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  “I —” she began, before I pulled her into my lap.

  “No,” I told her, snaking my hands around her back to draw her into me. “No more talking.”

  I bit her lip to show her I wasn’t joking.

  She gasped, and it was such a welcome sound. Any time I could render this spitfire speechless, it gave me such pleasure.

  Pulling her swollen lip into my mouth, I suckled and soothed. Case shuddered with a wave that started in her chest and worked its way up.

  It was a movement that made me so hard, I instinctively pulled her closer so she could feel what she was doing to me.

  Her moan told me she felt it.

  I fucking loved that I did that to her and we hadn’t even really begun.

  I needed more of that sassy-ass mouth. I brushed my lips over hers and she opened for me, letting me explore, before returning a hot desperate kiss.

  Our tongues tangled together, and we moved clumsily, unable to get close enough or deep enough.

  “Last I recall,” I told her when we came up for air, “I had you bound and ready.”

  Casey nodded and I could tell she was thinking back to that night.

  “It was something like this.” I cuffed both of her wrists with one of my hands, letting the other have its way with her.

  With the light touch of my finger, I traced her lips.

  “Suck,” I commanded, and her body shuddered once more.

  She drew my finger into her mouth and did as I asked – a sensation that had my balls tightening.

  As much as I wanted to relive our last night together, as much as I wanted to tie her up on my stairway again, I knew I wouldn’t last that long. I had to touch her.

  “Very good,” I said as I pulled my finger from her scorching mouth. “Now I need to see if you’re ready like you were that night. I want you wet, Casey.”

  She swallowed and didn’t say a word.

  Never so thankful for my experience with women, I was able to undo Casey’s jeans with a quick flick of a few fingers.

  And once I managed to get my hand inside her panties, she didn’t disappoint me.

  “Just like that night, Casey,” I whispered in her ear as I stroked her down the center. “You are as wet and tight as I remembered.”

  I slid my fingers up and down once more and then used my thumb to trace lazy circles on the tight bud that was slick and swollen and begging for attention.

  “Finn,” she called out and I fucking lost my mind.

  I pumped two fingers deep inside her without any warning.

  No gasp this time. Just an incoherent trail of words resembling: Yes. Please. More.

  So I gave her more. Faster. Harder. The whole time imagining I was fucking her with my cock, instead of my fingers.

  Until she fell apart in my lap.

  Chapter 13

  Casey

  Anchor/Kiki Stuart: I know we all want to hear about the plan. But before we get into it, I want to know if you have any regrets.

  Casey: Regrets? Sure. I have a ton of them.

  One of my biggest regrets was that I didn’t get Finn Daley naked, well, daily. Why did I waste so much time?

  “I’m not done with you,” he said, after I fell onto the couch recovering from another one of his earth-shattering orgasms.

  “Funny,” I told him. “I was going to say the same thing.”

  “Were you now?”

  “I was. Not that I’m keeping score or anything, but it seems I’m up in this game. A lot of orgasms to very few orgasms.”

  “I don’t care about that, Casey. I mean I do. Of course I do. And I want you so badly right now, but taking care of you pleases me more than you know. I love taking care of you.”

  My heart squeezed. For a moment, I thought he was going to say he loved something else.

  Wishful thinking.

  The emotion of everything we’d gone through was starting to take its toll. I wanted to get some things settled. I wanted Finn to know how I felt about him, but he wasn’t up for talking, so I had to give him the next best thing. I’d have to show him how I felt.

  I linked my hand in his and pulled him up.

  “I think it’s time for a little payback,” I said

  “What do you have in mind?”

  “You. Naked. In bed.”

  “Planning on atoning for your sins?” he asked.

  “You have no idea.”

  We walked upstairs to the bedroom. I tried to be sexy with the come hither stares as I pulled him along, daintily.

  For a brief moment, I wondered what Ava would do. Women like that had men wrapped around their bony fingers.

  Why?

  In reality, I just wanted to throw Finn on my back and take the stairs two at a time. I couldn’t get him horizontal fast enough.

  I was starving for this man.

  Once we finally made it, I attacked.

  I jumped him. Not as in jumped his bones. I literally jumped on him.

  He laughed at first. But when I poured my heart into a searing kiss, things weren’t so funny anymore.

  We fell onto the bed, and it was a mess of arms and legs and clothes in one big tangle. I managed to get his shirt off and he managed to do the same with mine.

  But I knew I had to slow it down. Take my time. Make him want me so bad, he couldn’t take it. And make getting me so incredible, he’d never want to let me go.

  Trying to take the lead, I explored his body with my hands. Running them over his taut arms, and the peaks and valleys of his chest and stomach.

  He was leaner since the last saw him like this, and I tried to push the thoughts of why out of my head. He’d suffered so much, and so much of it was due to me.

  As my fingers traced the ridges of his eight-pack, he hissed. He knew where I was going next.

  Following his happy trail, I watched as his pants strained against his growing length.

  That made me hiss.

  I wanted him on me, inside me, around me, all at the same time. I couldn’t think straight, and it made my efforts to get his pants off incredibly graceless. I had no game, but I didn’t care. Finn didn’t seem to mind either.

  He helped finish the job I started, graciously removing his boxers with his pants so he could spring free.

  Fuck.

  Finn chuckled and I realized I said that out loud.

  “That is about the best reaction a guy could ask for,” he said.

  “Well, you – it – is deserving of such expletives.”

  It was.

  His cock was spectacular; it had to be said. Typically, the sight of penises – is that the right word? It is, but seems like the plural version should be peni or something. Anyway, they didn’t do a lot for me. I mean, they did, of course, but the looks of them? Not so much.

  This particular penis, however, made me want to weep. And say a prayer of gratitude.

  He looked like a goddamn Greek God, like a Michelangelo sculpture – though I don’t think Mike ever carved an erect dick.

  Point was, I stared in awe at Finn’s spectacular cock. Long and thick and … my words couldn’t do it justice.

  I bent down to give it a wet kiss at the tip, but Finn stopped me before I could go any further.

  “Wait,” he said. “If you’re going to do that, I need to watch. And I can’t have your clothes ruining my view.”

  I got on my knees to accommodate his wishes, but he pulled me to him. I wanted to rush this part, so I could get back to business. Quickly, I moved to undo the clasp on my bra. In seconds, Finn’s hands took over.

  “Let me do it,” he said, sliding the straps down my shoulders.

  My nipples tightened, begging to be touched. And thank God, the man didn’t leave me hanging.

  He pulled down each cup and rewarded me with his hot, wet tongue. Gliding and flicking and shooting sparks of pleasure between my legs.

  I leaned into him, forgetting what I was supposed to be doing. He had a magical mouth, and used it to pull each nub
inside.

  My body was a live wire, full of currents and heat. I never wanted it to end.

  He kept up the delicious torture, while sliding my pants down my thighs. They were trapped at my knees, so I leaned back. Finn’s mouth followed me, bringing his glorious body with it. Then he kicked off my pants and shifted his weight and nestled between my legs.

  If had I let it go on much longer, I knew I wouldn’t be able to take care of him like I desperately wanted.

  “Finn, wait,” I said.

  Meanwhile, the rest of my body cursed my name.

  “No,” he said.

  “But I want to take care of you.”

  “You are taking care of me.”

  “You know what I mean,” I said, trying to keep my voice even as he grinded against me with only a light barrier of cotton between us.

  “Do you really want me to stop?” he said, reaching a hand between us to find my clit.

  “Ah,” I moaned when his fingers found their target.

  They worked me over while his cock grazed my opening. My brain couldn’t keep track of all my pleasure centers; it was the definition of bliss.

  “I’ll take that as a no then,” he said.

  Finn’s lips trapped mine, and his tongue drove in, hard and rough. We were both at our breaking point.

  “Please,” I finally squeaked.

  Finn pulled back and met my eyes. His face serious, but soft. He was ready to tell me something important.

  “I want to do this more than you know,” he said, his voice gravelly with desire, but I also detected a trace of sadness. “Still, I have to be straight with you.”

  “Okay,” I said, pretty sure nothing would make me want to stop this.

  “I think we both need this; we need to finish this thing out. But I want to be clear about what’s going on here – this is the end of something. Not the beginning. You get that, right?”

  The end.

  His words ripped my heart open, and I wanted to beg him to reconsider. I wanted to sob my eyes out and pound my fists like a toddler who had its lollipop taken away. I wanted to slap him across the face for saying such shitty words to me.

  I couldn’t do any of it. And my brain knew I’d always regret it if I didn’t go through with it.

  I needed him so much. I was willing to risk everything to do it. Even my heart.

  “Understood,” I told him reluctantly.

  And before I could even finish the word, Finn pulled down my panties, sheathed my new favorite part of him, and drove into me.

  It took my breath away.

  I was full of him – body and soul.

  Finn stilled; he was waiting for me to acclimate to him. He moved slowly, stretching me in the best possible way. I was deliciously full of him – almost to the point of pain. Too much, but not quite enough.

  Inside, my heart was swelling. Not like what we were doing was terribly romantic. It wasn’t. It was dirty and primal. Still, my heart reacted all the same. She was such a girl.

  Finn pressed his way inside, slowly pushing in further and further. Until he finally drove all the way to the hilt.

  I didn’t allow the unwelcome thoughts that this was a one-time thing ruin the moment. I turned off my mind and put my body in charge, feeling everything he offered me.

  “Fuck, Case,” he groaned. “I’ve been dreaming of getting into your tight little pussy since the first time I saw you at the X.”

  My stomach did flips at the sound of his dirty words. Civility be damned.

  I’m sorry, but there was nothing better on this earth than a man telling you that he wanted your pussy. Case closed.

  I didn’t care who looked down their noses at me for that. In fact, I expected to die a very happy death.

  If only my heart wasn’t also on the line.

  Chapter 14

  HAT TRICK (n.)

  Scoring three times in one game.

  Finn

  It was the same, but oh so different having sex with Casey.

  Diving into her was just as satisfying as I remembered sex with the other girls. It gave me a high, but fuck, it was so much more.

  Because it was with her.

  But hell if I was going to go there. No. We’d keep it dirty and rough so, eventually, I could walk away unscathed.

  I was honest with her, so I could do this. She knew what she was getting into and she agreed. Maybe Casey wanted it this way as well.

  All I knew was that if I let myself feel how the girl was changing me, moving me – if I let this become more than something just physical – it would surely destroy me. So, I kept my comments filthy. Kept my thoughts on the physical side of things. I planned to defile the little lying princess, and work her out of my system for good.

  Still, in the moment, she blew my effing mind. I couldn’t get enough.

  The sensation of being inside her, so tight and wet and so, so good, it almost hurt. And when I couldn’t get enough, I flipped her ankles up on my shoulders, invading her slow and deep.

  Her moans kept me on the brink of exploding the entire time.

  I leaned over her, and it gave me the most fantastic view. Of her hooded eyes, full lips, long neck, and amazing tits that shook with each thrust. I stroked her toned legs as I moved. And when I let my gaze venture down, I could see exactly where I was thrusting – into her pretty, pink (and almost bare) pussy.

  Quickly, I diverted my eyes, because I’d be coming hard and fast if I continued to watch myself fuck this beautiful – though terribly complicated – woman.

  When I looked up, she captured me in her gaze. Soon, I was lost in those warm pools.

  “Case, I –”

  Love you.

  Shit, I couldn’t say that, so I opted for crude again.

  “I could fuck you all day.”

  Chicken shit.

  And when we fell apart in each other’s arms, I knew it was worth the risk.

  So we did it again.

  And once I gave her three orgasms, I thought we’d be done. After all, it was a very lucky number.

  I’d learn later that, with Casey, it’d never be enough.

  Chapter 15

  Casey

  Anchor/Kiki Stuart: As a reporter, I know it’s sometimes hard to know where the line is with somebody’s privacy. We get so wrapped up in the story that we can forget these are real people we’re dealing with. Is that what happened to you?

  Casey: I’m not sure, Kiki. I think some of it was trying to prove people wrong – like my producer and mother and even the douchebag department chair at my college. People who thought the only way I could make it was to use my looks.

  Anchor/Kiki Stuart: I hear that, sister.

  Casey: My ego got in the way, and I was doing things for all the wrong reasons. But I was also going to do whatever it took to make it right.

  After we – I would’ve liked to say made love, but that wasn’t at all accurate. After he rang my bell (that’s better) several times, there was no pillow talk.

  Well, there was, but it was all about our next move.

  I told him my thoughts, how we should just tell the truth about his illness. I was so naïve. I thought it’d be cathartic for him to finally come out of hiding.

  Then he told me how much his illness could hurt him in the public eye.

  “Why do you even care about that anymore?” I asked.

  “Because, Casey,” he said, “I’m coming out of retirement. Dr. Hart says I’m ready to go. The plan was to announce that I’m coming back before the playoffs.”

  “What? Why didn’t you tell me?” I asked, forgetting we didn’t have that kind of relationship anymore. We never did.

  “All the details are still being worked out. But if the Wild management finds out that the reason for my retirement was because I’m bipolar, they wouldn’t be interested in taking me back.”

  “What the hell?” I said, getting angry. “Why not?” I couldn’t make sense of what he was telling me.

  “Playe
rs are like property to teams, Case,” he said. “They’d look at me like I have a major default. An incurable one. Drug treatment is common in sports. Understandable to some degree.”

  “Not to me it’s not,” I told him.

  “Addiction can be cured,” he said. “But, as far as I know, there’s still no cure for bipolar disorder. It’s a risk, a damn big one, to sign up someone like me.”

  “That has to be against the law,” I said, sounding like a little kid.

  It wasn’t fair.

  “You can’t help this,” I continued. “It’s an illness.”

  “The sporting industry is slow to adapt to everything,” Finn said. “It has really only been the last few years that guys are coming out of the closet. It’s much the same with mental illness. And those that do come out are at a huge disadvantage. They are judged more harshly and it’s like everyone is just waiting for them to blow up or go off the deep end. I can’t play that way.”

  “Well, what can I do to help?” I asked, becoming all too aware of how much I messed up his life. No wonder he didn’t want to pursue things any further. “I’ll do anything; we’re in this together.”

  I can’t believe that before all this came to light I was willing to give up even a second with Finn – career or not. My regret was so consuming and so deep, it was hard to see past it.

  “You can help,” he said. “Let’s continue with the addict story.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Completely.”

  Somewhere I had gotten lost, but now that my head was screwed on right, I would fix this.

  I’d also find some way to win Finn back. I’d die trying.

  Chapter 16

  LASER (n.):

  A hard, accurate shot.

  Finn

  I told Case about my idea. She would continue with the drug angle. Tell Phil it was all under control.

  We’d made up some bullshit that I had an ankle injury and became addicted to pain killers. One of the most acceptable levels of drug addiction – I’d done the research.