Page 126 of Icebound

Standing, I cross the room until I’m towering over her writhing on the mattress, trying to look unaffected even though my dick is pointing right at her mouth.

I imagine jerking off and coming all over her pretty face as punishment for faking these noises. “Does that feel good, or are you wishing it was my cock?”

She moans louder. Presses harder. “This feels amazing. So good. I don’t need you.”

“You’re going to be in so much trouble for this,” I growl, loosening my tie.

“Told you I wasn’t a good girl.”

I grip the edge of the mattress, arms shaking from trying to hold onto my last fragment of self-control when all I want is to be inside her. “I bet it’d feel even better if I were filling you up. You could have my cock and your little toy. You know what? We’ll play with that next time because I don’t care how you come as long as you’re thinking of me when you do.”

Her breaths quicken, and I know the second her moans turn from fake to real when her back arches. It takes less than a minute before she’s screaming my name.

I’m sweating as I watch her cheeks flush, and even though I’m irritated with her for trying to fake this, it takes trust to be this vulnerable with someone, and that’s something real.

We’re something real.

I know it.

My eyes drift over her naked body as she comes down from her high, smug and satisfied. Damn, she’s glowing. I lift up the sheets to tuck her into bed, but then, everything stops.

Blood rushes to my ears at the sight of the small outline of a turtle etched on her hip bone. That’s new.

When did she get that?

I stroke my thumb over the mark. “You got a tattoo of a turtle?”

She yanks up the covers to hide herself, letting the vibrator clatter to the floor. “No.”

“Liar. Why did you get a tattoo of a turtle?” I ask, needing her answer more than oxygen.

Her face turns the color of her flushed body. “It doesn’t matter.”

“It does to me.” I swallow, something burning in my chest as I stare at the turtle that’s the same shape as mine. “Did you get this for me?”

That sassy tilt to her lips falls away, and her hazels shine. She pulls up the blankets as high as they’ll go, so she’s covered up. “Fine. Yes. I got a turtle tattoo for you, but we don’t need to talk about it because it’s embarrassing.”

All the heat from moments ago evaporates, and a new one takes over. It feels like I’m under the stadium lights with thousands of people screaming my name. I think she’s looking at me like I’m the lucky bastard she’s in love with, and I hope I’m not imagining that glint in her eyes.

She’s got me wrapped around her tattooed finger, and I don’t know how to unravel myself. I don’t want to, but I need to figure out what I want after the League. I’m starting to think I don’t care what my future looks like as long as it includes Nina.

I undo the buttons on my shirt, revealing the four-leaf clover that matches the one on her neck—the one that’s now etched into the skin right over my heart. Her eyes pop when she sees my new ink.

“That looks like mine,” she whispers.

“I know. It looks exactly like yours.”

“Why did you get that?” She reaches out to stroke my skin like she needs to be closer. Goosebumps pop up under her touch.

I brush her hair back from her face. “Because the day I met you was the luckiest day of my life.”

30

NINA

My eyes flutter open in the golden morning glow. Dust glitters in the streams of light beaming through my window, illuminating the man sleeping on my pillow like an illusion woven from dreams.

He’s too good to be true, smiling that charming smile in his sleep. I can’t stay away from him anymore, not after he came to support me last night.