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CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

KENDRA

I t’s not even morning. I know because it’s still pitch-black outside Jack’s window, where I can see the lights from the Brooklyn Bridge shining bright since we both fell asleep and didn’t bother closing the curtains.

When we finished having sex the first time, we went at it again. And again.

Tucked under his arm and pressed against him as he breathes softly from behind me, I squeeze my thighs and don’t just remember but feel the things we did last night. I came more times than I could count, and I smile lazily into the duvet, the scruff of his jaw still tingling between my legs.

“Hold still, Kitten. I haven’t gotten it all.”

My stomach flips at the memory. His dirty words, his wicked tongue.

And I’m so here for it.

With no idea if it’s two a.m. or five, I find myself grinding back into his hips, totally insatiable and needy.

I grind a few more times and feel his hard cock between my bare ass cheeks, but there’s no change to the pattern of his breathing.

Fuck, I’m so horny.

Beneath the duvet, I bring my hand to my apex and slide a finger through my pussy, my eyes fluttering shut.

“Are you still wet from my cock?” Jack whispers into the hairs at the back of my neck.

I stroke myself again and reach behind me, searching for what I want.

My fingertips graze him, gathering pre-cum, which I bring to my mouth, and he flips me onto my back, hovering over me.

His usually styled hair is messy from the way I ran my fingers through it all night. Reaching up, I play with the strands as they fall over his eyes.

“Happy birthday.” He whispers the words, finding my breast with his tongue.

I writhe beneath him and bring my palms to either side of his face, pulling him back up toward me. “I want you inside me again.”

“And you think there was a realistic alternative?”

I pulse at his heady voice, thick with lust. “Well, I was hoping not, but …” I trail off, not wanting to spoil the moment.

Jack’s lips find mine. “Not what, Kendra?”

I swallow down his words as memories come back. “Just thinking about how last year looked very different from the way this birthday has started out.”

From above me, Jack closes his eyes. “You should’ve been in my bed last year too.”

My heart races just a little faster. “What are we doing, Jack?”

“I don’t know, Kitten.” He opens his eyes and strokes a thumb across my forehead. “Following what we want?” he breathes out and notches his cock at my entrance. “Having the best sex of our lives.”

When he pushes inside me, I wrap my legs around his waist. I’m still deliciously sore from last night, and it only adds to the intensity from the way he fills me. We both groan into one another, our mouths hanging open, tongues tangling.

“I think I’m addicted to you, to this body.” He trails his fingertips down my side, rolling his hips against me.

I press my heels into his lower back, already wanting him deeper. “I can’t get enough.”

Every movement Jack makes finds a different spot from before. Every kiss he places against my skin I feel all over my body, leaving me trembling.

“Relax for me, Kendra. I’m gonna make this so good for you.”

Jack sits back on his heels and brings me with him. He’s still inside me when he moves us toward the edge of his bed and sets his feet on the floor.

Completely naked and straddling his thighs, the lights of Brooklyn reflect in his eyes.

“Ride me like this. Come on my cock with the world behind you.”

I chase my high, fingernails digging into his shoulders.

“Tell me, do you feel as sexy as you look right now?” Jack’s hands come under my ass as he lifts me off him, hovering me above just above his cock. “Do you, Kendra?” he repeats.

I nod my head. “Yes.”

“Good girl.”

He lowers me back onto his dick, and I gasp. I feel even fuller than before.

“I’ve never been this hard—ever.” Sweat beads on his forehead, a few damp strands of hair falling over his eyes. “Only you do this to me, make me feel so turned on.”

Lifting up, I slam back onto him, and we both cry out together.

“Fuck, Kitten, do that again. I love it when you use me.”

This time, when I drop harder, his lips find my neck. Normally, he kisses or lightly nips, but this time, Jack sucks—hard.

“W-what are you doing? ”

The sting flirts with pleasure as he releases my skin and licks over it with his tongue.

“Proving every part of this is real.” He brings his eyes back to mine and wraps his palm around the back of my neck. “I’m never going to forget this, Kendra. Last night, this morning—it’s a part of me now.”

“Me too. Best day ever.”

A giggle spills out, and he thrusts into me from below, setting me off like a fucking firework. I was teetering on the edge, but all it took was a deep stroke, and I’m seeing stars.

“I’m gonna blow right inside you. You want that? Huh? You want my cum, dirty girl?”

I spread my legs wider and reach behind me, massaging his balls in my palm. “I’m feeling greedy. Blow, baby.”

On a deep roar that I’m certain his neighbors hear, Jack spills inside me. Last night, I could feel his release, but as the sun rises behind me and casts an orange glow into his bedroom, my body heats at the way he fills me up so well.

“Jesus Christ.” Jack’s forehead falls against my chest. “You think you’re greedy? I’ll never get enough of you.”

“Thanks. Well played,” I say, shaking Casey Robinson’s hand.

“You too, Hart. You’re hoping for a place in the World Cup squad, right?” Cleveland’s goalkeeper asks. Robinson has been to more major tournaments than I can recall.

I nod and adjust my stance, taking some of the pressure off my knee. Securing the win against the top of the league has left me more than just a little exhausted. Although I’m not sure how much of that is due to the three hours of sleep I got last night.

“Yeah. Fingers crossed I make it.”

“Well, let’s put it this way: they’d be crazy not to select you. ”

“Hey there. Back off my girl, all right?” Jenna throws an arm around my shoulders and drags me away from Robinson. “Find your own center back,” she calls behind her, giggling all the way.

I shake my head and chuckle. “So possessive.”

Releasing me and jogging over to her goal, she picks up her towel and water bottle and makes her way back. “How was last night?”

I narrow my eyes at her in question. “You saw me last night.”

She squirts water into her mouth and seals the cap on her bottle, grinning. “Yeah, but I’m fairly certain you weren’t sporting a Jack stamp when I last saw you.”

“Oh fuck.” My face flames as my hand darts up to my neck, tracing the mark he left.

“I mean, I thought you had a little more pep this afternoon.” She steps forward, her blue eyes glittering with mischief. “Now I know why. Was he amazing? I imagine he was.”

I turn and head for the locker room as the crowd around us fully disperses. “I’m not talking about it.”

Jenna throws her head back like a child. “Oh, come onnnn. I’d spill on Lee.”

I nudge her and laugh. “Oh, I bet you would.”

Catching my hand in hers, Jenna stops me just before we push through the door. “Seriously though, Hart, you’re smiling. You look happy.”

For once in my life, I don’t try to hide it. “Yeah, I am.”

She beats her boot against the designated mat. “Does this mean things are … more permanent?”

I roll my lips together, uncertainty combining with unease. “I don’t know what we are. Things are kind of blurry right now.”

Jenna’s shoulders drop. “Have you spoken?—”

“Miller, can I borrow you for a second, please?” Coach’s voice cuts her short.

With one last glance my way, Jenna takes off in the opposite direction, leaving me alone with my thoughts .

The locker room door flies open, and my captain stands with my cell in her hand. “Hart, your phone won’t stop ringing.”

I immediately panic, thinking something happened to Jack at practice. My pulse rate slows when I see Ollie across the screen.

“I assume you’re calling to congratulate me on my best performance of the season so far.” I bang my boots on the mat, trying to get them clean.

“I knew it, I fucking knew you were dating him! Oh, happy birthday, by the way.”

“Oliver, language! Happy birthday, darling. Did you get the flowers we sent you?”

I pull the phone away from my ear to see I’m on a three-way call with my brother and parents.

Delightful.

“Flowers?” My brain catches up, and I remember I sent them Jack’s address a couple of days ago, not that they knew whose it was at the time. “Oh, no, not yet. Maybe when I get back home.”

“Okay. Well, hopefully, you like them.” Mom pauses. “But your brother has a point. When exactly were you going to break this to us, or do you plan on us getting all our updates via ESPN from now on?”

“ESPN?” I repeat.

“Uh, duh. You attended NYPAG with not just a pro hockey star, BUT the guy who’s just been named the NHL’s most eligible bachelor. Makes sense if you think about it. What with his last name and everything,” Ollie clarifies.

I shake my head in confusion. “Most eligible … what are you talking about?”

“Ugh,” he sighs. “Check the news when you get a second. I assume you’ve been too preoccupied lately.”

“Yeah, yeah. All right, Oliver, that’s enough of that,” Dad interrupts. “But seriously”—his voice rises a couple of octaves—“are you seeing Jon Morgan’s son?”

“Stepson,” I correct.

“Eh, potato, potahto,” Mom responds .

I look down the hallway like I’ll see Jenna and she’ll come to my rescue. Instead, I find Jack standing at the entrance to the pitch, rain pouring down behind him, his hands in the front pocket of his Blades hoodie.

My heart rate picks up. He didn’t say he’d be here.

I wave to him and then turn back to the family conference call. “Yeah,” I say, closing my eyes as the word leaves my mouth, “we’re dating.”

“Ohmygod! Do you love him?!” Mom bursts out.

“For fuck’s sa?—”

“Oliver!” Dad scolds.

My eyes are still closed when Jack approaches me from behind, kissing the mark on my neck and wrapping his arms around my waist.

Everything inside me melts away, and I have to fight to keep myself focused on the conversation and not totally engulfed by the tingles dancing in my stomach.

“I’m not answering that question, Mom.”

“Well, why not? Should I start speaking to an officiant?”

“No.”

I snort a laugh and then look over my shoulder, Jack’s eyes sparkling back at me. I don’t know if he can hear what’s being said, but either way, he’s probably got a good idea of the madness I was brought up around.

“Okay, I’m going to go now,” I say, already pulling the phone away from my ear.

“Bring him home for Thanksgiving!” Mom says.

I quickly shout, “Bye,” and disconnect the call.

“Sorry about that.” I wince and wave my phone in front of me. “My family is kind of …”

“Crazy?” he finishes.

I nod and pull my hair out of its ponytail. “Exactly that.”

I look around him and see we’re all alone in the hallway when Jack pulls his hands from his hoodie and tips my chin up. “You played fucking awesome today. ”

“You watched?”

His trademark dimple emerges. “I missed the first half because of practice but caught the second. That tackle?” He gives me a chef’s kiss.

I blush. “Thanks.”

“So, yeah, about family.” Jack reaches out and runs his fingers through the ends of my hair. “How do you feel about meeting mine?”

My eyes grow wide as I thumb over my shoulder. “Like, now? Today?”

He smirks and nods once. “Darce flew in for a few days since she’s got a study week, and Mum is … let’s just say, she’s insisting she meets you after last night’s photos.”

I stay quiet. Fuck, meet his family?

“I can tell them if it’s too soon,” Jack quickly adds. “Yeah, it’s too soon.” He pulls out his phone. “To be honest, this wasn’t even part of the arrangement. I don’t know what I was thinking.” He starts typing a message out.

My hand covers his screen. “No, don’t. I’d love to meet them. Just give me a few to get changed, okay?”

I’m pushing through the locker room door when my phone buzzes in my hand.

Ollie

There was no way you were living with him and nothing else. When you meet Jon, I want a full report.

My brother needs to calm the fuck down.

“Kend?”

I turn back to Jack. “Yeah?”

He looks like he wants to say something, but clearly changes his mind. “I’ve got my truck; I can drive us.”