Romance Ice Hockey 101

"I can't help it," he replied and she heard him suck in a breath to say more but someone shouted his name in the background. Whoever it was, he didn't sound patient. "Shit. I have to go."

"All right."

"I'll call you later," he promised. "Will you stay up until the end of the game?"

"Of course."

"Good. Hopefully we can get it together in time for a win."

She giggled and nodded. She hoped so too and not just because she loved to watch him win.

"I'll talk to you later," he said.

"OK. Good luck!"

They ended the call and for a long while, Rebecca stared at the phone in her hand and wondered if she would be able to protect herself for much longer. She'd thought she'd be able to deal with being his friend and maybe even give dating a try, should he ever bring it up. But now she thought she might have done better by not speaking to him again.

This feeling - call it attraction, call it lust - whatever it was, terrified Rebecca. She slowly set the phone down on her table and stared at it, her heart pounding and her body humming.

She was in trouble, no two ways about it.

Josh did as he promised, calling her after the game. They talked for nearly an hour until he had to go through airport security before taking off for their next away game. It would be another four days before he and the others arrived back in Pittsburgh. In the meantime, Josh arranged for Amelia Carson, Sean's wife, to call her. He assured her that Amelia was a great woman, a lot of fun and he said that they'd be easy friends.

Sure enough, the day before the team was to return, Amelia called Rebecca and asked if she wanted to meet for coffee that afternoon. It was a Tuesday and she happened to have no classes or work that day so she quickly agreed to meet her.

She was surprised at the sight of Amelia, not because she wasn't beautiful, which she was, but because she looked somewhat older than Sean. Rebecca had only ever seen Sean on television and he always appeared so young.

"There is a few years between us," Amelia said as they introduced themselves to each other, correctly reading the surprise on Rebecca's face.

Flushing, Rebecca looked down and apologized.

"Don't be sorry," Amelia said and patted her hand. "A lot of people took a lot of time to get over the age difference, me included. But whatever age we are, it works for us."

Rebecca looked up and saw the genuine smile across the older woman's face. She meant her words and it immediately set Rebecca at ease. They ordered coffee and chatted amicably for a couple hours. Rebecca learned about how Amelia and Sean had met and Amelia happily told her all about their infant son, Sean Jr. Twice a week, Amelia put him into a daycare just so he'd have some friends his own age.

"I work from home so I could easily take care of him but Sean thought he should be socialized," Amelia told her.

"Sean sounds very smart," Rebecca replied with a smile.

"He is," Amelia agreed, a brilliance to her grin when she spoke of her husband. "I just think he suggested daycare because he wants me to have some time to myself too."

It was obvious to Rebecca that Amelia loved Sean very much and she felt comforted that a hockey player could make such an absolute commitment to a woman. Not that she feared that Josh was the 'love'em-and-leave'em' type, but since getting into the game and doing some Googling on her own time, she'd unearthed stories of road trip affairs and 'puck bunnies.' Nothing relating to Josh, thankfully, but she supposed with all the time spent on the road, most men involved in professional sports would have to deal with similar temptations.

"So I understand you're really into hockey," Amelia spoke again, breaking the comfortable silence that had fallen.

"Oh yes," Rebecca agreed with a smile. "I never really understood or cared about it but Josh started to give me lessons and now I just can't get enough."

Amelia smiled at her as she sipped her coffee. "I can't believe you're from Canada and didn't grow up loving it, like I did."

Rebecca explained about being raised by a single mother and being surrounded by the girliest of girlfriends most of her life. She didn't begrudge her mother for it, not one bit. Sports just hadn't been a priority. Now that she was older and willing to learn more about it, she knew she loved hockey.

"Have you been to a game yet?" Amelia asked.

"No," Rebecca admitted. "Josh said that he was going to get me to one someday but I've just been so busy with work and school."

"I understand," Amelia said with a nod. "But you really ought to take a night off and go sometime. There's nothing like it."

"That's what Josh said," Rebecca agreed with a smile. "Of course he's sort of biased, being a hockey player and all."

Amelia smiled at her and there was something in her eyes that made feel Rebecca feel as though she was under scrutiny. She flushed and fiddled with the handle of her coffee mug as she glanced out the window to her right.

"You and Josh have become pretty close," Amelia commented casually.

Rebecca's blush deepened and she glanced at Amelia before nodding.

"He's never asked me to do this before," Amelia went on.

"Do what?"

"Meet a woman he knows for coffee," Amelia answered. "Get to know her. He likes you a lot."

"Oh, well, I don't... I mean, I don't know about that..." Rebecca stammered and smiled shyly. She didn't mean to sound stupid but Amelia's words pleased her more than she cared to admit.

"I do," Amelia said. "I've gotten to know these guys on the team pretty good over the past couple years and Josh has never really dated anyone. Or socialized outside the team much at all, really."

Rebecca stared at her, surprised to hear about this other side to Josh. She never knew he didn't date and wasn't about to ask him herself. She smiled slowly at Amelia and sipped the last of her coffee.

"I think it's great that he's finally starting to get out more," Amelia added.

Rebecca almost laughed at her words. Listening to this woman describe Josh as less than social or not surrounded all the time by numerous friends reminded Rebecca of her own situation since coming to Pittsburgh. She never would have thought that she and Josh had so much in common.

"Well, it was very nice to meet you, Rebecca," Amelia said a few minutes later as they rose to leave the coffee shop. "I hope we can do this again."

"Definitely," Rebecca replied. Aside from all the details she'd learned about Josh, she genuinely liked Amelia. She liked to think she had another friend at last in this city.

"Maybe I'll see you at a game soon?" Amelia suggested with a sly grin.

Rebecca laughed and shook her head as color stole over her cheeks. "Maybe," she admitted and they parted ways a minute later.

"Rebecca!" Josh exclaimed excitedly as she walked into the pub near her apartment building. He'd arrived first and spent several minutes impatiently watching the front door for her. It was his first night back in Pittsburgh after their lengthy road trip and he'd spent the past two days doing nothing but think about seeing Rebecca again.

As she approached him in the pub, he hopped from his stool and swept her into a warm hug that she returned. He inhaled deeply, stifling a groan when her hair brushed against his lips and pulled away before she discovered how her mere presence affected him. "How are you? How was school today?"

Rebecca laughed at his quick questions as she took her heavy coat off and joined him at the bar. "I'm good," she replied. "Tired but good. Class was all right too."

Josh grinned at her, practically vibrating in excitement. He had a surprise for her and he just knew it would please her. He hoped it was enough to make her jump on him. Then he blushed at the thought, never having taken himself for the sort who had to buy gifts to get a woman into his arms. For Rebecca though, he mostly just wanted to see her brilliant smile.

Who knew?

"Let me buy you a drink," he offered and flagged the bartender.

All around them on the big screens were several different games. A couple basketball games, some soccer and one or two hockey games. Rebecca's eyes went immediately to the nearest hockey game and Josh grinned when he saw it. It pleased him to no end that she was so into his sport now. He liked to think that it was because of him and their friendship but when she frowned at the screen, muttering something about a sloppy turnover, he realized it was just because she genuinely liked the game.

"How was your trip?" she asked, turning her attention back to him as the action on screen stopped with a whistle.

"All right," he said with a shrug. They'd lost four out of the six games; not their best road trip record. "You saw the games, didn't you?"

She nodded as her drink arrived. As she took a sip, her eyes danced over the rim of the glass. "I think you need to figure out how to take fewer penalties."

He huffed out a frustrated sigh. Yes, he did. Coach had told him as much as well as Sean, his captain. He knew what he had to do but he had felt himself almost rushing through each game, as if that were even possible. Something got into his mind and made him want to hurry through his shifts, like hurrying would get him back home quicker. Back to Rebecca.

"You play so well when you're focused," Rebecca said, a note of authority in her voice. "And I love it when you score on the other guys during one of their power plays."

Josh grinned, inordinately pleased by her compliment. "Thanks," he replied. "That means a lot."

She rolled her eyes at him and took another drink. "Oh sure. It means a lot coming from the hockey virgin over here."

The word threw him for a second and his mind was besieged by memories of her body in his hands. Her words from that night echoed at him and he felt like an ass all over again for how he'd treated her.

"I have something for you," he blurted, pushing the memories out of his head.

Her eyes widened. "What?"

"I have a present," he said and pulled the envelope out of his jacket pocket.

"Josh, you didn't have to get me anything," she said, a blush creeping up her neck and spreading across her cheeks as she met his gaze.

He shrugged. "It's not much," he said.

She smiled at him, her slender fingers pulling open the envelope. Looking down, she gasped as she saw what was inside. She pulled out the hockey ticket and lifted her eyes to his face.

"Amelia and some of the other wives and girlfriends are going and all the seats are together," he said, assuring her that he didn't expect her to go alone.

"Josh," she whispered and shook her head, still clutching the ticket before her. "Thank you so much."

"There's more," he said, nudging her knee with his.

"There is?" she replied and looked back inside the envelope, this time pulling out two pre-paid long distance phone cards. "Josh!" She gasped and this time, he knew she was really surprised.

"I thought you could use them to talk to Mary or your mom," he said, leaning close to check for the umpteenth time that he'd selected two hundred minute cards.

Before he knew it, she'd leaned across the space between them and thrown her arms around him. He smiled into her fragrant hair and held her close.

"I can't thank you enough," she murmured, her voice breathy against his ear. "This is the best gift I've ever received."

He laughed lightly at her as he ran a hand down her back. "I don't know about that," he replied. "But I'm glad you're happy."

She pulled back slightly to look at his face and he was surprised to see tears shining in her eyes. Then she leaned close, this time bringing their lips together.

For a moment, Josh didn't react, he was so shocked. Then he tightened his arms around her and kissed her back. She tasted just as he remembered, so sweet and she was so soft in his arms. She parted her lips and he felt the tentative stroke of her tongue against his all the way down to his groin. He lifted one hand to cup the back of her head, tangling his hands in her long, dark hair.

She made some small noise against his mouth and he drew back slightly, breathing hard. Their eyes met and he saw that hers had become much darker. It sent even more blood straight to his crotch, as if he had any more to spare. He kissed her again, watching her eyelids droop as he moved. A sigh left her lips and brushed against his, making him want to lay her on the bar beside him so he could have her at last.

"Josh," she murmured his name, their lips still so close they skimmed together as she spoke. "I've been wanting to do that for a long time."

He chuckled, still holding her close. God, his heart was beating so hard and he wasn't going to be able to conceal what else was hard in another minute. "Why haven't you?" he asked, almost afraid of the answer. Although, if he was being honest with himself, he still owed her an explanation for what had happened.

She blushed and bit her lower lip, her eyes dropping for a moment. Josh indulged for a moment, leaning close and kissing her lip, easing it from between her teeth. She kissed him back and made that enticing little noise again as he slipped his tongue inside her mouth. She shifted and if they'd been sitting anywhere else, she'd have crawled right into his lap. As it was, the bar stools didn't balance well and he had to hold her tightly to keep her from toppling over.

The movement startled her and she broke the kiss, laughing nervously as she glanced down. She tried to sit back but Josh didn't want to let her go, afraid that she might pull away all together. She grinned at him, her eyes sparkling brightly at him.

"I thought you didn't want me to," she finally answered.

"Why would you ever think that?" he asked in surprise.

Her eyebrows went up and he knew it was a stupid question. He tightened his arms around her and put their faces close together so he didn't have to speak too loudly. "I'm so sorry about that, Rebecca," he told her. "I didn't leave that night because I didn't want to..." he paused and thought about his words. Shaking his head, he glossed over it, feeling the flush heat his cheeks. "I wanted to, believe me. But, you said you didn't have any experience and I guess I got freaked out."

"Why?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper.

Josh could easily see the apprehension on her face and he hated that he'd made her feel anything less than beautiful. Because she was. She was the most breathtaking woman he'd ever known, in more ways than one. "At the time, I thought I didn't want that responsibility. I didn't want to be the guy to... you know..."

Rebecca studied his face for a minute, trying to figure out what he was saying. Then a grin split her face and she kissed him again. "Oh Josh," she murmured against his lips before pulling back again. "I said I don't have a lot of experience. Not that I'm a virgin."

His eyes widened as her words sunk in and then a grin spread slowly across his face. Unconsciously, he moved his hands lower down her back and she grinned back at him. "I'm an idiot," he said.

"Yes, you are," she agreed in a teasing voice.

He laughed briefly before sobering and cupping her cheek in one hand as he stared into her sapphire eyes. "You know, it wouldn't matter if you were."

"It mattered enough that night," she replied tartly, but he could see the smile in her eyes still.

"It did, but only because I was stupid," he agreed, being completely honest with her now. "I was stupid to leave and maybe a little stupid to have let things happen so fast then."

"I let them go quickly too," she interjected.

"I know," he said and drew in a deep breath. "And I liked that you did. But I was freaked out because I didn't think I wanted a relationship."

Rebecca was silent after he spoke and he studied her face for a long moment.

"And now?" she asked at length, her voice thick.

Swallowing, Josh stroked the pad of his thumb over her cheek. "Now I know how stupid I was. I don't want to stop seeing you."

"I don't want to stop seeing you either," she murmured with a smile.

"Well, good."

They simply smiled at each other for a long moment. Then Rebecca laughed breathlessly and wrapped her arms around him in another hug.

"Do you have an early practice tomorrow?" she asked.

"No," Josh replied quickly. "Do you have an early class?"

Rebecca drew back and he saw her biting her lower lip again. A pretty blush lay across her cheeks and he tamped down the urge to press her body up against his.

"Yes, but I think I could afford to skip one," she replied quietly.

He blinked as he processed her words and then grinned broadly.

"Do you want to come over?" she asked.

Instead of answering, he pushed her back and stood up abruptly. Reaching for his wallet, he drew out enough money to cover their tab before grabbing her hand. Rebecca laughed as he pulled her out of the bar, barely giving her time to put her jacket on.

She'd offered and he wasn't going to be stupid this time. He knew exactly what he wanted.

Rebecca's head was spinning. Barely ten minutes ago she'd been sitting in the bar with Josh and now he was standing so close all she could smell was his masculine scent of manufactured ice and crisp aftershave. She fumbled with her keys yet again and shot Josh a dirty look when he made an annoyed noise.

"Don't give me attitude," she scolded lightly.

His eyes narrowed playfully and she felt her stomach lurch. Then he was leaning close and she gladly lifted her face for another breathtaking kiss. The keys fell out of her hands and landed on the floor with a jangle. Breaking the kiss, she crouched down quickly to retrieve them, all the while more than aware of Josh's massive presence next to her.

At last, she opened the door and Josh's hands closed around her waist as it swung inward. She gasped and dropped the keys again. This time, Josh wouldn't let her bend to get them. He spun her in his arms and laid his lips over hers as he shuffled her backwards into her apartment. She heard him kick her keys inside with them and then he was spinning her again, this time pressing her back against the closed door.

His lips were so warm against hers and his tongue was so smooth inside her mouth. She lifted hers to meet his and for long moments she forgot where she was. She probably couldn't even have spoken her own name if someone had asked. Then she heard a click and jingle and pulled away from Josh.

"What was that?" she asked in confusion, breathing hard and feeling flushed all over.

"Just locking the door," Josh murmured, laying his lips to her cheek.

Sighing, Rebecca tilted her head sideways to let him kiss her. She dropped her purse on the floor beside her and pulled at her zipper. Josh's hands moved to help her and soon she was relieved of her heavy winter jacket. Then she lifted her hands to push at the jacket he wore. Chuckling, Josh stepped back and smiled into her face as he rid himself of his coat. Both were dropped on the floor with her purse and Josh reached for her again.

She went willingly, lifting her arms to circle his broad shoulders as he drew her close. His hands were warm and so sure as they moved up her back to cup the back of her head. She parted her lips as his mouth came down on hers and moaned when his kiss turned suddenly urgent. He sucked at her tongue, drawing it into his mouth as he sought to devour her. Her knees began to shake and she clutched his shoulders, afraid she might fall down.

Josh dropped his hands from her head and wrapped his arms around her waist. With his hold on her snug and so hot, he lifted her from her feet and carried her away from the door. She was barely aware she was moving. All she knew was that his kiss was so hot and her insides were turning to jelly. When he set her back on her feet again, the contact of the floor startled her and she broke away from their kiss.

He'd carried her into her bedroom and as she looked around, he was toeing his shoes off. She laughed and did the same, barely getting them off before Josh hauled her onto her bed with him. They tumbled onto her already messed up bed together and suddenly Josh's hands were everywhere. She gasped as he slid his palm under the hem of her sweater, touching her already burning skin with a feather light touch.

She reached down and cupped her hand around his cheek and his eyes lifted to her face. She grinned at him and he responded in kind, lifting himself over her to press his lips to hers. The kiss was hungry and his hands didn't stop moving on her. She arched into his hand as he slid it further up over her stomach.

"God, Rebecca," he muttered against her lips and lifted his head.

She gazed into his eyes with a smile, pleased to see that he looked as foggy as she felt at that moment. Lifting her head, she brought their lips together again. She did her best to keep the kiss light, sweet even, but he was desperate for more. She thought it might frighten her but she'd never felt more alive. Josh made every cell in her body sing.

Before she knew it was happening, he had her sweater off and his mouth was on her chest. She was heaving, gasping for breath as he gently pulled one of the cups of her bra down. Then his lips slid over her skin and his breath found her puckered nipple. Her fingers tightened on his shoulders an instant before he kissed her there, gently drawing the tip between his lips.

"Josh!" She gasped, squirming beneath him and twisting her legs together to ease the ache that had been building between her thighs since she first saw him at the pub that night.

He lifted his head and she looked down, meeting his gaze. He grinned at her, that sideways, impish grin and it completely undid her. His hand moved over her bared breast, gently cupping her and squeezing. Her breath caught in her throat as he lowered his head to suck on the sensitive tip, all the while never taking his eyes from hers. He was so intent on her, so intense that she felt a trembling begin in her arms.

As though he sensed it, he released her nipple and rose to meet her lips with his again. For a long time, he simply kissed her, sliding his lips across hers, his tongue just lightly teasing hers. He slid his hands beneath her body, holding her close and pulling their bodies together. She felt every rigid inch of him, from his muscular arms around her shoulders to his firm thighs pressed to hers. Then she felt the hot weight of something pressing into her lower abdomen and she moaned, realizing what it was.

She opened her mouth, sliding her tongue against his. She wanted to dive inside him; she wanted to cover herself with every inch of him. Her kiss was desperate and she felt him let go, swallowed his groan as he surrendered. It was as though he'd been holding back until then, letting her take the lead. The realization made her eyes sting and she blinked them rapidly, gazing into his sky blue eyes, dark now with desire.

"I want you so badly, Rebecca," he murmured, his breath stirring the errant hairs around her face. "I want to be inside you."

She swallowed, feeling her belly clench at his blunt words. "I want that too," she managed to say, not surprised when her voice came out strained.

He grinned and kissed her again, his hands moving once more on her body. He rolled so that she ended up on top of him. His hands slid up her back and he yanked roughly at her bra, trying to undo the clasp. Lifting her head with a light laugh, Rebecca reached back to take care of it for him, biting her lip at the hot gaze he raked over her naked chest when she tossed her bra away.

He sat up, his arms going around her waist and he kissed her bared collarbone. She held him there, breathing hard as his whiskers tickled her heated skin. Her fingers slid from his head down his sides until she grasped the end of his shirt. She gave it a good yank and he made a sound of annoyance as he leaned back to help her undress him.

Then she was left with the sight of his bared torso. She'd always known he was muscular and built; she'd felt his strength every time they hugged. But to actually see it, to be able to run her palms across the smooth surface of his broad chest, to wrap her fingers around his toned biceps... it was almost more than she could handle at this point.

Josh let her explore his body for a minute, watching her with shadowed eyes. Finally she met his gaze and bit her lower lip at the look in his eyes.

"Do I meet your standards?" he asked, his voice husky.

She giggled and nodded, feeling so light-headed and hot all over. "You'll do," she agreed and shrieked as he moved under her, throwing her onto her back on the bed.

He loomed over her, his face close to her own and she tilted her chin up to meet his kiss. But he moved past her lips, brushing the line of her jaw with his mouth and licking the sensitive spot just below her ear lobe. His breath was hot against her neck and she shivered when he licked her again, leaving a wet mark on her skin. His hands moved down her sides and tickled the space beneath her ribs. She gasped out a laugh and twitched under him but he wouldn't let her move. His body weight kept her pinned to the bed and she could do nothing but breathe as he continued to explore her body.

His hands skimmed the skin of her waist just above the line of her pants and she sucked in a breath, holding it for a long moment as he moved his fingers back and forth. Slowly, he moved his head until he was staring into her eyes again. She swallowed at the intense look on his face but didn't flinch as he undid the button at the top of her zipper. Her breath whooshed out of her as he slid the zipper down and pushed his hand inside to cup her over her damp panties.

"Rebecca," he growled her name, his fingers pressing against her.

She gasped and threw her head back, letting her eyes fall shut. The way he was touching her now, how he felt against her entire body was too much. She felt a trembling start in her legs and it traveled all through her, leaving her hanging weakly from his neck.

"Open your eyes," he whispered to her and she felt the exhalation with his words against her neck.

Before she did as he requested, she kept her head tipped up, allowing him to press moist kisses to the length of her throat. Finally his lips met hers again and she moaned into his mouth, her arms tightening around him. His fingers curled against her wet and aching center and she broke away from his kiss, sucking in a sharp breath.

"Open your eyes," he repeated, his voice a dangerously low again.

She obeyed this time, staring up into his blue eyes and opening her mouth on a silent cry as he slipped his finger inside her panties, touching her damp curls. He gently parted her and pressed a finger to that swollen bud.

"Josh," she moaned his name, her eyelids sweeping low again.

"Open them!" he growled at her and he coupled the words with a tender touch.

She did, breathing hard and erratically as she looked into his eyes. He stroked her again, slipping his fingers just inside of her as he moved lower. Her mouth fell open and she held her breath as he did it again, pushing a little further with each stroke. Then he added a stroke of his thumb across that spot above and she dug her fingers into his shoulders.

"God, you're beautiful," he whispered, his voice hoarse. "So...beautiful..." His voice broke on the last word and Rebecca smiled, feeling something uncoil within her.

He slid two fingers all the way inside her, coupling it with a stroke to her clit and she let go, jerking hard against his hand as she came. He held her, lowering his head to press kisses to her throat, to her cheeks, to her closed eyelids. He kept stroking her, turning her inside out and making her bones turn to liquid fire. Every part of her shuddered as she rode the crest of her orgasm.

As she was coming down, she felt Josh pull his hand out of her panties and then he was tugging gently on them and her pants. She wriggled weakly with him, trying to help as he slid them down over her legs, leaving her completely naked beneath him. He swept his eyes from her toes all the way back up to her eyes and it was such a blatantly hungry look that Rebecca felt the twinge all the way inside her.

He moved away momentarily and when he rolled back against her, she felt that he was naked as well. She reached out, suddenly wanting to feel more of him. She met a rough line of hair low on his abdomen, circling his navel and trailing lower. He grabbed her chin in one big hand and kissed her, his tongue sweeping inside to taste her again. She held her palms against his stomach as he kissed her, making her forget the purpose of her exploration.

Then she felt his thigh sliding between her own and rising until the coarse hairs of his leg brushed against her molten center. She opened her mouth further and moaned as Josh sucked her lower lip between his, nibbling lightly. His hand slid down her side and cupped her bottom, pulling her closer. She felt his erection press into her hip and made an inarticulate sound as his thigh flexed against her again.

"Josh, please," she moaned against his lips, gasping for air.

"What?" he asked, his voice low and gravelly again.

He kissed her again instead of waiting for a response. This kiss was more than the others; Rebecca could feel the desperate change in it all the way to her toes. She hung on weakly to the back of his neck as he moved over again. This time his thigh was pushing hers apart and then she felt his hard length sliding between her lower lips.

Her eyes flew open and she stared into his as he ended the kiss. For a long moment they stared into each other's eyes, searching, maybe looking for any sign of hesitation. When he found none in her gaze, he lowered his lips to hers once more. His kiss was soft, so light and tender that she felt her heart stutter within her chest. One of his arms held her around her waist and the other cradled her head as he continued to kiss her. He gently eased his mouth over hers, teasing her lips with his tongue as he moved his body against hers.

She felt his muscles tense and felt the solid tip of his cock slide against her opening. Her breath caught in her chest and she dug her fingers into his shoulders. His kiss remained gentle, as did his hold on her body. His eyes remained on hers as he flexed his hips and slipped ever so slowly inside of her.

Rebecca couldn't believe how slowly he moved, as though he was afraid of hurting her. He nuzzled her lower lip and dipped his head lower to slide his tongue along the column of her throat. As she sucked in another desperate breath, he slid further inside of her. He was burning her up by moving so slow and she wondered if she was going to dissolve into steam if he kept it up.

Then his kisses moved across her cheek and to her ear. It was then that she heard the raggedness of his own breathing and knew that he was struggling just as she was. She wanted him to feel as amazing as he was making her feel.

So she slid one hand lower, over the tight muscles of his back and down the slope of his waist to his perfect ass. She raked her nails lightly over his skin and grinned wickedly when his head snapped up again. He met her gaze and took in her smile before grinning in response. His eyes narrowed and he pushed in, all the way in this time.

"Oh," she breathed, her eyes widening as she felt all of him inside her, as she felt his hips resting so perfectly against her own. "Oh, Josh."

He dipped his head and kissed her, no longer gentle, no longer teasing. No, he plundered her ruthlessly, sliding his tongue under and around hers as he pulled himself out and thrust back in. Her fingers tightened on his ass and she felt him rubbing her just the right way, building her up yet again.

He moved his hand from her waist, sliding it up over her ribs until he was gently squeezing her nipple between his fingers. His other arm kept their faces close together, his hand lightly playing with her hair as it was splayed out across her pillows. He bit down on her lower lip, not hard enough to hurt but just hard enough that she felt a twinge in her belly. And all the while, his hips moved against hers, pulling back and pushing in with such agonizingly slow strokes that she thought she might pass out from the pleasure.

She lifted her legs and felt him slip deeper inside. He groaned at the contact and lifted his head to stare into her eyes. She was gratified to hear his harsh breathing as it matched her own. He lifted his hand from her breast and cupped her cheek before brushing another kiss across her lips. Then he thrust the hand between them and stroked her above their joined bodies.

A cry escaped her as that sensation snapped something inside of her and she was careening through another orgasm. Her legs and arms all tightened around him and she arched under his body, sliding and falling through her climax. As she began to glide down the other side, she felt Josh trembling all around her as he struggled to maintain his slow pace.

"Rebecca..." he hissed her name, kissing her desperately. "Rebecca, I can't... I can't hold back..."

She grinned against his mouth and this time it was her biting down on his lip. His eyes flew open in surprise before he kissed her back, his movements suddenly turning erratic.

"So don't," she breathed, moving her lips to his ear and sucking his ear lobe into her mouth. "Don't hold back. I want you to let go." Even as she spoke the words, she felt a blush spread all through her body but she didn't care.

She held Josh close as he moved faster, his mouth falling to the joint of her neck and shoulder. His arms went around her shoulders and their bodies slid together, sweaty and dangerously overheated. Rebecca sucked on the pulse point just under his jaw, her breathing rough and uneven as Josh brought their bodies together with jarring thrusts. He was so deep within her, so hot and hard and she wondered if he was ever going to lose control.

Then he did, between one breath and the next. His teeth grazed the skin of her neck and he made some low noise as every muscle in his body tensed up. She held him, her heart pounding and her blood singing as he pounded into her frantically.

After a long moment, his movements slowed and finally stilled. He lifted his head and planted a weak kiss to her lips. She returned it, cradling him close as the trembling in both their bodies eased.

At length, he pulled out of her and they lay together, not speaking, only falling fast asleep.

Sometime during the night, Josh woke her again, hungry to feel her body rising to his touch. It was softer this time, slower and somehow even more intense. Rebecca moaned, crying out as he brought her such pleasure and she straddled his hips with his guidance to draw the same sounds from his throat.

Then in the morning, they repeated the process, sliding together and tangling the covers around their naked bodies as they took pleasure in each other.

When at last Josh felt reason return, he smiled into Rebecca's deep blue eyes and lightly ran a finger over her lips. She mimicked his touch, easing her fingers over his mouth. He parted his lips and nipped at her fingertip, drawing a delightful giggle from her.

"Are you sorry you skipped your class this morning?" he asked, not that he was worried about her answer; the way Rebecca had responded to him all night made him fairly sure of her response. He just wanted to hear her say it.

"Not at all," she replied and cupped his cheek in her hand.

Breathing a sigh of relief, he turned his head and planted a kiss in the center of her palm. She shivered in his arms at the contact so he did it again, feeling his body stir yet again. She felt it too and her eyes widened innocently. He gave her a sheepish grin, thinking he must seem like such a hound dog to her.

"I hope I didn't hurt you at all," he said.

"Oh, you didn't, Josh," she replied quickly and lifted her head to kiss his chin. "You didn't do anything but make me feel amazing."

"Well, you should. You are amazing."

She blushed and he watched it spread up her neck to her face. He leaned down to trace the path of color with his tongue. She made a breathy sound that he recognized already as her surrender. So he surrendered too and they started all over at the beginning.

A few days later, Rebecca leapt to her feet with a scream as Josh angled past the opposing team's net, the puck ricocheting off his stick and over the goalie's shoulder. The buzzer went off and the entire arena went insane. He'd done it again; scored a short-handed goal, something Rebecca was coming to understand was his specialty.

Turning, she high-fived Amelia and the other woman sitting around her. As the crowd settled down, the announcer came over the loud speakers to announce the goal and Rebecca remained on her feet to cheer for him. Her eyes easily found him sitting on the bench with his teammates, his eyes gazing up at the jumbotron hanging over center ice. Then his eyes dropped slightly and she knew he was meeting her excited gaze.

He winked and Rebecca felt it across the space between them and all the way down between her legs. Shuddering, she plopped back into her seat and pressed cool hands to her suddenly hot cheeks. Beside her, Amelia nudged her playfully and she knew there was no hiding her expression from the other woman.

Later, Rebecca loitered outside the locker room with the other wives and family members as well as several media people. She gazed around herself with interest and thought that Josh had been right, as well as Amelia.

There was nothing like live hockey and she didn't know how she could go back to watching the games on television now that she knew what it was really like. Her ears still rang with the screams of the crowd and the staccato knocking of the puck against sticks or off the boards. Her body recalled every one of the hits and she didn't need to close her eyes to see the smooth moves each athlete made as he moved across the ice.

She grinned as she thought about her first 'lessons' with Josh all those weeks ago. Since she was an experienced student, she felt confident in saying that she'd passed Hockey 101. Now she was ready for Life With a Hockey Star 201.

Shaking her head, she was distracted as the door to the locker room opened. Her face split into a grin as she saw Josh, her favorite of those athletes she'd just watched. He ignored the media who tossed questions at him as soon as he appeared and moved right through them all until he was lifting Rebecca into his arms. She laughed and hugged him, congratulating him on the win.

"You're my good luck charm, Rebecca," he told her, sounding serious. There was a glint in his eyes that told her he was teasing. "I think you're going to have to come to every game from now on."

She laughed and kissed his cheek. "Yeah, right. You easily won games without me for a long time."

Gently he set her back on her feet and cupped her face in both his hands. The look in his eyes shifted from playful to something more, something deeply intimate. She felt a blush stain her cheeks and lowered her lashes shyly.

"But now that I know what it's like to win with you sitting in the stands, I don't ever want to do it without you again," he said softly, for her ears only.

Her blush deepened but she didn't care because Josh was kissing her and his hold on her was firm, and warm and she was falling so hard for him she didn't know which way was up anymore.

It was terrifying but more than all right.​