Bring The Heat: A Bad Boy Sports Romance (Bad Boys of Summer Book 1) by KB Winters Page A

grinned at me and sat back in his chair. He removed his hand from my leg so he could settle the bill with the server. I instantly missed the warmth of it against my thigh. I clenched my legs together, the pressure building to unbearable heights. At this rate, I wasn’t going to make it home before begging him for relief. The man did something to me. There was something about him that seeped into my brain and messed with the wiring. The things I shouldn’t want were suddenly all I could think about. It was like being under some kind of spell or drug. Thick, hot, heavy.
    When the bill was paid, he stood and offered me a hand. “All right. We’re blowing this joint. Many thanks to the super fans. Thank you for defending our lovely ladies.” He tipped his chin at the opposite end of the table.
    Paris caught my eye and I couldn’t recall ever seeing her smile wider. Damn it. I was never going to hear the end of this .
    I waved at the table and let Cody gather me against him with his arm at my waist. He flashed me a dark smile. “You ready for the after party?” he asked, his voice low.
    Sparks flew around my stomach, making it flutter and flip. “Come on, before I change my mind,” I said, offering the last of my sarcasm.
    Cody flashed me a wicked grin that told me he knew I was bluffing. He’d already caught me. I couldn’t pull away from him now.
    I could only hope that one night would get him out of my system so that I could move on with my life.
    We exited the restaurant and he wrapped his arm tighter around me as we made our way down the block. The sunny afternoon had faded into a chilly night and I hadn’t planned ahead to bring a coat. Apparently Cody hadn’t either. “Not too much farther,” he said, jutting his chin in the direction of a nearby parking garage.
    “Where are we going?” I asked, looking up at him.
    He grinned at me. “Wherever you wanna go, baby.”
    His fingers traced circles along my side and then smoothed down my hip as we walked. “If my vote counts for anything, I’d vote my place. Much closer.”
    A shiver of anticipation shimmered over my skin and Cody tucked me against him tighter, misreading the shiver as a result of the brisk evening air. I licked my lips and considered the offer. I wanted Cody and he knew it. There was no more pretending. But I also didn’t want him to take this too far. “Fine. Your place works.”
    Cody chuckled. “Damn, you don’t have to sound like I’ve got a gun to your head. That’s pretty cold, baby.”
    I shook my head. “I just don’t—”
    He stopped walking and turned to face me, backing me up out of the way of other pedestrians on the sidewalk. Downtown was still busy and active in the aftermath of such an exciting game. The local bars, taverns, and restaurants would be flooded with hungry fans who wanted something more substantial than a greasy hot dog or a bag of salty peanuts.
    Cody pushed me gently up against the brick of a small vintage clothing shop and leaned down, bringing his face inches from mine. “Sweetheart, you know what your problem is?” I bristled and started to argue, but he set a finger against my lips to silence me. “You think too damn much. This isn’t some grand commitment we’re making here. All right? I’m not gonna fuck you over, babe. I just wanna fuck you.”
    His gruff tone and blunt statement reverberated through me and to my surprise, made me hotter. And wetter. And weak.
    “Don’t read too much into it, all right. You go to my hotel with me tonight and I’ll blow your fuckin’ mind. Then I’ll drop you at home and we’ll call it a night. You never have to see me again. Unless, ya know, you want to.” He dropped his lips lower and mine parted in anticipation. “Which you will…”
    He took my lips with his and stole away any lingering objections. The kiss was hot and frantic. He commanded my attention and I clung to him to keep from melting right there on the sidewalk as my bones turned to