12. Nick

CHAPTER 12

NICK

“ S o, you gonna make good on that promise about hurting me?” I asked Sydney as she came out of the bathroom.

We were back home in the guest room, my gran and parents all tucked in for the night. I was hoping for a repeat of last night, but didn’t want to press my luck, seeing as how I was already ahead in the game.

Sydney shot me a look from across the room, rolling her eyes. God, she was beautiful. I’d forgotten those dark cocoa eyes, her rosy cheeks, all the curves of her body, the way she threw her head back and laughed when I said something funny.

“It’s no fun if you know it’s coming,” she said, elbowing me to move over.

“Guess I need to watch my back then, maybe sleep with one eye open,” I teased, pulling the covers back for her.

“Something like that,” she grinned, climbing into bed next to me. “I had a good time tonight. I mean, besides the mistletoe thing at the end.”

“You didn’t like my dramatic kiss?” I stuck my bottom lip out in a fake pout.

“That part was fine. I’m not big on the whole PDA thing, though, remember?”

“Oh, I remember.” I stroked her cheek, soft and smooth beneath my roughened hands. “You’re gorgeous, you know that?”

She blushed, glancing up at me through her dark lashes. “You’re not too bad yourself, Milton.”

“Thanks,” I murmured, pressing my lips to hers, breathing in the pine and cinnamon scent in her hair that lingered from the party. She opened her mouth to me and I slid my tongue in, tangling it with hers. My hands moved from her face down her body, skimming the soft swell of her breasts. I thumbed her nipple through the soft cotton of her pjs and she responded, hardening under my touch. Taking that as a go, I slid my other hand beneath her shirt, caressing her breasts until she moaned softly into my mouth.

“Nick.”

“Yeah?”

“Get naked.”

“Gladly.” I stripped out of my boxers while Sydney did the same, wiggling out of her pjs and dropping them on the nightstand.

“I must have been a very good boy this year,” I said, straddling her bare body. She laid back, her dark hair fanning out over the pillows, a playful smile on her pink lips.

“Hardly. But you still have time to get on the right track.” She leaned up and kissed me, running her tongue along my bottom lip, nipping at the seam until I opened my mouth to her. Every muscle in my body tensed, need coiling deep in my gut. I ran over her muscles and curves with an open palm, brushing over her skin lightly, leaving chill bumps in my wake. She arched up to meet my hand, pressing her warmth against my hardness. I cupped her and she moaned softly. Pressing against her core, I moved along her folds until she was wet and pulsing against my fingers. I dipped into her with one finger, then two, and she arched up to meet me. My other hand pinched and flicked her nipples and she answered by moving against me, gripping me with her thighs.

“I’m ready,” she whispered against my neck, her fingers feathering over the taut muscles of my back.

“Good.” I grabbed a foil packet from the nightstand drawer—I was prepared this time—and ripped it open, sliding the rubber down over my rock-hard cock.

Sydney met me there, taking my shaft into her hand, running up and down the length. Every muscle in my body tensed, every nerve ending on fire, as she moved one hand over my dick, the other running over my flexed muscles.

With my index finger, I traced concentric circles around her clit, teasing her as she swelled beneath me. I pressed down into her slickness, sliding into her even deeper than before. We stroked and kissed and licked and sucked until I couldn’t take it anymore, my heart pounding in my chest, my body ready to explode.

“I need you, Syd,” I gasped, locking my eyes on hers.

“Same,” she murmured in a breathy voice.

Without hesitation, I spread her legs and pushed in, filling her. She arched to meet me, taking me in all the way down to my base.

“Oh god, you feel so fucking good,” I said, burying my face in her chest, sucking and kissing her neck.

“Nick,” she moaned, her breath hot against my ear. She wrapped her legs around my ass, pulling me into her body, meeting my every thrust with one of her own. We rocked together, a perfect give-and-take, like a winning quarterback with his star receiver.

“Come for me, baby. Let go,” I said, stroking her face. “I want to see you come.”

“Ahhh,” she said, her body shuddering on my dick, the waves of her orgasm stimulating my own as rapture crossed her face. I exploded then, every muscle trembling.

“You’re fucking amazing,” I said, almost breathless, sinking down next to her. I wrapped my arm around her shoulders, bringing her into my chest. Closing my eyes, I stroked her hair until our breathing returned to a normal, even rate.

“I love you.” The words floated out of me into dead silence.

Shit. What the fuck was I doing? I needed to get a grip on my playbook before things spun wildly out of control.

Sydney rolled over, propping herself up on her elbow, and stared at me with wide eyes.

“Really? You do? Or is it the hot sex talking?”

“I mean, the sex helped, don’t get me wrong…”

She smiled, but her eyes held questions I knew I needed to answer.

“Seriously, Syd. I do. I’m not gonna lie; it gutted me when we broke up.” I swallowed hard over the lump in my throat. Dammit. Why’d I have to go and get all emotional?

“I’m sorry.” She sighed, a lock of hair flopping over her eye. I reached up, tucked it behind her ear.

“That’s it? That’s all you’ve got?” I raised a brow, trying to peer into her mind.

She traced the outline of my face, trailing her hand down my chest, then to the V, which I knew was her favorite part of me.

“Nick, I want to be with you. Like, in a real relationship. But it’s so…complicated. When you were traded to Arizona, we had no time together at all. Now we have time, but can’t be together because of company policy. I don’t know, it just feels like maybe…” Her voice faded.

“What, Syd?”

“Maybe we’re not meant to be.”

Her doubt hung in the air while I digested this.

“No. Bullshit. We are meant to be or I wouldn’t have been traded back and you wouldn’t be working for the team. Can’t you see it? It’s fate, Syd. We were meant to reconnect. You just have to believe in us.”

“I want to. But I don’t know if I can.”