Bound

Kate & Ryke

I was surrounded by people who'd gone temporarily insane. They were screaming, stomping, dancing and some were trying unsuccessfully to get a wave going. I was lost in a sea of red – Ryke's team color – and I was having the time of my life.

I was in the friends and family section, near the ice, with Dawn. She was the closest I had to a friend among the players' wives, and she always saved me a seat at home games.

She bounded up with a frustrated cry and I jumped up, too. I still wasn't completely sure what to get outraged about at games, but I was trying to learn. I knew a goal meant go crazy, but the other stuff I needed Dawn's cues for.

I couldn't take my eyes off Ryke. He glided down the ice with precision, sliding to a stop to fight over the puck with other players. Sticks swung and elbows flew. Ryke's stick was knocked from his hand and he delivered a punch to the gut of a player from the other team that made me clutch my stomach.

The other player shoved Ryke, and in an instant Ryke was plowing into him. His expression was twisted in anger and I heard a muffled grunt from the other guy even over the roar of the crowd.

A wave of swirling colors made its way down the ice as all the other players headed for the other end of the rink. Ryke and his sparring partner each got in a final shove before they took off that way, too.

I leaned into Dawn and spoke into her ear. "Does watching this make you hot?"

"Hell yeah," she said, her brows arching as a grin spread across her face. "When Vic gets in a good fight we always have amazing sex that night. I hate it when he's out of town and I see him fighting on TV."

"There's always phone sex," I said, grinning.

"Oh yeah, you'll get good at that." Her blue eyes sparkled as she spoke. "And you have to send random texts occasionally, too."

My head snapped her way. "You mean . . . sexy ones?"

Dawn's gaze was focused on the ice, and her eyes widened as several players vied for the puck.

"Vic!" she screamed, jumping up and cupping her hands around her mouth. "Hit somebody!"

I jumped up, too, when I saw Ryke easing the puck to pass it to another player, but then he drew back and slapped it toward the net with such force that I couldn't even see it flying.

The slump of the other team's goalie onto the ice told me it was a goal, and Dawn and I jumped and hugged and screamed with the rest of the arena until my throat was sore. I was about to sit back down when Ryke looked our way. Our eyes met for a split second and he gave a tiny nod.

"Speaking of good sex," Dawn said in a low tone. "You're wanting some right now, right?"

Damn right. My inner thighs were radiating warmth. The attention of the entire arena was focused on the strapping hockey star whose attention was focused on me. The fighting and aggression were like foreplay, slowly and deliciously heating me up. I'd never wanted him as much as I did at this moment.

"So anyway," Dawn said as we sat back down. "Yeah, I send Vic messages like wish you were inside me and let's fuck tonight because, you know, you've gotta keep it hot. Lots of women chase my man and he likes me to sink my claws in."

"Hmm," I said, wondering if I'd ever have the guts to send a message like that to Ryke. I knew I wouldn't mind getting one from him, but the idea of being that forward made me squirm.

The roar in the arena had died down, and I could actually hear Dawn when she spoke now.

"You're a lot different than Maggie," she said, glancing at my hands in my lap. My nails were painted bright red, with tiny decals of Ryke's team logo on each one. My cheeks heated with a flush. Maggie had been polished and sophisticated and I probably looked like a giggly high schooler with the team logo on my nails, t-shirt and baseball hat.