Page 88 of Stand Your Ground

Power hummed through my veins as I watched him, as I fucked him to ecstasy and bore witness to the way he completely gave in to the moment, tome.

“Wow. Look at you,” I praised when he squeezed out the last of his release, his hand falling slack as aftershocks rolled through him.

I slowed instantly, easing out with care so I didn’t pull too quickly. I savored the way Carter looked now — dazed, flushed, gorgeous.

“Incredible, Rook,” I praised, my voice soft now. I removed the strap before slowly climbing up his body, pressing a kiss to his hip, then to the trail of his abdomen, tasting the salt of his release as I worked my way up to his chest. “No one turns me on like you do. You know that? No one does this for me the way you do.”

His breathing was still uneven as I showered him with praises, but his arm wrapped around my shoulders, pulling me close. I let him, settling into the space we’d just made together, my hand smoothing over his sternum in slow circles.

“You’re safe,” I reminded him. “You listened so well. I’ll be dreaming about this.”

He blew out a long breath, looking down at me with a sleepy, sated grin. “You’llbe dreaming about it? I just had my whole world blown up.”

I chuckled, pressing up to kiss his jaw. “How did it feel?”

“It was more intense than the plugs, a little painful at first but… not for long. I felt like I was instantly overwhelmed, but in a hot way. Like I felt like I could come as soon as you were inside me.”

“Because it feels forbidden. It’s new and exciting and out of the norm.”

He nodded. “And then there was the sight of you on top of me in this,” he said, plucking at the lace around my breast. “You look good enough to eat, Liv. And I’d very much like to do just that.”

“Tonight was about you,” I half-heartedly argued as he started to kiss his way down my body. “I need to get you cleaned up.”

“We can take a shower after,” he said, nipping at my thigh. “And don’t lie to me, Mistress. We both know you needed tonight.”

I leaned up on my elbows, watching him navigate my garters and silk thong until he had me exposed for him.

“It’s okay to have needs, too,” he said before I could argue, spreading my legs wide. He tossed my thighs on top of his shoulders. “You can be in control and still receive.”

“So, it’s you giving the lessons now?” I breathed in a challenge.

“If my student will shut up and let me,” he shot right back.

And then his mouth was on me, and all other thoughts were lost.

The Weight of the World

Carter

It was a funny thing, being on break in the middle of the season.

I knew how to relax in the summer. I knew how to go on a vacation, golf with the guys, or spend an entire day on the water without a care in the world. When it was offseason, I could easily turn things…off— my brain, my body, my routine.

But in the middle of a season where we were in a race for the playoffs, I found it impossible.

I decided to stick to as much of a routine as possible. Instead of practice in the mornings, I woke up around six to jog or hit the bike. I got soft tissue work done and worked through any physical therapy I needed. Once a week, I went to Doctor Arman.

But every day there was this gap — the place where practice or travel or a game would typically go.

There was no practicing on break — league’s orders — and so I filled that time as best I could.

I did go for a round of golf with the guys, which was fun, especially since Aleks stillreallysucked and we all got to make fun of him for a few hours.

One day, I cleaned my house top to bottom. I had a housekeeper, but Ireallydug in, organizing and decluttering and all the things that usually went ignored during the season.

I took Zamboni on long walks around the Bay, everywhere from the Riverwalk to the Fort De Soto dog beach.

But most of the time those first five days of break?