kyler to get used to having a man around and then feel abandoned if it didn’t work out. His dad wasn’t a regular presence in his life, and he was starved for this kind of attention.

“Can Kyler spend the night?” Melody asked from Ryke’s arms as we walked down the sidewalk.

“Uh …”

“Please, Mom?” Kyler poked his head up from Luke’s shoulder.

“Ky, we’ve got a hotel room.”

“We don’t mind a bit,” Kate interjected. “We’d love to have him. We’ve got an extra booster seat. We can swim in the morning and go out for pancakes.”

“Well …”

“Mom, please!” Kyler pleaded.

“Okay.”

“We’re over here,” Ryke said, pointing to the spot he’d parked his Land Rover. Luke bent so Kyler could slide down from his back and then he lifted him into the vehicle and buckled his seat belt for him. A small thing, but it got me.

They pulled away, waving at us. Luke glanced over and arched his brows.

“So …”

“Want me to drop you off on the way to my hotel?”

His lips parted in surprise. “Don’t try that shit. You’re staying with me.”

“Do you know how much that room cost? I have to at least sleep in the bed and use the soap.”

“I’ll pay for the room. You’re coming to my place.”

“You’ll pay for nothing.”

“Bullshit.” He looked at me seriously. “We’re having such a good time, let’s not spoil it. Please let me pay for the room.”

I sighed. The cheapest room I could find was $275, and that was a lot for me. But I couldn’t square the idea of him paying for it. It went against my independence, which meant everything to me.

“I’ll stay with you,” I said. “But you aren’t paying for the room.”

“You ready to go home? Or do you want to stop for a drink?”

I suppressed a yawn. “It’s almost midnight and I’m boring, so home if that’s okay.”

“You’re definitely not boring.” We’d reached my sedan, and he hesitated. “Do you care if I drive?”

“You want to drive my ten-year-old car?”

“I just like to be in the driver’s seat.”

“You don’t say,” I muttered. He met my eyes with a wicked grin.

“Don’t pretend you don’t like it. You love being a good girl for me, don’t you?”

My body heated in answer, but I looked away, unwilling to fall into his arms quite so easily.

“What do you want, Dell?” he asked. “You can be in the driver’s seat if you want. I’ll get on my back and let you have your way with me. We can make love all night if you want to. Or, you can turn it over to me and I’ll fuck you long and hard. It’ll hurt in the best fucking way.”

I pulled the keys from my pocket and dropped them into his hand. A pulse of desire for him ran through me, and I knew just the ride to his apartment would be excruciatingly long.

His eyes darkened with satisfaction. “You won’t be sorry, Miss Price.”

Luke

Even after our late night of long, hot sex, Dell and I were both up by nine Sunday morning.

“Want me to see if we can still catch pancakes with Kyler?” I asked Dell, who smiled sleepily at me.

“Would you? I’d like that.”

I texted Ryke and he said they’d wait for us.

“Let’s shower,” I said to Dell, climbing out of bed.

“Uh …” Her mouth hung open as she looked me over. “You go ahead.”

“Together,” I said, walking to her side of the bed.

“I won’t be able to focus if you’re in the shower with me.”

“I’ll give you something to focus on.” I winked at her and admired the pink shade that spread across her cheeks.

“Are you sure we have time?”

I reached for her hand and helped her out of bed. “Plenty of time, baby. How often do we get to wake up together?”

I ripped a condom from the roll on the bedside table, my gaze wandering down her perfect, ivory curves. Like me, she’d slept naked, and I was enjoying the view the morning sun allowed. She’d only made it a couple steps when I reached around her from behind, running my hands over her hips and stomach.

“Last night was so good,” I murmured against her neck, moving her hair aside to kiss her shoulder.

“It was amazing,” she agreed, moaning with surprise when I nipped at her skin.

Waking up with her like this was perfection, and I knew for sure it would ruin every fucking morning after this, when I didn’t get to.

I cupped her breasts and pulled gently on her firm nipples. She moaned again and fell back into me. My cock grazed against her back, the spot I wanted to bury it just inches away.

“Luke, I love the way you touch me,” she murmured when I slipped a finger into her wet pussy.

I couldn’t take it. The sound of her voice, the feel of her soaked, swollen clit, and the way her soft hair was brushing my cheek when I bent to kiss her neck were too much. I tugged at a handful of her hair, leaning her head back so I could kiss her sexy mouth.

I added another finger and kept circling her clit, and she gasped against my lips. We were just a few feet from the dresser, and I steered her there. She pressed her hands to the surface, bending and waiting as I slid the condom on my desperately hard cock.

“Shit,” I said softly as I slid in from behind. She felt amazing this way. But then, she felt amazing every way.

I pumped myself into her, loving the cries of satisfaction coming from beneath the auburn hair that was pooled on the dresser, hiding her from view. I wrapped a hand around it and pulled her head up, forcing her to look in the mirror. Her eyes were glazed with passion. So fucking hot.

“You like watching me fuck you?” I asked her.

“Yes.” The word spilled out of her lips eagerly, making me so hot I thrust into her with all the strength of my hips.

“You fucking like that?” I asked. “You like it hard?”

“Yes. Oh my God … Luke.”

“Yeah, say my name, baby. I love hearing you say it.” I ground my teeth together, forcing myself to hold back. It was so fucking hard, since I was watching myself fuck the woman of my dreams into oblivion.

I tugged her hair and she stood, allowing me to reach her clit. An incoherent cry came from her mouth as soon as I touched her.

“I’m coming,” she said, gasping hard. “Luke, don’t stop.”

My fingers were soaked as I pushed her over the edge and watched her expression of helpless bliss in the mirror. I came hard, wrapping my arms around her to drive my cock all the way in.