Page 5

Time stopped. Then Tyler’s hand lifted, calloused fingers warm against my jaw, thumb brushing over my cheek. The simple touch sent a jolt straight through me.

“Tell me if I’m reading this wrong,” he murmured, his gaze locked on mine.

Words failed. Action didn’t. I closed the remaining distance, pressing my lips to his. Tentative at first, then his fingers slid into my hair, cupping the back of my head, and a small sound escaped my throat. Need surged, sharp and undeniable.

The kiss deepened. Tyler’s mouth opened, a low groan vibrating against my lips. My hands found his shoulders, gripping the solid muscle beneath the worn cotton of his t-shirt.

I wanted more.

He shifted, pulling me closer, maneuvering until I was practically in his lap. The heat of his body seared through my clothes.

“Been wanting to do this.” He breathed against my neck, the words sending shivers down my spine. “Since the third when you put Robinson into the boards.”

I pulled back slightly, dazed, breathless. “Today’s game?”

A mischievous glint sparked in his eyes. “Yeah. I told you. Watching you get physical with our opponents is a turn on.”

Laughter escaped me, quickly silenced as I kissed him again, harder this time. No hesitation left. His hands slipped under my t-shirt, palms scorching against my skin, mapping trails of fire across my back, my sides.

“Is this okay?” Tyler asked. His fingers traced the hem of my shirt, thumbs brushing the sensitive skin just above my waistband.

“More than okay.”

I lifted my arms so he could remove it. Then I went for his shirt, pulling it up. Fair was fair.

Skin against skin. Raw electricity. Tyler’s chest was broad, defined, dusted with light hair that narrowed downward. My hands roamed, taking in the shape of his shoulders, the strength in his arms.

This was real.

“You have no idea.” I confessed, the words tumbling out unfiltered. “How many times I’ve wanted to touch you like this.”

His smile turned softer, intimate, devastating. “Show me.”

We fell back against the pillows, legs tangling, mouths fused. His weight pressing me into the mattress was perfect, grounding. One of his thighs slid between mine. A sharp gasp slipped from me as he bumped the bulge in my sweats.

“God, Kevin.” He breathed against my ear, sending a fresh wave of shivers down my spine. “You feel amazing.”

What followed blurred into heat and urgency. My hands found the waistband of his shorts, fingers hooking under the elastic.

“Can I?” I asked, voice rough with need.

Tyler nodded, lifting his hips. “I’ll be mad if you don’t.”

I tugged the shorts down, my breath catching as his erection sprang free. He wasn’t wearing anything underneath. The sight of him—hard, ready, drop of precum forming at the tip—sent a surge of desire through me so intense it was almost painful.

“Your turn,” he murmured.

I lifted my hips, letting him strip away the sweats that formed the last barrier between us. His eyes darkened as he took me in, a soft “fuck” escaping his lips.

We were exposed to each other now, nothing left to hide. It was different than catching a fleeting glimpse in the locker room.

My heart hammered against my ribs as Tyler’s eyes traveled slowly up my body, appreciation clear in his hungry smile.

“Better than I imagined,” he said, voice husky.

His honesty emboldened me. I reached for him, wrapping my hand around his length. The weight of him, hot and solid in my palm, drew a groan from my throat. Tyler’s head fell back, eyes fluttering shut as I stroked him.

He moaned as his breathing quickened.