Defender (Seattle Sharks 9)

Bolts of electricity raced through my nervous system, rocketing down my spine. Fuck, just that little touch had me so ready to—

“Sir, we’ve arrived,” the driver announced through the intercom.

“Thank you, God.” I flung open the door without waiting for him, then quickly unbuckled us both and stepped out to help her.

“Ooh, I’m steadier!” she blurted, right before she wobbled.

I scooped her up again, tucking her tight to my chest and ignoring how close my hand was to the side of her breast. After asking the driver to head back for Lukas, Faith, and Sawyer, I carried Harper inside the hotel, where the bar was still loud and active across the lobby.

Causing as little disruption as possible, I crossed the marble floor and hit the elevator button.

Whatever Harper saw over my shoulder must have startled her, because she went stiff as a board.

“Harper?”

Then her mouth was on mine.

“Kiss me,” she ordered against my lips without any teasing or drunken giggles.

Because of the seriousness of her tone, and okay, because I fucking wanted to, I kissed her.

Her lips were soft, and she tasted like apples as my mouth feathered over hers, taking light, sipping kisses. She sighed and melted, parting her lips. My tongue swept inside as her fingers wove themselves into my hair. We both groaned.

With my hands already full of her, I only had my mouth, and I used it. I explored the soft recesses behind her teeth, stroked my tongue against hers, slipped and slid into a desire I wasn’t sure I’d ever be able to find my way out of.

My arms tightened, gathering her closer, and she arched, meeting me, kissing me back with an abandon that addicted me instantly. Our mouths slanted over and over, seeking the best angle and drawing out every ounce of pleasure we could from the contact.

Fuck, I was on fire from a simple kiss. But nothing about this woman was simple. She was all soft curves and complex lines. And for this minute, I let myself believe I’d be enough for her.

“Nathan,” she moaned and tugged my lower lip between her even, white teeth.

Fuck me, I was hard enough to—

Ding!

The elevator announced its arrival, and I pulled back from the siren in my arms. Her lips were kiss swollen, her eyes glazed with passion and too much alcohol to take this any further.

“Your boss was watching,” she murmured as I somehow made my feet move and took us into the elevator.

“Coach?” I clarified, turning.

“Paulson, the owner,” she whispered.

My eyes shot up to see Paulson sitting at the bar watching us.

I punched the button for our floor, and kissed the tip of her nose. “Thank you.”

The doors shut and we began rising.

“You know how you can really thank me?” She wiggled suggestively.

“By putting you to bed?”

She rolled her eyes as I did just that, making sure she was taken care of and tucked in.

“Nathan?” she called out in the darkness from her queen-sized bed.

“Harper?” I responded, trying like hell to talk my cock into deflating.

“Thank you for tonight.”

“You’re welcome.” I smiled, unable to fight the simple joy I’d gotten from making her happy. “Happy Birthday.”

“Do you want to come over here and—”

“Nope,” I interrupted. “And not because I don’t want to. Trust me, I’d be over there, and you’d be under me, and we’d be…” I groaned and adjusted my dick. “You told me no while you were sober, and now you have to be sober if—”

Holy shit.

She was snoring.

Well, this was a first.

Chapter 6

Harper

Sharp, incredibly loud spikes stung the inside of my head. Traveling at thirty-five thousand feet did not help the situation either. Takeoff had been a real bitch—the higher we ascended, the more the pressure in my head threatened to pop my eyeballs out of socket. Now that we’d smoothed out, it was only marginally better.

Why did I lose control?

Last night had been the most fun I’d ever had on my birthday, but I’d never, not once let myself be so out of control. Sure, I’d had my fair share of beer and burger nights with Faith and Sawyer but never this kind of night. The night where I’d taken shots, celebrated my accomplishments in life with a little rebellion, and kissed…

Ohmigod.

The second I forgot about the kiss it would come roaring back, jolting my already overcrowded and throbbing mind.

Nathan’s hands—they’d been strong and gentle at the same time as he’d cradled me. My body against his as he carried me to the elevator.

Nathan’s scent—pine and ice and salt swirling around me, more intoxicating than the shots I’d taken.

Nathan’s lips—goddamn him. Those lips. He’d claimed my mouth like he’d thought of nothing else since the day we met. Like he’d fantasized about it as much as I had. Like he wanted to take that kiss farther, slip inside—

“You look awful,” Nathan’s voice jolted me out of my memory, his voice jarring my aching head.