Sweet Sizzle: A Red Hot Valentine Story Read Free Page B

he’d ducked out on that possibility before he could potentially prove what a fuck up he’d be. Brilliant stuff right there. Miracle he didn’t win Moron of the Century for that one. Of course he hadn’t been completely honest with her about the true motivation for his breaking their engagement either. That would have been too decent. Too much the logical, smart thing to do. Hell, come clean about his fears? No, better to deny they existed and blame something else. His budding football career had offered the perfect excuse. If he was going to make it pro like his brother, Gage, he couldn’t afford the distraction of a wife. Or a relationship at all.
    Fast forward a decade, and here he was. No wife. No relationship. No football career.
    No Rory.
    She was the only one that mattered. The only one he regretted losing. With every ounce of his soul.
    He stepped toward her again, his hands held in front of him in supplication. “I know I don’t deserve your forgiveness. But please, I’m begging you for it. Whatever you want me to do, whatever you want from me period , it’s yours.”
    She cocked her head to the side. “Really? Anything?”
    He nodded.
    She stroked her chin. “Hm, this time of year, might be kinda tough finding that patch of poison ivy for you to roll around in naked.”
    Grimacing, he tried his damnedest to ignore the itchy ball syndrome her words instigated. “Got to admit I’m surprised you didn’t mention a pit of alligators.”
    She smiled sweetly. “Where do you think the poison ivy patch is located?”
    Michael chuckled, only to immediately snuff it when Ben shot him the stink eye. “I’ll, uh, go find some heavy lifting to do.”
    “Oh no you don’t. You’re supposed to help me locate George.” Rory marched over to Michael and seized him by the elbow.
    Ben made a tsking sound. “Not nice to manhandle the probie that way.”
    Rory sent him a slit-eyed look before glancing at Michael. “Are you going to let him talk to you like that? He just called you an alien sex probe.”
    Michael looked suitably confused. “No, it’s a term they call us new guys.”
    “What? They all call you an alien sex probe? What a bunch of jerks.”
    Michael bounced his deer-trapped-in-headlights stare to Ben. “I…don’t know what we’re talking about right now.”
    “Usually the case when it comes to Rory.” Taking pity on his best mate, Ben strode to Michael’s side and efficiently loosened Rory’s grip with a strategic tug on her coat sleeve. He nodded to Michael. “Go. Now, young Skywalker, before the Wampa beast discovers our trickery.”
    Michael gulped before hotfooting it toward the locker room.
    Securing the cookie vase in the crook of her arm, Rory speared him with a droll look. “Really? Still with the Star Wars references?”
    “What can I say? Once a geek, always a geek.”
    Despite Rory’s excessive eye rolling, a giggle escaped her. Ben swore to Christ it was the most beautiful sound to grace his ears in who knows how long. Actually, he had a good estimation in regards to that tally. It at least had to be ten plus years—which amounted to the last time he’d brought a laugh tumbling from Rory.  He stared at her lips, his own tingling as he recalled the decadent, sweet softness of her mouth.
    She sucked in a shuddery breath. “Please don’t look at me like that, Ben.”
    His memories of their last kisses a tormenting siren song, he traced the succulent bow of her bottom lip. “Like what?”
    She shivered. “Like you want to eat me alive.”
    He slowly lifted his gaze to hers. “I can’t stop, Ro. And I’m never gonna stop. Because that’s exactly what I wanna do. With every fiber of my being.” He lowered his head and nuzzled her temple before following the curve of her cheekbone with his lips. “Wanna lick every inch of you, until you’re branded into my taste buds. I’ll spread you out, hold you down while I suck on your nipples.” His hand moved to the gentle swell