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  “Like a gangster biker turning into a hockey star?” She could see where he’d taken a huge risk to break out of his old life.

  “More like a nice, normal hockey player getting the hots for a social crusader with a fiery temper and killer bod.” His thumb traced a trail down her cheek, tantalizing her.

  Warm pleasure curled inside her and she wanted to hug the feeling to her chest, savor it close and not let it go. Because this wasn’t just physical pleasure. His words made her feel…special.

  “My temper is overrated,” she argued softly, her cheek tipping toward his hand to increase the pressure of that light, glancing touch.

  “But you have a fiery side,” he pressed, stepping closer until he stood a mere inch away from her. “And I’m going to prove it to you all over again in just a few minutes.”

  Longing swept through her, a sweet layer of sensual awareness over the tenderness she felt for him.

  She was falling for him.

  The realization made her want to catch herself, like a child who changes his mind about going down the slide at the last minute. But then his lips found hers in a gentle caress, moving over her mouth with infinite care and thoroughness. That sexual chemistry flamed hot and carnal, a flash fire that burned away her hesitation and reminded her how much she wanted him.

  Until all she could think about was him.

  She could only hope that he felt the same.

  * * *

  SELFISH. BASTARD.

  Axel could think of no better words to describe himself as he allowed himself to touch Jennifer all over again. He’d wanted one more night with her, one more time to savor everything about her before he backed off to keep her safe while he dealt with the Destroyers.

  Yet the more he got to know her, the more selfish that seemed. And the tougher it would be to let her go.

  Now, lifting her up, he held her at the perfect height to taste her. Her toes dangled against his shins, her body soft and yielding. She kissed with abandon, her tongue stroking his in a way that turned him inside out.

  “Can we take this upstairs?” He broke away long enough to see her nod, then set her on her feet. “Follow me.”

  “Your house is beautiful,” she murmured, smoothing a hand over a long buffet table in a hallway.

  “I was lucky to snag it from the guy I was traded for. It’s big enough to have company.” He knew the place was probably ostentatious in her eyes. She had a vaguely bohemian-hippie vibe with her passion for art with a cause. But damn it, he’d worked hard for what he had. “I like having people over.”

  “Teammates? Or is that a nosy question?”

  “Not at all. And yeah, it’s good to get the team together. There aren’t many of us who drink during the season, so why go to a bar? It’s more fun to hang out at someone’s house. Watch games. Play billiards. Stuff like that.” He’d appreciated that about life in the Murphy house. Always some brothers around to shoot hoops or throw darts.

  “Like a gang without the violence.” She lifted the hem of her long skirt as she went up the stairs.

  He couldn’t remember ever finding a glimpse of ankle so freaking sexy before. But the sight of her bare feet and pink toenails on his wool carpet runner turned him on something fierce.

  “Kind of.” He hadn’t really looked at his team that way, but maybe he had traded one brotherhood for another. “Hockey players can brawl with the best of them.”

  “Kyle, for instance.” She paused at the top of the steps, peering around the long hallway full of doors.

  “You give him too much credit,” he grumbled, waving her toward the master suite, dying to touch more of her as he flicked on the lights. “One good punch and you’re making him out to be Muhammad Ali. You really should meet my whole family one of these days—”

  He broke off, realizing that she wouldn’t be meeting the Murphys. Not if the Destroyers were serious about coming after him since he would need to make it look as though she was out of his life for good.

  If she detected his abrupt departure from the topic, she didn’t show it. In fact, she seemed to shy away from the idea, too.

  “Maybe I will,” she murmured vaguely, stepping into his room where a king-size bed rested beside a wall of windows and French doors led out to a balcony overlooking the pool. “For now, I’m mostly interested in seeing more of you.”

  “I like how you think, Jen.” He reached for her, bunching a handful of the fabric from her long skirt in his hand and pulling her closer. “I’ve been waiting for the chance to touch you all day.”

  The thin cotton tightened around her legs as he reeled her in, making him realize she had another layer beneath it. Some kind of satiny slip.

  “That’s good because I’ve been on edge ever since that conversation in the car on the way over here.”

  He remembered telling her he wished he could have touched her on the plane. Hidden the contact under a blanket.

  “Remind me to whisper suggestive scenarios to you more often.” Letting go of her skirt, he let the fabric flow over his hand as he palmed the tight curve of her butt through the slip.

  Massaging her through the silky material, he felt the outline of her panties. A thong with a barely there T-back. Possibly a little bow or a rosette that perched high between her cheeks at the small of her back.

  “I don’t think that’s a good idea,” she cautioned, her eyelids falling to half mast as he touched her. “I’m highly suggestible.”

  “Meaning I can talk you into naughty things?”

  “Meaning you shouldn’t try.” She lifted her fingers to the buttons on her blouse and began to work on them.

  Eyes glued to the creamy skin she revealed, the scrap of yellow lace that cupped her breasts the way he wanted to, Axel dragged in a steadying breath. He wanted to make this last for her and he couldn’t do that if he kept fantasizing about her. He needed her to be the one fantasizing about him.

  “I can get the buttons,” he assured her, releasing her delectable rump to handle the blouse.

  “No.” She kept a tight grip on the buttons. “I love what you were doing.”

  He hid a smile at that bossy side that had no problem telling him what to do. Instead, he skimmed a touch up the backs of her thighs, liking the little sigh she made when he hit the curve of her bottom.

  An erogenous zone.

  How fortunate for both of them that he’d located a sweet spot. He made plans to revisit it again and again, but for now, he watched her breasts strain at the skimpy lace bra she wore, her nipples tightening into dark shadows he could see beneath the material.

  “Ax.” She had her blouse twisted around her hands behind her, her wrists stuck in the narrow sleeves. “I don’t think I can go slow tonight.”

  “That’s why your hands are caught,” he chastised, smiling as he reached to help her. “Too much of a hurry.”

  His chest grazed her breasts as he leaned against her, the beaded flesh the sweetest abrasion through the lace.

  “That’s not my fault when the foreplay started in the car.” She wriggled enticingly, no doubt trying to break his concentration.

  And doing a damn thorough job of it.

  “I thought women liked foreplay.” He unfastened the cuffs of her sleeves, which she’d forgotten to undo, freeing her.

  “We also like delivery of the goods.” She wrestled out of her bra straps and popped the front clasp before she rubbed her breasts against his chest.

  Heat flared all over his skin, wreaking havoc with his control.

  “I wanted to be so good to you,” he growled in her ear, knowing she was going to win this battle.

  “You can be so good to me while you’re inside me,” she urged, her hips nudging against his, cradling his erection. “Can’t you?”

  The scent of lilies of the valley and potent, sexy female—made him hungry for her. He wanted to feel her, lick her, hear her moans as she came for him over and over again.

  “Yes.” He lifted her off her feet and ca