He raised an eyebrow, and she remembered she was supposed to be answering his question. “To help? Anything really. But. I’d like to teach girls who don’t have enough money to afford it, how to dance.” She thought some more. “And I don’t like hunger. I just think we should find a way to feed all the hungry people in the world. I’m sure there are other things as well. Like I’d like to pick up a kid who has nothing, maybe a rough home life, maybe feels like he or she will never see the light of hope and just totally give that kid a shot, you know?”
He searched her face for a moment, his eyes darkening in a way that made Janae aware of every place his gaze touched. “I love that about you.” His hand reached up to the back of her neck, up onto her head, fingers running through her hair. It left a delicious and firey desire everywhere his fingers touched. “Everyone who sees you knows you’re beautiful, but from what you just told me, I think I know why.” He ran his hands up further onto her scalp and then let her hair fall through his fingers. Her whole head was an array of tingles.
He ran his fingers down her neck and along one shoulder and then cupped her face, with one thumb teasing her lower lip, he dipped his head close, his lips one breath away from her mouth. “Kiss me.” His murmur rumbled through her, calling her to close the distance.
Her lips brushed his. “Okay.” Then she pulled his lower lip into her mouth and nibbled on it.
His lips spread in a soft smile, “Mmm.” He chuckled, responding in a playful way, but then she pressed her mouth to his and kissed him like she meant to stay there awhile, her body melting against him, his arms cradling her.
His response was soft and light at first, but she had no patience. She clung to him, scooted closer, and captured his mouth, nipping his bottom lip more sharply with her teeth. He responded with a growl, and soon he covered her, kissing and pulling and urging more from her. More of what she wanted to give. Her nails dug into his neck. But when she thought he’d devour her whole, satisfying her pounding desire for him, he stopped, closed his eyes for a second and then said, “What’s your last wish?”
“Wow. Um.” She caught her breath. “I wish you’d kiss me again?”
He laughed, his whole body shaking. Then he held her against his chest and stood, lifting her with him. “I think we need some air.”
Janae wasn’t so sure about air, but she allowed herself to be carried to the sliding glass door and out onto the balcony. The cool night felt refreshing. He placed her down on her feet and stood behind her at the railing. The city lights twinkled among the cars far below. She enjoyed the pounding in her heart at the exhilaration of being up so high, and standing so close to Trane. And she knew if she was ever going to leave this city, she needed to step away from Trane. But at this point, she didn’t think she could, not after a kiss like that.
Chapter 14
When Trane dropped Janae off at her door, she was weak with new infatuation. Never in the history of Janae Terry, had she fallen so hard for a guy. Was he everything she hoped? He was good, kind, respectful, hot…oh, he was hot.
She closed her eyes, thinking of his kisses, and then had to stop because he was gone and she was alone in her apartment. Next time. She smiled.
She loved everything about him so far. And she wanted to make the most of the short time she had in Detroit. Long distance would be tougher, but she would definitely not be finished with him yet. Would she ever tire of such a man?
She hurried into work the next morning, early. The girls would be there in an hour, and she wanted to get some things set up with the sound and lights crew. They had been told to meet her whenever she needed, and true to their responsibility, they hadn’t complained when she asked for an early meeting time.
She moved out to the center of the ice, waved her hand for a que to start the music and then let it flow through her. In some ways, their dancing was limited because of the skates, but in other ways, they had so much more potential. As she considered what more they could do on skates, and the insight of Todd about using lights and sound more, her excitement grew. If everyone liked their first routine, they were going to fall over in amazement at the second. As long as she could teach it to the girls fast enough.
The music picked up, and she flowed with it, letting her skates take her in a wide circle and then back to center. She moved her hips, her shoulders, her arms.
Lily skated out onto the ice. Alone. And something was different about her. She skidded to a stop in front of Janae. With a determined expression, she put hands on her hips. “I don’t like how you skated in here, took over our routine and Trane too.”
Janae studied her, trying to figure out her point. “I know you don’t like it.”
“There’s nothing I can do about any of it, I guess.”
Janae lifted a finger, nodded and pointed at Lily. “I thought we’d moved past this.”
“The whole team knows Trane is my guy. I was working on things. They backed off to give me space.”
Janae skated closer and stared her down. “I'm sorry you're upset. I didn't mean to cut you off, but Trane asked me out first, and we've been going out ever since.”
Lily’s eyes narrowed. “I don’t even think you can skate.”
“Obviously, I can.”
“I think you should prove it. Dancer is one thing, but skater. It takes actual skill.”
“Try me. What do you have that I can’t do?”
“She’s right.” Jez had joined them, and the others exited out of the ramp, coming in Janae’s direction. “You can’t just come in a steal another girl’s man.”
“We’re talking about skating here. She doesn’t think I can. And I didn’t steal anybody’s man. He asked me out. I think you should settle this with Trane.”
“I think you should settle it on the ice,” Jez said.
“What?” Janae eyed the girls who were now circling them.
Lily nodded. “You’re on.”
“I’m happy to see what you’ve got on the ice. But win or lose, my relationship with Trane stays out of this.” Did they have a relationship?
Lily nodded.
By this point, the whole ice girl team had joined them. Then Tiff waved her hand for the music to start, a fun hip-hop beat. Janae felt it vibrating up through the ice and she smiled. “So how does this work?”
Tiff smiled. “You dance, one at a time, do whatever skate moves you want, the idea is you do what the other one just did but better. It can be the same move or you can amp up the skill or creativity of that move.”
“This has rules and everything?”
“Oh yeah. It’s how we determine team captain, and which lockers we get.”
“And who gets what man.” Lily’s eyes narrowed.
So, had she won some dance off which gave her dibs on Trane? This felt way too middle school. But she did want to prove her abilities to the girls. She wanted to earn their respect. She’d been taking ice skating lessons since she was little, and never were those lessons going to be more useful than right now.
“We’re gonna let the men choose who they date. This is about skating.” Either way, Trane was hers. Last night was too amazing. She smiled. “Okay. Let’s do this.”
The girls backed away in a wider circle, the music still blared through the speakers, and Lily started. She moved to some impressive hip-hop jams. She had beat and heart. Janae was secretly thrilled to know she could add more complicated moves to their routine today. Then Lily spun to a stop, pointing to her.
Janae imitated her moves, but added a mini jump, then shook her hips, lifting her skirt and butt in the air to an imaginary audience.
The girls laughed and cheered.
Lily added some quick foot work, and doing it with skates on was impressive to Janae. She didn’t know if she could keep up to Lily’s pace there, so when it was her turn, she took the footwork, slowed it down and turned it into a slow, sensual motion. The girls catcalled. And Janae was surprised to hear a whistle from the side. The players were starting to
join them.
They went back and forth, each one amping up the skill of the other, until Janae knew soon one of them would break. All the hockey guys, except Trane, were out and had joined their circle, closing them in to a tighter space on the ice. The girls were cheering, the players too, and Janae knew she would have to end it if she was going to have any practice time at all today, which they desperately needed if they were going to learn this routine by the last playoff game.
She searched for him. So far, Trane hadn’t come out. But as she lifted her eyes up into the stands, she saw him. Standing in the team box. He nodded.
So she started with a little wiggle. Lily snorted, but the wiggle grew until Janae was shaking. Amping up her momentum she skated right at a group of the players.
They jumped out of the way, cheering. She made her way out onto the open ice, right by Trane. She circled once and then leapt into the air, doing a handspring, leaping up into a back flip. She landed perfectly and ended as she had started, with her small hip wiggles. She pointed to Lily, whose skin had gone white.
She moved out, circled Janae one time and then bowed to her.
The players and fellow ice girls cheered, clapping until Janae motioned the music be turned off.
“Well that was fun, but girls, we have a routine to learn. You aren’t going to believe what we have up our sleeves.”
They nodded.
She turned to the players. “Can we still get an hour out here? Then we can move the rest of it into the pad room.”
“No problem.” Todd called from the side. “Players, I want you to win. But I want these girls to look amazing when you do.”
The players moved off to the side.
“You can watch, or just head back to the lockers. Coach might have some strategy.”
“I do,” Coach said from the side. “Get your skates down to the film room.” He waved at Trane. “You too, Diesel.”
Trane nodded to Coach and then turned his gaze back on Janae. She could feel the sizzle between them across the ice. She would have skated to him, but Tiff pulled her into a hug. “That was amazing. We should add hand springs and flips.”
“Can the girls do them?”
“Some, and we can learn. Todd was talking one time about a gymnast coming in to help us learn.”
“Then maybe we can. I’m so excited about our new routine I can’t handle it.”
Lily approached and to Janae’s surprise, she smiled. “I feel better now that we got that out.”
Janae pulled her in for a hug. “Thanks. Me too.” She searched Lily’s face. Was she really going to finally drop it?
“I saw the way Trane looked at you just now. I bow to that more than anything. I can’t compete with the smoldering action you’re getting.” Her gaze turned wistful. “But he’s the real deal. Enjoy that while you’ve got it.”
Did Janae detect a hint of suggestion that it wouldn’t last long? A slight tremor of panic rushed through her. But she tamped it down. She didn’t know where they were headed, but for now it was amazing. She was going to stick with that.
The girls gathered, and she began their new routine. Hopefully it would go faster this time. The season lasted only so long, and she wanted to get it in the rotation of numbers.
Practice went well. Janae was gratified they were all so excited about the new number. She turned down all their offers to meet for an early dinner or drinks. Instead, she hit the showers and waited out Trane’s practice. She wanted back on the ice. And she wanted Trane.
She grinned to herself.
Time passed quickly. She studied routines, watched lots of videos, and when she finally heard the players coming in off the ice, she snuck back out there.
The place had gone quiet. She liked the arena when it was quiet. As she skated the perimeter, she decided she liked the rink when she was the only person on it. She rotated her hips, skating backward and forward and then turning sharply, spinning. She was a dancer first. She knew skating moves, but she was nowhere near as proficient as the other girls. Practice helped.
Then the doors opened, and the Zamboni exited out onto the ice. She didn’t know they were going to clean the ice after practice, but she guessed that might be normal. She skated one more lap, relishing her time alone out there. The longer she worked with the ice, the more she thought she’d love it even over dancing on a floor. And that thought shocked her. As she circled again, her gaze lifted to the Zamboni driver, ready to tell him she was almost done.
Trane grinned back, his hands on the wheel.
She skidded to a stop. “What are you doing?”
“Just wondered if you wanted a lift?” The corner of his mouth lifted, and Janae couldn’t resist him.
“Yeah.” She skated over. He reached down and pulled her into his lap.
“I’ve always wanted to drive one of these,” he said.
She leaned back and laughed, his arms cradling her in just the right way. “So have I!” She twisted and put her hands on the wheel. But it was pretty anticlimactic really.
Then music started. From her playlist, a love ballad from the early days of Chicago and Air Supply. She felt her cheeks heat. “I guess the sound crew wanted to give us some atmosphere?”
“Not the sound crew. I set that up.”
“Using my phone?”
“Well, it was still connected.” When she eyed him longer, he shook his head. “You can access the music without logging into your phone or anything.”
“Ah, well, now you know my weakness for eighties love ballads.”
“I’m not complaining.” His eyes danced with amusement.
She shifted so that she faced him better. “Last night was amazing.”
“You are amazing. Love how you put Lily in her place today.”
“I think she’s over it. Sort of. She’s waiting for the roadkill after we’re finished with whatever we have going.”
“And do you think there’s going to be any?”
She studied him. That was a loaded question and probably more significant than he meant it. Maybe. Did she think they were ending what they had any time soon? No. Did she think they ever would? She was not naïve enough to think that all relationships, even the ones that started out amazing, lasted forever…but… She shook her head. “No. I don’t.”
“Good. I don’t either.” He dipped her back. “Now, help me live out the rest of my dream.”
She stared up into his face as his knees navigated the steering. “And what’s that?”
“Oh, just a little bit of this.” He lowered his face, holding her close like a precious and important part of his life. Then he kissed her.
All the delicious feelings from last night burned up immediately through her core, and she kissed him back. The soundtrack switched from one love ballad to the next, and she hardly heard. The lights dimmed, and she barely registered. Trane held her, and his mouth urgently sought hers. And that’s all she cared about.
She shifted higher, putting her knees on either side of him, wishing she could lose the skates. His hands moved up her back. She rested hands on his shoulders and kissed his mouth below hers. As he rested large palms on her hips, tugging her closer, she realized life couldn’t get better than this moment. They circled around and around the rink, the ice never smoother than it would be when they were finished. Until her lips felt sore and his scruff felt sharp, then she knew it was time to head back in.
“Wow.” He breathed, hugging her close. “That was…way more than my dreams allowed.”
She laughed, softly, then kissed his forehead. “Wanna catch a show?”
“Or how about just my apartment?”
“Or a show at your place?”
“Done.”
Chapter 15
Trane’s first game back had gone off without a problem. His pain meds kept most of the pain away. No one had scored off him. And the coach was over the moon. “We have a chance at this! The Cup. Men. Focus on the Stanley Cup. I don’t want you partying, eating junk,
out late, getting drunk, nothing. Girls allowed only when they help you stay focused.” His gaze had flicked to Trane. Did that mean Coach approved or disapproved of Janae?
Trane didn’t care. His life had evolved into two themes: hockey and Janae, and he couldn’t be happier.
The birthday plans for Coach Fenwick were all finalized. All that was left was to ask Janae to come with him. It was time she met the Pit and the coach.
He picked up his phone.
She answered on the first ring. “Is this my hot hockey boyfriend?”
His heart stuttered to a stop.
“Hello?”
“Hey.”
“Too much?” She laughed, but he could hear her insecurity.
“Not enough, actually. So, how’s my hot dancer girlfriend today?” He liked the way the words rolled around on his tongue. Nice.
“I’m great. Working out with the girls and then I’m free.”
“Well, I was wondering if you’d want to fly to Chicago with me for a birthday party?”
She laughed then paused. “You’re serious?”
“Yep. It’s for Coach Fenwick. All the guys will be there and the alumni—everyone.”
“And you want me to come?”
“Well sure. I can’t go calling you my girlfriend if you haven’t even met my family.”
“Okay. Is it tonight? Like today?”
“Yeah. I’m not really great about giving you notice, am I?”
“It’s okay. I think I can manage it.”
“I’ll take care of tickets. You just pack your bags. It’s all casual. And maybe we’ll hit some good dinner in Chicago while we’re there. Sound fun?”
“Sounds awesome.”
“Okay. I’ll pick you up at three.”
They hung up, and he dialed up a video call with the Pit.
Clint was the first one to pick up. “Trane. How’s it going man?” From the looks of things, he was in his bathroom in front of the mirror.
“I’m great. I’m just doing a last-minute check-in for the party.”
Shootout (Northbrook Hockey Elite Book 6) Page 10
