Ache For Me: A Hockey Romance (The Banks Sisters Book 1) Read online

  She starts to shudder and I know she’s close, she’s clenching around my fingers.

  “If it were up to me, I’d spread you out for everyone on this plane to see while I spanked your pussy and made you beg me to fuck you. Take your nipples between my teeth and leave my marks on this skin, a reminder of what a little slut you are.” I jerk her mouth to mine when she closes her eyes and sound starts to escape, and I relish in tangling our tongues and feeling her jerk in my grip.

  When she settles, I pet her softly for a little bit before removing my fingers and bringing them to her mouth. I paint her lips with a little of her cum, and lick it off myself.

  “Clean off the rest.” I rasp, my dick about to burst from my joggers. She hesitates, and I keep her gaze.

  It’s not something she’s used to, but I’m curious to see if she’ll do it anyway. I’m not known to stay within too many boundaries. She holds my stare, and parts her lips, accepting.

  I close my eyes, because feeling her tongue glide around my fingers and knowing she’s tasting herself is almost enough to make me blow without a single touch.

  “I’ve never uh, done that.” There’s still a flush to her cheeks and her leg is still over my lap, but I can tell she’s trying to pull herself together.

  “Something tells me that’s not the last time you’re going to tell me that.” I take her lips one last time, nipping her lower lip a little when I finally pull away. “You should get some rest. I’ve got plans for you.”

  She settles against my side, and I close my eyes, willing my dick to stop throbbing.

  It’s going to be a long flight, but at the end of it, I’m not letting her out of my sight.

  3

  Kaija

  There are so many thoughts running through my head that I can’t keep them straight at all, and it’s fucking with me.

  I’m torn between clinging to Harlan’s leg and begging him to never let me go, and fading into thin air.

  I’m so shell shocked that through the rest of the flight, through the plane landing, through getting bags from baggage claim - I just…am on autopilot.

  Like some sort of automaton, or a damned puppet with strings. It’s bothering me. How easy it was for me to just, follow him blindly, and I have no real idea who he is.

  It’s dangerous. And the further we get away from that plane, the less exciting and taboo it feels.

  There’s a pit in my stomach.

  I have never been blinded by lust like this as an adult. It was one thing to feel so attracted to him and think he was hot, but I…Fuck. None of that should’ve happened.

  I dropped the ball.

  “You got somewhere to be?” I pull up short, before I run face first into Harlan’s chest.

  Yeah. He’s like a foot taller than me, go figures.

  I whip my head around behind me, turning back to him. “Weren’t you back there?”

  “You’re movin’ like Federov, but my legs are longer.”

  “I…don’t know who that is. But yeah, I have somewhere to be.”

  Shit, I didn’t drive to the airport.

  He steps closer to me and I shuffle back, making him stop and narrow his eyes. “Really? Where?”

  I start to open my mouth and hope something that makes sense will come out, but I hear my name.

  “Kaija, you must not have turned your phone on.” The deep voice behind me nearly sends me lurching towards Harlan in shock. I whip around, trying to smooth out my face.

  “Charlie? What are you doing here?”

  “You’re friends with Charles Wright?” I can’t detect what exactly it is in Harlan’s voice, but it’s not approval.

  “Leave it to you to find a hockey champ at the airport.” Is Charlie’s voice cooler too or am I imagining things?

  “Hockey champ?” I really should’ve worked on getting a lot more sleep during my flight, because I think I’m missing a lot right now.

  “You could say we found each other.” I don’t even have to turn around to see the smirk on Harlan’s face, because I can hear it.

  What the hell is going on? I step to the side so I can see both men’s faces’ and the chill becomes much more palpable.

  “How do you two know each other?” I tap my fingers restlessly on my suitcase handle, and wonder why stuff like this always seems to find me.

  You’ve got the guy I can’t seem to shake, and the guy who just had his fingers down my pants the first time we met.

  Awesome.

  “We went to school together. Actually…we played hockey together in college for a bit. Then someone got drafted and left for the NHL.”

  I look Charlie up and down, taking in the pressed slacks and button down at 6AM. Expensive dress shoes and perfectly matched tie.

  Lacrosse, I might’ve guessed. Squash? Tennis? Golf? All acceptable.

  Hockey? Not so much.

  “How do you know Kaija?” Harlan crosses his arms, and I do my best not to look at all that exposed temptation…

  “Through my older sister.”

  “We’re seeing each other.”

  Charlie raises an eyebrow at my answer, and I purse my lips at his. Good lord.

  You go on a few dates with a man and he thinks he can just tell people you’re kind of a thing.

  I’m going to do bodily harm to Keyra when I see her, for always matchmaking.

  “Oh?” If there was a chill before between the man, Harlan has now reached sub-zero temperatures. I meet his gaze and hope I don’t look guilty.

  I’m a single woman, dammit! I have nothing to be guilty about. But if his face is any indication, he’s already become judge and jury.

  “Keyra and your dad wanted to have breakfast this morning, so we should get going.” Charlie puts a hand on my lower back and takes my suitcase handle from me. I hesitate, looking at Harlan’s stone expression.

  “Go ahead Charlie, I’m right behind you.”

  “I re—,” he starts.

  “I’ll meet you.” I snap, and he closes his mouth, deciding wisely to leave it alone. He walks away and I turn back to Harlan, even though now I’m annoyed that he’s apparently made his decision about me.

  “Well…,” I don’t really know what to say, but I feel like I should say something.

  We already exchanged numbers on the plane, so I could just walk away...

  “I’m not interested in cheaters. And you’ve obviously got some lofty ambitions.”

  “Excuse me? Lofty ambitions? What the fuck is that supposed to mean?”

  “You dating baby president there, I’m sure you expect to be right there next to him. That’s not my life, sweetheart.”

  “That’s good, because you couldn’t pay me to date your pompous ass. Forget anything happened.” I start to stomp away, but I turn back, “And you can’t cheat when you’re single. And if I did have lofty ambitions, it wouldn’t be your place to judge me about it. So, fuck you.” I hiss.

  God, why do I always attract insufferable assholes? I do it to myself. Obviously I have a sign on my forehead that’s only visible to men that says Please, add more bullshit to my life.

  I shake my head all the way to Charlie’s car, and thank him for opening the door for me. Clicking my seatbelt automatically, I hope that I never have to see Harlan Reed’s face again.

  4

  Harlan

  Slap.

  “She’s dating fucking Chatty Charlie.”

  Thwack.

  “How the fuck is he always with the ones I wanna fuck?”

  Sccchlick.

  “And how did she leave making me feel like the bad one? She’s dating someone else!”

  I launch my last puck at the net, turning and leaning on my stick when Hanson doesn’t say anything.

  “Well? Am I talking to myself here?”

  “That’s what it sounds like to me.” He grins, unrepentant.

  Bastard. He’s taking entirely too much joy in this.

  “Tell me I’m not crazy, man. I didn’t do shit wr
ong here.” We skate to the bench, and rub towels over our faces, heading back to the locker room. Season hasn’t started yet, and we don’t like to make our equipment guys handle our shit any more than they have to.

  I unlace my skates, shaking my head. It’s been a week and I’m still hot over what happened.

  Anger-wise and lust-wise.

  Even with my history, having my fingers deep in a sweet pussy like hers by chance like that? That’s new shit.

  “I can’t believe this one chick has you wrapped up like this. And I have no comment on if you’re crazy or not bro, you probably said some dumb shit that you’re not telling me.”

  “I did no such thing,” I grumble, snatching my towel from my locker. “Charlie’s a climber, we both know that. You think he’d date anyone different?”

  “So what’s it say about you that now there are two women you have in common with him?”

  I launch an empty water bottle at Hanson and he ducks, laughing at my scowl. “I’m going to grab my shower, fuck-face.”

  “Harlan, what are you doing here?” I can’t help smiling when I hear my mom’s muffled voice.

  Because of course, she’s under her truck. She rolls out from under it, hopping up like a woman much younger.

  “How’d you know it was me?”

  “Come on, you know I know I could pick the purr of that beauty out of a lineup.” She looks longingly at my car, which I’ve refused to let her drive.

  She’s a wannabe drag racer, I swear.

  Michelle Torero is a tiny woman, and I ruffle her curly mop of dark hair precisely because I know it’ll earn me a hard swat.

  “Stop eye-fucking my baby that way, it’s inappropriate.”

  “Don’t make me come up there for language, young man.” I grab up one of her towels she leaves laying around and motion for her to turn her cheek. Always a grease monkey.

  She and my brother moved without a second thought the minute I got traded from Boston to New York last year.

  “Wasn’t my first word because of your bad language?” I follow her into the house from the connecting garage door, and toe my shoes off.

  “What, you questioning my parenting now?” She unzips her olive coveralls and drops them into a basket by the door.

  “Never, Ma,” I grin, dropping down into a seat at the dining room table.

  “I didn’t think I’d have to see your ugly mug for another few days.” My younger brother comes loping down the stairs and I stand, bear hugging him.

  Man, it’s good to see family.

  “I assume you came over to mooch off my food?” He drops down into a seat across from me, leaving the head chair for Ma.

  “I had a dream about Lasagne last night and I decided it was a sign.” Out of habit, I look over my bro while he’s not watching. He was getting bullied for a little bit there, but refused to tell us what it was about or who was doing it. It stopped fairly quickly or else I would’ve gone over his head about it.

  “Yah huh, and I make the same thing every Wednesday, you goof.” My mom puts a basket of bread on the table, and my brother grabs beers from the ice chest.

  “It always tastes like the first time to me. What else is left to do?” I head to the kitchen, already knowing the answer so I pop open the fridge. I grab the salad bag and pour it into a bowl. It’s the bacon Caesar salad one we all like, really the only one we tolerate.

  Ma tosses the tongs on top of the bowl as I pass, and she follows to the table with the steaming dish of meaty, cheesy goodness.

  Hot damn, there aren’t many things I love more than my Ma’s cooking.

  We bow our heads and my brother says grace before we crack open our beers and dig in. Nicolo is 17, but ma’s never been the strict type.

  “So, what’s the real reason you’re over here mid-week and what’s her name?” Nico talks with his mouth full and my mom punches his arm, prompting him to scoff.

  “Act like you were raised with some manners or something, you gump.”

  “I think it’s a little late for appearances, Ma.” I cut a piece with the side of my fork, and raise an eyebrow, avoiding her question.

  “Well whoever she is, do I get to meet her? I never get to meet your girls, I’m starting to feel neglected. I’ve even met Nico’s little harem.”

  “I don’t have a harem.” He mumbles, blush staining his cheeks. All three of us have the same hazel eyes, but then Nico and I look more like carbon copies of our dad.

  Really strong jaws, large builds, dark hair with a little widows peak, and the inability to grow a full beard.

  I tried once. Ma said it looked like I’d pasted patchy pubes to my chin. I shaved it off that same night.

  “Listen, if you do, just make sure they’re not all close friends. That gets messy. Too much hassle for the reward.” I happen to glance up and see Ma giving me the eye and I backpedal. “You know, because you only need one woman anyways. I just hear that’s extra work.” I clear my throat.

  “I’m not even into girls right now.” I meet those eyes that we share and see the defiance in my brother’s eyes, then trail my gaze to his hands where he’s holding his fork so tight that his knuckles are losing color.

  Ma nearly chokes on her bread and I pat her back, passing her the water that usually sits untouched in the middle of the table.

  “What do you mean right now? And next time, maybe make sure I don’t have food in my mouth.”

  “I just…I’m trying some new things.” The defiance is still clear in Nico’s voice, like he expects us to shame him or something.

  It doesn’t feel like huge news to me, so I don’t know what to say. The kid’s old enough to know what he wants. And even if he were younger, it’s not my life.

  “Just…tell me you’re pitchin’ and not catching.” My mom says, a serious look on her face and I gape. “Catchin’ is less comfortable.”

  I audibly gag, and Nico is so shocked that his eyes look like they’re about to pop out of their sockets. Ma looks between us for a second before she bursts out laughing, cackling so hard that there are tears running down her face.

  “God, you two are so easy. Nico, you do whoever you want kid. I’d like to think this is a family that’s a family no matter what, yeah?”

  I nod, still grimacing and trying to keep my dinner down. “Just wrap it up. Safe sex is the best sex, any gender. Why were you nervous about telling us?”

  “I don’t know. I still…I’m trying to figure it out. I didn’t even think I liked guys. I mean, I like girls a lot. But then I met this guy, and…I don’t know. Maybe.” Nico rubs the back of his neck, staring down at the table.

  Obviously, the kid’s still struggling with knowing exactly what’s going on.

  “Well you’ve got a lot of life left to figure out specifics. For now, just go with what makes you happy, bro. We love you no matter what.” I pick up my beer and realize it’s empty.

  Good, this is too much sappy shit for my comfort.

  “Alright, I call dibs on the movie pick.” Grabbing up my empty plate and Ma’s, I hear their groans behind me as they follow with their dishes.

  “At least it’s not Ma wanting to rewatch Fast & Furious.” Nico pipes up and we laugh, ignoring my mom’s grumbling.

  Nothing trumps family.

  5

  Kaija

  “I’LL TELL YOU WHAT YOU WANT WHAT YOU REALLY REALLY WANT

  SO TELL ME WHAT YOU WANT WHAT YOU REALLY REALLY WANT”

  Oh shit.

  My sister and I stare at the phone on the table.

  That’s a special ringtone.

  For a special person.

  It stops ringing for a second and there’s an audible sigh of relief from both of us.

  Until it starts ringing again.

  “Don’t answer that phone, Kaija. Not while I’m here.”

  I bite my lip, tapping my finger against my leg. “What if it’s important?”

  “It’s never important,” Keyra scowls, “She’s always draggi
ng you into some kind of issue. She’s a troubled menace who needs a leash.”

  “Don’t talk about her like that,” I frown, grabbing for the phone at the same time as she does, but getting it first. I swipe the answer button, leaving my sister muttering on the couch as I walk away so she won’t have any new fodder to think badly about our sister.

  She really is a great person…she’s just a little…wild sometimes.

  “Michaela? Where have you been?” I slide open the patio door and step out into the cool night, crossing my arms as I hold the phone to my ear.

  It’s not anything new, but I still worry.

  “Kai,” she whispers, “I need you to come here like, right now.”

  I close my eyes, leaning against the balcony railing. “It’s nearly 1 am. What could you possibly be doing that you need me for?”

  “I uh,” she whispers to someone in the background, “I just need a little help, I promise it won’t take long.”

  I just feel it in my bones that she’s into some shit.

  “Text me the address. I’ll let you know how long it’s going to take when I map it.”

  “Okay, I will.”

  “Okay.” I’m already whispering and I haven’t even made it back inside yet. Keyra is probably going to snitch to dad the minute I leave. I palm my phone and brace myself. Sliding the door open again, I go through and lock it behind me, leaning against the cool glass.

  She looks up from the papers she’s going over and slides her black framed glasses off. “What childish stunt has she gotten into now?”

  “Nothing.” I lie, skirting the couch and hightailing it to my bedroom. All I have on is some skimpy pajama shorts and a tank top. I need jeans at the very least.

  I pull on some black denim and slide my feet into Nike Frees. Where’s that lightweight sweatshirt?

  “Where do you think you’re going at 1am?”