Teamwork Read online

  I moved up again, slicked the oil over his back and shoulders. “Why do you keep your hair so long?”

  “Why not?”

  “It’s unusual that’s all.”

  “But it’s part of me. My hair is an extension of my body and senses, it gives me strength. Why would I cut it off?”

  “What, like Samson and Delilah?”

  Suddenly he shifted, rolled over and reached for me. “Yeah, just like Samson and Delilah.”

  I gasped as the back of my head hit the soft pillow. Reaching out, I put my greased palms against his pecs and stared up into his eyes. They were on fire, dark and dangerous. His nostrils flared and a small muscle flexed in his jaw. “Raven? What—?”

  “Enough treatment, enough talking,” he said. “I’m going to touch you now.”

  He kissed me, firmly and with a sense of promise of what was to come. Damn fine promises that made my knees go weak even though I was lying down.

  I threaded my hands through his hair and allowed the silken strands to fill my slippery fingers. Chased for his tongue the way he was playing with mine. My heart was thumping and my pussy flooding.

  “Ah, you’ve got me so damn hard,” he said, glancing down at my breasts heaving against the constraints of my bra. “No one has, not like this, not for a long time. I feel like I’ll never get enough of you. And it’s all happened so fast, I wasn’t expecting it.”

  I couldn’t answer because he was kissing me again, at the same time exploring my body, slipping his fingertips into my bra and tweaking my nipples. I turned thought over to sensation, breathed in deep and relished every caress, every kiss. This side of Raven, the one that harnessed all that grumping and switched it into passion, was so much easier to put up with.

  My underwear was gone now. How he’d done it as he’d kissed and stroked my breasts was a mystery.

  “You got any condoms in here?” he asked suddenly.

  “Yes, in my purse, on the bedside table.”

  He shifted. For a second I was about to stop him putting weight on his shoulder, but then realized if it was painful, he instinctively wouldn’t.

  Stop it, Fiona, be his lover not his physiotherapist.

  After plucking a silver-wrapped condom from my purse, he sat back on his haunches. His briefs were gone and his cock sprang upward, meaty and solid, the shaft twisted with heavy veins.

  With practiced efficiency, he rolled the latex down. My fingers twitched to touch him. I wanted to get my hands on his beautiful cock. I’d yet to actually grasp it even though it had brought me to a wonderful orgasm that morning.

  His gaze scanned my naked body as I lay there watching him. “How did I get so damn lucky?” he muttered, looming back over me.

  “I was thinking the same thing,” I whispered, brushing my lips over his and spreading my legs so he could position himself between them. Suddenly I couldn’t wait another second. I had to feel his cock in my hands I reached down between our bodies and grasped him, squeezing until I could feel his pulse on my palm.

  He sucked in a breath. “Ah fuck,” he breathed.

  “You are hard,” I murmured, stroking up the length of him then pushing back down. “Gloriously hard.”

  “And it’s all for you, Pumpkin, so do what you want with it, but just be gentle if you want me to last more than a few minutes.”

  “I want you inside me,” I said, positioning the wide, mushroomed head at my entrance. “I want you to make love to me, make me feel the way you did this morning.”

  “And how was that?” He groaned as I shifted my hips and took the first inch of him into my body.

  I snatched in a breath and willed my pussy to relax. “Good, oh so damn good, and adored, and special.” My words were snapping out staccato. “And like I was going to need peeling from the ceiling.”

  “Ah baby, that was just a warm-up, this is going to be even better, ’cause this time I’m going to be able to look into your eyes when you come. See how good I really make you feel.” He curled his coccyx under and sank deep, forcing me to release his shaft as he buried to the hilt.

  “Oh, oh, oh,” I gasped, clamping my hands over his taut buttocks. “That’s so deep, so fucking deep.”

  “You like that?” He cupped my face between his hands. Calluses rubbed my cheeks.

  “Yes, you’re so… I don’t think I’ve ever…”

  “What?” He gave another jerk forward, shoving up against my womb and stretching every fiber of my channel to capacity.

  “Oh god, Raven, so, so…” I fluttered shut my eyelids.

  “No, stay with me. Open your eyes.”

  It was a battle but I did it. “I’ve never been with anyone so…big,” I managed.

  An expression that looked distinctly like pride mixed with intense concentration crossed his face. “But you feel so right around me, like we were made for one another.” He brushed the pads of his thumbs over my cheeks, held my face still and kissed me, slowly, intensely, all the time rocking his hips and shifting his cock within me. The way his pubic bone began rubbing against my clit was toe-curlingly delicious, and I hooked my legs around his thighs and hung on for the blissful ride.

  Before long my orgasm was growing, building up inside me. Beautiful and deep, it captured every nerve in my pelvis. I became less able to kiss him back, my energies focusing on the explosion about to detonate in my pussy.

  “Keep your eyes open,” he whispered breathlessly into my mouth. “When I make you come, keep your eyes open and look at me.”

  “I-I don’t know if I can.”

  “Yes, yes you can.” His voice was gruff and breathless. He tightened the hold he had on my face.

  I reached for his upper arms and gripped him as our sweat-slick bodies slid against each other. My heart was trip-hammering and I stared into the depths of his eyes—pupils so wide, brows pulled low in concentration.

  “That’s it, Pumpkin, good girl. Come for me. Come now.”

  That was all it took. A gruff order. My orgasm was blinding and instantaneous and robbed my breath. But I kept on staring up at him, even as my body free-fell through pleasure.

  “Fucking beautiful,” he groaned, baring his teeth and thrusting into me as though he just couldn’t get deep enough.

  My huge wave of sensation went on and on as Raven filled the condom. Now it was my turn to stare into his eyes and see bliss flood his soul, watch that sweet desperation devour him as he trembled and shook.

  His cock throbbed and pulsed against my still spasming pussy but finally he slowed his rocking. “Oh Jesus, that was so intense,” he gasped.

  Sweat shone on his forehead and I brushed his hair to one side and gently kissed him. “It was perfect.”

  He swallowed tightly and crushed me closer. “I feel like you’ve put a spell on me with all your voodoo needles, candles and oils. I’ll never fucking be the same again.”

  “Do you want to be?” I asked, increasing my grip around him.

  “Fuck no. I could stay like this forever.”

  Chapter Eight

  “Hey sugar, how are you?” Todd asked.

  “Fine. You don’t sound so hot though.” Even down the telephone line I could tell he was hungover. His words sounded as if they were slicing through a cheese grater, his voice deeper than usual.

  “No, I don’t think I’m getting out of bed today. Didn’t get home until the sun was coming up. Reed is a bad influence and I think I’m allergic to Tequila.”

  I giggled and wriggled backward. Felt Raven’s body scoop around mine. “And Raven is a bad influence on me. We haven’t got out of bed yet either. Well, except to get food.”

  “Yeah, you’re missing out,” Raven huffed over my shoulder.

  Todd groaned. “Does he have to rub it in? What I wouldn’t do to be snuggled up with you both right now, have your sexy naked body wrapped around mine. I would feel so much better then.”

  I was about to say that he was welcome to join us. But my night with Raven, making love, adoring
each other’s bodies, had been so utterly perfect that I wouldn’t have changed a single thing about it. And, to my surprise, that included having the delectable Todd with us now.

  Todd was speaking again. “So tomorrow. We have an exhibition game. I expect Raven will come along, so why don’t you too? You can sit with the girls you met yesterday. They liked you. I could tell.”

  Raven was sliding his hand over my ribs, gently cupping the underside of my breast. I let out a sigh as he smoothed his thumb over my nipple.

  “Fiona?” Todd said.

  “Mmm?”

  He laughed. “I’ll leave you two to enjoy yourselves. But tomorrow, four o’clock. I’ll meet you at the rink.”

  Raven tugged my cell from my hand. “Yep, see ya,” he said, then flicked it shut and tossed it aside.

  “Hey, that was rude.”

  “Tough. He’s only got himself to blame. If he hadn’t been so eager to carry on partying last night, he could have been here too.” He wedged his knee between mine and forced me to spread my legs for him. His sheathed cock nudged at my entrance and I could feel moisture oozing from me, preparing for his plunge.

  It was as though we couldn’t get enough of making the other come. Over and over he’d made me fly. Ecstasy running through my veins had become the norm—long may it continue.

  * * * * *

  “Where are we going?” I asked. Raven had ordered me dressed midafternoon and informed me we were heading out. We were now driving down the freeway.

  “To the mall. You need a decent jacket if you’re going to the rink tomorrow.”

  “I’ve got a jacket.”

  He huffed. “Yeah, a thin lightweight thing that will barely keep you a degree warmer than the ice.”

  He had a point. I’d packed for sunshine, sunshine and more sunshine.

  “Is your shoulder okay?” I asked as he spun the wheel and pulled into a space. It was the first time he’d driven since his dislocation.

  “Yeah, this beauty has power steering. I could turn her on a pinhead with just my little finger.”

  “Perfect.” I paused. “And the joint pain is tolerable after all of our, er, activity last night?”

  He switched off the engine and turned to me. I couldn’t see his eyes, he wore his shades, but the slight curl of his lips told me he was fine. “Yeah, Pumpkin, it seems you really are good for me in every department.”

  My breath kind of juddered as he leaned forward and kissed me. A lovely, lingering kiss that made my spine tingle and my toes curl. Damn, the man knew how to use his tongue, whatever he was doing with it.

  “Come on,” he said eventually. “Let’s go shop.”

  It was an out-of-town mall and fairly quiet. I heard several different accents and guessed there were tourists around. Raven drew a few glances as we wandered into a boutique, but no one stopped him for an autograph or picture. I was relieved. I was enjoying having him to myself. Maybe he’d just drawn glances because he was so damn big and gorgeous and not because he was famous.

  The shop door shut and cool air-conditioning washed over me. Gentle piano music filtered around the racks of clothing and a sweet perfume infused the air. We wandered down the aisles toward the jacket section.

  “This would look great on you,” Raven said, stopping and reaching for a short red dress with thin straps.

  I pulled a face. “I never wear red. It goes terribly with my hair.”

  He slotted his shades onto the top of his head. “Really?”

  “Absolutely, trust me. It makes me look like a pimple.”

  “Oh.” He replaced the dress. “Well, how about this one?” He plucked the same dress off the rack but this time in electric blue.

  “Mm, that is nice,” I said, studying the material. It had a slight sheen to it, like a rainbow reflected in oil.

  “Try it on,” he said, offering it forward.

  I slid my fingers over the low sweetheart neckline. “I thought we came here to get me a jacket.”

  “We did, we will.” He narrowed his eyes and lowered his voice. “But try this on. I really want to see you in it.”

  I was tempted. “But I don’t need a dress. I brought my green one.”

  “And you look beautiful in it. But what if we get invited to another party? You can’t wear the same thing again.”

  I laughed. “That’s just the sort of thing a woman would say.”

  “You calling me a woman?” he asked with a frown.

  My smile dropped. I stepped closer. “No, not at all.” My lips were almost touching his. “There is nothing even vaguely feminine about you, you’re all man, which is why it’s funny to hear you say that.”

  He huffed. “Glad you think so. Now go try the dress on.”

  He was just so easy to tease. It was adorable. I skimmed my lips over his, took the dress and headed for the fitting room.

  A shop assistant showed me into a large fitting area. “If you need a different size or would prefer another color just ask,” she said.

  “Okay, thanks.”

  I stripped out of my jeans and t-shirt. Dropped them on a straight-backed chair and toed off my sandals.

  “You need a hand, Pumpkin?”

  I pulled the louvered door open a fraction. Raven sat right outside, perched on a wicker stool that he looked like he might actually break.

  “I’m fine. And no peeking.”

  He grunted. “No part of you I haven’t seen before and no part of you I’m not willing to see again.”

  I grinned. “Behave.”

  The assistant, who I now noticed was standing just to Raven’s left, cleared her throat and walked into the shop area.

  I poked my tongue out at him and shut the door.

  Quickly I tugged the dress over my head, slid it down my body and adjusted the straps. It was low-fronted but fit like a dream.

  “You’re killing me. I’m coming in if you don’t hurry up,” he called, his gruff voice extra loud in the quiet shop.

  “Hang on.” I fluffed my hair, licked my lips and cocked my hips. It was a nice dress, like really nice. Tight but not slutty, short but not knicker-flashing.

  “Fiona.”

  “In a minute.” I went up on my toes, mimicking high heels. My back arched, my chest stuck forward and my legs elongated.

  Suddenly the door snapped open.

  “Hey,” I said, turning.

  “I did warn you,” he said, his gaze roaming down my body, “that I’d be coming in.”

  “You’re the most impatient man I’ve ever met,” I said, spinning back to the mirror.

  He pulled the door and stepped in close. Curled his hands around my waist and drew me against him. Our gazes connected in the reflection.

  “Only where you’re concerned,” he said onto my hair.

  I rested my hands on his forearms, felt the heat from his flesh on my palms. “And getting back on the ice. You’re pretty impatient about that too.”

  “Yeah, I guess.” He ran his hands down over my hips and then back up, over my stomach, chest and to my shoulders.

  Each slide and touch of his slow caress had my heart beating faster. The tips of his fingers over my cleavage, the rough pads of his palms on my bare skin caused my breath to hitch and a spark to ignite between my legs.

  “I think you should definitely get this dress,” he murmured. “You look like every fantasy I’ve ever had come true.”

  “What, little old me? You really expect me to believe that?” I dropped back down to my heels and gasped as a hard rod of flesh nudged into the hollow of my back. “Raven?”

  He hissed in a breath. “Now do you believe me?” He pulled me tighter against him. “Damn it, Fiona, I thought I was all grown-up and in control of my dick, but just sitting out there thinking of you stripped down to your underwear in here has got me all turned-on again.”

  I spun in his arms, looped my hands around his neck. His erection dug into my stomach. I couldn’t resist a little wiggle against it.

  Hi
s jaw clenched and his nostrils flared.

  “But why me? You’re a hotshot hockey player, rich, successful, you could have any woman. Why me?”

  “Why the hell not you?” He spoke with his teeth gritted as he tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear.

  “I’m not asking why not, I’m asking why me? Why not some blonde bimbo who’s just walked off the cover of Playboy?”

  He frowned so deeply his brows hung over his eyes. “Are you serious?”

  I shrugged. “Yeah. I guess.” Okay so I was having a little moment of insecurity. I liked what I saw in the mirror, my red hair, pale, freckled skin and hourglass curves had always been with me. But didn’t superstars have tall, thin, perfectly tanned models on their arms?

  He cupped my face in his hands, tilted my chin. “Pumpkin, when I look at you I see not only beauty but also an incredible, talented, confident woman. Someone who cares on so many different levels for the people around her.”

  I watched his mouth as he spoke.

  “Your eyes sparkle when you talk about your folks, Fiona, and you get this determined set to your jaw when you tell me about patients you’ve treated, like you weren’t going to give up on them.”

  “I wouldn’t ever give up on anyone.”

  “Does that include me?”

  A deep ache tore at my chest. “You mean your treatment.”

  “I guess.”

  “No, I won’t give up.”

  “Even though I’m a miserable bastard.”

  “There’s no denying that.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “Don’t be sorry.” I dropped my gaze to the hollow of his throat. It was deep and defined by the two taut tendons of his neck. “Please don’t be sorry for any part of who you are.”

  He crooked his finger beneath my chin and raised my face to his. “Does that mean you won’t give up on me?”

  “I’m here for as long as you need me to be.”

  He closed his eyes. Pulled in a deep breath.