Worth the Fall (18 page)

He thought about that for a minute. Yeah, no. She wasn
’t going to want him to ask her every few minutes if she liked it or if she wanted something else. That was the whole point. She was sick of making choices, of telling people what to do, of giving life advice. She wanted to be told what to do. “So maybe even more reason to have a safe word. Just something you can say so I’ll know if I’ve gone too far.”

“
Okay. What do you suggest? Is there a standard safe word used in these types of situations?” She was mocking it all, but that was out of insecurity. She wanted this.

“
Let’s just get this straight,” he said, squeezing her wrist. “Nothing about us is standard, so don’t bullshit yourself.”

“
I know,” she softly admitted.

“
Let’s see…how about puck? Nice, short and near and dear to my heart.”

She thought about it a second—leave it to Alison to overthink a safe word—then shook her head.
“No. Something else.”

“
What’s wrong with puck?”

“
If I call it out, you might confuse it with ‘fuck.’”

“
You planning on calling out ‘fuck’ a lot?” And didn’t the thought of that just make his already twitching dick sit up and pay attention.

“
Maybe,” she said in a little coquette voice that was so unlike her.

Actually, the whole night was unlike her and a complete one-eighty from her parting words last night.

She must have had one shitty day of introspection after visiting Katie and her mom and sister.

Or…and this was just starting to come to him…maybe this was the real Alison. Maybe all the bullshit she showed everyone was just that—bullshit.

A mini-eureka went through his head, but he didn’t want to veer off track now. He’d definitely file that thought away, though.

“
So, not puck. You choose,” he said.

She looked around, seemingly looking at objects, sizing them up, as if they were playing a game of I spy or something.

“Coffee,” she said.

“
Shorter. One syllable.”

She seemed exasperated. Her eyes roamed around again then came to rest on him.
“Jock.”

He raised a brow at her.
“Fine. Jock it is. So now that—”

“
Wait. That’s the word we use if you’re going too far, right?”

“
Yes.”

“
Well, what word do I use if you’re not going far enough?”

Jesus, he was going to come before they even kissed if she kept putting provocative images like that in his head.

“More?”

She shook her head.
“Too commonplace. That could pop out without me even realizing it.” She narrowed her eyes playfully at him. “Assuming you’re doing it right.”

“
Alllll,” he groaned and she giggled.

“
Speed. That’s the word for stepping it up. Good enough?” she asked.

“
Perfect. Anything else? Anything…you know…verboten?”

“
That’s what I’ve got ‘jock’ for, right?”

“
Well, yeah, but maybe I should know up front if—”

“
Let’s just leave it with jock.”

He nodded, sensing he was going to lose the moment entirely if he didn
’t get this show on the road.

“
Now,” he said, “Put your wine glass and all this other shit that’s on the table over on the counter.”

“
Why would I—”

“
Do it. The time for talking, the time for asking and the time for you thinking is over. Just do what I tell you.” He released her wrist, sat back in his chair and took a long drag from the beer bottle. He tried to slouch down, but it was a little hard to do with his bum leg out to one side and propped up on a chair. But he thought he pulled off the bossy lover okay. He took another drink of beer and watched her as she rose from the table and began clearing the table of the salt and pepper shakers, napkin holder, and all the other crap that was perpetually on kitchen tables.

Alison Jukuri did as he told her.

Well, holy shit, this might be the night of his life.

When she
’d finished her task, she returned to the table but didn’t sit back down. Instead, she stood tentatively by the side of her chair.

“
Now, if I were able, I would throw you over my shoulder, carry you off to the bedroom and fuck you three ways to Sunday.”

She bit her bottom lip, then swiped her tongue across it.

“But, I’m not really capable of doing that tonight. That will have to wait until I’m back on my feet completely.”

Something passed across her eyes. Doubt. Damn, she was thinking this was just another one-night stand like the night of Katie
’s wedding. It wasn’t, but he didn’t correct her. They’d have time for that later.

Much later.

“So, we’re going to have to improvise. And I’m thinking this table will do just fine,” he said as he put his beer bottle down on the worn oak table.

“
Besides,” he added. “There’s no way I’m going to fuck you hard on pink sheets.”

She barked out a quick nervous laugh, and he relaxed a little.

“Come here,” he said in the low voice he used on players from opposing teams when he wanted to intimidate them.

She walked toward him.

He lowered his bad leg from the chair, brushing her off as she tried to help him. “It’s fine. Really. It aches a hell of a lot more about two feet higher.”

“
The brace?”

“
Ah, no,” he said as he brought his hand to his erection. “Here.”

“
I can help with that ache,” she said and stepped closer to him. When she started to go down on her knees, he reached out and put a hand on her waist, stopping her.

“
Not yet. Not until I tell you. This is my show.”

Her eyes went wide. She shifted her stance, then nodded.

He could demand the whole “call me sir” spiel. He’d done it before with a couple of women who liked power games. But something kept him from taking that step.

He scooted his chair back from the table and opened his legs.
“Closer,” he said.

She moved between his legs, he put his hand on her stomach. He caressed the warm and fuzzy sweater and gently pushed her back a step, so her ass hit the edge of the table.

“Hop up on it,” he told her. She did, nearly toppling his beer bottle, but he reached out and snatched it in time. He then scooted his chair closer to the table. Alison had to spread her legs to allow him in, like he was seating himself in front of a gourmet dinner.

He drank from the bottle, then offered it to her. As she took a drink he said,
“Let some of it spill out of those lips. Just enough for me to lick up.”

She did, and as he leaned forward and up, she leaned forward and down, and their mouths met. Two nights in a row he
’d kissed that mouth—a record for them.

But thinking about their past, how she wanted it tonight and all that other bullshit flew from his mind when she opened her mouth and their tongues finally found each other. Twirling, pushing, frantically seeking the other, their tongues tangled while Petey deepened the kiss. It was a low table, she was a short woman, and he was a big man, so there wasn
’t much stretching as he reached out his hand and wrapped it around the back of her neck. She groaned into his mouth. He tasted the beer as he licked it from her lips, but he also tasted the wine and garlic. Yes, indeed, it was just like he had sat down to a feast.

He could have kissed her all night, but she started squirming, as did his hard-on. He sat back in the chair, grateful to hear her small whine as he pulled away.

“Take off your sweater,” he said. He held his hand out for the beer bottle, which she handed him. He drank the last of it, set the bottle on the floor and gently rolled it out of potential harm’s way.

She watched him get rid of the bottle, but she still hadn
’t moved. “Do it, Al. Lose the sweater.”

She kept her eyes on him as she lifted the hem.
“Slowly,” he added. He saw the shift in her when she started to lift in a slow, teasing manner, dragging her hand up her bared skin. She wanted to tease.

When she got to her bra, she added her other hand to the other side and lifted. Then she stopped, just as the bottom of a black satin bra came into view.

“Why, you naughty girl,” he whispered. “Do your panties match that bra?”

“
You’ll have to wait and see,” she said, easing the sweater up a bit more so the entire cup showed now, but not the flesh above it.

“
More,” he commanded. “All of it.”

She pulled the damn sweater off in one smooth motion.
“Jesus, you’re beautiful.” He reached out and ran a finger across the bounty at the top of the black satin, dipping into her cleavage. She shivered but didn’t move away from him. No, she moved deeper into his touch. His fingertip kept the glide going to the side of her breast, then he shifted his hand, cupping the side of her, and down underneath, lifting and shaping her. His thumb flicked her nipple, the small bud hardening at his touch. He flicked a couple more times then pushed his thumb in, right onto the nipple, circling, grinding.

“
Ahhh,” she sighed, her head falling back. She braced her hands on the outside edges of the narrow table, causing her to arch into him. Practically begging for his mouth.

He reached behind her, having to put his face right into her tits to do so. Which he was so okay with him. He undid her bra and yanked it down away from her. She raised one hand just long enough for him to slip the strap through. He left the other strap around her arm and the bra stayed there, still on the table. She didn
’t seem to care and it wasn’t about to slow him down from getting his mouth on her.

He cupped both of her tits and pushed them together, lashing them both with his tongue as he handled them with a fair bit of force.

“Yes,” she gasped, and he squeezed them harder and sucked deeply on one of her nipples.

God, she was so responsive, so ready for this. He moved his thumb under and up through her cleavage made tighter and higher by his hands. He stroked his thumb up and down through the warm, fragrant passage.

“This is going to be my cock, baby. Right between your tits. And you’re going to like it, aren’t you.”

“
Yes,” she sighed.

“
Look at me,” he said sternly. Her head snapped up. Her eyes were dazed, her mouth wet from his kisses. “Watch me taste these amazing tits.”

He put his mouth on her again, but kept his eyes on hers. She took a hand off the table to run it through his hair. The she stopped and began to take it away.
“Don’t stop,” he said. “Put your hands in my hair. Hold me to you. Pull on my hair when you want it harder.”

She did as he told her, her fingers digging into his scalp, holding his head to her. It spurred him on and he took a tight nipple back into his mouth and sucked. Her breasts were soft and firm as his hands molded them. Her fingers played in his hair, losing some of their bite.

So he bit her.

Not too hard, but just a tiny bite on her nipple had her hands clutching him once more.

“Yes,” she moaned. He moved to her other breast and bit again, this time tugging on it as he pulled away. Her ass rocked on the table as she gasped.

His girl liked a little pain with her pleasure.

He knew how exhilarating pain could be. He fairly flew down the ice after being painfully checked in the boards.

He wouldn
’t go too far with her and would certainly never hurt her, but damn if all these revealing desires of hers didn’t have him dying to be inside her.

“
Enough,” he said, abruptly pulling away, pleased when she clutched at him. But he ducked out of her hands and pushed the chair from the table, awkwardly standing up.

She just watched him. She didn
’t even offer to help, so dazed with lust. Her sweet tits heaved from her breathing, wet and glistening.

He pulled his tee-shirt over his head and sent it flying. God, he loved the way she looked at his body. It made all the hours of training worth it just for the gaze of hunger she was giving him.

He grabbed one of his crutches from the chair they’d been resting on and propped himself up, standing in front of her but just out of reach.

“
Unsnap your jeans.”

He noticed her hands trembled as she reached for her fly and undid the metal button. Good,
‘cause he sure as hell was shaking on the inside.

“
Unzip.” She did.

“
Now take them off, but don’t leave the table. I want you to squirm ‘em off.”