O Goalie Night (The Ottawa Otters #1)

Chapter 20

CHAPTER 20

FOSTER

W hatever handle I thought I had on this situation has disappeared—if it ever existed in the first place.

Beth looks out the window silently as we drive home. Her long ponytail falls over one shoulder and even though I long to brush it back, I don’t trust myself to touch her.

I’d been so close to kissing her. In public, no less.

I’d wanted to. Fuck, how could I not?

Even without the sugar stuck to her lips, I knew she’d be the sweetest thing I’ve ever tasted on my tongue. The urge to lean forward and capture her mouth, claiming it as my own in front of everyone there was almost more than I could take.

Thankfully, she’d had the sense to flee, giving me the opportunity to regain my sanity.

Once she had left, I took a moment to get my head straight. I was on my way to the bar to grab a tonic water when Ben intercepted me.

“Hey!” He’d thrown his arms around me. “Thanks for talking to me about Beth. I’m really glad she came tonight. I don’t think you know how much it means to me, the way you’ve been looking out for her. Knowing she’s got you helps me sleep at night.”

The knowledge that my own sleep routine now includes fantasising about Beth tangled up in my bed sheets burns a hole through my psyche.

Suddenly, my escalating feelings for his sister feel like the ultimate betrayal of Ben’s trust.

Ben, my friend and teammate and quite frankly the closest thing to family I have left.

Ben, who Beth is trying to build a stronger relationship with.

Ben, who is adamant that he doesn’t want any of his teammates messing with her.

But I have no intention of messing with her. The moment we shared at the club was a momentary lapse in judgement. I can’t risk pursuing her and jeopardise both of our relationships with her brother. No matter how badly I want her.

I pull into my driveway just after one in the morning. Beth hops out of the car and makes it to the house before me, entering the code in the door like she’s done it a hundred times before.

We haven’t spoken a single word since we left the club and I would give anything to know what’s going on in that beautiful head of hers. She may say “goodnight” and act like this entire encounter never happened, or she may decide to call me on it.

At this point, I’m not sure which one would be worse. Pretending not to have strong feelings for her or being confronted by her about them.

She slips out of her boots and hangs her coat in the closet before entering my living room and taking her favourite seat on my couch. At least I think it’s her favourite seat. It’s the place she seems to gravitate to most.

“Can I get you anything?” My voice comes out rusty, like I haven’t spoken for days, not just the last thirty minutes. “Water, or…” I trail off, not even sure what else I’m able to offer her.

She plays with her ponytail nervously like she’s thinking it over and when her big brown eyes finally look up at me, I know I’ll give her whatever she wants or die trying.

“Do you like me, Foster?”

I freeze. Shut down completely.

My lack of response sends her into a panic and she backtracks. “Not that I think you do, or that you should, it’s just something Kim said at the bar made me think that maybe you do. And sure, I’ve had those thoughts before, because there have been times where I’ve felt like you’re flirting with me, but I told myself that you were just teasing me, not in a mean way, just in, you know, a friendly way, but then there was a moment tonight where I thought you might kiss me, but maybe that was just wishful thinking. Not that I’m wishing you’d kiss me or anything.”

She covers her face in her hands and lets out the world’s most adorably exasperated sigh. Desperate to ease her panicked state, I walk forward and sit down next to her, but she keeps her hands glued in place, hiding from me.

“Can we go back in time to where you asked if you could get me anything and this time I’ll just say ‘no thank you’?” Her words are muffled slightly because her palms are obstructing her mouth.

With a sense of calm I don’t feel, I reach up and gently remove her hands from her face. My fingers brush against her wrist and I feel the rapid flutter of her pulse against my skin.

She looks up at me with a vulnerability that shreds my heart to pieces.

“I like you.” I swallow. “A lot.”

“Oh.” Suddenly the attraction between us that’s always been there is thrust into the light and the air around us changes.

I nod. “And I very much wanted to kiss the hell out of you tonight.” And many other times.

She blinks several times like she may have misheard me. “Why didn’t you?”

Her face is so close to mine. When did that happen?

“Aside from the fact that your brother was twenty feet away?” My lips twitch with amusement and she smiles, drawing my attention to her mouth. Her red lipstick has faded from her lips, but they’re just as tempting as they were earlier. When I look back to her eyes, they appear to be focused on my lips.

I’m fucked.

“He’s not here now,” she whispers, her eyelashes lowering like a final curtain as she leans closer.

I should fight this. Slow things down until we’re both sure what the other wants and fully aware of all possible outcomes and consequences.

I don’t.

A small gasp escapes her as my mouth meets hers, like she didn’t really believe I’d kiss her. I’m not sure I did either, to be honest. My hand finds the back of her neck as her head tilts to the side. She opens to me immediately and I’m instantly drunk on her taste.

Her full bottom lip fits so perfectly between mine, like it was designed just for me. I suck on it gently and she moans into my mouth. The sound heats my blood and turns my cock to granite.

She runs her fingers through my hair, and I groan as her nails rake against my scalp.

“I’m sorry,” she breathes against my lips. “Was that too rough?”

I grip her chin, bringing her mouth to mine and kissing her deeply. “Don’t be sorry and for God’s sake, don’t stop.”

Feeling her smile against my mouth, she scratches my scalp again, using more pressure this time. I want to feel her nails on every part of my body. To be covered in her angry red scratches from head to toe.

Beth’s mouth never leaves mine as she climbs onto my lap, straddling me. I grip her full hips and she presses against me, our bodies sealed together. She feels so fucking good on top of me, I can’t think straight. I can’t think at all.

Running my hand up her back and neck, I gently grip the ponytail that’s been taunting me all fucking night. I give it a tug and her head falls back, giving me an all-access pass to her gorgeous neck. I let myself explore it with my lips, tongue, and teeth, noting which places are sensitive. As I lap at where her pulse is pounding she gasps and when I follow it by taking her earlobe between my teeth she squirms in my lap so much that I almost come in my jeans .

Christ. It really has been a while.

“Hey,” I pant, holding her hips still on me before I embarrass myself. “We should maybe talk.”

Her eyes are dazed and dark with need as she looks down at me. I feel her hurried breaths against my lips as her mouth hovers just above mine.

“Yes, we should.” She nods, but makes no attempt to pull away. “I’m free later, if that works for you.”

I can’t help but grin up at her. I love when she’s cheeky.

“Later is good.”

“Good.”

“Good.”

She gives me a sly smile as she sits up and slowly grips the hem of her sweater through her fingers before pulling it off over her head to reveal smooth, pale skin. Her lacy emerald bra pushes her gorgeous tits up like they’re on display, just for me. They rise and fall with her hurried breathing.

Tearing my eyes away from her cleavage, I meet her hooded eyes before leaning forward and placing a kiss between her breasts.

“Beautiful,’ I murmur against her flushed skin, kissing it once more. “You’re so beautiful, Beth.”

She bites her lip to hide a smile as she runs her hands over my chest, her fingers playing with my shirt and my hands start their own exploration. Her skin feels so soft under my fingertips and she shivers as they glide over her body. Every inch of her is a delicate blend of softness and warmth. I feel like I could spend all night just touching her like this.

But Beth seems to be growing impatient, her nails digging into my shirt like she needs me even closer. I lower her down onto the couch and reach behind my neck to remove my shirt.

She inhales sharply when she looks up at my bare chest.

“What?” I ask as her wide eyes stare at me.

“Your muscles have muscles.”

“Occupational hazard,” I chuckle as I kneel over her. Starting at her navel, I trail kisses up her abdomen, ribs, breasts, and collarbone until my face is nestled in her neck. I prop myself up and look down at her. With her swollen lips and bright eyes, she’s absolutely ruining me.

“Anytime you want to take a break or stop all together, you’ll tell me?”

“Stop?” Her eyes dance with laughter as she roughly runs her fingers over my scalp again. “Stopping sounds like a terrible decision.”

Well, it won’t be the first one I’ve made tonight.

Part of me knows that we’re taking this too fast; every rational part of me screams it. There are several reasons why this is a bad idea, why I should put up boundaries and stick to them. But right now, all those reasons fade into the background and I can’t deny what's right in front of me.

I want her. Plain and simple.

All I know is that it’s been a long time since I’ve wanted anyone or anything and I’m allowing myself to be selfish, just this once.

I run my hand over the waist of her jeans. “Can I take these off? Don’t get me wrong, your ass looks phenomenal in them, but at the moment, they’re in my way.”

She nods and my fingers make quick work of the button and zipper as I continue to kiss every bit of her exposed skin I can reach.

“Lift your hips for me, darlin’,” I murmur against her shoulder. She complies with a shiver and I work the pants down her legs, tossing them on the floor.

Damn.

“Absolutely beautiful,” I marvel at the sight of her, wishing I could find more words to express what it’s like, looking down at her, a vision in her bra and matching panties, but the word “beautiful” plays on repeat like my brain is caught in an infinite loop.

“You don’t have to tell me that.” Her arms drape across her stomach, self-consciously, causing me to freeze.

“Come again?”

She laughs a little but doesn't meet my eye. "I saw the kind of women you’re usually around at the club, and I know I don’t look like them. But it’s okay. I know you want me, and that’s all that matters. You don’t have to pretend I’m something I’m not."

Unbelievable. Here I am unable to get my head around how fucking gorgeous she is and she doesn’t even know.

“Beth, look at me.”

Tentatively, her eyes meet mine and I hold her gaze firmly. "You are beautiful," I tell her, my voice steady and sincere as I slide down to my knees on the floor.

She sits up, confused by my change in positions and I grab her left leg, spinning her so I’m kneeling between her open legs.

“You need to know that your body is beautiful," I say, my voice filled with conviction. "And if you don’t know, I’m going to have to show you.” I run my hands up her trembling thighs and hook my thumbs in her panties. This time she lifts her hips without being asked and I slowly drag the lacy fabric down her long legs. She attempts to bring her knees together, but I hold them open. Leaning down, I start to kiss up the inside of her thighs. “Every curve.” Kiss . “Every line.” Kiss . “Every inch of you is perfection.” Kiss . “A goddamn masterpiece.”

Her whole body is shaking as my face hovers above where she wants me. Where she needs me. Her shallow breathing is making her chest rise and fall rapidly as she grips the couch cushions waiting for me to touch her.

I blow a stream of cool air on her sex and her head rolls back on the couch, a tortured moan escaping her lips.

I pull back, just to look at her again. Christ. She’s the most beautiful sight I’ve ever seen and she doesn’t even know it.

When my tongue finally tastes her centre her hips buck in response. I drape my arms across each of her thighs, holding her in place as I go down on her.

“Oh God, Foster,” she cries, digging her nails into the upholstery and making me jealous of a piece of furniture. I reach out and grab her hand, moving it into my hair as I go back to work. If you can call it that. This feels like the best vacation I’ve ever had.

“Tell me what you like, beautiful girl.”

“That,” she answers immediately, making me grin.

“What about this?” I focus my efforts solely on her clit, circling it with the tip of my tongue.

“Yes…yes…that…”

Her other hand has made its way into my hair and she’s using it as leverage as she rocks against my face.

“More? Or less?” My voice is thick. She hasn’t even touched my cock and it’s damn near ready to explode .

“More,” she whines, her voice getting louder. “More, more, more.”

I lean in using more pressure and stroking her faster and she writhes against me. Her cries get louder and shorter as she struggles to breathe until she comes apart hard on my mouth.

I stay with her as she comes down from her climax. When her grip on my hair lessens and her hands fall away, I sit back and admire her, relaxed and flushed from pleasure.

“Absolutely beautiful.”