Fourth and Goal (20 page)

A tremor ran through him, fear and joy combined. The words he spoke were the truth, and it scared the crap out of him. He missed her, and not just her body. Missing her meant she mattered. If she mattered, that gave her power over him or, even worse, the ability to hurt him.

She smelled so damn good and felt so soft. Her smile did incredible things to him. Still she held something of herself back, except in bed. He couldn't break through the protective coating, wasn't even sure he wanted to.

Rachel bumped her glass and toppled it. The remainder of her drink spilled onto the table. She righted the glass and mopped the small mess with a few napkins. Tightening her facial muscles into a blank mask, she turned to him. “I'm done."

His mouth twitched. To his credit, he held back both his smile and the words on the tip of his tongue. Guzzling the remainder of his beer, he put his glass on the table next to hers, avoiding the napkin pile. “Let's go."

Derek tossed several bills on the table and held out his hand. Rachel took it and promptly tripped. He caught her and shook his head.

"Don't say it.” She glanced around the dark bar. No one looked their way. Maybe her power suits could be lined with bubble wrap.

"I don't think you can blame it on alcohol.” His dark eyes twinkled with mischief. She faked a pout, which brought a deep, sexy chuckle from him.

"Maybe I'm a little tipsy."

"You've hardly had anything to drink. Rae, I've seen you trip on flat ground wearing tennis shoes when you're stone-cold sober."

"Are you calling me clumsy?"

"When haven't I? Just promise me you'll stay away from CFMs."

"CFMs?"

"Come Fuck Me shoes. You know, hooker stilettos with five-inch heels."

Her eyes grew wide, and she stared at him, horrified. “That'd be like putting a porcupine near that woman's boobs. The result would be disastrous."

He threw back his head and laughed. “You got that right, baby."

Hand in hand, they walked to his truck parked in the back of the lot. He started to open the passenger door for her when she turned to face him. His dark eyes smoldered with suppressed passion. Her ice princess persona melted under the heat of his gaze, revealing a brazen vixen underneath.

No commitment expected, no regrets, just incredible, hard recreational sex for the good of the team, of course. Her heart didn't buy it, but she hoped his did.

Leaning against the truck, Rachel yanked Derek against her. She threaded her fingers through his hair and looked up into his eyes. Lust burned in those chocolate depths, along with a hint of something else, something deeper and a heck of a lot more dangerous to her heart and his. Embracing denial, she concentrated on the physical: the hard muscles of his chest pressing against hers, his strong thighs enclosing her legs, and her hips cradling his. His erection massaged her crotch. She craved the feel of all that hardness driving inside her, touching all her soft, wet places. Her limbs turned to liquid, refusing to support her.

Holding her up with his body, Derek flattened her against the truck. Their lips collided with the force of a tackle hitting the line. She drove him toward the end zone with her urgency. Their tongues danced to a wild, untamed beat. His crotch ground harder against hers. She grabbed handfuls of his fine butt and held on to her sexy jock.

"Oh God, Rae. Damn.” His mouth devoured hers, taking no prisoners and giving no ground. His tongue invaded and conquered the recesses of her mouth, tangled with her tongue, sucked the breath out of her.

They needed to stop and get hell out of there. Their behavior didn't qualify as keeping a low profile.

"We should go.” She panted into his ear, pulling on the lobe with her teeth. She squeezed his butt, then dipped one hand lower and stroked his balls from behind.

"Aw fuck. The hood of this truck looks pretty damn good right about now."

"Have you ever done that?” Words tumbled from her mouth in a breathless jumble.

"Not yet. I'm pretty much a do-it-in-the-bed-or-backseat kinda guy.” He slipped his hands down the back of her pants. “But hey, I'm adaptable; just don't keep me and my boy waiting too long."

Chewing on her lower lip, she imagined screwing him right there in the parking lot. That'd be a great one for the papers. She wasn't quite that out of control, but her reservations didn't stop her from having little fun. Feeling wicked, she unbuttoned four buttons on her sweater and revealed the only sexy bra she owned. His breath caught as he watched.

"You like that?” she teased.

"Oh, hell yes."

"Consider it a coming-soon preview.” Waves of excitement rippled through her. His obvious arousal dared her to throw caution and her clothes to the wind.

"I'll be coming even sooner if we don't get to the main event."

He lowered his head and kissed the swell of one breast, rubbing the erect peak of the other through her bra. Rachel arched her back and squeezed his shoulders. The lights of an oncoming car sliced through the darkness. Moving quickly, Derek shielded her body with his own.

"Let's go. If your brothers saw a picture of us right now, I'd be fertilizer on the field in Jacks Stadium.” He spoke through gritted teeth. Not waiting for an answer, he opened the truck door and lifted her inside, then hurried to his side and got in. She didn't button her sweater.

He drove down city streets, demonstrating the same speed he used when running downfield. “Are you in a hurry or something?"

"Damn right.” He stared straight ahead, but she knew his mind wasn't on the road.

"Why would that be?” She leaned toward him, nuzzling his neck.

"Mmmmm. Just keep that up, and we'll pull over to the side of the road."

"Is that a promise?” Her body hummed in anticipation of the forbidden, knowing her comment only egged him on.

"It could be.” A muscle jerked in his jaw. His hands gripped the steering wheel until his knuckles turned white.

Rachel shivered at the husky sensuality in his voice. He clamped a hand high on her thigh and kneaded it with his strong fingers. One short inch and his hands would find paradise. Banishing her good girl side for the night, Rachel unzipped her pants and guided his hand between her legs.

"Shit,” Derek whispered. “What are you trying to do to me?"

"Make you horny."

"Honey, I've been horny all night. You don't need to do anything but show up, and I'm horny."

"I bet you say that to all the girls."

His mouth pulled into a tight line. “Actually I don't. Not anymore. It takes more than a set of boobs and pussy to get me hot as fast as you do."

She blinked at his bluntness. “So what's different?"

"Hell if I know. You just do it for me. Rae, I think you're at your sexiest in faded blue jeans, a T-shirt, and no makeup. Even better naked."

He was being sweet, but then he wanted to get in her panties. She didn't possess that kind of beauty, but it was a nice thought. His fingers massaged her as he kept his eyes glued to the road.

"Rachel. You're killing me."

"It'll be a slow, torturous death, but we'll die together."

"You're going to pay for this.” His thumb rubbed lazy circles on the wet crotch of her panties.

"I'm looking forward to it."

"I can tell.” He slid his index finger under her panties and found the source of her wetness. Pushing her pussy lips apart, his finger slid easily inside her.

"You've gotta pull over.” Desperation drove her to end this sweet torture.

He pulled his finger out and added another one. She lifted her hips and pulled down her pants to give him easier access. He plunged both fingers inside her. Sweat beaded on his forehead. Lust glazed his dark eyes.

"Find a spot. Now.” It wasn't like she could think with his fingers inside her.

He careened around a corner. One front wheel jumped the curb.

"Dare! Watch out!"

"We're fine. I'm multitasking.” He jerked the wheel and steered the truck off the sidewalk.

"Men don't multitask.” She pushed the words out with great effort, frantically looking for a dark alley or parking lot. Anything. Rachel gasped as his finger went deeper and his thumb found her clit. She pressed the back of her head against the headrest and whimpered for mercy. She wasn't getting it.

"Then we're in trouble.” His jaw was clenched, and his gaze darted left and right for a spot.

He'd stepped up his rhythm when she spotted it. “There. Pull in there."

He didn't need a second invitation. He slammed on the brakes and turned into the deserted parking lot of a defunct business in a quiet industrial area. Driving to the back, Derek appeared to scan the building for signs of video cameras. Obviously satisfied, he pulled into a secluded spot between a small portable storage building and a large cedar tree.

Then he got out. What? He couldn't get out. The truck looked like a perfectly respectable place to do it, especially with its dark tinted windows. Her inner hussy deserted her.

Derek yanked open the passenger door.

"Are we getting in the backseat?"

"Nope. Too cramped. I'm too big."

"It's starting to rain."

"I know. We'll keep each other warm."

"What if someone comes by?"

"We're hidden. They won't see us. If they do, we'll see them first and get to hell back in the truck. You aren't turning coward on me, are you?"

"I'm having second thoughts.” Boy, was she ever.

"Oh no, you don't. You started this. You finish it.” He pulled his shirt off over his head and tossed it in the backseat. His gorgeous chest rippled with hard muscles. Her fingers itched to touch him. A sliver of courage crept back. “Get naked. We don't want to get our clothes wet."

"Are you nuts?"

"Honey, you've tormented me too long. Now you pay."

"I tormented you?"

He unbuttoned the remaining buttons on her sweater and pulled it off. Then his jeans and his boxers joined his T-shirt in the backseat. The rain pelted his body. It ran down his pecs, pooled in his belly button, and dripped off the tip of his erect penis.

"It's raining too hard."

"Quit whining. We won't care. No one will see us back here.” He took control and let his eyes do the talking and his fingers do the walking. He tugged on her pants, easily pulling them the rest of the way off. Then he picked her up. She wrapped her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck. A small, overgrown garden with a park bench sat under the low-hung branches of the cedar. He plopped her butt on the back of the bench, feet on the seat, knees spread apart.

The rain ran in rivulets down his nose and chin. It soaked her hair and plastered it to her face. She shivered, and he proceeded to warm her up. She found it hard to believe he only had two hands because they were everywhere. Her bra ended up around her waist, and he pushed the wet crotch of her bikini panties to one side as his fingers resumed the job they'd started earlier.

She'd never look at rain the same way.

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Rain be damned, Rachel warmed from her core out. Heat radiated to her extremities, leaving her toasty and toasted. Their skin should've sizzled as a deluge of raindrops bounced off their bodies. Water meandered down the landscape of Derek's muscular chest.

Showing the persistence that stood by him throughout his sports career, Derek was not deterred by rain. Instead he slid two fingers inside her and proceeded to create his own storm. Thrusting deep, he toyed with her for a few minutes, withdrawing each time she teetered on the brink of passion. She whimpered every time his fingers retreated.

"I think it's time to go for the score, baby."

"Hit me with your best shot, big guy.” She dug her painted nails, courtesy of Cass, into his bare, wet back. He removed his fingers. She opened her mouth to protest, but he silenced her with his lips.

Derek flipped her around so she sat on the back of the bench, legs dangling. Rain dripped off her chin and down her arms. She gripped the bench for balance and lifted her hips as Derek peeled her soaked panties from her body. Positioning himself between her spread thighs, he slid inside in one long, slow stroke, filling her tight hole and holding himself there for a long moment. Rachel closed her eyes and bit her lower lip. She wrapped her legs around his waist, grabbed his hands, and leaned back, driving him deeper. The wind whipped the cedar boughs over their heads. One branch slapped Derek across the cheek. He shook it off, undaunted by nature's temper tantrum.

Holding on to her hands, he withdrew, then slid into her again. She pushed against him, arching her hips to take him deeper. He moved inside her, slow and deliberate, even though she attempted to take over the pace and speed it up. He wouldn't be hurried, but she wanted more, wanted this slow teasing to end and for him to claim her with powerful strokes. She squeezed his cock with her muscles, tightening them around him.

"Oh fuck.” A ragged groan was wrenched from his chest. He held himself against her, pressing deep and upward.

"Derek, please. I need you to go faster."

Instead he withdrew, leaving her empty and needy. She whimpered in protest. Grabbing her around the waist, he flipped her onto her stomach, her body draped over the back of the park bench, facing forward. She balanced with her hands on the bench seat.

His fingers parted her, and he entered her from behind, tormenting her with the same deliberate pace as before. Leaning over her back, he reached under her body with one hand and cupped a breast. He pinched and tugged on an erect nipple. His free hand snuck between their bodies and found her clit.

"Harder.” She panted. “Please, faster. Give me what I need."

"What do you need?” He rubbed the little center of her desire.

"You know.” Her words sounded strangled to her ears.

"Maybe I don't.” He withdrew almost completely. His big hands slid down her rain-slickened body.

"Dare. Dammit."

"Getting a little demanding, sweetheart. I might have to teach you a lesson."

She didn't heed his words. Screw that. “Teach away, just give me what I need.” She gritted her teeth and gripped the bench. The storm increased with intensity as if taking its cue from their passion. His balls slapped against her crotch, the sound barely audible above the pounding of the rain. She didn't care, as long as they weren't washed away by a flood other than one of their own making.