Talk to Me (11 page)

Finn

Anchor/Kiki Stuart:
Finn. Earth to Finn.

Finn Daley:
Sorry, do you mind repeating the question?

I don’t think I’ve ever seen something so erotic, so goddamn beautiful than Casey coming apart all around me. I let the moment draw out. I didn’t rush; I didn’t push.

As I wrapped my arms around her, I couldn’t have been much closer. Still, it didn’t feel like it was enough. She was spent, her body all soft and heavy. She tried to fight it, feeling her way down my body. I knew she wanted to reciprocate, but she needed her sleep.

And I wanted to hold her and enjoy my quiet and peaceful mind.

***

Once she was sound asleep, I went out to my indoor rink in shorts and T-shirt, laced up my skates and went to work.

The plan had always been to give the treatment one year. One year, and if it worked, I’d come back to hockey.

It was working and everything was finally falling into place.

I jumped over the boards onto the ice, enjoying the cool air rising off it, hitting my bare skin. I was skating, shooting, and maneuvering around imagined opponents for almost an hour when Casey came in.

She was wearing my jersey and nothing else. It unsheathed something so primal out of me, I couldn’t think. I could only react.

I flipped my legs over the boards as she approached. I had to touch her. Needed to get my hands under my name and number.

She didn’t give me a chance.

Casey moved toward me, eyes locked on mine.

I was having trouble finding my breath. I wanted to flip her over the boards and drive into her. There wasn’t time.

So tiny, especially with the extra inches I had on her wearing my skates, she dropped to her knees.
Oh, shit.
I was losing my mind. She tugged my athletic shorts and boxers down with her. I sprang free and thought I might come right then. Fuck, I wanted this girl.

“I want you to taste you,” she said. “Understand?”

Suddenly my mouth was so dry, my voice felt like sandpaper rubbing against my throat. I couldn’t talk, so I nodded to give her permission to abuse my body in any way she saw fit.

Her mouth was hot and tight and damn inviting. I wanted to move. She took me in — all the way to the base. The suction make me cry out.

I wanted to fist my hands in her hair, hold her head, push my cock deeper into her mouth.

But I didn’t, I let her take control. It was her turn.

She bobbed her head up and down, achingly slow at first. Then she picked up her rhythm and suction. Adding her teeth to the mix, she slightly grazed over my shaft.

I called out her name and she pulled back.

“It’s okay,” she said. “I can take you deeper. Don’t hold back. Fuck my mouth.”

She put her mouth back on me and I was so close. So ….

“Finn,” Casey said. “Finn, wake up.”

AIR (n.):

The medium for radio and TV broadcasting … and something I could never get enough of when Finn was around.

Casey

Finn’s thrashing woke me up in the middle of the night. I must’ve fallen asleep after he gave me the best orgasm of my life. Something I fully intended to pay back.

“Wake up,” I said, trying to shake him awake, worried he was having a bad dream.

But when I located his hand, and other parts, I realized it wasn’t bad. Not bad at all.

I should’ve let him finish, but jealousy sunk in. I wanted to do it. I wanted to make him come apart like he did for me.

Sliding his boxers down, I placed my hand over his. Stroking roughly.

“Let me take over,” I said and he stirred awake.

“Casey?”

“Shhh,” I said. “Let me take care of you.”

***

The next morning, I snuck out of Finn’s bed, went home, and dressed for work. I hated leaving him, but now that daylight had come, it was time to face the consequences of my little stunt last night.

I walked into the station and took the long way up to the sports department. I needed to ease into it. As I took my first step inside, I braced for Phil’s tongue lashing.

But at the table in the center of the room, his smile stretched from ear to ear.

“Great work, Phil,” the Executive Producer, Tim Hobbs, said with a laugh. “Just an excellent job with the Sports Girls, and last night was brilliant.”

Mack was right, The Mole was taking credit.

My eyes were locked on Phil as he explained his line of thinking — how best to draw in the female demographic. I was burning up and obviously not paying attention to where I was walking, because I hit a file cabinet. The metal vibrated and everyone turned in my direction.

“The lady of the hour,” Tim said. “We were just congratulating the team on a job well done. Our website crashed due to the number of hits from last night’s cut-in. And the comments have been pretty damn incredible.”

My cheeks heated, feeling the flaming daggers Phil shot from his eyes.

“I’m so glad you liked it,” I told the suits. “Better get back to work though; it’s going to be hard to top.”

“Well, leave that to Phil,” Tim said. “I’m sure he’ll come up with another great idea for you.”

***

Phil was busy the rest of the day working with the promotions team, so I was in the clear. Tomorrow, however, would be another story.

I spent the day researching safety issues for high school hockey players, hoping to find something that would work for sweeps. But anything safety and kid-related had been done to death.

I found some evergreen stories, but nothing that really stood out. Nothing like why Finn Daley left the NHL at the height of his game. But that story was dead. It simply couldn’t happen. Not after last night.

My body tingled at the memory, one that I had been too crazed to even think about until now. It warmed me inside and out.

As if he could always sense what I was thinking, a text from Finn came in at that moment.

Haven’t heard from you, so you must still have a job.

For now, I replied.

Well, I’m sure I could find plenty for you to do around here.

Don’t be smart.

I think I’m starting to like you bossing me around.

Okay, perv. What did you want? I’m busy working for a living.

Just to tell you, I missed you.

Me too.

Come over after work?

Two nights in a row? Sounds serious.

It is.

Does this have something to do with the dream I woke you from this morning?

Everything and more.

What were you dreaming about anyway?

You and your filthy mouth.

I’m intrigued. How was I?

You have no idea. But the reality was even better.

Finn

Anchor/Kiki Stuart:
Tell us how you felt before you learned about her assignment. Before you learned that your entire relationship was a sham.

Finn Daley:
Right before I found out? Well, that’s easy. It was the best time of my life.

Between the dream, the wake-up call, and dirty text messages, I was hard all day. I should’ve realized the signs, but I didn’t. I just thought it was the excitement, the newness of Casey. So when she arrived at the house, I didn’t waste any time.

She seemed just fine with that.

I stripped her bare within seconds of her arrival.

She pushed me back against the wall and let me fondle her with my eyes.

“Is this how I looked in your dream?” she asked.

“No,” I told her. “This is better. I’ve been thinking about you all day. How I wanted you bare and ready for me so I could fuck you all night.”

Way back in my head, I knew I should’ve toned it down. We hadn’t been together long enough for me to completely unleash my depraved mouth on her.

Yet, I didn’t care.

And when she gasped, creating the most pleasurable sensation on my cock, I knew my instincts were right about Casey. She wanted this as much as I did.

Jesus Fucking Christ.

Stepping out of my jeans and boxers, I slid my belt from the loops. I was going to need it. Casey bit her lip, but didn’t say a word. That meant she trusted me.

I took off my shirt to even the score and linked my hand in hers. I don’t think I’ve ever felt so good, so strong, so in control as I did in that moment.

“This way,” I said.

I led her away with me. Into the darkness.

FADE TO BLACK

An editing technique in which a piece of video

dissolves into a frame of black.

Casey

Finn strapped me to the railing of his grandiose staircase. My arms high over my head, my knees resting on the landing, I felt like I was floating.

The lights were dim, but the front wall of the foyer was nothing but windows. Anyone walking by could see me in this precarious position.

I liked it.

No, make that fucking loved it.

Finn was wilder with me now. Almost the same way he was that first time I came to his house. As much as I denied it, I wanted to see him like this again. I needed him to handle me this way.

I knew I should want sweet, stable, soft, and kind. But that’s not what did it for me. I liked it hard and fast and a little out of control. It was the complete opposite of how I lived my life.

Finn left me to get something, he didn’t say what. So I hung there in delicious anticipation. Finally, I heard his footsteps.

“Do you know how beautiful you look?” he asked. “Just waiting for me.”

His gaze was so intense, so penetrating, it made every cell in my body awaken as I leaned into him.

“I like that,” he said. Though something in his eyes and the quirk of his lips made him look a bit like a stranger to me. I closed my eyes to shut out the unwelcome thoughts. I hated the way my mind loved to go on overdrive. I was not going to ruin a second of this. I wanted it so badly, my body ached for him.

Finn began to run his hands over my sensitive flesh — slow and controlled at first. His calloused hands scraped my skin, the perfect balance of pleasure and pain.

Until his hands began moving faster, rougher.

“Ow,” I called out when his palm burned my tender nipples as he ran his hands over and over them.

I opened my eyes and Finn looked lost.

“Hey,” I said, trying to get him to meet my eyes. My voice didn’t register as his pupils moved from side to side.

Something was wrong. Very wrong.

“Finn,” I called out to him, struggling in my restraints. “Finn, look at me.”

Finn

Anchor Kiki Stuart:
Let’s talk about the reveal — when you both discovered the other’s secrets.

Finn Daley:
The picture began to clear at almost exactly the same time. But she was with me when I had an episode. That’s what started the whole misunderstanding.

Shit. Fuck. Goddamn, Motherfucker.
Not now. Christ, not now.

Of course it was happening. I had been up for almost forty-eight hours straight. My mind had been racing and I couldn’t stop thinking about Casey. I knew what this was. I had these episodes my entire life. Still, I didn’t want to believe it. I wanted to believe the medication was helping.

I swayed, and the multiple Caseys that I was seeing in my messed up eyes slowly turned into one — very worried-looking — woman.

She was working to get out of the belt; I leaned over to help her.

“I’m sorry,” I said, unable to make my hands work right. I was coming down hard and heavy and would be in need of a bed very soon.

The last thing I remembered was her hands on me, and then everything went dark.

For a very long time.

The End of Part 1.

This book would not have been written without the love and support from my husband and son. Living with a writer is no easy task and they do it with patience, grace, and humor. Most of the time, anyway. I’m lucky to have you both, and so happy we’re on this crazy journey together. Love you guys!

So much gratitude to my support system —my mom and in-laws, sisters, and friends. I’d be mad without you!

Thanks also to the ladies who made this book shine: Sara Biren for her amazing editing skills and Rebecca Berto for the awesome cover.

Hugs to Love Between the Sheets for the excellent work on the cover reveal and book blitz; my beta readers for excellent feedback; the reviewers who take the time to read my books and write such thoughtful reviews; bloggers for spreading the word; and the romance and NA community for all of your love and support.

And to my readers, you are the best!