Icing the Puck (New York Empires Book 2) (14 page)

Nathalie waved her in, said, “Good luck.” Then walked out, closing the door behind her.

Ann blinked, alone in the room full of sports equipment, not sure what to do now. She wasn’t even sure how to get back to her seat if Nathalie didn’t return.

A little bubble of panic swelled in her stomach. She practiced her breathing, working at calming her nerves, and tried hard not to think about her reasons for being here.

The door opened a minute later, and Brody, in full gear, stepped inside, closing the metal door behind him with a quiet clang.

“I can’t stay long,” he said, not coming any farther into the room. “The break goes faster than you’d expect.”

“That’s fine.”

“I needed to see you.”

“Isn’t that uncomfortable?” She gestured to his skates. They had blade covers on them but still weren’t designed for walking on concrete.

“It’s fine. Takes too long to lace up again if I take them off.”

They fell silent for a moment, Ann not sure what to say.

“So,” Brody said into the tension. “You’re a firestarter. That’s why all the running away?”

She bit the inside of her cheek but nodded.

“Were you ever going to tell me? If I hadn’t pushed, would you have admitted the truth to me eventually?”

“Maybe. I’m not sure. I wanted to, but…”

“Your family.”

“Nathalie explained?”

“A little.”

She shrugged. “It’s a curse I’ve lived with my whole life,” she said, finding a kind of relief in admitting this to him out loud. “I shut down my emotions so I wouldn’t lose control of it. But that wasn’t working anymore. Nathalie has helped me gain real control, though. I…probably won’t burn things down now.”

“Probably?”

“I’m still learning.”

“Is that why that game, my fight upset you so much?”

“A lot of emotion can still be difficult for me.”

“That’s why you put off sex for so long?”

Her cheeks heated. “I was afraid I’d hurt you,” she murmured.

“Have you ever hurt anyone with the fire?”

“No. Well, almost a few times. But no. I’ve damaged things, though.”

“That first date, when you ran from the restaurant…?”

“I was losing control. I made my water boil.”

“Why were you losing control?”

“Because you made me feel. You made me forget not to.”

He took one step closer, then stilled, balanced expertly on his blades. “Now?”

“Now what?”

“You can deal with emotions now?”

“Mostly. My hands are a little warm right now.”

“I’m not sure whether to consider that a good thing or not.”

“As long as I don’t set a baseball bat on fire, you could consider it good. I’m in control right now, Brody, but I’m also…emotional.”

“How emotional?”

“I’m not sure how to answer that.”

He stared at her, his gorgeous face still and impossible for her to read. He’d kept his tone neutral, though his voice was deeper than usual. She had no idea what he was thinking or how he felt, and it left her edgy. She didn’t fidget, she didn’t dare touch anything at the moment, but she did have to concentrate on breathing normally and keeping her pulse as even as possible.

“You don’t trust me,” he said quietly.

“What?”

“You weren’t going to tell me about the pyrokenesis because you don’t trust me to be different from your parents.”

“No, that’s not it.” But it was, and they both knew it.

“You thought I’d react the way they would. You didn’t trust me to handle it. Thought I’d just throw away what we have because of this.”

She glanced away. “You did cross yourself.”

“A knee-jerk Catholic reaction that had nothing to do with how I felt about your talent.”

“Curse.”

“Talent,” he hissed, emotion finally working its way into his voice. Emotion that sounded and felt a lot like anger. “After everything, I can’t believe you’d think that of me. I can’t believe you wouldn’t trust me.”

“That’s what you’re upset about? I can turn my hand into a ball of flames, and you’re worried about whether I trust you or not?”

“Of course. I love you, and you think I’m some sort of ignorant fanatic. How the hell else am I supposed to feel?”

Hearing him say he loved her took her breath for a moment, and she had to blink a few times before she could ask, “The fire doesn’t…doesn’t scare you?”

“Damn it, Ann. I thought you knew me better than that. I told you I read everything.”

“About pyronkenesis?”

“And psychics and ghosts and ESP and
everything
.”

“But you don’t believe in all that stuff, do you?”

“I maintain an open mind to all possibilities. And I resent that you’d clump me in with close-minded numskulls like your parents.”

She swallowed hard and let out a slow breath. She hadn’t even considered that. She did trust Brody. But she’d been too afraid to look past her own knee-jerk reactions.

“I’m sorry, Brody,” she said. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you
before
you forced it out of me. I’m sorry I didn’t trust you to understand. But understanding of something like this isn’t really part of my experience—outside of Nathalie and her family.”

He raised his brows a little and nodded, but he wouldn’t meet her gaze.

“Can you forgive me? Can you give me a chance?” She took a step closer. “Can you trust me?”

“I don’t know.”

“I love you, too. If that helps.”

He scowled. “That’s playing dirty.”

She smiled. “Please, Brody. I’d like the chance to earn your trust.” She closed the space between them. Because of his protective gear, she couldn’t get as close as she wanted, and his skates made him even taller. She laid her hands on his chest and eased as near as she could. “Please, Brody.”

His scowl was fierce. “Damn it. I haven’t been able to resist you since the moment we bumped into each other at the physical therapy center.”

The tension in her stomach finally started to ease as he wrapped his arms around her. The position felt clunky and a little uncomfortable against all the hard protective gear, but she didn’t care. Just having his arms around her was glorious. The only place she wanted to be.

“I had Nathalie bring you here,” he said, “because I wanted to make things right between us. I don’t want to lose you. And I don’t want you to be afraid of telling me anything.”

She sighed. “I’d like that, too.”

“I want you to trust me.”

She nodded.

“You really can, you know.”

“I’m figuring that out.”

“About damned time.” He shook his head. “You drive me insane. And I love you.”

She chuckled. “I love you.”

He tugged her upward a little and she took the hint, climbing up onto the top of his skates so she’d be closer to him. She wrapped her arms around his neck, her stomach dancing with pleasure now. Then he kissed her soundly. She sighed into him, relieved and grateful to be here.

“Will you show me how it works?” he asked, lifting his head and brushing a strand of hair that had escaped her hat back behind her ear. “How you do that thing with the fire on your hands?”

“If you really want to see. I’m still learning how to start the fire on purpose and put it out again. But when we’re someplace without a lot volatile substances around, I’ll show you more.”

He grinned, that familiar easygoing grin she loved so much, the expression that showed off his dimple and made her heart thump hard.

“Can’t wait,” he said.

He leaned down for another kiss just as someone pounded on the metal door. “Damn. That’s my signal. Gotta get back.” He still kissed her, quick and hard, before releasing her. “Can I meet you at your place tonight? We have some making up to do.”

Her nerves danced, giddy with anticipation and desire. The look in his eyes promised she’d enjoy making up with him.

“See you when you can get there,” she said, waving him off as he hurried back to do his job.

Just as she started to leave, though, he popped back into the room. “By the way,” he said, “I love you.”

He didn’t give her a chance to say it back before hurrying away, but the parting declaration left her grinning like a fool all the way back to her seat.

The Empires won the Classic. And all of New York City celebrated with them. Ann enjoyed the festivities, knowing it would be ages before Brody could get away and meet her back at her place. The train ride from Queens to Brooklyn took a while, because she had to go all the way through Manhattan to get home, but the subway was packed with people celebrating the Classic win so she didn’t mind the ride.

Brody knocked on her door later that night, back in street clothes, looking more handsome than ever, his eyes glowing with heat and fun.

“Congratulations on the win,” she said, letting him in.

She’d barely closed the door before he pulled her into his arms, kissing her hard and with such passion it took her breath away.

She pulled back just enough to say, “By the way. I love you.”

He grinned then kissed her again, walking her backward to her bedroom without breaking contact.

They tumbled onto her bed, and Ann felt so right having him here. The hours of fear and heartache fell away, leaving such a profound relief, it left her dizzy.

She rolled him onto his back and strip him out of his clothes slowly, savoring each inch of him, kissing and licking and enjoying every taste. He groaned when she took his cock into her mouth and she smiled, loving the sounds he made, the way he felt. She loved him. More than she’d ever hoped to love anyone. More than she thought she was capable of loving someone. And that filled her with joy.

He was trembling when he pulled her back up his body for a kiss. With his hands in her hair, she held her close, all his own emotions right there in the press of his lips and the dance of his tongue. When he stripped her, when he explored her body with his mouth, she felt an acceptance she’d never experienced before. There was freedom in his touch, and so much emotion.

“Mine,” he said when he slid into her, rocking his hips gently against hers. “You’re mine.”

“You’re mine, too.” She cupped his face with her hands, holding his gaze as long as she could even as her body wound tighter. Then she finally had to closer her eyes, as her orgasm took her, but she carried the deep, harsh sound of his own orgasm over the edge with her.

For long moments, they lay tangled together, breathing deeply, no words necessary. She savored the sensation. Finally, with no more secrets between them, she could love him without hesitance or reservations.

“I love you,” she murmured into his hair, because she just had to say it again.

“This is the best first day of the year ever,” he said.

She laughed.

“And that is my favorite sound in the entire world.”

“You’re the only person who’s ever made me feel this way, Brody.”

“Good. I intend for things to stay that way.”

“Does this mean I’ll finally be allowed to meet your brother without you worrying?”

“No. I’ll still worry. But before you meet him, I’ll make sure he knows I’ll beat him to pulp if he hits on you, so we should be good.”

She laughed hard and kissed him. “Thank you.”

“For what?”

“For accepting me. For giving me…” She waved her hand in a small circle. “Giving me all this.”

“You accept me for who I am. How could I do any less?” He sat up a little and narrowed his eyes. “You said you have to move out of here in May?”

She nodded, glancing around with a little sigh. She’d really grown to love this apartment.

“Move in with me.”

The comment brought her gaze back to him. “What?”

“Move in with me. My place is big enough. Or we’ll get another apartment. Or a house. I’ll make my brother buy us one.”

She laughed at that. “We will not make your brother buy us a house. We can take care of that on our own. Eventually.”

He frowned. “Is that a no to moving in with me?”

“We’ve only be dating for a few months. We’ve only just made up again.”

“I don’t care.”

She sat up and looked at him, at every inch of his beloved face. “Are you serious about this?”

“I’m always serious.”

“You are rarely serious. Except maybe about hockey.”

“And you. I’m very very serious about you.”

“Brody.”

“Don’t say no. We have until May for you to consider it. Don’t say no.”

“I don’t need until May to consider moving in with you.” She leaned down and kissed him. “If, in a few months, you still think you can live with someone who can boil water with a touch, I’ll move in with you.”

He grinned, then he pounced, rolling her onto her back and kissing her, his enthusiasm making her giggle even as she kissed him back. The sheer joy of that moment left Ann breathless and lighter than air, brimming with more emotions than she could name.

For the first time in her life, she saw a bright future ahead for her, full of love and companionship, the only flames those in a cozy fireplace on a winter’s night while she snuggled in the arms of the man she loved.

Thank you to both David Wild and Scott Norton for taking the time to answer my random questions on Twitter. Your answers went a long way toward helping me get this story right. And if I didn’t get the facts right, that’s on me.

Thank you also to Laura Florand. Her stories inspire me in the best ways, and her use of the French language in her stories inspired me to do so in mine.

This story is dedicated to my relatives in Paris.
Mon coeur est toujours avec vous.

Kayleigh

Usually, the first thing Kayleigh Emerson noticed when she walked into The Poutinerie was the smell. The sudden blast of the distinct gravy, cheese, and potato mixture usually welcomed her better than any sign on the door.

This time, vision took priority over smell. A guy—young but not too young, judging by the stubble on his jaw and the six pack she could see under his shirt—grabbed her focus. He was the perfect sort of eye candy.