Pucking The Team (Hot Ice #8)

Chapter Twelve

“Pippa, where the bloody hell are you?” Trevor said. “I’ve been trying to call for hours.”

“Sorry, I was asleep.”

“Asleep?”

“Yes, I’m in the States. It was the middle of the night here when you called.”

“Ah, okay.” I heard him relax a little. “We need talk about Steven, he’s a loose cannon.”

“I know, he’s threatening to go to the press with a bunch of lies.” I moved around the island in Ben’s and Theo’s kitchen. They were at practice along with Eduardo and Dylan, and I’d just started unpacking a home delivery of groceries.

“And I’ve had an email from his lawyer,” Trevor went on, “about that bruise I put on his multi-million-pound chin.”

“Oh, for fuck’s sake, he deserved at least one punch. Thanks again for that by the way.”

“I’m always at the ready to defend your honor, you know that.” He tutted, and I imagined him pacing and squeezing his stress ball. “But really, he thinks he can sue me for—”

“Stop, he’s not going to sue you, Trevor, or go to the press about me leaving him at the altar.”

“He’s not?” He sounded like he’d stopped in his tracks.

“No, he’s not. Hang on.” I fired off the three photographs of Steven and Cheryl. “Take a look at what I’ve just sent you, that’s our insurance. You and I and whoever took them are the only people with copies, as far as I know. And he won’t want anyone else seeing them, that’s for sure.”

“In the name of the good Lord above, who the hell took these?” His voice was high with shock. “Who sent them to you?

“I have no idea, just someone who said they cared. Said they’d also been cheated on and had been the last to know.”

“It’s bloody dynamite, a lit stick, a grenade about to blow, that’s what this is.”

“And Steven will know that, so tell him you have these and he, and his lawyer, will go away, so will OKAY magazine with a bit of luck.”

“You’re right, you are absolutely right my, sweet pea. This will make it all go away. Oh, you are a star, I always say that, brains and beauty.” He paused. “Why are you in the States? And whereabouts?”

“I had to get as far away as possible. I’m in Florida, but please don’t tell anyone, I need to keep a low profile, lick my wounds, you know.”

“Of course, of course, terrible ordeal you’ve been through. Absolutely bloody awful.”

“It really was horrible, the shock of it, but I’m okay, don’t worry. I found out in the nick of time. Imagine if I’d been in the Maldives with him, he’d be busy messaging Cheryl and telling her how much he missed her and how he didn’t really want to have sex with me and my small tits.”

“Oh no, no, you have the most perfect tits, darling, don’t say that. In fact, I think you should go right out and find some hunk who will appreciate them for what they are. Go bed some hot guys and make some new memories. That’s what I’d do.”

I looked at the huge photograph of Ben and Theo battling on the ice. “That’s not a crazy idea.”

He laughed. “Straight back in the saddle, but…discreet, you don’t want the paps getting a whiff. I know how you hate any intrusion on your private life.”

“Tell me about it. Trevor, I’m sorry, I’ve got to go, I’m making dinner.”

“What are you cooking?”

“Steak au poivre with a red wine pan sauce. Dauphinoise potatoes and fresh greens.”

“Ah, you kill me. How in the devil’s name do you stay so thin? It is one of the universe’s greatest mysteries. I swear it is.”

I laughed. “Goodbye, Trevor, love to William.”

A few hours later, the front door opened and closed with a bang.

“I’m home!”

I smiled even though I wasn’t sure which of the brothers had just arrived. “Hi.”

Quickly, I checked the potatoes, which still had a while to go, and then tossed a few peelings in the rubbish bin.

“Smells awesome in here,” Ben said, wandering in and dropping his kit bag on the floor.

“I hope you’re hungry.”

“Always.” He walked up to me. The scent of his fresh shower gel swirled in the air between us.

The next thing I knew, he’d pressed a kiss to my lips.

My eyes widened—that was not what I’d been expecting.

“I…I’m sorry, I just…it felt right.” He kind of frowned and smiled at the same time. I swear a slight rise of color touched his cheeks.

“I’m not complaining.” Who in their right mind would? A gorgeous hockey player striding into the room with a hello kiss—it was a damn good cure for a broken heart.

I touched a lock of his hair that had fallen beside his right eye. “How was practice?”

“Good. Nice to be back on our home rink. Familiar dimensions and all that.”

I smiled despite not really knowing what he meant.

“Can I do it again?”

“What?”

“Kiss you?”

“Is that what you want to do?”

“Hell yeah.” He came closer still, his chest almost touching mine. “But I don’t want to push you into anything. Your breakup, it’s still so fresh and—”

“Yes.”

“Yes?”

“You can kiss me again.”

The gentle blue of his irises seemed to soften further as he cupped my cheeks and brought our faces together.

And then we were kissing properly. A sexy dance of lips and tongues and exactly how I’d imagined he’d kiss when I’d thought of him earlier. He tasted of mint, and his breath was warm. Heat from his body radiated onto mine, and when I gripped his upper arms I was reminded of the raw power of his honed and toned muscles.

He moaned softly and deepened the kiss, drawing me closer. My mind was full of him and very little else.

“Hey, is this a private party or can I join in?”

Theo was behind me. Close. I hadn’t heard him come into the kitchen. I broke the kiss, but Ben kept me in his embrace, silently telling me it was okay that we were kissing in front of Theo. There was no problem on his end.

“Don’t stop on my behalf,” Theo said, pushing my hair to one side and touching his warm lips to my nape. “You two look great together.”

I fluttered my eyes shut. His lips traced my skin. I’d always been a sucker for neck kisses. My stomach gave a tremble of longing, and I pressed closer to Ben.

I was sandwiched between them, surrounded by hot, rock-hard hockey gods, and when Ben kissed me again I let out a groan of desire.

“You taste so sweet,” Theo said into the shell of my ear. “So fucking sweet. And I wanna taste you all over.”

That sounded like a good plan. But a threesome? Was that what he was suggesting? I’d never done that before.

But something told me they had.

“I missed you today,” Theo murmured. “Hoped you weren’t too sad here on your own.”

“I wasn’t sad.” I reached behind myself and touched his jean-clad hip. “I’m relieved, I feel like I’ve had a close shave but survived. More than survived…oh, that feels nice, Theo.”

He was tracing the delicate patch of skin behind my ear with his mouth. Tremors of delicious sensation went over my scalp, and my heart rate picked up.

“We could make you feel more than nice,” Ben said onto my lips. “If that’s what you want.”

Theo pressed in closer, and I could feel a wedge of hardness against my butt. He was erect and ready for action.

“Oh…I…” I let my head fall back, and Ben kissed my throat.

Theo cupped my right breast and squeezed gently.

What was happening to me? I was ready to throw caution to the wind and indulge in all my carnal desires with barely a second thought.

Why the hell not, I deserved it.

A sudden bang echoed around the room, the front door slamming.

“Who is that?” I said, stiffening. I’d just been about to get down and dirty and the door was unlocked.

“ Bonjour , it is me,” Eduardo called.

I wriggled from Ben’s arms and stepped away. I didn’t want a repeat of the expression on Eduardo’s face when he’d seen me in bed with Dylan.

“What?” Ben asked.

“It’s just…” I flapped my hand. “I think…lets park this up.” I glanced at the door.

“Fine by me.” Theo put his hand down his jeans and appeared to adjust himself. “But just so you know, I’ve got a very good memory for knowing exactly where I left off.”

The sexy sparkle in his eyes had my nipples tightening, and I hoped he was true to his word.

And then the most enormous bunch of red and white flowers appeared. They were so big I could hardly see Eduardo behind them, and he wasn’t a small guy.

“ Ma choue , I have brought you the flowers of love to heal your aching heart.”

“Wow.” I cleared my throat and touched my lips. They were still tingling from Ben’s kisses. “They are beautiful, thank you.”

He set them on the island and grinned at me. “Not as beautiful as you.” He paused. “But you know that, right.”

I laughed, “It’s nice when you say it.” I kissed him on his freshly shaven cheek. “Thank you, that was very considerate.”

“Such a smoothie.” Ben rolled his eyes.

“Ah, you are just jealous.’ Eduardo set his hand on my waist as though to keep me near. “That you boys do not have a French drop of blood in your veins. French blood is that which makes a man romantic and truly appreciate a woman.” He sniffed the air. “The Frenchman in me also knows there is something délicieux being cooked.”

“Hopefully it will be.” I lightly touched his hand and moved to the oven, checked the potatoes again. “I just need to know how you all like your steaks.”

A few hours later, plates cleared and the guys all still complimenting the home-cooked meal, we sat on the large sofa and watched a rerun of a hockey game. Apparently, there were some goals I just had to see.

In truth, it didn’t especially hold my attention unless it was one of my guys with the puck.

My guys!

Dylan’s leg was pressed to mine, a glass of water held on his thigh. Whenever he reached forward for a chip, the pressure of the contact increased and my mind kept going back to our steamy night together.

We’d planned a round two but had been interrupted. I wondered if he was still thinking of it the way I was.

I finished my water and decided on a cup of tea before bed. Ben was shouting at the hockey game, Theo joining in, as if they didn’t already know what happened. Eduardo was on his phone, speaking in French.

I put water onto boil then stood with my back to the island and looked out of the window. It was dark now, a moonless sky, and a blanket of the stars twinkled down onto the pool.

“Pip.”

Dylan appeared in front of me, all big and dark and brooding. His eyes held an intensity that made me catch my breath.

I didn’t speak, just waited for him to go on. It was clear he’d followed me to say something.

But he didn’t say anything. Instead, he gripped my waist and lifted me onto the island. Within a second, he’d stepped between my thighs and cupped my face. “I can’t get that night out of my mind. You were incredible. We were incredible together.”

I nodded, just a little. His sudden invasion of my space ramped up my heart rate, and my skin tingled with the need for his touch.

“I want you again.” His lips brushed mine. “If you’ll have me.”

“Yes.” I touched his heavily stubbled jawline. “It’s unfinished business, right?”

The left side of his mouth twitched, almost a smile. “When?”

“I…I don’t know.” I glanced to the right, toward the living room.

“They’ll have to suck it up.” He ran his hand to my nape, a firm, possessive hold. “If we want to be together it’s none of their business.”

“Ben kissed me.”

“What?” He frowned. “When?”

“Earlier…and I know Theo likes me.”

He swallowed, his Adam’s apple bobbing low. “So does Eduardo, I saw the flowers.”

“Are you mad?” I asked.

“Mad about what?”

“Them liking me…and I like them, too, all of them. I like all of you.” There, I’d said it.

A tendon jumped in his cheek; he’d clenched his teeth. “I guess I’ll have to accept I have competition.”

I didn’t want him to see it as a competition. I certainly wasn’t viewing it that way. But Dylan wasn’t a man who could be told what to do. He was also an elite athlete, so for him, I supposed, everything was a competition.

“Come back to mine, tonight,” he said in a low, growling voice. “Stay with me, in my bed. Let me show you extreme pleasure. The type of pleasure you haven’t known before, the type of pleasure you’ll never forget.”

My pussy dampened when I recalled the ‘not exactly vanilla’ conversation and I wondered just what he had in mind for me. Was I ready for that? Could I handle it? Could I handle Dylan when he got his kink on?

“Saturday night,” I said, my nerves getting the better of me. “I’ll come to your place then.”

His mouth downturned. “Why not tonight?”

“I just…I like the anticipation.”

He gave a small huff. “Or you like teasing me.”

“I can’t imagine a guy like you can be teased by a little thing like me.”

“A little thing like you has me hard as a fucking rock, I have been for the last thirty minutes, but if you want to wait a few days that’s your call.” He released the back of my neck and reached for my hand. “But know this is waiting for you.” He set my palm over his groin. “It’s all for you, every last inch.”

Damn it, he was really fucking hard, his denim pants stretched taut. It must have been uncomfortable.

“And be sure about this…” he spoke quietly. “I’ll teach you things you didn’t even know existed.”