Line of Scrimmage Read online

  “And I think I’m going to lie down.” He gave her a slow grin. “If you want to talk, I’ll be in the bedroom, waiting.”

  Heat flashed over Erin, searing her nerve endings. She got the distinct feeling he had more in mind for the bedroom than just lying down, and anticipation wiggled through her body. Could she resist him? Did she even want to at this point? Hadn’t he just proved to her that he wasn’t at all what she thought he was?

  She pushed away from the table and stood up, gathering the empty beer bottles. “Do you need help getting to the bedroom?”

  He gave her a slow grin. “I’d love to say yes, but I think you need to make those phone calls. I can manage to clump my way in there.”

  Still, she waited until he heaved himself to an upright position, gathered the crutches and stuck them under his arms, and began to maneuver his way off the patio. Erin opened the sliding door for him, and when he was safely inside, headed for the kitchen. After tossing the bottles in the recycle bin, she dug Jake’s cell out of her pocket and began punching numbers.

  She could tell Scott Manchin was pissed at the incident.

  “I’ll fix it,” he told her, not one bit of humor in his voice. “Some of my clients roll in that stuff, but thankfully Jake never did. Could be one of his idiotic teammates thought they’d send him a present.”

  “That’s what he said,” she told him.

  “He’s right. I’ll get on this, and come by and see him tomorrow.” His voice softened slightly. “Besides, I want to meet the woman who can handle taking care of the grizzly.”

  “The grizzly?”

  “Yeah.” He chuckled. “When Jake gets irritated, he’s like a bear with a sore paw. Anyway, don’t worry, either of you. I’ll put a stop to any more of this.”

  His words made her feel better, but still…

  He let her know he’d call the security company and get them out there at the crack of dawn to beef things up. He thanked her for calling, told her he’d just arrived in Austin, and repeated that seeing Jake was high on his list, so she could look for him sometime tomorrow. He’d call before he arrived.

  After she hung up, she stuck the phone back in her pocket, let out a slow breath, and headed for Jake’s bedroom. Butterflies beat a rapid tattoo with their wings in her tummy and moisture flooded her panties. The pulsing in her pussy spread to every erogenous zone in her body. All her receptors told her Jake wasn’t lying down because he was tired. She was sure what he wanted to do had no relationship to another getting-to-know-you talk.

  Besides the signals her erotic dreams were sending her, every hot detail of the other night kept replaying in her head. The sex might have been awkward, but it was no less enjoyable because of it. Wait. Enjoyable didn’t begin to describe how she’d felt.

  Should she stop trying to ignore what was happening, or on the verge of happening? No matter what her opinion of football players in general, the intense physical attraction between her and Jake Russell had electrified the air right from the beginning. She’d be lying through her teeth if she denied that her desire for him, practically a craving, was escalating almost daily, despite her determination and best intention.

  Well then, if acting on that attraction again was what he had in mind right now, maybe they had danced around this long enough. Maybe it was time to just go for it and get it out of her system once and for all. Kind of like overeating so you could start a new diet.

  Yeah. Like that was going to happen.

  Chapter 12

  Jake watched Erin walk into the room, her attitude signaling a mixture of desire and trepidation. Days ago, when his anger had finally settled down and the pain in his leg had died to a faint, dull ache, he’d spent time plotting how to move things forward with her. The invisible line of scrimmage was a barrier, and he needed to find a way to snap the ball and initiate the play.

  The chemistry between them was so damn intense it practically lit up any room they were in together, especially after their one clumsy attempt the other night to satisfy it. It had been there from the beginning and nothing had happened since then to change that.

  Now, however, he realized his sister might have known all along what she was doing. Maybe she’d seen a spark that night at the party. Maybe—who the hell knew what. But she was always on some kind of mission where he was concerned.

  He still had no idea what had gone wrong the night he and Erin spent together, or even what was behind her attitude toward him. Try as he might he couldn’t get anything out of her except her standard “hate jocks” line. But now they’d circled around this, tested the waters, and silently seemed to agree that they needed to get it out of their systems or see if it moved them forward. When he’d told her he was going to lie down and she said she’d see him in his bedroom, something had snapped and ignited in her eyes. A spark that he hoped had been simmering in there all this time.

  He hoped. Damn, how he hoped. His avid gaze took her in as she walked toward him.

  God, she was so damn hot. He wanted her now. Right here.

  Okay, spark, here comes the lighter.

  “You’re still sitting up,” Erin commented as she came close to the bed. She swiped her tongue slowly against her lower lip, making his balls tighten in reaction. “I thought you wanted to lie down.”

  He pointed to the crutches leaning against the nightstand. “That’s as far as I got. I need help getting the shoe off.” He winked at her, casual, although he had to admit he was a little nervous. “And maybe the same with the clothes.”

  A hint of a grin teased at her lips. “You want me to help you undress?”

  “If you think you’re up to the task.”

  She creased her forehead in a mock scowl, but he saw amusement dancing in her eyes. “Are you planning any funny stuff here, Mr. Russell?”

  “And if I was?” he asked in a low voice.

  The look she gave him was so intense he felt it clear to the core of him. All her questions and doubts and reservations were clear as crystal in her eyes. Jake waited for a long moment for her to decide what to do next, holding his breath. He saw the moment she made her decision and gave in to the situation. When she spoke, her voice was soft, like a caress.

  “Then maybe I can just take care of this for you.”

  He cupped her chin and scanned her face, looking for any last vestige of doubts, but finding none there. “I wish you would.”

  She knelt down and removed his single shoe, and placed it carefully to the side. Catching her bottom lip between her even white teeth, she unbuckled his belt, drew it through the loops, and placed it next to the shoe. Next came the snap on his shorts and a fumbling tug on the zipper of his fly. Her fingers brushed against the burgeoning thickness of his cock, and heat zipped through his veins.

  “I think we need to do the shirt first,” she decided.

  He groaned, wanting his cock free and her hands on it.

  He’d put on a soft collar shirt for his meeting with Joe, rather than his usual tee shirt. Now he pulled it over his head and tossed it to the other side of the bed. Deliberately he leaned back on his elbows, legs hanging over the side, waiting for her next move. She swallowed hard, throat muscles flexing, but forged ahead, tugging down the zipper the rest of the way. He had to grit his teeth at the touch of her slim fingers on him but he managed.

  “Can you lift up your hips?” She asked the question without looking at him.

  “Like this?” Careful with his injured leg, he braced himself up enough that she could pull the khaki shorts free. She was careful sliding them down over the cast, then added them to everything else on the floor. He waited to see what she’d do next.

  “Um, are we leaving the boxers on?” she asked.

  “I don’t know.” He grinned. “You tell me.”

  He watched her gaze at his groin for a long time, fixated on the heavy thickness of his cock. Then she slowly maneuvered the boxers down over his hips, waiting while he pushed his butt
off the bed just enough so she could pull them down farther. Again she was careful moving the fabric over his cast.

  Then she just knelt there between his legs and stared for a long moment at his shaft. She reached out a hand that shook just slightly and wrapped her fingers around it, her eyes bright with desire. Oh, yeah, that’s the look he wanted. She slipped her hand up and down the length of him once, slowly, and he held his breath, waiting to see if she stopped. She stroked him again and again. When she slid a hand between his thighs and lightly cupped his balls, he groaned at the pleasure of it.

  Jesus!

  He threaded his fingers in her hair, tugging it back from her face so he could lock his gaze with hers.

  “Much more of that and this party will be over before it starts. I’ve been thinking about this for a long time, sugar. I want to take it slow.”

  She gave him a saucy grin. “Think we can figure out what to do about the cast this time?”

  “Maybe. I’ll give it some serious thought.” He stroked a finger down the satiny skin of her neck, stopping at the hollow where her pulse beat wildly, and couldn’t help licking his lips. “I, uh, think one of us has too many clothes on.”

  “Really? What do you think I should do about it?”

  “How about getting rid of yours so I can see every inch of that sexy body?”

  Again he waited, watching her for any clues or signals. When she rose to her feet, backed away a couple of steps, and pulled the hem of her blouse from the waistband of her jeans, he let himself breathe again. She was going to do it! Would it be like his dream? Better? Automatically he reached his hand out for his cock, lazily stroking it as he stared at Erin.

  Her lips curved in a knowing, sensual smile as she slowly popped each of the buttons on her blouse. Just watching the simple act of her shrugging the fabric down her arms and off made him harden even more. The creamy mounds of her breasts were restrained only by a confection of lavender and lace that cupped them the way his hands itched to. Erin stood there, chin lifted slightly, the hint of a come hither smile on her lips, as she released the clasp and those luscious breasts sprang free.

  They were even more beautiful than he remembered, from either the dreams or their last abortive attempt to have sex. The nipples that topped them looked like dollops of pale chocolate frosting. He wanted to draw them into his mouth and suck on them until they were hard as candy and their sweetness coated his tongue.

  She tossed the bra aside, stepped out of her shoes, and eased down the zipper of her slacks, the hiss of it loud in the room. She kept her eyes on his face the entire time she slithered out of the garment. The pulse at her throat was beating so hard he could see it against the delicate skin. His own pulse had ratcheted up so his entire body throbbed with it.

  When Erin was down to only the tiniest pair of bikini panties he’d ever seen, in the same pale lavender as her bra, she turned around so her back was to him. The scrap of silk and lace barely covered the sweet cheeks of her ass, their shape making his palms itch to hold them and caress them. Then, hooking her fingers in the edge of the panties, she very slowly shimmied them down past her hips and thigh. The movement of her ass as she rocked it from side to side with the grace of a dancer had him mesmerized. Sliding his thumb over the head of his cock, he wasn’t at all surprised to discover fluid sitting at the peak. Slowly he massaged it into the sensitive skin, wishing like hell it was the cream from Erin’s pussy he was spreading.

  Jake had trouble keeping his tongue in his mouth when she bent over to tug the teeny tiny panties all the way down her legs. She stepped out of them and then bent over to pick them up, giving him a mouthwatering view of not only her ass but also her pussy that he knew was incredibly delicious. She straightened, yanked the barrette from her hair, and shook loose the tumbled masses of dark red curls. Tossing that red mane, she gave him a seductive look over her shoulder. Then she gave a little wiggle of her hips.

  Holy shit! He could feel his shaft swelling even more.

  She turned and started toward him, then stopped, the bold tease suddenly gone, a look of hesitation washing over her face. If she stopped now he’d back away, although he was afraid if he did, his cock would self-destruct.

  “Are we really doing this?” she asked.

  “Not if you don’t want to.” Please want to. “It’s all up to you.” Still, she stood there, poised on the edge of uncertainty. “Come here, sugar.” He gestured with his fingers. “Please.”

  Then the vixen was back, and she walked slowly back to the bed until she stood between his outstretched legs.

  “Is this what you want?”

  God! The husky sound of her voice sent every single one of his nerves dancing, all of them sending the charge straight to his groin. He raked his gaze over her body, taking in every inch of her creamy skin, his mouth watering so much he was afraid he would drool.

  “It’ll do for a start.”

  She bent low to press her mouth to his and Jake took over immediately. Anchoring his fingers in her hair, he held her head in place while he sketched the seam of her lips with his tongue and lightly touched the corners. She opened for him easily, sucking in his tongue and dragging her teeth over it oh so lightly. Damn! Lightning shot through him straight to his balls. He clamped her head more tightly, sealed his mouth to hers, and danced with her delicate tongue. He traced lines in the hot liquid cavern, reveling in the erotic taste of her. She was just as aggressive, sliding her tongue along every inch of his inner surface and moaning softly with pleasure. Kissing her was pure pleasure, an indulgence he was sure he’d never get enough of.

  When they broke the kiss, they were both panting.

  “Let’s do that again.” He ran his knuckles lightly over the soft skin of her cheek and down along the line of her jaw.

  “Mmm,” she hummed and pressed her mouth to his once more.

  This time the kiss was more leisurely, gentler, softer, but no less erotic. He wanted to take his time with her, kiss her some more, explore her body as he’d done on that long, erotic, magical night they were together—at least that was how he remembered it. He wanted to listen to her sighs and her little moans again, sounds that signaled what gave her pleasure so he’d know what was good, what she liked.

  The unexpected anticipation had been building day by day since the first moment she’d walked into his bedroom and her eyes had unwillingly dropped to the outline of his engorged cock. He considered it lucky he hadn’t just torn off her clothes and ravished her. Yeah, not too smooth there. And the broken leg and the cumbersome cast had certainly been a problem the one night she’d dropped her guard. Not that he didn’t love her sweet mouth sucking him hard or her hands lightly rubbing his balls. But he wanted the real deal, his dick inside her sweet pussy, her inner walls gripping him like a vise and milking him until there was nothing left.

  With superhuman effort, he forced his mind back to the here and now. Bracketing her waist with his hands, he tugged her closer, leaned forward as best he could with the fucking leg in the way, and placed a string of kisses from her navel to the top of her delicious mound. If the damn cast wasn’t getting in the way, he’d run his tongue lazily through her slit, sucking up her cream and teasing her clit until she begged for mercy. He’d taste the skin of the crease where hip and thigh were joined, remembering how much that had turned her on.

  Instead he did the best he could. Sliding his hands down to the curve of her hips, he leaned forward and pulled one plump nipple into his mouth. It pebbled and swelled immediately at his touch, so he clamped his teeth lightly on its tender surface. Her low moan vibrated through his body, and she arched into him, hands on his shoulders to brace herself. Her scent drifted up to his nostrils, teasing and tantalizing him, a mixture of flowers and pure woman.

  He worked first one nipple, then the other, holding her firmly in place but at the same time being extra careful not to rub his cast too hard against her tender skin. From her nipples, he moved his lips in a
trail of wet kisses down to her navel and lower. He shifted one hand to slide the fingers between the lips of her hot pussy, finding her slick and wet. He wanted so desperately to slip his fingers inside her and feel those tight muscles clench around them. But more than that, he wanted to feel her around his cock. That one night had made him crave a repeat.

  Erin threaded her fingers in his hair and rocked her hips slightly, urging him to stroke and tease her. He could have, too, for a long time, exploring every crevice of her delicious body, but he’d been dreaming about and remembering the feel of his cock in her tight little channel for too long. Slowly he lifted his hand to his mouth, ignoring her soft protests at the loss of his touch, and carefully licked each finger clean of her juices.

  “Jesus, you taste good. Better than anything I can remember. I could probably live off your cream for the rest of my life. But…” He set her slightly away from him. “I want inside you as soon as we can figure out how to do this.”

  The fucking cast was going to be the death of him.

  The rise and fall of her chest and the flutter of the pulse at the delicate hollow of her throat told him she was as aroused as he was.

  “Let’s see what we can do here, sugar.”

  “Lie back,” she told him. “Go on. Here. I’ll help you.”

  He wanted to tell her not to touch him or he’d spill all over himself like he had the other day, but her slender hands were already giving his shoulders a gentle shove and guiding him to turn enough to lie back on the pillows. He tried to be matter of fact as she helped him arrange the leg with the cast but every time her fingers brushed the inside of his thigh or his groin his cock throbbed with insistent need. By the time he had himself settled in a good position, he had to grit his teeth to find any control.

  “Take off one of the pillow cases,” he told her.

  Erin stared at hm. “What?”