Seductively: Playing for Hearts Book 2 (Crimson Romance) (14 page)

He nudged her mouth open, slipped his tongue inside, and turned her knees to putty. Deep down, she knew that Dominic would give her pleasure no matter what they were doing.

All she wanted to do was immerse herself in him. Let the sensations whipping through her body carry her wherever he wanted her to go. For tonight, for their brief time together. Then she could go on with her life and remember this moment.

She’d hold on tight to the man who’d danced with her when it was obvious he had no idea what he was doing. She’d remember the boy who recreated the game of sock hockey to share his family with her. She’d never forget him, no matter what happened tomorrow.

Then when her time with Dominic ended, she’d learn how to be strong again and go after her own dream that much richer for knowing such a wonderful man.

For now, she was lost and there was no stopping. He lifted her closer, moving with her, the hard length of his erection pressed firmly against her.

“So sweet,” he whispered as he nibbled her bottom lip. His teeth tugged, his tongue licked over the gentle bite as she wiggled against him, wanting him to touch her all over.

She sought his kiss again, her head tilting, her tongue licking at his lips. A moan shuddered from her chest as he gave her what she asked. Hot and determined, he ravaged her.

Oh God, she was going to embarrass herself by throwing him to the floor and pouncing on him. How had she lasted this long living with him right across the hallway without ending up in his bed?

He picked her up without taking his mouth off her. She circled her arms around his neck, making sure he wouldn’t stop or let her go.

Halfway down the hallway, the doorbell rang. She pulled her mouth away and groaned. “Please, make them go away.”

He kept walking to his room, through the door, and placed her on the bed. The doorbell rang again. Dominic paused. She closed her eyes and sighed. Freaking … unbelievable.

“Go. Just go.” She rolled over and hugged his pillow to her chest. Even to her own ear, she heard the pathetic sound of failure coming from inside of her.

Diana stood against the wall outside the locker room at the arena, her arms folded, her eyes on the floor, and her mind fleeting from her thoughts about Dominic to her life when she goes back to Cottage Grove. She couldn’t make sense of anything. All her nerves were bundled and tight. She couldn’t focus. If she held her hand up in the air, she was sure it would be shaking.

The effects of not having sex and being highly turned on were starting to wear her down.

Last night, Officer Patrickson had returned and after taking a statement, he’d cajoled three tickets for today’s game out of Dominic for more of his friends to attend the sellout game between the Sharks and the New York Rangers.

By the time he came to bed, she’d fallen asleep. The big idiot didn’t wake her, but crawled in beside her and held her all night. She hated herself for not noticing or waking up. She’d slept like a baby, and woke up late, wanting Dominic in the worst way.

During the ride to the game, they barely kept their hands off each other but they were running late, because they both overslept. In addition, the game lasted freaking hours, plus two overtimes. Time they could’ve been using in other ways. Once she made up her mind to sleep with him, she became impatient. They could be at the condominium making love right now.

Waiting for him to shower and exit the locker room had her complaining with the other girlfriends and wives that waited for their husbands or boyfriends. She sighed heavily. Five more minutes, and she was going to walk into the showers and drag Dominic out.

Stephanie studied her from the other side of the hallway. She’d tried to ignore the other woman. When that didn’t work, she walked over and joined her. “Good game, huh?”

“Yep. They’ll be celebrating tonight. Are you coming over to Julia’s?” Stephanie shifted her purse to the other arm. “Everyone’s coming. I bet the guys would like if their captain showed up.”

“Does he usually?”

Stephanie nodded. “At least before you moved in with him, he did.”

It wasn’t only her life tipped upside down when she’d agreed to Dominic’s job offer. He’d rearranged his life too.

“We might go. I’d have to ask Dominic first. Sounds fun.” She tried not to sound flippant, but a night surrounded by the other women was not on her list of things to do during her stay.

Stephanie laughed. “Don’t worry. The talk around the arena is everyone has dropped their lust filled crushes on your boyfriend.”

“Huh?” She stood straighter. “What’s that mean?”

“You didn’t notice that no one paid him any attention tonight?” Stephanie shrugged. “He’s taken.”

“Wait.” She turned and faced her directly. “You’re telling me that no one is going to hit on Dominic anymore? We’re free to go out in public without being mobbed?”

“Yeah. Who wants a guy who is in love with another woman? I don’t. No woman does.” Stephanie pushed off the wall. “He’s all yours.”

She stared after Stephanie. When did all that happen? Last night, even the women in his gated community had come over to try to gain a moment of private time with Dominic. She gazed around at the others. Tonight, no one spared her a glance.

No glares. No evil eye aimed her way. No hostile takeover. No mental plots to plan her demise.

She smiled.
We did it.

Their plan to pretend to be boyfriend and girlfriend worked exactly the way Dominic wished. She bent her knee and tapped the heel of her shoe against the wall. He’d be thrilled with the changes in his life, and she’d go on to be the owner of the new bed and breakfast in Cottage Grove.

Pleased and satisfied with their accomplishment, she couldn’t wait to tell him. She wouldn’t even have to spend the last week with him. She stilled. Her stomach knotted, and she let her head fall back against the wall. Their time together would end. She’d have to leave him.

The thought of never seeing him again, or worse, seeing him every time he flew into Cottage Grove to visit Grayson and knowing he wasn’t coming to be with her, pained her. She couldn’t handle seeing him, knowing he was going away again and there would be a woman waiting for him whenever he lifted a finger.

She had no doubt that the mass hysteria that followed him everywhere might end, but she’d bet the half million dollars Dominic was paying her that he wouldn’t stay alone for long. He was the whole package and some woman would see through his ego to the real man inside.

He had more money in the bank than he could spend. She swallowed. For God’s sake, he sent money home to his parents. What kind of man did that? It went against everything her father drilled into her head. She was responsible for her own success, no one else, yet Dominic shared his security with others. That fact alone amazed her.

He remained positive even when life treated him roughly. She rubbed her arms. He put socks on their feet and played hockey in the living room with her. He’d gone overboard to make sure he made up for her disappointments and in return, endeared her to him.

She even daydreamed about how they could make a relationship work. They could make their home in Cottage Grove. He could use a charter plane to get to practices and games. Or she could hire a manager at the B & B, and stay in San Jose with him during the season.

“Oh my God,” she whispered. Why was she planning a future with him?

Dominic approached her. “Hey.”

Since meeting him, she hadn’t wanted to stop living life to the fullest. She wanted to experience everything. And she wanted to do it with him.

“What’s going on?” He caressed her cheek with the back of his hand. “You look upset.”

She grabbed his hand. “We’re going to Julia’s with your teammates.”

He frowned. “I thought we’d go home. Maybe finish what we keep starting and getting interrupted doing.”

“We have time. Tonight, I want to experience your life, what you do when I’m not here. Let me see how you celebrate a win.” She leaned forward and kissed him quickly. “Please?”

He studied her. “Okay. Sure.”

“Great.” She wrapped her arm around his waist. “Good game, by the way.”

“Thanks,” he mumbled, taking her hand and leading her out the door to the car. “Are you sure you don’t want to go home? I was looking forward to celebrating the big win and finally having you underneath me. Nothing is going to stop us tonight, I promise.”

She kissed him. “The night’s not over, big guy. We have time. That I promise you.”

On the way to Julia’s bar, Dominic pulled over at a gas station. He took off his seatbelt, leaned over, and kissed her. She almost changed her mind about going out with the other guys on the team.

Six blocks later, Dominic stopped the Porsche on the side of the street, next to the Pancake House. She was out of her seat and sitting on his lap, the steering wheel pressing into her back as she returned his kiss.

For the remaining two blocks, they rolled their windows down, because they’d fogged up the windows while making out. She fanned her face with her hand, smiling at Dominic who stuck his head out into the night air.

She laughed herself silly, remembering this moment. No longer was Dominic too serious. He’d joked, he’d laughed, and he’d gone crazy. Spontaneity suited him.

In the parking lot, Dominic paced the outside length of the car. She smothered her laugh, holding her purse over her arm.

“This isn’t good for my health.” Dominic paused, looked down at the front of his jeans. “Give me another minute.”

She couldn’t hold her laughter in any longer, and cracked up. He glared, but the skin at the corner of his eyes crinkled.

“This is your fault. You and your smart idea to get me all worked up in the car.” He stretched and jogged in place. “My idea of going back to the condominium would solve all my problems right now.”

She nodded, laughing. “Big problems.”

“Yes.” He stalked toward her. “Enormous problems.”

“World record breaking kinda huge problems.” She leaned into him.

He kissed her. “Now you’re being funny.”

“Yeah.” She pulled him to the bar. “Let’s get going, so I can take care of your problem later.”

The party room at Julia’s Bar and Grill held every member of the Sharks team, plus all the women who came with their significant other. Dominic rested his hand on the chair beside him and lifted the mug of beer to his mouth. Diana stood a couple yards away, throwing a dart toward the board, after Joel Greene, the Sharks forward, challenged her to a game.

She squealed as the dart hit the board. Dominic smiled. His cheeks ached for how much he found himself grinning around her. She delighted in everything she faced, whether it was learning to skate, dancing, or going toe to toe with the meanest of his women fans. She was fearless and compassionate. An irresistible combination. One that he found himself addicted to and wanting to keep to himself.

He went to bed every night craving to know more about her, to know every part of her, and to know how to put a smile on her face. Then in the morning, he repeated the cycle, hoping this was the day he’d have her completely to himself.

That’d all change tonight. Everything was going smoothly. Life couldn’t be so cruel to take this time away from them again.

Tired of always being by himself, he found her company better than he ever thought. She put every one-night stand to shame. He even enjoyed her pushiness and struggle to stay away from him. Hell, he respected her for that alone. She had guts.

His mother would love her. His father would slap him on the back and nod in approval. She’d love visiting Russia, and experiencing a whole new set of firsts for her.

“Dom. Come and see this,” she called.

He rose to his feet. She called him Dom. No one but his family ever used the shortened version of his name.

She snaked her arms around his waist and leaned her cheek against his chest as if it was the most natural movement and they’d been doing it for years. He wrapped her in his embrace. “Did you win?”

“No, but I hit the twenty-five spot. That’s really good.” She tilted her head. “Can I borrow a dollar?”

“Sure.” He dug in his back pocket for his wallet.

She stepped back. “I’ll pay you back when we get home.”

Home. That was twice she’d referred to his condominium as home. He’d never once called it home, but he liked the sound of it.

He gave her the money. “You’re not paying me back, don’t be ridiculous. It’s a dollar.”

“Yes, I will.” She handed Joel the dollar. “Thanks for the game. You won fair and square.”

Joel shook his head and laughed before plucking his win out of her fingers. “You’ve got a competitive girl there, Chekovsky. Better hold on to her tight, because she’s quite the woman.”

Dominic waited until Joel walked away, and directed his attention to Diana. “Can we go back to the condominium now?”

She nodded, giving him a secretive grin. “Let me tell everyone goodbye first.”

“Really?” He rolled his shoulders. “Can’t you talk to them the next time you see them?”

Diana hesitated, and finally ended shaking her head. “No. I’ll be quick. I swear.”

While she went around to the tables to talk with the others, he went to the front and paid their tab. For the first time, he realized not one woman bothered him tonight. Not the waitress, not the players’ girlfriends, and not the hostess. He hadn’t even noticed, because he was concentrating on Diana and thinking about what they’d be doing later.

He leaned against the counter. “Hi.”

“Hi.” The hostess smiled politely, and counted out his change. “Here you go. I hope you enjoyed your evening. Congratulations on the win tonight. From the sounds coming from the room, it was an exciting game.”

“Thank you.” He remained in front of her, waiting. When she turned away to straighten the menus, he moved along the counter, following her. “What’s your name?”

“Melinda,” she spoke softly.

She was cute with straight brown hair, almond shaped eyes, and a shy demeanor. He looked at her nametag, because he’d already forgotten her name.

“It’s nice to me you, Melinda. I’m Dominic.” He flexed his shoulders.