Page 45 of Ice King

“Wait. Hold on. You’re leveraging a date for me trying to help you relax?”

There was that cocky look of his again, but he shrugged as if no big deal. “Just a drink. Nothing special. I figure maybe you’d like to see another side of me.”

Those same eyes searched mine, certain there was incoming admonishment. Or at least for me to laugh in his face orrefuse the offer. Why was it that instead of shutting him down instantly, I was allowing him to think I was interested?

I didn’t say a word, taking him by the hand and pulling him away from everyone else into the hallway leading to the showers where I pushed him face first against the wall.

He exuded heat, his body remaining stiff as he tipped his head over his shoulder. I was certain he would object, but when I rolled the flat of my hands along the small of his back, he took a deep breath and held the air in his lungs.

With all the noise around us, the echoing of my raging heart was drowned out, but I could feel the savage thudding in my chest. As I crawled my fingers along his spine, he closed his eyes. Once he rested his head against the wall, I could sense some of the tension fading.

I’d heard the expression about there being no one else in a crowded room before, but never had understood what it meant. Until now. I concentrated on him, massaging his shoulders and arms, hoping to relieve a few kinks.

“Have you ever wanted something so badly that nothing else in life mattered?” The question came from nowhere, a quiet moment shared between two people who barely knew each other.

“A long time ago,” I admitted and instantly I wasn’t certain why. Opening up to anyone about myself had proven to be dangerous and doing so always resulted in questions.

Yet he didn’t ask, allowing me my privacy if only for a little while longer.

I doubted he was the kind of man to truly let go very often, except when he was on the ice.

Before long, I heard a whistle and his eyes popped open. He turned around, a more serene look on his face than before.

“You’re going to go out on that ice and you’re going to glide like a rockstar and make two goals. One right after the other. Do you understand?”

His upper lip curled and I was certain he’d regained his usual cocky persona, eager to tweak my nerves. When he saluted instead, I was amused. “Yes, ma’am. I’ll do my best.”

So many aspects of my life were laced with regret, but I hoped this wasn’t going to be another one of them.

Without overthinking anything, I pressed my hand on his naked chest, once again lifting onto my tiptoes as I leaned in. And without hesitation, I did the unthinkable.

I kissed him.

CHAPTER 10

Ford

Electricity had already scoured my veins.

All from being close to a beautiful woman I shouldn’t even consider touching.

But I was…

“To the man of the hour! Bartender, get that man another beer.”

As a guy I didn’t know raised his beer bottle, I nodded in appreciation. Only in the last few minutes had I started to come down from the intense adrenaline rush. “I’m good, but thank you.” I showed him my nearly full glass of whiskey, but he didn’t seem to be paying attention, trying to grab the bartender’s arm.

“Does that ever get old?”

Hearing a different lilt to Georgia’s voice brought a smile to my face. I swung my head toward her, reflecting the mood she was in and shrugging. “Honestly? Hell, no. I can’t lie. I adore thereactions from the followers. Most people are really cool about what they say.”

Although I had to admit if only to myself that a few assholes had gotten under my skin. The closer we’d come to the playoffs, the worse the nasty shifter comments had gotten.

“I’d have a difficult time under the pressure.”

I leaned further forward. “I doubt that. You’re all fire and ice, a woman who appears as if she can handle anything.”

Georgia swirled her glass of wine with one hand while dragging a strand of hair from her eyes with the other. Even in the bar’s dim lighting, it appeared as if her skin was glowing. She had the same serene look on her face as a dream I’d experienced. My untamed mental calisthenics in the middle of the night were getting out of hand. I hadn’t slept the entire night through in a couple of weeks if not longer.