Romance Back on the Ice

"See?" Mark Gaines was beyond excited as he glided past the bench at practice.

His coach, fellow teammates, and one very concerned trainer looked on with unreadable expressions. Mark scowled as he turned, his skates slicing through the ice and sending a shower of snow in the opposite direction. This time when he circled back in front of the bench, several of the people gathered were giving him dirty looks. He thought he heard a feminine snicker and his gaze swept up several rows behind the bench.

A grin split his face when he met the amused gaze of his girlfriend, Hilary Winsome. She was watching the practice with her friend and roommate, Lena, who was also the girlfriend of Mark's teammate, Anatoli Oborotenski. Hilary shook her head at his smile and pointed at the ice. Even though she wasn't speaking, he knew she was instructing him to focus and stop acting like an idiot.

Well, if he was, it was just because he was ecstatic to be back in skates on the rink. After only three and a half weeks, his ankle had passed inspection, so to speak, and he'd been allowed to return to practice. It might be another week or so before he'd be allowed to play in an actual game but for now, this was enough.

It didn't hurt that he'd had ample opportunity to be with Hilary during his time off. Spending time with her was as potent a painkiller as codeine. However, three and a half weeks was a long time to not be playing, no matter how much fun he had with Hilary.

"So what do you say, Coach?" Mark asked, turning his attention to the portly, balding man in front of him.

"It doesn't look like you're pushing it," Coach replied, eyeing the younger man. "But I'll leave the decision up to the professionals." With that, he turned and made his way off the ice, leaving Mark at the mercy of the trainer.

After submitting to another brief examination from the trainer, Mark was allowed to join practice. He was razzed by his teammates, not only for taking three and a half weeks off, but for bringing his new girlfriend to witness his return.

"You're just jealous, Lang," Mark scoffed and patted his teammate, Brody Lang, with his stick against Brody's shin pads.

Brody snorted and returned the gesture, aiming nowhere near the injured ankle. "Hardly. Like I need a woman hanging around, telling me what to do."

Anatoli 'Obie' Oborotenski overheard and laughed, skating up on Mark's other side. "Sometimes that's the best part," he commented and winked at Mark.

Brody watched the exchange between the two before shaking his head and skating away with a laugh. As one, Mark and Anatoli turned to look into the stands where their girlfriends were sitting. The two women had their heads close together and they were laughing over something. Then, as though they could feel the men's eyes on them, they glanced down at the ice.

"Get to work!" Lena shouted, her voice carrying over the boards.

Laughing, Anatoli took off, eating up the distance to the far end of the boards before veering left and coming back on the far side. Mark watched him go, envying his speed. The trainer had allowed him to join practice but nothing that included fast skating, hits, or blocks. So basically, he was allowed to push around the ice like a five-year old. Swallowing his frustration, Mark did as he was instructed, knowing that if he pushed it, he might just end up setting himself back even further. He didn't want that.

After another forty minutes or so, practice was over and the players all began to make their way off the ice. Mark stayed out a little longer than the rest, smacking pucks towards the empty nets. A knocking distracted him and he looked over his shoulder to see Hilary standing on the other side of the glass, near the bench. Smiling, he sent the last puck sailing into the net and skated over to the boards.

"How are you doing?" she asked him, her smile wide but her eyes concerned.

Mark grinned and leaned close to the glass. "What do you think?" he asked instead of answering her question.

Her reaction was immediate. The smile on her face grew wider and she shook her head. "I'd say you're doing fine," she replied dryly.

"What are you doing later?" he asked, still grinning.

She shrugged, looking away, but Mark could see the smile on her lips. It had been a few weeks since they'd first met and already he couldn't imagine not spending every free evening with her. Especially now that he'd be traveling with the team again. His status would be updated to day-to-day, meaning he could return to the line-up at any point. He'd miss spending time with Hilary, sure, but nothing beat the game.

"I was thinking we should celebrate," Mark suggested.

Hilary's eyes came back to his face and she raised her eyebrows. "Celebrate what?"

"My return!" he exclaimed and laughed, still ecstatic about being back on the ice.

Laughing, Hilary shook her head again and nodded. "All right, let's celebrate. I'm not working, as you already know."

He did know that; he'd asked her to practice knowing they'd be able to spend the rest of the day and evening together. "Cool," he said. "I'll meet you in about twenty minutes."

"Lena and I were thinking of having dinner together," Hilary said before he could turn away. "Why don't you check with Obie and see what he thinks?"

Mark didn't really want to - he wanted Hilary all to himself - but he knew Lena was her best friend and he didn't want to scare her by insisting they go out alone. It was one day at a time with Hilary, something Mark was mostly all right with. He liked her too much to push her too far, too fast.

"I will," he replied, smiling through the scuffed glass. Then he turned to skate over and exit to the locker rooms.

Inside, the locker room was fairly quiet. Most of the guys had quickly washed up and headed home for the day. Their next game was the following evening. Mark moved to his spot and sat down on the bench to take his skates off. He had the first one off and was loosening the laces on the second one when the trainer appeared in front of him, demanding to see his injured ankle.

"Jeez, man, can't you even wait until I've taken my skate off?" Mark asked, but he wasn't upset. He knew the guy was just doing his job.

After a quick examination of his ankle - no swelling or bruising, thank you very much, Mark thought - Mark was allowed to take a shower. As he walked into the big shower area, he passed Anatoli.

"Hey, Obie," he said. "Hil said something about the four of us going to dinner tonight."

"Oh yeah?" Obie replied, rubbing a towel over his head. "Sounds good. I'll meet you with the girls upstairs."

Mark nodded and headed into the shower. There were a couple other guys there but no one was talking. Mark went to an empty spot and twisted the knob until a steaming hot spray of water hit him square in the chest. As he shampooed his short hair, Mark thought about his return to playing and how it might affect his relationship to Hilary. He hoped it wouldn't change things but Hilary was... different from most girls he'd dated.

Their relationship had started as a one-night stand but it hadn't taken them long to realize they liked each other more than one night would allow. After a bit of difficulty in the first week or so, Mark had convinced Hilary that he genuinely liked her and wanted to make things work. A month ago, Mark would never have pegged himself as one of those guys who went after a girl. Hilary was so intriguing and smart, that he couldn't stay away from her.

And she's bloody sexy, he added silently, grinning as he turned his face under the hot spray.

Even so, it wasn't just about sex. Mark couldn't put his finger on it, but Hilary was a woman he wasn't going to give up without a fight. No matter how prickly she got at times, he found himself wanting to be around her, sex or no sex. Softening her up after she got snarky with him was one of his favorite spare time activities.

He quickly finished up in the shower and dressed before rushing through the building to meet up with his teammate and their girlfriends. The three of them were waiting patiently outside the corridor and, once he joined them, they headed off to a movie and then dinner together.

"Things seem to be going really well with you two," Lena commented as she and Hilary made themselves comfortable that evening after dinner.

Hilary smiled at her roommate as she pulled a cardigan over her pajamas. There was a definite chill in the air now that they were into the mid-December. Lena was in the kitchen, boiling some water for their late night tea. Neither girl had decided to spend the night with their boyfriends since they both had early morning shifts. They were intending to go to the game at Verizon Center later as well. Mark still wouldn't be playing, so he'd offered to take them to one of the private suites.

"I think so, too," Hilary agreed as she made herself comfortable on the couch. She left the TV off but glanced at the clock on the wall. It wasn't even nine o'clock yet.

"Mark is great," Lena added as she walked out of the kitchen to join Hilary on the couch, leaving the kettle on the stove to boil.

Hilary lifted her eyebrows at her friend and smiled. "Do you want to date him?" she asked playfully.

Lena laughed and slapped Hilary on the thigh. "Of course not," she replied. "One over-the-top hockey player is enough for me. I just think it's great that you and Mark are getting along so well."

Hilary nodded, amazed herself at how long things had lasted. They hadn't exactly started out in a traditional manner, and she'd certainly done her best to drive him away. Mark had proven to her that he wasn't going to just let her go, and now she was struggling to not run away nearly every day.

"What are you thinking?" Lena asked, giving her a close look.

Sighing, Hilary shrugged. Her roommate - also her dearest friend - knew all her apprehensions and hang-ups when it came to men, and the reasons for them. In her dating life, Hilary hadn't had the best of luck, starting with Johnny in fifth grade. He'd pulled her hair so hard, he'd yanked her to the ground, humiliating her in front of the entire school. Things had improved only slightly over time; the men in Hilary's life graduating from schoolyard bullies, to cheating hockey players and other assorted losers. Mark was the first guy she'd dated who treated her nicely and seemed to be genuinely fond of her.

She didn't know what to do with him most of the time and it scared the hell out of her. Hence, the great desire to bolt whenever he asked her out, which was pretty much every day.

"I think I don't know how much longer Mark is going to put up with me," Hilary replied at length.

"Oh, please," Lena scoffed and swatted her again. "You're not still afraid of that, are you? Hilary, he adores you! Everyone can see it. Obie tells me how Mark talks about you with the guys all the time."

Hilary blushed and looked away. "Really?"

"Yes! Hilary, you're the only one who can't see how much he likes you."

Sighing, Hilary pressed the back of her hand to her cheek and glanced over at her friend. "I just... I don't know what he sees in me. I'm so mean to him sometimes, and I don't know why."

Lena gave her a hard, searching look and then leaned close, gathering her into her arms for a hug. As always, Lena's quiet comfort made Hilary's throat feel thick. She hugged her roommate back and exhaled shakily.

"You have to talk to him, Hil," Lena told her as she pulled away. "You can't keep trying to drive him away or one day you'll succeed."

Hilary's stomach flipped at the thought of Mark walking away from her. She may be scared, and lash out at times, but she didn't want him to stop calling or coming to see her.

"You don't want him to go away, do you?" Lena asked.

"Of course not," Hilary replied.

"Then talk to him."

Hilary blew out a breath and nodded. She knew she needed to explain to Mark why she was so uneasy in their relationship. Mark had been so understanding until now, but Lena was right; one day he wouldn't be and it would be all Hilary's fault.

The kettle starting whistling in the kitchen and Lena jumped up. She came back into the living room a few minutes later, with two steaming mugs of tea, and handed one to Hilary as she sat down.

"I just don't even know how to have that conversation," Hilary said, going back to their conversation. "What do I say? 'Hi, Mark. I know I'm a total bitch sometimes and I think you need to know why?'"

Lena snorted and covered her mouth with her hand. Hilary grinned at her and lifted the mug to her lips for a sip.

"I don't know about that," Lena replied and sipped her own tea. "I would just... I don't know, let it happen naturally."

Hilary raised her eyebrows at Lena and set her mug down against her thigh. "Naturally? Lena, those conversations don't ever happen 'naturally.'"

"Sure they do," Lena said and smiled. "Next time he tells you how beautiful you are, or how good you smell, just go for it."

Laughing, Hilary shook her head. "Go for it? If I go for it, I'll be jumping him, not confessing my twisted relationship history to him."

"Jumping him works, too," Lena replied, her eyes dancing over her mug of tea. "Distracts him while you fess up."

Hilary couldn't help but laugh again. Lena was such a great friend and she knew she'd be lost without her. That made her think of something else, something not related to her own relationship drama.

"You've been with Anatoli for almost a year," she commented and smiled when Lena blushed. "Do you have any big plans for your anniversary?"

Lena shook her head. "Not that I know of."

"I bet Obie has something planned," Hilary remarked and grinned when Lena hid her face in embarrassment.

"I don't know," Lena replied and looked away, sipping her tea.

"I think he might even surprise you with something big," Hilary said.

Lena's head snapped back around to face her and her eyes were wide. "Has he said something to you?"

"No," Hilary replied and that was the truth. She just knew that Lena and Anatoli were the real thing. There was only one way to go in a relationship like that, and it had already been a year of spending every possible moment together. The next logical step was cohabitation. It pained Hilary to think of it, since it would take her best friend further away from her, but if it made Lena happy, Hilary would be supportive. "I just wouldn't be surprised if Anatoli asked you to live with him," Hilary confessed and smiled when Lena's mouth dropped open.

"No way," Lena breathed. "We're not ready for that! We haven't even talked about it."

"Well, maybe he'll bring it up and you'll start talking about it," Hilary suggested.

For a minute, Lena didn't respond. "You really think he'd ask me to move in with him? Has Mark said something? Did Obie say something to him?"

Hilary laughed and patted her friend's leg. "No, Mark hasn't said anything to me. I just mentioned it so you're not completely blindsided if he brings it up."

"You think I should live with him?" Lena asked after another moment of silence.

"I think you should do whatever makes you happy," Hilary replied. "Anatoli makes you happy. Why wouldn't you live with him?"

Lena nodded and gradually a smile spread across her face. "You're right," she murmured. "I can't imagine what my life would be like without him in it."

"I know," Hilary replied. "I can't imagine what my life would be like without him!"

They laughed together and spent the next hour chatting before Hilary yawned. She hugged her roommate, put her empty mug in the kitchen sink, and got ready for bed. As she lay in her bed, she couldn't help running through her conversation with Lena. That led her to imagining the possible outcomes of her discussion with Mark, which just stressed her out. Eventually she fell asleep, her mind filled with disturbing dreams of Mark skating over her body while her ex-boyfriends watched and cheered from the stands.

Verizon Center was packed when Mark arrived with Hilary and Lena the following night. Being a Friday night, most spectators were ready to cut loose for the weekend. The low hum of anticipation filled his ears and made his heart patter a little faster. He lead the way through the crowd and into their private suite, greeting some of the other guests of his teammates.

"This is great," Lena commented and walked towards the seats at the front of the box. "Thanks so much for bringing us, Mark."

"No problem," Mark replied with a smile. "If I can't play, at least I can enjoy watching with the two prettiest ladies in the building."

Lena grinned but from his side, Hilary snorted in a very unladylike manner. Raising one eyebrow, Mark turned and looked down at the woman beside him. He reached for her with one arm and drew her close, ignoring the curious looks from the other people in the suite. Hilary blushed under his gaze but moved closer as he drew her into his embrace.

"You don't agree with me?" he asked her, putting his lips very close to her ear. God, she smells fantastic tonight, he thought and breathed in her rich, feminine scent. He felt her shudder against his body and smiled.

"I think... I'm just not used to... being labeled that way," she murmured, hesitating over her words.

Mark drew back to look into her eyes, sensing that there was more to her hesitation than just his close proximity. "Labeled as what? A lady?" he asked with a smile, wanting to kiss the blush off her cheeks. "Or pretty?"

"Either," she replied with a shrug.

Mark knew she'd been hurt in the past, even without her telling him. He supposed when she felt more comfortable with him, she might tell him about it, but for now, he had his theories. "Well, get used to it," he told her and pressed a kiss to her warm cheek. He tamped down the urge to follow the color of her blush below the collar of her shirt, telling himself he could take care of it later. "I intend to keep using those labels."

Hilary smiled at him, her blue eyes sparkling and standing out in her flushed face. "I think I could get used to it," she whispered and squeezed his arms where she'd rested her hands.

There it was, the smile and the look in her eyes that had him coming back every day; calling her, making plans and undressing her every chance he could.

"Hey, you two," Lena spoke up from a few steps away. "Don't make me throw cold water on you."

Hilary giggled and pulled out of Mark's arms to join her friend in the seats out front of the box. Mark grabbed a beer and joined them a few minutes later. The game started in another ten minutes and they all focused on that for the next half hour.

Mark hated just sitting and watching the games. Even though he'd been allowed to remove his ankle wrap and walk without crutches for a few days now, he still felt useless. He wanted nothing more than to sit on the bench with the other guys where the action was. His feet moved unconsciously under his seat as he leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. It was only when Hilary laid a warm hand against his thigh that he realized he'd been moving at all. He threw her a sheepish grin before turning his attention back to the game.

Near the end of the first period, the Caps were down by one goal and Mark's jaw was sore from grinding his teeth. Hilary's hand came to rest over his and he turned to her. She was smiling and when he met her eyes, she winked, effectively taking his mind off the game and giving him something new to think about.

"You're not working tomorrow, right?" he asked.

Her blue eyes went wide before she smiled and shook her head.

"You're coming home with me after the game," he told her.

Her smile changed, moving his blood to a lower section of his anatomy. "Is that a question?" she asked in a soft tone, leaning towards him.

"No," he replied. "It was a demand."

"Hmm, I don't know if I like how demanding you are," she said, close enough now that he could smell her with each inhalation.

"I guess you'll have to come back to my place and make me pay for it," he replied and brushed his lips across hers.

When she smiled this time, he could feel it against his mouth. Lifting one hand, he cupped the back of her head and kissed her hard. His tongue snaked inside her mouth, stroking against hers and he swallowed her gasp. Her hair was soft under his fingers and her body was angling closer, their kiss going deeper.

"Uh, guys?" Lena's voice broke into their embrace and it was then that Mark dimly heard the roar of the crowd below.

Mark pulled back from Hilary and opened his eyes, smiling when he saw her bewildered expression. He moved to kiss her again but Lena spoke up.

"You might want to have a look at the big screen," Lena told them.

Mark and Hilary turned their faces towards the big screen suspended over the ice and were greeted by the sight of their faces. There was a break in the game and the cameramen were finding couples for the 'Kiss Cam.' The noise of the crowd increased when Mark grinned and waved his free hand. Then he slid his other hand from Hilary's neck to her back. He drew her closer, bringing their lips back together while the camera was still on them.

Hilary pressed her hands against his chest, a noise of protest rising in her throat, but Mark held her close for a moment longer, teasing her tongue with his. She relaxed, her fingers flexing against his chest, and Mark felt the touch all the way down to his groin.

In another minute, the music stopped and the big screen was back to showing the game in progress. Mark eased up on the kiss and stroked his thumb across Hilary's flushed cheek. She blinked at him as he released her and shook her head, as though trying to clear it.

"Why did you do that?" she asked, glancing around to see if anyone was still looking at them.

"I like kissing you," he replied and pressed his lips to her cheek for emphasis. "I can't control who they show on the big screen."

Hilary smiled and dropped her hands from his chest. Reaching out, Mark took one of her hands in his and brought it to his lips. Blushing, Hilary looked away, turning in her seat so she was facing the action on the ice again. Mark turned as well, just in time to see Anatoli Strelkov score for the Caps. The arena erupted into cheers and Mark grinned as he clapped his hands, feeling relaxed for the first time all night.

His team was winning, his girlfriend was warm against his side and he was days away from returning to the game.

After the embarrassment of being caught on camera making out with Mark, Hilary tried to enjoy the rest of the game. She wouldn't have thought being shown on the big screen would embarrass her so badly, but it had. The game ended on a high note in overtime and Hilary was left to hang out with Lena in the suite as Mark went to join his teammates in the locker room.

"I can't believe they put me on the big screen," Hilary muttered and shook her head as they sat watching the arena slowly empty.

From beside her, Lena laughed. "I couldn't believe it either. I think they just wanted to show Mark, since he's been out so long, but they caught you kissing! Priceless."

"Humiliating," Hilary countered.

"Why did it bother you so much?" Lena asked, turning her face to look at her friend.

"Because it was embarrassing!" Hilary exclaimed. "Thousands of people watched us making out like love-starved teenagers."

"Are you worried that the fans will hate you for taking one of the hottest Caps off the market?" Lena asked playfully.

Hilary rolled her eyes and shook her head again. "I don't..." she started and stopped with another shake of her head.

Lena leaned closer and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "Don't worry about it, Hil. I'm sure Mark doesn't care what they showed on the big screen." She paused and grinned broadly at her roommate. "If he did, he'd have stopped kissing you instead of planting another big ol' wet one on you!"

"Lena!" Hilary exclaimed but couldn't help laughing. She nudged her friend in the ribs with her elbow as she blushed. She supposed Lena had a point. If Mark had been embarrassed by the 'Kiss Cam,' he wouldn't have kept on kissing her after they knew it was on them. It made Hilary feel better about it and she was smiling as Mark burst back into the room.

Before she even had a chance to say 'hello,' he wrapped his arms around her waist and swept her right off her feet. He spun her in a circle, his deep laughter filling her ear. Hilary's heart was pounding and the room was tilting as he set her back on her feet.

"Whoa, Mark," she breathed and laughed, looking up into his ecstatic face. "What's got into you?"

"They're taking me on the road trip tomorrow!" he exclaimed and hugged her hard again. "Coach thinks I might be able to play while we're gone. How freaking great is that?!"

Hilary smiled and tried to look happy for him; she knew it was a big deal. She ignored the part of herself that immediately suspected him leaving her in D.C.

No, she thought. I'm past this. I won't suspect him of something he hasn't even done.

"That's great new, Mark," Lena spoke up from just behind him. "Congratulations!"

"Thanks, Lena!" Mark replied with a laugh, still holding on to Hilary. "Oh, Obie said he'll come meet you up here."

"That's fine," Lena said.

"Do you mind if I steal your roommate away now?" he asked.

Lena grinned, her eyes meeting Hilary's at Mark's shoulder. "I'd love you forever," she said.

Hilary stuck her tongue out at her friend before Mark hauled her out of the suite with him, calling 'good-bye's' over his shoulder to Lena and everyone else.

"Won't your flight be leaving early in the morning?" Hilary asked as they walked to the parking garage below the arena. "Maybe I should just go home for the night." She didn't want to go home. She didn't even know why she was suggesting it. Maybe to give him the opportunity to let her down gently?

Stop, just stop it! she ordered herself and frowned. I just can't seem to shake this negative feeling. What's wrong with me?

"I can sleep on the plane," Mark told her and gave her fingers a squeeze. "I don't want to celebrate alone."

Hilary smiled up into his eyes and felt heat spread through her body, settling low in her stomach. She didn't even care if the desire was written in big letters across her face. Mark wanted her and she needed to start accepting it; for real.

"How long will it take you to get us home?" she asked slyly, with a sideways glance at him from under her eyelashes.

"Five minutes?" he suggested in a hoarse voice, his stride lengthening.

Giggling, Hilary hurried along beside him. "Five minutes is unrealistic, Mark," she chided playfully. "If I can't have you in five minutes, there may be severe consequences."

Mark stopped suddenly and backed her against a wall. She felt it connect with her back and stared at him in surprise as he lowered his lips to hers. A protest boiled up in her throat but his tongue traced the line of her lips and she was lost. She didn't care at all that there were still several hundred people inside the arena, walking past them right now. Mark's kisses had the amazing ability to make her forget even her own name.

So they stood there, his hands firm on her waist and his thighs pressing against hers. He thrust his tongue into her mouth and tilted his head to take the kiss deeper. Hilary gasped into his mouth, curling her fingers on the open ends of his jacket and hanging in his grip. When one of his hands moved from her waist and started to travel up her torso, the spell broke and Hilary wrenched her mouth away from his.

"Don't you dare feel me up in public," she hissed at him, breathing hard. She grinned up into his heavy-lidded eyes and brushed their lips together once more, to take the edge off of her words.

Mark narrowed his eyes at her and stepped back. "You just added five more minutes to the drive home," he warned as they started walking again.

Hilary covered her laugh with one hand and shook her head. "That's too bad," she commented. "I don't know if I can last that long."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" he asked, his fingers squeezing her hand.

Hilary glanced up at him but he was avoiding looking at her. From the set of his jaw and the tension in his arm, she figured he was trying hard not to press her up against the wall again. It made her feel wonderfully in command, a feeling she hadn't always had in the past.

I'll lose the feeling as soon as he goes away, she added silently and her smile drooped. Again with the negative thoughts. She stifled a sigh and shook her head, cool air settling over them as they made their way to Mark's car in the underground garage; it was where most of the players parked during home games.

At his car, Mark paused by the passenger door and held Hilary between him and the car as he claimed her lips again. In the dark quiet of the parking garage, Hilary gave in this time, wrapping her arms around his broad shoulders and parting her lips for his questing tongue. He groaned low in his throat and tightened his grip on her waist, fisting his hands in her shirt, under the thick cover of her jacket.

The feeling of him grasping her, wanting her so badly made Hilary's heart pound. She felt light-headed as Mark pressed her back against the car and moved his hand up the inside of her jacket. Instead of stopping him this time, she fumbled with the zipper of her jacket, parting it and holding it open as he cupped her breast over her shirt. Mark tore his lips from hers to trail kisses down her throat to the high neckline of her Washington Capitals T-shirt.

"Stupid shirt," he growled and lifted the hem instead, until he could touch her over her bra.

Hilary laughed breathlessly, letting her head fall back as Mark caressed her, sucking on the pulse point just under her chin. Her fingers clenched and unclenched in the fabric of his shirt where she'd placed her hands. She felt his muscles bunch and move beneath his skin and felt her own body react. Her insides turned liquid and when Mark lifted his head, with his hand squeezing her breast, she felt delightfully soft and squishy all over.

"Do you have any idea what you do to me?" he asked, his voice rough.

Hilary blinked and lifted her head to look into his face. He swallowed hard, his thick lashes hanging low over his dark eyes. Hilary slid one hand from his chest, to his shoulder and up his neck. He leaned his face into her hand as she cupped his cheek and she smiled, loving the raspy feel of his two-day old beard growth. As he closed his eyes under her touch, she placed her other hand over his on her breast and squeezed, urging him silently to continue what he was doing.

With a mingled sound of desire and frustration, he dropped his lips to hers again, kissing her senseless, his tongue plunging hotly into her mouth. Hilary whimpered, hanging on to his biceps and trying to hold herself up. Mark moved closer, if it was even possible, until they were pressed together from their stomachs, all the way down to their knees. Hilary felt every one of his corded muscles and she melted when she felt his arousal plainly against her abdomen.

Even though the parking garage was empty and silent at the moment, she knew somewhere in the back of her mind that this was extremely risky behavior. At any moment someone could walk down the aisle and see them going at it like wild animals. She might be over the mortification from the 'Kiss Cam,' but she wasn't sure she could handle being caught with Mark's hand up her shirt and his massive erection pressing into her stomach.

She tried to ease out of the kiss and leaned her head back. Mark seemed to take it as an invitation to suck on her neck again. He ran his lips and tongue down the column of her throat, his hand still fondling her under her shirt. Before she could register it, he'd scooped her breast out of her bra. She felt the warm contact of his skin on hers and sucked in a sharp breath, digging her fingers into his arms.

"Mark!" she managed to gasp his name out, twisting her head to one side as he continued to lick and suck on her neck. She was dimly aware that she'd probably have a dark mark on her neck from that, but she wasn't sure if she cared.

It might be nice to have a mark, she thought and grinned. A mark from Mark.

"God, you taste good," he muttered against her skin, lifting his head after what felt like an eternity.

Hilary felt warm and weightless in his arms, and was more grateful than ever that he had the strength to hold them both up.

"And you feel good," he added, coupling his words with a light pinch to her exposed nipple.

She gasped again, squeezing her eyes shut as he played with her, soothing the pinch with light strokes.

"God, Hilary," he growled and sucked her lower lip into his mouth. "I could do this right now, right here."

Do it, she thought, gasping for air. She knew she was more than ready. He hadn't even worked his way into her pants but she ached to feel him between her thighs.

When she couldn't get the words out, she eased one leg to the side, ignoring the tremble in her muscles. Feeling her movement, Mark lifted his head and stared down at her. She grinned impishly at him and bit her lower lip. Then she lifted herself onto her tiptoes, rubbing herself against him. Mark's hands tightened on her body and his eyes grew wide, desire darkening them almost to the point of being black.

Taking her hint, he pushed his thigh between her legs and lifted, pressing against her center and making her moan. A wicked grin spread across his handsome face and Hilary had to close her eyes against the unabashed lust in his expression. Mark kissed her, sucking on her lips and teasing the corners of her mouth with his skilled tongue. His hands moved down her body and slid between them to unclasp the button of her jeans.

She shuddered, her hands going to his shoulders to hold on for dear life. She couldn't believe this was happening. She couldn't believe she was going to let Mark take her in the middle of a public place. Well, basically a public place. Then his hand was under her panties, stroking her wet and aching core, and she was moaning and shuddering in his arms.

His tongue drove inside her mouth to tangle with hers as he stroked her below, playing with her and driving her insane. She dimly heard another noise and realized a second later it was another zipper being undone. The ends of her mouth curled upwards and she lifted her body up, rubbing against him as best as she could.

Another sound filtered through the roaring of blood in her ears and Hilary heard Mark swear viciously. A second later, his hands were gone from her body and she heard the jingle of keys. Opening her eyes, she blinked at him and watched as he fumbled with his keys. Somewhere over her right shoulder she heard voices and every part of her snapped to attention.

"Oh God," she hissed, shoving her shirt down, ignoring the fact that her bra wasn't completely covering her.

"Don't panic," Mark whispered to her and the locks on his car popped open. Still grasping her around the waist, Mark moved them to the side and opened the back door.

Sucking in a breath, Hilary moved into the back seat and found herself underneath Mark a second later when he climbed in over her. He pulled the door shut with a soft thump and they fell silent.

Hilary listened to the pounding of her heart and tried not to think about Mark's erection pressing into her. He looked down into her face and she stifled a laugh at the expression in his eyes; like someone had just thrown his ice cream cone on the ground.

"Shouldn't you be driving us back to your place?" she asked in a whisper.

He shook his head, his eyes sliding over her face and settling on her lips. Lifting one hand, he ran the pad of his thumb across her mouth and she parted her lips on a breathy little sigh. "I can't wait that long," he replied.

She bit her lip to keep another laugh from escaping. "Ten minutes? You can't wait that long?"

Mark shook his head and lowered his mouth to hers, the pressure of his lips so light she almost couldn't feel them. His hands moved to her hips as he took the kiss deeper, parting her lips skillfully and sliding his tongue inside her mouth. She met his tongue with hers, stroking alongside it until she felt him respond with a firmer grasp on her skin.

It lasted barely a moment and then he was grasping her jeans and panties, yanking them down her legs. Dimly, Hilary heard voices rising and falling outside the car, doors opening, closing and engines roaring to life. She just didn't care at the moment. Not with Mark lying on top of her and his hands spreading her thighs.

"Mark," she whispered when he moved his lips from hers. "We can't..." she protested weakly and gasped when his hand cupped her between the legs.

"Sure, we can," he replied hoarsely.

"Someone... might see," Hilary tried again, breathing hard as his fingers moved against her.

"Not if we're careful," he said.

"Careful?" she asked with a breathless laugh. "I know you, and we both know how this goes."

"Oh yeah?" His fingers stopped moving and Hilary swallowed her moan of protest at that. "How does it go?" As he asked, she felt him shifting and lifting his weight off of her.

Glancing down, she saw him trying to wriggle out of his pants. She shook her head at the craziness of it all. Reality was sweeping back over her, fast. "We can't do it in the back seat of a car in a parking garage," she said, hoping she sounded firm, something very difficult considering how aroused she was.

Mark grinned and she figured she hadn't sounded firm enough. Her eyes moved from his face, caught again by the movement of his hand between them. She watched in fascination as he drew himself out of his pants and underwear. Then he was settling himself against her, between her thighs and she felt the hot, hard length of him pulsing against her core.

"Mark..." she hissed his name, feeling torn between her desire and the fear of being caught.

"Hilary," he all but moaned her name, dropping a hot kiss on her lips.

"They'll see," she tried again and sucked in a breath as he pushed the tip of himself inside.

"No one will," he replied and kissed her again, his breath warm on her lips. "I'll go slow."

A breathless laugh escaped her and he pressed his lips hard against hers, pushing up inside of her with one strong thrust. All her thoughts scattered and she was left feeling overheated and no longer frightened by their surroundings.

Mark did as he promised, easing out and pushing in so slowly she thought she might die from the sensation. She clutched at his hips, lifting her knees and cradling him closer. The awkwardness of the back seat disappeared and she licked his lips, begging silently for him to kiss her. He obliged, slipping his tongue into her mouth and brushing his hand over her forehead, sweeping her hair back as he tasted her.

Hilary felt her stomach clench at his gentle touch and arched, wanting to feel more of him. More noises from outside the car filtered through the fog of her lust and then disappeared again, leaving her alone with Mark's body and kisses. Still, he kept his pace slow, not jostling her or the car, and she wasn't sure how much more she could take.​