Melting Ice

by Jami Davenport

  “I promise.” He crossed his heart, grinning like the village idiot who’d been handed the keys to the castle.

  She led him over to the mounting block and gave him instructions on how to mount Riot. Isaac listened as intently as if she were coaching him for the final game in the Stanley Cup. He swung into the saddle easily, like the professional athlete he was and sat perched on the horse staring down at her, unable to stop his huge, gleeful grin. “Wow, it’s a long ways up here.”

  “He’s a big horse. Hold on here to the pommel or onto the mane. Don’t hang on the reins.”

  “It won’t hurt him if I hold his mane?”

  “No, not like it would to pull on a human’s hair. Now sit up straight, keep your shoulders centered over your hips, don’t grip with your thighs, that’ll pop you right out of the saddle. Keep your heels down, stirrups on the balls of your feet. Look where you want to go.”

  He did everything she told him, all the time unable to control his wide grin.

  “I’m going to lead you around. Just relax, let your hips move with the horse. Don’t tense up. Just feel the horse underneath you.”

  “Okay,” he said in awe of the controlled power at his disposal, how it felt, how incredible it all was. And that moment clued him into her passion for these animals.

  She led him around the arena a few times, watching him closely. He was concentrating too hard, which tensed his body.

  “Relax,” she whispered, rubbing his thigh.

  He blew out a breath as he stared down at her. “That,” he said, pointedly focusing on her hand, “is not going to relax me one damn bit.”

  Avery jerked her hand away.

  What was she thinking with all the sexual tension slamming between them like a twenty-car pileup on I-5 during rush hour? If he didn’t know better, he’d guess she’d been toying with him, trying to get a rise out of him, and she’d certainly managed to do that.

  “Maybe if you sat in the saddle with me, I could get a better feel for the proper movement of my hips,” he teased.

  “Not on your life, buster.” She shook her head, but he saw the amused sparkle in her blue eyes.

  “Pony rides are over.” Avery led him up to the mounting block, and he dismounted relatively easily. At least, he didn’t fall on his ass.

  “Thank you,” he said, brushing her hair from her face.

  “You’re welcome.”

  “That was awesome. I can see why you enjoy it so much.” He planted a gentle kiss on her forehead.

  “We’ll do it again.” Avery’s lips parted of their own accord, inviting him to kiss her. He so wanted to feel her lips on his. It’d been too long.

  Way too long.

  “Yeah, yeah, we will.” He couldn’t take his eyes off her lips, full, inviting, and when she sucked her lower lip between her teeth, he lost it. Isaac crushed her to him, his mouth roughly invading hers. She clung to him, letting him have his way, inviting him to pillage and plunder like a marauding invader from another country. She leaned into him, burying her fingers in his hair, and kissing him back just as roughly. He groaned, and she whimpered in response.

  “Get a room!”

  Isaac and Avery sprung apart, red-faced and guilty. Emma stood a few feet away with Hal, both looking disgusted and annoyed, but then Hal always looked like that. Beyond Emma, Tiff leaned on the arena railing, and she was actually smiling.

  Avery ran a hand through her hair and sighed. Isaac just grinned, knowing he was way too pleased with himself and not the least bit contrite. He saluted Emma, who stuck her tongue out at him. Isaac threw back his head and laughed.

  Snatching the reins, Avery hurried out of the arena. Isaac followed, hot on her heels. Behind them Emma’s laughter rang through the now-empty arena, along with what sounded like Tiff’s.

  * * * *

  Avery put Riot in the crossties, while Isaac hung out nearby, watching her and not saying much. She watched as he walked over to Onyx’s stall and dug in his pockets. Nyx had been better lately, slowly gaining trust of humans again. When the big horse heard the rustle of Isaac’s hand in his pocket, he turned around and watched Isaac warily. He didn’t exactly go to the front of the stall or poke his nose through the bars, but he watched Isaac with interest. So did Avery.

  Isaac held the chocolate mint through the bars of the stall and waited. Avery held her breath, expecting Nyx to behave true to character and charge Isaac. She hoped he didn’t lose his fingers. But cautiously with painful slowness, the big horse crept toward Isaac. Finally he snatched the mint from Isaac’s flattened fingers, whirled around, and stood in his corner munching on the mint.

  “How long have you been doing that?”

  “Doing what?” Isaac turned and asked innocently. Somehow innocence just didn’t look right on him.

  “Befriending Onyx.”

  “Oh, that. For a month or so, I guess. He reminds me of myself.”

  “How so?” Isaac compared himself to a horse? This she had to hear.

  “Yeah, suffering his pain in silence, pretending he doesn’t need anyone but himself, and attacking those who try to get close to him.”

  Avery nodded, unable to respond. She glanced over her shoulder to catch Tiff hovering nearby, another damaged soul in her world of damaged souls. She smiled at the girl, knowing her crush on Isaac was harmless and a sign the girl was starting to care about life again.

  “Hi, Tiff,” Avery said.

  Tiff nodded and glanced shyly at Isaac.

  He grinned at her. “Hi, there.”

  She smiled at him. “Hi,” she said.

  “Tiff, do you mind grooming Riot and turning him out?”

  “Okay.” Tiff glanced one more time at Isaac, picked up a brush, and went to work.

  Avery grabbed Isaac by the arm and ushered him from the barn. “Thank you.”

  His brows furrowed in confusion. “I didn’t do anything.” He held out his hands, palms up, looking so adorably clueless.

  “But you did. You were nice to her, not judgmental, and you tolerate her crush on you with good nature. You’re a nice guy, whether you want to admit it or not.”

  Isaac snorted. “Seriously? Me? A nice guy?”

  “Yeah, you. A very nice guy.” In fact, so nice, she’d been slowly falling for the man behind the mask, not just the pro athlete with bad boy rep.

  “Well, then,” he grinned. “Would you go out with this nice guy on a normal date, just two people who have a mutual attraction trying to see where it’ll lead?” His blue eyes held her gaze, not letting go.

  “A real date?” Her pulse kicked up a couple notches at the real fantasy of dating Isaac.

  “Yeah.” He kicked at a rock in the driveway, almost as if he were nervous.

  “What about Coop? And Izzy?” Avery tried to get a handle on what was happening here, but she needed more info from him.

  “I talked to them.”

  “And they’re okay with this? With us?” Avery could hardly believe it.

  “Not exactly, but they didn’t say no. Actually your sister reminded Coop it was your life.”

  “Izzy did that?” Avery had to sit down. She sank onto the bench in the March sunlight, and Isaac sat next to her, their thighs touching.

  “She did. There’s a catch. We have to work on their charity with them.”

  “Oh, okay. That’s their way of keeping an eye on us, you know?”

  “Trust me, I do know,” Isaac said with a wry smile. “And the first meeting is Wednesday night.”

  “Okay.” As if Avery didn’t have enough on her plate, but she’d do this for Isaac. Hell, she’d do just about anything for Isaac.

  He caught her chin in his palm and tipped her face upward, that sexy half-smile on his handsome face. “About dinner tonight, I’ll pick you up about seven. Wear something nice.”

  “What? You don’t like my horse perfume and dirty breeches?” She pretended to be shocked, and he chuckled, planting a warm kiss on the tip of her nose.

  “
I like them just fine, but the other patrons may not.” He bent down and ran his tongue along the seam of her lips then stood. “See you soon.”

  She watched him walk off with that cocky walk of his. He paused to say a couple words to Tiff, who smiled at him like he was a god, before he strode down the road. Avery blew out a breath and brought a finger up to her lips, still feeling him there.

  “What was he doing on Riot?” Emma asked, appearing out of nowhere, as she had an annoying habit of doing.

  “He wants to learn how to ride.”

  “Well, from what I saw, it wasn’t the horse he wanted to ride.” Emma giggled.

  “Emma, really. I’m shocked you’d talk like that.”

  Her sister shrugged. “I’m not as sweet as everyone thinks I am.” She cast a naughty smile in her sister’s direction that looked more like Bella than sweet Emma. “What’s going on with you guys?”

  “He asked me out on an official date.” Avery couldn’t contain her excitement. A real date. Isaac and her. The guy of her dreams. Stuff like this never happened to her. Only it had. Just now. And she’d savor every moment of it for however long it lasted.

  “I thought you guys weren’t going out because of his precarious position with the team?” Emma sat in the spot Isaac had recently vacated.

  “He talked to Cooper and Izzy.” Avery craned her neck for a last glimpse of Isaac before he disappeared around the turn in the road, but he was gone.

  “They’re okay with it?” Emma frowned in disbelief.

  “They didn’t tell him no,” Avery shot back, suddenly irritated by her sister’s meddling. This really was her life.

  “Where’s he taking you?”

  “I don’t know, but he told me to dress nicely.”

  “Oh. That sounds fun.” Emma almost swooned. Ever the romantic of the sisters, she was still waiting for Prince Charming to sweep her off her feet. Avery hoped she wouldn’t be disappointed when she couldn’t find a man to meet her high expectations.

  “It will be,” Avery answered with a slow smile.

  Especially after dinner.

  Chapter 16—First Date

  Isaac hadn’t asked a woman on a date since Jenny. Actually, come to think of it, he couldn’t recall ever going on a real date with Jenny. Everything they did revolved around partying, getting wasted, and drama—lots and lots of drama.

  Avery wasn’t into drama. One of the many things he adored about her. Yeah, admit it, guy, you adore a lot of things about her.

  Despite his efforts and positive thinking, he couldn’t shake that nagging feeling that he didn’t deserve someone like her, yet that type of self-deprecation never got him anywhere. Maybe he didn’t deserve her based on his past, but he could become worthy based on his present and his future.

  Worthiness started by doing all the right things to win Avery over, along with her two self-proclaimed protectors. He might be a novice when it came to wooing a woman, but he sure as hell wasn’t an idiot. First things, first.

  Flowers.

  Isaac drove into town only to find it was too late for florist shops to be open. Avoiding the roses, he settled on a brightly colored bouquet of mixed flowers from the grocery store. Roses said too much too soon. He wasn’t going there. Not yet.

  He drove back home with an hour to get ready, took a shower, shaved, brushed his teeth, and slapped on some cologne. He slid into his black dress pants, along with a light blue button-down shirt.

  “Got a hot date or what?” Blake asked as he leaned on the doorjamb of the bathroom.

  Isaac’s face grew hot, and he smiled. “Yeah, I do.”

  “Good for you, Ice. Avery?” Blake cocked a brow at him.

  Isaac nodded.

  “About time.” His roommate crossed his arms over his chest and smiled. “You’re turning into a decent human being, Ice.”

  Isaac snorted. “Yeah, I am. Thanks to you and some swift kicks in the ass by my teammates, coaches, and Avery.”

  “Even Hal is starting to like you.” They both looked at Hal, curled up in his dog bed with Blake’s cat wrapped around his head. Hal opened one eye and growled.

  “He tolerates me.”

  “Regardless, when is the last time he bit you?”

  “It’s been a while.” Isaac studied the boxer, who had closed his eyes and was now snoring loudly.

  Blake slapped him on the shoulder. “Well, have a great date. I’m keeping the boys company tonight, making sure they don’t get thrown in jail.”

  “You have a great time, too.” Isaac laughed. “And don’t wait up for me.”

  Blake winked at him and left. Isaac took one last look in the mirror, grabbed the flowers, and headed for his first real date at the ripe old age of twenty-six.

  * * * *

  Avery riffled through her closet and pulled out her three dresses. The one she used for party crashing and was way over the top for a nice dinner out. One was too out of style. The last was a summer sun dress. Not appropriate at all. As she fidgeted in front of the closet, Emma walked into the room and threw a dress at her. It was a soft pink sweater dress, so very Emma, and so very not Avery. For starters, Avery wasn’t a pink person.

  Reading the reluctance on her twin’s face, Emma gave her a little shove. “Try it on. It’ll look great on you. It’s not too sexy but not too puritan either.”

  “I think it’s plenty puritan.” Avery eyed it.

  “Try it. Humor me,” Emma insisted, and there’d be no peace for Avery until she complied.

  Avery sighed. She wanted something subtly sexy. She’d look like a fuzzy pink kitten in this dress.

  Impatient with her own indecision, she yanked on the dress and turned to regard herself in the mirror.

  Wow. Double wow. Hands on hips, she turned here and there, viewing the dress from all angles. It was exactly what she’d been looking for and hugged every curve in an understated, yet alluring, way.

  “Was I right or what?” Emma asked, smirking with self-satisfaction.

  “Yeah, you were right. Thanks so much.” Why argue? Emma had been right.

  “I had to do something. You were making me crazy with your pacing and fretting.” Emma sank onto the bed and crossed her legs in a yoga pose. “You really are crazy about this guy.”

  Avery checked her makeup again in the mirror. “Yeah, I am. He’s special.”

  “I can tell, and I’m happy for you.”

  “You’re not going to warn me about him and remind me of his reputation like everyone else does?” Avery turned around and looked over her shoulder to evaluate her backside in the mirror.

  “No. Remember, I’m the one who’s gone to dinner with you guys every week for over a month. I like him. He’s a nice guy.”

  “Even after what Tanner says about him?”

  Emma looked away, but not before Avery caught Emma’s blush. “Those two have their histories. Isaac is trying to change, and I think he’s sincere about it.”

  “He is.” Avery added a little more lipstick in a candy pink rather than a siren red to match the dress.

  She froze at the knock on the door.

  “Aren’t you going to answer it?” Emma asked, jerking her chin in that direction.

  Avery briefly closed her eyes and attempted to calm the wild beating of her heart. This was Isaac, her friend, her neighbor, the guy she talked to every night. No need to be nervous. Yeah, tell that to her heart and the rest of her body. She walked slowly and deliberately out of the bedroom, down the short hall to the entry.

  Avery flung open the door a little too hard, and it banged against the opposite wall. Isaac, looking better than he had a right to look, raised one eyebrow.

  In one shaking hand, he held a bouquet of spring flowers. He smiled tentatively at her. She’d never fallen harder for a man than she did for this man. Fallen? Hell, she’d crashed. Hard.

  Her big, strong hockey player was nervous, too, and it was so sweet and endearing, she just wanted to throw her arms around his neck and kiss the he
ll out of him.

  “These are for me?” she gushed like a teenager going on her first date.

  His face turned several shades of red, and he nodded. “Yes.” He held them out to her.

  “No one’s ever given me flowers before.” She took them and held them up to her nose, inhaling their sweet scent. “They’re beautiful.”

  “Not as beautiful as you.” He looked her up and down, appreciatively, as his bad boy side momentarily took over. “That dress is hot.”

  She smiled and did her own perusal. He looked as handsome as ever in a shirt that matched the color of his eyes and his dark hair still slightly wet from his shower. She so wanted to run her palm across his freshly shaved face.

  “Let me find something to put them in.” Avery fumbled with the flower stems gripped in her fist.

  Emma rushed forward to rescue the hapless bouquet. “I’ll take care of them. You two kids rush along.” She winked at Avery and gave Isaac the thumbs up.

  Isaac wiped his hands on his pants and held out his arm for Avery. “Your chariot awaits, m’lady.”

  Avery giggled, actually giggled, and took his arm. She glanced over her shoulder at Emma and winked back. Emma blew her a kiss.

  Seconds later Avery sat in the passenger seat as Isaac drove towards the city. She twisted her hands in her lap and wet her lips.

  “I’m nervous,” he admitted.

  “I can tell. It’s cute.”

  He rolled his eyes. “Don’t tell any of my teammates. I’ll never live it down.”

  “Your secret is safe with me,” she giggled. Her? Giggling. This man was turning her into a girl, the kind who fawned over her man, wore pink, and giggled. Heaven help her if she took up cooking.

  He glanced at her, his expression soft, instead of the usual hardness. “All my secrets are safe with you?”

  “All of them,” she almost whispered.

  “You really look beautiful tonight.” He swallowed, staring straight ahead at the road. “All I want to do is pull this car off the road and screw your brains out.”

  “You are such a romantic devil and have such a way with words,” Avery teased him, loving his crooked smile and how his blue eyes lit up with pure joy.