Go Deep (4 page)

Shocked at herself, she kicked out to force him to put her
down. As soon as he’d slowed down enough, she tumbled herself onto the ice.

“Are you all right?” Still gliding, he bent down to meet her
eyes. The calm, amused look in those black depths told her everything she
needed to know. He knew she’d become aroused and it didn’t matter. Darren’s
words came back to her.
Anything goes, nothing counts.
Good lord, the
possibilities…

She picked herself up off the ice and stumbled the few steps
to shore. Then she ran back to the roadhouse. To Gavin.

Chapter Four

The team meeting seemed to drag on forever. Gavin outlined
the Renegades’ strategy against the Nasties. The two teams were well-matched,
both notorious for their shoot-from-the-hip style. But the Nasties had a key
weakness—an overly emotional star forward.

“When he’s on, he’s a superstar. But when he’s going through
some sort of personal crisis, he’s a mess. Word is, he caught his girlfriend
with another guy last week. Doing the nasty in his ice-fishing shack. He tore
the shack apart, pushed him down to the ice and threatened to freeze his dick
off.”

The team gave a collective wince. He saw a couple of guys
adjust their crotches. Someone muttered something about a “dick-sicle”.

“The guy’s a loose cannon. Watch out for him. If he’s
distracted, we can take advantage. Or he might be so pissed he takes it out on
us. I don’t want anyone to get hurt out there. No more than usual, anyway.”

The guys laughed. Most games ended with a healthy array of
bloody noses and bruised ribs, and fractures were par for the course. Hockey
wasn’t a game for anyone afraid of a little physical intimidation. Quite a few
players had sacrificed a tooth or two in an on-ice brawl.

“Now, you all know about Wild Nights. The rules are the
rules. I’m not going to pretend you won’t all enjoy the hell out of it. All I
ask is that you bring your best to the game tomorrow. This town loves their
hockey, and they deserve a well-played match with players who are conscious and
mobile. So I respectfully request that you save the wildest partying for
tomorrow night after the game. Got it?”

The players all nodded eagerly. He knew they’d been
anticipating a complete ban on partying until the game was over. He figured
this way they’d be grateful and he’d stand a chance of getting a decent
performance out of them tomorrow. Besides, he had his own plans for the first
night of Wild Nights.

“I guess that’s it. Dinner’s served at the lodge here at
seven, in case you haven’t gotten a better offer, and I’ll see you at the rink
one hour before game time.”

The players shot to their feet, and within seconds Gavin
found himself alone in the lodge’s game room surrounded by shelves of
paperbacks and stacks of board games. The town of Wild was about to be invaded
by a dozen wild and horny young men. Good thing they were invited guests.

Wild had its own way of keeping control over the number of
people who might try to flood the town during Wild Nights. No one ever knew
exactly when it was going to take place. The schedule was kept utterly secret
until the day before the festival. He’d been sworn to secrecy when the mayor
had called him. He’d debated whether or not to accept but deep down, he trusted
his players not to make any huge errors in judgment. Everyone needed to let off
some steam sometime, especially in the middle of an Alaskan winter.

As for him and Beth, they needed to generate some steam.

At that moment, she flew into the room as if a blast of wind
had pushed her through the door.

“Beth! Are you okay?”

She ran to him and jumped into his arms. He felt her
tremble.

“What happened?”

“Nothing.”

But something had happened. He lifted her face up to his.
She looked different, her hair mussed, her cheeks bright red with cold. Her
eyes shone with a wild green light.

“I don’t believe you.”

“I just missed you, that’s all.” She buried her face in his
chest again. He found he didn’t mind that at all. She felt hot to the touch. He
cuddled her against him, trying to soothe whatever strange mood had taken her
over.

“Did you take a bath?”

“No. I went out, walked around. Saw the town.”

“And what do you think of it? Nice setting, huh?” It seemed
strange to be discussing landscapes, but what the hell.

“Beautiful. Wild. Free.”

“Free?” It seemed an odd choice of words.

“It’s hard to describe. Gavin, I’m starving. Can we go get
that glass of wine now?”

“Sure, babe. You sure you’re okay?”

She drew away and he saw her usual calm return. He felt a
sharp tweak of regret, as if a window into her soul had cracked open then
slammed shut. He’d liked being needed, even if it was for only a short moment.
That sense of closeness, that was what he craved.

“Absolutely. I’m going to go change. Meet you out front?”

“Sure.”

She slipped out of his arms, then out of the room. Something
had affected her deeply, no matter what she said. Things were shifting. Wild
Nights was unpredictable. He’d taken a huge risk coming here. If he didn’t do
something, she would slip away forever, in every way that counted. He had to
act now. Tonight. He thought of the boxes he’d hidden away in his suitcase.
Yes, it had to be tonight.

* * * * *

Beth barely tasted the grilled salmon and hot buttered
potatoes served up by the Grill by the Bay. That crazy skater had knocked
something loose inside her. She could barely sit still, as if she’d burst into
a million pieces if someone didn’t do something. She wanted to scream at Gavin.
Do something. Help me. I can’t take this.

Instead she lifted her glass of wine to her lips and drained
it. Gavin poured her another one without comment. Normally she was content with
half a glass, but she was already on her third, and still the restlessness
churned inside her.

She realized she hadn’t said anything to Gavin for some
time. She had a habit of doing that. Losing herself in her thoughts and forgetting
who was right in front of her. Gavin was awfully patient and sweet with her. It
wasn’t his fault he couldn’t give her what she needed. Especially since she
didn’t even know what that might be.

She gave him her sweetest smile. “Are you ready for the game
tomorrow? Do you have a…what is it…a game plan?”

“Oh, I have a game plan, all right.” The black gleam in his
eyes gave her the strangest shiver deep in her belly.

“Oh?” She took another sip of red wine. “What is it?”

“We’re going to a party tonight.”

“What?” She frowned at the idea of Gavin and the team
leaving for a party the night before a game. “That doesn’t sound very wise.”

“No, it’s probably not wise at all.”

“I hope you’ll keep an eye on the guys. We wouldn’t want
them to get into too much trouble.”

“The guys have nothing to do with it. Only you and I are
invited.” He raised an eyebrow as if daring her to argue.

Heat streaked through her. Her mouth went dry. She
swallowed. “A…party? Tonight?”
I’m too tired
, she wanted to say.
I
should get some sleep.
But it wasn’t true. She felt wide awake. She watched
Gavin, feeling as though she was the prey to his predator, mouse to his snake.

But that was silly. This was Gavin. Solid, strong Gavin.

Except for that new gleam in his eye, that twist in his lips.
She wet her mouth with another sip of wine. “What kind of party?” she managed
to squeak.

He cocked his head. “Let’s call it a masquerade party.”

“Oh.” A weird mixture of relief and disappointment made her
slump back in her chair. “I wouldn’t have anything to wear to something like
that.”

“Don’t worry about that.”

Her mind wheeled in a dozen different directions. What did
he mean, don’t worry about that? Were clothes not involved in a party like
this? Or did it not matter what she wore? What kind of party was this?

Gavin signaled for the check. She watched him scan it
briefly then hand over his credit card. The waiter hurried off with it, obeying
the understated air of command Gavin carried with him like a second skin. Gavin
was a natural leader. People always instinctively looked to him for direction.
She’d used his strength as a crutch during her mother’s illness and death. He’d
always used his strength to protect her.

But now she wanted more than protection.

As soon as the waiter returned his card, Gavin stood.
“Ready?” He guided her out of the restaurant with his hand on the small of her
back, where it began to curve into her buttocks. The skin of her ass tingled.
Why didn’t he lower his hand? Give her a sharp thwack right on the flesh that
silently screamed for it?

She shook herself. What was she thinking? Too much wine,
that was it.

She clung to that mantra as they walked back to the Wild
Times Roadhouse through bitterly cold air. Too much wine explained the heat
that had pooled between her legs when he’d wrapped the scarf around her head.
Too much wine explained her lightness—not just lightheadedness, but lightness.
Walking next to Gavin made her feel as if she were floating across the new
snow, through the deep blackness of the wintry night.

And too much wine explained the fervent kiss she planted on
his lips when he brought her to the door of their room. When it ended, the
quickened pace of his breathing gave her a deep satisfaction.

He firmly put her aside. “Temptress. I’m going to go check
on the team. Better to know what I’m going to be facing tomorrow. We’ll go to
the party as soon as I get back. Make sure you’re dressed.”

“But…”

“Don’t argue, please.”

Her mouth snapped shut. She recognized that voice, quiet and
firm. He used it on his players. But not usually on her.

She wasn’t sure she liked it. Then again, she wasn’t sure
she didn’t.

Her insides didn’t seem to have any doubts. The seductive
heat rose another several degrees.

Once inside the room, she closed the door and sagged against
it. The room spun pleasantly. She closed her eyes, enjoying the carnival-ride
sensation. That was it, a carnival. This whole night, this whole trip to Wild
was like a surreal play in which she didn’t yet know her part. Strangely, she
found she didn’t need to know it in order to enjoy the show.

She was already enjoying it more than anything in the past
few years. And the night was young.

Which reminded her about the masquerade party. She opened
her eyes and saw clothes draped across the foot of the bed. Gavin must have left
them while she was waiting for him at the front door. How thoughtful. How
considerate. But did he know how to pick out a party dress for a woman?

She sifted through the clothes. As she took them in, she
went hot, then cold, then hot again. A black mask with feathers, black leather,
sequins. These were clothes for a stripper, for a showgirl, for a…slave girl.
She didn’t even have the words for these items of clothing. Was this a dress?
Or was it underwear? It consisted of a wide strip of leather with eyehooks in
the back and black netting above and below. Was the netting supposed to cover
her breasts? It wouldn’t. Nor would the skirt hide much at all, nearly
see-through as it was. But maybe that’s what the stockings were for. Except
they only seemed to go thigh-high. They ended in bands of satin ribbons.

She ought to toss these clothes in the trash. That’s what
they were, trash. Except they weren’t, she realized as she felt the gauzy
netting. They were beautiful. Impeccably made, elegantly erotic. The woman who
wore these clothes would be a siren. A temptress, a goddess.

And Gavin had laid them out for her. Bought them for her.
She saw a note next to them. In Gavin’s firm handwriting it read, “You’re
beautiful”.

A sudden weakness nearly brought her to her knees. She sat
on the bed. Could she really put on these clothes? Her mother would be
horrified. Appalled. She’d react the way she had when she’d caught Beth
masturbating at the age of nine. Beth hadn’t even known the name for what she
was doing. It felt good, that was all. Her mother had stumbled back, gasping in
horror. Beth had gotten the silent treatment for weeks. She’d never dared touch
herself again.

A surge of rebellion brought Beth to her feet. Masturbation
wasn’t wrong. Neither was experimentation. She’d spent so many years shoving
down her urges, her fantasies. What was the harm in trying on these beautiful
items alone in the privacy of this room? Before she thought better of it, she
tore off her clothes and stepped into the leather corset. It wrapped around her
torso in a rough hug. She reached behind her to fasten the eyehooks. It fit her
perfectly and made her spine go straight. Her body relaxed into the
confinement.

She looked down at her breasts. The corset cupped and
cradled them together. The leather stopped just short of her nipples, which
were covered only by a layer of black gauze. The gauze felt soft, but the way
it rubbed against her nipples made them swell.
Good lord
, she thought
faintly.
They’re poking out there for everyone to see.
The thought made
them swell even more. She wanted to cover them with her hands but that was
stupid. No one was there to see. And if they were, they’d be more likely to
look at her sex, which was barely hidden by the short skirt that reached
halfway down her thighs. She hurried to pull on the stockings. Not that they
helped. Even when she dragged them as far as possible up her thighs and tied
the ribbons, her tuft of hair was barely hidden by the skirt.

No way could she go to a party like this. She reached back
to undo the hooks, then saw the tiny thong that had fallen to the floor. She
pulled it on, and even though it was little more than two pieces of black
ribbon, it made all the difference. At least she wouldn’t be blatantly flashing
anyone.