“So how does it feel?” he asked.

“Mmm,” she said. “It feels fabulous.”

Drew laughed. “No, not the shoulder massage, though I’m glad that feels good. I meant how does it feel to be a success?”

“Oh. Well, I’m not a success yet. But I feel like I could get there.” She turned around to face him, wrapping her legs around him. “For the first time, I have a confidence I’ve never had before, a belief in myself I’ve never felt before. I mean, I always thought I could do this. I believed in my designs, otherwise I would have never put my reputation on the line like that. But to have the reception that I had today. I don’t know, Drew. That, I didn’t expect.”

He kissed the tip of her nose. “You need to believe in yourself more. You’re a f**king rock star, Miss Preston.”

Her lips curved. “I like the sound of that. Maybe I should put that on my business cards.”

He leaned back in the tub. “Would look good on there.”

She followed him, climbing onto his lap, then grabbed the sponge, dipping it into the water. She wrung it out over his chest, then smoothed it over his shoulders.

His c**k began to grow hard underneath her, which made her smile.

“You’re just way too easy.”

“And you’re na**d and slippery, and your pu**y is moving back and forth on my dick. What did you expect?”

She let the sponge drop into the water, then lifted her fingers up, letting droplets fall over the top of his head. He laughed, shook his head back and forth, water spraying her.

Then he pulled her against him, kissing her until everything on her was throbbing. She rubbed her br**sts against his chest, her ni**les tightening to hard, aching peaks.

And when she dipped her hand in the water and reached for his cock, fitting it at her pussy, he grasped her wrist.

“Lina. I don’t have a condom on.”

“And I love you. You love me. I assume that means we’re committed to each other. I’m on the pill and I never have sex with anyone without them wearing protection.”

He stared at her, his gaze clear and dead serious. “Neither do I. I don’t want to be with anyone else but you. I haven’t been with anyone else but you since that night I walked in here when Gray invited me over.”

That made her stomach tumble. “Drew.”

“I just want you to be sure.”

“Very sure. I want you inside me right now.” She lifted, then slid over his cock, watching his expression change, the way his gaze turned to molten desire as he looked at her.

“Christ, Lina, you feel good. This feels so good.”

She moved against him, feeling every inch of him expanding inside her.

“Fuck. Not like this,” he said, grabbing her and pulling her out of the water.

He stepped out of the tub, her legs wrapped around him, and laid her down on the thick carpet on the floor next to the tub.

“I want to feel you. Just you. Your heat and the wetness of your pussy.” He plunged inside her, and she arched against him.

“Yes. Like this, Drew. More.”

His mouth met hers in a tangle of lips and tongues as he thrust harder, then stilled. “Feel me, Lina. Feel my c**k twitch inside you. You make me want to come.”

She did feel him, more than she’d ever felt him before. Expanding, moving, and taking her right to the edge of reason. His gaze met hers, his hair and body wet, droplets falling on her as he surged against her.

She arched to meet him, needing that contact to come. She tightened and quivered even as he ground against her. And when she splintered, he kissed her, his groan against her lips sending her spiraling out of control as he released inside her.

It was unlike anything she’d ever experienced, a joining of the two of them that was as emotionally fulfilling as it was physically. Drew tightened his hold on her, swept his hand underneath her to pull her closer as she cried out, the waves of her orgasm catapulting her over the edge again and again.

Out of energy and completely spent, she lay there underneath him, nipping at his bottom lip, drawing her hand over the sleek line of his shoulder while he buried his face in her neck.

“I’m sweaty,” he finally said. “We should probably get back in the tub.”

She smiled at that. “Probably. But I think I’d rather have a shower this time.”

He lifted her up and they stepped into the shower.

“You are so sexy when you’re wet.”

She had submerged her head under the water, and opened her eyes to find him giving her that look, the one that enveloped her in heat and made her sex swell with desire.

He pushed her against the wall of the shower and kissed her until steam rose over them both. He slipped his hand between her legs, rubbing back and forth until she whimpered.

“I want to f**k you again.”

“Yes,” she said, nearly out of breath as he spread her legs and slid inside her.

She was ready, quivering and needy as he lifted her arms over her head and thrust into her, grinding against her clit.

God, she could come already, the way he rolled his h*ps over her, his body so close to hers. But then he pulled out and dropped to his knees, covering her sex with his mouth.

She looked down to see water sluicing over her body and dripping over him as he licked and sucked the sensitive nub.

“Drew. Yes, like that.” She rested her head against the shower wall as he rolled his tongue over her and shattered her, making her cry out and shudder through another amazing orgasm.

When he rose, he took her mouth in a devastating kiss that kept the sensations rolling.

He lifted her leg and eased inside her.

“Your pu**y is still quaking,” he said. “It tightens around me and makes me want to come hard inside you.”

She loved the way he talked to her during sex, the open, honest way he shared what he felt. “You make me crazy. The things you do to my body.”

He gripped her butt and held her while he made love to her achingly slow, easing his c**k in, only to slide it partway out until she was on the ragged edge, gripping his shoulder and propelling herself forward to impale herself on his shaft. She wanted more, needed all of him inside her. And when he thrust deeply, she growled, taking his lower lip between her teeth to nip.

He growled back at her, as lost as she was in the animal passion that drove them. He pushed her back against the wall and increased his thrusts, pummeling her until she cried out as sweet release seared her. Drew let go, too, pumping furiously into her and shuddering his release, his fingers digging into her flesh as he poured into her.

Her legs were shaking. Drew palmed the wall next to her and held on to them both.

“Good thing we’re in the shower,” he said, “because you made me sweat again.”

She laughed. “How convenient.”

She dipped her head back under the water to wet her hair, then grabbed for the shampoo.

“Let me,” Drew said, taking the bottle to pour some shampoo in his hand.

“Oooh, this is a treat.” She turned around and Drew lathered the shampoo in her hair. She felt decadent, her scalp tingling when he gave her a slow, delicious massage as he shampooed her hair. “Could you come over every day and do this for me?”

He paused. “Yes.”

She rinsed, then opened her eyes to find him staring at her, an unfathomable expression on his face.

There were things they needed to talk about. But everything was so new between them, this declaration of love. It was still so tenuous, and she didn’t want to do anything to break that bond. So instead, she leaned forward and kissed him, then laughed. “My own personal shampoo slave. I like that.”

He laughed, breaking that tension. They finished cleaning up, dried off, and got dressed, then cuddled together on the sofa.

She could get used to having him here with her whenever he was in town.

But that was a topic for another time. Right now, it was enough that they loved each other.

One step at a time.

TWENTY-NINE

THE DREAD IN THE PIT OF DREW’S STOMACH WOULDN’T go away. Despite he and his team having had one hell of a pep talk in the locker room before the game about this being just another game, they all knew what kind of game this was.

Another goddamn road game.

And as soon as they took the ice, it was as if New Jersey already knew they could take this game away from them.

There was nothing like having the hometown crowd in your corner cheering you on. Typically he ignored the boos from the fans of his opponents. It was only natural for them to want their team to win, and the Travelers stood in their way. Fortunately, because New Jersey was so close, a lot of the die-hard Travelers fans often came to watch them, so he soaked in the cheers of their fans as they were introduced.

They’d need every ounce of fan energy tonight for this game.

It’s just a game, just like any other game. He tried to remember Bill’s advice, tucked it inside him so he’d just focus on the game, not the location.

He lined up against New Jersey’s defender and when the puck dropped, that was it. It was game time and everything else got shoved into the back of his head. He could no longer hear the crowd noise, whether they were cheering or booing. The only thing that mattered was getting to the puck and lighting up the net.

He and Trick were in sync tonight, their passes were on the mark, and when Drew scored the first goal, he was pumped, every part of him feeling as if they could turn this around.

At least until New Jersey scored three minutes after his goal.

Shit.

But they battled back, Trick forcing the puck on a breakaway. Sweat pouring down his back, Drew skated like his life depended on it, the defender right on his skates as he made his way to the New Jersey goal. He got the puck, passed it to Trick, who shot it between the goalie’s legs.

Another goal, and Drew felt the momentum building. No one was going to take it away from them tonight. They were going to win this game.

At the end of the second period, they were tied. The coach told them they looked outstanding, and they were better than New Jersey. There was no reason they couldn’t take the win.

Drew felt the same way. Avery’s thigh had mostly healed and despite having two goals scored against him tonight, his reflexes were better than they’d been in weeks. His save percentage was off the charts tonight, especially with New Jersey being so aggressive at the net. The defenders were fierce, and the Travelers offense was determined. They were meshing like never before. This was their night.

When Drew and Trick came off the ice for a breather, Sayers and Litman came on, skating like they were on fire. They shot a goal right into the net between two defenders and the whole team lit up.

Drew and Trick did the same when they came back onto the ice, and suddenly they were up two goals with a minute and a half left. All they had to do was avoid penalties and keep the defense strong. There was no way they could lose this game.

Now Drew tuned into the Travelers fans who’d made the trip. Despite being in the minority at the stadium, they were pumped. And loud. He tuned into that noise and he and Trick went on the attack, double-teaming a defender. They fought against the boards for the puck, Trick coming up with it and heading toward the goal. Drew stayed in position while Trick, surrounded by defenders, sailed the puck across the ice to him.

Drew took the shot but the goalie deflected it. New Jersey’s defender took it and handed it off, which meant, with the clock ticking down, they had to rely on their defense.

New Jersey took a couple shots on goal, but missed.

The buzzer sounded.

And goddamn if the Travelers hadn’t won a road game.

The team took center ice and celebrated as if they’d won the championship. But it was a big win, and one they’d worked hard for. A giant monkey off their back, and Drew hoped now they could move past it and play every game—at home or away—like he knew they could.

There was a lot of chatter in the locker room, as well as the inevitable media, who had to give them shit about winning their first road game of the season and what it all meant. Drew, as well as the rest of the players, downplayed it, saying it was just another win. But all the guys knew what a big deal this had been, and what it had meant for the team. It was a huge confidence booster, and Drew was convinced this win was going to turn things around.

“Hogan,” one of the assistants hollered from across the locker room. “You have a visitor.”

Drew frowned. “Who is it?”

“Some hot-looking chick. Carolina, she said her name was.”

Lots of ooohs and whistles. Drew rolled his eyes.

Carolina was here? In New Jersey? “I’ll be right out.”

“Carolina came to your road game?” Trick asked. “It must be serious.”

Drew looked down at Trick, who was getting ready to take a shower. “It is serious. I’m in love with her.”

Trick just stared up at him, then grinned. “Well f**k me. Congratulations, buddy.”

“Thanks.”

He got dressed and went outside the locker room. Carolina was wearing tight jeans, knee-skimming boots, and a long red coat. He’d never seen a more beautiful sight.

He dragged her into his arms and planted a big kiss on her, much to the happiness of the lingering media, who took pictures. He didn’t care.

She smiled up at him. “Great game tonight.”

Moving them away from the photographers and video crews, he led her down a side hallway. “I can’t believe you’re here. In New Jersey.”

“A relationship goes both ways, Drew. It can’t just be you being there for me. It also means I’ll be there for you whenever I can. I told you I believed in you, and, win or lose, I was going to be in the stands cheering for you tonight.”