Game On Box Set: Time Out\Her Man Advantage\Face-Off\Body Check Read online

  When his hands reached around to play with her breasts she realized she was naked. And that she’d fallen asleep.

  “I fell asleep,” she said, turning to face him. “I didn’t mean to. I should probably get going.”

  His eyes were slumberous and sexy. “You should stay for breakfast,” he mumbled. Now that the back of her neck was unavailable, he kissed his way across her shoulder, heading for her breast.

  “Breakfast? I can’t stay the whole night.”

  He stopped in his tracks and glanced up at her. “Darling, you already did.”

  Only now did she realize that it was light outside. She squinted at the fancy clock on the bedside. It was eight in the morning.

  A strangled sound came out of her mouth. “I can’t stay the night.”

  Amusement faded from his eyes and for a second she got a glimpse of the tough player who’d once terrorized opposing teams. “Why not? Somebody waiting for you at home?”

  “What?” She rubbed her eyes, and, as his meaning sank in, she snapped, “No, of course not.”

  “Then what’s the problem?”

  “I don’t—” She stopped, not sure how to explain her confused feelings, threw her hands up. “I just don’t. Not any of it.”

  He still regarded her somewhat warily, but the sharp suspicion had faded. “Well, you sure did last night.”

  “It was different last night. It was dark and I thought it would be simple to slip into bed with a stranger and then slip out again and go home.”

  He stroked the side of her face with his finger, this tough guy with his delicate caresses. “But you’re not built that way. I could have told you that.”

  “How could you know?”

  He shrugged. “Gut instinct. A lot of women are interested in guys who play hockey. You get a sense of who wants bragging rights and who wants something real.” A sudden frown darkened his eyes. “At least, most of the time you do. Sometimes we all get fooled.”

  She suspected he was thinking of the ex Mrs. Jarrad McBride and she really didn’t want the shadow of a swimsuit model darkening this bed, especially not while she happened to be in it. Naked.

  “I didn’t even know who you were until I saw that commercial. Then I had to look you up on Google.”

  “I know.” He stroked the side of her waist where it curved, traced it to her hip and let his hand settle there, warm and comforting.

  “You must have thought I was stupid.”

  “Nope. I thought how nice it was to have a conversation with someone where I was just a guy she was getting to know.”

  “I can’t believe how well I got to know you.” She shook her head. “This time yesterday, I didn’t even know you existed.”

  “Now you do.”

  She rolled over to face him. “I guess you’re right,” she agreed. “I’m not really the casual-sex type.”

  He kissed her nose. “Believe it or not, neither am I. I tell you what. Since I accidentally made you stay all night, how about I take you for breakfast?”

  “How does that make me staying over here any better? If we go for breakfast?”

  “Doesn’t. But I’m hungry. I can’t think when I’m hungry.”

  “Well…” But it wasn’t like she had anything pressing to do at home. Laundry that could wait. And besides, after all their night-time activity, she was hungry too.

  “Okay. But I need to shower first.”

  “Mind if I join you?”

  “Jarrad.”

  “What?” He threw up his hands all Mr. Innocent. “It’s a great way to save water. I’m all about saving the environment.”

  Because he was adorable and made her feel so good, how could she resist?

  * * *

  HE MIGHT HAVE TAKEN her to a fancy place for dinner but she discovered his taste in breakfast was more of the diner variety. Naturally, everyone knew him in Tracy’s, where the choices for breakfast were pretty much bacon, eggs, sausage, pancakes and steak and eggs. This wasn’t a place that would serve, say, muesli and yogurt, or an organic fruit compote.

  Oh, well. She supposed a good dose of cholesterol wouldn’t hurt her once in a while.

  The coffee was good and strong, and while Jarrad launched into the West Coast Trucker which pretty much seemed to contain every single item on the menu times three, she stuck to bacon and eggs. Jarrad waded through all of his and still managed to eat half her hash browns.

  “I don’t know where you put all that food,” she said, amazed.

  “Sex,” he said around a mouthful of potato. “It’s fuel for sex.”

  She did not know how he did it, but even the stupidest comments like that one made her hot. She knew she only had him for a couple of weeks so she was determined to enjoy every minute.

  Simply being here eating breakfast in a diner while wearing her black dress from last night made her feel gloriously wanton. She might as well wear a neon sign that said, Got Laid Last Night. Not that anybody spared her a second glance, but it was cool nonetheless.

  She tried to cross her legs and felt a muscle twinge. “Ow.”

  “What’s the matter?” he asked immediately. “Did I hurt you?”

  “I don’t think it was you. I think it was the hockey.”

  He seemed enormously relieved that it was hockey and not the aftermath of his loving making her wince. “You need to practice every day. Then your body will get used to skating and you’ll get better fast.”

  “Jarrad, I have a job. I can’t practice every day.”

  “Sure you can. When does your team meet up again?”

  “Thursday.”

  “Okay. Come on. I’ll give you a private coaching lesson today. We’ll see if we can get you caught up enough that you can go after a puck without clinging to the boards.”

  “I need to change my clothes. I can’t go skating in a little black dress.”

  He leaned forward. “I’m telling you right now that your thoughts are way too limiting. Haven’t you ever watched figure skaters? They skate in dresses all the time.” Then his voice lowered and he got that sexy look in his eyes that made her melt. “Imagine how it would feel, the cool breeze rising up underneath your skirt, maybe letting me get a little feel in if you manage to skate in a straight line without looking at your feet.”

  She tried to look prim and annoyed but only ended up laughing. “You are a sex maniac.”

  “Only with you.”

  She drank the last of her coffee. “Don’t you have to coach the fire and police team today?”

  “Hell.” He smacked himself upside the head. “I totally forgot.”

  “That’s okay.” She wouldn’t be disappointed. Sure, if she hadn’t stupidly reminded him of his coaching gig, she’d be getting another private lesson, but she wasn’t nearly as interested in skating as she was in some other physical activities they could do together.

  However, she had reminded him, and of course that was the right thing to do. Now she had fewer than thirteen days with him. She had a feeling it was going to fly by.

  “Can I call you later?”

  Okay, so lucky thirteen was still a possibility. She nodded. Gave her best attempt at a seductive smile. “You can definitely call me later.”

  She must have done an okay job because he made a low animal growl that called up a corresponding response in her body. Oh, yes, she’d be waiting by the phone.

  * * *

  BUT WHEN HE CALLED, it was with the disappointing news that he’d been delayed. “My brother and sister demanded a family dinner. We haven’t all been together for a while. I didn’t know how to get out of it. If I told them I had a date, then they’d ask a bunch of nosy questions about you, which I don’t think either of us want.”

  “Right. Of course. I understand.” And she did, all too well. She was his little secret. Not even his family could know about her. It was Michael all over again. Except that with Jarrad the sex was really good, and since she already knew he could never be hers for more than a couple of weeks