Yearn For Me: A Hockey Romance (The Banks Sisters Book 2) Read online

  “I know you’re not using a tone with me.” I keep my voice cool. I don’t know what type of relationship he thinks we have, but it’s not one where I allow disrespect.

  “I apologize.” He says stiffly. “I am simply wondering why I’m sitting in a hotel room alone.”

  “We didn’t have plans tonight. I told you I was going to see the guys’ game.” I lean against the wall, moving aside for a woman walking by.

  “And I told you that I’m going out of town in two days and this would be the only night I’d be able to see you. Was I wrong in assuming you’d prioritize?”

  I would prioritize? That’s rich when I have to call his assistant and be penciled into his day to get a second of his time.

  From the beginning, he was clear that his schedule was hectic - and I understood that.

  I’m the type of person who makes time for things I care about, but I understand that it doesn’t always work like that for everyone.

  For him to give me a line about prioritizing, it sets the tone for the rest of the conversation as far as I’m concerned.

  “You were wrong in assuming, yes. There’s an easy way to avoid assumptions. You ask.” I snort. Not very lady-like, but oh well.

  “You seem to always have time for that male friend of yours.”

  “I make time for everyone. Is this the argument you’d like to have right now? Please, pick a fight with me the same day I have the rug pulled out from under me about what I’ll be doing for the next six months.”

  “Ah, that’s why you’re acting out. I didn’t respond to your message.”

  Acting out?

  I wish he were here right now so I could look him in his smug face.

  But this is better.

  “Call me back when you remember you’re dating a grown woman and not an unruly child.” I hang up the phone and turn my ringer off, in disbelief.

  Un-fucking-believable.

  6

  Dane

  “Let me tell my friends I’m leaving and I’ll be back.”Alissa smiles, her words dripping with flirtation.

  “Take your time, sweetheart.” I finish my beer, nodding at the bartender in thanks when she takes it away immediately.

  Cami is hot, but Kaija made me promise not to touch a single one of her employees. It was a small request.

  Plenty more women around anyway.

  Before, I’d already done my time. Fucked around, got with whoever, made dumb decisions. All it took was one woman, one major fuck up to send me crashing back to the real world quickly.

  Being an athlete makes me vulnerable. And vulnerable is a bad way to be. People want everything from you, think they own you and you’re just a dumb jock on someone’s strings.

  Everyone wants to be a puppeteer.

  I know there’s only one thing that changed between me keeping my dick in my pants, and me getting a little more lenient.

  Keyra.

  Anytime she pops into my mind, I immediately push her right back out.

  She’s the first woman I’ve been close to in a long time, and if we become involved, it’s only inevitable that everything we’ve built breaks down.

  That extra layer, it fucks everything up.

  I’ve accepted my fate as that friend that never settles down. Even seeing my man Harlan happy can’t sway me.

  Some people are built for that shit, born to happiness.

  That’s not me. Not anymore.

  I watch Alissa talking to the women she came with, and give a small wave when they look over at me. I wonder what’s going through their minds, but I don’t truly care.

  Even if they tell her I’m a horrible idea, she’s going to go home with me anyway. It’s just human nature.

  She comes back over and finishes off her drink quickly, settling a hand on my thigh.“All set. Just don’t murder me or anything.”

  “That’d be a lot of effort.” I leave a tip on the bar for Cami and shrug on my jacket, debating on if I should say goodbye to everyone.

  Probably not. They’ll know where I went.

  Check on Keyra.

  The thought rustles through my mind and I shake it away. I can call her tomorrow.

  “Hey, do you have a light? I think I left mine with my friend.” We’re just outside the door, waiting for a car. Alissa’s searching through her purse and stops to look at me hopefully with blue eyes.

  “A light?” Goddammit.

  “Yeah, for a cig?”

  Fuuuuucccckkkkkkkkk.

  I don’t do smokers. Not since Natalie.

  “Not into women who smoke. Have a good night.” Brusque, matter-of-fact. No need to drag things out. Her eyebrows snap together, but I don’t give her time to say anything else before I high-tail it back inside.

  Damn. Disappointing as fuck.

  “Dane.” Someone calls my name and I turn back to the entrance, not recognizing the voice.

  When my eyes adjust to the low light, everything goes hazy and the beer I just finished threatens to come back up.

  There’s a roaring in my ears and I stumble back, feeling the blood drain from my face.

  “Dad?” I whisper.

  Shit, did I have more alcohol than I thought?

  7

  Keyra

  “Iiiiiiii think I want another tequila shot!” I knock on the bar, and Cami laughs but gives me another shot.

  Bless her.

  I throw it back, the burn barely registering since it’s my third of the night. Fourth? No, no, third. Maybe.

  Don’t fucking judge me, I’m stressed out, okay?

  Michael kept calling. I finally answered.

  Then I broke things off.

  I mean, god, is doing something just because I like it so much to ask???

  And it’s fucking exhausting making sure we go places where no one we both know would see us.

  Who has time for all of that?

  Well, me now. I have nothing but time. But that’s beside the point.

  “No more drinks for her, Cam.” Mickey comes up and steers me away from the bar, despite my protests.

  “When did I become the fun one?” Am I slurring? Hmmmmmm.

  Interesting development.

  “Stay here. I’m getting you food and water.”

  Has this couch always been here? The music seems really loud, but I like it. Wow, this couch is really, really comfortable.

  I’m sleepy. And sad.

  “I’m on babysitting duty, how ya holding up Superwoman?” Leo? I think it’s Leo. He sits down and his lap looks really comfortable.

  His thighs are so big. Good pillows. I switch directions on the couch and pat his thigh, laying my cheek on one.

  Mmmm yes, very wide, very warm.

  I feel his body shaking under me and I weakly swat his knee.

  “Don’t laugh at me.” I yawn.

  “Wouldn’t dream of it.” He pats my shoulder lightly, and I close my eyes. Where’s Mickey with food?

  I realize two things immediately.

  One…I had way too much to drink.

  Two…I have no idea where I am.

  It’s dark and my contacts are dry, and I grope near the floor, hoping my purse is near.

  I feel the snakeskin handles and pull them towards me gingerly, trying to move as little as possible in case my head starts pounding.

  I didn’t know delayed hangovers were a thing…until I got one.

  “Bingo,” I whisper, pulling out my glasses case. Now, I need a bathroom.

  I’ve no idea what time it is, but it’s dark so I’m going to assume I haven’t slept long.

  I swing my legs off the couch, squinting. My eyes ache so badly and everything is blurry.

  I never sleep in my contacts. It’s a life rule.

  I stumble towards what I think is a hallway and feel along the walls for doors. I twist the first knob I feel.

  It’s an empty bedroom, and for a second, it feels familiar. My mind’s too groggy to place anything.

  I close my eyes
and flip the light switch, because I know it’s probably going to hurt like a bitch.

  “Shit.” I hiss, dropping my head. I take a deep breath and slowly crack my eyes open in slow increments, until I’m just blinking in the mirror instead of squinting painfully.

  I’m never drinking again. The last thing I remember is laying on Leo’s lap.

  I carefully take out my contacts, which is made much more difficult by them being dry, and finally slide my glasses on.

  My face is going to break out tomorrow from the tequila, I fucking know it. Flipping off the light, I pad out of the room and back to the living room, stopping in my tracks.

  It’s Dane’s place.

  I turn the lights on low, using the dimmer switch, and take in all the exposed wood and steel of his place.

  I loved it the moment I stepped inside for the first time.

  “Where are you, hockey player?”

  I leave the living room and go to the end of the hallway where I know his bedroom is.

  “Dane?” I knock lightly, and when I don’t hear anything from the room, I push the door open. I’ve actually never been inside, for good reason.

  There’s a huge bed, and who needs extra ideas when he’s already drool-worthy to look at.

  I was never into hockey games like my Dad. Anytime he’d go, I’d set it up to be a good opportunity to invite some people to his group lounge, but I always declined.

  Usually, I’d be busy mingling at events, so if we were in the same room before Harlan and Kaija met, I never realized it.

  It’s not like anyone would’ve expected us to be friends anyway.

  Heck, I didn’t expect to click with him so much. I’m pretty sure he talked shit about me the first time we met, after I walked away.

  Then again, that might’ve happened with most people.

  I know my sisters thought I was a colossal bitch, but in my world, niceties didn’t get things done.

  I step inside and gasp because I hadn’t looked down at the floor, and it’s not wood like everything else. It’s some sort of cool, glossy concrete and there’s a large black shaggy rug in front of the bed.

  This room is fucking gigantic.

  There’s a huge distressed brick wall behind the deep gray bed frame, and I can see pretty well because his floor to ceiling windows don’t have the curtains drawn.

  I avoid the overwhelming urge I have to jump on his bed because it looks so comfy and walk over to the windows. He really does have a gorgeous view. I trail my hand over the black frame, lost in looking at the lights and the skyline.

  “What are you doing in here?” Dane’s voice is rough and I turn, but suddenly find it very difficult to form words.

  “I r-r-realized I’d never seen your room.” Of course, my stutter would decide to show itself right now. I’d worked for years to get over it.

  It only comes out when I’m really overwhelmed. Which is rarely.

  “You thought 4 am was a good time to check it out?” He walks towards me, his lightly bearded face shadowed some, and the light moving over his very exposed body.

  Up until this moment, I’d basically made it my mission to not be aware of all of Dane’s assets.

  My bubble is burst for good now.

  Am I sweating?

  Taut, golden skin is stretched over a very well-defined physique. I bet an anatomy student could find and label every single muscle there is, that’s how cut he is. And so much for people not having winter tans!

  The towel’s not doing anything to hide his powerful legs or anything else, and I let out a low breath.

  Jesus, Mary, Joseph…someone take the wheel.

  “I d-didn’t…I mean…wasn’t really t-t-thinking ab-b-bout…” So embarrassing.

  “I never knew you stuttered.” He’s standing only about a foot away from me now and his face is unreadable.

  “I don’t adv-v-vertise it.”

  “You picked the wrong night to be curious, Keyra.” Gruff, his voice laced with something so different than any other time we’ve been alone.

  I close my eyes, almost afraid to ask. Almost immediately, his hard body is flush with mine and I shudder, eyes still closed and feeling his breath float across my ear.

  He leans into me more and I know his hands are braced against the glass.

  “You’re going to have to clean those hand-prints.” I swallow, expecting him to tease me or something. To set us back on familiar ground.

  “I intend to be balls-deep inside you when the sun rises.”

  I expected everything but that.

  8

  Dane

  I press Keyra against the glass with my body, inhaling her warm, feminine scent and brushing my lips over the curve of her neck.

  I’ve got no fucks left to give, and she’s the first thing I want.

  “Are you still drunk?”

  “Not really.” She whispers, and I anchor my hands on her hips.

  “I don’t want there to be any question about whether you want this too.”

  “W-what exactly is t-t-this?” That damn stutter is so unlike Keyra that it’s just making me even harder. I didn’t know I had this effect on her, didn’t let myself wonder before.

  Now? I can’t think past my lust.

  “I told you my dick’s gonna be deep inside you soon, and you still have questions?” I back up towards my bed, pulling her with me and sitting when I feel it behind me.

  “I like you between my legs, but you’ve got too many damn clothes on.” I undo the button on her jeans and yank them down her hips, revealing a delicate pair of raspberry-colored panties that stop me in my tracks.

  Goddamn.

  “Your bra match?” I drag my gaze up to hers, suppressing a shudder. There’s pure fire roaring through my veins, I want this woman so much.

  She pulls her full bottom lip between her teeth and my hands clench on her thighs when she nods silently.

  “Everything. Strip.” My voice is hoarse and I throw my towel to the side, widening my legs and moving back on the bed until my back’s against my headboard.

  I want to see it all, and I don’t trust myself to not touch her if I’m too close.

  I spit on my hand and grab the base of my cock, stroking up slow and firm, wanting to take my time.

  Keyra’s eyes are glued to my hand and I tighten my grip, watching her head snap up to my face when I give a low groan.

  “As soon as you’re naked, this’ll be your mouth.”

  The eager beauty that she is, she strips her long-sleeve over her head in seconds, dropping it to the floor.

  There’s that damn matching bra, and seeing her brown skin peeking through the deep pink mesh and lace almost makes me shoot my fucking load right then.

  Hair in a messy bun atop her head, glasses making her look like the prim and proper Keyra I first met…she’s a vision, sweet and sinful baring her body to me.

  Slowly, purposefully, she reaches back and unhooks the bra, letting it fall down her arms. Next, the panties go, and when I see the neat hair above her mound, pre-cum seeps out of my tip.

  “Crawl to me.”

  No questions. No hesitation.

  I’m grateful as hell that I bought this huge bed, gives me a lot of space to watch her breasts swing under her. Full and tipped with small, hard nipples.

  She keeps crawling until her hands are behind my hips and stops, looking at me over the rim of her frames.

  It’s cute as shit, and I almost smile. Which is the exact opposite of what I want to do right now. I gently take the glasses off, leaning to sit them on my bedside table.

  “My vision’s pretty bad.” She confesses, so close that I feel her breath on my skin. I slide my hand into her hair, pulling her closer.

  “Don’t need 20/20 to suck my dick.” I use my grip in her hair to bring her mouth to mine because I can’t watch those lips for another second without tasting them.

  When she’s moaning against my mouth, I pull back. “Now you’re all warmed up.” I
lean back again and guide her mouth to my cock, hissing through my teeth when I’m finally surrounded by her heat.

  “You just love it, don’t you? You’re hungry for it.” I caress the back of her neck because she doesn’t need me to guide her. She’s licking and sucking all on her own, and then I see one of her hands move.

  “Don’t you dare touch yourself,” I growl, and she peers up at me with those sultry brown eyes, mischief glinting under heavy lids and I know immediately that I need to fuck her right now or this night is going to turn into something I don’t want it to be.

  Something it can’t be.

  I lift her off head my dick, muscles clenching just seeing how glossy her lips are.

  “Buyer’s choice, you come on my tongue or you come on my cock. Pick.”

  “Why not both?” She puts on a mock serious face, and something tightens in my chest.

  “You being greedy?” I slide my hands over the curve of her back, down to her ass and jerk her to me, capturing her surprise with my mouth and delving my tongue inside until neither of us can breathe.

  I push her thighs apart and snatch a condom from the side of my bed, putting it on quicker than I ever have before.

  “Dane.” She whimpers as I notch the tip just right, pulling her down and feeling her stretch over me.

  “Shit, Keyra. You’re tight as fuck.”

  She braces her hands on my shoulders and wiggles a bit, making her clench around the bit of me that is inside and I groan.

  I lick my thumb and roll it gently over her clit a few times, unable to stop myself from kissing her neck when her head drops back and she sinks down a little more.

  “Progress.” I murmur, trying different speeds and angles to see what makes her jerk against me more. She likes a consistent touch, more focus on the right side of her clit, and I pump my hips up slowly until she’s settled on me completely.

  It’s taking every ounce of will-power, every bit of patience I picked up when I was first learning on the ice, not to go wild. Let loose.

  I can’t. Despite everything I’m feeling right now, I can’t do a damn thing until I know I won’t physically hurt her.