Melting His Alaskan Heart

by Rebecca Thomas

  He hadn’t thought about Richelle while in the presence of another woman in a long time. In fact, he couldn’t remember a time. His eyes shifted to Carly’s wavy red hair and noticed how different it was from Richelle’s straight dark hair. The idea that he was comparing them gave him pause. He shook his head, as though that could release the memories.

  Carly asked quietly, “Is everything okay?”

  “I’m fine,” he replied, then cleared his throat when it didn’t need it.

  Travis called out, “Sure you don’t want to hit the hot springs with us?”

  Carly turned to them. “We’re sure, but thanks. Maybe tomorrow.”

  Ethan noted the we again. They weren’t a couple, and the sooner she knew that the better. He watched her hips sway as she walked up the stairs in front of him. Damn, she was beautiful. She had to know how beautiful she was. She could date or have a friends-with-benefits arrangement with anyone she wanted.

  She had a determined pace to her steps that matched the sway of her hips. Her hourglass shape had a little extra padding on her backside, which he loved. Then he reminded himself to quit looking. She wasn’t his, and wasn’t going to be his. However, she was on a mission, and whatever ideas she might have about him and her as anything remotely resembling a we had to stop. She stepped inside his apartment.

  He closed the door behind her and before he even had his hand off the doorknob she said, “Ethan, I understand you’ve had your heart broken. I get that. Well, let me rephrase that.” She strode across the room to stand in front of him. “You’ve had your heart broken. I can’t know exactly how that feels. Especially since I’ve never been married and I’ve never had a spouse die, but I do know that you’re alive and have every reason to live.”

  As beautiful and tempting as she was, he had to shut her down. “Carly, I’ve heard this all before from my family.” He got closer to her face. He had to make her understand. If he needed to scare her away, by God, he’d do it. “In fact, did you consult with them on the party line? Get Ethan to socialize more, get Ethan to do something besides work, get Ethan—”

  “Stop it. I haven’t talked with them. I just met them. Why are you being an ass? Is that your party line? Be an ass, so no woman will be attracted to you?”

  She’d called him an ass at the hotel, too, and he knew it was true. Being an ass was easy, because it was safer that way. “I don’t have to worry about women being attracted to me. Unless scars are your thing? And being an ass is how I normally act, so yeah, whatever…”

  Carly grabbed ahold of his face. She had her long fingers on each side of his cheeks and her voluptuous breasts plastered against his chest. “I’m ridiculously attracted to you, even when you act like an ass, and yes, I suppose scars are my thing because I’m so hot for you. And to me, your scar only makes you sexier.”

  She pulled on his neck and kissed him on the mouth. She wasn’t soft about it, either. She demanded the kiss from him. She didn’t ask. She just took.

  His heart raced and he ached to press his body into her softness. He wanted to take that red hair of hers, fist it in his hands, yank it back and take everything she was offering. But he refused to go there; he refused to kiss her.

  She pulled away for the briefest of moments. “Kiss me, dammit. I know you want to.”

  She tightened her grip on his neck, pushed her breasts harder into his chest and kissed him again.

  He wanted nothing more than to grind his hard-on into her willing softness, but instead, he gripped her shoulders. “Carly, you want more than I have to give.”

  Her breath came in shallow gasps. Her hooded gaze and flushed cheeks nearly undid him. She said, “We can be friends-with-benefits.”

  Logic inched into his brain. He needed to convince her that he wasn’t good for her. “You deserve more than that.”

  Still clinging to him, she said, “I deserve someone…something. I deserve you.”

  “Me? I’m just an ass, remember?” He had his “being an ass” down to a science, and he wasn’t about to let a demanding redhead with stunningly sexy hips sway him, no matter what she did.

  “That’s what you want everyone to think, but I know you’re not. I know how you acted that night. You had a mask covering you, so you acted how you really are.” She stepped away from him and ripped the turtleneck shirt out from being tucked in her jeans. She pulled the shirt up and over her head, then threw it over the side of his couch. “I remember every detail of how you made me feel, even if I did have too much to drink.”

  “What are you doing?” His mouth watered at the sight of her lacy black bra, full breasts, and freckled skin. “Get your shirt back on.”

  “No.” Her fingers reached for the top button of her jeans. “This is my room, remember? At least for tonight. I’m sleeping here—and I’m hoping I won’t be sleeping alone.”

  She shimmied out of her jeans and stood with only her bra, panties, and socks on. He gaped and tried to think of something to say, but his brain froze. “Carly, you don’t want this.”

  “Oh, yeah? Do you think I’d be stripping off my clothes in front of you if I didn’t know what I wanted? I’m making a fool of myself, but you’re worth it, Ethan.” She bent over and removed her socks, giving him a view of her chest that didn’t leave much to the imagination.

  He tried to think of an appropriate thing to say. What do you say to a woman stripping down to her underwear in front of you with an open invitation like Carly was doing? She reached for her handbag and pulled out her cell phone.

  “What are you doing now?” Ethan asked feeling completely out of his element.

  “I’m looking to see what kind of music I have on my phone. It’s not every day I do this kind of thing. I need some music to keep me in the moment.”

  “Listen, I’m going to go.” Ethan turned and stepped toward the door.

  Carly ran around and stood in front of him. “Wait.” She searched his face. “We’re supposed to be a couple. It won’t look good for you to leave me in your room all by myself.”

  She did have a point. His brothers would certainly give him grief. He stared into the depths of her green eyes, her disheveled hair, her freckles, and shook his head.

  “Ethan, I understand you don’t want to be a couple.” She placed her hands on his shoulders. So close, he smelled her womanly scent. His fingers itched to touch her.

  Very quietly, she said, “We’re pretending to be a couple. So it fits perfectly into my friends-with-benefits proposition. We can be weekend lovers for now. If that’s all you want, I’m good with that.”

  He contemplated his options, but his hands weren’t listening to his mind. He placed them on Carly’s trim waist and pulled her to him. He crushed his mouth on hers. Their tongues entwined with each other. He couldn’t remember all the reasons he’d resisted her to begin with. His hands explored the curve of her back and her butt. The memories of the night they’d spent together at the hotel came crashing back. His brain remembered why his hands took over, as his baser impulses determined his next move.

  He picked her up, breathed in her feminine scent, and took her to his bed.

  CHAPTER 14

  Carly opened her eyes and peered at the digital clock. It read 6:32 a.m. She lay motionless in a room that was both familiar and strange to her. She breathed in the scent of the pillow and immediately thought of Ethan. Her inner thighs ached but in a good way.

  She listened for the sound of his breathing, before she reached her arm behind her and slid her hand on empty sheets. They were warm, so he hadn’t been gone long. She exhaled slowly, sat up in bed, and held the quilt to her chin. Then she noticed the light shining from beneath the bathroom door and heard the sound of water running. After a moment, the door opened. Ethan’s beautiful body was silhouetted from the backlight and she audibly sighed.

  “You’re awake.” He stopped at the foot of the bed.

  “I am.” She ran a hand through her hair, glad for the partial darkness because she could onl
y imagine her disheveled appearance, but there was enough light from the bathroom to see Ethan was naked. His body was magnificent.

  She stared inappropriately, but she didn’t care.

  “Are you hungry?” he asked.

  “I’m fine.” The morning after wasn’t supposed to be this awkward, but it had to be better than the last morning after they’d shared. She would make sure of it.

  “I’m going downstairs to get myself some coffee. I’d be happy to get you a cup, too.”

  “Thank you. I’d like that. Do you think anyone is up yet?”

  “My family is full of early risers.” He rubbed his chin. “In fact, I’ll make sure you get your interview with Dane first thing this morning.”

  “Um, it’s okay. It doesn’t have to be this morning. It’s only Saturday. We still have tomorrow too.”

  “The sooner you get your interview, the sooner you can get back to Anchorage.”

  His words stomped on her heart. Why did he want to get rid of her so quickly? Or was this a defense mechanism, because last night couldn’t be described as anything but amazing. She glared at him, daring him to say something else about her leaving.

  He must have caught the hint in her eyes because he asked, “Don’t you have a deadline on the story?”

  “I do.” She chose not to say anything else, but stared at him instead. Sometimes words weren’t necessary, and as much as it pained her to stay quiet, this was one of those times.

  He looked away. “All right, then. I’ll get us some coffee. Cream and sugar?”

  “Yes, to both.”

  He turned and got a pair of boxer briefs out of his dresser and pulled them on followed by a pair of gray sweatpants.

  She couldn’t tear her eyes away from him. She wanted to say so many things and ask a million questions, but she needed time to think and assess.

  “Would you like me to turn off the bathroom light?”

  “No. It’s fine. Thank you,” she answered, attempting to keep her tone light. She didn’t want him to know her feelings were hurt. She didn’t want to instantly react like she normally did in these situations. Which was really quite laughable, because it wasn’t like she’d been in this situation before—offering herself up as a friend with benefits. But she didn’t have a choice.

  “There’s a lamp on the nightstand if you need it.”

  Carly fumbled under the lampshade and flipped the light on, careful to keep one hand holding the quilt up to cover her chest. “Got it. Thanks.”

  He headed for the door and mumbled, “I’ll be right back.”

  As soon as he shut the door, Carly ran for the bathroom. She threw water on her face and brushed her teeth. She slipped on her silk robe and made her way back to the bed, but she stopped in front of the portrait of Ethan’s deceased wife. “I’m guessing you’re my competition and I don’t stand a chance.”

  Carly slid under the covers. Somehow the portrait still beckoned to her and despite her efforts to ignore it, the pull of curiosity forced her to look across the room at the portrait again. The eyes of the woman seemed to be speaking to her—trying to say something. Carly asked, “What do you want?”

  Carly stared at the portrait and while sympathy was the overwhelming emotion coursing through her, she was jealous too. Ethan would never care for her the way he loved his former wife. Love. Why was she thinking of love? Just the idea of it stunned her. She didn’t love Ethan, she just wanted his body. At least, that was what she told herself.

  “Can’t I have just one small corner of his heart?” Carly asked the portrait. “Or do you get all of him?”

  The door opened and Ethan appeared with one coffee mug in his hand and the other tucked under his arm.

  Carly jumped out of bed. “I’m sorry. Let me help you with that.”

  Ethan handed her one of the steaming mugs. “I thought I heard talking in here.”

  “I was just talking to myself.”

  “About anything interesting?” He raised a brow.

  About all the ways I want you, is what she wanted to say, but since she was so good at blurting out the truth, she figured why ruin her stellar record. “I was actually talking to your former wife.”

  He gave her a questioning look. “You believe in ghosts then?”

  “I believe her presence in your life is very real—not a ghost, at all.”

  He strode around the end of the bed and slumped in a wingback chair. He brought the mug to his lips and Carly wondered if she should repeat what she just said, but she followed his lead and took a sip of her coffee instead.

  “My mom is baking blueberry muffins. They should be done soon. I’ll get us some in a minute.” He bent his left leg and put his ankle on his other knee.

  He skillfully changed the subject, she noted. Fine. She was good with that, so maybe she’d get to the root of the problem. “Why are you so anxious for me to leave?”

  “I’m not. I just figured you’d want to get your interview. That is why you’re here.”

  “Sure. I want the interview, but I also wanted to see you again.”

  He stared at his mug he held in his lap.

  “This is usually the part where you say you’re happy to see me again, too.” She paused. “But if you don’t feel the same, that’s fine. I assume we are keeping up the pretense that we’re dating, right?”

  “I don’t like being dishonest with my family, but yes.”

  “So what’s the plan for today?” she asked.

  “We’re going to play hockey out on the lake once it’s light.”

  “Sounds great.” She was determined not to let his sour mood affect her and not take it personally. She was here under the guise of his date and she was going to play it up for all it was worth. She was determined to believe Ethan wanted her here despite how he was acting. His actions spoke volumes of how he really felt about her. He had handled her with passion and tenderness. This morning he acted indifferently toward her. She would focus on the positives. He wanted her last night; maybe she could convince him that he wanted her in the daylight hours, too.

  * * *

  PREPARING for the interview with Dane, Carly found herself a little nervous. This wasn’t normal for her. Even with Dane and his iconic status in the hockey world, she still didn’t place athletes above anyone else. She decided she must be nervous because she wanted to make a good impression on Dane because of Ethan.

  She waited for him to enter the library.

  He swaggered into the room with all the attitude of an athlete, and she swore he wore a smirk on his face. He sat down across from her. “So you know I detest giving interviews and I’m only doing this for Ethan.”

  Nothing like getting right to the point. “I appreciate your candidness, Dane. I’m well aware that you are only doing this for your brother. I promise I won’t disappoint you on the article. I won’t print anything you don’t approve of. Do you mind if I record this?”

  “I know you write well. I checked out some of your articles. Even for Ethan I wouldn’t have said yes if I didn’t think you were a good journalist.”

  “Thank you.” She paused and reached for her recorder. “I think.”

  Dane leaned forward and placed his elbows on his jean-clad legs. “Before you turn that on, I have a few questions for you.”

  She raised a brow. “All right.”

  He narrowed those intense green eyes at her. “You aren’t dating my brother, are you?”

  She wasn’t expecting Dane to be quite so candid. “I thought I was interviewing you.”

  “I’m not agreeing to anything, even if I promised Ethan, until you answer a few of my questions first.”

  “Okay.” The wheels of her brain were spinning.

  “Are you dating my brother or aren’t you?” Dane asked.

  She was an excellent reader of people and she decided she probably wouldn’t be able to bullshit Dane. “No, I’m not.”

  He leaned back in his chair. “That’s what I thought.”

&n
bsp; He was being honest with her, so she decided to do the same. “But I wish I was, if that counts for anything.”

  “Let me guess, he’s been pushing you away.” He quirked a brow.

  Now it was her turn to lean forward. “Yes. That’s exactly it. My ego is a little bruised, too, since we are being completely honest.”

  “Since his wife died, he’s closed himself off from other women.”

  “I’ve gathered that.”

  “We’ve all tried to set him up, but nothing has worked.” He looked at her with such intensity, she shivered. All the Forrester brothers had the most expressive eyes, it would be easy to get lost in them. “Until you.”

  “What do you mean, until me? I haven’t been able to crack his shell.”

  “You’re sharing a room with him. He’s introduced you to the family. That’s a lot farther than any other woman has gotten with him by a long ways.”

  She sighed. “Thanks, but like you said, he keeps pushing me away and even I, a person who isn’t ashamed to go to great lengths to get what she wants, am feeling frustrated by his rejection.”

  “I’m not seeing rejection. I’m seeing a man who is watching you every second. I see the interest in his eyes, even if you don’t.”

  A little embarrassed, she shrugged. “Between you and me quite honestly, he’s completely won me over. I would love nothing more than to be genuinely dating him.”

  “We want to see Ethan happy. Despite your unusual means of getting an interview with me, I like you. I figure you’re the only type of woman who could handle him anyway.”

  She laughed. “What do you mean by that?”

  “He’s as stubborn as a bear. You might have to face more rejection from him before this is over, but I promise you, he does like you. He likes you a lot. He wouldn’t have pushed the issue of an interview with me if he didn’t.”

  She nodded. Hearing those words from Dane made her heart skip a beat. “That’s nice to hear. Thank you.”