Page 15

Chapter Fifteen

Hunter

T he sky is a breathtaking sweep of stars. The blanket is wrapped around us, trapping our warmth, the scent of hot chocolate and her vanilla shampoo lingering between us as we lay there together.

We’ve been here for a while. Minutes, maybe hours.

She's opened herself up like never before, revealing her struggles and the deepest desires of her heart.

And me? I can't help but cling to every word she says, taking it all in, making damn sure I keep the knowledge of every detail so I can make it right for this amazing woman.

But still, that kiss lingers between us.

The unspoken thing from the party the other night. The line we crossed but never talked about. It's here, in the air, swirling like some kind of suspended puck in overtime.

Just hanging there, waiting for one of us to take the shot.

I should be thinking about the game in two days. I should be thinking about strategy, sweeping the series and progressing into the next round.

Instead, all I can think about is her.

And that damn fairytale that she deserves.

Her hand shifts under the blanket, just slightly, brushing against my stomach.

A small movement. Innocent.

Except it’s not.

Natalie tilts her head up, cheek grazing my jaw. “You've gone quiet. You’re thinking about it again, aren't you?”

I exhale sharply, my grip tightening on her hip as she lays on my chest. “I’m trying not to.”

She smiles, softly. “Me too.”

She sighs. Not just any sigh. A slow, dreamy, lingering breath that fans across my skin.

Like she’s remembering. Like she’s thinking about the last time our lips touched. Like she wants it again just as badly as I do.

And that sound?

It undoes me.

The stars blur into a hazy backdrop as I pull her closer, our blanket forgotten. My lips crash into hers, a collision of pent-up need and frustration. Weeks of denial shatter in an instant.

My hands find her hips, pulling her into my lap. I pin her against me, feeling every curve, every inch of her pressed against my hard length. She moans, the sound vibrating through me as she grinds against me.

I grit my teeth, groaning into her mouth. "Fuck, Natalie."

"Hunter…"

My hands slide over her back, down her ass, gripping it firmly as her mouth moves over mine, her tongue slipping in my mouth, rolling over mine until I groan at the taste I've been dying for.

She gasps, breaking the kiss.

"Are you sure about this?" Her voice is breathy, her big beautiful eyes wide with heat and desire.

I'd be a damn fool to say no right now.

I look into her eyes. "I've never been more sure of anything."

She bites her lip, her hands tangling in my hair as she pulls me back into a kiss. This time, it’s slower, more deliberate.

I savor every second, every taste of her lips.

The blanket slips off us completely, but neither of us cares. The cold night air hits my skin, but the heat between us is all-consuming.

I shift, pressing her down onto the blanket beneath us. Her eyes widen slightly as I hover above her, my breath mingling with hers as I position between her legs.

"Natalie..."

"Yes?" Her voice is barely a whisper.

"I need you," I admit, my voice rough with emotion and raw need.

She nods, wrapping her legs around my waist and pulling me closer. "Then take me."

The stars above us seem to shine even brighter as we lose ourselves in each other. Finally. Finally. Every touch, every kiss feels like a promise—one that I intend to keep.

For the first time in years, I allow myself to believe that maybe I deserve this kind of happiness too.

"Fuck. These goddamn yoga pants."

She smirks against my lips, breathless. "I thought you liked them?"

"I like them better off."

My rough hands yank them down. She gasps and giggles at the same time, and I swallow the sound with another kiss.

This is what I need. This is what we both need.

My hands slide up her bare thighs, fingers skimming over her soaked heat. Her breath hitches as I touch her, and she reaches for my cock, pulling it free from my jeans.

"Fuck, Natalie," I bite through clenched teeth.

Her hand strokes, long and slow, the movement over my dick making me groan, my head tipping back towards the stars.

She shifts her panties aside, and the wind blows across the rooftop, making everything feel even more intense. She drags my cock along her pussy, hitting her wet slit, rubbing the tip of my cock and teasing us both.

I look down, my gaze drawn to the sight of her cunt glistening under the dark night sky. Her clit pulses, a small, needy nub, and her moisture pools over my thick knob, making my body ignite with primal heat.

"You're so wet, baby."

"Only for you," she whispers back, her breath hot against my ear. She shifts slightly, aligning us perfectly.

The world narrows to just the two of us on this rooftop. Our eyes connect.

We're crossing that line.

It's just me and her now.

"Please… Hunter… please," she whimpers, breathless.

That's all I need to hear. I pin her beneath me on the blanket. My weight presses her into the rooftop as I look down at her flushed face.

She gasps as I rub the head of my cock against her entrance, so close but not enough. The anticipation is killing both of us.

"I want it. I want you," she pants.

And with that, I push inside.

The moment I slide that first inch inside her, we both groan.

Home. I'm fucking home again.

Her body trembles beneath me, mine shaking with the effort of restraint. The tight, wet heat of her nearly undoes me.

Natalie gasps, her back arching off the blanket as her nails dig into my shoulders, her hips meeting my thrusts with every sharp movement.

"Jesus Christ, baby. You're so—"

The words catch in my throat as I squeeze my eyes shut at the pleasure. All the memories of our times together come flooding back.

Tight. Wet. Fucking perfect. No words can capture this feeling.

I can't help but stare down at her face in the moonlight. Her eyes lock with mine, pupils blown wide with desire, but there's something else there too. Something that makes my chest ache.

This isn't like before. Not like the quick, desperate encounters in my office. Not like that night in the equipment closet after practice where she begged me to spank her harder.

No.

The way her hand comes up to cup my jaw, thumb brushing across my cheek with such tenderness it nearly breaks me.

"Hunter," she whispers.

Fuck. Even my name on her lips sounds different. Reverent. Real.

I slow my movements, savoring every inch, every gasp, every shiver.

Her body responds to mine like we were made for this. Made for each other. The pleasure builds between us, but it's secondary to this... connection. This thing I've been fighting since the day she walked into my life.

The blanket beneath us, the stars above, her skin against mine - it all blurs together until there's nothing left but Natalie. Just Natalie, and this feeling expanding in my chest that I can't deny anymore.

I've never felt more terrified. Or more alive.

This isn't just sex. This isn't just attraction or chemistry or whatever bullshit excuse I've been using. This is...

Everything.

I snap my hips forward, burying myself inside her in one deep stroke. She cries out, clutching at my back as I fill her completely. The sound echoes across the rooftop, raw and primal.

My forehead presses against hers, breath coming in heavy pants as I steady the pace, fucking her with everything I've got.

I pull back, then thrust deep again.

I was wrong before. This isn't just breaking a rule. This is rewriting everything.

Every principle, every boundary I've built over twenty years of the game - gone in an instant.

Her moans grow louder and I feel her core tighten around my cock. She's close. Damn close.

"Is this what you wanted, sweetheart?" My voice comes out rough, barely recognizable as I hold on to get her through.

She moans, fingers digging harder into my skin. "Yes—please—"

Natalie's eyes squeeze shut, and I feel her body tighten around me. Her nails dig deeper into my back, dragging down, sending a beautiful pain that hits just right.

"Fuck, Hunter," she moans loudly, voice trembling with the intensity of her climax. The sound of my name on her lips sends a shiver down my spine.

I hold her close, riding out the waves of her orgasm. Each thrust of my hips draws another moan from her, and I can't help but watch the way her face contorts in pleasure.

It's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen.

Her walls squeeze around me and I bury myself deep inside her one last time and let go.

My orgasm hits me like a freight train, ripping through me with a force that leaves me breathless. I come deep inside her, filling her with my warmth.

For a moment, there's nothing but the sound of our ragged breathing and the pounding of my heart against hers. Iron Ridge fades away until it's just us, tangled together under the stars.

I don't want to move. Don't want to let go of this feeling. This connection that feels so right, so real.

But eventually, reality creeps back in.

I pull out of her slowly, reluctantly, and roll onto my back beside her on the blanket.

Natalie curls into my side, resting her head on my chest. Her fingers trace lazy patterns on my skin as we lie there in silence.

I wrap an arm around her, holding her close as our breathing steadies. The night air cools our heated skin, but the warmth between us lingers.

I press a kiss to the top of her head, feeling a strange mix of contentment and uncertainty settle over me.

This changes everything.

Because this isn’t just sex. It never was.

But for the first time, I don’t think I can pretend it is anymore.