Neutral Zone (Love on Thin Ice Book 2)

by Amber Lynn

  She took a bottle of water and made it back to her seat. The owner’s suite really wasn’t any different than any of the other suites around the arena. Nina had bought a box the season prior when she started coming to games with Hannah. It was smaller than the owner’s, but the seats were just as comfortable.

  “You’re going to have to get over that toilet paper thing. It has nothing to do with my life.”

  “Really? Because these last two weeks have been the longest I can remember without some guy following you around like a puppy dog.”

  Hannah just didn’t understand. Monogamy couldn’t be as great as she thought her happy little life with Curtis was. From what Nina could see, that kind of life was boring as hell.

  It was also hell on a woman’s figure. Hannah’s stomach made that more apparent each day.

  Nina took a bite of her pizza. The spices from the sauce hit Nina’s tongue in a delicious symphony. It was a little sweeter than she liked it, but she needed something to calm her stomach. Talking to Hannah wasn’t helping.

  “I don’t know what you’re trying to get at. Brady’s been trying to be one of those guys for months, so I’m finally giving him a chance. If you think there’s something else going on, you’re reading way too much into it.”

  Not bothering to look over to see what was sure to be a skeptical look on Hannah’s face, Nina continued eating her pizza. After a few bites, it was pretty clear that it was hitting her stomach like a rock instead of settling it, but she ate anyway. She needed something to occupy her mind while she waited for Brady to show up.

  She briefly thought about how it’d look for a player to be sitting with the owner. Her shrink told her she should try to put herself in other people’s shoes, and she had tried that a few times. It was a stupid idea that never worked.

  Brady should’ve given her a chance to explain once the cat was out of the bag. There was no reason for him to be upset that she owned the team. What other people thought about them hanging out together was none of their business and shouldn’t have anything to do with the fun they were having.

  It was that simple. She just needed Brady to not punch things and look like he wanted to kill her when she relayed that information.

  “If you thought Brady was one of those guys, why go through all the trouble to sleep with him? You moved in with the guy, Nins. I almost talked to your parents about having you committed for that alone.”

  Hannah pushed on the arms of her chair, trying to get the thing to release her body so she could stand. Nina hadn’t thought the fit looked that snug, but it took Hannah a couple tries to get her up on her feet. A sickening smile appeared across her face as she looked out on the ice at her husband and rubbed her belly.

  The kids were probably working on their drum solos, something Hannah had forced Nina to feel in the past. Nina wasn’t sure what she was supposed to feel with her hand on the stomach and the little thumps beating against it. Horror was usually the first idea that came to her mind.

  “I guess I should say thanks because you haven’t.”

  All Nina needed to make a bad day more complete was for her parents to be on the same page on something. The two of them had never gotten an official divorce, because it made them look like failures, but they hadn’t acted like a married couple since Nina was a kid. It was a miracle they managed to live under the same roof. Thankfully, their home was big enough that they each had their own wing.

  “Yet. I haven’t yet, but I’m starting to think maybe I should. Have you been missing appointments with Dr. Barnes?”

  Hannah stopped her wistful rubbing and waddled towards the food table. Nina turned to watch her and again had to wonder why anyone in their right mind would want to be pregnant. The loss of a figure and the general ability to walk like a normal person were bad enough. Then there was the cravings and Curtis had mentioned something about lack of sleep. Nina had enough trouble sleeping.

  She shook her head. Nope, pregnancy would never be her thing.

  “Why do you always ask that when you don’t like something I say. I see her twice a week.”

  Nina had thought about maybe cutting back to just once a week, but the good doctor claimed she wasn’t ready for that. Thankfully, Hannah didn’t have any interactions with the shrink, because she’d probably be on board with having Nina committed.

  That was a funny thing to think about, since Nina paid the woman to help her with her troubles. The fact that Dr. Barnes would be on board was the reason Nina kept going to her. The woman didn’t care how much money Nina had and didn’t just say things Nina wanted to hear. She called Nina out on everything, which was something Nina hadn’t had in her life before.

  “And you still don’t understand why Brady is pissed at you. I’m starting to think you should see about getting your money back.”

  Nina watched her friend pile food on her plate. A nibbled on crust was all that remained on her own plate. There were no plans on her part to get more food. More rocks in her stomach would only unsettle her more.

  She couldn’t remember a time when she felt so out of whack. She needed to get in to see her masseuse on top of her normal therapy session. Maybe a little time at a spa would make things feel better. None of those places really catered to walk-ins at seven o’clock at night.

  “There’s nothing wrong with Dr. Barnes. You’ve said you can see improvements. It just takes time to reprogram the bits of me that aren’t safe to be around other people.”

  Overnight results were what Nina was used to, but Dr. Barnes had explained that Nina’s way of thinking wouldn’t change immediately. She needed to develop empathy, which wasn’t an easy thing to do at almost thirty. Nina was used to being right about everything, and she pretty much always was. Trying to see how other people feel about that fact and respond accordingly was a learning process.

  “I get that, but this isn’t just some other person. This is Brady. The guy you’re living with.”

  Hannah paused, raising a single fry in the air for a second before biting down on it. Her nose crinkled slightly as she looked at the remaining fry and tossed it on her plate. She picked up a bottle of ketchup and poured a circle of it on the plate.

  “The guy you like more than you want to admit.”

  Nina rolled her eyes, thinking she’d be patient enough to wait for the ketchup pour instead of just butting in. Hannah and Curtis had tried to get her to hook up with Brady from day one. The longer it took for that to happen, the more Hannah had spun things into not just a night of sex to get it out of their system. Hannah seemed to think the two of them could form a relationship, but that was just her crazy hormones and love of monogamy talking.

  Nina imagined that the day that actually happened, her friend would be singing a different tune. There would be lots of talk about Hell freezing over and the end of the world just around the corner.

  “There’s nothing wrong with appreciating a guy. You’re reading far too much into the game we’re playing.”

  “You think so?”

  Hannah made the trek back to her seat and plopped down. Nina was going to have to look into getting a couch installed to give her a little more room.

  “Yes, obviously. I mean, I’ve only told you that a million times. I should really just record myself saying that I’m bored with lackluster sex and am only playing this game to make sure the next time I have sex won’t be a disappointment.”

  “And I’ll point out again that there are plenty of guys in the world that can promise that, and yet, you picked Brady. Someone, who even if things go as well as you think they will, which they probably won’t, you’re stuck seeing on a regular basis because he’s friends with Curtis.”

  Talking to Hannah about her problems was becoming impossible. The woman couldn’t get around how the deal affected her. It was Nina’s life and her decision to go through with it, so if she was okay with it, her friend should have been supportive.

  “So what? I see guys I’ve slept with on a daily basis.” />
  Nina had sat through meetings with three guys she’d fucked sitting around the table. She didn’t know for sure whether they were all aware they were in the same boat, but they were able to all conduct business just fine. In fact, the work scenarios were one of the reasons Nina was sure Brady was overreacting when he threw his temper tantrum.

  Work and sex didn’t have to be two separate things. In fact, it was often convenient when they weren’t.

  “When you figure out how this is different, I’m here to talk. Until then, don’t expect a shoulder to cry on.”

  Hannah had her mouth full of food as she spoke, which made some of the words a little hard to pick out. She was more than likely low on blood sugar or something, so Nina was sure she’d eventually calm down and be a little more sympathetic. While Nina waited for that to happen, she started scanning the stands for Brady. He was probably still down with the team, but she wanted to corner him as soon as he had a little time to cool down.

  Chapter 14

  “Thanks for letting me crash here tonight. I could’ve found a hotel to hide in, but I think having a couple witnesses works in my favor.”

  Brady tossed the small duffle bag he had a change of clothes in on the bed, then sat down next to it. He kept the clothes in his locker in case he had somewhere to be after practice or games that didn’t warrant a full suit. It was the first time he’d decided to use them.

  Curtis could’ve probably loaned him something to wear, but Brady didn’t feel like asking. He’d already intruded enough by asking to crash there. Borrowing the guy’s clothes felt like it crossed a line.

  The room Curtis had led him to was as far away from the master bedroom as the house offered. Brady had requested it to give himself a little privacy. He didn’t think Curtis or Hannah would intrude on his solitude, but he needed the time alone.

  After living with Nina for two weeks, it would be the first time he really had time to think without being busy at work or her tempting body taunting him from across the room. That body was heavy on his mind, but being physically away from it would hopefully help him see a little clearer. He wasn’t sure what he needed to see, but he knew he couldn’t be around Nina to figure it out.

  There wasn’t much in the spare room, just a bed and a dresser, but at least they hadn’t suggested he shack up in the nursery down the hall. He would’ve rolled out a blanket and slept on the floor if it meant he didn’t need to go home, but having a mess of teddy bears and other toys staring at him wasn’t the way he wanted to spend the night.

  “They do claim there’s safety in numbers. Hannah’s whipping up some food. I’m sure she’s making plenty if you want something. I’d suggest trying to get it sooner rather than later. Food doesn’t always last long around here.”

  Food was the last thing on Brady’s mind, which was unusual after a game. Of course, since he hadn’t played, the missing appetite wasn’t unexpected. Even if he had played, the knots twisting themselves in his stomach were a food deterrent.

  “Thanks, man. I’ll probably just hang out up here for a while and see if I can get some sleep. You guys won’t even notice that I’m here.”

  It was after midnight, and Brady felt like his body had been run through a ringer, but he doubted sleep would come anytime soon. He needed to come up with some kind of plan of action for dealing with Nina. He’d had all game to think about it and hadn’t settled on any specific solutions.

  Having a stack of papers with signatures on them limited some actions he could take, like kicking Nina out of his house, but they hadn’t thought of every situation when they drew up the paperwork. There had to be a loophole he could use to get back at Nina for overstepping. The texts she’d sent during the game clearly indicated she didn’t think buying his team crossed a line, which only reiterated what Curtis had been trying to tell him.

  Nina was the devil incarnate and should be avoided at all costs. It sort of made sense that the devil was packaged in the irresistible body. It had to make convincing people to make deals with her easier. Brady had sure fallen for the package.

  “Do what you need to do. I will warn you, though, that she’s bound to show up. I’ve told her not to call after certain hours, but I suspect when you don’t come home, she’s first going to probably throw a few of her decoration additions across the room, then she’ll call someone to come pick her up and bring her here. Because everyone knows, the princess can’t drive herself around.”

  “I didn’t tell her I was coming here. For all she knows, I found someone else to spend my night with.”

  Brady had thought about doing just that. The thought only lasted a couple seconds. Even without their deal in place, he felt like he’d been kicked in the gut and sex was the last thing on his mind.

  “All the more reason for her to come running to her best friend to vent. I’ve thought about getting attack dogs trained specifically to keep her away, but Hannah won’t let me.”

  “Now there’s an idea. How long do you think it takes to train them? I’ve got a week before she leaves.”

  It was a fruitless idea, not just because of the short time period the dogs would be needed. Brady wasn’t about to bring new dogs in the house and make Henry feel like he was being replaced. It was bad enough Brady wasn’t making it home to tuck him in that night.

  His usual dog sitter had texted to say she’d put food down for him and they’d had a nice walk, so Brady wasn’t worried about the pup starving. Every game night, and while he was on the road, Isabel took care of making sure Henry didn’t get too lonely.

  “My advice would be not to send the dogs after her. As tempting as it would be.” Curtis sighed as a wicked smile spread across his face.

  Brady figured he had dreams about dogs tearing Nina limb from limb. With how things were going for Brady, he didn’t think it’d be long before he had the same dreams.

  “Maybe just some mild poison that will make it so she doesn’t leave the bathroom for the next week?”

  Pushing the duffle bag to the side, Brady kicked his shoes off and spread out on the bed. It wasn’t as comfortable as his own bed, but it was better than sleeping on the floor. The white comforter with pale pink and yellow flowers had to be a Hannah addition, at least he didn’t think Curtis had ever bought anything on his own with a floral pattern.

  “I don’t know what the deal is with her buying the team, but attacking never works with Nina. She finds ways to fuck with you that normal people wouldn’t even imagine possible.”

  Curtis would know. The things Nina had done to get between Curtis and Hannah were kind of legendary. Most people didn’t know about them, so legendary probably wasn’t the right term, but blackmail and changing doctor appointments were both involved.

  Even knowing that, Brady had pursued the shrew. It brought excitement into his life, chasing the one who couldn’t be tamed. Not that Brady wanted to tame Nina. He didn’t have the time or patience for something like that. That being said, there was a part hidden deep inside him that wanted to find a way to bend her to his will.

  It was the unattainable aspect that got him to play the game. There was never going to be anything serious between them, but he figured showing her a good time would do something. What specifically that something was, other than a checkmark on his list of things to do, wasn’t well defined.

  Nina had said she agreed to the contract because she was in a rut. Well, Brady sort of was too. His rut was a little different, though. Sex wasn’t a problem for him, other than the fact he sort of imagined Nina was always the one on the receiving end of the fun. That aside, his sex life was great.

  His problem was the fact that more of his friends, including his best friend, were getting tied down with wives and were in the process of starting families. There were a few guys on the team who weren’t to that level. Since it was preseason, there were actually tons of them, because very few of the wet-behind-the-ears rookies were even out of diapers.

  Brady wasn’t signing up to be anyone’s baby
sitter, whether they were actual kids or twenty-year-olds who acted like them. It left his options for hanging out with people a little on the slim side. That was probably the main reason he hadn’t balked at the idea of spending nights at home with Nina. When hanging out by himself at a bar, hoping to find someone interesting enough to bring home, was the alternative, seeing what new fun Nina had in store had been a blessing.

  “And you don’t think buying the team is just her starting some elaborate way to fuck with me?”

  It was easy for Brady to get lost in his thoughts, but a throat clearing hack from Curtis had brought him out of his revelry enough to follow up on Curtis’ statement. Nina had already proven she liked to buy things, like stores and restaurants, but his team was something that should have been off limits. At the very least, she should have mentioned there was a possibility it would happen when they were going over the contract.

  “Hannah says it isn’t, which I want to believe. As far as I know, I haven’t done anything to piss her off. How about you?”

  Curtis was across the room, leaning against the doorsill. He looked as tired as Brady felt, with dark circles clearly visible under his eyes. He didn’t even have kids yet, and he looked like he was already having trouble keeping up on game nights. Reason number three hundred and fifty-two Brady didn’t want kids.

  “I’m pretty sure the fact that I’m ignoring her calls and texts isn’t going to win me any points, but I can’t think of anything up to this point that I’ve done. We’ve been getting along great.”

  There were probably things that he’d done that weren’t in his favor, like hiding Henry’s clothes, but they’d made up from that incident. Brady wasn’t sure how long it took to buy a team, but her texts saying that it was already in the works before she’d moved in seemed to have a little merit.

  “Then my suggestion would be do whatever you have to to get out of your contract with her without the fun chemical castration she has planned and show her the door.”