Romance The Ice-Breaker

Kaitlyn skimmed a hand over the steaming bath water before relaxing her head against the edge, expelling a deep sigh. It had been an amazing, mind-blowing three days since she'd last worked. All spent with Alex, mostly in his bed. They hadn't been together the entire time; even now he was at a midday practice at the Saddledome, which was why she was indulging in her second middle-of-the-day-bath in seven days.

Has it only been that long? she wondered, her eyes sliding shut. Her time with Alex felt surreal, like a dream. She hadn't even spoken to or seen Joel in four days, not since they'd had dinner with Julia.

A smile touched her lips and she opened her eyes. Joel must think she'd died or something. They typically talked every other day, mainly because she went to his lounge after work. Since she hadn't been working, or even home at night, she'd been neglecting Joel something awful. A groan slipped out of her mouth as she thought about the multitude of messages she would have on her cell and home phones. She'd been ignoring her cell phone altogether, keeping it turned off the entire time she'd been with Alex.

With a sigh, she got out of the tub and wrapped a towel around herself. A glance at the clock told her Alex would be back within the hour and she wanted to be dressed before he came home. If she wasn't, she'd never get out of his house.

Not that that's a bad thing, she thought and a shiver chased up her spine at the memories.

Shaking the thoughts from her head, she got dressed and walked downstairs. She had gone home the day after their first night together, wanting fresh clothes and some other necessities. After that, Alex hadn't let her leave. He'd all but held her captive; willing captive though she was.

Kaitlyn started to hum as she let her mind wander. She made herself a cup of tea and sat on one of his couches in the living room, making herself comfortable. Glad that she'd brought herself a book, she cracked the cover and began to read.

Ah, this is much better than navigating that stupid game, she thought, another smile touching her lips. The video game was only fun when Alex was there to 'help' her. Shaking her head, she re-read the first line on the page and continued reading from there. It didn't take long before she realized she'd read the same page twice. Sighing, she closed the book and held her steaming mug of tea with both hands. Her gaze wandered over the big front window and the quiet street beyond.

It should feel strange to be in his house alone, she thought. It didn't, for whatever reason. Every morning, Alex had left her there for a few hours while he went to practice. Then he'd come home, they'd talked and laughed and made love for hours afterward. A blush crossed Kaitlyn's cheeks at the memories. She hadn't been so turned on by a man in years. It was wonderfully refreshing and more than a little unnerving.

The more her mind wandered, the more she wondered what it would be like when they both went back to work. Alex would be back to traveling every few days, sometimes for a week at a time or more, and she'd be back to a full week at the book store. Granted, with her extra employees, she wouldn't be putting in anymore sixty hour weeks, but it would still be different for them.

Can this work outside this house? she wondered, chewing on her bottom lip. They hadn't even ventured out together since that day at the mall, except to go to the grocery store as she'd threatened. Are we even dating? Or is this the start of a friendship with benefits?

No, she shook her head firmly and sipped her tea. We're more than friends.

They talked about everything under the sun and were comfortable being silent together. In the mornings before he'd gone to practice, they'd shared breakfast and he'd read the newspaper while she did the crossword, all without any awkwardness or need to fill the silence with small talk.

Kaitlyn groaned and covered her eyes with one hand. She had no idea what to think about what was happening between her and Alex. She wondered if they should maybe have a talk before either of them went back to work.

Oh, that's a great idea, Kait, she thought as she rolled her eyes. Scare him off with 'the talk' before you've even known each other two weeks.

Still, however awkward it might be, she knew they needed to figure it out. For some reason, it didn't scare her as badly as she thought it would. Maybe in the back of her mind, she already knew they'd figure it out.

Or she just hoped badly enough that they would.

"Perdy, dude, what happened to your back?"

Alex turned and looked over at his teammate, Eric, gaping at the back of his shoulders. Grimacing, Alex faced forward again, reaching for his towel to mop the water dripping from his wet hair. They'd all finished practice a short while ago and a few guys were still in the locker room, changing after their showers. Alex knew, without looking, exactly what Eric was referring to. Some small part of him had hoped his scratch marks from Kaitlyn would have healed by now but another part of him, the very male, Y-chromosome infused part of him, was glad for the marks.

"Oh shit," Brian spoke up, peering around Eric to check out Alex's back. Then his face split into a grin and he barked out a laugh. "How much time have you been spending with your lady, Perdy?"

Alex grinned and rubbed his hair dry, not caring if it looked haphazard when he set the towel down again. "Not nearly enough time," he answered.

"That's from your woman?" Eric asked incredulously. "It looks like you wrestled with a cat."

Alex's smile turned sly and he winked at Eric. "That's one way of putting it."

Eric met his eyes and howled with laughter. Brian laughed along with him, both of them drawing the attention of the other guys in the room. A few guys looked over and whistled at Alex's scratched back.

"She's an animal!" someone called.

Alex just shook his head. Kaitlyn wasn't an animal. She was a warm, sensual and passionate lover, who just happened to scratch his back terribly when she came. The memory brought a secret smile to his lips that had the guys teasing him relentlessly for the next several minutes.

"Does she purr like a cat too?" Eric asked with a smirk.

Alex scoffed. She purred, growled and screamed like a woman, because she was a woman.

"Is this why you haven't come out with us this week?" Brian asked. They'd all been going for lunch or evening drinks since the start of the Olympics. They'd been watching the events at the bars and restaurants, spending downtime together and cheering on their respective countries at the games. Alex had declined every time, much more eager to get home to the beautiful woman he knew he had waiting for him.

"Yup," he said to Brian. "And I don't feel bad about it, at all."

Brian snorted. "I wouldn't either."

Alex raised an eyebrow at him and smirked. "Aren't you married?"

"Am I? I just thought that was my housekeeper at home."

Alex laughed and Eric shook his head at Brian's words. "Brave man, talking like that without your wife around to hear it."

Brian shrugged, looking utterly unrepentant. They all knew he was devoted to his wife, he just had a wicked side they all knew too well.

"Just don't let your lady injure you," Eric said, eyeing the red stripes on Alex's shoulder and lower back. "Maybe get her to put some disinfectant on you."

"Yeah, Coach'd have your ass if you got sick when we head back to our regular schedule," Brian added with a laugh.

Alex nodded and pulled a shirt over his head. He wasn't worried about getting sick. If anything, his time with Kaitlyn was energizing. Coach and the other players had commented on it in the past several days. His work on the ice was improving with each practice and his speed and accuracy had improved by leaps and bounds. The real concern would be if he could keep it up while away from her when he left the city for away games.

It wasn't the first time the thought had crossed his mind. This time with Kaitlyn was great, but not exactly how an average relationship would progress. At least, he didn't think it was. Him being off in the middle of February was definitely a one time deal, and he knew Kaitlyn well enough by now to know that this holiday of hers was rare. Once the week was over, and the NHL got back into the swing of things, they'd be lucky to see each other every three days.

He wasn't afraid that they'd lose touch. They'd bonded in the past few days and he wasn't just thinking of their physical compatibility; it did bring a smile to his lips every time he pictured her face, flushed with passion and her eyes hazy with lust. He talked to her more than he'd ever talked to any of his friends. They talked about everything; family, work, stories of their youth, what they wanted to do with their lives.

Time wasn't a factor when he thought of Kaitlyn. He shouldn't feel so attached to her after such a short time. He should be nervous about her spending time alone in his house but he didn't. He trusted her and couldn't wait to get back to her every day. Maybe their time together this past week was unusual and maybe they'd never have a chance like this again. Either way, he felt lucky that they'd been able to do it and maybe, just maybe, it would be enough of a foundation to make it last.

With that thought rolling over and over in his mind, he finished getting dressed and hurried from the Saddledome.

Kaitlyn jumped when the front door opened and Alex walked in. She turned her head from her mindless stare at the dark fireplace and smiled when she saw him enter. "Hey," she greeted him, shifting and setting her half-empty mug down on the table.

"Hello, gorgeous," he replied as he hung up his coat and kicked his boots off.

As always, his deep voice greeting her made her insides warm. He hurried towards her, dropping onto the couch and hauling her into his lap. She sighed and went willingly, melting against his broad chest when he bent his head to kiss her. The brush of his lips was soft and swift against hers, then he moved on to kiss the fading mark he'd left on her neck. She shivered as he kissed her, his warm tongue sliding over the sensitive spot before he drew back.

"Hi," he murmured, close to her lips.

Grinning, Kaitlyn looped her arms around his shoulders and pulled herself closer. His hands grasped her waist and helped, until they were pressed together from hip to chest.

"I was just about to leave," she said, stifling a laugh at his immediate pout.

"Good thing I took the shortcut home then," he replied, running his fingers through her hair. "Can't have you escaping."

Kaitlyn laughed out loud and shook her head. Alex smiled and brushed her hair over her shoulders, leaning forward to kiss her again. Kaitlyn let him, enjoying the way he lazily explored the inside of her mouth. When he released her, she sat back with a sigh.

"That's not fair," she mumbled.

He chuckled deeply and she shivered when the sound vibrated through her body. "I think it's too fair." He cupped her cheek in his hand and smiled. "You were going to leave?"

She giggled and turned her head to kiss his palm. "Not forever, Alex. I should get home and check my messages, water my plants, do some laundry..." she trailed off when she saw his pout reappear. "Don't give me that look," she scolded in a light-hearted tone and nipped the end of one of his fingers. "It's not like I'm going to another city."

"I don't want you to go," he said, his voice devoid of his usual playful tone.

Kaitlyn's heart melted a little bit more when she took in his expression. He did look forlorn at the idea of her going home, even for an afternoon.

"Why don't you come over to my place tonight?" she suggested. "I'll make dinner and you can even rent some gory, war-torn movie for us to watch."

He brightened a little at her words and she had to laugh. He'd been right days ago when he explained how men and women differ in their attempts to woo each other. Alex liked his beer, his manly movies and he definitely liked his woman naked.

Kaitlyn shuddered as the thought crossed her mind. She leaned against him again, purposefully bringing her breasts flush against his hard chest.

"What are you doing?" he asked, his voice dropping an octave.

"Alex," she murmured, tilting her head and nibbling at the strong line of his jaw. "Can I ask you something and will you promise not to make fun of me for being a girl?"

His answering chuckle made her bite back a moan. His hands slid up and down her back, making her tingle and she sighed a little bit when his hands found the bare flesh exposed at the bottom of her shirt. "I like the fact that you're a girl, gorgeous," he told her. "And if you keep this up, I'll promise you anything."

Kaitlyn smiled, fully aware of her substantial power over him. It was a heady feeling that she wasn't sure she'd ever get used to. She pulled her mind back to the question she had. "Am I your woman?" she asked, feeling her face warm at the words.

Alex's hands stilled on her back and she stopped kissing him, but she didn't sit up. Then Alex continued to stroke her, his palm warm on the bare skin beneath her shirt. "Do you want to be?" he asked.

"What an infuriating answer," she laughed and rested her head on his shoulder. She looked up as he turned his face down to her. "I wouldn't have asked if I didn't."

"Then I guess that's that," he replied with a grin. He touched her cheek, easing his fingertips over her features and across her lips. "You're my woman."

She smiled, inordinately pleased by his simple words. Lifting herself up, she planted a sloppy kiss on his cheek, making him laugh. Then she pushed herself off of him, standing beside the couch.

"What the hell?" he asked, looking confused as she walked away. "You ask me that and you're still going to leave?"

She laughed and nodded. He grumbled as he rose to his feet and followed her to the entryway. He watched as she pulled her coat and shoes on, a scowl on his handsome face and his big arms crossed over his chest. With a smirk, Kaitlyn stood on her toes to kiss him good-bye.

She should have known Alex wouldn't let her go without a struggle.

Before she knew it was happening, he crushed her in his arms. He pushed her back several steps until she felt the wall press against her shoulders. His mouth came down on hers, hard, and he ruthlessly shoved his tongue between her lips. She moaned into his mouth and jerked against him when his hands pushed beneath her jacket. As he stroked hot hands over her skin, she trembled, barely keeping up with his wicked tongue.

All too soon, he released her, parting their lips and taking a full step away from her in one move. She stared up at him, dazed by the kiss and by the dark look in his eyes.

"You sure you still want to go?" he asked.

Kaitlyn blinked and came back to herself. She fixed Alex with a weak glare and pushed his hands from her waist. "Jerk," she hissed but then reached up to kiss him to take the sting out of her word. "I'll see you tonight. Six o'clock sharp." With that, she opened the front door and walked out.

As she'd suspected, there were about a dozen messages on each of her phones when she checked them. One or two from Julia, wanting to know how her date with Alex had gone; the rest from Joel, demanding to know where the hell she was. Kaitlyn was clearing the messages on her cell phone when her home phone rang. Jumping, she glared at the caller ID and rolled her eyes when she saw Joel's familiar number.

"House of love, Aphrodite speaking," she said in a falsetto voice.

"Oh, so you are alive," Joel grumbled, not responding to her joke at all. "I was just wondering if I should call the police and tell them my cousin has been kidnapped by a Calgary Flame."

"Hmm... well, is it still considered kidnapping if she goes willingly?" Kaitlyn replied, closing her cell phone and tossing it on the couch beside her.

"No. I guess that's just abandonment."

"Abandonment?" Kaitlyn repeated with a laugh. "When did you get so dramatic?"

"Around the time my best friend dropped off the face of the earth."

"I didn't fall off the planet," Kaitlyn retorted, unable to keep from smiling. "I was just-"

"In a black hole? Also known as Alex's house?"

"Sure. Let's go with that."

"Kait! I can't believe you just disappeared for four days. I was starting to get worried."

Kaitlyn rolled her eyes and tucked her feet up under her body. "There was no need to worry, Joel. I'm an adult, for crying out loud. You're the one who told me to take a vacation."

"Not from me!"

"Oh, stop being such a needy friend."

"I'm family, Kait."

"You're also my best friend and I didn't think I'd need to remind you of that."

A pause. "So you've been with Alex this whole time?"

"Yes."

Another pause, then Joel huffed out an annoyed sound. "You still could have called."

Kaitlyn couldn't help but laugh at Joel's wounded tone. "For heaven's sake, Joel. What can I do to make it up to you?"

"A chocolate cake smothered in cream cheese icing?"

Wrinkling her nose, Kaitlyn knew she'd never hear the end of it if she didn't. She rarely had time to bake, even though it was one of her favorite hobbies. Joel's favorite was her scratch chocolate cake and homemade icing. It was easy enough to do, so she agreed and Joel announced that he was coming over today.

"Why?" she asked.

"Because I want to hear all about it, Kait. You're not going to get rid of me so you might as well just make enough dinner for me and Julia and accept it."

"You and Julia?" Kaitlyn repeated. "Dinner? I have plans tonight already."

"\Alex won't mind if we're there too, will he?" Joel correctly guessed her 'plans,' making Kaitlyn frown.

She didn't think Alex would mind, and knew enough of her cousin's stubborn streak to know he was serious. Exhaling in annoyance, Kaitlyn agreed.

"I'm at home now, just cleaning and doing laundry so you can come over whenever," she told him.

"Cool. I'll pick up Julia around three and then we'll be over."

"OK. See you then."

They ended the call and Kaitlyn glared at her phone. With a sigh, she tossed it on the couch beside her, getting up to see to her chores. She started with laundry and while that was going, she cleaned the kitchen and bathroom. Lastly, she showered and changed, and then got to work on the cake.

As promised, Joel and Julia showed up shortly after three and the three of them sat around her living room with drinks as Kaitlyn confessed about her time with Alex.

"I'm not going to tell you everything," she warned, unable to hide the blush that stained her cheeks.

Julia giggled at her expression and Joel rolled his eyes before making a gagging motion with his finger.

"We don't want all the gory details," Joel assured her. "I just can't believe you took time off work. You never take my suggestions."

Kaitlyn shrugged. "You were right. I was ready for a vacation and it was just good timing for Alex."

"You didn't just take a holiday because you knew you could see Alex every day, did you?" Julia asked, leaning forward.

"Of course not," Kaitlyn replied. "It was just a perk!"

They all laughed at her repetition of Joel's words from their dinner together.

"You've been with him this whole time?" Julia asked.

"Mostly," Kaitlyn answered. "We went for dinner on Monday, then I helped him shop for some artwork for his house on Tuesday, and I ended up spending Tuesday night at his place." She blushed, memories of their first time swamping her mind.

"Would you have spent the night if you'd been working?" Joel asked.

"No," Kaitlyn said. Then she shrugged as she amended her answer, "maybe. He's very convincing." This she said with a secretive smile that had Joel gagging again and Julia laughing.

"You promised no details!" Joel exclaimed.

"Those weren't details!" Kaitlyn retorted with a laugh. "Details would be how he made his move, what we were wearing-"

"Stop! Stop!" Joel cried and fled from the room.

Kaitlyn looked over to see Julia almost rolling on the floor with merriment. Kaitlyn joined in her laughter and when Joel came back into the living room, he gave Kaitlyn a fierce scowl.

"No more sex talk," he ordered.

She relented and shared a few vague details about how she'd spent the next few days with Alex. Then they all chatted about their lives, Joel sharing how he'd been promoted to a shift supervisor at the lounge and Julia talked about a breakthrough on her thesis. Kaitlyn went into the kitchen after a little while to ice the chocolate cake, smacking Joel's knuckles with the spatula when he tried to get an early taste.

"Meanie," he grumbled and managed to scoop some icing onto his finger anyway.

Kaitlyn was prepping the salad for dinner when the buzzer to the apartment sounded. Glancing at the clock, she realized it must be Alex. She felt nervous, wondering if he'd be upset that her friends were there. She'd meant to call and warn him but had been caught up in her conversation with Joel and Julia.

Ah well, she thought as she walked to the intercom.Nothing to be done about it now.

A few minutes later, Alex's heavy knock sounded on the door and she answered it. He grinned at her, his eyes twinkling and she sucked in a breath. To her, he looked more handsome than ever. Maybe it was the fact that they'd been apart for several hours now. She didn't care and she didn't care that her two best friends were peeking down the hall as Alex pulled her into his arms.

She allowed him a brief kiss, stepping back deliberately and willing her heart rate to slow down. "I'm sorry," she murmured to him, smiling when his face fell.

"For what? Are you going to make me leave?" he asked, looking truly worried that she would kick him out.

She covered her laugh with one hand and shook her head. "No, but we're not alone tonight."

"Hey, Alex!" Joel's boisterous voice broke into their embrace and Alex jumped in surprise.

Laughing, Kaitlyn stepped out of his arms and walked back into the kitchen.

"I hope you don't mind. Me and Julia invited ourselves for dinner tonight," Joel said, coming forward to shake Alex's hand.

"No, I don't mind," Alex replied, throwing a look in Kaitlyn's direction.

She merely smiled and shrugged one shoulder in apology. Joel led Alex into the living room and introduced him to Julia. Kaitlyn followed in a few minutes, after making sure everything was on track for dinner.

"So Kaitlyn tells us you like to play hockey?" Julia joked as Alex sat down on the couch.

He laughed and nodded. "That's true," he agreed. "Not that Kaitlyn would know anything about it."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Kaitlyn replied and smacked his arm with one hand.

Grinning, he reached for her hand, clasping it in his and drawing her close. Under Julia and Joel's curious gazes, Kaitlyn flushed but didn't pull away. After a moment of silence, Joel cleared his throat and started asking about Alex's practices.

"I think we're doing all right," Alex said. "The practices are helping us all get organized again. The new guys are settling in well, I think."

"That's good," Joel replied. "You never know how trades will affect your roles."

Alex nodded. "They're great guys and we all get along. So far, it's been a smooth transition."

They all continued to chat and laugh together until Kaitlyn announced that dinner was ready. Since her little kitchen table wasn't big enough for all four of them, they carefully loaded their plates and sat around the living room.

"If anyone spills anything, I'll make you pay," she threatened, pointing a fork at her cousin.

"What? You think I'm going to make a mess?" Joel asked, looking insulted.

"There are very few things I'm sure of in this world, Joel, and you being tidy is not one of them."

"You wound me, cuz," he replied and scooped a sloppy forkful of rice into his mouth.

Shaking her head, Kaitlyn chose to ignore him. They ate their meals, talking occasionally between bites and Kaitlyn relaxed even more. Again there was this strange feeling that she should feel awkward, and just didn't. In spite of the short amount of time that they'd been dating, Kaitlyn didn't feel embarrassed. From the way Alex spoke to Joel and Julia, she didn't think he felt out of place either. All together, it gave her a wonderfully satisfied feeling and she couldn't stop the smile from curving her lips.

She caught a look Julia was giving her and her friend winked at her. Smothering her laughter, Kaitlyn looked away and kept eating. When everyone was done, Kaitlyn and Julia carried the dirty dishes into the kitchen and left the guys debating the merits of off-season training.

"He's seems real nice, Kait," Julia said in a low voice as they scraped the dishes clean and loaded the dishwasher.

Flushing but smiling, Kaitlyn nodded at her friend. "He's great."

"Well, I know you think so, but he's very friendly and didn't seem upset at all that we just sprang ourselves at him."

"Yeah, I meant to call and warn him but time just got away from me," Kaitlyn told her with a rueful smile. She straightened and wiped her hands on a towel.

"You were going to warn him? What, did you think we'd give him the third degree or something?"

Kaitlyn giggled and shook her head. "Not you." She crooked her finger at Julia and they tiptoed towards the open doorway. Both women peered around the corner to find Joel and Alex speaking in low tones. They could just make out their words and could easily see the stern look on Joel's face.

"She's amazing," Alex said, giving Kaitlyn a secret thrill.

"You don't have to tell me that," Joel replied dryly. "She's been my best friend since we could walk."

"I know. She talks about you a lot."

"All good, I hope."

"Mostly," Alex agreed and they both chuckled.

After another moment, Joel leaned forward, resting his forearms on his knees as he fixed Alex with a firm look. "You know I think you're a good guy and a great hockey player but Kaitlyn's my family."

Alex said nothing but he nodded at Joel's words. Kaitlyn bit her lip. She felt her heart go out to the hockey player, growing a little bit wider with her growing affection for him.

"I don't want to see her get hurt," Joel went on.

"I don't want that either," Alex agreed, his voice flat and serious.

"I'd hate to have to stop watching the Flames because something happened between you two."

At this, Alex chuckled and he leaned forward, meeting Joel's hard gaze head on. "I won't let anything bad happen, Joel. Kaitlyn is..." he paused and shook his head. "She's... amazing. I'm willing to do whatever it takes to make this work."

Joel seemed appeased by Alex's words and he sat back, a relaxed look coming back over his face. As their conversation again turned to hockey, Kaitlyn and Julia moved back into the kitchen. Kaitlyn didn't know what expression she had on her face but Julia covered her mouth with her hand, her eyes dancing.

"What?" Kaitlyn hissed.

"Kait, he's in love with you!" Julia whispered.

Kaitlyn laughed and whirled away from her friend. "Don't be ridiculous, Jules. We've only known each other for two weeks."

"It's not ridiculous," Julia insisted. She followed Kaitlyn as she pulled down small plates for the cake. "Don't you believe in love at first sight?"

Kaitlyn threw Julia a look over her should but her friend wouldn't stop grinning. "I can't believe you're even saying this, Jules. Aren't you the one with the ten point rating system for the guys you date?"

Julia laughed and waved a dismissive hand in Kaitlyn's direction. "That's me. I've always known I'd have to work through the losers before I find my soulmate."

"Soulmate?" Kaitlyn repeated and shook her head. "That's enough, Julia. I don't want to hear anymore from you."

Julia didn't let up. She continued to whisper to Kaitlyn, telling her that she could already picture Kaitlyn in a white dress and Alex in a handsome tuxedo. Their wedding song was going to be Amazed, by Lonestar, and they'd get married in July at the Wedding Pavilion in northwest Calgary. Kaitlyn stopped trying to cut the cake because she was shaking so badly with laughter. Eventually, Joel popped his head into the kitchen to see what the hold-up was.

"I want my cake!" he announced and marched forward to take the knife from Kaitlyn's hand. "Go check on your boyfriend, Kait. I think he's shellshocked from meeting us."

Still grinning from her ridiculous conversation with Julia, Kaitlyn hurried from the kitchen. She walked over to where Alex was resting his head against the back of the couch with his eyes closed. She studied him for a moment, taking in the strong line of his jaw and the darkness of his eyelashes against his cheek. As though he could feel her eyes on him, he opened his and grinned at her. When he lifted his hand towards her, she walked over and slipped her hand into his. He pulled her down and she couldn't do anything but sit in his lap.

"I've missed you," he murmured and brushed his lips over hers as he slid his fingers through her loose hair.

She shuddered at the caress and laid her hands on his broad shoulders. "We've been in the same room for hours," she replied with a smile.

"Yeah, but I haven't been able to touch you or kiss you."

"That's a problem, is it?" she asked playfully.

His mouth quirked at one corner and Kaitlyn stared into his twinkling eyes. Her stomach exploded with butterflies when she saw his pupils expanding to overtake the beautiful hazel irises. "It's a huge problem," he told her and cupped the back of her head in his hand. "I can't help but kiss you when we're together."

"Then you'd better do it now before we get caught," she whispered, already sliding closer.

Alex grinned wickedly before pulling her head down, claiming her mouth. She sighed a little and opened when she felt the moist touch of his tongue on her lips. He delved inside, sliding his tongue languidly around hers. He teased her, going deep, then backing off until he was barely touching her lips.

With a sound that was half-sigh, half-groan, Kaitlyn clutched at his neck and pressed their lips together. She wanted more. She'd thought he was joking when he'd said he'd missed her but she realized she'd missed him too. Even the brief physical distance between them since that morning made her want him more. So she slid her tongue into his mouth, tangled with his and dragged her nails through the hair at the back of his head. He made a sound in her mouth and his arms tightened around her waist, stealing her breath.

A nervous cough broke into their embrace and it Kaitlyn a few seconds to remember that they weren't alone in her apartment. Alex let his head fall back as she broke the kiss, and the look in his eyes told her he was equally as frustrated with the interruption as she was. Looking over her shoulder, she saw her friends each holding two plates of chocolate cake and uncomfortable looks on their faces.

"Sorry," Kaitlyn mumbled and made a move to get off of Alex's lap. His hands clamped down firmly on her hips and she looked back to see him giving her a meaningful look. That was when she felt the hard muscle beneath her thigh. Blushing, she twisted in his grasp so she was at least no longer straddling him. "I'm ready for cake," she muttered and held her hand out for a plate.

Laughing, Joel handed her a plate and Julia handed one to Alex, who thanked her. After a minute, the awkwardness in the room dissipated and conversation picked up from where it had left off. Eventually, Alex gave Kaitlyn a gentle nudge, letting her know that she could move. There was still intense heat radiating off of his body but no longer the insistent pulse under her bottom. As Joel and Julia discussed her latest workshop at university, Kaitlyn looked into Alex's eyes and he smiled. His fingers gave her waist a squeeze and she eased herself onto the couch next to him.

"I could sure go for some coffee," Joel announced when a lull entered the conversation.

"I could, too," Julia agreed. "Do you have decaf? I've got an early shift tomorrow and I don't want to be up all night."

Kaitlyn nodded and stood up. She took Alex's plate from him, smiling when he winked knowingly at her. Studiously ignoring the pointed look her cousin gave her, she took Joel's plate as well. This time, no one followed her to the kitchen and she was grateful for the quiet moment to collect her thoughts.

It wasn't so much that she was embarrassed about being caught kissing Alex. Maybe it was the fact that Julia had insisted they were meant to be together mere minutes before, or maybe it was the way Joel had given Alex the 'talk;' that talk that older male family members felt compelled to give potential boyfriends. Kaitlyn shook her head at the thought, a smile slipping over her face. She'd never wanted or needed an older brother, always having Joel around to pick up the slack.

Her thoughts turned to what Julia had said and she frowned. She didn't believe in love at first sight. Kaitlyn had always been the practical one. She'd been attracted to all kinds of men before in her life, dated a few, slept with even fewer and she'd never had that feeling of wanting to take it to the next level. Now here she was, wondering if she could imagine doing all those things with Alex. Her heart skipped a beat when she realized she could.

Christ almighty, she thought, staring at the coffee mug in her hand. Have I gone completely insane

"Kait?" Joel's voice broke into her thoughts. "Everything all right?"

She turned and nodded at his inquisitive look. Smiling, she said she'd be out with the coffee in a minute. Joel nodded, leaving her alone again.

Later, Joel said that he and Julia had invaded Alex and Kaitlyn's private time for long enough. Kaitlyn snorted and reminded him that he'd been the one to insist on the invasion in the first place.

"That just means I care," he told her as he stood up. Stepping close to her, he gave her a warm hug and kissed her on the forehead. "I'll call you tomorrow."

"I might answer," she replied and pushed him away with a smile.

Alex stood up and walked Joel and Julia out to the door with Kaitlyn. He wrapped an arm around Kaitlyn's waist and winked at her when she looked up. With an inward sigh, she relaxed against his side, smiling when his arm slid further around her. She'd be lucky if he didn't rip her clothes off the minute Joel and Julia closed the door.

"It was very nice to meet you, Alex," Julia said. "I can't wait to see you play now."

Alex's eyebrows went up as he shook her hand. "You didn't before?"

"Well, now I know you so when I watch the games, I can say, 'that's my friend's boyfriend!'"

They all laughed and Kaitlyn covered her face with one hand.

"It was great to talk to you again," Joel said, shaking Alex's hand as well. "I'm sure we'll all see each other again soon."

"I hope so," Alex replied and when Kaitlyn looked up at his face, she thought he truly meant it.

How did I get so lucky? she wondered, sliding her arm behind him and giving his backside a surreptitious pinch. She smothered a giggle when he jumped and shot her a wide-eyed look.

They waved good-bye to Joel and Julia and Kaitlyn locked the door after they were gone. She was about to turn and go into the kitchen to clean up, but Alex was having none of that. He swept her right off her feet and carried her into her bedroom.

"Alex," she gasped with laughter as he tossed her onto her double bed and climbed over top of her. "This bed is too small for you."

"It'll do just fine for what I have in mind, gorgeous," he replied and kissed her.

As always, his kiss scattered her thoughts and she kissed him back. She ran her hands over his shoulders and down his back as he explored her mouth. His tongue was hot and insistent and she felt the tremble in his arms as he held himself over her. It made her feel wonderfully powerful that she inspired such a reaction in him. He was such an amazing guy and she was perfectly average. It never got old when she felt his body rise to her touch, letting her know that at least one person found her attractive.

With that thought in her mind, Alex licked her lips before lifting his head to stare into her eyes. She saw how dark they were, the pupils making up almost the entire center and it made her shiver when his thick lashes dropped low over his eyes. His mouth curled up in the corners as he gave her a dark smile, filled with intention. He let his eyes travel over her face, down her neck and on to the neckline of her sweater. Lifting a hand, he ran a fingertip from the center of her collarbone down to the bottom of the sweater's V.

Kaitlyn felt her heart thudding rapidly inside her chest and swallowed anxiously as Alex pushed his entire hand into her shirt. She shuddered when he brushed his fingers over the swollen tips of her breasts.

"You aren't cold, are you?" he asked, his voice hoarse and his accent thick.

"N-no," she stammered and squeezed her eyes shut as he cupped her breast. She was still fully clothed and her temperature was rising with every passing second. It never failed to soar when Alex looked at her this way and touched her so possessively.

"Why are you shivering?" he asked, his grin turning positively wicked.

Kaitlyn shook her head, incapable of forming a coherent sentence. Alex chuckled darkly and pulled his hand from beneath her sweater. She groaned before she could stop the sound from escaping and blushed when Alex lifted his eyebrows at her.

"You're not going to get bossy on me again, are you?" he asked. His face was so close to hers that his warm breath caressed her cheek as he spoke. His deep voice rolled through her and she shuddered when moisture exploded between her thighs.

"You know I love it when you try to get bossy," he added and his voice was much thicker, deeper.

Kaitlyn couldn't speak. She could barely suck in a weak breath and stared at him as he continued to rake his gaze over her body. His eyes met hers again and something seemed to snap inside of him. In an instant, he was yanking at her clothes, shoving her shirt up over her chest. She twisted, lifting herself up to pull it over her head as he bent his head to kiss the swell of her breasts.

She shivered and reached behind her to undo the bra clasp. As she fumbled with that, Alex continued to kiss her and slide his hand to the button on her jeans. He yanked it open, jerking her hips toward him in the process. With a laugh, Kaitlyn tore her bra off and lay down as Alex hauled her pants and panties from her body. He looked her over for one tense second, her naked body exposed to him.

Just as Kaitlyn was about to reach for his shirt, Alex knelt between her legs and spread her thighs wide. Sucking in a sharp breath, Kaitlyn couldn't even fend him off as he stared at the most intimate part of her. She shouldn't feel so vulnerable; they'd had sex before, for hours on end, it seemed. He'd never done this; stripped her naked while he remained clothed and then stared at her as she all but dripped with desire for him.

She forced herself to look into his face as he studied her. His eyes were shadowed and the muscles in his jaw were tense. He swallowed once, his eyes flicking to her face before he bent down, bringing his mouth to her soft core.

Kaitlyn cried out at the contact of his mouth on her. She buried one hand in the pillow under her head and gripped the bed covers in the other. Alex licked her, his gentle fingers parting her folds and opening her further to his ministrations. With a moan, Kaitlyn shut her eyes and turned her face to press her cheek into the cool fabric of her pillowcase. She was utterly helpless as he explored her, dipping inside and retreating to stroke the tiny nub of nerve endings.​