“No, babe. Watching your claws come out has me so hard my vision is beginning to blur.”
Those hazel depths flared gold for a second before dropping to the vicinity of my crotch. My cock twitched, almost as if it knew it was the center of attention and wanted to say hello.
The bulge, while mostly contained, was still noticeable. I was a big guy; that’s how it went.
Gemma’s lower lip dropped on an exhale. There was no denying she was imagining the kind of power I could wield with the weapon poised between my thighs. And I would be more than happy to offer her a physical demonstration.
The shutters slammed down on the arousal, and she snapped, “Stop sending flowers!” before turning on her heel and shoving through the press entrance and out of sight.
Finally, I reached down, adjusting my cock into a semi-comfortable position. A lesser man would rub one out in the bathroom, but I was conscious of the fact that I was still at work.
A hand clamped down on my shoulder, accompanied by a low whistle. “Christ, she’s scary,” Maddox remarked. “You can’t handle a woman like that.”
I had to laugh at the irony. She was practically the female version of Maddox—all bark but no bite. It had taken time for him to warm up to me as well, and there were still days when I grated on him, but I knew the big lug loved me.
“Maybe not,” I agreed. “But damn, will it be fun to try.”
“Has anyone ever told you that you’re certifiably insane?” Maddox let out a rare chuckle.
“All the time.” I threw him a wink before heading back toward the locker room.
I’d grant Gemma’s wish and stop sending flowers, but this wasn’t the end for us. Far from it.
Chapter 7
Goose
God bless the internet.
That’s what led me to this little bar situated in the bougie section of the suburbs near my new house. Thanks to the comments on the video Braxton had shown me, I discovered this was where my Gemma worked. Someone had recognized her and listed the bar by name.
Stepping inside, I was mildly shocked to find it so busy on a weeknight. People were packed in to the point where it appeared to be standing-room only.
Weaving my way through the crowd, I took a deep breath when I reached the bar. Elbowing between two other guys, that’s when I saw her.
Well, at least the part of her that was bent in half as she reached for a bottle beneath the counter. Her ripe ass was on full display in black jeans, and a quick peek down the length of the bar confirmed I wasn’t the only man appreciating the view. Iwasn’t a jealous man; they could look all they wanted because I knew she was mine.
Unfolding her tall body gracefully, she spun around, quickly knocking the cap off a beer bottle with a counter-mounted opener before handing it to a waiting patron.
If the lower half of her body got my mouth watering, the upper portion had me swallowing my damn tongue. Gemma’s tits were front and center, pushed up by a black corset top, the edges of the bra cups lined with lace. If I squinted hard enough, I could make out the hint of a pinkish-brown areola peeking through. The top cinched her waist, giving her an hourglass figure, drawing attention to her full breasts and ample hips. The look was capped off with a purple, black, and silver threaded flannel shirt, which hung loosely off her shoulders as she worked.
Fucking hell, was there ever going to be a time when I didn’t get hard at the sight of this breathtaking woman? She looked like a dark angel. Luckily for her, I had enough light for the both of us.
Most people thought my ability to remain unruffled and optimistic, regardless of the circumstances, was strange. But a long time ago, I chose to be happy, letting anything that happened to roll off my back instead of allowing it to sink in and fester.
It might not work for many people, but it had served me well in life and in hockey. I could shake off letting a goal slip past me without letting it fuck with my head. I went right back to work, focused on stopping the next shot. It’s what made me one of the top goaltenders in the entire league. Hockey was a mental game, and the goalie position in particular, so keeping my mind sharp and focused—not getting down on myself when things weren’t perfect—was an incredible asset.
“Oh, hell no.” The voice of my favorite person had my eyes snapping up to meet my lovely lady’s scowling face.
“Hey, babe!” I gave her a bright smile, which caused the corners of her lips to turn down even further.
She pointed a finger at the door. “Get out.”
“You came to visit me at work, so I decided to return the favor.” I broke eye contact to give a quick visual survey of the bar. “Busy tonight.”
Gemma’s hands flew to her wide hips. “Look, I don’t know how you found me, but you need to leave. I can’t deal with you right now. You’ve done enough already.”
Though it was a tight squeeze, I managed to rest my forearms on the bar. “What do you mean?”
