Melting The Ice (30 page)

“You were right, okay?” He muttered.  Max turned his head to the side with his hand cupped around his ear as if he were hard of hearing.

“Forgive me…I do not believe I heard you correctly.  Did you say ‘Maxime Brooks,
you
are always right and
I, Cian Secord,
am always wrong’?” Cian chuckled at Max’s words while Ava and Macy burst out laughing.  Max smirked with relish. “It is such a burden
always
being right.”

“I’m in too good of a mood to argue the point.” Cian gave Ava a squeeze. “As soon as I find Coach and Tate, we’re outta here.”

“Then we will bid you and the lovely Ava
adieu
.” Max bowed over Ava’s hand and lavishly kissed it.  She giggled and swatted at him.

“Let’s meet at our hotel for breakfast.” Macy suggested.

“Make it brunch and you’re on.” Cian stated, glancing at the slim gold Patek Philippe watch on his wrist.  With their plans made to meet up the following day, he led Ava through the crowd, stopping to introduce her to several of his teammates and members of team management while they searched for his coach and team owner.  After what seemed like hours but in fact was no more than thirty minutes, they were in Cian’s Maserati on their way to his place.  He steered with one hand, his other hand holding hers while his thumb absently stroked her palm.

“Do you live very far?” She questioned, giving his hand a squeeze.  He shook his head, flashing a quick smile before returning his attention to the road.

“Fifteen minutes or so.” He hesitated for a second. “Did I tell you how happy I am to have you here with me?”  She snorted indelicately and laughed.

“You say that now.  You weren’t so happy to see me at first.”

“That’s why I acted like such an ass.” He laughed.  She hooted with laughter.

“You threatened Max’s life because you were happy to see me; that makes sense.”

“But I didn’t
want
to be happy to see you.  I wanted to hate you.” He shrugged.  She turned slightly in the passenger seat to face him.

“And now?” she asked softly, her eyes glowing with all the love she felt for him.  He brought the vehicle to a halt at a four-way Stop and leaned over to rub his mouth lightly over hers.

“Now all I want to do is love you…” he paused for a moment and pulled back, his eyes searching hers. “In whatever capacity you want…I don’t wanna be without you, Ava.”  An impatient motorist laid on the horn behind them.  He returned his attention to his driving and put the car back in motion.  She thought about what he had just said.  She wouldn’t have to step outside of her comfort zone and into the murky, unknown world of commitment.  She had come to Boston prepared to put all her fears aside and tell Cian she would marry him because that’s the only way she had thought she could have him.  He’d pulled back on his marriage or nothing stance and basically said he would take her anyway he could get her.  She could have her cake and eat it too.  What she couldn’t understand is why that brought her no satisfaction at all…and why she felt like the chickenshit he had accused her of being.  Her gaze ran over him caressingly…she really loved this man.  The silence continued until he had parked the car and walked around the car to open her door.  His hand grasped hers to lead her into his home but she stood her ground and pulled him back to her, her uncertain gaze meeting his confused one.  Taking a deep breath, she let it out in a whoosh.

“What if I tell you I want it all?” she asked, her voice shaking.  His eyes widened in surprise for a moment before his hand moved to caress her cheek.  A happy smile lit his face and he bent down to give her a soft, gentle kiss.

“Then I have something inside that belongs to you.” His husky answer had her exhaling in relief and throwing herself into his arms to cling to him.  His arms closed around her, lifting her completely off her feet in a tight hug.  They stayed silently wrapped in each others’ arms for a lengthy moment, neither willing to let go of the other.  When they finally separated, they grinned at each other and headed for the front doors of his building.  The night doorman greeted them and they crossed to the elevators.  He fit his key into a lock and hit the button for the top floor, snuggling her close to him as it ascended.  The doors opened to an entryway with gleaming dark wood wainscoting and a massive set of double doors.  He unlocked the door and ushered her inside.  She looked around, happy to see Cian’s home, though richly furnished, was also comfortable.  She stepped down into a sunken living area with a massive, deeply cushioned three-sided sectional in chocolate brown suede, glass topped accent tables and a truly spectacular wall of electronics that any Best Buy would have envied.  There were a few pieces of modern art scattered about and a stack of Hockey News’ on the coffee table.   She crossed to the sofa and set down, kicking off her shoes to get comfortable.  Cian was glancing around with a confused expression on his face.

“What?” she asked, looking around to see what was bothering him.  After a moment, he smiled sheepishly and shrugged.

“Nothing.”  He bent over the back of the sofa and tilted her face up to his for a lingering kiss.  When the kiss broke, he grinned mischievously and winked at her suggestively.  “Let’s go to my bedroom; I have something I wanna show you.”  She giggled in delight as he snatched her off the sofa and swung her up into his arms.  She wrapped her arms around his neck and started nibbling on his ear lobe, her tongue tracing the shell.  A low groan escaped his throat when she whispered how hot he made her and what she was gonna do to him between kisses.  He used his foot to push open the door of the bedroom and she felt his entire body stiffen as he came to a sudden halt.

“What the hell…”

“Surprise, Baby!” A high-pitched female voice had Ava whipping her head around in shock.  A ridiculously beautiful Lani Mason lay across Cian’s huge mahogany sleigh bed in a barely there sheer nightie, carefully posed with her head propped on her left hand, a huge cushion-cut diamond glittering…

“That’s
my
ring!” Ava yelled in outrage as she wriggled violently until Cian released her.  Lani sat up, flipping her long blonde hair over her shoulder, an angry pout on her face.

“Who is this…woman?” she asked with distaste.  Cian stared at Lani in disbelief, unable to grasp that his ex-girlfriend was lying across his bed wearing next to nothing…and
Ava’s
engagement ring.  His gaze shot to Ava’s face and the fury he saw there had him breaking into a cold sweat.

“Ava…please, Baby…you have to believe me.  This is not what it looks like…I don’t even know how she got in here…” his words were running together he was talking so fast as he saw his entire future with Ava draining away.

“
Ava
?” Lani’s snide voice interrupted his flood of words.  She came to her feet and put her hands on her hips, displaying her thin model body to its best advantage.  “This is the
old
woman
you were cheating on me with?” 

Cian scowled at Lani with pure loathing glittering in his dark eyes, before turning back to Ava who was still glaring at Lani in a decidedly menacing manner.  He gripped her chin and turned her face up to his until he could look into her eyes.  “Ava, I swear to you I’ve not been with another woman since I met you.  I love you, Baby…”

“How did she get in your apartment?” Ava jerked her face free of his gentle grip and stepped back, her expression angry and accusing.  Before he could respond, Lani’s fake laugh broke the silence.

“I used the key Cian gave me…”

“You gave
her
a key?” Ava was utterly amazed at the sequence of events that was unfolding in Cian’s bedroom.  It was like stepping into an alternate universe.  What normal person stepped into
her
man’s bedroom to find a damned barely clothed supermodel draped across his bed…

“Back when I was dating
her
and I took it back!” He bellowed, his head swinging back around to glower at Lani. “You copied it, didn’t you?”  Lani sniffed dismissively and refused to answer the question.  He shook his head, unable to believe this was really happening and stared at the floor for a few seconds.  He had no frame of reference for dealing with this situation.   Lani was obviously flat out crazy; he had known she had a problem but he would never in a million years have thought she would pull a stunt like this.  He quickly decided he wasn’t qualified to deal with her and pulled his cellphone from his pocket. “Get dressed and take
Ava’s
ring off…”

“You bought that…that old woman a
ring
?” Lani’s shrill voice could have cracked glass.  He ignored her and continued as if she had never spoken.

“…and get out or I’m calling the police.”  Lani scoffed and held her hand out to admire the diamond.

“You won’t call the police because you don’t really want me to leave.”  Lani smirked at him and turned her malignant gaze on Ava. “Make her leave and I’ll remind you why you want me to stay…”

“This is your last warning, Lani.” He pushed the numbers in, his thumb hovering over the send button. 

Ava was so furious she felt like her head might pop up and spin around.  Her angry gaze moved back and forth between Cian and Lani…and realized she wasn’t really mad at Cian.  Oh, she was disgusted that the man she loved had actually had the poor taste to ever fool with this nutbag wench but she believed him…wow…she trusted Cian.  She had always wondered what an epiphany would feel like; now she knew. 

“You can’t really want this…
thing
over me!” Lani protested, her expression stunned.  There had never been a man she couldn’t have and she didn’t like it one bit.  Cian was hers.  He shook his head angrily and hit the send button.  When his call connected he began explaining the situation to the 911 operator.  While he was doing that, Ava took several steps in her direction.

“You’re making a fool of yourself over a man that doesn’t want you,
Miss
Mason
.”  Ava’s words were low for Lani’s ears only. “Get dressed; take off
my
engagement ring…”

“Go to hell, Bitch.” Lani snarled at her. “I’m not taking off the ring…”  Ava lunged towards Lani.

“Oh you
will
take it off or I’ll take it off for you…” Cian, who had just been assured by the 911 operator the police were on their way, snaked an arm around Ava’s waist and yanked her back against him.  She jerked against his hold trying to get to Lani until his soothing voice penetrated the haze of rage.

“Shhh…no Baby…she’s not worth it…I love you…”he kept repeating similar words over and over until she relaxed against him. 

“You two make me sick!” Lani screamed her beautiful face contorted with jealous rage.  Cian ignored her words, still murmuring softly to Ava, his hands stroking over her skin.  The ringing of the doorbell sounded like a death knell through the apartment and Lani’s mouth fell open in disbelief.  “You really called the police…”

Leery of turning Ava loose, Cian kept his arm around her waist while he went to answer the door.  Two plainclothes police officers flashed their IDs and greeted Cian and with smiles and handshakes.  They were obviously hockey fans if their deferential treatment of Cian was anything to go by.  He was explaining the sequence of events to the police when an enraged, now fully dressed Lani stalked out of the hall leading to his bedroom and threw the ring at his head; his hand shot out and caught it before it could do any damage.  The police officers were gawking at the supermodel that was waving her arms around dramatically, claiming to be a victim in shrill tones.  When she finally wound down, one of the officers read Lani her rights and began escorting her from the apartment.  Eyeing Cian and Ava with petulant dislike, Lani tossed her head and sniffed angrily.

“It’s your loss.” Lani said to him as she passed.  Ava slid her arm around Cian’s waist and grinned at Lani with satisfaction.