Walking in, seeing Dani comfortable in my space, makes the high from our victory pale in comparison. The way her eyes eat me up as I walk through the room to meet her, makes me wish we were anywhere but my office.
I welcome her with a kiss that feels like the walls could go up in flames, and they’d have nothing on us. Fuck! This woman drives me wild. Just as things really get heated, there’s a knock on the door.
Dani and I pull away, panting. I take a moment to smooth Dani’s hair and adjust myself before saying, “Come in.” Damn, my voice sounds gravelly. I quickly clear my throat just as the door opens.
Harlow’s head pops around the door, thankfully oblivious to what she’s just interrupted. “Don’t forget I’ll be out of the office until Thursday. If you need anything, feel free to call.”
“Enjoy your time with your daughter and new grandbaby. I can manage things while you’re gone,” I assure her.
She gives me a knowing quirk of her eyebrow. Christ. She knows I rely on her a lot before away games, but I can’t begrudge her this time with her daughter. That’s just not my style. “If you say so…” She shakes her head. “Seriously, I’ve trained an intern to fill in on some of the tasks necessary for the week. But I’m only a phone call away.”
Rolling my eyes, I grimace. “I won’t call you, even if the building sets fire. Go! Spend time with your family. That’s an order. If we weren’t finalizing our roster before traveling to New York, I wouldn’t bother having you come in all week.”
Harlow starts to speak, but I cut her off with a smirk. “You may be a vital part of our team, but I’m sure we’ll find a way to manage without you.” I love giving Harlow a hard time. She always teases me that I’m just eight years older than her daughter, so I’m more like a son than anything.
“Yeah… Yeah… Leighton. I’ll believe it when I see it.”
I sigh. There’s no arguing with Harlow Ryan. She’s ruthless. Instead, I offer, “Give Ginny my congratulations and be sure to shoot a text of your new granddaughter when she arrives.”
With that, Harlow beams. I know she’s eager to be a grandma. It kills her having her family live almost an hour away. If she had it her way, they’d move in with her. But I don’t think Ginny’s husband would approve. She turns and almost exits the room but hesitates.
“It was nice meeting you, Danika,” Harlow tacks on just as she’s about to walk through the door.
“You, too,” Dani chirps in.
“I hope to see a lot more of you.” She pointedly looks in my direction, letting me know she approves. She winks then quickly hustles out the door, letting it slip closed behind her. Leave it to Harlow to always to have the last word.
“Uh… do you bring many girls here?” Dani asks apprehensively.
I shake my head adamantly. “Besides my mom and sister, you’re the only one.”
“Uh…” She hesitates and appears to choose her words carefully. “Why would Harlow want to make sure you bring me around then?”
“Who knows?” Without a conscious thought, I reach out to caress Dani’s cheek. For some reason, I need to touch her. “But given the fact you’re the first I’ve brought around since I started working for the Rainier Renegades, she must know you’re special.”
Dani sighs audibly as she brushes her cheek against my palm.
That sigh alone has me wanting her just as much as before. “What do you say to getting out of here?”
Her face fills with a cheeky grin. “I thought you’d never ask.”
The game day traffic has dispersed by the time we get to my Mercedes in the players’ parking lot. I quickly maneuver my way through town and arrive at my loft in minutes. Dani’s unusually quiet during the ride, though she hasn’t let go of my hand. The ride is fairly short, so I don’t put too much weight into it. I pull into my parking garage, and we make our way to the elevator to my loft.
Earlier, we met in the parking garage when she dropped off her car because her family hit traffic before the game, so this is the first time Dani’s in my home. I’m a bit nervous. It’s not like it’s a bachelor pad or anything, but I bought this when I first started working for Rainier and never felt the need to upgrade. It’s a two-bedroom loft with brick walls and a fantastic view of the city and Puget Sound in the distance. I’m curious as to what she’ll think of it.
“Everything okay?” I ask as we ride up the elevator. She’s been holding my hand since we left the car, but she’s got a far-off look I can’t quite place.
“Oh…” She finally comes back from wherever she’s been and gives me an apologetic shrug. “Lost in my head. Sorry. This would make a great scene in a book.”
“What?” My voice fills with mischief. “You wanna write a story about a guy who’s dying to touch his woman. He’s waited nearly two weeks to and can’t wait to rip her clothes off?”
Dani’s eyebrows raise to her hairline. Her voice deepens to a sexy as sin tone, prompting me to continue. “Tell me more about this story of yours.”
Fuck. I am so on board with this game. Could this elevator go any slower? The energy’s almost electrifying as numerous thoughts drift through my mind. Where to begin… Where to begin?
“Well,” I nearly growl. “First, he pins her against the nearest flat surface. He strips her of her clothes.”
“Cliché,” she deadpans, but her eyes twinkle with delight.
“Hey, now… sexy romance author. What do you propose we do?”
“Well…” she says, building suspense.
But I’m left with a cliffhanger.
The elevator dings, and the doors finally open. I quickly pull her out and make my way to one of the two doors available on the floor. My keys are in the lock and as soon as we’re inside, I slam the door shut, flip the lock on the deadbolt, and prompt Dani to continue. My mind runs wild, and I can only imagine what she’s contemplating. Having read her book, I know firsthand the complexities of her vivid imagination.
I clear my throat in an attempt to calm my thoughts. Don’t get ahead of yourself, Leighton. Take this at her pace. “Ummm…” I draw out. “You were saying?”
The corners of her eyes crease, and there’s a glimpse of deviousness. What the hell is she up to?
Before I can take another breath, Dani reaches for me. Instead of sliding her hands around my waist, as I anticipate, she reaches directly for my belt. She smiles coyly as her superiorly skilled fingers have my belt removed as well as my fly undone within seconds. She reaches in and cups my balls through my briefs, making me groan in satisfaction. Holy mother fucking hell. This feels incredible. Her fingers flex and run along the underside of my shaft.
Her other hand pushes at my pants and boxer briefs, and my brain finally catches onto her intent. I quickly toe off my shoes and push my pants to the floor. While Dani drops to her knees and focuses her attention on my cock, I swiftly pull my shirt over my head with one hand, while the other fists her hair at the base of her neck.
Another loud groan involuntarily pulls from my chest. “Holy fuck. What are you doing to me?” She fondles my balls as she traces the head of my cock with her wicked tongue. With her other hand, her finger traces the veins along my shaft and motherfucker… if that doesn’t turn me on further. She has the perfect combination of soft hands, firm touch, and movement that’s right, causing my knees to go weak and eyes to roll back in my fucking head.
I’m not some young, inexperienced teen who finishes off with a stiff wind blowing in his direction. But fuck, if she doesn’t stop soon, I will explode.
“Danika,” I grunt out in warning. My body stiffens. Holy fuck. I need her to stop. After spending nearly two weeks apart, I need to end with her.
She peers up through dark lashes. Her deep-blue eyes glint in a way that tells me she knows exactly what she’s doing. The Vixen. Before my next heartbeat, her mouth encloses around my cock as her hand fists what she can’t take in. She simultaneously pumps her fist and moves her mouth along my shaft, coming up to just beneath the crown of my head before plummeting down to meet her fist. Over and over. The sensation is indescribable. The feeling too good, too strong, and too erotic.
“Fuck…” I growl. Damn, her perfect mouth knows just what to do. She feels spectacular. “Holy fucking shit… Yeah… Right there. This feels amazing…” In a slur of ecstasy, coherent thought quickly evades me. All I can process is my balls dropping and the tingling sensation quickly moving up my spine.
“So close…” I heed in warning, giving her time to release my cock.
She locks eyes with me and shakes her head, telling me she wants to do this. If I didn’t know better, me warning her off only spurs her on. It feels as if she doubles down on her effort and before I know it, the tingling sensation that started at the base of my spine spreads throughout my entire body. Liquid heat sears every cell within me, and it takes everything in my power to remain upright.
Fuck knows what comes out of my mouth as I have the most intense release I’ve ever experienced. It goes on and on. The sexy woman kneeling before me milks me for all I’m worth and when I finally stop spasming, she releases me with a sly grin, wipes at the corner of her mouth, and says, “How’d you like that version of the story?”
I chuckle at her feign innocence. Like she doesn’t know she just rocked my world. “I should know better than to compete with a romance writer.”
“I not only have the imagination, but I have mad skills… If I do say so myself.” Her triumphant smirk melts my heart.
I look her over with care and realize one thing must be rectified. “For some reason, you’re fully clothed… and I’m standing here in only my socks.”
I swoop down and lift her effortlessly in my arms, and she gasps in surprise. When she catches her breath, her sassy mouth sparks me even further. “Well… that certainly won’t do.”
It’s late when Dani and I make it out to the kitchen to refuel. The sun has set, and the city lights shimmer in the distance. My pride soars when I notice Dani’s blissed-out expression. It’s a look I hope she wears a lot in our future. The thought alone has my blood tingling and desire resurfacing. Fuck! I’ve lost track of how many times I just made her come. God only knows how I recover so quickly when it comes to her. This woman drives me insane.
She’s sexy wearing one of my t-shirts, with her curly hair barely contained in a top knot. I’m sure if she’d left it down, it’d take on a life of its own. I fucking love her massive corkscrew curls that flit in every direction as she takes her pleasure from me. Her flawless makeup-free face glows from the aftermath of our lovemaking.
Dani reaches for a grape from the fruit bowl on my counter and pops it into her mouth, while I walk to the fridge to see what’s available to cook. We could order takeout, but most restaurants are likely closed with it being Sunday. Besides, there’s plenty to eat here. My housekeeper comes weekly and also does my grocery shopping. God knows, I don’t have the time.
As Dani climbs onto the barstool at my kitchen counter, my eyes greedily follow the movement of her sexy legs. She props one foot on the stool next to her, and I enjoy how my t-shirt creeps higher on her toned thigh. Her stomach growls, and I force myself to focus on the task at hand.
Christ, Leighton. It’s not like she’s going anywhere. Get the girl some food.
Trying to keep my mind from returning to the bedroom, I interrupt the silence, “So, what’d you think of the game?”
Her beautiful face lights up with an amused expression. “It was more entertaining than I imagined.” Her expression turns pensive as she decides how to say what’s on her mind. I’ve seen this look before. She does it when she’s writing and trying to figure out a scene in her books. It’s adorable to watch.
“Well… we pulled off a great win. I couldn’t be happier with some of the new players on the team. I was a bit worried in the third quarter, but our recruiting staff has done a great job. I think we’ll gel together by the time we finish the pre-season. I’m damn proud of a few of our recent additions to the team. We have two weeks to cut our roster.”
Dani raises an eyebrow, appearing confused by my statement, so I continue, “Due to league regulations, we still have about twenty to cut to before the season officially starts.” I take in a deep breath, and the weight of it all settles in. “Until I stepped into this position, I didn’t know just how much influence I have over these men and their careers.”
“Yeah, I’m sure you’ll have a great season, if the games are anything like today. My brothers were saying you didn’t have your regular players in the game.”
Knowing football isn’t really her thing, it warms my heart to see she’s trying to understand the sport. “Yeah… I’m giving those on the roster bubble a chance to prove their worth and determine if they’re a good fit for the team. With next week being our third game of the preseason, we have some serious decisions to make. I can only keep fifty-three players on the roster and currently, there are seventy.”
“Cutting players must suck.” Dani pulls off another grape, and I start throwing things into a bowl for omelets. It might not be the most gourmet food I cook, but it’s quick and easy.
“There’s so much involved when making these decisions. I’m glad our GM—Uh, general manager, owner, and I see eye to eye on most things, so it shouldn’t be too difficult when the time comes.” I pour my concoction into the pan and listen to it sizzle.
“There is one position on the team I have a question about…” As I glance in Dani’s direction, I see her face flush, and I wonder what’s going on in that beautiful mind of hers.
“Really?” I ask, hoping she’ll fill me in on her sudden change in mood. “I’m happy to explain anything. Just ask.”
“Well…” She plays with the grape in her hand and ducks her chin, as if she’s suddenly embarrassed.
“You can ask me anything, Dani, you know that,” I prompt to assure her.
“There’s this one guy…” she drags out almost sing-song like. What in the hell is she so nervous about?
“You’ll have to be more specific. A lot of guys are on the field,” I tease.
“Well, there’s one in particular… I’m not quite sure his role. It was all I could focus on for a while. Especially when the game got tense.”
“Okay…” I draw out and attempt to be patient as I wait for her to continue. “What does he do? Maybe I can help you figure out his position.”
“I notice… you… um… really get into the game when plays are made.”
Okay. That’s unexpected. I thought she was talking about one of the players. What does this have to do with me? I don’t recall getting out of control or anything. Maybe it was too much for her. “Yeah. I get a little intense, as I’m sure you’ve noticed. Did that freak you out?”
She adamantly shakes her head. “Oh, no. That’s not what I meant at all. I thought you were sexy as hell in your coaching zone.”
I roll my eyes. “I’d hardly consider making calls, sexy.”
Dani smirks as if I’m being ridiculous. “Trust me, you are. I have to admit, I even got a little jealous.” Her expression now dubious, leaves me more confused.
What the fuck is she talking about?
“Why would you be jealous?”
“Um… I have to admit, I probably watched you more than I watched the actual game.”
Okay. This boosts my ego, and I feel the corners of my mouth pull up as I fight off a smile, but I’m still not following her line of thought.
“That guy I’m talking about… It appears his sole job was to get handsy with you. What exactly is his role on the team? I mean… I think he’s groped you more than I have, since we’ve met. Is this something I should be jealous of? Or at the very least, can I apply for the job myself?”
A deep belly laugh erupts from me. Fuck. She’s hilarious. I don’t think I’ve ever heard it described this way before. Leave it to Dani to describe the situation with flair. Of course, she’s talking about Sean Peters, our “get back” coach.
“That’s Sean Peters,” I say once I’ve recovered the ability to breathe. “No…” I gasp in a deep breath. “He wasn’t getting handsy with me; you have nothing to be worried about. His wife and children keep him happy. To us, he’s called the ‘get back coach’ because his job is to keep our team from being fined. If I don’t pay attention and walk into the field, it could cost us a huge penalty. I’m not willing to take the risk.”
“But doesn’t it get annoying being pulled in the opposite direction on a regular basis? I would’ve decked the guy for getting into my personal space,” Dani admits with a shrug.
“Honestly, I’m so into the game, I don’t even notice.”
She plops another grape into her mouth and innocently asks, “Can I apply for that job? I want the excuse of having to touch you all day.”
I chuckle. “There’s no way I could concentrate with you touching me at any point during the game. I barely remember my own name when you’re touching me, let alone our next play.”
“Seriously?” Dani asks, disbelief written clearly across her features.
“As a heart attack. You’re the ultimate distraction. I wouldn’t get a call right if you were there pulling me back from the field.”
I plate our omelets and hand Dani hers. She takes a bite and moans in appreciation. “Highly doubtful… Oh, this is so good.”
“Trust me, Dani, you’re quite the distraction,” I practically growl as I look her over once again. She would be such a distraction. All I would think about is stripping her naked and having my way with her.