Page 199 of Almost Ours
Her lips parted, her breath catching. I didn't give her a chance to respond. I pulled her against me, my mouth crashing onto hers. She melted into me instantly, her hands fisting in my shirt, pulling me closer. The kiss was heated, desperate, like we were making up for all the lost time at once.
My hands slid down to her hips, and instead of steering her toward the stairs, I lifted her onto the edge of the kitchen table. She let out a little gasp, then laughed breathlessly, her legs wrapping around my waist.
“Ryan,” she whispered against my lips.
“Not waiting any longer, Harper,” I murmured, kissing her again, harder this time. My hands roamed, tugging at the button of her jeans, popping it open before she could protest.
Her fingers tangled in my hair, pulling me closer. “I need you,” she breathed, the desperation in her voice mirroring my own.
“You’ve got me,” I said, my voice rough with need.
I slid her jeans down and she kicked them away, lost in the frenzy of it all. My fingers traced up her thigh, feeling how much she wanted me.
When I slid a finger inside her, she gasped, her hips arching against my hand. I added another finger, moving slowly, deliberately, while my thumb pressed against that sensitive spot that made her moan. Her sounds drove me wild, and I couldn’t take my eyes off her, watching as her head tilted back and her lips parted.
“Ryan,” she gasped, her voice breaking as her hips arched to meet me.
“Come for me,” I whispered, low and commanding. My thumb circling that spot that made her fall apart.
Her body tensed beneath me, trembling as she cried out, her fingernails digging into my shoulders as the waves of pleasure ripped through her. The sight of her–flushed, undone, breathtaking–burned itself into me.
As her breathing slowed, I pressed a kiss against her damp temple, my forehead resting against hers. “That,” I murmured, smiling against her skin, “was just the beginning.”
Later, as we lay tangled together in bed, Harper rested her head against my chest, her fingers drawing lazy circles on my skin. I reached out, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear as she gave me a dazed, satisfied smile.
“Wow,” she breathed, her voice soft and a little hoarse. “I don’t think I’ve ever come that many times in one day before.”
I couldn’t help but grin at her, leaning down to press a kiss to her lips. “We’re just getting started, baby.”
She kissed me back, her lips slow and teasing, but after a moment, she pulled back slightly, her cheeks flushed. “Ryan, I think I need a break… and maybe some ice if we plan on doing that again.”
I burst out laughing, the sound filling the room as I pulled her closer. “Ice, huh? I’ll take that as a compliment.”
“It is,” she said with a chuckle, her head resting against my chest as I wrapped my arms around her.
“I never want to leave this spot,” I murmured, pressing a kiss to the top of her head, inhaling the familiar scent of her hair. “I’d be happy staying like this forever.”
She tilted her face up to look at me, her eyes soft and shining. “Forever sounds good,” she whispered.
I brushed a thumb along her cheek, letting the quiet settle over us for a moment before I spoke. “Harper, there’s something I need to talk to you about.”
She shifted, sitting up slightly and propping herself on her elbow to look at me. “What’s on your mind?”
I sat up, leaning against the headboard as I reached for her hand, threading my fingers through hers. “Well, I’ve been doing a lot of thinking,” I started, squeezing her hand gently. “And I realized something–I want this coaching job. I love it. I love the team, the players, the impact we’re making. But…”
“But?” she echoed, her voice small.
“I can’t be away from you and Connor,” I said, my voice firm. “There’s no way. I thought I could balance it, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized that being away from you two just isn’t an option.”
Her lips parted as if she was about to say something, but I held up a hand to stop her. “Wait–just let me finish.”
She nodded, biting her bottom lip.
“I talked to Jeff about it,” I continued. “I told him I want to stay on as part of the coaching staff, but not if it means being away from you and Connor all the time. I told him I needed to find a way to make it work–and that’s when I got an idea.”
Harper’s eyes widened, her curiosity evident.
“Shane,” I said, a smile tugging at my lips. “He bought a multiplex about forty minutes out of town as an investment, and they’re building a brand-new arena there. I talked to him about the possibility of making that arena the home ice for the team.”
