Page 32

It’s still daylight out but fading fast as the day creeps into the night. There is a subtle glow of light filtering in through the blinds. “You’re beautiful.”

“I think that’s supposed to come after the clothes have been discarded,” she teases.

“With or without them, Corie girl, you take my breath away.” She dips her head to hide her blush, and I can’t have that.

With my index finger, I lift her eyes back to mine.

“Don’t hide from me.” She nods, and I drop my hand and begin to unbutton her blouse.

Once I reach the final button, I slide it over her arms and move to place it neatly on the chair in the corner.

It’s more time than I’d like to take, but we don’t need Landry asking her where she was and why she’s coming home all rumpled.

Her skirt is next, and I do the same with it, placing it over the back of the chair and moving back to her.

She’s in nothing but a pair of white thong panties and a matching bra.

I take a minute to commit this moment to memory.

It’s not the first time I’ve seen her naked, and lord help me, I hope it’s not the last.

“You make my heart race,” she says, with a quiver in her voice. She grabs my hand and places it on her chest, right over her heart. The moment is still around us as I feel the rapid beat of her chest beneath my palm.

Needing her to feel that she does the same to me, I rip off my shirt, toss it to the floor, and place her hand on my chest. “You’re the only woman to ever bury herself in here.” I tap my hand over hers, which is now resting over my heart.

“Knox.” I can hear the emotion in her voice.

“I don’t know how it happened, but it’s where I’m at. I told you I’d always be honest with you, and while I won’t say the words, I need you to know you’re here with me always.”

She nods. “Yes,” she rasps, as if she also needs to voice her agreement.

Stepping back, I strip out of my shorts and boxer briefs, kicking them to the side. I watch as Corie reaches behind her back and unclasps her bra, tossing it across the room before she shimmies out of her panties, which get kicked away. The entire time, her eyes never leave mine.

“You got me naked, Knox Beckett. What did you say was the next step? You’re going to have your way with me?” she asks brazenly.

“Thoroughly.”

“Do you know the play?” she teases.

“Baby, I make the play.” Sliding my arm around her waist, I bring her as close as I can get her and take her lips in a bruising kiss.

Her hands roam over my chest, and when she palms my hard cock, I know I need to take control.

If not, I’m going to embarrass myself. “Careful,” I warn.

“This will end before it’s barely begun. ”

She tilts her head to the side. “You don’t want me to touch you?” She whispers the words, but it’s the heat in her eyes that almost brings me to my knees.

“Oh, I do, but not yet. I can’t have you thinking all I do is fumble before we get started.”

“Show me what you’ve got, quarterback,” she taunts.

“On the bed.” I smack her ass lightly, and she yelps, then giggles as she rushes to climb onto the bed. Reaching into the nightstand drawer, I grab a condom and toss it on the bed next to her before I take my spot between her thighs. “You are in control here, Corie. If you want to stop, we stop.”

“Why would I want you to stop? We’ve been building up to this for weeks. I might combust if you stop.”

“You’re going to anyway.” I smirk, and she laughs lightly.

“Prove it.”

The time for words is done. I settle between her thighs, lifting one and then the other over my shoulders before I eat her pussy like a starving man.

And I am starving for her. I’ve had her like this before, but it’s always been the main course, not the appetizer.

Her hands grip my hair, and she lifts her hips.

“Knox—” she pants, and I grin before getting back to work. Between my mouth and my hands, I have her calling out my name in no time as her body shakes with her release.

Placing her legs back on the bed, I wipe my face with the back of my arm and move to hover over her. I take my time trailing kisses in my wake. When I reach her, she moans when she tastes herself on my tongue.

Slowly, her eyes blink open.

“There she is,” I say.

She places her hand on my cheek, and the softest, most tender look fills her eyes. “There you are,” she whispers. With her free hand, she reaches for the condom, tears it open, and hands it to me.

My heart beats against my ribs like a bass drum. I waste no time sheathing my cock and hover over her again with my hands resting against the mattress on either side of her head. “This changes things.”

“I know.”

Leaning my weight on one arm, I grip my cock and align myself at her entrance. “You can say no.”

“Please,” she says instead. “I need you.”

I don’t know if anyone has ever needed me.

I have people in my life who love me, but I’ve truly never felt like they needed me, definitely not until her.

Pushing inside her is like an out-of-body experience.

Even with the layer of protection between us, I can feel her warmth as her body pulses around me.

This isn’t my first time, but it damn sure feels like it is.

“Tell me what you need,” I say when I’m about halfway inside her.

“Just you, Knox.”

Giving my girl what she wants, I push all the way inside and still. My pulse is racing. It’s so loud that I know she has to be able to hear it. My hands are sweaty, and my arms are trembling as I feel her wrapped around me for the first time.

My dad's words that he said to me when he sat me down and talked about the birds and the bees rings through my ears. “Son, sex is special. Even more so when you find the one woman you never expected and would do anything to be in her orbit.” He told me I’d experiment but to never take sex lightly, and although I’ve indulged in a no-strings-attached one-night fling or two, that’s stayed with me.

Especially at this moment. Dad would get a kick out of that, I’m sure.

“Where did you go?” she asks, running her palm across my cheek.

“I’m right here, where I’m meant to be.” Bending my head, I take her lips with mine. It’s an unhurried kiss, one I want to savor as I pull out of her and slowly slide back in. It’s the beginning of a leisurely, steady pass that defies the beat of my racing heart.

Even though my heart is racing, I keep my strokes measured and even. Her pussy squeezes me, and her name falls from my lips like a plea. For what, I’m not sure. “Corie.”

“Why did we wait so long to do this?” she asks, lifting her hips, meeting mine with each forward motion.

“We wanted to be sure.”

“Are you sure, Knox?”

I stop moving and stare into her beautiful green eyes. “I’m sure that you’re mine. I’m sure that nothing before you matters. I’m sure nothing has ever felt as good as your pussy gripping my cock.” She’s quiet, almost as if she’s processing my words. “Tell me what you’re thinking, Corie girl.”

Bright green eyes hold my gaze. “I’m thinking it’s going to break my heart if we lose this.”

“We won’t.” My voice is firm and resolute. She’s my unexpected, and the reality is that she’s mine, and I’m hers, and where we go from here doesn’t matter as long as we’re together. It’s not a proclamation of love, but it might as well be.

She pulls my head down to kiss me, meeting me halfway, and I begin a punishing thrust of my hips. She gasps and digs her nails into my back. “Please don’t stop. Don’t you dare—” she pants.

“Never, baby.” It’s a promise for more than just tonight. It’s a promise for tonight and every day of the future. It’s always going to be us. I can feel it deep inside me. I said that tonight would change things between us. We both agreed, but I didn’t know it would be such a profound change.

Her eyes are closed, and she’s biting down on her bottom lip. She’s close.

“I can feel you, Corie. Your pussy is going crazy. I need you to come for me.” I kiss the corner of her mouth, and her eyes pop open.

“Together.”

I nod and let loose. It’s not long before we’re both calling out each other’s names as a tsunami of desire washes over us.

My breathing is labored as if Coach just made us run sprints for an entire practice.

I’m a damn professional athlete, and one night in bed with my girl has me winded like a two-pack-a-day smoker.

When I catch my breath, I kiss her quickly and pull out before rolling off the bed to dispose of the condom. I come back with a warm cloth and clean her up. Her eyes never leave mine as I do.

“You didn’t have to do that.”

“Told you. I take care of what’s mine. That’s you.” I kiss her again, because I need to kiss her more than I need air. It’s always been that way with her, and I have a feeling it’s never going to change.

Coming back to the bed, I lie down beside her and pull the covers over us. “How long can you stay?”

“A while.”

I hate her answer. I want her to say forever. “We should tell him, Corie.” I feel her body tense.

“Not yet.”

“The longer we wait, the worse it’s going to be.”

“I know, just—not yet. We need to wait until the season is over.”

“Baby, it’s just starting.”

“I know, but I can’t be the reason the team is against one another. We don’t know how he’s going to react, and if it affects the season, I’d never forgive myself. It’s already going to be bad enough coming between the two of you.”

“That won’t happen. He’s going to have to see us together all the time.”

She rolls over to look at me, and there’s uncertainty in her eyes. “We just have to hold out until the season is over.”

“That could be months if we make the playoffs, and we will make the playoffs.” I smirk.

“Just a little more time. Please, Knox.”

I nod. “Okay. We’ll wait.”

She relaxes into me.

We’re gambling in a high-stakes game. There’s a lot on the line, but I can tell this is important to her, so we’ll do it her way. Until then, I’ll sneak as much time with her as I can and let the chips fall where they may.