The Trouble with #9 by Piper Rayne
Thus far, Maksim has made good on planning original dates. Today he took me to a donut place before we had to be at the arena to meet with the at-risk youth. We’ve done no more than kiss, and he doesn’t seem as eager as I am for more. After the amusement park, he dropped me off at my house, kissed me goodbye, and I watched him walk down the pathway back to his car.
“Next week you’re coming with us to Nashville, right?” he asks me, caging me into a dark corner in the back hallway of the arena.
“I am, and speaking of the team, I need to report a meeting with you to Mr. Gerhardt.”
“All in due time. Back to Nashville—plan on one of our dates while we’re there.” He kisses the delicate flesh under my earlobe.
“We can’t have a date when I’m with the team.”
How on earth does he think that would work? We might as well announce we’re dating to everyone. I know I’m not really treating Maksim, so technically it’s a bit of a gray area, but no one else knows that.
“Trust me. We’ll be fine.”
“Maksim.”
He places his finger to my lips. “Trust me.”
This man is making me forget my better judgment. I nod and he bends down again, this time replacing his finger with his lips. I slip my tongue through his parted lips, and a strangled groan rushes up his throat. His hands tighten on my hips and he breaches any distance between us, rubbing his huge hard-on against my stomach. We both lose control and forget where we are, our tongues battling for supremacy, our hands clenching on the other, pulling, tugging, and grinding.
He closes the kiss and rests his forehead against mine, breathing heavily as his fingers grip my hips. “I’m not sure how much longer I’m going to make it.”
“No one put a stipulation on how many dates until we sleep together.” My insides contract with my words. I’m desperate to have this man in my bed.
“I did. It’s kissing only until all nine dates are complete. I want you to know what kind of guy I am. That I’m not who you think.”
My fingers thread through his hair. I love the blond strands against his darker roots. “You have nothing to prove. I never should’ve assumed. I already know what kind of man you are.”
His head rocks side to side as his forehead stays glued to mine. “No. I want to do this even with the blue balls it’s giving me. You mean a lot to me, and when the time comes, I want you to be as sure as you are the sky is blue.”
My thighs clench. It’s only been two dates, which means I have seven more to go. “How fast can you make these dates happen?”
He laughs, and I love the deep timbre of his chuckle. It vibrates down to the pit of my stomach and warms there like brandy. “It won’t take too long.”
And then with one quick kiss, he’s backing away from me.
We fall in line again as though we’re just two acquaintances heading down the hall. The sounds of footsteps from our little Fury Juniors coming down the hallway fills the space.
“Hey, I forgot to talk to you,” Maksim says. “Do you mind if I just work with Dru and Malcolm today? You could maybe give a tour of the arena to the others. They’re embarrassed—”
This time I look both ways and place my finger to his lips. “No problem.”
He smiles and opens his mouth, his tongue sliding around my finger. I knew he had a magical tongue, but holy shit, I want to fall to my back and spread my legs and let him use those masterful skills between my thighs. He kisses the tip of my finger, and I’m pretty sure my mouth could inhale a swarm of flies it’s open so wide.
“Thanks,” he says.
Just before the group is far enough down the hall where they can see us, he walks away, leaving me speechless.
For the first half hour of our time together, I take the rest of the group on a tour. We visit the offices and press boxes, then walk through the empty arena, past all the concession stands that would normally be lined up with people. Then we head back down and I show them the press room where the players do interviews after the games, and finally the locker room where each spot has a jersey hanging up for each player.
“They all shower together?” Lark asks. “Weird.”
“They’re all men,” I say.
“Still. They make so much money and they all have to see one another naked?” Lark’s look of disgust makes me look at Jana, who showed up a few minutes into the tour.
“Want to see one of the suites?” Jana asks.
A unanimous yes sounds from the group, so Jana takes us to an elevator. Using her key to the Gerhardts’ suite, she opens the door and allows everyone to file in.
“Man, talk about money,” one of the boys says, going to where the inside meets the outside. “Hey, there’s Malcolm.”
Oh shit, I completely forgot.
“Hey, everyone, let’s head back to the concession area. Maybe we can make a big pretzel. You have to be hungry.” I urgently weave through them to block any view of the boys and Maksim, but my feet come to a stop when I see what’s happening.
“He’s really good,” Marin says, a hint of adoration in her tone.
Malcolm has a stick and he’s moving the puck around the ice. Dru is continuing to skate the oval and doing pretty damn well. Maksim comes up behind Malcolm and puts his hands over Malcolm’s to show him how to handle the puck.
“I want to learn too,” Lark says.
“Okay, let’s go then.” I can’t take my eyes off of Maksim.
Dru falls and Maksim flawlessly helps him up and looks like he gestures for Dru to keep going. Malcolm skates toward the goal and gets the puck in the net, the light on top flashing. He grows so excited he lifts his arms, only to lose his footing and fall on his ass.
“He scored!” Marin exclaims.
Maksim screams a huge WOO-HOO that echoes through the arena and Malcolm smiles a big toothy smile as my heart leaps.
I don’t need nine dates to know how special this man is.
“You owe me for this,” Jana says from the other end of the phone.
“I’m sorry, but I don’t feel comfortable going on this date.” I apologize for the umpteenth time since Mr. Gerhardt called and told me he’d set up a date for me.
That’s how he does things. He doesn’t ask permission, just does whatever he thinks is best, and to him, I’m his daughter’s lonely friend who needs a social life. Never mind that I’m seven dates away from sleeping with a member of his team.
“I thought you and Maksim aren’t exclusive?” Jana asks.
“Well, I’m not asking him if we are.” I’ve never felt so in limbo with someone. I think we’re only seeing one another, but I don’t have the nerve to outright ask. “All I know is I’m not comfortable going out with someone else.”
“You do know it’s some guy from my dad’s country club. Like the tournament planner or something. I have nothing to wear that fits what he’ll be looking for.”
“Jana, you’re gorgeous. I’m sure whatever you wear he’s going to love.”
“You better nail Maksim, and I want all the details after you do. That’s payback for making me go on a date with this guy. And you need to tell my dad to stop fixing you up.”
I open my bag of sour cream and onion chips, pop one in my mouth, and eat it.
“Are you eating? You’d better be going out with him tonight.” There’s anger in her tone because Jana hates blind dates. One time she showed up and the guy made her pay the bill in full since she was Jana Gerhardt and the entire conversation was filled with questions about her trust fund.
“You know they have that bachelor party for that trainer on the team.”
She groans. “You should’ve gone on the date. He’s going to be at strip clubs and you’re sitting at home in your pajamas, eating what sounds like potato chips and probably watching Netflix by yourself.”
“Come over after the date.”
“I’m going to call and cancel,” she says.
“No! I don’t want your dad to know I didn’t go. If you show up and make an excuse for me, he’ll be pleasantly surprised. If we just cancel, he’ll call your dad and your dad will call me, then I’m either going to have to lie outright or crumble and tell the truth.”
She laughs. “Man, Paise, I love you, but you think too hard on things. Just tell my dad you don’t want to be fixed up.”
I should take her advice, but Mr. Gerhardt has been sort of like the father I never had—at least since my parents divorced and my dad started his new life. He worries about me and my well-being. I don’t want to disappoint him.
“Just come over after the date. I’ll call you and you can say something came up.”
She groans. “I hate doing that. They always know it’s fake. Then they think I’m stuck up…” I let her ramble on while I get comfortable on my couch and scan Netflix for a show to binge this weekend. “You know what I mean?”
“Yep,” I say, not really knowing what she said.
“Keep your phone on you in case I send a 911 text!” Her voice rises.
“I will.”
She groans again. “Okay bye.”
“Chin up. Maybe he’s gorgeous and a great guy.”
“Doubtful.” She hangs up.
I place my phone down on the coffee table. Just the thought of Maksim sitting in some velvet chair with a half-naked woman in front of him, shaking her ass and her tits splayed in front of his face, makes my appetite disappear. Jana’s right. While he’s sliding dollar bills in a G-string, I should be out having my own fun. I need to be prepared for when this thing goes south.
I’ve been trying to tamp down any expectations I have for Maksim, but it’s harder every time I see him. He’s so attentive and sweet and really seems to like me for me. But once we part for the night, that nagging in the back of my head returns, reminding me that my mom won over my dad once upon a time too. And after she popped out a kid and he took a back seat to motherhood, he hightailed it out of town with a newer, shinier model.
Sometimes I think the therapy I did in college while earning my degree wasn’t enough. I should be going to see someone now that I’m grown and need to find a healthy relationship.
The honk of a horn outside sounds, and I roll my eyes that one of my neighbors has plans. I’m used to spending my nights like this, so why should tonight feel any different? Because lately I’ve been spending time with Maksim, and when I’m not, Jana finds her way over.
The horn honks again. This time longer.
I push the blanket off my lap and look outside to see Maksim’s Mercedes parked outside. What the hell is he doing?
I look down at myself in my pajamas. Shit. Picking up my phone, I dial his number.
The minute the call connects, Maksim doesn’t answer with a hello, but rather, “Get your sweet ass down here, I’m taking you on date number three.”
“Um, I have to change.”
“No changing. Don’t worry, no one will see you. We’re going somewhere private.”
“I’m in pajamas,” I say in a low voice.
“All the better. Come on, I’ll put the seat warmer on for you.”
Although we’re in Florida and it’s somewhat warm this time of year, I’m in a tank top with no bra and a pair of pajama shorts that I’m fairly sure show off half my ass. But I guess if I want to tempt him to cross that line sooner than the nine dates, this isn’t a bad outfit to do it in.
I grab my keys, my purse, and leave my apartment.
I wasn’t prepared for the smoldering look from Maksim though. The minute I sit in the passenger seat of his Mercedes, the energy shifts. Maybe I bargained for more than I was ready for.
