Page 5

Chapter 5

Not Her First Rodeo

Carter

I ’d spent the last two hours doing what I do best: photographing beautiful people. And though my camera had captured countless smiles tonight, the only one I cared about belonged to the woman who’d been occupying my thoughts since the moment I’d laid eyes on her.

There was just something about the way she carried herself that made her the most memorable person in the room. She moved with purpose, like she knew exactly who she was in a sea of people still trying to figure it out. I knew I had to have her, even if it was just for one night. Which was saying a lot coming from me because my romantic attention span was shorter than a camera flash.

The yacht had docked, and most of the guests were filing out, buzzing with the philanthropic satisfaction that comes from writing checks while drinking premium alcohol. But for me, my time on the yacht was just getting started now that I’d gotten a key for one of the rooms. Perks of being besties with one of the yacht owners and all that. Plus, I’d already tipped the staff generously to make themselves scarce.

I made my way to where Nora stood at the railing, watching the procession of designer dresses and tailored suits making their way down the gangplank. The city lights sparkled off the water, creating the perfect backdrop for what I hoped would be an exciting end to the evening.

My fingers itched to capture this moment; her silhouette against the skyline was practically begging to be immortalized.

“Get any good shots?” She didn’t turn around, but I could hear the smile in her voice as I took a few photos. Her voice suggested she knew exactly what game we were playing.

“All my shots are good.” I moved beside her, close enough that our arms brushed. “Though I have to say, my favorite subject kept trying to escape my lens.”

She turned her head to look at me, one eyebrow raised in a way that made me want to kiss the expression right off her face. “Really? And here I thought I was being so accommodating when you were snapping photos earlier.”

“Oh, you were.” I pulled my camera up, flicking through to find the candid shot I’d caught of her laughing with Paige. The way her head was thrown back, pure joy radiating from her expression was the kind of moment photographers dreamed of capturing. The real her, unguarded and magnificent. “See? Absolutely stunning.”

“Hmm.” She leaned in to look at the display, and her closeness made me want to bury my face in her neck. “Not bad.”

I scrolled over until I found the one of her and Dominic cozied up at the bar. While I hadn’t been happy to see them together, I had to admit there was something about their chemistry. “And what about this one?”

She stiffened slightly, and I closely watched her face as it remained indifferent. “Someone bumped into me, and my leg is a bit tired after training camp this week, and now these heels.” She lifted one of her feet and moved her foot around.

“What’s wrong with your leg?” I looked down, thinking I’d missed something.

She parted her dress where there was a slit and put her right foot on one of the railing rungs. I was confused at first, but when she grabbed my hand and placed it in the center of the floral tattoo covering most of her quad, I felt the difference in skin texture.

I cleared my throat. “What happened?”

“When I was fourteen, my mom and I were in a car accident. She died, and I broke my femur on my landing leg.”

I ran my thumb along the skin, having a hard time processing the grief she must have experienced not only from losing her mom but also from losing her career. “I’m sorry.”

She put her foot back on the ground. “My leg has never really been the same. I tried to get back into figure skating, but the strain with the jumping was just too much.”

I knelt down and made her turn to face me before lifting her left foot onto my knee. Her vulnerability hit me harder than I expected. Seeing her stand there, so open, in a way I hadn’t expected, made me want to shield her from everything, even if I didn’t understand it all.

“What are you doing?” A smile returned to her face as I ran my fingers down her calf to the straps of her heels.

“What does it look like?” I took off her left shoe and placed her foot back on the ground before grabbing her right. “This one needs some extra attention.” And I was nothing if not attentive to details.

I kissed along her calf until I got to her ankle, where I bit gently. She made a humming noise of approval as I unhooked the clasp and slid her foot out. With a soft kiss to the top of her foot, I stood, placing her shoes and my camera on a nearby lounge chair.

She turned back to the water as I rejoined her at the railing. I moved her hair off her shoulder, letting my fingers trail against her skin. The goosebumps that followed sent a satisfied thrill through me. “You’re incredibly sexy, Nora.”

She tilted her head slightly to the side, an open invitation to kiss her neck if I ever saw one. I brushed my lips across the sensitive skin beneath her ear, and she let out a contented sigh. “I have a question, and I want you to answer truthfully.”

Uh oh. Was she about to ask for my body count? “Okay… go for it.”

She turned to face me, and I placed my hands on the railing on either side of her. “Do you really not know anything about hockey?”

This sounded suspiciously like a test, and I couldn’t tell if my answer would determine my luck for the rest of the night or not. “That depends on several factors.”

She looked surprised. “Like…?”

“Like your definition of anything. Do I know there is ice, sticks, a puck, and lots of fighting for seemingly no reason? Sure.” My sports knowledge was about as deep as a kiddie pool.

She slid her hands up my chest and looped them around the back of my neck. “That’s the gist of it. Now the question is, do you know how to use your stick?”

“You’re giving me a run for my money with bad lines.” My eyes dropped to her lips. “I’m going to be very, very clear about my intentions with you, Nora.”

“Do share.” Her eyes darted to my lips and back to my eyes as she played with the hair at the nape of my neck. It felt so good that I almost closed my eyes and let my head lull forward.

I leaned in closer, my lips nearly brushing hers. “I plan on spending hours exploring every inch of your body with my hands and mouth until you’re begging me to fuck you.”

Her breath hitched, and her fingers tightened in my hair.

I nipped at her bottom lip, loving how her body arched into mine. “I want to find out if you can take direction as well as you give it.”

A smirk played at her lips. “And here I thought I’d be the one calling the shots.”

“Baby, I’m more than happy to let you take control if that’s what you want.” I slid my hands down to her hips, pulling her firmly against me. “But something tells me you enjoy letting someone else be in charge.”

Her eyes darkened with desire, and fuck if that didn’t make me want her even more. I loved a woman who knew exactly what she wanted and wasn’t afraid to show it.

“You seem pretty confident about that.” Her fingers trailed down my chest, stopping just above my belt. “I don’t know if I’m quite convinced yet.”

She pressed closer, her hand sliding over my growing erection. Her touch was bold and deliberate, like everything else about her. No hesitation, all intention.

I kissed along her jaw and stopped at the corner of her mouth. “Prepare to be convinced.”

I captured her lips with mine, and the world around us disappeared. Her lips were soft but demanding, matching my intensity with her own. One of her hands moved to grip my cock through my pants, and she tangled the other in my hair, using the leverage to pull me closer. I groaned into her mouth, loving how she took exactly what she wanted.

A throat cleared loudly behind us.

We broke apart to find Dominic standing at the entrance to the deck. His face was a picture of controlled fury, his jaw tight enough to crack walnuts and eyes cold enough to refreeze the melting ice caps.

“Nora’s ride is here.”

“My ride?” Nora wrapped an arm around my waist. “I didn’t call for one.”

Dominic’s eyes narrowed. “Team policy. Players and coaches leave together.” His reactions earlier in the night, and the way his jaw clenched when he looked at us, told me everything I needed to know. Classic cockblock move by a man who clearly wanted what I was about to have. Territorial didn’t begin to cover it. The man was practically drawing boundary lines with his laser glare.

“Since when?” Nora’s voice took on that sharp edge that had my cock getting even harder.

“Since right fucking now,” he growled.

“This isn’t a team event, Dominic.” She rolled her eyes so hard that I couldn’t help but laugh.

I should have been annoyed by the interruption, but this was far too captivating. They were like two apex predators circling each other. If sexual tension could be photographed, these two would break my camera with the overexposure.

“Is there a problem, Wilson?” I kept my voice casual while tucking Nora closer to my side. “Because from where I’m standing, Nora seems perfectly capable of making her own decisions.”

“The problem is you.” He stepped farther onto the deck, his fists balled at his sides.

“Are you fucking kidding me right now?” She stepped away from me, crossing her arms as she stepped toward Dominic. “You do not get to decide who I go home with.”

“I’m looking out for you.”

“Bullshit.” She laughed, but there was no humor in it. “You’ve spent every day this week actively undermining me, and now you’re what? My protector?”

For some reason, I was enjoying this back-and-forth between them way more than I should have. If it were anyone else trying to interrupt my night, I’d be telling him exactly where to shove his caveman routine. But watching Nora verbally dismember this guy while he puffed up like an angry rooster? Pure entertainment. Call me twisted, but whatever this was between them was turning me on.

“You don’t know him.” Dominic glanced at me briefly before returning his attention to Nora. “He’s a womanizer.”

I snorted. “You’re one to talk.”

“I don’t need to know him.” She threw her hands up in exasperation. “Do you know how many men I’ve fucked without even knowing their names? A lot, and I’ve survived just fine.”

I whistled low. “I’m Carter, by the way.”

She looked over her shoulder and flashed me a brief smile before turning back to Dominic. “Stay out of my business.”

Instead of waiting for his response, she grabbed my hand and pulled me toward the stairs leading up to the flybridge. I followed eagerly, shooting a wink at Dominic as we passed him.

“You really pissed her off,” I stage-whispered. “It’s kind of hot.”

The flybridge was dark, besides the illumination from the moon. I wasn’t sure why she was bringing me up here, but I wasn’t about to complain.

Nora pushed me down onto a curved lounge seat and climbed onto my lap, her dress hiking up her thighs. She pulled the strap of her little crossbody purse over her head and dropped it onto the seat next to us.

My hands automatically went to her waist as she settled against me. “I like where this is going. I got a key to a room on board if you wanted to go somewhere more private.”

“This is fine.” She leaned in and kissed me hungrily.

She wasn’t holding anything back, and damn if that didn’t make me want her even more. Something told me this display wasn’t entirely about me with the way she’d practically dragged me up here. But I wasn’t about to complain about being used as a prop in whatever game she was playing with Dominic. Not when she was kissing me like she wanted to devour me whole.

I slid my hands up her legs and brushed my thumbs over her inner thighs. She groaned into my mouth, her hips rocking against me, seeking friction.

The chance of someone coming up to the flybridge was low but not impossible, and the idea of getting caught in the act excited me. It seemed to excite her just as much because when my thumbs got to the apex of her thighs, I found her bare and slick with desire.

I broke away from her lips and kissed along the column of her neck. “You’re a wild one, aren’t you? You’re so wet for me.”

“Mm.” She hummed her approval as I parted her folds with one hand and ran my finger from her hole to her clit. “Right there, don’t stop.”

She rocked against my hand, her breaths already coming in pants. I wished I’d grabbed my camera to capture the way the moonlight highlighted the pure bliss on her face.

I groaned as heavy footsteps pounded up the stairs. Nora stiffened on my lap, her fingers digging into my shoulders.

“You’ve got to be kidding me.” Dominic had actually followed us up. The guy seemed physically incapable of letting Nora out of his sight. I might have found his obvious jealousy amusing if he hadn’t interrupted what was shaping up to be an incredibly promising encounter.

Nora recovered quickly from the interruption and continued grinding against my hand, not even turning around to look at him. “Get lost.”

He stepped into my line of sight, looking like he was physically restraining himself from pulling her off me.

I slid a hand around to her ass, grasping the fabric in my hand. “Maybe he just wants to watch.”

Nora burst out laughing, looking over her shoulder at him. “Is that it, Dom? You want to watch? Or are you just jealous you’re not in his position?”

Dominic ran a hand through his hair, his eyes darting between her face and where I was slowly inching her dress up. “You’ve had too much to drink.”

“I haven’t.” She reached under her arm and pulled down the zipper on her dress. “If anything, I haven’t had enough.”

With the confidence of a Greek goddess, she pulled her dress completely off, leaving her naked in my lap besides two nipple covers.

I took her in, my fingers toying with the edges of the silicone. “You sure?” I said it just loud enough for her to hear.

She shrugged nonchalantly and didn’t lower her voice like I had. “Not my first rodeo having someone watch. Maybe he’ll learn how to please a woman.”

Oh, fuck.

If I had been Dominic, I would have left. Instead, he sat down, throwing his arms across the back of the couch like he was some king waiting for the erotic show to start. “Well, what are you waiting for?”