Hearts On Ice

by Janae Keyes

  The meeting with Tom and Richard was short and sweet; I had to complete a task and I sure as hell would do it. After the meeting, JC and I hung out around the training center and I got in a workout in the gym before heading back to our hotel.

  Listening to the quiet of the evening, I missed my girl. I’d spent so much fucking time with her in the last few weeks that it was impossible not to miss everything about her. I checked the clock. It was after dinner. Knowing Lia, she was in her room. I dialed her number and listened to the few rings before the sweetest voice I’d ever heard came through the receiver and graced my ear. My fucking heart skipped a beat at her pure and simple greeting. “Hey, you.”

  “Hey, baby girl,” I said back, only wanting to hear more of her voice. There was something about her tone that calmed my soul and brought the real me to life. I wasn’t the illusion of Max Madden I’d given the world. I was the true version of myself that I only allowed Lia to see. This fucking teddy bear of a guy came out around her.

  “How are things down there?” She was anxious to know about my meeting because she knew I’d been stressed out about it.

  “It was cool and pretty short. Tom wants me to practice with the team tomorrow morning at 9. I’m a little nervous, but I’ve got it. Nothing is going to hold me back. I got shit to prove and I’ll prove it with no problem.” That confidence I was lacking when I entered the Willows Center had returned tenfold. Fuck the naysayers. I was going to come back swinging.

  “Please take it easy,” she begged.

  “I’m good, baby. I promise you.”

  “That’s all I want to hear.”

  There was a silence as we shared our moment. Although we were a hundred or so miles apart, we were together in spirit.

  “What’re you up to?” I asked Lia as I rested my head on a pillow. At least the hotel had a comfortable bed.

  “I’m in bed. I was watching the video footage of my last practice, trying to figure out what I need to work on. I’m getting better, but I feel like I’m not executing my jumps the best I can.”

  Lia was one hard worker. She didn’t fucking give up. When I was ready to throw in the towel, she was right there with the words to keep me going. I never knew a girl so strong and I considered myself a pretty fucking tough guy, but damn that foxy lady was tougher.

  “From what I’ve seen, you are a motherfucking beast and you’re graceful as fuck. You’ve got this, baby girl.” I wanted to encourage her as she she’d done for me. I wanted her to know I believed in her.

  “Can you get through a sentence without using the word, fuck?” she asked with a chuckle. Her laugh was sensual. Zeus stood at attention just from the sound of her voice.

  “Naw, baby, that’s my word. There is no Max Madden without fuck. And Max Madden fucking misses you,” I growled, my hand stroking big Zeus. “Please tell me you’re in bed naked.”

  “I’m not naked, but I’m not wearing much,” she whispered, the lust in her voice knowing exactly where I was going.

  “Tell me.” I kept my voice low and deep because I knew she liked it that way.

  As innocent as Lia was, she had a deviant side. She was a princess on the ice, but a lioness in bed. She could never get enough and she thrived on me talking dirty to her. I could already see her body sprawled out on the bed in barely anything, her hands slipping under the elastic of her cotton panties. With only those thoughts I had to stroke harder and faster, but I wanted her to release with me.

  “I have on just a tank top and panties,” she was biting her lip, I knew imagined.

  Fuck! That was too sweet of an image. “What color are your panties?”

  “They’re powder blue.”

  “And your top?”

  “Black.”

  “Are you wearing a bra?”

  “No.”

  “Good. That’s so fucking good, baby.”

  “Max…” her voice trailed off. “I can’t believe we’re doing this.”

  “I told you I would corrupt you, baby. Now, tell me how wet you are.”

  Lia moaned in response to my request. I knew she was soaking wet and aching for me. She wanted my touches, my licks, and big Zeus pounding inside of her.

  “Take off your panties and touch your clit, baby.” My voice grew even huskier as I gave her directions.

  I assumed she’d followed my directions as she was moaning my name. Damn, Lia had me wrapped around her finger. My brain automatically thought of the fingers on her dainty hands wrapped around big Zeus.

  “Tell me what you like,” I said, instructing her to speak.

  “This is weird...but so good.”

  “I’m rubbing Zeus and thinking about your hands, your tits, and your tight pussy. Tell me what you like, baby.”

  “I like...I like when you lick me,” she admitted.

  Fuck, I loved licking her and tasting every bit of her sweet cream. “Yeah, I love tasting you too. I love slipping my tongue over your clit and making you scream. I love it when you scream my name. Touch your tits and pinch your nipples.”

  Damn, I was so into it. My hand picked up speed. If only she could cum all over my dick the way she’d done every night since our first night.

  “Oh, Max…” Her sweet moans filled my ears.

  “That’s it, baby. Rub that clit and cum for me.”

  I could hear her breathing hard and fast. She was filled with bliss. Small moans escaped my own mouth as I gave Zeus the stroking of a lifetime while I thought of being buried in Lia’s tight pussy, fucking her hard with everything I had in me.

  “Fuck, Max, I’m cumming. It feels so good. Aaahhh, I’m cumming!”

  That was all I needed, her voice calling it out and bringing me in. It caused me to explode. My free hand grabbed my shower towel from the bed. Everything tightened as her name spilled from my lips before I shot cum into the towel. I listened to the whimpers on the other end of the line as Lia came down from her high. I allowed my orgasm to subside.

  “You really are corrupting me,” she whispered.

  I smiled at her words as I finished my clean up and tossed the towel to the side. Nothing with Lia was the same as anything had ever been. Her spirit was infectious and her abilities were graceful. I’d never wanted to try certain things with anyone else the way I wanted to try them with her. I’d fallen for Lia and I couldn’t get up. Fuck, I refused to get up.

  “You’ll do great tomorrow. I know it,” she affirmed sweetly. Yeah, she was a keeper. There was no possible way I would ever let her go.

  “I’ve been an ass for so long that I can’t remember not being one. It’s hard to understand how I got so lucky to be with you. I’m just an addict who happens to play hockey pretty good. I’m nothing special, but you are, Lia. You’re one of a kind and I can’t quite figure out why I’m lucky enough to have you. You deserve so much better than me.” I didn’t know what it was about Lia, but I could spill my feelings to her and not blink. I wasn’t that guy and I never would be. But for you, Lia, I was a better man for it.

  “No, I’m lucky too,” she cooed sweetly. “Your addiction doesn’t define you. Your heart and your passion does.”

  “I wanted to end it, you know.” I paused before I took a deep breath, determined to continue. “My life…I wanted it over. It was nothing special. My childhood was a pile of shit and I was ready to say goodbye to my career. I had nothing special to hold onto. Even during detox at Christmas, I wanted to end it all, but I kept hearing your voice, telling me to keep at it one more day. So, I kept going one more day at a time until I reached my goal.”

  “You know, I’ve been around drugs my whole life. Fuck, I started taking Oxy on and off at fifteen. I can’t remember times when my mom wasn’t popping, snorting, or shooting up something. She kept at it, always on to the next high and constantly looking for a man with money to provide it for her. Damn, I remember one time she had come down from a high and needed another hit. I think I was five at the time. Watching her withering as she craved her next hit was
scary as fuck.”

  “Baby,” Lia whispered, emotions lacing her voice.

  I closed my eyes, remembering being that scared five-year-old boy who just wanted a normal mommy like the other kids. Yeah, we had money because of her husbands. We lived in a big house and had the best, but she was still an addict and an alcoholic. People see addicts as these vagrants and poor people, but some of the richest and most successful people are addicts. It takes one to see one.

  “Her husband knew what she needed. He came to me and asked if I wanted my mommy to be free of pain. I told him I’d give anything for her pain to go away. I wanted her to be happy. He gave her what she wanted, but only at a cost. I had to—”

  “Don’t say it,” Lia interrupted.

  “I did it. I told my mom, but she called me a lying piece of shit. It went on for about six months until she moved on to the next husband, which was the one who beat me. I always said that I took the Oxy to combat the pain of my injuries over the years, but I honestly think I used it to mask the pain of my life.” I’d never told a word of any of this to anyone. Lia was the first to know the horrors of my past. I felt comfortable telling her my story. Everyone saw Max Madden as a pillar of strength, when inside, I was still that abused, molested, and ignored little boy. “All that aggression I put out on the ice is a way for me to fight my demons. I fight them with everything I have in me.” I had told Lia my biggest secret. Being good at hockey was only a fraction of it. The rest was fighting off those demons that plagued my existence.

  Lia’s sobs echoed from my phone and through the room. I could hear her heart breaking with each pitiful sob.

  “Baby girl, don’t cry when I’m not there to wipe your tears away,” I told her. I wanted my arms around her, taking in her scent.

  “Max, my heart hurts because you had to go through that. I hate it. I want to hold you until the pain goes away,” she confessed, causing me to smile. “I wish I was with you right now.”

  “You’ve already made the pain go away by being in my life and being mine. And you are with me always, baby.”

  “I’m yours and I will love every bit of you, so you don’t have to live that pain ever again. I love you so much, Max.”

  Her words filled my soul and shattered any remnants of the pain that were left. I’d started a new season and it was all because of Lia “I love you too,” I whispered, wiping away a single tear that fell from my eye.

  My alarm blaring jerked me awake. I groaned and sat up in bed, opening one eye to peer at the clock. It was 6AM, time for me to drag my body to the gym. I had practice with the USA team today and I needed to show them I deserved my spot.

  “Fuck,” I groaned with a stretch before I heard soft snores.

  Looking for the source, I saw my phone on my pillow. I knew instantly who it was and smiled. Lia and I had fallen asleep on the phone together. She was still fast asleep and peaceful.

  I ended the call with the thought of texting or calling her later in the day. Now, I had something to prove and it would start with a trip to the gym to prepare for practice.

  The moment I pulled the practice jersey over my head, it was on. I hadn’t felt that type of elation in a long time. I wasn’t just getting back on the ice; I was getting back into action. JC had accompanied me to the rink. The rest of the team was already in motion.

  “Ready for this?” JC asked as I observed the guys.

  Then I saw him. Damn, I didn’t know that he was on the team. I shook my head at Derek Davis, the one guy I never wanted to play with—ever. He and I had beef that went back years. We were on the same team for a couple seasons until he was traded to the Boston Bruins. That guy was a fucking loser and he knew how to get under my skin.

  “Nobody told me he was on the team,” I grunted through clenched teeth.

  “Max, chill. He was just invited a couple weeks ago after Carter had to drop out,” JC explained.

  “And you didn’t think it was important to tell me?” I turned to face my best friend who rolled his eyes. I was ready to fuck him up right there. I fucking hated when JC undermined me.

  “No, I didn’t because you’re a fucking adult who doesn’t need me to hold your hand. All you need to do is play. You don’t have to be Davis’ fucking friend. Just play.

  With a grunt, I tore away from JC and went out on the rink. I was ready to put it all on the ice for everyone to see. Max Madden was back and better than ever. It wasn’t hard to spot Tom who stood with his clipboard observing the guys.

  Tom saw me and gave me a nod before blowing his whistle. The other guys all stopped what they were doing and turned their attention to our coach. This was it. There was no turning back now. I refused to look like a little pussy.

  “Come, in guys. We finally have complete roster. Max Madden is close to a complete recovery, so he’s going to practice with us today,” Tom announced.

  I loved being the center of attention, but fuck.

  “Oh look, the cripple has arrived,” Derek spat with a sneer.

  I let his comment slide off my back because I had bigger fish to fry than his punk ass. “Nice to see you too, Davis,” I shot back, mockingly.

  “All right, guys, let’s bring it in. Madden, show me what you’ve got. Prove to me that you deserve this opportunity.” Tom said, glaring me.

  Damn, that dude was trying to read my soul with only his gaze. I nodded in response. I wasn’t wearing a Team USA jersey with Madden monogrammed on the back for nothing. Fuck, maybe it was for nothing.

  Practice was terrible, and Davis didn’t help. The guy knew how to get under my skin and he kept tripping me up when it mattered the most. I spotted Tom several times shaking his head at my performance. I wasn’t performing like the Max Madden that I could be and should be.

  “Go, Max!” a cheer came out of nowhere.

  That voice… It was my girl inside my head rooting me on.

  “Let’s go, Madden! Woo!”

  I spotted her looking beautiful as always. She was standing on the sideline with Damian next to her. All my attention was on her. Her hair was down, which I loved. Her long wavy locks covered her shoulders.

  Her cheers changed everything. It was like I suddenly remembered who I was. Max Madden was going to fucking own the rink. No excuses. I was putting it all on the ice. Doing it all for the team and today for myself. I had failed thus far at proving myself worthy. But now Max fucking Madden was going to own every moment.

  15

  Lia

  I’d been trusted with the darkest bits of Max’s life. He had trusted me explicitly, and I loved him more than I’d loved anything. Through my emotions, I couldn’t help but spill how I felt about him. Now that I knew he felt the same way about me, my heart soared. I’d found the love of my life in the most unexpected place, and no matter what anyone said, I wasn’t going to let it go.

  Yes, it had happened quickly. We barely knew one another in the ways that established couples did, but from that first moment when he got in my face, I knew something was in the stars for us. A feeling I couldn’t deny washed over me that day, and from our first kiss, there was no turning back. Max and I were soul mates, so we didn’t need time. We only needed each other.

  When I woke up I just wanted to hold him and cheer him on. I ran into Damian at the gym and told him how I wanted to see Max. The next thing I knew, he and I were renting a car and making the forty-five minute drive down to the USA Olympic hockey team’s practice facility.

  God, I loved the moment he saw me. The surprise and love in his eyes warmed my body from the top of my head to the bottom of my feet. It had only been twenty-four hours or so since I’d seen him, but only one day without him was hard.

  “Let’s go, Max!” I cheered.

  “What are you doing here?” a male voice growled.

  I turned swiftly to see Max’s best friend and manager, JC. His arms were folded and he looked angry. “I’m here to cheer Max on.”

  “He doesn’t need your cheers or you. You’re a dist
raction to his recovery process and his return to the ice. He has something to prove here, and you came in here making him look like a fucking fool.”

  I stood determined to face off with him. I knew I had less time in Max’s life than he did. I was the new girlfriend while JC had been the best friend for a number of years. He was the man who had successfully managed Max’s career. “Listen, I want to support him and that’s all. I knew he was nerv—”

  “Hey, baby!” Max greeted me excitedly, cutting me off.

  With a smirk in JC’s direction, I stepped around him and down the few rows of bleachers to where my boyfriend stood. I’d only seen photos of him in his full gear, but in person, he looked sexy as hell. I loved the way his padding gave him large and buffed shoulders. His mask made him look intimidating.

  “Max, you looked great out there!” I cheered as I approached him and threw my arms around him. He pulled me as close as he could with our bodies separated by the barriers. Inhaling his scent, I smiled to myself.

  “I did much better once you got here. You’re my lucky charm,” he cooed before giving me a soft kiss. “What brings you down here anyway?”

  “After last night, I had to see you. Plus I wanted to tell you I love you in person instead of over the phone.” I grinned, but my stomach clenched in anticipation of his words.

  “And I love you too,” he whispered before kissing me again.

  Our kiss was interrupted by the coach blowing his whistle.

  “Your break is over, cripple!” one player shouted with a smirk. He looked directly at me and winked.

  I cringed. “Who’s that?” I asked Max.

  “That’s an asshole. We’ll talk later,” he whispered before he planted a peck on my lips and took off for the ice.

  I took my seat next to Damian and noticed JC watching me from the corner of my eye. I shook it off and focused on my man. He was a beast on the ice. I didn’t know much about hockey, but it was obvious that Max was good. I could tell the coach was eating it up. I was proud to be his.