Love and Other Games (31 page)

Erik stroked the small of her back, endless spiraling circles. “I like your skin. All soft and pretty.” He found the clasp for her bra, removed it gently and it went sailing across the room to join her dress. “So pretty.” He sighed. It sounded like relief, like not seeing her had hurt him.

“I like yours too.” Amy tried to lift his shirt, but he brushed her hand aside.

“It’s my turn.” His hands gripped her waist, pulling her onto her knees and guiding back, so he held her like ballroom dancer mid-dip. Erik’s tongue, hot and wet, circled her nipple. It budded tight with want. Heat flooded her stomach, and she grasped his arms. He smirked. “Yes. My turn.”

Erik captured her nipple between his lips: sucking, kissing, nipping. She dug her fingernails into his forearms, and he merely switched breasts. She shuddered and groaned. Every nerve in her body was awake, yearning for his touch.

Amy tugged his head back and slanted her mouth over his. She needed more. Her tongue plunged between lips, tangling with his tongue, as she reached again for his shirt. He’d take it off this time, or he’d be going home with one less article of clothing too. “I need to feel you,” she said. “I need to.”

He lifted her, set her to the side and rose, pulling off his clothes before she could argue. “I wanted to help with that.”

He chuckled hoarsely. “With the clothes?” Erik stood beside the bed, observing her with lust-heavy eyes.

“Yes”

He shook his head. “Sit here.” He tapped the edge of the mattress.

“Why?” She scooted closer and he dropped down to kneel in front of her. “Oh.”
Oh!

Erik didn’t give her a chance to dwell on her nerves or indulge her typical shyness. His palms slid up her leg, hot, urgent. He tugged her panties off, guided her leg to rest on his shoulder and nipped her thigh. “Oh,” he teased. “Yes.” His mouth was on her without another second of warning.

“Fuck!” Amy’s hips jerked up from the bed. Balling the sheets up in her fists, she rose onto her elbows to watch.

He groaned, or maybe it was a growl. The deep sound vibrated through her and she nearly wept. “Fuck, Erik … that’s … ”

He gave her a long lick and glanced up, a devilish grin on his lips. “Fuck is a good start.”

His mouth clamped over her sex, his tongue exploring her folds with an enthusiasm she hadn’t known possible. She was so close. Already so close. A single long finger replaced his tongue, entering her in one smooth movement and curling up to caress her.

“That’s it,
lykkeamulett
. Squeeze me tight.”

As though she had a choice. Amy teetered on the edge of oblivion. “Don’t—don’t stop.”

“I got you.” Erik turned, pressed a kiss on to her thigh, and leaned in again. “I got you,” he murmured again as his lips settled on her. His tongue circled the tiny bundle of nerves at the apex of her sex and tension spiraled outward. She was on fire, every muscle tight and ready.

His tongue stroked, teased … hell, it danced and she let go.

“See, like flying.” Erik grinned as he climbed back onto the bed and pulled her into his arms.

Amy pet his cheek, twined a lock of his hair around her fingertip. “Boy, you really are concerned about impressing my friends.” Still catching her breath, she laid her head down on his chest and let her fingertips meander across his taut abdomen. His heart thumped fast beneath her temple.

He chuckled. “What?”

“Just a joke. Because of what you said before about being the best I ever—”

He flipped her onto her back and claimed her mouth with a possessive kiss. “
Jeg lengter etter deg.
”

Her stomach clenched. It sure sounded nice. She nuzzled his neck, finding a small scratchy patch he must have missed while shaving and rubbing her lips against it. The spicy scent of his after-shave tickled her nose and she traced the shell of his ear with her tongue. “In English, handsome, or I’ll be forced to think you’re just reciting your grocery list.”

His thumb swept over her temple as he combed his fingers through her hair, his gaze burning hot. “I long for you.”

“You can have me.”

“Can I?” His eyes narrowed, and her heart skipped a beat.

“I’m right here.”

His lips curled into a sexy smirk. “I like you right here.” Erik kissed her forehead, then dropped onto his back and pulled her up to straddle his thighs. “I like you here too.”

His gaze dropped to her breasts. He really wasn’t big on subtlety.

She giggled as she found her balance and rested her hands on his chest.
Oh yeah. This could work.
She slid her palms up to his shoulders, her nipples grazing his hard chest as she leaned down to kiss him again. “Where are your condoms?”

Erik’s eyes darkened and he nodded before patting around the nightstand and grabbing a brown paper lunch bag. Amy took it from him, opened it and gasped. It was full. There had to be fifty condoms. Probably more. Amy had never even come close to winning one of those guess the number gumdrops in the jar contests. “Holy—this is a lot of—”

His eyes widened. “They were giving them out. I didn’t … I never expected to use them all—or any maybe. I—”

She stopped him with a hard kiss. “I get it.”

His right eyebrow arched. “You’re not angry.”

“Because you have condoms? No.”  She looked into the bag again. “Are they all the same? Some of the packages are different colors. Is there a better color and a worse color? Should I be worried about size?” He was pretty big.

“Please, Amy.”

She grinned. “What?”

“Pick one.” His voice was strained.

She grabbed one in a red, white and blue wrapper like she remembered from the other night, dropped the bag onto the floor and held it up. “How do you feel about this one?” Funny that the colors were patriotic for them both.

“Good.” He snatched it from her fingertips, tore open the foil with his teeth and grasped the base of his erection as he slid it on.

Amy pouted. “I was going to do that.”

“You were going to kill me.” He caught her chin between his thumb and forefinger and pulled her face close to his. “Ride me. Now.” He exhaled and his voice got rough. “Hard.”

She swayed.
Fuck.
Arousal flared hot and wet between her thighs. “Yes.”

He gripped her hips tight, nearly hard enough to bruise, guiding her into place. Exhaling slowly, Amy lowered herself inch by inch until their bodies met.
Perfect. Dear god, that’s perfect.

His head fell back, eyes squeezed shut, mouth open but silent. He was lovely, fiercely sexy with all his muscles tensed.

She bent to place a feather-soft kiss on his throat and his arm wrapped around her back crushing her against him. “Love your breasts … on me.”

It was bliss being pressed so snugly from head to toe, his erection buried deep within her body, but it made following his oh-so-temping directive difficult. Amy gave his shoulder a quick nip and squirmed out of his hold.

Erik’s groan sent shivers along her spin as she lifted herself up. She sank back down and his eyes shot open. His gaze flicked up to meet hers for the briefest of moments then slipped lower, settling on the place their bodies joined. “Again,” he said, watching.

Trembling under the heat of his gaze, from the need in his eyes. Amy complied. Up. Slow. Down. Slower.

His jaw clenched. He swallowed. “Again.” His fingertips dug into the skin on her hips, but he didn’t try to control her movements with his hands. He didn’t need to. Amy didn’t even consider rejecting his request.

Up slowly. Down even slower.

He still watched. His eyes hungry even as she gave him exactly what he asked for. “Again.”

Amy pinched his nipple lightly and bent to nibble on the other. Like a switch flipped, Erik rolled them both—pressing her back to the mattress and thrusting as deeply as he could. His hands, his mouth were everywhere. Touching. Squeezing. Licking. A ramble of groans and Norwegian passed over his lips as his movements quickened.

Amy’s back arched, her body fighting to meet him halfway. In seconds she was panting, grasping at his back as need grew and filled her belly. “More.” It barely sounded like her voice, but she’d said it. She wanted everything he could give, every ounce of his passion, every drop of pleasure he could coax from her body. She wanted a hundred nights to try a hundred positions. If this night was what she got, then she was going to make the best of it. She threaded her fingers into his hair and tugged his face toward hers. “I want more.”

He blinked twice and still looked dazed as he nodded. His large, strong hands slid under her back and down to cup her ass. Lifting her hips from the bed, he remained buried to the hilt even as he rose to kneel between her thighs.

A few jerks of his hips had her coming loose. But he wasn’t near done. He filled her again and again, plunging deep as she writhed and cried out, release tearing through her. Her hands dropped to her sides, too weak to clutch at him, and still he took her.

“Damn. I—oh my—god.”

“Your best?” His expression was fierce, beyond determined.

She exhaled a shaky breath. Could he be serious? Was there really any doubt? Amy raised her hand toward him. He had to lower his head so she could stroke his cheek. “Yes.”

“Yes.” He grinned and turned to kiss her palm before placing it over his heart. “I told you, my
lykkeamulett.”

“What does that—”

He surged forward, matching his thrusts to the racing of his heartbeat, climbing hard and fast, narrow hips rocketing, until he finally hit the peak. He growled. He actually growled.

Erik collapsed beside her, panting. “Put—put your head here.” He tapped his chest.

Cuddling closer, Amy buried her face into the crook of his neck and kissed his throat, tasting the salt of the sweat that made his skin glisten. “I think you’re amazing,” she whispered.

Erik cupped the back of her head and whispered back. “You … are amazing. My beautiful girl.”

Could she be his? She could fall for him. Amy didn’t doubt that; she was already halfway there. But could she actually keep him?

Amy looked like an angel, still sleeping, her cheek pillowed by his body. It was the same brightness of spirit that had pulled him to her in the first place. Erik ran his hand over her hair and sighed. He’d have to wake her soon, they both had busy schedules for the day, but he could enjoy this for another moment. He pressed his lips to the top of her head and she stirred. The hand that had been resting on his chest slid lower and his cock stirred. Insatiable beast. He bit back a chuckle. There were serious things to discuss this morning. Tricky things.

He’d spoken to Jon, and they were in agreement. It was time to bring in a business manager. Amy didn’t have a ton of practical experience, but Jon said she’d attended an impressive school and Erik was certain she could do anything she set her mind to. Would she even consider it though, that was the question. Would she consider moving away from her family to give him a shot? To give them a shot? Could Amy ever take a leap like that?

Would she even want to?

“
God morgen
,” he whispered, her hair tickling his nose.

She giggled and stretched her sexy body against his. “Better.”

“What?”

“I’m just glad you didn’t disappear this morning.” She propped herself up on her elbows and smiled at him.

“I am too,
lykkeamulett.
”

Her forehead wrinkled. “Like-a? You’ve called me that before. What does that mean?”

He exhaled. Here it goes. She was going to think he was as nuts as his grandfather. “It’s like … lucky charm.”

She looked confused but she giggled. “You call me lucky charm? That’s—why?”

He shrugged. “It’s what you are. To me. You’re my
lykkeamulett.
I’m going to win a gold medal in two days. I am. I know it”

“Cocky, aren’t you? I still don’t see what that has to do with me.”

“You bring me luck. Before you it was gone.” He rubbed her cheek. “I had to have you. With you I can win.”

“Had to … ” Her eyes widened and she sat up, tugging the thin white sheet up to cover her lovely breasts. Here it was. She thought he was a superstitious fool, just like he’d always thought his grandfather was. He knew it sounded crazy but something had drawn them together that night. “That’s why you came looking for me? Because you thought—that’s why you slept with me?” She paled. “Oh my god. You really—I don’t—”

“It’s not that way. I was—I’m skiing like before my fall, because of you. It has to be you. You were meant for me.”

Amy climbed out of bed and gathered her clothes. “Because you deserve to win? Because you’re more special than everyone else?” She was near tears. He was not handling this well, but he wasn’t sure what he’d said wrong.

Erik stood and walked toward her. “Amy, no. You don’t understand.”

Amy held her hand up, palm out. “Don’t,” she said in a quiet voice. “Don’t touch me. You’ve gotten what you wanted, right? You don’t need to touch me anymore.”

“I like touching you.”
Faen
. He more than liked touching her. He craved her.

For some reason, that only made her more upset. She turned away, dressing in quick, jerky motions.

He moved closer, lifted his hands over her shoulders, but didn’t touch. “Please. Come sit with me. I need to make you understand.”

“No. I get it. People do worse things to win. Drugging. Bribing.” She grabbed her coat, stepped into her boots and looked up at him.

The hurt on her face hit him like a knife in the stomach. He’d worried that she’d laugh, but never that she’d cry. “Yes. But—”

“Well, I hope you do win. You definitely put in the work.” Amy walked out, leaving him standing there, naked and bewildered.

Erik cursed and seriously considered chasing after her, clothes or no. What the hell had just happened? He hadn’t exactly expected her to believe it herself. He hoped maybe, but he knew how it sounded. Still, he’d thought she might be flattered. At worst, he’d expected a little mocking. She’d look at him the way everyone looked at his grandfather when he started talking about the gnomes in the garden or the brownies that helped keep house. She’d roll her eyes and he’d feel foolish.