The Faker: A Marriage of Convenience Hockey Romance (Boston Hawks Hockey) by Gina Azzi (little red riding hood read aloud .TXT) 📕

we take this step, we’re going to tumble over the edge. We just don’t know how far the fall is or what perils wait for us when we land.

I lick my bottom lip in anticipation, in nerves, in want.

Slowly, Torsten closes the space between our mouths. I meet him halfway.

And when our lips finally touch, we kiss each other like it’s both the first time and like we’ve been doing it for decades. It’s heady, pulling me under completely. But it’s also hesitant, a testing of the waters rather than a losing of control.

Torsten is the first to pull away and the emotion in his eyes crashes over me like a wave. He searches my eyes, looking for confirmation. I lean forward and press my lips to his, letting him know that I want this. I want him. We jump off the cliff and freefall.

Torsten lifts me and I wrap my legs around his hips. He walks us slowly to his bedroom, stopping when we’re in the doorframe. His hips pin mine to the wall, his hands wrapped around the backs of my thighs, supporting my weight. He pulls back slightly, his eyes finding mine. “I don’t want to rush anything with you, Ri. I don’t want you to feel confused about me, about us. I respect the hell out of you, sweetheart.”

His words are extra reassurances I appreciate, but don’t need. Because I already made up my mind tonight, watching him at Taps. “I want to try with you, Torsten. Me and you, for real.”

His eyes widen and drop to my lips before slamming back into mine. “You sure, Ri? Because once you’re mine…I won’t just let you go.”

My heart is racing. It’s beating so loudly, I’m sure he can hear it. My legs start to tremble and my fingers dig into his shoulders to steady myself. “Promise?”

He doesn’t respond because his restraint slips at my response. Torsten’s lips crash over mine. He kisses me fiercely, with a hint of possessiveness that wasn’t there before. I revel in it, meeting him kiss for kiss as he jerks us away from the doorframe and relocates us to his bed.

I flop down in the center of his mattress, shimmying out of my jeans and whipping my sweater over my head. Torsten quickly loses his clothes too. His body covers mine and he pauses. He hovers over me, our eyes meeting and holding. Torsten slowly lowers his face and I lift my chin. Our mouths touch again and this time, our kiss is slow. It’s deep and sensual and causes a swell of emotion to trail through my limbs and a rush of heat to flow between my legs.

My hands track the planes of his back, grazing over his rippling muscles, and pulling him closer. He explores my body like it’s a marvel, his fingers and mouth touching every inch of my skin. We lose ourselves in each other, in this moment, touching and tasting, reveling and cherishing. When Torsten shifts away to grab a condom from his bedside table, I clasp his wrist and shake my head.

“I’m on the pill.”

He freezes, his eyes drinking me in. “Sweetheart, are you—”

“I’m sure, Torst.”

He inches closer to me, his hand brushing my hair away from my face, his fingers grazing the curve of my shoulder. “I’m clean, sweetheart. I’ve never not used a condom.”

“Me too. And I haven’t either,” I reassure him. I’ve always been safe. I’ve never let myself get this emotionally involved with anyone before and it feels different. All the physical acts of pleasure feel deeper, more, now that I’m emotionally invested.

Torsten’s hands cup my face and he kisses me reverently, guiding my head back to the pillows. He kisses me like he’ll never get enough as he slides inside of me. I gasp as he fills me, my hands clenching at his ribs. He pulls back and watches me, his gaze intense, as our bodies join together.

When he’s in all the way, he stills, and the sound of our breathing fills the air.

“You mean everything to me, Ri,” he murmurs, starting to move.

I groan as he drags out of me slowly before pushing back in. My body stretches to accommodate him, and delicious sensations rock through me. “Don’t stop, Torst,” I gasp as everything tightens. He sets a steady pace and slowly, pressure builds and my limbs tighten. My toes curl and my back arches off the bed. “Torsten!” I shatter around him, having the most intense orgasm of my life.

Torsten rides my pleasure, his eyes boring into mine.

I grasp his face, looking straight at him as I admit, “I’m falling for you, Torst.”

He swears and pumps into me faster, setting a relentless pace, until he gasps out my name and collapses on top of me.

I hug him close as he begins to soften inside of me. Our ragged breathing settles and Torsten slips out of me, curling his body protectively around mine. He tucks some of my hair behind my ear. His thumb drags along my lower lip, tracing my features. I turn to stare at him, feeling sated and relaxed and deliriously happy.

He smiles at me, leaning forward to kiss me deeply.

“I’ve been falling for you for a long time, Ri.”

I smile back. “You think we can do this?”

He nods, pulling his duvet cover over our naked bodies. “Yeah. We take it one day at a time.”

“Okay,” I agree, pressing a quick peck to his mouth.

“Okay,” he says, pulling me back until I rest against his chest. He wraps his arm around my middle and links our fingers together.

I snuggle into his warmth.

“Best birthday of my life,” he murmurs in my ear.

I chuckle, wiggling my ass against him. “You really are old,” I joke.

He pinches my side and I giggle. Slowly, sleep falls over us and I close my eyes, finally feeling like I found my home.

14

Torsten

“Mr. Hansen, we’re so grateful you wanted to come in to meet with us.” Josh Hendrix, the grandson of John