What it Takes (41 page)

He put his arm around her to pull her closer then pointed out different things on the menu that he liked and made recommendations. Kelsey listened and marked a few simple things. He marked several more and promised that she’d like them all. He kissed her temple as she looked up and blushed when she realized his family was watching them.

“Oh my goodness!”

Kelsey cringed, and all of the tension she’d just wished away came rushing back. Under the table Patrick took her hand as he turned.

“Patrick, imagine seeing you here,” Brianna said. “Kelsey didn’t tell me she was here with you.”

“I didn’t think you needed to know,” Kelsey said through clenched teeth as she narrowed her eyes on her napkin. Sarah reached across and took Kelsey’s other hand, giving it a brief squeeze.

“I probably should’ve guessed though,” Brianna continued. “So, like, is this your family, Patrick? Hello, I’m Brianna Talbot, Patrick’s current costar.”

Kelsey heard a gasp and looked in the direction it came from. Elizabeth’s eyes were narrowed on Brianna, her lips pinched disapprovingly. William was leaning against the back of his chair, arms folded across his chest. Sarah was staring at Patrick, and Patrick was glaring at Brianna as he stood and put a hand on Kelsey’s shoulder.

“This is a family dinner, Brianna,” Patrick said coolly. “For my birthday.”

“Oh?” she said. Kelsey turned to see Brianna staring at her. “How nice.”

Kelsey confidently raised an eyebrow as she grasped the hand on her shoulder.

“So, like, maybe you should go now,” Sarah said mockingly and looked down at her hand as she rubbed her stomach. Adam coughed to cover a laugh.

Brianna’s delighted expression faded as she looked at Patrick. Kelsey’s hand was still in his when he resumed his seat, and Brianna pouted. She looked at Kelsey, her frown deepening, then turned on her heel and left.

Kelsey took a deep breath and released it slowly through her mouth before she looked at Sarah. Sarah, who was trying not to laugh, winked at Kelsey as the server returned to pour the wine and collect their orders.

When she was gone, Sarah turned to Kelsey with a grin. “So, tell me more about your niece and nephew and just how they managed to wrap my brother around their little fingers.”

Twenty-Five

O
n Saturday night, Patrick and Kelsey went to a hockey game together. She’d given him tickets for his birthday, even though he’d asked her not to get him a gift. When she’d said she planned to go with him, he’d had his doubts, but was surprised when she’d greeted him in the visiting team’s jersey with a gleeful expression on her face. He’d actually loved seeing the enjoyment in her eyes as she’d watched the skaters on the ice and the fiery passion the fights produced.

Now, as he walked her up to her apartment, a passion of his own was beginning to build. He opened the door and watched as she breezed inside and dropped her shoes in the basket by the door before walking to the wall of windows and closing the blinds. She took her jersey off, revealing a tight, white tank top, and his blood began to warm through his veins. Slowly, he walked to the couch and sat down as she laid the jersey over the back of the armchair.

“That was fun,” he said as she sat with her back against the arm of the couch and laid her legs across his. The intimacy wound him a little tighter. “I’m not sure I’ve ever known anyone who loved hockey that much.”

She grinned widely as she pulled her hair out of its ponytail and shook it loose. “I wasn’t too loud, was I?”

“No, just louder than I’d expected.”

“Is that a bad thing?”

“Not at all.” He reached over and brushed a strand of hair out of Kelsey’s face, tucking it behind her ear. “Thank you for the gift.”

She sat up, drawing closer to him. “Anytime.”

He put his hand on the back of her neck and drew her to him. As soon as their mouths met, he was lost. What he’d meant as a gentle kiss quickly turned into a need for more. He pulled her onto his thighs, their lips never separating. Once she was on his lap, he leaned back to look into her eyes. The passion he found there was the same as what he’d seen when they’d filmed their love scene. He hardened even more.

She placed one knee on either side of his hips, straddling him and sinking down against his erection. He sucked air in through his teeth before capturing her mouth and slipping his hand under her shirt. His hands moved up her silken skin, taking her shirt higher as his tongue skirted her full lips. She raised her arms as he slowly lifted the shirt over her head and tossed it behind the couch. He reclaimed her mouth and put his arms around her.

Her warm hands slid up his chest, leaving a trail of fire in their wake. She held his gaze as she removed his shirt and tossed it to the floor with hers. With both hands on her back, he jerked her to him and rained kisses along her jaw and down her throat. Patrick heard her small groan as his lips brushed the skin on her collarbone and felt a ridiculous sense of pride. He had to force himself to continue the slow torture of both of their senses.

Kelsey tensed as his fingers undid the clasp of her bra and he stopped to look at her. Her chest was heaving and he could see the slight panic in her eyes. He dropped his hands to her waist and her bra hung loose, still covering her.

“We don’t have to—”

“No!” she interrupted sharply. She closed her eyes, inhaled and exhaled slowly as she looked at him. “No, I want to. It’s just been awhile.” She held the cups of her bra to her and rested her forehead against his. “Just give me a few seconds,” she murmured, closing her eyes.

“How long?” Patrick asked, trying to keep his mind on something other than her semi-naked body in his lap.

“More than six years,” she whispered.

Patrick was taken aback. He hadn’t imagined she’d abstained since her relationship in college had ended; it wasn’t something they’d discussed. He suddenly felt honored that she was straddling him and willing to take it to the next level.

With a long exhale, she sat up and looked into his eyes. Hers were practically glowing as a smile crept across her face. Holding her bra to her, she slowly slipped one arm and then the other out of the straps, then dropped it to the floor at his feet. Patrick’s mouth went dry and his hands slid up her sides, then curved around the side of her breasts. Kelsey moaned slightly at the gentle caress and leaned into him.

Patrick took her mouth with his again and nipped at her bottom lip. Her lips parted with a sigh and his tongue plunged in as his hands firmed on her breasts. She whimpered and wrapped her arms around his neck and slid closer to him. He groaned as she moved against his erection and pulled his head back.

“Not here,” he almost growled and she cocked her head, panting for air.

He kicked his shoes off as he slid his hands down to cup her backside and slowly stood. With her legs and arms wrapped around him, he carried her to the bedroom and unceremoniously dropped her on the bed, eliciting a small giggle from her as she landed on her back.

“That’s better,” he said with a sly grin and stretched out beside her.

His darkened eyes followed the path his finger took along her hairline and Kelsey felt the heat throughout her body. The intensity in his eyes was so unfamiliar it almost brought a tear to her eye. When his finger skirted her lips, she placed a light kiss to the tip. His mouth met hers for a slow, tender kiss that only stoked the flames of her desire for him.

From her lips, he slowly pressed kisses along her jaw, nipping the spot just below her ear as it traveled the length of her neck, then lower. His hand slid up her waist, trailing fire as it moved. Kelsey held back a moan when his mouth and fingers converged on her breasts. He expertly took her nipples between his fingers and lightly pinched them as his lips glided across the top of her breasts. She closed her eyes and relished the sensations he was stirring back to life.

His lips found a nipple and he rolled his tongue around it. One of her hands went to his head, the other spread against his back as she arched to meet his sensual assault and she felt his laugh against her sensitive skin. As one hand continued to fondle the breast and nipple not occupied by his mouth, the other slowly moved down her flat stomach to the button of her jeans and quickly flicked them open. His hand slid under her pants, under her panties, and came to rest against her curls and Kelsey arched her body into his palm.

He kissed his way across her body to find her other nipple. As his tongue made circles, his finger mirrored the movement at her opening before slowly plunging in. Her hips lifted of their own accord to meet his thrusts as his thumb replaced the now probing fingers in circling her. Every muscle in her body tensed as he stroked and brought her closer to release.

Patrick lifted his head and watched as she tightened around his fingers, silently screaming his name. Her eyes were closed tight as she emptied her lungs and melted into the bed. It was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen. He lightly kissed her lips as he moved his hand slowly up her body, brushing her breasts before coming to rest on the pillow beside her head. When he released her mouth, she opened her eyes and stared at him for a moment before smiling.

“We’re not finished yet,” she teased, shaking her head. Her hands caressed the planes of his back until they found the waist-band of his pants.

“No, we’re not.” He chuckled as he leaned in to playfully kiss and nip at her neck. “Only an intermission.”

Her knuckles slid against his skin, under the waist of his pants, and around to the front of his jeans. He tensed momentarily as her fingers found the button and brushed against him at the same time. Slowly, she released the button and zipper and began to push his pants down over his hips.

“Intermission’s over,” she said and lightly caressed his earlobe with her tongue.

He groaned as he stood to take his pants off, retrieving a condom from his pocket before they fell. She looked at his boxer briefs, then at his face, and lifted an eyebrow. He reached for his waistband and smirked at her as he shook his head. Her mouth fell slightly open.

“You first,” he said and leaned over her. He grabbed her pants and panties and yanked them both down the length of her long legs, eliciting a hearty squeal from her. When she was naked, she slid to the middle of the bed and beckoned him to her with a wave of her hand. He took a moment to peruse the length of her naked body, and again he felt his chest swell. When he looked at her passion-filled eyes, he hooked his thumbs in his waistband. “A little eager?”

She rolled to her side and propped herself up on her elbow. “You’re either quite sure of yourself,” she said, caressing her bottom lip with her tongue, “or not really interested.” She pouted around the beginning of a smile and in a heartbeat Patrick dropped his underwear to the floor.

“No,” he said, stretching out in front of her, cupping the back of her head, and pulling her to him. “I’m very interested,” he whispered across her cheek. “Just prolonging the moment.” He kissed her and plunged his tongue into the warmth of her mouth when her lips parted.

As their tongues danced, Kelsey wrapped her hand around his erection. Patrick pulled her closer, marveling at the feel of her hand around him, her bared breasts against his chest. He’d done this numerous times, but he’d never experienced this nervous excitement before. She slowly stroked and he realized it would be over embarrassingly quick if he continued to delay.

He ripped the condom package open and pulled away from the kiss to put it on. She rolled to her back with a cat-in-the-cream grin and held her arms up to him. He went into them, positioning himself between her thighs as he placed a hand on either side of her. He hovered and held her serene gaze as she placed her hands on his shoulders and opened herself to him.

Patrick swallowed and slowly lowered himself into her, closing his eyes and groaning as he felt her warmth surround him. Kelsey exhaled and arched her back to meet him. It took all of his power not to move so he could savor this feeling he’d waited so long to experience.

When he opened his eyes, she was smiling at him, pulling his mouth to hers. He propped himself on an elbow as they kissed, cupping her breast with his other hand. He swallowed her squeal when he pinched her nipple and started to move his hips, pushing himself deeper. As his fingers played, his lips left hers and drifted along her jaw, planting light kisses and occasional nips.