Off Her Game (21 page)

“Maybe it’s not me that you should be talking to. I like my secrets.”

“Then who should I talk to?”

“Well, if I told you that then that would give it away, wouldn’t it?”

“Are you deliberately trying to be obstinate or does that come naturally?” Val asked.

“Maybe both.” He grinned.

Want coursed through Darren’s system as he watched Val with Gavin. They just seemed to be talking, but he couldn’t help the searing jealousy that pumped through his blood. He wanted to be over there, with her. Instead, he had a bunch of nosey reporters shoving phones under his nose.

Finally, the media disbursed, and moved on into the locker room where they’d bug the coach and Charbonneau. Which was fine with him; he’d had enough of the media tonight.

Just before he could get over to Val, Cody punched his arm. Settling beside him, Cody grunted, “Hey.”

“Where’s Joey tonight?”

Cody's face fell. “Home. She was feeling sick.” He sighed heavily. “She didn't make it past the front door before she lost her dinner.”

“How are you guys?”

Cody shrugged. “I don’t know. She's not been talking much since she told me she was pregnant. It’s whatever. She knew about it. She knew what it meant when she went to a baby doc. She should have told me.”

Darren didn’t say anything. This was the most that Cody had talked about it in a while, since that day he’d been at the doc’s office with them.

“What’s up with Ferrera?” The change of subject wasn’t surprising. Cody wasn’t much for talking about emotions.

Darren shrugged, watching Val and his teammate talking. “I don’t know.”

Without another word, Cody walked away. Darren looked after him a moment. He felt for the guy. It was never easy to watch the one you loved hurt. And seeing Val deal with what she'd gone through, struggle with losing her job and being scared that she couldn't make ends meet… It wasn't the same as Cody, but he understood better now. He wanted to make everything better.

Gavin nodded at something that Val said. Darren wondered what he was saying to her. He shouldn’t be jealous. Val was going to talk to the team when they needed it. That was her job. A job he’d helped get her. He needed to know it was him who would be the one taking her home.

Slowly, he walked over to her, as she laughed at something Gavin said. Possession slithered through his veins. Suddenly, dinner with the guys had zero appeal. The inner caveman roared his Neanderthal head and demanded that he take Val home right then. Darren balled his fists tight.

As if Val had heard his thoughts, she glanced up, locking eyes with him. Heat seared through his body at the contact. Her smile turned saucy as she continued her conversation, her core focus obviously on Darren. His cock twitched inside his pants, just a faint reminder of how much she turned him on. Soon, he’d have to club her and drag her back to his cave by her hair. The little vixen knew what she was doing to him, a fact confirmed when he shook his head at her and that saucy grin grew wider.

Five minutes
, he promised. He’d give her five minutes to finish that conversation with Gavin and then he was taking her home.

Two minutes and thirty-two seconds later, she and Gavin ended their conversation. She stood up from the bench, said goodbye to Gavin who left in the other direction, probably to avoid talking to the media behind Darren. She sauntered seductively over to him, that simple sway of her hips making his cock ache to be buried inside her.

“Hi.”

His throat was tight. “You ready to go?”

“Yeah,” she glanced around like she was afraid someone would overhear. “Let’s skip dinner and go to my place.”

She lifted on her toes and brushed her lips over his, and ran her hand over his chest. He gripped her wrist. Her touch was going to make him come in his pants if she kept that up. “I still need a shower.”

“Take one at my place. I’ll wait upstairs.” She started to walk away, but threw a seductive glance over her shoulder. Her hips swung in an exaggerated manner surely meant to entice him.

It took him a moment of watching her ass sway to register what she’d said. Her place? He’d never been there. She’d always organized it so they had ended up at his place. This was a big step in their relationship.

Man
, he thought. He really was turning into a girl with his thoughts of relationships and steps and such. Pretty soon he was going to lose his man card at this rate.

As her jean-clad ass disappeared up the stairwell, he nearly groaned. Fuck it. He was taking her home, post-haste.

Darren took his first glimpse of Val’s apartment. She pulled the key from the lock and set them on the entry table, along with her hoodie and her purse.

She opened a door across the room. “This is the bathroom. Should be a towel in there, too.”

He took the opportunity to observe the living room, which was into where the entryway opened up. The base colors were neutrals, mostly off-whites and beige, much like something Angela would have chosen.

The difference was the rest of the room. The walls were accented by framed artwork of deep purple and blues. A large replica of Starry Night by van Gogh hung in the center above the couch. There was color all over the walls in artworks. Angela would have never wanted anything that bright on her walls.

Val came back over, now shoeless and glanced at him expectantly. “I don’t wear shoes on the carpet.”

A large grin stretched his face wide. “Of course you don't.” He slipped out of his shoes, nearly laughing when she whisked them away to wherever she’d taken hers off. Why she couldn’t leave them by the door was beyond him.

“Do you want a drink?”

“No, thanks. Just you.”

She paused, and turned around to face him. Uncertainty filled her expression. Darren thought she was retreating again, but she walked back over to him.

She stopped inches from him, so close he could feel her breath on his collarbone. She lifted her chin so she could meet his eyes. Her voice was low and sultry as she asked, “Want to see the bedroom?”

He groaned as her hip brushed against his arousal. “Valerie, you're killing me.”

“Do you?”

“Of course, I do.”

She giggled. “Good. Go take a shower.”

He blinked. “
¿Qué
”

“You heard me, Stinky McStinkerson. Shower.”

Darren stared after her as she went into the kitchen. He couldn’t see what she was doing in there, but he wasn’t about to look the gift horse in the mouth. Within seconds, he was in the shower as ordered.

***

Darren made it out of the shower in record time, already feeling better and less tired now that he was clean. He was still jazzed, both by the winning game, and by the fact that he was standing in the middle of his woman’s apartment.

“You look hot,” she whispered, low and seductive. She took his hand, her warm fingertips surprising him since so often her hands were cold. He fought the trembling that coursed through his body at her touch.

She had changed from her jeans and t-shirt, into soft flannel pajama pants and a spaghetti strap camisole. Her nipples puckered against the fabric.

He followed her as she pulled him behind her, around a black leather couch with a purple throw on the back of it, toward the hall. It wasn't long like his, but L-shaped. At the long end of it, she pushed open her white door and led him into a darkened bedroom.

The dim lighting from a street light outside was all that lit the room, leaving her in a soft, ethereal glow. Her skin radiated beauty. He just wanted to kiss every inch of her.

She released him then, turning to face where he stood. He glanced around, noticing the pure order of everything. Bottles on her dresser were arranged by height. Her closet door was shut, but he was sure inside, she probably had her clothes arranged by color or length or something.

“I've never brought a guy in here,” she said in the silence. He watched her as she spoke. “This is me. This has always been my sanctuary. It’s always been off-limits.”

“I'm glad you let me in,” he whispered.

“I love you, Darren.” She frowned, like it pained her to admit. Darren's heart did somersaults. “I didn't want to. Love complicates things, obliterates order. I've always had a hard time with being... emotional.”

“Love is chaotic,” he agreed, echoing his statement earlier in the locker room. Just the thought of the locker room again was enough to wake up his cock again. “It doesn't have to be terrifying.” He rubbed the back of his neck and chuckled. “I think this conversation might make me lose my man card.”

“Love me,” she blurted. His eyes snapped to hers. “Show me how to feel.”

He cupped her face, watching her soft eyes as he leaned toward her. He wanted to taste every inch of her, drown in every little sensation, each little moan she made. Tenderly, his lips touched hers, sending fire through his body straight to his cock. He tore off the towel and lifted Valerie into his arms, wanting to be closer. His cock pressed between them, nestled just right between her thighs.

He'd meant to take his time with her, but he couldn't wait. He walked her backward to her bed and together they fell on the bed, rolling over so she straddled him. His fingers hooked on the edge of her camisole and drew it over her head, tossing it away.

His palm smoothed over her ribs, then her waist, and rested on her hips. His breath caught in his throat at the sight of her, half-naked, and he had trouble swallowing. He brought up his knees, forcing her weight on his hard-on, as if that would alleviate the pressure of his erection. Her pussy’s heat caressed him, even through the pajamas she wore. God, he needed her naked, to feel her against him. He tugged at her remaining clothing, her breasts hanging over him, nipples brushing his chest.

Finally, he managed to slide them off her hips and she helped him take them the rest of the way off. She took her underwear off herself and dropped them to the floor. She re-straddled him, her pussy wet against his cock.

“Damn,” he hissed. “
mi amor
, I just… Oh, my god.” His dick was trapped between their bodies, constrained by the very wet flesh he wanted to be encased in.

Darren pulled her closer against him, palming her bare ass. He groaned at the feel of her supple skin beneath his hands. So smooth and soft. He wanted her so badly. He loved her so much. Was this how love really was? He'd never felt that way with his ex-wife. With Val, he couldn't get enough of her.

He devoured her mouth, pulling her flush against him.
So fucking hot
. He was already ready to bend her over the side of the bed and take her from behind. But this was her show. She'd brought him there. She'd let him in and he wanted her to know that this was all her.

She stopped and straightened, adding extra pressure against his erection. He groaned and reached for her, but she batted his hands away.

“Not yet,” she whispered, pressing him back into the pillows. “Not too fast.”

“Want you.”

Darren let her lead, knowing she needed to feel in control, at least for now, even though it made him ache like a sonovabitch. She dipped her head, and brushed a light kiss over the corner of his lips.

He tried to turn, to capture her lips, but she evaded him, and started leaving a wandering trail across his jaw, down his neck, over to his shoulder. The way she moved, seductively dropping light kisses all over his body... It was downright slower than molasses on a cold day when he was aching for her.

Darren groaned and let his hands explore her body, running along her sides, her curves. Her hands burrowed in his hair and tightened. He didn't usually get turned on by hair pulling, but the way she did it pushed every button he had. Hell,
she
pushed every button he had and they were all in the “on” position.

He'd gone from soft to hardcore in seconds when she'd straddled him, but when her lips touched his in a gentle caress, his cock jerked, growing uncomfortably harder as Valerie took her sweet time, nipping playfully at his mouth.

He liked this side of her, this playful tease. The other times they'd been together, he'd taken the reins. Now, he let her crawl all over him, torturing him with the feel of her body brushing against his, rubbing against his when she moved.

Darren needed to do something. He couldn't just lay there. He needed to touch her, feel her wet against him, around him. He smoothed his hands over her bare ass. Valerie stilled, her lips pressed against his as he slid his hands over her cheeks and up her hips to where her thighs met.

His index finger found her wetness, slowly stroking her secret depths. He growled, totally incoherent even to his own ears. So fucking wet. So ready for him. He needed her.

“Darren!” Valerie whimpered softly.

He loved the sound of his name on her lips. The lusty urgency of her voice was music to his ears. Valerie's body began to tremble, little tremors shaking her as he slid back and forth, coating his finger with her arousal. He added a second finger to the first, pumping her slowly; the knuckle of his thumb brushing against her clit.

Her entrance stretched and squeezed around them, her inner walls slick with her arousal. She moaned as he switched tactics and re-angled his hand so his thumb could stroke her clit.

Valerie gripped his shoulders with both hands, to steady herself as she devoured his kisses, moaning her pleasure into her mouth. Her responsive body was so fucking hot, better than he could have thought. She moved her hips, slamming on his fingers, his cock aching to be inside her.

“I want you to fuck me, Darren. I can't wait anymore.”

He blinked but he complied, shifting out from under her. He needed his wallet.

“Condom,” she ordered.

He was already one step ahead of her. He started to run to where he’d left his clothes when she opened the nightstand drawer and plucked out a condom.

He smirked. “I thought you didn’t have company here.”

“Doesn’t mean I shouldn’t be prepared. Look, it came in handy.” She beckoned him, crooking her finger, and his feet moved back toward the bed obediently.