6. Emile

6

EMILE

“Oh my god! Don’t let go, don’t let go!”

I can’t stop laughing as I hold her hands and lead her around the arena. We don’t have a home game tonight and I made arrangements with some of the night guards and the guys that take care of the ice to keep it open for me.

I wanted to show her something that I love more than anything on this earth. The game and the ice have always given me great joy and it’s also given me a career that I love. It means a great deal to me. Which is why when I was suspended, it felt like my heart was ripped out of my chest.

The only thing that gave me even a smidgen of the happiness that I get on the ice is the first time I talked to her.

“Hey,” I chuckle. “Why don’t you tell me about yourself?”

She smiles and her arms windmill again and I grab them before she goes down. She giggles.

“What do you want to know?”

“How old are you? I know what you do but what about your family? Your life other than work? Your friends?”

“Wow! That’s a lot! I’m twenty-four. I have a mom and dad who are no longer together and they hate each other with a burning passion unlike any I’ve ever seen before. I see them both a couple of times a year but it’s always awkward because they still can’t let their history go and they like to try and get me involved in it. They got married shortly after they had me and they didn’t believe in divorce so they just went on with their relationship and it was awful. They fought all the time.”

“That’s terrible. I’m so sorry that your home life was like that.”

“What about yours?”

“I lost my mom when I was a kid so it was just me and my dad. He was a huge hockey fan. He loved to watch me play. Used to come to my practices all the time. He even coached my school team so that he could be right there on the ice with me. He played hockey when he was a kid too. It was something we had together that we both understood and loved.”

“What happened to him?”

I sigh and roll her in to me so that I can hold her close while we circle the ice lazily. I look down into her pretty, worried face. “He was a hard-working guy. He worked at a factory, manufacturing car parts. Anyway, he was on his way home one night and he was hit by a car going the wrong way on the highway. Killed him instantly.”

“Oh my god! I’m so sorry.” She hugs me tight and I can see the tears in her bright blue eyes.

“Hey! I didn’t tell you that to make you cry. He was a big influence in my life. I just wanted you to know something about him.”

“Did he ever date after your mom died?”

I shake my head and smile. “He was a one-woman man. When she died, he had friends that tried to fix him up, thinking that he shouldn’t be alone but he just refused. Said there wasn’t a woman like my mom out there and he didn’t want another woman. I won’t say that he was never lonely or unhappy but he had his memories and that seemed to be all he wanted except for me and my life.”

“That’s nice. My parents weren’t really interested in what I was doing until I told my dad I wanted to be a writer and then he flat-out told me that was a ridiculous fantasy and I needed to get my head out of the clouds and find a real career.”

I can see how much that hurt her. “I’m sorry that he didn’t support your dreams. Every little girl should have her dad’s support.”

She shrugs and comes to a stop on the ice, her blue eyes far away. “I have a good job that I like so I can’t say it’s all bad.”

“Still. That was kinda rough. How are your parents now?”

“Bitter, angry. Even though they hate each other they won’t move on and find someone new. It’s like they’re still attached to each other. That might be because they don’t believe in divorce, either one of them. I’m not sure. But I go visit them and every time I do, my mom asks me if I’m seeing someone and she tells me I shouldn’t bother with men. That they’re nothing but heartache.”

“Wow.”

I don’t know what to say. My parents’ marriage was a dream that ended in a nightmare. It sounds like her parents’ marriage was a nightmare that just won’t end.

I shake myself out of the sadness that surrounds her and tug her into me. “Okay. Time to do a spin.”

She laughs and shakes her head. “Oh, no, no! I can’t do that.”

“Yes, you can. I’ll help you.”

We go slow at first and then faster and she throws her head back, laughing.

Which was all I wanted. To make her smile and laugh again. I hate seeing her unhappy. It’s not right. Her pretty face was made for smiles.

After I bring us to a halt and she falls into me, laughing loudly, I lean down and touch her lips lightly with mine. She freezes and time stands still when she closes her eyes and melts into me. Her soft curves fit against me just right and I slide my palm around until I’m cupping her lush ass, bringing her as close to me as I can. Her mouth opens and she mewls low in the back of her throat, sinking into my touch, her tongue slipping along mine making my dick hard in seconds. Her hips push against me lightly and I can’t think straight. My other hand slides up in her hair and I hold her head steady while I devour each little sound and gasp she makes, our kisses becoming frantic and needy.

I jerk my mouth up, panting, hard as a fucking rock and stare down into her flushed cheeks as her lashes come up and I drown in her sapphire gaze, her lips puffy and red and wanton.

“That was…” I don’t get to finish because the lights go out on the ice and a voice comes over the speaker.

“Time to go. I’m sorry, Mr. LaCourt, but I’m due home and I can’t stay any longer.”

I wave my hand in acknowledgement, and she goes brick red and her head ducks down.

“I forgot that there was someone here with us,” she whisper-hisses.

I chuckle and carefully help her over to the side of the rink. “Several someone’s actually. But I think we both got a little lost in our heads over here. I’ve kept you out here long enough. I should take you somewhere and feed you.”

She laughs and pats her rounded belly. “I’m sure you can guess that I could use missing a meal here or there. It’s not a big deal.”

I turn to her and lift her easily into my arms and over the little step out of the rink. She gasps and her hands grasp at my coat. I stand steady and glare at her. “Don’t say shit like that about yourself. You’re beautiful and if nobody’s said that to you before, there’s a lot of idiots out there in the world. I don’t intend to be one of them.”

Her bright eyes that remind me of the blue of alpine ice narrow in on mine and then widen, surprised. “You really mean that.”

“I really do. You’re perfect just the way you are and anybody that doesn’t recognize that isn’t worth your time or energy.”

I set her lightly on her feet but she doesn’t move away from me. Her little hands stay wrapped up in my parka and her eyes search mine until she nods her head like she’s just decided something important.

“I don’t want to go out to eat.”

“Oh.” Disappointment and fear well up inside me. “Are you not feeling good?”

I have to hope that that’s what it is because if I’ve said something that’s made her want to run away from me, to leave me, I’m going to kick my own ass.

And then stalk her because there’s no way in hell that I’m letting her get away from me now. I’m addicted to this woman.

She shakes her head and her auburn curls slide around her shoulders, wild and just a little frizzy. I kinda like it. She’s like a perfect doll most of the time so the untamed hair is sexy and surprising.

“No. That’s not it. I want you to take me home.”

I nod my head, my heart sinking. “Okay.”

“And then I want you to make love to me.” I nod my head at what she said before it sinks in.

But then…

“Are you serious? I mean, are you sure?” I jerk back and eye her narrowly, my eyes trying to see inside her, to pick apart what’s going on with her.

But she nods and smiles happily, her huge grin bursting over me, warming me from the inside out. “I am so sure, Emile. I’ve never met someone like you but I know that whatever’s going on with us, I don’t want it to end. I just want to spend more and more time with you. I want it all with you.”

I don’t wait to hear any more than that. Just grab her and pick her up throwing her over my shoulder. She laughs and I can feel the shakes of it all the way through to my soul.

“What are you doing? We’ve both got skates on!”

“Oh. Yeah.” I stop and carefully lower her and pull off her skates and mine and then I tug my boots on and toss her shoes to her before throwing her over my shoulder again.

“Wait! I need to put my shoes on.”

I shake my head and run out the door, feeling her grunt and scramble to keep from bouncing on my shoulders.

“Nope. You’d just have to take them off again when we get to your place. Might as well leave them off. I got you.”

And I do. I buckle her in after loading her quickly into my car and then I do the speed limit, working so hard to control myself that my hands are shaking on the steering wheel. We reach her place and even though it kills me, I ask her again. “Are you sure about this?”

She reaches over, her blue eyes bright in the dark interior of the car. “I am so sure.” Her hands hold steady on my cheeks and there is no uncertainty in her eyes. “I’m all in. Just don’t make me regret this, Emile. I couldn’t handle it if you just threw me away like a used tissue or something.”

I crinkle my nose in disgust. “That is truly a terrible image.”

“I know. That’s why I said it!” She giggles again and I growl under my breath.

“You’re gonna pay for that, sweetheart. Even if it takes me all night long.”

She leans over and her eyes glitter with emotion even as she touches her finger to my nose lightly, grinning when I pretend to snap at it. “I sure as heck hope so.”

That’s all the invitation I need. I jump out of my SUV and race around the front to yank her door open, tugging her out and over my shoulder. Then I run for the door.

“Do you have your key?” She hands it to me and I shove it open, slamming it shut behind us. Then I pause inside the door. “Where is your bedroom?”

A slim, pale finger points down the hallway and I immediately follow her finger, pushing the bedroom door open and tossing her on the bed.

“Clothes off.” I don’t have the patience I need right now. I know it. I feel like an out-of-control animal. I want to rut inside her, claim her, own her.

I want her to be mine until the end of our days.

“I need you… now,” I snarl, yanking at my own shirt and jeans, almost landing on my ass as I attempt to strip clothes off of me left and right.

“I need you too,” she huffs, ripping her sweater over her head and tossing it aside.

One after another, clothes litter the floor like a hurricane came through this room and left devastation in its wake.

The devastation is all inside me though. I can’t stop looking at her. Her pale, smooth skin stretched over soft curves like a plush pillow. Her ice-blue eyes that laser through me, cutting me apart and stitching me back together at the lust and hunger in her gaze. Buried under all those strong feelings is something new. Something that I recognize as the same feeling rippling through me.

Possession. Love.

She is mine. I am hers. For now, that’s all that matters. That and our bodies and the way they fit together. The way they belong like two halves of one whole.

She holds her softly-curved arms out to me and I fall upon her, rolling her under me. My lips find hers and I groan when she opens her mouth and her tongue slips along mine, tangling in some erotic duel with no winner, no loser.

Over and over, I kiss her, my mouth changing, licking along the soft curve of her bottom lip, tasting the little bow under her nose that’s tempted me since I met her.

She gives as good as she gets and I can’t get enough. My mouth finally breaks free of hers on a gasp and I move my body down hers, my lips suckling at her throat as she moans and her fingernails drag across my back leaving electricity in their wake. I suck hard wanting to leave my mark on her smooth, pale skin. Like some primeval beast I need every man jack out there to know that this woman is mine and only mine. Touch her and I’ll hunt you down and break you.

I slide even further as her throat tips back and her breasts push up into my chest. My hand finds one of her rounded peaks and my thumb skates across her pebbled nipple. She moans and pushes her chest up into me further until both of us are writhing in pleasure.

“Emile,” she gasps on a whimpered sob. Her fingers tangle in my hair and she tugs hard, my scalp tingling at the zip of pain. “Don’t stop. Don’t you dare stop.”

As if I could. She’s a goddess. A seductive siren calling me to my demise, and I’d gladly give my soul to rest with hers forever.

“Yes, yes,” I growl, lifting myself and tangling my fingers in her hair, devouring her whimpers and sighs, her soft mewls.

“I can’t take much more of this, angel. You feel so damn good. You taste so perfect. Sweet, tart. Sooo good.” I mutter under my breath, unable to say anything else. Just needing her before I fucking blow all over this damn bed before I get inside her.

“Do you want me, Angel? Tell me you want me and I’ll give you every damn thing you need.”

“I want you,” she gasps.

That’s all I need to hear. But first I need to taste her.

“Oh my god,” she whimpers, her voice a husked scream as I push her thighs wide and yank her hips up to meet my mouth.

Smooth and creamy and just a little tang with the sweetness. “You taste just like your attitude. I knew you would.” And I bury myself inside her so far that I can barely breathe. Can barely do anything but smell and taste her all around me.

And if this is the way I have to go… I will die a fucking happy man in her arms.