Chapter 4

Four

Tanner

I'm kissing Maeve.

Holy fuck, I'm kissing Maeve Carter, and while it's wrong, everything we're doing feels damn right. I moan into her mouth as her hands snake around my body and hold me to her. Okay, that's a good sign. She's into this every bit as much as I am. Or maybe it's a bad sign, and by rights, she should be pushing me out her door. I dig deep, searching for the strength to do just that.

I break the kiss and inch back, the heat in her eyes barreling through me, frying my last working brain cell, not to mention killing my resolve, as it prompts me into action. I pick her up and she yelps a bit as her legs go around my waist. I walk across the room and stop before her big king-sized bed.

"Maeve," I whisper as her legs slide down my body. I run my thumb over her swollen bottom lip. "I want you so much."

"I want you too, Tanner."

As my heart thunders, I carefully, gently slide my hand around her neck, forcing myself to go slow. I push her hair back with my other hand, but she moves her head, letting it fall forward on the right side. Dammit, she doesn't need to hide her scar from me. But I know what it reminds her of, and I don't want her mind going down that dark path tonight. No, I want her to just enjoy this moment, because there sure as hell won't be another. Right?

"Everything about you is perfect, Maeve," I tell her honestly, wanting her to know I'm not just talking about her physical appearance.

Her stomach bumps against my dick and a groan catches in my throat. I sink to my knees, and her hands rake through my hair as I press my nose into her stomach and breathe her in. Her scent, that of freshly picked peaches, is far more appealing than the rose bushes outside.

I touch the soft wrap-around belt cinched at her waist, and feeling like a kid on Christmas morning, I loosen it, anxious to get to the gift beneath. "Fuck me," I murmur as her dress falls open enough for me to glimpse her lacy black bra.

"Tanner," she whimpers and her hips sway as one hand pulls the long belt from the loop that allows it to wrap around her body. The dress opens more, exposing a creamy expanse of soft skin, that leads to matching black panties, and while there's a casino just around the corner from our hotel, it's right here in this room where I've won the jackpot.

"Jesus," I murmur as I go back on my heels, simply wanting to admire the woman before me. Everything about her brightens my world. She is, in fact, like a ray of sunshine on a dark day. As I take in her curves and soft skin, she shifts, a little uncomfortable under my scrutiny and that's when I remember her past. She doesn't need me ogling her like people have done her whole life. She needs me to please her with my hands, mouth and cock.

"T," she moans, shortening my name. I like it so much that my cock thickens to the point of agony. I take in the desperation about her, and sense that it's been a long time since she's trusted anyone with her body, and goddammit, I heard what she's been through and the fact that she's trusting me, draws me in deeper and hooks me…hard.

I go back up on my knees. "I need you naked, Sweetness." I put my hands on her body, circling her tiny waist, and slide them higher up her ribcage, until my thumbs are on her breasts. I lightly brush her nipples through the thin, lacy fabric, and she arches into my touch. I lift my head to see her, and my dick jumps as she slides the dress from her shoulders, letting it pool at her feet.

Her hands move around her back and with a quick snap, her bra joins her dress. As her small, pert breasts spill free, my mouth waters for a taste. I put my thumbs on her hard buds, and brush back and forth. She closes her hands over mine, holding them to her.

"That is so good," she murmurs, and I lean in to take one hard bud into my mouth. She gasps as I slide my tongue around and her hands move to my hair. I lick her nipple and take it into my mouth for a deep kiss. Her body moves, brushing against mine, and I run my hands up her back, splaying my fingers as I switch to the other breast.

My cock throbs in my unforgiving khaki pants, and I groan. But I don't want to stop what I'm doing to free the damn prick. I move my mouth back and forth between her nipples, and as her body gyrates even more, demanding to be touched everywhere, I slide one hand between her knees. I grin as her needy gasp of arousal fills the quiet of the room.

"Need something, Sweetness?" With her nipple still in my mouth my voice is muffled and my pulse jumps as I take in her lust-imbued eyes.

"Yes," she answers, and I reluctantly tear my mouth from her breasts and go back on my heels again. "I don't think I'm the only one hurting," I tease, my mind going back to our wrestling match on the sofa. I reach the top of her quivering thighs, and lightly tug her panties to the side to expose her hot, pink sex, and when I see her glistening and needy for my touch, it's all I can do not to explode in my pants. Yeah, it's true everything about her turns me into an overeager teenager.

Her enticing, aroused scent swirls around me and draws me into a place where nothing exists but this woman and her pleasure. I lightly brush her clit and I'm rewarded with a whimper that teases my cock. I look up, wanting to see her face. I admire the soft pink flush on her cheeks as I slowly inch a thick finger into her. My hands dance over her body, wanting to learn all her likes. Her head drops and our eyes meet and hold as I push my finger all the way into her tight channel.

"Sweetness," I murmur, loving the way her muscles are snug around my finger, and she simply nods, like she's loving it too. I pull my finger out and it's dripping wet, and when I bring it to my mouth to taste her, she briefly closes her eyes, a moan of pleasure rising in her throat. She tastes like heat and happiness, a warm summer day in a peach orchard. Desperate for more, I bury my face between her legs and tongue her opening. Her taste explodes in my mouth and her hips rock as I growl with pleasure.

"T," she whimpers. "That feels…Oh, God, don't stop."

I can't stop. Not just because her fingers are tightening in my hair and she's rubbing her sweet pussy all over my face, but because there is nowhere in the world I'd rather be than between her legs. She whimpers and moans, and I love how this girl who hides from the world can be so open and free with me—that she trusts me with her precious self.

My chest puffs up a little as she loses herself, so damn delirious with need, it's all I can do not to lay her out on the bed and drive my cock inside her, where it's wanted to be for the last year. There's just so much more I need and want to do, so I call on every ounce of strength I have to pace myself. I want to do right by her. I'm not sure many people have.

I move my finger in and out of her and brush my thumb over her swollen clit. I lean in and taste her again, loving her pink wetness as well as all the sounds she's making. Her body vibrates around me, and I apply more pressure with my thumb as I glance up. Her eyes, dim with desire, are glued on me as I pleasure her and I smile up at her. God, she is so fucking sweet, and hot, and everything about her makes me want to take care of her.

She starts to pant, her hips moving faster. I read her body, touching the spot that makes her moan louder as I tease an orgasm from her.

"T," she murmurs, her entire body quaking around me as she gives in and she comes all over my fingers and mouth. I lap at her, drinking in every last drop of her sweetness as it drips down my hand and forearm.

I hold her to me as she trembles, and once her breathing starts to slow, I put both hands on her hips and press my lips to her pussy for a soft kiss.

"So nice," she whispers, and runs her fingers through my hair. I go up higher on my knees and press hot open-mouthed kisses to her stomach and breasts, and her hair falls forward, tickling my face as she moans. I stand, going to my full height and she puts her arms around me, and bangs her body against my raging cock.

I grunt, letting her know I'm a hot fucking mess, and she grins as she places her hand over my crotch and gives a gentle squeeze. I can't even remember the last time I was with someone. I've been hooked on this woman for so long, all other women have lost any appeal. I've been focusing all that energy into the game, and I guess it's paid off. But I don't want to think about hockey right now. I only want to think about this woman and how she's sinking to her knees in front of me, offering me her sweet mouth.

"Maeve," I groan. "What are you doing?"

She releases the button on my pants and the hiss of my zipper is music to my ears. "Just seeing what you're working with," she teases, and I grunt out a laugh. She tugs my pants and boxers down, and they hover around my mid thighs as she frees my aching cock and takes it into her small palm. "I'm not sure I believe the banger nickname in college is because of your last name."

A tortured laugh rumbles in my throat, but I swear to God if she puts me in her mouth, I'm done. Completely fucking done. There's no way I can hold on, not when I've been wanting this for so fucking long. I take deep breaths, trying to fuel myself for longevity, but I don't think that's going to happen.

"I don't think we can do this," I tell her and push her hair from her face. She glances up at me with confused eyes.

"Second thoughts?" she asks. "Pulling a Maeve?"

A garbled laugh rumbles in my throat. "That's what we're calling a change of heart now?"

She licks the pre-cum dripping from my crown. "Do you not want me to take you in my mouth, Tanner?" I curse under my breath and grip her hair. "From my vantage point, it seems like you do."

"I do, Maeve. Jesus, I do." I take deep gulping breaths. I used to pride myself on having finesse in the bedroom, but that's been shot to hell. How fucking embarrassing. "I'm just…It's been a long time. I'm going to fucking explode."

She nods like she understands, but there's no way she can know the real reason behind my year of celibacy, save for my palms. "You've been busy making your name on the team. I get it. There just hasn't been time." I nod, because that is true. It's just not the whole truth. "But maybe I want you to explode, T."

Maybe she's right. Maybe we should stop at oral sex. That wouldn't be betraying her father, right?

Yeah sure, Tanner. Tell yourself whatever you need, because she's two seconds from taking your dick into her beautiful mouth and you don't have the strength to stop it.

"I'm not pulling a Maeve," I tease. "I want to feel your mouth on me." She offers me a genuine smile, so full of desire and pleasure, it wraps around my body and squeezes tight. Oddly enough, my gut tells me she needs this intimacy as much as I do.

She cups my balls, and leans forward to take my crown into her mouth. My damn cock jumps, hitting her upper lip. "Oh," she blurts out and now I'm worried tomorrow she'll have a fat lip.

God, Tanner, get it together.

My cock slides between her lips and as I watch her take me, carefully, gently, savoring all the inches she can fit in her mouth, the world shuts down around me.

"Maeve," I murmur, my chest suddenly filled with so many emotions. She blinks up at me, her eyes soft and warm and so inviting it fucks with me a little. I cup her face and lightly brush my thumb over her soft cheek as it bulges from my cock. "That feels incredible."

She moans and the sound vibrates through my body. I rock into her mouth, loving the way she takes me deep. My body tightens and I briefly pinch my eyes shut, not wanting to tear my eyes away from her, but desperate for a modicum of control. My cock throbs, wanting to lay her out on that bed and slide inside her hot tight body, but I stop myself. This is all we can do, and there can't be a tomorrow for us.

She runs her hands along my long length, following the action of her mouth and when she gives my balls a light massage, I lose it, despite my best efforts. "Fuck," I call out, and I reach for her, try to push her back, not wanting to shoot my load—and it's going to be a big one—down her throat. I try to angle my body, to come on my stomach, as she stumbles back a bit, then forward, but I reach for her to help stabilize her before she falls. Only problem is I reach climax, just as her head lifts, and I end up shooting all over her face, and hair and lips.

Well-fucking-done, asshole.

Panicked, I put my hands on her arms to hold her, to see if she's okay. "Sunshine, I'm so sorry." Christ, even if I thought there could be a second time, after spurting all over her face like some damn juvenile, she's never going to get naked with me again.

She gasps and plops down onto her backside, and as I continue to spurt, I snatch the box of tissues off the nightstand. I quickly tug a couple out, but that's when I hear a small chuckle and I go still as I glance at her.

"Maeve." I touch her damp hair, compliments of my cum, and move the sticky mess back to see her face. "Are you okay?"

"I'm good. Are you?" she asks and laughs again. "Everything happened so fast, I'm not even sure what happened."

"I was tugging you off."

"Why?"

"Because I didn't want to shoot down your throat, or choke you."

She gives me the warmest smile. "That's sweet, Tanner."

"Not so sweet. I made a mess of you." I wipe her face with the tissue and shake my head at my mistakes. I shuffle on my knees to throw the tissues in the trash and nearly fall on my face as my half-opened pants tangle me up. She grabs me as I tumble into her, and laughs a bit harder.

"Are you okay?" she asks.

"I don't know if I'm ever going to be okay again," I groan. "I'm really sorry I made a mess of you. I even ruined your makeup."

"You like when I'm perfect?" she asks and there's a hint of something deeper in her voice.

"No one is perfect, Maeve, and if you want the truth from me…" Her eyes go wide and she nods. "Seeing you with my cum all over your face, while it was a horrible mistake, is fucking messy and imperfect, and the hottest thing I've ever seen."

Her smile grows wider. "I think I like being messy."

I finish wiping her face, and pull my pants up before I do any more damage. I go to the closet and get a robe for her. As she slides it on, I drop to the floor and lean against the bed. She comes and sits next to me, and I really like it. It's comfortable and nice and the intimacy of it is as profound as the oral sex we just had.

"Are you sure you're okay, T?" she asks, clearly picking up on my suddenly serious mood.

"No," I growl to lighten things, and bury my hands in my face. "I can't believe I just did that to you."

"It's okay. I needed a shower anyway."

"It's not okay and most women don't laugh hysterically after…you know."

"Did I hurt your ego?"

"I just hate that I lacked any sort of finesse. I wanted this to be good for you."

"Oh, you have finesse?" I roll my eyes at her. She puts her hand on her chest. "Was it something I did to mess with it?"

"Yes, it was something you did." I drag my finger over her bottom lip. "With these."

She laughs again and it's light and airy, and full of pride. She likes that she made a mess of me.

"Honestly, Tanner, I haven't laughed like this in a long time, and believe me, you did make it good for me."

"I'm glad to be of service," I tease, still a bit mortified. "I'm also really glad that you found my pants around my hips mishap, hilarious."

"Oh, Tanner." She cups my face and presses her lips to mine. "Tonight was…perfect. And believe me, you were of service. I really needed this."

"Me too," I agree and lean back against the bed, which we never even messed up. "I like it when you laugh," I admit. Honestly, I'm not sure I've ever seen her laugh before. I lean into her and brush my lips over hers. "What do I have to do to make you laugh like that again?" She grins as I eye her. "Don't say it."

She opens her mouth and I pull her to me for a deep, silencing kiss. I don't need to hear that I'd have to stumble around with my dick out to make her laugh like that again. Though I'd do it, because this is Maeve.

Hell, maybe I'll do it again right now.