The Stillness Of You(9)

I felt her arms at my waist and as I let go of her mouth and slid my   lips down the side of her neck she wrapped them around me and held on   tight.

I couldn't help myself. I let my hands wander down her back until I   cupped her butt and pulled her in as close as I could. My erection   strained against her and for a moment I couldn't think clearly. I was   hot and tight and I felt like I was crawling out of my skin.

What the hell had this girl done to me?

"Oh, Ben," she whispered into my neck.

Jesus. Christ. If I didn't get some distance and perspective I was going   to lose it big time. Blowing my load five seconds in when I was   fourteen wasn't anything compared to blowing my load when I was   twenty-four and I wasn't even in.

When I was making out with the hottest girl I'd ever met at the top of   the Rocky steps. In public. Hell the fuck yeah, that would be bad.

I slid my mouth back to hers and loosened my ironclad grip on her ass.   It took everything I had to brush a soft kiss across her lips and let   her go.

I was aware that a group of guys who had run up behind us were watching   and I tossed them a dark look of warning before I grabbed Georgia's  hand  and pulled her down the stairs. I didn't say anything until we  reached  the bottom, mostly because I had no idea what to say.

Sorry for sticking my tongue down your throat and feeling up your ass in public?

"We should go," she said softly.

The moment was gone and I said nothing.

We started out at a nice easy pace and I did my best to match my long   strides to her shorter ones and after an hour we slowed to a leisurely   walk. American pride was everywhere, the stars and stripes, red, white,   and blue. Growing up Canadian, I was used to a much more subdued  display  when my country's birthday, July 1st, rolled around. But I had  to give  it to the Americans, they sure liked their flags and parades  and it was  nice. Real nice.

We stopped at a corner, one I recognized and I knew we weren't far from   Matt's loft. I spied a coffee shop that advertised all you can eat   breakfast across the street and glanced down at Georgia.

"I don't know about you but I'm starved. Do you want to grab some breakfast?" I pointed to the coffee shop.

"Oh." She sounded distracted, her eyebrows arched as she followed my   finger. "Uh, I don't have any money on me. I didn't think to bring any."                       
       
           



       

A guy and his overweight golden retriever walked toward us and he slowed   down a few feet away. I couldn't tell if he was staring at Georgia or   if he was giving me the once over. I knew the look-that cross between  do  I know this guy or is he really who I think he is-and I didn't want  any  interruptions. I don't mind signing autographs and if I was at a   charity event or a game I'd sign them until my fingers cramped, but not   today.

Today I wanted to be a normal guy out with a beautiful girl on the Fourth of July.

I grabbed Georgia's elbow and started across the street. "It's all good. I grabbed my credit card before we left."

The small coffee shop was busy, with a lineup at the counter and from   what I could see all the tables were full. A few looked like they'd be   clearing out soon but I wasn't sure how many folks were waiting ahead of   us.

A tall man, with a balding head and sharp features glanced up from the   cash machine. His white apron was smeared with grease and what looked   like ketchup. "Sorry, guys. If you're looking for fast service you'll   have to go elsewhere. We're crazy busy this morning." His eyes narrowed a   bit and he got the same look on his face that dog-walking-guy had.

I nodded. "It's alright." And turned to Georgia. "Do you want to wait, or go somewhere else, or just go home?"

"Of course," the man said as he elbowed his way out from behind the   counter and through the line of people waiting to pay. "We always make   room for one of our boys. Welcome to Philly."

Usually, I wasn't a guy who used the celebrity thing to get what he   wanted and truthfully most of the guys I knew weren't like that   either-most of us were small town boys-but living in LA, I'd met a lot   of celebrities and some of them would do anything for a freebie or   special treatment.

But today was different. Christ, today the eggs and bacon in this place   were killing me and I had my eye on a booth in the back that a family   had just left. It was darker back there, kind of secluded and I could   have Georgia all to myself.

I leaned forward aware that a few more people were staring. "I'd   appreciate the table in the back and if you want me to sign anything,   just send it over."

His grin widened. "No problem." He stepped back quickly and signaled to a   young girl who had just filled coffees for the table closest to us.   "Amber, last booth. Now." And then to us he said with a huge smile.   "Follow me, Mr. Lancaster."

"Wow," Georgia muttered, rolling her eyes. "Is that all it takes?"

I settled my hand in the small of her back and pushed her forward,   leaning down so I could whisper in her ear-and catch a whiff of that   summery smell that I was fast becoming addicted to. "You want to eat   don't you?"

Our host, who introduced himself as Eli, gave us each a menu and   grinned. "I think the Flyers are going all the way with you this season.   I'm telling you a lot of fans jumped for joy the day your trade was   announced."

"Thanks. I appreciate it."

Georgia leaned her elbows onto the table and glanced up at Eli, her eyebrows furrowed. "What are you talking about?"

He looked down at her as if she was crazy and pointed at me. "Ben   Lancaster is without a doubt the finest center in the NHL. Hell, even   Crosby can't touch him. Lancaster's hands are magic."

"Ben?" Her nose wrinkled in this way that nearly made me lose my mind.   Her eyes sparkled and that fucking tongue was sweeping across her lower   lip as she frowned. "You told me your name was Jack."

"Did I?" I asked, wondering where she was going with this.

She nodded. "Isn't that what you said last night when you picked me up on the corner of John and New Street."

By the uncomfortable look on Eli's face, I was gonna go with the guess   that John and New Street was where guys trolled for prostitutes.

She leaned forward and ran her forefinger along the top of my hand and   damn if my stomach muscles didn't clench. "Don't worry about it, Jack,   I'll call you whatever you want me to."

Eli cleared his throat and backed away. "Okay, so Amber will be by to   take your order and ah, if you don't mind, I have a couple things I," he   paused, his gaze dropping to Georgia's finger as it slowly moved back   and forth across me. I couldn't blame the guy, my eyes were pretty much   fixated on the same thing.

"Yeah, I'll sign whatever you want. Give us five minutes okay?"

Eli disappeared and Georgia's smile widened. "So that was awkward," she said slowly. "For Eli."                       
       
           



       

"You're a trouble maker."

"You have no idea," she answered leaning back in her chair and withdrawing her finger from my hand.

"This isn't good." I shook my head and tried to keep the grin off my   face. "Words going to get out that Ben Lancaster has to pay for pussy. I   can't have that."

"Who says you were paying for pussy?" Her eyes widened and so did her smile. "I could let it slip to Eli that I'm a tranny."

"A what?"

She licked her lips again and I had to concentrate hard to understand what the hell she was saying. "A transvestite."

"You wouldn't"

"Wouldn't I?" She said slowly. "What are you going to do to stop me, Jack."

"I can think of a lot of things."

"Really."

I leaned forward, liking the heat between us and the way her skin   flushed to peaches and cream. "But first I'm going to make you pay. That   little stunt will probably cost me millions in endorsements."

Her pupils were dilated and that damn tongue peeked out from between her   lips. "Hmm, I'd say trolling for pussy could hurt you a little bit,  but  if word got out you were trolling for dick," she shrugged, her  smile  sly and it took everything inside me to not jump across the table  and  kiss her.

"Um, are you guys ready to order?"