Defending Dani

by Kat Mizera

  “Would you stop that?” Sara hissed, the annoyance in her voice vibrating through the phone. “Did you ever think it’s because you’re leaving, so he knows there’s no future? You’re going to the Olympics, which isn’t optional, and then to your dream job working for an NHL team. None of that includes him or Alaska, so why would he open himself up to that?”

  “I guess you’re right,” Dani mumbled.

  “Dani, maybe you need to think twice about this friends-with-benefits arrangement. Your whole voice lights up when you talk about him. And those pictures you posted online the other day while the three of you were hiking? Honey, do you have any idea how much you look like a family? You could be Niko’s mom, and while it maybe wasn’t obvious to others, anyone who knows you could see the intimacy in those selfies of you and Sergei.”

  “You think my brother saw them?”

  “Your brother definitely saw them.”

  “How do you know?” Dani asked in alarm.

  “Because I was over there helping Tiff with the boys and she and Zakk were arguing.”

  “About me?”

  “Well, Zakk wanted to call Sergei and ask him flat out if he’s sleeping with his sister. Tiff forbade him.”

  Despite the seriousness of the conversation, Dani chuckled. Her brother was physically formidable, but his fiancée was a force to be reckoned with. “So what happened?” she asked after a moment.

  “Tiff told him he wasn’t getting any for a year if he did anything and he backed off, but then she got in the shower and he called Toli.”

  “Oh, fuck me loud!” Dani hissed. “Seriously?”

  “Oh yeah. Obviously I couldn’t hear Toli’s end of the conversation, but he seemed to talk him off the ledge. Your brother was saying stuff like, ‘If he hurts her…’ and, ‘You think they’re getting married?’ but by the end, he mumbled something about minding his own business for now and bringing it up when you come home for your birthday.”

  “Great.” Dani scowled. “Way to ruin my trip for me.”

  “Sorry. But the point is, everyone sees there’s something between you just from some innocent pictures with Niko. I can’t imagine what it’s like being you.”

  “We’ve only been sleeping together a week or so.”

  “The sex is an intense bonus, but if that’s all it was, there wouldn’t be the electricity you can see in pictures. I think you’re falling hard and don’t even know it.”

  “Well, even if that’s true, it’s too late to stop it. So why not enjoy it while it lasts and deal with the aftermath later? Besides, when I get to Colorado, I’m going to be way too busy with hockey to worry about a broken heart. Everyone has them, right? I’m probably way past due.”

  Sara groaned. “Dani, I don’t think—”

  “Come on, don’t. I just want to giggle about how big his dick is and have you tell me about some cool thing I can do in bed to surprise him. Let me enjoy this, Sara. Please?”

  Sara was quiet for a bit before saying, “Ice cubes.”

  “What?”

  “Put an ice cube in your mouth before you blow him.”

  “Oh my god! For real?” Dani tucked her legs under her as Sara explained what to do.

  19

  The days ran into each other as Sergei and Dani kept busy exploring Anchorage, taking Niko ice skating and keeping a strict workout regimen. Sergei was in the best shape he’d been in during the summer for as long as he could remember and he felt great. Of course, it probably had something to do with the stunning blonde gracing his bed every night, too. She was beautiful, smart, curious, and fun. Everything they did turned into an adventure, whether it was finding a new book to read to Niko or some touristy excursion outside the city. A handful of teenage romances, two marriages, and umpteen one-night stands had never provided the overall satisfaction he got from Dani. How some other guy hadn’t snatched her up was beyond him. It was a bit of a cliché, but she was truly perfect. Maybe not for everyone, but for him? Absolutely. Looks, personality, and heaven help him, their sex life. Not just quantity, but quality. She wanted to try everything, trusted him implicitly and so far had enjoyed it all, too. He’d never had a sexual partner like her, and outside the bedroom she was even more delightful.

  Because of her, he’d been warring with a lot of different emotions lately. They’d settled into their life together seamlessly, as though they were a long-time couple, and the idea that she was leaving him—them—was messing with his head. While he couldn’t even fathom saying the words “I love you” to another woman ever again, he also couldn’t comprehend the enormity of watching her just move to Colorado and then make a permanent home in Las Vegas. It bothered him more than he was willing to admit, and as he buttoned up the dress shirt he was putting on for their date tonight, he wondered what to do next.

  They were going to dinner with Jake, Adrianna, and Aaron. The three of them were close—they’d gone to college together—and they’d asked Sergei to join them. It had been almost second nature to tell them he’d be bringing Dani, and then he’d had a moment of discomfiture when he’d had to ask her if she wanted to go. After he’d already told Jake she was. It had been so long since he’d been involved with a woman other than Tatiana, he’d forgotten about little things like asking a woman out. Hell, now that he was thinking about it, he felt like a real shit. He’d never taken Dani out on a proper date, bought her flowers, or even told her she looked pretty outside of a sexual context. He needed to fix that immediately. He was many things, but an asshole wasn’t one of them.

  “Hey, which shoes do you like?” Dani’s voice made him turn and his breath caught in his throat.

  “Wow…” he breathed. “You look absolutely gorgeous. Is that new?”

  She flushed, giving him a shy smile. “Tiff has been my online fashion consultant. I send her pictures and she tells me what to buy. I figured they’ve already seen my only dress, so I needed another one. Which meant more shoes…and then I found two pairs in my size, which is really hard since I wear a women’s eleven.”

  He glanced at the two different shoes in her hand. One was red, with a skinny high heel and had an opening for her toes. The other was a nude color, with a thick, chunky heel he thought was called a wedge. The dress she was wearing was a pale pink and both shoes would match in color. However, the red ones were sexier and although they would make her his height or possibly a bit taller, he didn’t care.

  “The red,” he said in a husky voice. “They’re almost as gorgeous as you.”

  She dipped her head. “Thank you. I’ll be ready to go in a couple of minutes.”

  “No rush.” He watched her disappear down the hall and wished she was getting dressed here in his room with him, instead of hurrying off to her own room all the time. Things had definitely gotten complicated since they’d started sleeping together, but the odd thing was he had no regrets.

  Pulling on his sport coat, he headed down the hall in the direction she’d gone and stood in the doorway of her room, watching her slide on the sexy red heels. He let out a low whistle.

  “You sure you want to go out to dinner, Maryanne?”

  She grinned up at him. “Keep your pants on, Wayne. We’ll be naked in a few hours, but I need you to feed me first.”

  “I suppose I can wait for us to eat.”

  She picked a small black handbag up off the bed and met his eyes. “If I was better at being girlie, I’d have a purse that matched my shoes, but I guess it’s too late to worry about that.”

  “You know guys don’t care about that stuff, right?”

  “Yeah, but other women do.”

  “Don’t worry about Adrianna. I can’t imagine Jake’s wife is going to be bitchy to you.”

  “I hope not.”

  * * *

  They talked all the way to the restaurant and when she stepped out of the SUV, he watched the young man at the valet stand almost trip over his own feet trying to talk to her. Another restaurant patron rushed to open the door for her a
nd Sergei barely had time to slide his arm around her waist before the maître d’ hurried over to greet her.

  “Am I going to have to beat the men off of you tonight?” he whispered in her ear.

  She cut her eyes to him, a beautiful smile on her lips. “Not necessary. I don’t see anyone but you.”

  Damn. She’d done it again. Six little words and his chest was doing all kinds of funny things.

  “Hey, guys.” Jake was on his feet, shaking Sergei’s hand and pulling out a chair for Dani.

  Everyone exchanged pleasantries and Jake ordered a bottle of wine. By the time they’d ordered and settled in with wine and a basket of delicious bread, the ice had been broken and the five of them were like old friends. Adrianna was quiet and a bit shy, but sweet and easygoing. Aaron was his usual relaxed self so Jake and Sergei seemed to lead most of the conversation. Dani appeared to be taking it all in, so Sergei occasionally drew her in but mostly let her do what was most comfortable for her.

  “Dani, I looked you up online,” Adrianna said during a lull. “How exciting to be chosen for the Olympic team. Jake and I enjoyed watching you in the Frozen Four.”

  “You watched?” Surprise shone on Dani’s face.

  “Last night.” Jake rumbled out a laugh. “After we realized you’d be at dinner tonight. I felt a little foolish that I’d never seen you play.”

  “That seems to be a theme with women’s hockey,” she said lightly. “But it’s okay. My brother and his friends always watch, and that means the world to me.”

  “You must be bummed you won’t be able to go watch her in Seattle,” Aaron said to Sergei. “Pain in the ass the NHL isn’t shutting down for the Olympics.”

  “Yeah, it’s disappointing for sure.” Sergei nodded. “But you can bet I’ll be losing a lot of sleep staying up to watch every minute of every game.”

  “How does it work?” Adrianna asked, her blue eyes guileless as she looked at Dani. “If the team is made up of players from all over the U.S., how do you practice?”

  Dani raised a finger, indicating she should wait as she took a sip of wine. “I’ll be moving to the training facility in Colorado Springs the first of September. We’ll train together until we leave for Seattle in February.”

  “And you’ll be here in Anchorage?” Adrianna turned to Sergei.

  He nodded, though he picked up his glass of wine to avoid saying anything.

  “But then you’ll be back, right? I mean, five months isn’t a huge sacrifice for something as cool as the Olympics.”

  Dani bit her lower lip. “Oh, well, actually I won’t. I’ve been offered a job with the Sidewinders as an assistant trainer and I’ll be moving to Vegas after the Olympics.”

  There was an awkward silence as everyone looked from Sergei to Dani and back again.

  “These plans were in place before we met,” Sergei said after a slight hesitation. He had to give some kind of explanation, because a generic friends-with-benefits response wouldn’t cut it, but he didn’t have anything that sounded much better. “We’ve only been together a short time and we knew from the beginning that she was leaving. Everything between us is casual.”

  “You’re a stronger woman than I am,” Adrianna said to Dani. “I’ve followed Jake around since the first day I met him. I don’t know what I’d do without him.”

  There was another strange silence as Adrianna looked sad, Jake looked embarrassed and Aaron looked…angry? There it was, that strange dynamic he’d felt since the beginning here in Anchorage, but right now, all he cared about was Dani. He’d clasped her hand under the table and her fingers were icy; the conversation about leaving had upset her even though she’d handled it with aplomb. Hell, he was upset and he didn’t even know why.

  Luckily, Jake shifted the conversation and soon they were laughing about something that happened on the road last season. Dani was quieter, though, smiling politely but not engaging like before. The food was delicious but she picked at it, clearly not herself. When the waiter came to take their plates, Dani excused herself to the ladies’ room and Adrianna went with her.

  “I’m sorry Addy put you on the spot like that,” Jake said once it was just the guys. “It’s obvious we upset Dani and I’m sure that wasn’t her intention. She doesn’t always think before she says stuff like that.”

  “It’s okay,” Sergei shrugged. “I’ll talk to her when we get home.”

  “You’re gonna let her go?” Aaron asked mildly. “Seems to me you’re crazy about her.”

  “Dani’s amazing,” Sergei responded, looking away. “But I’m a widowed single dad with a shit-ton of baggage. She needs someone younger, who can help her follow her dreams, not hold her back. I’d be a true asshole if I let her know how I feel about her.”

  “Shouldn’t that be her decision?” Jake asked, his green eyes sympathetic.

  “You think I should make her decide between her future of working on an NHL team and giving it all up because I have some confusing feelings for her? So I can go play hockey while she stays home taking care of a kid that isn’t even hers?” He made a face. “No. Not gonna happen. I care for her enough to let her go.”

  “Makes sense,” Jake nodded.

  “No, it doesn’t.” Aaron scowled at both of them. “Instead of giving a grown, intelligent woman the respect of making her own decision, you’re deciding what’s best for the little lady. What is this? The 1800s? You’re both Neanderthals.”

  Sergei was taken aback by his black scowl.

  “Aaron’s divorce has been ugly,” Jake said. “He wants someone else to have the happily-ever-after he didn’t.”

  “Bullshit,” Aaron muttered. “I happen to think Dani’s great. Shit, if she didn’t only have eyes for you, I’d ask her out in a heartbeat. If she wanted me to leave Alaska, I totally would.”

  Blood rushed to Sergei’s head and he had to take a deep breath not to say something he might regret. Who the hell did Aaron think he was? This was bullshit. Before he could open his mouth, Jake put a restraining hand on Sergei’s forearm and laughed.

  “Okay, you win,” Jake said to Aaron, digging a twenty-dollar bill out of his wallet and handing it to him. “You were right—jealous as hell.”

  “Sorry,” Aaron gave him an apologetic grin. “Jake said you two were just fuck buddies. I bet him twenty bucks it was more. Don’t worry. I’m not that kind of guy—I’d never ask out your girl.”

  Sergei huffed out a little laugh. “You guys suck.”

  “You’re really gonna let her go?” The disbelief in Aaron’s eyes was obvious. “I think you’re crazy.”

  “I have to,” Sergei said simply. “Anything else would be selfish as hell.”

  “Sometimes selfish isn’t a bad thing.”

  “I’ve already done selfish and it didn’t end well,” Sergei muttered, turning his head as he caught sight of Dani coming back towards the table. She took his breath away in that tight pink dress and those red heels. Every other man in the place saw it, too, following her with their eyes. Except instead of her usual sweet, sexy smile, she didn’t make eye contact and sank into her chair, continuing her conversation with Adrianna.

  All through dessert and after-dinner cocktails, Dani kept an emotional distance from him, and by the time they left he was frustrated. He understood why she might be upset, but Adrianna had put them both on the spot. What was he supposed to say? They hadn’t talked about it beyond their exclusivity agreement for the time being so he’d done the best he could without any warning. He hated that he’d upset her, but what choice had he had?

  20

  Dani went straight to her room when they got home. Sergei was taking care of Marj and she needed a few minutes to recover from their evening. On the surface it had been fun, but Adrianna’s question had made it abundantly clear she was getting involved. Hearing him refer to what they had as casual had hurt, even though it was accurate. Sara had been right about her getting attached and she’d been foolish to think anything with Sergei could be casu
al at this point.

  Frustrated, she yanked off the pink dress and kicked it across the room. The dress and the shoes were going in the back of her closet until she left. Maybe she’d take them to Vegas and leave them with Tiff. She certainly wouldn’t need them in Colorado. She was done with dating. Once she left Sergei, she would go back to being a tomboy who was too athletic for regular guys.

  She sprawled across her bed in frustration, realizing how used to Sergei’s bigger bed she’d gotten and how much harder it was going to be to walk away from him than she’d initially thought.

  The knock on her door made her sigh but she called for him to come in.

  “Hey.” He walked in slowly, sitting on the edge of her bed. “I, uh, I guess you’re mad at me.”

  “Nope.” She stared up at the ceiling. “I’m mad at myself.”

  “Yourself? Why?”

  “For letting myself care about you. For letting myself be a girl. Maybe that’s why I was always bad at it, because I knew it would suck. Maybe being all tomboy-tough was how I protected myself.”

  “Oh, Dani. Honey, you were always a girl.”

  “No. No, I wasn’t. I was that weird, arm-wrestling tomboy who played better hockey than all the guys and couldn’t get laid ’cause guys were scared of her.”

  “There were a dozen guys at that restaurant tonight who would’ve been happy to sleep with you.”

  “Because I was being a girl.” She glanced at him in exasperation. “If I just go back to being awkward, tomboy Dani, they won’t want me anymore.”

  “Dani?”

  “What?” She made a face at him.

  “I’ll still want you.”

  She pointed her finger at him. “Stop it! That right there is what got me into this mess. Why would a gorgeous hunk like you want something beyond a casual lay with me? I knew better but I needed to experience it… Ugh.” She threw her arm over her eyes.