Melting Ice (5 page)

“Who is
this
?” Emma addressed Avery as if Isaac weren’t even there.

“This is Isaac. He just moved in next door.” Avery shook her hair out of its ponytail and smoothed it out.

“That’s not all he’s moving in on,” Emma sniffed, thoroughly disgusted with her sister. Emma was more than a little on the prudish side.

Isaac snorted and Avery shot him a withering look, only he didn’t wither—if anything he blossomed as much as a man like him could blossom. A slow devilish grin spread across his face, changing him from dangerous to playful in a split second.

“Isaac was just leaving. He’s a friend of Brad’s.”

“Hi, Emma,” he said as he leaned against the wall and crossed his arms over his broad chest, still smirking. Avery shot him a pointed look and raised a brow, jerking her head toward the aisle. He pushed himself off the wall, taking his time, his movements slow and graceful like a big cat’s.

“Nice to meet you, Emma,” he said as he turned to Avery, his voice a low rumble in her ear. “I’ll drop by another time. We do have unfinished business.” He sauntered off, leaving her with her mouth hanging open and her sassy comeback stuck in her throat.

“You just met this guy?” Emma glared at her as if she’d lost her mind.

“Yeah. He’s in business with Brad.”

“What kind of business? Monkey business.” Emma’s mouth puckered like she’d eaten some of their grandma’s green apple pie. Grandma never could cook. It ran in the family.

“I don’t know,” Avery admitted.

“Seriously? Brad is the biggest man slut around. You don’t need to get hooked up with a friend of his. That guy, Isaac, is bad news. He’s dangerous.”

“What makes you say that?” Avery laughed at her sister who liked to pretend she had some gift for seeing inside a person, which she didn’t, but usually Avery humored her.

“I just know.” Emma continued to stare at the door.

Avery didn’t roll her eyes but she wanted to. “I’m not going to do anything with him that Bella wouldn’t do.” Avery grinned knowing her statement would really get a rise out of her straight-arrow sister.

Emma eyes grew big. “Bella doesn’t have any boundaries. She’s—she’s indiscriminate.”

“I have a long way to go before I surpass her. This is just one guy, and I only want one night.” Maybe two or three. After all Bella had a stable of guys she called when she was horny. Why shouldn’t Avery have just one?

“You’re going to hook up with a virtual stranger for one night of meaningless sex? That’s not like you.” Emma’s brow furrowed with worry, but then Emma liked to worry.

“This is a new year and a new me. So, yes, I am, given half the chance. That man is pure sex with a bad-boy twist. I can tell. I just have to keep him away from Bella, or she’ll be all over him in seconds flat.”

“I think you’re making a mistake,” Emma sniffed, sounding like some Victorian schoolmarm.

“I know you think that. You believe love and sex go hand in hand. Emma, the rest of the world has progressed far beyond that crap. Get with the twenty-first century, sister. I’m going to have hot, dirty sex with this guy and probably never see him again. It’s not a big deal as long as we practice safe, consensual sex.”

Emma frowned; obviously it was a big deal to her.

Avery didn’t care. They might be twins, but they had their own lives, their own dreams, and their set of moralities. Avery’s just happened to be more relaxed than her sister’s. Besides it wasn’t like this did this type of thing every day, but the right guy had pushed all the right buttons.

Tired of Emma’s judgmental attitude, Avery picked up the brush and started grooming Dex again. Emma turned to go up the stairs to their apartment and paused.

Avery glanced up at her. “What?”

“He is hot, Ave,” Emma admitted and grinned.

“I know, Ems, I know.”

Emma hesitated as if she wanted to say more. Instead she shrugged and headed upstairs.

Avery smiled to herself.

Yes, Isaac was one hot man, and he wanted her.

Naked, willing, and able.

* * * *

Isaac showed up early at the Sockeyes’ facility and worked out before meeting with his new coaches. The team had flown into Seattle at the break of dawn, and even though it was Sunday, hockey teams don’t take many days off during the season. Neither did Isaac. None of his new teammates were in the workout room yet, for which he was grateful. He didn’t feel like making nice with the guys, and yet he knew he had no choice. Not if he wanted hockey to remain a part of his life. And he did because without hockey, he had no life. At least not one worth living.

Isaac showered, dressed in a pair of new jeans and a Sockeyes polo and headed for the coaches’ conference room. He was ten minutes early, but he hated being late.

As he rounded the corner and walked down the hall, he heard his name. The door was ajar to the conference room so he approached slowly, feeling like a damn coward for not marching right in. Instead he lurked in the shadows by the door and listened.

“I can’t believe you signed that asshole without at least talking to me first. After all, I’m the team captain.” Cooper Black’s angry voice carried down the hall. Isaac couldn’t stand Black. The guy was arrogant and too perfect, never causing trouble, always playing for the team, while holding himself and others around him to those same impossibly high standards. Guys like Cooper made Isaac suspicious. Usually underneath all that teammate bullshit lurked a hypercritical, selfish jerk.

“Coop,” said someone else—Isaac didn’t know the rest of them well enough to guess whose voice was whose. “We believe Isaac can contribute to this team and our run for the Cup down the stretch. It’s your job as captain to make sure he assimilates well with the guys.”

“He’s never assimilated into any team, which is why he’s been on the trading block every six months or less since he’s entered the league.”

Another voice spoke up. “Regardless, you’re going to do your duties as team captain.”

“I always do my duties,” Black growled.

Isaac chose that moment to walk into the room, his stride strong and forceful, his face schooled into a careful mask of indifference, his way of dealing with all the crap life threw at him. Yet inside was a different story, and Isaac’s stomach churned with fear, fear of losing his career and his first love—hockey.

“Isaac,” spoke the man who’d done the talking earlier. He stood and held out his hand. “I’m Coach Gorst. Welcome to the Sockeyes. We’re thrilled to have a player of your talent join us.”

Isaac nodded and shook hands around the room as the rest of the coaching staff was introduced along with the captain and alternate captains. Everyone treated him as if he were a vital part of their team, not like he was the fuck-up of the NHL; well, everyone but Cooper Black. Black shook his hand but only grunted a word or two.

Once they dispensed with the formalities, Coach jumped right in. “Isaac, the Sockeyes aren’t steeped in tradition like other teams. We’re new, we’re progressive, and we’re dedicated to doing what it takes to make this team a perpetual winner. We celebrate each player’s uniqueness. We don’t want little robots on this team who conform to the NHL ideal of what a hockey player should be. We want renegades, guys who push the envelope. Team players with attitude on the ice which doesn’t extend to the locker room. We play hard and fast. We play with enthusiasm because we only sign players who love the game. We take no prisoners and make no excuses. When we walk off that ice every night, we know we’ve left our blood and our hearts on the ice.” The coach spoke with the passion of one dedicated to his cause.

“Yes, Coach,” Isaac replied agreeably. What the hell else could he do? The league had him by the short hairs, and every man in this room knew it.

“We think you can be that kind of player for us. We believe in you.” Coach grinned at him with a fire in his eyes that despite Isaac’s mistrust and cynicism sucked him in.

Either this guy was full of shit, or he should be a motivational speaker. Most guys this positive and rah-rah couldn’t carry it off without sounding insincere. Not this guy. Gorst wasn’t blowing smoke up his ass. Isaac suspected he meant every word.

Gorst was young and innovative. He was knocking the good ol’ boys on their asses and changing everything about hockey as they knew it. If he started a winning tradition here in Seattle, the good ol’ boys would have no choice but to sit up and take notice, and they wouldn’t like that one damn bit.

Isaac had done his research on the team and the city. The Sockeye staff and players were comprised of renegades, upstarts, and non-traditionalists. They didn’t give a shit about how it was done before, because around here it hadn’t been done before. They were going to break new ground. They were who they were, and they didn’t care if ninety percent of the East Coast thought they were located somewhere near Alaska.

He’d never visited Seattle until now because if the city didn’t have NHL, he didn’t visit it. Life for him was that simple and that complicated. He planned to make this his home for as long as the Sockeyes would have him.

Isaac looked around the room at the eager, welcoming faces. Except for Black, they seemed sincere and willing to let him start over.

Today was a new day for Isaac Wolfe. The puck was at his end of the ice; now he had to do what needed to be done or be benched permanently.

For the second time in twenty-four hours, a ray of hope lit up the darkness inside Isaac, and he actually smiled, not his usual sneer, but a real smile.

* * * *

After spending a good part of the day at the Sockeye facility, he stopped at a local bar for a hamburger and toyed with picking up a woman or two.

Isaac was restless, full of pent-up energy he’d tried to work off on the ice, only he’d failed miserably at removing the edge. Tomorrow would be his first game with his new team, and his first time in the locker room with these guys. He couldn’t screw this up. Despite the fact that he didn’t care much for socializing with his teammates in or out of the locker room, he’d make an attempt, which wasn’t easy for a loner like him.

He sent a couple drinks over to a table occupied by two hot females dressed to attract a man. He knew the type. He also knew he could have them with a snap of his fingers. They were already watching him and giggling. Giggling really annoyed him. Usually he could get past it, but not tonight for some reason. In fact, his dick shriveled like he’d just gone swimming in Puget Sound. Even the thought of a little two-on-one action didn’t wake up his slumbering libido.

The ladies waved at him and winked, expecting him to make the next move and join them, but he just sat there. Pretty soon, they’d be inviting themselves to his table, forcing him to make conversation he didn’t want to make. Playing nice didn’t work for him. Never had. Jenny had understood that. She could be just as snarky and volatile as he was.

One of the women had long blond hair, but not nearly as gorgeous as Avery’s streaked locks. He found himself smiling just thinking of her, and the women assumed he was smiling at them.

Shit.
He’d better get out of here soon unless he wanted to finish what he’d so stupidly started.

With a frustrated sigh, he threw some money on the table, walked toward the women who watched him expectantly, nodded, and slid past them, and straight out the door.

Meanwhile his dick followed his imagination down the road he’d taken a few minutes earlier when he’d been thinking of Avery’s hair. He’d loved to see her hair cascading over her shoulders and tickling her taut, rosy nipples. Or even better feel it brush across his chest as she rode him into sweet oblivion.

He swallowed hard, while his groin tightened with anticipation.

She wanted him. He wanted her. Their chemistry had been explosive, so why put off the inevitable? Going after a woman he wanted had never been an issue before. Yet, he held back. Avery attracted him in ways he instinctively knew could be dangerous to the brittle walls he’d built around his fragile heart.

He shook his head, irritated at himself for reading more into his fascination with the horse lady than was really there. Sure, he couldn’t get her out of his mind, but he’d never met a woman who made her living with horses. That distinctive fact probably piqued his interest and had nothing to do with her having any special powers over him.

Getting in his car, he drove home, but memories of Avery’s soft lips on his and her brilliant blue eyes haunted him to the point where he almost drove off the road twice. Women never did that to him.

It was already dark when he pulled into the driveway and drove past the barn. The place was dark except for a few outside lights. Other than a beat-up pickup parked in front, it appeared to be deserted. The upstairs window to what he assumed had to be the apartment was dark, too.

He slowed, tempted to find out if Avery happened to be around, even though it was more than obvious she wasn’t. At the last minute, he talked himself out of it and drove on home. He let Hal out and waited while he did his business then put him back inside.

Hal flopped down on his dog bed in the living room and tore into the pig’s ear Isaac tossed to him. Watching Isaac with suspicion, Hal grumbled a warning.

“Don’t even say thank you, you ungrateful shit,” Isaac muttered, glaring back at Hal. Hal growled louder in response. Rolling his eyes, Isaac slumped onto the couch and grabbed the remote. Flipping through the channels, he watched the end of the Boston-Detroit game.

Once it was over, he couldn’t find anything else of interest. Restless, he stood and paced the floor. He glanced toward the barn, watching for signs of life. It was close to nine PM when the lights finally flicked on, signaling someone’s arrival.

Without allowing himself a moment to think twice, Isaac yanked on his shoes and half-walked, half-sprinted to the barn. If anyone saw him, he completely destroyed his rep as a guy who didn’t chase women, but Isaac didn’t give a shit, never had, about what people thought of him. At least not since he’d been a kid vying with his two brothers for his father’s love—a father who didn’t deserve their love or respect. That drunken ass had driven a wedge so deep between Isaac and his brothers, Isaac didn’t think it could ever be repaired. Regrettably, Isaac had been the one to drive the final nail in that coffin. In fact, after what happened with Jenny and Karen, the wedge between the three brothers expanded into an impassable chasm.