Hot on Ice: A Hockey Romance Anthology

by Avery Flynn

  After all this time, apparently he could laugh about it, too. “Most embarrassing moment of my life.”

  “Oh, come on. The time La Fleur put a laxative in your pre-game shake doesn’t rank higher? You made it to the middle of the first period. I’d never seen someone sprint off the ice so fast.”

  “Yeah, well you’re lucky you didn’t see what happened after. It takes a long time to get out of hockey gear. Too long.”

  “Okay, okay, I get the picture.” She grinned, squeezed her eyes shut, and shook her head to get rid of the picture.

  “But now that you mention it, yeah, that might take first prize. I had been repressing that one, but thanks for the replay.”

  “My pleasure.” She met his gaze, couldn’t look away. It seemed he couldn’t, either. It was a moment. These moments were starting to add up. If she wasn’t careful, they might stretch into a day. A week. A year.

  He broke the trance by taking the Cup back to Edwin. It gave her a few seconds’ respite before he returned and picked up her hand, lacing their fingers. “Skate with me?”

  That had been the agreement. And unfortunately, she never went back on her word. She nodded and glided beside him. They went slow, maintaining momentum by shifting side to side. This time the silence was comfortable, familiar. It felt right in a way that nothing had since the last time they’d been here together. “I missed you.” The words fell out without permission. Stuffing them back in wasn’t an option. Sweat broke out at the back of her neck and slid down her spine. Her only hope was that he hadn’t heard the confession over the soft shhhh-shhhh of their skates.

  “God I missed you. Every day.”

  She lost an edge going around the corner almost went down, but he hauled her back up with a smile that melted some of the ice around her heart.

  “Does that surprise you?”

  “Well … yeah.” To say the least. She’d simultaneously hoped he both missed her like hell and didn’t think of her at all. The latter had made it easier to move on. Or so she’d thought. Did moving on always involve lying to yourself until you believed it? Or had she lied to herself about moving on?

  “You were a big part of my life. A big part of me. I didn’t realize how big until I lost you, but I always missed you. And if I can help it, I never want to again.” He tightened his grip on her hand, came to a stop, and swung her in a short arc until they collided chest to chest. His free hand lifted her chin until she met his gaze, but it was hard to keep from staring at his full lips.

  Her heart pounded and echoed in her ears, but everything washed away when he claimed her in a deep, soulful kiss. It was different from any of the others since he’d come back. She could feel his dedication. His promise. His love. The last one terrified her, but there was no denying its presence. Did he feel these things from her, too? Because they were there. Despite her better judgment, despite all logic and reason. She gave into the overwhelming force of the kiss and didn’t hold back. Couldn’t if she wanted to.

  She wound her arms around his neck, and he pulled her so close it was hard to tell whose heartbeat was whose. Heat scorched her cheeks and shot south, burning with such intensity it wouldn’t be surprising to find a puddle at their feet when they broke apart. If they ever did. Because kissing Bear rated a close second to the best feeling in the world, and it looked like they might be headed there next. His hands slid down, cupped her bottom, and rocked her hips against his. She saw stars, and her ankles wobbled.

  Click. Click. Snap.

  Not alone. We’re still not alone. This kiss had to be broken in stages, but she managed, easing back until Bear got the message and glanced at the film guys then back to her.

  “Oh. Right. Can we take this somewhere else?”

  No. No, no, no. “Yes.”

  12

  By the time they got back to the reserve, most homes only had a few lights on if any. They pulled into her mother’s drive, and Aria only started to relax when it was clear the living room was dark. No telltale glow of the TV, so Gijú was already asleep. Thank you, God. It appeared no one was around to witness the monumental mistake she was about to make, and that was good because she really, really wanted to make it.

  They got out of the SUV as quietly as possible. Aria went ahead and tip-toed up the outdoor stairs to her half of the duplex and unlocked the door. Bear followed a minute later, hefting the Cup. Impressively, he made it to the top without a single step squeaking. Edwin had not been happy at the prospect of Bear keeping the trophy alone overnight, but there was no way they were about to let the Keeper in on what they had planned. The film guys were happy enough with the promise that they’d take some at-home pictures on their cell phones and send them to the league and the team’s head of PR.

  And finally, finally, they were alone. She closed and locked the door behind him as he strode into the bedroom and set the Cup on the chest at the foot of her bed.

  “Really? I feel like it’ll be staring at us.”

  “Then let’s give it a show.” He hooked a finger at her.

  As soon as she got within touching distance, he unzipped her hoodie, slid it off her shoulders, and let it drop to the floor. Anticipation made her mouth go dry and her heart skip. Her T-shirt went a little more slowly. He dragged the hem up, his knuckles teasing the tender skin of her stomach, making her gasp. When it was gone, he brushed his lips over hers, parted them with his tongue. Her bra was the next to go, and when his hands cupped her breasts, her body went molten. So long. It’d been so long, and every sense felt heightened. Everything was new again, but deep down, warmly familiar. Even though this couldn’t possibly work out, even though the memory would be hard to live with, even though she might regret it, there was no stopping. Never in her life had she wanted someone as badly as she did in this moment.

  When he went to work on the button on her jeans, she leaned back, breathless. “W-wait.”

  His hooded eyes went wide. “I’m sorry. It’s okay if you don't—”

  “Shhh.” She touched a finger to his lips. “I’m half-naked. You need to catch up.” She pulled the jersey over his head. He tried to whip off his T-shirt, but she stilled his hands and took her time, the same as he had. Her hands skimmed his warm, hard chest, then around to his powerful shoulders pulling the shirt up as she went. Once she tossed it aside, she grabbed his belt and tugged him forward until they were skin to skin. He sucked air through his teeth and trembled but managed to stay still, let her lead.

  She unzipped his jeans torturously slow and was rewarded with another surprise. Bear was bare. No boxers or briefs for this man. He was already hard and straining when she circled him with her hand. He leaned his head back and groaned.

  “Ari, please. I’m not gonna last very long. I feel like a virgin again. And you … you make me crazy.”

  His words were empowering, and her competitive side was tempted to take them as a challenge, to push him over the edge. But while that would gratify her ego, her body would be left wanting, and currently, lust held the reins. She released her grip and let him take care of the rest of his clothes while she dealt with hers. It wasn’t until they stood completely naked in front of each other that the slightest bit of hesitation snuck in.

  He was breathtaking. Chiseled like a statue. Six feet, three inches of hard, sculpted muscle under smooth, bronze skin. The only imperfections were a slight bend in his nose, only natural as it’d been broken repeatedly, and a scar that slashed through his left eyebrow. Even his flaws made him beautiful. How was that fair? He had a black bear paw, the symbol of the reserve, tattooed over his heart. Maybe he hadn’t run away and never looked back. He held a hand out to her, palm up.

  She took it tentatively, and he pulled her in step-by-step until their fronts were flush together. He slid strong fingers back through her hair and leaned down for another kiss. This one was slow, searing, and meaningful. It wasn’t just a promise of mind-blowing sex. No misunderstanding—that vow was there. But so was his express intent to heal past wou
nds and lay the foundation for more. That was only scary because she wanted it so badly and knew it couldn’t be.

  His hands caressed her back, moved lower, and pulled her hips into his, and in that moment, there was no debating: spontaneous human combustion was a real thing, and she was dangerously close to it. “Wait. Do you have—”

  It took him a second to comprehend, but before she could even finish the sentence, he bent to retrieve a foil packet from his jeans on the floor.

  She couldn’t help a smile. “Pretty sure you’d get lucky, huh?”

  “There is no precedent on earth for anyone being this lucky. I just wanted to be prepared.” Fumbling just a little, he sheathed himself then reached for her again. The intensity of his kiss, the need and desire were her undoing. All conscious thought sizzled away, evaporating into nothing.

  He planted his strong hands under her thighs and picked her up, carrying her two steps before tossing them both on the bed. They bounced, the frame creaked, and a bolt of fear went through her at the thought of her mother hearing it. That fear ceased to matter when Bear poised himself between her legs and pushed slowly inside. She was slick and ready, but it had been almost a decade, and he was very … blessed as far as endowment went.

  Bear groaned through clenched teeth his whole body tense above her like a compressed spring. “God, you’re tight.”

  I feel like a virgin again. That’s what he’d said. Maybe I am a virgin again. Was that possible? Even though there was a little pain, there was a lot of pleasure and zero chance she’d let him stop. Her hands skimmed his sides down to his hips and squeezed. “Are you complaining?”

  “Hell no. But I am two seconds from coming.

  Not yet you’re not. She hooked a leg over his and rolled them then pinned him with her hands on his shoulders. Surprise lit those dark eyes, but there was no protest anywhere in his expression. There was no guarantee they’d have more than tonight and definitely no chance they’d outlast the summer. For the night at least, this beautiful man was hers, and she’d take what she wanted. She pressed his hands into the mattress up by his head and only let go when he nodded his compliance.

  She started by trailing kisses, feather soft, behind his ear, along his jaw, down his neck, pausing at the tattoo over his heart before pressing her lips to it firmly. Mine. Even if only for now. The muscles in his abdomen flexed as she licked and nipped her way down, and his breaths came faster.

  “Ari. You’re killing me.”

  Then she was doing it right. She kissed down one inner thigh then up the other. His hips arched up, his need prominent and rock hard. Even she had her limits. She straddled him carefully, wrapped a hand around his base, and guided him in inch by inch. The pain lessened, and at last she took him all. He was completely still, tense from scalp to toes like he was afraid the smallest movement would send him over the edge. Knowing that she did that to him was incredibly intoxicating. Something she’d needed for a long time.

  Pressing her hands flat on his chest, she rocked her hips back and forth tentatively without pulling up. After a minute of getting used to his size, her inner muscles relaxed. Bear had two fistfuls of comforter and his head tilted back, breathing like a woman in labor. She grinned and tried moving a little more, this time sliding up and down. The friction created delicious shocks of pleasure so good the urge to tease him faded away, replaced with the need to meet her own desires.

  She leaned down to kiss him, and given the chance to tack action, he devoured her, a starving man at the Last Supper. Freed from their invisible bonds, his hands slid down her back to her hips, holding himself deep inside as he rolled them again. Her legs went around his waist, keeping him there, and he rocked hard against her, hitting just the right spot. He remembered. He remembered what she needed to find completion. It hit her all at once and all encompassing. The ecstasy was so intense, nothing else existed in that moment. It wasn’t until she’d ridden out most of the tingling aftershocks that Bear picked up his pace and miraculously brought her right back to the edge with him. He moaned, and as he stiffened deep inside her, it turned to a low growl as he pulsed over and over.

  He hovered above her, panting and trembling, his forehead bent to hers and whispered, “Oh Christ.”

  She laughed. Completely inappropriate and out of place, but she couldn’t help it. His furrowed brow sobered her slightly, but there was no fighting a smile. “Sorry. I actually think that’s a perfect response. It was sort of a spiritual experience.”

  He kissed her lips, her cheek, then carefully withdrew, tossing the condom in the small trashcan beside her nightstand before crawling back to stretch out alongside her, hauling her close. “That was the most … amazing sexual experience of my life.”

  It shouldn't feel so good knowing she topped whomever he’d been with while they were apart, but it did. And she might not have as much practice as he did, but the truth remained. “Me, too.”

  “An experience I hope we can repeat. Many times.” He nibbled her ear lobe, sending tingles along every nerve in her body.

  “Tonight?”

  “Tonight, tomorrow, every day for the rest of our lives.”

  A tangle of warmth and pain filled her chest. That sounded so good, and he sounded like he meant it. But he couldn’t. It wasn’t possible. He had to know that.

  Maybe he realized the complicated Pandora’s box he cracked open, or maybe he knew that he had a lot more convincing to do before she was ready for any talk of forever, but Bear brushed the hair back from her face and kissed her softly, cementing her in the moment.

  That night they drifted in and out of sleep and made love twice more before the sun came up. When it did, Aria lie on her back, blissful and boneless, half-awake. Bear found her hand under the blankets and entwined their fingers. The sweetness of it chipped away at the armor around her heart. Careful.

  The inside door to her duplex opened, and footsteps creaked. She had just enough time to make sure they were both covered before her mother came in the bedroom. Aria gaped. “Gijú!”

  “Good morning, seggw! And Bear, my gwitjíj. I made you breakfast. To regain your energy.” She winked.

  My son? “Whoa, whoa, whoa. Nobody’s a gwitjíj here. And we’ve talked about boundaries. This is so wrong I’ll have nightmares for the rest of my life. Gijú, go downstairs. Please.”

  “Oh, seggw. Always so dramatic. I’ll just leave this here.” Her mother spared another conspiratorial smile for Bear, set the tray she’d brought next to the Cup on the chest, and left.

  When the door to the duplex clicked shut, Bear closed eyes that had been bulging wide up until then and covered his face with his hands. “Okay. This is now the most embarrassing moment of my life. I guess your mom is okay with us.”

  “My mom is okay with the thought of marrying me off and getting some grandchildren.”

  He lowered his hands and studied her thoughtfully. “Are you not okay with that?”

  “I … that’s not important right now. What’s important is you getting out of my house and into yours without anyone else noticing. Don’t think Edwin won’t come looking for that thing.” She nodded to the Cup.

  Bear paled a little and swung out of bed to get dressed. “Oh, we promised the crew some at-home pictures.

  She wiggled into her jeans then her bra and pulled her T-shirt back on before hustling him and the trophy to the outer door. “Take them at your home.”

  “Okay, but don’t think you’re off the hook for that other question.”

  Marriage and babies. Yeah, bookmark that conversation for the fifth of never. “Wouldn’t dream of it.”

  He stole one more kiss before she closed the door on him, and damn it if she didn’t smile. I am playing with fire.

  13

  Sneaking into his parents’ house had been one of Bear’s greatest past times, but it was a little trickier hefting a thirty-five pound trophy. With the sun well on its way up, his mother would be cooking in the first floor kitchen with Nukumi. His fath
er would either still be asleep or working in the garage on his bike. The damn thing only ran every other month, but the old man seemed to get most of his joy out of “fixing” it rather than riding it anyway. That left one potential obstacle.

  He opened the outer door slowly. No one in the living room, upstairs kitchen, or hallway. He released a slow breath, eased the door closed behind him, and made his way to his old bedroom on the balls of his feet. Jesse was either asleep or in the bathroom. Normally he’d be on her case for hogging it, but today her obsession with perfect hair and makeup was a blessing.

  He backed into his room, cradling the Cup with straining arms, and a clucking tongue nearly made him drop it. He froze, his heart rate shooting through the roof. When he turned around, Jesse smirked and shook her head. Okay, so there was a third option. He set the trophy down gently then jammed a hand back through his hair. “Jesus, Jess. You scared the hell out of me. What are you doing in here?”

  “Easy, big bro. I’m not looking to blackmail you over your dirty magazines. That was so two thousand three. I’m actually curious what you weren’t doing in here. All night.”

  For a second, a sour feeling grew in his gut at the thought of being grilled by his parents and maybe even grandmother for spending the night with a girl. Then he remembered he was a twenty-eight year-old man who hadn’t lived at home in almost a decade. Old rules were allowed to be broken now. Hell, his mother would probably throw a party if she thought he was back with Aria. He smiled. Working on it, Gijú. His sister’s intent stare pulled him into the moment. “None of your business.”

  “Bull.” Her dark eyes glinted, and she grinned. “You were with Aria, and that is absolutely my business. She’s my best friend. You’re my brother. And for the last eight years, the both of you have been too stupid to see you can’t possibly be with anyone else. I’ve heard failed date stories from her. Psychotic date stories from you. Now, finally you’re doing something about it and I don’t get the details? I don’t think so. Spill.”