Defying Gravity: An Ice Tigers Hockey Novel

by Isabella Cassazza

“The lovely Lily.” The first one steps into the living room to greet me.

  “Hey, Michael.” I definitely remember the cocky guy from the gala.

  “Nice candles. Is this beeswax?”

  “It is.” Funny that the team’s womanizer knows more about décor than Danny and Tyler. Or maybe that’s his scam? I don’t really want to know. He picks one of the aqua candles up and turns it around.

  “Where’d you get them?”

  “It’s a little shop called Cozy Cottage. Tyler can give you the address.”

  He nods, placing the candle down again. “Are you staying with us tonight?”

  “I have other plans. Have fun tonight, and don’t ruin my décor.”

  I turn to the next guy waiting patiently in line. Maybe they aren’t as bad as I thought them to be, but after greeting everyone, I still take my leave. Twenty-four guys are twenty-two guys too many in the apartment.

  I’m still glad that I could help Tyler and Danny live their dream. But when I close the door, I can’t help but feel utterly alone.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Lily

  I tag along after Danny and Ty, asking myself for the millionth time why I agreed to this. We’re at some fancy new thermal bath in New York. Danny wanted to check it out and decided it’d be fun if we went together during the Ice Tigers’ bye week. It’s the only break for Ty before the run for playoffs picks up speed.

  I should be used to these outings by now. Whenever our schedules allowed it, we’ve tried new things over the past couple of months. I still remember our first day trip to the zoo—turns out Danny is into wildlife and watches a ton of documentaries.

  It took some time getting used to people approaching Tyler randomly and asking for autographs and photos. Even with a baseball cap and hoodie, most people recognize him. He’s become one of the league’s top scorers, and the fans love him. Most of them are respectful and grateful when Ty takes time to sign something or takes a picture with them. He never refuses anyone as far as I can tell, taking time to make them feel special.

  While he was the unapproachable hockey god at the beginning of the season, he has now become a fan favorite and is about to land massive endorsement deals. It’s nice to see him so relaxed and open. He’s thrilled, and that makes Danny happy, and I’m delighted for them—at least that’s what I tell myself. Other than what I hoped for after the last series of away games, my attraction to both of them hasn’t magically disappeared. It’s gotten even worse. I should be used to being around them by now without feeling flushed all the time. My heart should not start beating faster every time I see them. But instead of getting easier, it’s gotten harder.

  There’s no denying it anymore. I’d fallen in love—with both of them—on the very first evening.

  It was bound to happen, and if I’m honest, I knew it right away. They’re both not only perfect on the outside, but also on the inside. It doesn’t get any better than them. I’m still amazed by what Danny is and was willing to put up with to be with Tyler. It’s simply incredible. I can only hope that one day I’ll find someone as wonderful myself. I just have to hold my stupid feelings in check until then and do nothing I’ll regret later.

  Today I have to deal with the situation at hand—a weekend with two gorgeous men who are strictly off-limits and in different stages of undress.

  Danny has booked several treatments for us, and I only hope they’ll help me relax. My neck is tensed continuously these days, and I’ve started to experience lower back pain as well. The whole situation has begun to put a strain on me physically.

  “Here you go, Mr. Wolfe,” the receptionist's voice interrupts my thoughts. “Enjoy your stay.”

  Tyler takes the key cards from her and puts one arm around me. “Thank you.” He grabs one suitcase and pushes me to the elevators, while Danny follows with the other one.

  “You’re all right?” Tyler asks as the elevator door closes.

  “Yeah. Just a little tired. It’s been an exhausting week.” And it was. Between the trip home for Christmas and the preparation at the stable for several big competitions in the following weeks, I hardly had time to do necessary things. I loved seeing my mom over Christmas, but it was also hard to keep up the happy façade. She thinks I’m madly in love with Tyler, which technically wasn’t a lie, and was devastated that he couldn’t make it. I feel guilty for lying to her, or at least omitting the truth. At some point I’ll have to tell her, but now isn’t the right time.

  “We figured as much when you didn’t show up for movie night,” Danny says from behind.

  “I’m really sorry—” Our weekly movie night is something we all look forward to.

  Danny interrupts me. “Don’t you dare apologize, Lil. You’re doing more than enough already as it is. There are no words to describe how happy you make us. I was just joking.”

  My heart jumps as he smiles down at me, and I have to remind myself again that he’s not for me. I’m only their friend, and I’ll have to keep it together—for them and for my own sake.

  “Let’s check out the rooms.” Danny rushes out of the elevator and opens the door. His enthusiasm is addictive, and Ty and I follow suit.

  “Look at the bathroom. It’s crazy,” he shouts, looking like a kid in a candy shop. Ty is chuckling beside me.

  “Danny-mode?” I chuckle.

  “Yeah. Severe case.” He bursts out laughing. “Come on. Let’s have a look too.” He puts his hand on my back and leads me into the bathroom. It’s a gesture meant to reassure, but even his light touch makes my skin tingle underneath my clothes. How the hell am I going to survive this weekend when we haven’t yet come to the part where they wear nothing but swim shorts?

  As Tyler’s girlfriend, I have to spend a few nights a week at their place, and it has clearly taken a toll on me, having to listen to their moans and groans whenever I sleep in the guest room. They have a very, very active sex life and either don’t care that I can hear them or don’t know about it. And I’m not going to say anything either. That’d be way too embarrassing.

  I remember how ashamed I was the first time when I couldn’t help but touch myself while they were going at it. Ever since, I’ve perfected the art of coming in sync with them, or at least not far behind. It’s the closest thing to sex I’m getting right now, and to my everlasting shame, it’s the most satisfying sexual phase of my life so far. I’ve never been able to come with a man before. The only way for me to get off is with my own hands, and the added sensation of listening to the sounds of these two hotties making love has me coming harder than ever before.

  “Nice,” Ty says, standing right behind me. I give myself a mental shake. Right, we’re looking at the bathroom.

  “Nice, my ass. It’s fucking fantastic.” Danny waves his hands around. He’s right, it’s super stylish—all black and white with immaculate lines, like their man cave. It doesn’t hurt that the bathroom is bigger than my apartment at the barn, either.

  “We’ll definitely have to test the counter.” Danny winks at Ty. Great, now they’re talking about where to get it on, and I’ll have another fantasy in my head while touching myself.

  “Don’t we have treatments scheduled?”

  Danny looks at his watch. “What would we do without you, Lil? The first one begins in fifteen minutes. Let’s get changed.”

  “Give me the card for the other room.” I reach out to Ty with my hand, palm up. He hesitates. “Ty, no one will know that I’m not the one sleeping in this room with you. We won’t be ordering room service, and no one is going to clean the room while we’re here either.” Sometimes he takes the acting a little too far. No way am I sneaking out of his room tonight and changing places with Danny. I need some privacy.

  He scratches his neck but then smiles at me and hands me the key card.

  * * *

  Four hours later, my body is floating in hot water and my muscles are soft and pliable, thanks to the competent hands of Chase, my twentysomething massage therapist with a ki
ller smile, followed by a session in the steam house. I’ve even managed to get an hour of sleep in, sprawled on a comfortable lounger by the indoor pool while Danny and Tyler chatted happily about sports and possible vacation spots.

  “So, how were your treatments, Lil?” Danny sits across from me in the hot tub, taking advantage of the jet streams.

  “Awesome. I enjoyed them very much. I had a fantastic massage therapist, and the oil he used for the first massage smelled heavenly. For the second treatment, he used hot stones on my back. It was relaxing. I feel like I’m reborn.” I truly enjoyed the massage, but Chase’s hands didn’t give me the same tingly feeling that I experience from Danny’s. I’m apparently not into surfer guys. The only men who do it for me are the ones currently placed on either side of me—the ones I can’t have.

  “I could have given you a hot stone massage last week any time.” He looks like a kid who’s lost his favorite toy.

  He’s called me twice to arrange our weekly massage appointment, but I stayed away on purpose to clear my head. Maybe I’m a coward, but being touched by him is too much for me at this point. Ty hasn’t kissed me in the last week either, and keeping my distance helps with the chaos in my head.

  “I know. I was super busy.” I don’t want to hurt his feelings, and I was busy.

  “How’s it going, anyway?” Ty asks.

  “It’s been going great. Apparently the potential buyer for Cornado has lost interest, and Ryan has scheduled our first competition.”

  Danny sits up. “Wow, I’m so happy for you, Lily. When’s it going to be?”

  “End of February.”

  “Can we come?” Ty asks.

  “I’m not sure. Don’t get me wrong, I’d love for you to be there, but you tend to cause commotions, and it’s a small competition. I’ll be nervous enough as it is.”

  “No pressure. You just let us know, Lil. We’re proud of you no matter what.” Tyler squeezes my hand.

  Great, now my eyes are all watery. How the hell was I supposed to not fall in love with them. I need some space. “Let’s get out of here.” I stand up.

  “Worried about your perfect skin?” Danny lifts his body out of the water, and I watch as waterdrops run down his rock-hard abs. Crap, I tried so hard not to look at their naked glory, and now I’m all flustered again.

  I want to touch him, but instead I stick my tongue out. “I’m not the one turning thirty next year.”

  “Low blow, Lil. Low blow.” He bends over theatrically.

  “Children, please. Behave yourself.” Ty tries to stay serious, but his shoulders bounce as he chuckles.

  We look at each other and topple over in laughter, and I feel some of the strain leave my body. This, I don’t want to miss anymore—their friendship and the banter we have. I’ll just have to keep my stupid feelings in check.

  * * *

  I’m woken by a loud knock on the door hours later and sit up, confused. The sound occurs again, and my foggy brain tries to make sense of it. It’s not the door. It sounds more like something is banging against a wall. Like…

  No way. They can’t. Not here.

  But I’m proven wrong. The next bang is followed by a low moan, a familiar moan. By now I can tell whether it’s Danny or Tyler. This time it’s Tyler.

  Fuck, what do I do now? If I can hear them, so might others. I curse the hotel’s shitty sound absorption and jump out of bed. There’s no way around it, I have to warn them. And fast, before someone else hears them and jumps to conclusions, hearing two different male moans.

  I hesitate. Should I knock on their door? Nah, that might cause others to get out of their room as well, and they can’t see them or me.

  I grab my purse, emptying the contents on the floor. Where the hell is my phone? Everything is scattered in front of me, except for the phone.

  I look around while the moans get louder. Fuck. That’s when I see it. Thank God. It’s on the nightstand where I placed it before falling asleep.

  I fling myself over and dial Ty’s number. Please have it on, please have it on, I pray as the first ring sounds in my ear. And the second. And the third.

  “Lily?” Tyler’s voice is hoarse—I wonder why.

  I inhale deeply and say, “You need to turn the volume down. Everyone from here to Alaska can hear you having sex.”

  I don’t wait for his response before hanging up, clenching my hands. I’m about to explode; anger and frustration threaten to overwhelm me. How can they do that to me? Aren’t they the least bit aware of how difficult this has become for me? I should receive an Oscar for my performance.

  Right now I want to murder them both—slowly, using medieval torture devices.

  And love them, both of them.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Danny

  “I’m sure she’ll be here any minute,” I say, watching Ty pace the living room. He looks smoking hot tonight in a custom-tailored dark gray suit that shows off his athletic body to perfection. Combined with the slightly brooding look he’s sporting at the moment, he looks irresistible, at least to me.

  Tyler nods absently at my words but doesn’t even look in my direction. Instead, he’s straightening his suit again.

  Lily is five minutes late. If she were like any other women I’ve known, I’d tell him to chill, but knowing her and being used to her always arriving ahead of time, I’m a little worried too.

  It’s an important evening for Tyler. His first nationwide endorsement deal has come through. He’ll star in several campaigns for a body razor and shaving cream over the next year. The first ad shows him covered only by a towel that’s riding dangerously low on his hips, shaving his face. He looks hot and absolutely ripped, and the internet has been going crazy over “Mr. Hockey Hotness Incarnate.” My once closed-off and guarded boyfriend has opened up considerably, feeling secure and protected because of his pint-sized shield, the very woman we’re waiting for right now.

  I can hardly believe how much she’s changed our lives for the better. She’s been super busy again this past week, preparing for her first competition, and I miss having her around all the time.

  We both know she was angry after the nighttime episode in the spa, refusing to talk to either of us in the morning, giving us the silent treatment on the way home. I can’t blame her; we weren’t thinking, and she saved our sorry asses—again.

  She’d hugged us both when we dropped her off at the equestrian center though, and during our weekly training session, she’d been her usual sunny self again.

  “I’ll give her a call,” Ty says, fishing for his phone, a frown on his forehead. Just when he’s about to press the Call button, the sound of a key turning breaches the silence. Ty rushes past me, coming to an abrupt halt in the doorway.

  “What the f…?” I nearly crash into him.

  “Wow,” Ty mutters, still blocking my way, so I push him to the side.

  Wow doesn’t quite cut it.

  Lily is a vision in dark blue, providing a stark contrast to her creamy white skin. Her hair is in a classic updo, leaving her neck exposed. She’s a goddess. Must be one.

  But an unsure one with her fingers tightly pressed into her clutch.

  “You look stunning, Lily.” I push past Ty to greet her and bend down to kiss her cheek, inhaling her sweet scent.

  “Thank you.” Her smile doesn’t quite reach her eyes.

  “What’s wrong?” I’m concerned. She seems somehow subdued and insecure, and I don’t like it at all. Is the monthly circus on her? Women get crazy that time of the month.

  “Nothing.” Of course she’d say that. It’s her standard reply. “I’m just a little tired.” She tries to force the corners of her mouth up but fails.

  “Bullshit, Lily. You’re not fine.” Ty towers over her. “Look at me.” He tries to lift her chin, but she turns her head away.

  “Look. At. Me. Lily.” His voice is strained, and he’s not having her withdrawal, forcing her chin up this time. And that’s when I see it—her eyes are g
lassy and, even through the makeup, her complexion looks blotchy. I touch her arm and immediately shrink back. She’s burning up with fever. Ty places his hand on her forehead and comes to the same conclusion.

  “You’re feverish.”

  “No, it’s nothing. I’m fine. My throat’s a little sore, but some sleep will take care of that. We’re already late and have to go now.” She turns away, but Ty grabs her arm.

  “We’re not going. You’re sick, Lily. You’re going straight to bed, and you’re going to stay there until the fever is gone, and if you tell me you’re fine one more time, I’m going to spank you.” The muscle in his right cheek twitches and a vein throbs in his neck. I’ve never seen him this angry, other than in a hockey game. But I won’t let him ruin this evening.

  “Ty, you have to go. There’s no way you can cancel anymore. I’ll take care of Lily, but you have to leave right now.”

  “I’m not leaving her like this.” His lips are tightly pressed together, so I place one hand on his chest.

  “I’ll be with her all the time, and I’ll get everything she needs. But you really have to go.”

  “Please don’t argue.” Lily sounds weak. “I just need sleep. I promise to go straight to bed, and I’m sure I’ll be fine in the morning, but you need to go, Ty.” She closes her eyes and her head drops down, as if she’s used the last bit of energy inside her.

  Tyler looks from me to her and back, his hands flexing and unflexing. “Okay, I’ll go, but if she gets worse, you call me right away, and I’ll call Dr. Miller.”

  I don’t think we’ll need the team doctor, but I keep silent. When it comes to Lily, Ty acts like a mother hen.

  “I give you my word,” I say and kiss him goodbye.

  Ty bends down to Lily and kisses her on the forehead. “Bed. Now.”

  She nods and heads to her room while Tyler leaves the apartment.

  “I think you should take a cold shower first to get the temperature down.” I stop her before she reaches her room. “Let me help you with the dress.”

  She doesn’t argue, just turns around and we head for the bathroom together, where she presents me with her back so I can pull the zipper down. The last time she asked me to help her flashes through my mind and a smile tugs at my lips. Tyler and I were just about to blow each other, but now is not the time to think about sex. I need to concentrate on Lily.