Page 31

Cockblocked by a cat

Remy

Sophie was pretty excited about the idea of doing her own Christmas.

I didn’t know what her usual celebration was like but it didn’t sound like the traditional, Hallmark kind of get-together.

Her ex and his dad, and her ex’s new girlfriend and kids.

Her dad with a stepmom younger than her.

That didn’t mean they couldn’t get along, though it sounded awkward to me, but at the idea of doing something different she was already smiling.

My offer of help was sincere. It was easier to be with people if I was busy, but when the WAGs offered to host the team orphans, they never wanted extra hands in the kitchen—they had it all under control. I promised Sophie I’d do some of the work, and she agreed to let me.

She asked what I would like for Christmas.

She meant to eat. Still, my thoughts immediately shot to starting the day in bed with her at the top of my Christmas list, but I wouldn’t assume that one night meant she wanted a backup goalie for anything more.

I’d let her know I was willing if she was, so now I had to wait.

Fortunately, that was something backup goalies were good at.

The Aces had a game that night. I didn’t dress for it, watching from the team box. Another win, which was good. I just wished I was part of it.

The next night, as I took Beast down for his last outing before bedtime, I saw Sophie heading toward the carriage house. My heart leapt in my chest, but she was probably just coming to get something from her workshop.

I waited, in case, letting Beast sniff any bush that caught his interest. We were hidden in the shadow of a tree when she got close enough for me to see her by the exterior lights of the coach house.

My eyes were pinned to her face. She turned to the apartment stairs and jumped when Beast growled at the intrusion of another human.

She whooshed out a breath. “I’m sorry. I should have called. Is it too late? You’re going to bed, aren’t you?”

“It’s not too late.” Even if she only wanted to talk, I was willing. “Want to come up?”

She followed me up the stairs, Beast grumbling, but once we were inside he headed for his bed and ignored us.

“Anything to drink?” I’d gotten some wine, just in case.

She leaned against the counter, arms crossed. “Sure. Whatever you have.”

I pulled the wine out of the fridge and opened a drawer to find the corkscrew. “Problems with Otts?”

Sophie shook her head. “No. Cash arrived today.”

My missing landlord. “He’s a problem?”

She sighed, taking the glass of wine I passed her. “He didn’t come alone.”

“He has a girlfriend?” Or had he brought friends?

“He always has girlfriends. And this one is a little territorial.”

Did she mean— Had she come here because she didn’t feel welcome at the big house? “But it’s your home too.”

“That’s only part of it. She doesn’t like to share his attention.”

“She sounds like a bitch.”

Sophie took a long swallow. “But a very beautiful one.”

I had a strong urge to go to the big house on her behalf. “What’s wrong with your brother?”

She tilted her head. “Wrong with him?”

“Does he not notice when his ‘girlfriends’ act like bitches to you, or does he not care?”

“I hope he doesn’t notice.” Her voice was small.

If I saw my landlord, I was going to have words with him. “You’re welcome here anytime you need an escape.”

A smile. “Thank you. I was hoping…” Her cheeks flushed, and suddenly I didn’t hate this new girlfriend as much.

I set down my glass and took the two steps necessary to stand beside her. “I was hoping too, but no pressure. I can sleep on the couch.”

She swallowed the last of the wine in her glass and set it down. She inched forward, so that our bodies were separated by a hair’s breadth. “That’s not what I was hoping.”

I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her close. “Seems like we’re about to find out how Beast behaves when someone sleeps over.” Just then a yowl came from the door. Sophie bit her lip. I dropped my forehead against hers. “The cat won’t stop, will she?”

“Probably not.”

“Guess she doesn’t like the girlfriend either.”

I released Sophie so I could open the door. Goober stalked in. Beast sat up, but Goober hopped on the counter and turned her back to us all.

“Is it safe to leave them out here?” I asked.

“Maybe we should wait a bit and see?”

Cockblocked by a cat. Damn it.

I sat on the couch, beside Sophie. She moved in close and I wrapped my arm around her. Beast stared at Goober, tongue hanging out, while the cat continued to ignore us. Beast finally gave up and curled in his bed. At least one creature was going to get a good night’s sleep.

Sophie whispered in my ear. “One down.”

I shivered as her breath touched my neck. I tightened my arm around her and she tucked in closer. It seemed a waste not to at least kiss her, but I wasn’t going to pay any attention to the animals if I was kissing Sophie.

Goober turned and examined the room. She blinked at Beast, in a tight circle with his nose under his tail.

She jumped from the counter to one of the stools at the breakfast bar, with a cheerful cushion tied on the seat.

She circled on it, stopped, circled again, and finally settled in almost the same pose as Beast.

I slid my hand up and down the top of Sophie’s arm, enjoying the contact. Her head was on my shoulder, and most of me was content there. My dick, however, was getting ideas, and I wasn’t sure if that was in the cards now.

Sophie pulled back. “Dare we hope they’re settled?”

“Do you want to keep watching?”

“I’ll fall asleep if we do and that’s not why I came over.”

“Let’s go to the bedroom and see what we can do. But quietly.” I stood up and held my hand out to her.

She stood and followed me. My brain bounced between worry about how clean the sheets were, how I’d gotten lucky enough that she was here at all, and all the sexy things I wanted to do with her that we hadn’t gotten to yet.

Sophie took a last look back at the dog and cat, then paused in the doorway looking around. “You haven’t done much.”

I shrugged. “Not sure how long I’ll be in Austin.”

She nodded. “So this,” she gestured between us, “is just casual.”

I froze. I wasn’t sure of anything beyond that she was here, and hadn’t considered there might be a future.

She was the daughter and sister of big-name music people, and had married one of the best goalies the league had seen in recent years.

How did I stack up against that? And what if Otts found out?

She noticed my lack of response. “I didn’t mean to freak you out. I was just clarifying. Is that a problem?”

I took a step toward her and reached for her hands.

My freaking out had nothing to do with her and was entirely in my own fucked-up head.

“After the first time, I didn’t have any expectations.

Tonight is a bonus, because I hadn’t planned ahead at all.

But for the record, I’m happy to keep this going if you want. ”

“Sounds like we’re on the same page, so?—”

Her words stopped as I kissed her. The kissing and sex had been good, so I wasn’t going to risk messing things up by talking any longer.

Sophie relaxed into me, opening so I could explore her.

She chased my tongue into my mouth and I held her tightly against me.

Her hair was soft, a faint trace of a floral scent wafting from her warm and willing body.

My dick hardened and my hands roamed over her back, her sides, and then her ass.

Her hands pushed into my hair, and I loved the tug on my scalp.

I pulled back. “Naked, right?”

“You first this time,” she agreed, cheeks flushed and her hair mussed. I didn’t remember doing that, but right now the important thing was to do what she’d asked.

I pulled the long-sleeved tee over my head, only needing one additional tug to get it off. I was afraid I’d looked clumsy, but Sophie’s eyes were glued to my chest and abs, so I flexed. Her eyes shot up to my face. “This why you wanted me naked?”

“Keep going.” Her words came out breathless and husky, sending shivers up my spine.

I was wearing sweats, since I didn’t dress up to take Beast out, so it was quick work to shove them down and kick them off. I paused, put my thumbs in my waistband, then pushed the boxer briefs down and off, throwing them haphazardly toward the hamper.

Her eyes were wide and now focused on my hard dick which flexed for her as well. She backed to the bed and sat down. “Come here.”

Another twitch from my dick as it got ideas about what she wanted to do. I stepped forward quickly, stopping in front of her, glad I’d showered recently.

She looked up. “May I?”

As if I’d say no. “Please.”

She gripped me with her right hand, then slid her fist gently up and down my erection.

“Harder.” I was leaking precome, and she used that as she tightened her grip and pumped me, sending sparks of pleasure through my body.

“Like that?”

“Yeah,” I agreed breathlessly.

“I think I can do better.” She leaned forward and I watched in eager disbelief as she took me into her mouth.

“Fuck.” I moaned as her hot mouth wrapped around my dick, lighting up every nerve, each one of them happy and zipping their excitement back and forth. I had to brace my knees as all the blood raced out of my brain and I felt lightheaded.

She still had her hand at the base, and she pumped in sync with her mouth. My whole dick was soon wet with spit and precome, slick and warm. I wanted this forever, but I wasn’t sure how long it would be before her jaw was sore. I was so close to blowing down her throat.

I held out as long as I could, then I moved my hand to her head, gently encouraging her to pull back. “I don’t know if you want this to end here, but if not…”

She blinked for a moment then shook her head.

I stepped back. “Time for you to get naked.”

She stood up, biting her lip. “No sexy underwear this time.”

I shrugged. “It was coming off anyway.”

That seemed to reassure her, so she pulled her sweater up over her head. It caught, and I grabbed it, helping pull it off.

She reached her hands to open her bra at the back, and I watched while the band loosened then the straps on her arms started to slip off her shoulders. When she dropped her arms, the garment fell to the ground, more enticing than any stripping routine I’d ever seen. I held her tits in my hands.

She pressed forward, filling my hands with her softness. I ran my thumbs over the nipples, already in hard peaks. Her eyes closed and she shuddered.

“More,” I whispered.

She opened her eyes and moved her hands to her waistband, opening her pants and shoving them and her underwear down. Once she stepped out of them, she was naked in front of me. I stepped back.

“What are you doing?”

“Taking my turn to admire?”

Her cheeks flushed and she looked down her body. “Okay?”

I nodded. “Oh yeah. But I want to do more than look. Lie down.” I no longer cared about the condition of the sheets, as long as Sophie was on them.

She crawled into the middle of the bed, rolling onto her back. I joined her, settling over her body, my dick rubbing the front of her pussy.

“Mmmm,” she moaned.

I leaned my head down and kissed her, enjoying the feel of her hands smoothing over my chest, my back, and my ass.

My arms held the full weight of my body off her, but I moved my hips, rubbing my dick over her pussy, sometimes catching on her opening.

She spread her legs and now I was rubbing against her sex. We both moaned.

I wanted to slide into her, but, “Damn, condom.”

“You have some, right?”

“Give me a moment.” I pushed up and off her and scrambled to the bathroom.

“Why don’t you have them in your nightstand like a normal person?” she called after me. “Is this a Canadian thing?”

I walked back in naked, dick hard, condom wrapper in my hand. “I haven’t…” A horrible thought crossed my mind, and I brought the wrapper up close enough to read the expiry date. My shoulders dropped in relief as I saw it was still good.

“You haven’t?” she repeated.

“Haven’t unpacked everything yet.”

“You really haven’t used any condoms since you got Beast?”

My dick was softening fast. “No.”

Her lips lifted in a smile. “Now I’m feeling special. Come here, and I’ll help with that.”

I returned to the bed, slowly. She took the condom and tore open the wrapper. She put a hand on my dick, gripping it tightly like I’d directed earlier. A couple of tugs and I was rock hard again. She rolled the condom on while I clenched my fists to hold back from touching her.

“There. Now, where were we?” She slid back on the bed and spread her legs.

I followed her, as if joined by an invisible string. And in a moment I was on top of her, dick pressed against her warmth. “Here? This where we left off?”

“That’s almost right, but…” Her hands gripped my hips, pulling me closer, dick nudging her vagina.

“Now…” And I slid home.