Page 25

TWENTY-FOUR

Erie City couldn’t have been more different from Victoria’s adopted home, Saint Stephen’s Lake.

The sleepy little town reminded me of our hometown, with the peaceful ambiance and natural elements.

It was relaxing compared to the city. I preferred the quiet, enjoyed the slow mornings, the way everyone knew your name.

Though, to be fair, everyone seemed to know my name tonight.

The club blared with the heavy thumps of bass, and the spotlights swayed, illuminating the sleek lines of the building.

Shadows cloaked every inch of the club, yet everyone seemed to find our team partying in the VIP lounge.

Some guys were eating up the attention, soaking up the free drinks and female attention.

I couldn’t blame them. After a tense first half of the season, we all needed to blow off some steam.

Although I hated to admit it, it was good to get out for the night. Having a kid so young messed with my internal clock, and I always felt older than I really was. At twenty-five, I was still on the younger end of the team, but I had more in common with the veteran players than the other rookies.

Most of us stuck to the VIP section, up a level from the rest of the club.

The seats were more obscured by gauze curtains and low lighting, but there was a balcony that jutted out so you could see the throngs of people dancing below.

As I toyed with the beer in my hands, I leaned over the metal railing, watching the party unfold below me.

Scanning the crowd, I searched through the sea of faces until I found who I was looking for.

Hadley was in the middle of the dance floor, laughing with Parker’s friend Ollie.

She looked like a fucking beacon in the darkness, calling straight to my soul.

Her body rolled with the pulse of the music, her movements almost hypnotic.

I couldn’t have looked away from her if I tried.

My fingers tightened on the railing, as if the cold metal was the only thing keeping me from rushing to her side.

It was getting ridiculous, this need to be as close to her as possible.

As if she sensed my eyes on her, Hadley looked up and winked at me, just like I had done on the field today. Fuck. Just the thought of seeing her in that box, knowing she wore my fucking jersey, was enough to get me hard.

I’d stolen a taste of her last night, but I wasn’t done, not by a long-shot. As I brought my overpriced beer to my lips, someone joined me on the balcony.

“Damn, Seda,” Jace chuckled. “Please tell me you’re fucking her.”

A low growl emanated from the back of my throat. I used my free hand and shoved him away from me. “Talk about her like that again, and I’ll break your goddamn arm.”

“Shit,” Jace said, his voice a little wobbly after too many shots at the bar. He bee-lined to it the moment we got to the club and showed no signs of slowing down. He stumbled again, and I reached out to steady him.

“You should slow down, man,” I said. “Order water.”

“Fuck off, boy scout.”

I brought my beer up to my lips and took a long pull. As soon as I finished it, I turned away from Jace. But before I could get too far, he called out. “How do you handle it?”

His voice was quiet, almost vulnerable. It surprised the hell out of me. Jace and I never saw eye-to-eye, on or off the field, but we were in the same situation, both fighting like hell to hold on to our dreams.

I shifted toward him. “What do you mean?”

“The pressure.” He dropped his elbows on the railing and ran a hand over his face.

“Every time I walk out onto that field, I keep thinking this is it . I’ve fucked up my one shot.

” Jace shook his head. “Hell, maybe I want it to be my last moment. Can’t stand hearing the fans scream at me for fucking up another play. ”

I nodded, knowing exactly what he meant.

While the fans seemed to be in our corner most of the time, when we fucked up, they had no problem letting us know.

Between social media and the news outlets, everyone had an opinion about our performance.

I’d learned early to tune it out, to not let others define my expectations, but Jace seemed to struggle with letting it go.

“We’re doing the best we can,” I said. “And when you’re on, you’re fucking lightning, Jace. Keep your head down. Keep fighting. If you need to talk, I’m around.”

Jace nodded before his usual cocky grin slid back into place.

“Yeah, Seda. Might do that.” He took a step back and motioned toward the dance floor.

“Now, let me give you some advice. You’ve got a chick that hot waiting for you—what the fuck are you doing sulking up here?

” He nodded to the stairs. “Better get your ass down there before I do.”

As he took another step back, he knocked into a server, spilling her entire tray of drinks. I rushed over, trying to help her, but Jace lowered to his knees first, trying to pick up the shards of broken glass. “I’m so fucking sorry,” he mumbled, but the server just shook her head.

“It’s fine. Work at a club long enough, and you’re bound to get some drinks spilled on you.

” When she lowered to help, Jace let out a low hiss of pain.

I rushed over just in time to see a red streak of blood cascading down his hand.

The server grabbed his hand and pulled him up to stand.

“Crap. This isn’t deep, but you might need stitches.

Come around back with me, and we’ll get it cleaned up. ”

She made a hand motion to one of the other bartenders before she led Jace down a barely lit hall, still holding his bleeding palm.

I was tempted to follow them, to make sure Jace was alright.

Hopefully, he didn’t do too much damage, and the cut just needed a bandage.

I frowned as I replayed his words, hating that Jace thought I’d had it so easy.

The pressure got to me, but it seemed to drown him.

Hopefully, he’d get it together soon, but it was hard to tell what was going through Jace’s mind on any night.

But he was right about one thing: I was done waiting for Hadley to come to me.

After dropping my bottle on our table, I headed down the stairs, pushing through the dance floor as I made my way to Hadley.

Ollie caught my eye and gave me a slow, knowing smirk.

She whispered something in Hadley’s ear, then disappeared into the crowd.

Hadley turned around, her eyes widening at me as I approached her.

“Cam—” she started to say when I stopped in front of her, her tone almost questioning.

I’d spent nearly a whole day away from her, and I desperately craved her presence. My hands found her neck, and I pulled her closer. Then, I kissed her, right in the middle of the dance floor, not caring who saw us.

All day, all I’d wanted was to claim her, to show the world what this girl meant to me.

But she wasn’t ready for that, too busy making excuses for this intense connection between us.

Right now, though, none of it mattered, not when her moves matched my intensity, like she’d been dying for this, just like me.

I pulled back, and she stared up at me, confusion and desire coloring her eyes.

We didn’t speak as I brought my hands to her hips, dragging her closer.

I let out a low, guttural curse as she twisted so her ass pressed against my straining cock.

One arm looped around my neck, and the other found my hand on her hip, pressing it further into her skin.

Every sway of her hips only made me harder, almost to the point of pain with the need for release, but I didn’t dare move away.

At least I’d changed into jeans before coming out tonight.

Between the way she swiveled her hips against me and my name still draped across her back, I was helpless against her.

She was the hurricane, and I was done trying to resist her pull.

“Feel that, menace?” I said in her ear as my fingers tightened against her skin. “Feel how hard you make me in a room full of people?” Her lip tucked between her teeth as she nodded. “You like that? Like teasing me when you know there’s nothing I can do about it?”

She shivered as I pressed my lips to the apex of her neck and shoulder. “God, Cam,” she moaned. “What are you doing to me?”

“The same thing you’re doing to me, Hadley.

” My fingers traced the smooth line of her stomach where her shirt had ridden up.

She hissed as I pressed into her bare skin, needing to savor every part of her.

My pinky traced the underside of her jeans, and she squirmed against me.

“You see what you’re doing to me, baby. But what if I slid my hand lower?

What if I touched you right in the middle of this crowd? I bet you’re fucking soaked for me.”

Her head fell against my chest, almost daring me to keep going.

Fuck. I could. Between the loud, pulsing bass and the couples grinding around us, no one would even notice.

Plenty of other people had paired off. Hands trailed various body parts like there was no one else in the room, but I’d waited a long time to hear my name fall from Hadley’s lips, and I didn’t want to share the experience with anyone else.

Without warning, I snatched her hand and dragged her off the dance floor.

“Cam?” she asked, her voice a little more uncertain than before.

When we got to the edge of the club where the shadows covered us from head to toe, I dragged her forward, pressing her back against the wall.

She looked up at me with surprise before her eyes lit up, almost in a dare.

“Fuck, Hadley,” I groaned as I pressed myself against her. “You’ve got my head so messed up, all I can think about is you.”

“And that’s a bad thing?”

“The fucking worst,” I ground out. “Especially when I’ve been hard all goddamn day and haven’t gotten a moment alone with you.”

“We’re alone now.” She smirked. “What are you going to do about it?”

My hand reached up, and I grasped her chin, forcing her to meet my eyes.

My thumb rubbed against her plump lower lip.

Shit, I wanted to see my cock in her mouth, sliding through her gorgeous lips.

Wanted to experience her falling apart underneath me.

Wanted everything Hadley offered, leaving no doubts about how much I needed her.

My lips slammed down onto hers, almost bruising with my need to have her again.

She moaned as I ground against her, loving the way she went so pliant when I held her.

Hadley was strong—the kind of woman who never backed down from a fight.

So it was even more intoxicating when she let me take control like this, when she let me claim her body like it was made for me.

“Are you gonna be good for me, menace?” I whispered in her ear. “Are you gonna let me touch this sweet little pussy until you come on my fingers?”

“Yes,” she moaned.

“Not good enough,” I said, wrapping my hand around her hair and pulling her head back to nip at her neck. “Use your words, baby. You’ve got more to say than that.”

“God, are you going to touch me or just keep fucking talking?”

I bit her earlobe, and Hadley’s back arched, trying to close the space between us. “Just for that, I should leave you like this, all needy and desperate for me.”

“What?” she snapped. “Don’t you?—”

I silenced her when I undid the button of her jeans, tracing the bare patch of skin right above where she wanted me. “Let’s try that again.” My fingers inched a little lower. “Tell me what you want, and ask nicely, Hadley.”

“Please, Cam. Please, touch me,” she whined. “I want you to make me come.”

“That’s it, baby,” I said as I pressed a trail of kisses down her neck. “Keep asking nicely, and you’ll get rewarded.”

Hadley almost bit out another comment, but I silenced her as I dragged her panties to the side and traced her soaked core.

She wasn’t kidding about needing me. She was as desperate for this as I was.

As I lazily stroked her, she writhed against me, almost looking like she was still moving to the music.

Good—not that I would let anyone else get eyes on her at this moment. Her orgasm was mine alone to witness.

I circled her clit with my thumb and then lowered my hand, arching my fingers to dip inside her core. Shit. She was so tight, it was almost hard to fit more than one inside her. We’d have to work on that if she was going to take me. And there was no question in my mind that we’d be doing that—soon.

As my thumb and fingers worked in tandem against her, Hadley stiffened in my arms before her walls pulled me in more.

She gripped my wrist, holding me tightly in place as her orgasm ripped through her.

With her head thrown back and her mouth parted in ecstasy, she was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen in my life.

When she came down from her high, Hadley went limp in my arms, almost shuddering as I pulled my fingers out of her.

I brought them to her lips, and she smiled up at me before flicking out her tongue and licking them slowly.

I growled before snapping them away, needing to see if she was as sweet as I’d imagined.

Sunshine and honey. That was my girl’s flavor, and I was already addicted.

As my fingers fell away from my lips, Hadley stared up at me with a sultry, satiated smile. I couldn’t resist kissing her, letting her taste tangle on our tongues.

When the kiss broke, I dropped my forehead to hers, wanting to hold on to this moment a little longer. I could live here forever, loving how much Hadley had opened up to me. I leaned back and brushed the hair away from her eyes. “Want to get out here?”

She paused, and my heart pounded in my chest. It was as painful as it had been at the end of the game, when we were so close to winning but we let it slip through our fingers. After a long moment, she finally smirked up at me. “I thought you’d never ask.”