You Had Me at Hockey (Bears Hockey #2) - Kelly Jamieson Page 0,70

shoulders as he pounds into me, growling filthy words against my ear. I tip my pelvis and, as if he knows, he grabs a pillow and shoves it under my hips. When he thrusts back in, his body drags over my clit. I shudder and reach for it…that sensation, that twisting, turning, tightening coil of sweet, sweet pleasure. He rocks on me, filling me with beautiful, brilliant pleasure that spikes up almost painfully…holding me suspended, burning, then flooding me with bliss. “There,” I gasp. “Oh Jesus.”

His breath is hot on my ear as he goes after his own release. “Sara,” he groans, driving in even deeper, holding his big body tight against mine as he shudders through his climax. “Fuck, Sara…”

I kiss his shoulder and hold on tighter, our bodies sticky and glued together, still pulsing.

“Wow,” I mumble. “It just keeps getting better.”

* * *

—

Josh has a bunch of home games in a row, but I’m off to Los Angeles for a few days. Spring is coming to New York, but I still enjoy the warm sun and palm trees in California. I stay in downtown L.A. at the Bonaventure, since the offices of Tryst and Genuine People are both near there. We meet with Tryst first, and my ego gets a bit of a boost.

“We think a partnership would be mutually beneficial,” the young woman tells me. Her name is Jandy. “These days, brands are looking for partnerships that already have a captive audience. And you definitely have that. Your Instagram is killer, by the way.”

“Thanks.”

“And of course the views on your YouTube channel are insane. You have such authenticity with young people. So much…cachet. That makes you a perfect brand ambassador.”

“Well, that’s great to hear. But…you said mutually beneficial…”

Jandy smiles. “Right. Our brand is one of the top luxury brands this year. We’re not up there with Louis Vuitton and Hermès, but we’re getting to be very well known, and we’ve been expanding our digital reach. We believe it would expand your brand as well, to upscale urban consumers.”

I nod, trying not to chew on my bottom lip. That’s a fair point.

“What we’d love to see is you as the face of our new denim line.”

“Oh.” That’s not what I’d been thinking. Tryst isn’t known for jeans.

She tells me more about the line and their plans for it, and the dude with her, Dorian, shows us a presentation on the screen on one wall. Very slick, very glamorous. I like the jeans.

The next day we meet with Genuine People. They don’t have to sell me on their fashion; I already know and love it. But they try anyway. I actually meet with the founder of Genuine People, Janaya Wright, who’s not much older than me, and her marketing VP.

“We aim to create timeless clothing that balances modernity with femininity,” she says. “We use luxury fabrics and expert craftsmanship. Our clothing is luxurious and yet very wearable and fluid, allowing you to really make a statement. We’re also passionate about sustainability and local production. We’ve launched a denim recycling program that encourages customers to bring their old jeans back to a brick-and-mortar store. We recycle and transform the denim into insulation for homes.”

My mouth drops open but I quickly close it. “I actually did not know that. I love it.”

“We’re really proud of it.”

“I have your Belvedere skirt. It’s one of my favorite pieces.”

“Oh! Thank you! See, you’d be such a great fit! You’re so cool! Gen Z is really moving away from dressing for other people and embracing their own style. Quirky and unique.”

I could definitely see myself wearing pretty much anything they make.

Of course we don’t commit to anything, and Harper and I talk about things over dinner that night at a restaurant near the hotel. She has notes about our meeting with Monrovia in New York, which I also really liked.

I’m impatient with all the analysis, though. She has lists of pros and cons for each of them. It’s overwhelming, and I get bored with it. Finally, I say, “I just need to think about it, okay?”

“Of course.” She closes her tiny laptop computer and smiles. “Do you think we could have a decision for them by Monday?”

Today’s Thursday. I nod. “Okay.”

We talk about some other business things and then what to do tomorrow on our last day in L.A. We debate Universal Studios over shopping or the beach. In the end, we spend the day in Beverly Hills, and I blow a