In Full Bloom (Second Chances 1)

Wanting another taste, he dipped down to her mouth with his and sucked on her lower lip. He heard the low moan in the back of her throat as she parted her lips. He deepened the kiss, no longer caring about the marshmallow or the fact that they had company.

When they eventually broke apart he said, “I stand corrected. Best marshmallow ever.”

One quick glance at his brother confirmed that they were otherwise occupied. At least he didn’t have to feel guilty about that.

He leaned forward, brushing his lips against hers again, then pulled her so she rested against his chest. They sat that way, in comfortable silent, for so long he thought maybe she had fallen asleep.

Eventually, her voice incredibly relaxed, she said, “Evan. This is perfect.”

“It really is,” he said. “You getting sleepy on me?”

“Not at all. Just really, really content.”

“Good,” he said, brushing his lips against her forehead. “Me, too.” For the first time in a long time, he realized that it was true. There was no place he’d rather be, and no other person he’d rather be with. That was certainly a first.

Chapter 11

Taryn bit her lip to suppress a laugh as Evan griped at the television again. The Hawks were down by two points in the third period. It wasn’t looking good. They were playing the Blades. Taryn didn’t really have a vested interest in this game, but she knew he did.

“You’re not gonna be all grouchy like this when the Panthers kick their ass next week, are you?” she asked. She knew she was just goading him at this point but he looked entirely too serious.

He looked away from the television and turned his attention toward her. His eyebrow arched, he said, “It’s not even going to be a contest, Princess. The Panthers look like shit so far this season.”

She rolled her eyes as he turned his attention back to the screen and said, “They’re coming out of their slump. Just you wait. Besides, Charbonneau is coming off that suspension, too.”

He didn’t even turn his attention away from the television this time. He just said, “Aw. It’s so cute when you try and talk about sports, baby,” as a smirk pulled at the corners of his mouth.

The tiny smile that had been playing across her lips immediately dropped way. Her eyes narrowed. She knew that he was saying that just to mess with her. They’d had some pretty in-depth conversations about hockey since they’d all had dinner last Sunday. He was just remarkably adept at pushing her buttons. Smart ass.

She remained silent, waiting until the Hawks were on the wrong side of a power play. After he was leaned forward, focused on the television, she tapped him urgently on the arm and said, “So, wait. Explain to me what they’re doing with those big club things again. I forget.”

He turned to look at her, a grin on his face, and asked, “Really? Those big club things?”

At that moment, the buzzer went off again, signaling another point for the opposing team. Evan reached over to the remote and switched it off. Without another word, he picked her up and tossed her over his shoulder. As they moved toward his bedroom, she tried to wiggle free. He responded by tightening his grip on her and giving her a l

oud smack on the ass.

She gave a startled cry and said, “Hey wait!”

When they reached his bedroom, he tossed her into the middle of his bed with a bounce and then settled himself on top of her, immediately pinning her wrists above her head. The look in his eye was almost predatory. She shivered in response.

He leaned his head down and captured her mouth with his. As his tongue swept into her mouth, she gave a moan of appreciation. He shifted slightly so he now held both of her wrists with one hand as the other slid down her body to cup her breast.

He pulled back from the kiss, his dark eyes watching her as he found her nipple and rubbed the pad of his thumb across it. He continued to gaze at her as he asked, “Now that you’ve got my undivided attention, what would you like to do this evening?”

The combination of his rough voice, the grip he still had on her wrists and the gentle stroke of his thumb across her nipple was enough to send a wave of arousal through her system. Her voice stilted, she said, “Oh, that wasn’t about getting your attention. That was about getting that grouchy look off your face.”

He leaned in to press a light kiss against her lips and then said, “That’s very considerate of you. As you can probably tell, I’m definitely not feeling very grouchy right now.”

Before she could respond, he gave her nipple a pinch that had her moaning his name. The sensation shot straight to her core, leaving a now familiar ache between her thighs.

“Oh god,” she moaned as he pinched her a little more roughly. “I need—”

He ground his erection against the V of her thighs and said, “Tell me. Tell me what you need.”

He stared down at her, his eyes blazing now. As she opened her mouth to answer, there was a knock on the door. They both froze.

She watched as he pulled back, a mildly annoyed look on his face, and released her hands. He gave her a quick, hard kiss and then said, “Hold that thought.”