“Julie Cameron broke my heart in tenth grade when she threw me over for a center at a rival school.”
“Center?”
“Julie was a hockey nut. Probably why we got along so well. That and she had big breasts.”
“That’ll do it.”
He grinned with her. “She was my first love, my first big crush. Then she threw me over for that bastard on the Lynx team, that we demolished, by the way.”
“Glad you won.”
“Right? I didn’t let one puck get by me. And not by that loser she dated instead of me.”
“But you’re over it.” Didn’t sound like it.
“Oh, totally.” He chuckled. “My sister let me know that the guy dumped Julie for a cheerleader at his school. I felt vindicated. And then I really fell in love.”
“With?” Jealousy surprised her.
“Hockey. I mean, I’ve always loved the game. But something really clicked for me in high school, and I knew I was meant to play goalie. I didn’t make much time for girls. Barely got through school with academics. I can get fixated.” He glanced at her, centering on her breasts, then looked back at the road.
“I like your fixation.” She put a hand on his thigh, felt him tense, and loved the fact he responded to her so easily.
“Yeah. I’m into you, Marlie.”
“Good.”
“And I’m gonna get into you again, real soon.” They pulled up to her house. He stopped the car and turned to study her. His gaze moved over her from top to bottom but rested on her face. Her eyes.
He smiled, and she knew he saw her as a real person, a woman, and not just a body to sate his needs. He hadn’t treated her as a sexual object. It was if he liked Marlie for Marlie.
“You don’t really know me,” she mused.
“But I want to. That’s why we need time to get to know each other.”
“Even meet the parents?” she teased.
“Yeah, I can’t wait for Thursday.”
She groaned, having forgotten about that. “You don’t have to go.”
“I sure the hell do. Plus, I want you to meet my folks.” He snorted. “Trust me. When you meet sneaky Leila and Big Mike, you’ll understand so much more about me.”
She snickered. “I can’t wait.”
Silence filled the space between them, along with a sexual tension that twined around her like a creeping vine, not letting go.
His gaze darkened. “Why don’t we go inside so I can finish off our night? I know you have work tomorrow, and Morgan’s going to put me through hell at physical therapy.”
“Uh-huh.” Her focus remained on that icy stare that looked right through her. She gazed at him, enamored by everything she knew about him. Especially this side of Damon—his “Demon” side.
“Unless you’d rather I fuck you in the truck?”
That broke the spell. Much as she wouldn’t mind trying car sex, she didn’t want to get kicked out of her house for being indecent in public.
Marlie raced out of the truck and inside the house.
Damon followed on her heels, slamming the front door shut behind him.
