Page 41

July

JACK

“ J ack! Can you help me with this zipper?”

I step into the hotel bathroom to find a flustered and red-faced Kendra.

I could pretend and say she’s worked up because of the zipper on the stunning black dress I’d talked her into letting me buy a couple of months ago, but that would be a lie. She’s been nervous since the organizers asked her to give a speech a few weeks ago. Kendra wanted to come back to Seattle to catch up with her friends since she didn’t get a chance to attend the college reunion last year, and I convinced her we should go. Shortly after we booked the tickets, she was contacted and asked to share her career and the journey it’s taken so far.

Bringing my hand to the zip, I slowly glide it up her back and then fasten the clasp at the top.

She stands, watching me in the mirror, and when my eyes meet hers in the reflection, she spins around to face me. “Should I have worn my hair down, do you think?”

I shake my head and kiss her neck. “Gives me better access to do this. ”

Beneath the touch of my lips, I feel her body relax, and she leans into me, looping her arms around my shoulders.

“I’ve never given a speech before. I’m one hundred percent going to fumble my words.”

I rest my hands on her hips, the satin material soft against my fingertips. “You’re going to kill it.”

Her brown eyes, framed with thick black lashes, soften in response. “I just can’t believe Tyler decided to turn up. Seems a little too convenient if you ask me—I’m confirmed as the speaker for this year, and he suddenly announces his attendance.”

I set a kiss on her forehead. “I can’t say I blame him.”

Her eyes grow wide. “What do you mean?”

“Stuck in the farm team over in Connecticut. This is the only chance he’ll get to see you. Unlikely he’ll be invited to NYPAG this year.”

It’s even more unlikely he’ll be returning to the NHL anytime soon since I’ve had the greatest season of my life as center. Sure, we didn’t lift the Stanley Cup, but we did make the playoffs, and that’s insane progress from where we were in September. Right now, the team has no use for him.

She bites down on her bottom lip, and I take her hand in mine, pulling her out of the bathroom and heading for the door.

“Wait.” She stops in her tracks as my hand reaches the door handle. “Do you think I should practice again? One final run-through so I can be confident I haven’t forgotten everything I want to say?”

I planned on doing this when we got back up to our room later tonight. But from the anxious look on her face and the way she grips my hand, I conclude that maybe it’s the distraction she needs.

Releasing the handle, I reach into my pocket and pull out a folded piece of paper. “Sure. Last night, I noted down all the areas you wanted to cover. Women in sports, the rise of football in the US.”

I hand her the slip, and she narrows her eyes at me.

Eight months together, and she still won’t admit I’m right.

“Thank you. That’s really thought …” She trails off and stares down at the paper in her hands. “T-these aren’t notes for my speech.”

I step toward her and bring my hands back to her waist, dropping my head so I can read the flight confirmation once more. “Is it not? What does it say, Kitten?”

“Two first class tickets to Heathrow. Leaving in two days.” Her voice is a mixture of excitement and wonder as she reads the details.

Bingo. Relaxed Kendra is back .

I take the paper from her and throw it on the bed beside us. “It will be a quick turnaround when we get back to New York, but Mum and Jon have lent us their cottage in Oxford for two weeks.” I duck my head to meet her shocked gaze. “Just you, me, the English countryside, and as much tea and cakes as we want.”

Kendra rolls her lips together and lets out an excited squeak. “I love you so much!” She throws her arms around me and goes in for a kiss. “Ope. Shit, you’re wearing my gloss now.”

She goes to wipe it away, but I reach up and run my finger across my bottom lip, bringing it to my mouth.

Her eyes hood at the sight. “And now I’m going to be horny when I deliver my speech.”

I tip her chin up to meet my eyes. “Let’s go downstairs and see our friends. Then I’ll bring you back up here, and we can play with Scarlett.”

“Women have always had a place in sports and will continue to thrive not just over here in America, but across the world and in many disciplines. Young girls should be inspired to reach for their dreams of becoming a famous marathon runner, gymnast, tennis player, hockey player.”

With my jaw agape, I watch on as my girlfriend knocks her speech out of the park, just like I knew she would.

For a brief second, she flashes me a cheeky grin. “Or soccer player. I’m stoked to see more girls with aspirations of turning their incredible talent into careers, and I’m honored to be one of the many athletes helping to push female sporting excellence forward.” She pauses and swallows thickly. “Unfortunately, my teammate and good friend, Jenna Miller, couldn’t be here tonight since she’s traveling back from Brazil with the Golden Glove.”

She pauses while a few people in the crowd cheer and applaud Jenna’s incredible performance in the World Cup. They narrowly missed out in the final to England.

“But I wanted to take tonight as an opportunity to announce our plans to establish an academy for girls up to the age of sixteen. This will be backed and funded by the New York Storm, but over time, we hope to expand its accessibility across the country.”

The crowd morphs from applause to full-on cheers as Kendra steps back from the microphone, and I take a second to look around the room. Her college friends all push back their seats and rise to their feet, clapping and appreciating her incredible delivery. And as I stand along with them, I can’t help but notice the only person not offering their congratulations is Tyler.

I don’t know what smart-ass sat him there, but when we reached the table and she clocked his place card next to hers, I offered to switch things around, which earned me a firm no.

Like some kind of goddess, she takes the final couple of steps down from the stage, and I’m not ashamed to admit the slither of thigh I catch, coupled with the power speech she just gave, has my dick twitching in my pants.

Not now.

Paying zero attention to Tyler, she sits back down and waves to her friends before focusing her attention on me .

I reach across and pull her chair toward me. Dinner is done, the speech was nailed, and now I want to have some fun.

“Aside from the fucking amazing job you just did up there, do you know what’s got me looking like a Cheshire cat?”

She smiles around the rim of her champagne glass. “What’s that?”

I lean in a little closer and catch Tyler pull out his phone, trying desperately to ignore us. “The last time we were on this campus, surrounded by all these people, you were only the dream girl I could never touch.”

Dipping my hand under the white tablecloth, I’m confident no one will see us since there’s only a wall behind us and everyone else is deep in conversation.

“But now, tonight, and for-fucking-ever if I have my way …”

I trace my fingertips up the outside of her thigh, and she pulls in a sharp breath when I reach the edge of her thong. When I hook my index finger under the slender waistband, she lifts her hips, and I peel the tiny excuse for underwear down her legs. She steps out of them and sets her glass back on the table, wearing a look of pure lust when I pocket her thong and bring my hand to her inner thigh.

I can feel the heat there. Needy, wanting heat.

“Last time I asked you not to scream, you did such a good job and kept so quiet for me.” I find her pussy as it immediately drenches my fingers. “Can you do the same for me again?”

She whimpers, and I push a finger inside, turning my body to face her fully. To the onlooker, I’m simply devoting all my attention to the hottest girl in the room. But in my reality? I’m fingering the woman I’ll, one day, ask to be my wife.

“I can do that, Jack,” she says, hooking her nearest leg over my knee.

Her mouth forms the perfect O as I add another finger and feel her walls tighten around me.

With my spare hand, I pass her glass back, and she takes another sip while I curl my fingers and stroke her perfect cunt .

“I’m going to play with your clit and make you come now, Kitten. Is that okay?”

She nods once, and I pump my fingers slowly, aware I can’t make any sudden movements and risk attracting attention.

When she starts to spasm around me, I take the glass as it shakes in her hand and set it carefully on the table.

“That’s it. Give me all of what you have.” I soothe her slowly as she fights to stay upright, her face flushing a cute crimson.

The music is relatively loud, but the sounds her wet pussy makes as she releases all over my hand is unmistakable, and my balls tighten, pressure builds at the base of my spine, and my self-control unravels.

As Kendra comes, her pussy floods my hand.

“Want to know something?” My voice is breathy and barely a whisper.

“Yes,” she gasps.

“I just came in my pants, watching you come apart for me like this.”

Her eyes drop to my crotch. She can’t see the wet patch since it’s hidden beneath the table, but it’s there.

“Thank fuck I wore black pants.” I chuckle.

She draws her bottom lip between her teeth. I know exactly what she’s about to say before she’s even opened her mouth.

“I want to go to bed now, Jack.”

I pull out my fingers and then her thong from my pocket, wiping her release on it. “Okay, Kitten, I’ll take you upstairs right after you put these back on and do one final thing for me.”

She does as I asked, and I interlace our fingers. But before I lead her upstairs for a night where I plan to have zero sleep, I take one more look at the girl I never thought I’d get.

“Repeat after me: football .”

THE END