Welcome back to Tuesday Tales!

After a month’s hiatus, it feels great to be back in the swing of the TT!  I spent my month off writing 100k+ words, finishing 3 books & getting a contract for 7 more of my Holidays in Lake Point series! I’m so excited! I’m glad I had that boost last month, because so far this one has been a real jerk to me.

Onto this week’s prompt!  I apologize for this stunning, gorgeous picture I’m using. I have not yet had time (or cash) to shop for my real MC’s in this story I’m presenting, so I have to display abs here, the closest to my Hero I had on hand. He’s sure got the right build for my hockey-god…but he’s a little too old, and for once my hero doesn’t have any scruff…and the hair is not quite right.  Still, he’s nice to look at so here’s abs for you as I give you one (maybe two at best) weeks of next years Valentine’s story – Heartstrings & Hockey Pucks.

This weeks prompt is to be inspired by the word Curly.

This week’s prompt fell into my current WIP for the Holidays in Lake Point series, Heartstrings & Hockey Pucks, mostly because my delectable hockey-god hero has curly black hair. 😀  Here he is getting ready for practice after an unexpected & impromptu romp in the sack with my heroine, and his best friend, Penelope “Pen”.

Cage’s alarm had gone off two hours ago, but he’d ignored it in favor of staying right where he was. Wrapped in his arms, Pen had her body flush against his. Every move of her supple body made his cock jump to attention. If they hadn’t been up half the night, he might have taken advantage. As it was, he should’ve been sleeping. Instead, he’d skipped working out, and just lay there alternately awake and dozing just to be close to her.

His secondary alarm went off with a quiet buzz, and he reached back to shut it off. He’d have no choice now but to get up, because that was his pre-practice alarm. Right as he prepared to disentangle from the gorgeous woman in his arms she stretched and wiggled her ass right up against him.

The tightness he’d suffered through all morning turned into a raging hard-on. He buried his face in her neck and groaned against her flesh. “You’re going to kill me in a slow torturous death,” he whispered against her sleeping form. “And I’m going to love every minute.”

A soft whimper escaped her lips, but her eyes didn’t open.

With great care to not wake her, he pulled his half-numb arm out from under her. When she shivered with his departure, he pulled the blanket up over her. He went to the bathroom and scrubbed his teeth and splashed cold water on his face.

The entire time he couldn’t stop grinning. He knew now, without a doubt, that Pen felt the same way about him. Sure, she might have been scared and skittish about how their lives and jobs could ever work, but she felt the same.

After the first impatient, rushed, and holy-shit-did-I-miss-this time, he’d stepped back and taken it slow. It had been years since he’d felt such a connection with Pen like that, like for the first time since their first time they connected deeper than ever.

Every girl since had paled in comparison, the lack of connection making the act little more than a release of pent-up frustration. With the exception of one short lived relationship, he’d not found anything even close. To this day he felt bad about that one relationship. Shandra had been a desperate attempt to get over Pen when she ended their friends with benefits. To prove it didn’t matter to himself, or to Pen.

While he hadn’t realized it at the time, he sure as hell did after the fact. Shandra didn’t deserve the guarded heart he’d offered. The woman had realized it too, and left his ass cold.

When Pen had told him she was leaving for Europe he’d been lost. He wanted to beg and plead for her to stay, but how could he? More than most people, he knew how crushed she’d been after Chicago. The opportunity to study in France under a master was too good to pass up. What sort of friend would he be if he stood in her way?

Although now she all but admitted him she’d wanted him to ask her to stay. Did she really want the path she insisted she did? How hard would she strangle him if he dared suggest it again.

Cage leaned on the counter and stared at his image in the mirror hard. His curly black hair stood at crazy angles of his head, evidence of the night he’d spent with Pen. Luckily, the cap he’d throw on, followed by his helmet would take care of that.

All he needed now was clothes, and then to see Pen again before he left. He hoped she’d come to his game tonight so he could give her a proper send off for Philly. If not, he’d have to come home in between practice and the game.

Then again, maybe he would anyway.

The goofy grin he’d been wearing deepened and he chuckled at his own reflection. “Idiot. You’re acting like a love sick fool.” He’d just have to ignore the fact that he’d robbed himself of this feeling for years, and enjoy it while he had it.

He threw on sweats and grabbed his bag, hauling it to the front door. Once he’d swung through the kitchen to start his coffee, he went back to Pen’s room. He leaned down over her and brushed his lips across her cheek. “I’ve got practice, Pen. I’ll be back in a few hours.”

Her mumbled reply was completely unintelligible, but she rolled onto her back. Blonde locks spread out across the dark sheets and a soft smile remained on her lips.

“Don’t go anywhere, okay?” He kissed her forehead, then the tip of her nose. “Promise?”

She twitched her nose after his kiss and scratched it with the back of her hand. A soft sigh slipped through her lips as her eyes fluttered half open before closing.

“Pen,” he teased lightly at her earlobe. With a gentle nip to her neck he swore she sprang to life. Her body arched into his and she groaned low. He chuckled. “Four hours is too long. Wish I could stay.”

“Stay.” She sighed again, her eyes still closed.

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