She laughed. “I guess you’ll have to read it to find out.”
I tilted my head.Touché.I chuckled. “I guess I will.”
“Truth or dare?” she asked. I’d been so caught up in the story, I’d forgotten all about the game.
I pressed my hands to my thighs. “Dare.”
She tapped her phone. She grinned then rolled her lips between her teeth, watching me out of the corner of her eye.
“What is it?” I asked.
She showed me the screen where the dare was displayed.
No hands.
Turn someone on without touching them. How you do it is up to you, and the recipient can decide how to prove that your efforts have worked.
“If that had been your dare just now, you would’ve aced it,” I said.
“Really?” she asked, and I noticed that her eyes darted quickly to my crotch then back to my face.
“You didn’t touch me. And I can prove that your efforts worked,” I rasped.
She smirked. “Good to know I aced a dare that wasn’t even mine. I guess it’s your turn now.”
I thought about all the things I might do to turn Bryn on without touching her. I considered using dirty talk, but I thought it would be more impactful if we were touching or almost touching. I thought about what other senses I could invoke beyond touch or hearing. Taste was out as well, at least if it involved my tongue on her skin like I was currently imagining.
But I had vision and hearing to play with. I thought about how Bryn had lit up when we’d danced together at the beach bar. How surprised and impressed she’d been. I thought about her burlesque act and how she’d slowly seduced me without touch, without even removing any clothes, apart from a hat and wrap.
I scrolled through the music on my phone, looking for the perfect song. I settled on one with a good beat—not too fast. It had a sultry feel and lyrics that connected. Sure, I’d taken some dance classes when I’d lost that bet with Gabe or throughout my career to help with my flexibility, but never anything that had involved a striptease.
I stood as the music started playing. I had no idea what I was doing, but I kept my eyes locked on Bryn’s as I moved my body to the beat. I remembered how she’d looked at me last night, connected with me during her burlesque “audition.” And honestly, that had been one of the hottest parts, besides seeing her embrace her confidence and sensuality.
I slowly unbuttoned the top few buttons of my dress shirt, letting the music flow through me. I was more nervous than I’d been for my first NHL game. If Bryn wanted me to stop, all she had to do was say so. But she didn’t, so I unbuttoned the rest, leaving my dress shirt hanging open.
Bryn grinned but quickly tried to hide her smile behind her hand.
I shook my head and tsked. “If you get to watch me, I get to watch you.”
Her breath caught, and the temperature rose even more. I took my time, seducing her with every look, every move. I might not be able to touch her, but I was going to make damn sure she could imagine my hands all over her body.
I continued dancing, pushing past any embarrassment or insecurities. They all faded away when she was looking at me like that. It was almost as if she was seeing me for the first time. Itwas fucking exhilarating, the way she watched me with a mixture of disbelief and desire. I’d never hoisted the Cup over my head, though that had been a lifelong goal of mine. But even if I had, I couldn’t imagine that it would even come close to this.
I strode toward Bryn, eyes locked on hers. I dropped to the ground, muscle memory pushing me into some of the warm-up stretches I ran through before a game. I took a split position, enjoying the way her mouth popped open in surprise.
Without my bulky pads on, my flexibility was even better, and I used that to my advantage. I moved to my knees, sliding them in a circular stretch that made it look as if I were rolling my hips to hit just the right spot.
“Holy shit,” Bryn mouthed.
Her reactions emboldened me to continue, to push the line even more. I was determined to drive her as crazy as she made me.
I lifted my undershirt, giving her a peek of my abs, flexing my arms, my core. When the music shifted, I slowly dragged my hands over my lips, down my chest, past my cock. Her eyes tracked my every move, and I imagined what it would feel like to have her hands trace that same path.
I pulled my shirt up again, doing a few body rolls as I slowly lifted the material higher and higher. Her breathing grew ragged, and I tugged the shirt over my head before tossing it aside. When I saw her expression, I was so damn close to saying forget the dare and begging her to touch me.
“Damn, Bear. If this hockey thing doesn’t work out, you might have a shot with Magic Mike in Vegas.”
I chuckled low and deep, pleasure coursing through me. All this time, I’d held back with her. But I wasn’t now, not anymore.
