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

Her use of Ann’s title helped Ann continue. “I’m not sure how to say this easily so I’m going to be blunt.”

“Is my father OK? My grandmother?”

Nathalie’s sudden panic had Ann backpedaling. “I’m sorry. I gave you the wrong impression. The ‘doctor’ comes from my Ph.D. in genetics.”

Nathalie let out a low breath and settled her hand on the man—Alex’s—knee. He sat up and gripped her hand in return, but his gaze settled on Ann. Ann worked very hard not to fidget or flinch under the intensity of his stare.

Before things could go further downhill, she said, “I’m your sister. Half sister. Your mother’s oldest from her second marriage.”

Nathalie’s eyebrows jumped up as she glanced at Alex then back at Ann. Then she frowned. “You’re a scientist?”

“Yes.”

“And related to my mother and her evangelical preacher husband?”

Ann shrugged. “I understand your confusion. It’s a rather complicated story.”

“You don’t have a Texas accent.”

Should she be surprised that Nathalie knew where her mother had settled and that she had a new family? “I’ve worked hard to cultivate a neutral American accent.”

She worked hard to ensure everything about her was as neutral and unassuming as possible. The less people noticed her, the less possible chance of conflict, the less chance she’d lose control.

“Story there,” Alex muttered.

His comment made Nathalie blink and she gave herself a little shake. “Sorry. This is Alex Semenov.”

He did shake Ann’s hand when she extended it. His grip was firm and dry, his gaze intent but not threatening. She gave him the firm but undemanding handshake she used with other faculty at Columbia, the university where she worked as a research assistant.

“I’m sorry to bother you at work,” Ann said, trying to stay focused. “I didn’t know how else to contact you.”

“How did you know where I worked?”

“I knew you were here in New York when I moved here. It was one of the very few things Mother ever said about her previous family. But I…” She trailed off because she was getting off topic again. Nathalie didn’t care that Ann had specifically moved to New York in order to eventually meet her. They could have that conversation later. “I saw you on a sports news program that mentioned your work place.”

She hadn’t paid much attention to the report, or she might have realized Nathalie was dating a hockey player. She’d been too surprised at the time, hearing her half sister’s name on TV. She’d had just enough presence of mind to make note of the physical therapy center where Nathalie worked, and that was all.

“Why are you here?” Nathalie asked.

The million dollar question. “I need help. I don’t know who else to go to. Because of things my mother said about you and your father…I think you might understand.” She hoped so anyway. “It’s to do with…fire.”

Nathalie’s frown deepened as she glanced at Alex again. Then she picked up a towel and rubbed the oil off her hands. “I have a feeling this is a private conversation.”

“Yes.” Ann glanced around. “Can you take a break now? Or should we arrange to meet at a later time?”

“Later would be better. I have an apartment in Queens.”

“You can meet at my house,” Alex said, his voice quiet.

Nathalie rolled her eyes. “He keeps trying to talk me into moving in with him.”

Ann just nodded. She had no idea how to respond to that. “Whatever is most comfortable for you. I can meet you where you like. I just need help.”

“Are you in danger?”

“I will be soon. But I’m more concerned with…others.”

Nathalie’s dark eyes narrowed and she pursed her lips. “Huh. OK. My place it is then. Eight tonight.” She gave Ann an address in Forest Hills. “Do you need me to write it down?”

“No. I have a very good memory.” She sighed as relief she was afraid to feel loosened her shoulder muscles. “I’ll see you then.”

She left the Center with more hope than she’d had coming in. Maybe she could survive this. Maybe she wouldn’t end up killing anyone.

Maybe her mother was wrong.

Brody spotted the cute blonde just outside the Center as he was heading to his car. She’d put on her coat, a mid-thigh black wool thing, and tightened a belt around it, which did much better things for her waist than her suit jacket had. He took a minute to admire her figure before sauntering up to her.

“You need a ride?” he asked.

She startled before facing him. “No.” And, as if it were an afterthought, she added, “Thank you.”

“I promise to be on my best behavior.” He put his hand to his heart and grinned because that confused little crease between her brows was beyond adorable. How did she expect him to resist her? If he didn’t know better, he’d think she was putting on an act just to get to him.

But this woman was obviously not a puck bunny.

“You expecting someone?” he asked. “A boyfriend, maybe?”

“Taxi. I live in the city.”

“Tell you what. I’m on my way into Manhattan. I’ll save you the taxi fare.”

“The taxi was only taking me as far as the train station.”

“Oh, I like trains. How about I ride in with you?”

“What? Why? You have a car.” She looked around, as if hunting for the vehicle in question.

“I do. I can get back to it.”

“You don’t make any sense to me.”

He laughed. “Dinner. Tonight. Public place, so you’ll be perfectly safe.” He remembered her comment about being a potential killer and said, “I’ll be safe, too.”

“Are you always like this?”

“Yes. Dinner?”

“I’m meeting Nathalie at eight.”

“Lunch then.” He paused when he remembered it was after two o’clock. He shrugged. “Late lunch.”

She shook her head, but before he could argue his cause more, she said, “If I eat a meal with you, will you leave me alone?”

“Depends on how the meal goes.” He didn’t point out that, because he had yet to get her name, he’d have a lot harder time pestering her if she left without agreeing to lunch.

“If it’s awful and uncomfortable?” she asked.

“I’m rarely uncomfortable.”

“I could have guessed that. But I’m awkward. Which means lunch may be.”

“Can’t wait. I love a challenge. It’s why I play hockey.”

“You’re used to getting your way, aren’t you?”

“I’m not nearly as bad as my brother.”

“There’s another one of you?”

“Oh, it’s worse than that. He’s my twin.”

“Good God.”

Her wide-eyed shock made him want to laugh again. Though he got that reaction a lot when people heard he was a twin.

“Don’t worry,” he said. “I’m the easygoing one. I promise to keep the conversation light.”

“Of course.” She looked around, like she might panic and run.

He resisted the urge to step closer because he didn’t want to spook her, but he desperately wanted to reach out and smooth that crease between her brows.

“You are so damned cute,” he muttered.

“I…” Her mouth hung open for a few beats, before she finally sighed. “One lunch. I am hungry. You pay.”

“Absolutely. What do you eat?”

“Everything.”

“I think I’m in love.”

She snorted, just shy of an outright laugh. He couldn’t wait to make her laugh for real. He had a feeling he’d enjoy that sound.

Before he could make good on that goal, a taxi pulled up to the curb. He opened the door for her and she slid in easily. He took a moment to regret that she wasn’t wearing a skirt, then slipped in beside her, using the excuse of his bulk to sit just a little too close. She smelled wonderful, a little spicy like cinnamon and something hotter. The scent went right to his head. If he weren’t sure she’d balk, he’d lean even closer to tease out all the delicious nuances of her smell.

The train station was a relatively short drive from the PT center, so he didn’t push conversation. He’d have an entire train ride for that.

“This was an excellent idea,” he said as he handed her out of the taxi at the Tarrytown station.

“What idea?”

“Taking the train. I never do this anymore, but the Hudson line has great views of the river.”

She blinked up at him. “I loved the view, too. This was my first time coming this direction.”

“Were do you live?”

“Brooklyn.”

“So trendy of you.”

“I’m subletting from a colleague.”

“Man or woman?”

“Who?”

She preceded him into the station and through to the platform, heading toward the stairs leading up to the walkway over the tracks to the Manhattan-bound side.

“Your colleague,” he said. “Man or woman? Are they still in the city?”

“Why do you care?”

“I want to know if I have competition.”

“In what?”

“For you,” he said, in an exaggeratedly self-evident tone. “What else would I be talking about?”

“I really have no idea. I can’t follow your line of thinking at all.”

“Probably a good thing.” He leaned in close at the top of the stairs down to the platform, putting his arm on the handrail just in front of hers so she had to stop. “I’m trying not to scare you off. And my thoughts are not exactly…innocent right now.”

She narrowed her gaze at him over her shoulder, and his heart picked up speed. Jesus that look went right to his cock.

Oh, this was going to be fun.

“I am not going to fuck you,” she said.

Definitely going to be fun.

“Not this afternoon,” he said. “I promised to be on my best behavior. Though I could be persuaded…” Her eyes narrowed more dangerously this time, and he grinned. “But now is just about getting to know each other.” He risked her wrath and leaned in close enough to set his face right near hers, working not to get distracted by her heat and scent. “You still haven’t even told me your name.”

“You haven’t asked.” She turned and continued down the stairs with a little swish of her hips.

Leaving him grinning, and more than a little turned on.

Ann flexed her fingers, opening and closing her hands until the tingling and heat dissipated. Letting him get too close had been a mistake. God, he smelled good. Should a hockey player smell so good? Like soap and musk and male, but not cologne or anything too strong. Just deliciously sexy. She’d wanted to put her face against his neck and absorb his scent.

And that had been an incredibly dangerous desire.

She shouldn’t have let his flirtations get to her. She shouldn’t have allowed herself to feel the attraction that was so obviously there. She didn’t want to be charmed or intrigued, and she definitely didn’t want to be excited.

Her irritation didn’t help.

He was too much for her—too much energy, too much enthusiasm. Too male.

So very very male.

Her stomach tightened a little and the heat in her palms increased again. She didn’t dare touch the stairway banister for fear of heating it up—which would be very noticeable to others on the stairs given the chilly October day.

Taking slow, deliberate breaths, she stepped onto the concrete platform and checked the board displaying train times. They had a ten minute wait. Damn. At least if they kept moving, she could mostly ignore him.

But she’d agreed to eat a meal with him. She couldn’t very well ignore him through lunch. Not that he’d let her. Not that ignoring a man of his size and…attractiveness was even possible.

She glanced at him from the corner of her eye. He stood a little too close, hands in his jacket pockets, looking perfectly at ease and maybe a little bit smug. The rebellious part of her—the part she usually kept ruthlessly suppressed—wanted to do something about that smug expression. Knock him off his game. Confuse him as he’d been confusing her.

That wasn’t going to happen. She was having enough trouble keeping her emotions in check around him. She didn’t even need her own coat at the moment because her skin was so warm. Engaging him in anything but casual, meaningless conversation was out of the question.

Eight o’clock tonight couldn’t come soon enough.

They were on the platform for less than three minutes before a man with a wooly hat displaying some sports team’s logo on it walked up to Brody and extended a hand.

“Great season so far,” the man said. “You guys are looking really good. Great third period in Friday’s game. Love the way you made that asshole eat ice.”

Brody laughed, shaking the man’s hand in a friendly, quick jerk of motion. “Thanks. Gotta protect my teammates.”

“How’s The Wall’s knee?”

“Good now. Wasn’t a serious injury.”

“That’s a relief. I’m really hoping to see you guys holding up that cup again this year.”

“So are we.”

“Looking forward to the Classic, too. Don’t suppose you have any spare tickets?” The man winked.

“Wish I did. Keep checking. We want as much support as we can get.”

“You got it.”

“Thanks, man.” Brody clapped the stranger on the back of his shoulder before the man wandered off with a passing glance at Ann.

“Who was that?” she asked when the stranger was far enough away not to overhear.

“No idea. A team supporter. They’re great. They keep us energized. I love when they take the time to say hi.”

“Doesn’t it get a little intrusive?”

“Mostly, no. I’m pretty new to the National League, though. This is only my second year with the Empires. I was in the minors before that. So I’m still enjoying all the attention. Maybe when I get to be an old man like Semenov I’ll start hiding from it all.”

“How old are you?” Nathalie’s boyfriend didn’t look particularly old, though he did seem more reserved than Brody.

“What’s your name?”

Her cheeks heated at the reminder she hadn’t been particularly polite with him so far. Not that he deserved it, the way he threw her so off balance. But still…

“Dr. Ann Bell.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Dr. Ann Bell. Very melodious name.”

She frowned. “Thank you. I think.”

“Doctor of medicine or philosophy?”

“Ph.D.”

“In?” He waved a hand in a small circle to encourage further explanation.

“Genetics.”

She braced herself, sure he’d make some asinine comment. She was used to that from her family. Why genetics? Did she think she could interfere with God’s creations? How did she think she could possibly understand the inner workings of God’s plan?