On Thin Ice (7 page)

“Sounds like you have a good head for business.”

“I’ve held my own.”

“And Maggie is your partner?”

“Yes.”

Esther bit down on her lip. “That carries a lot of weight in this town.”

“She’s quite a businesswoman.”

“I can’t let it out of my family.”

“I understand.”

“So, if you want this and you want to make it all those wonderful things, then the only way I see this working is if I’m your partner too. From Arizona that is.”

Malory took a breath to thank Esther for her time and then realized what she’d said. She lifted her head, and the shock on her face must have been evident, judging by the expression of humor on Esther’s.

Partnerships were as fatal to Malory as marriage. And now she had two women who wanted to be partners in business with her. Really, was this such a good idea?

She figured she might as well just walk out of the bakery and get in her Jeep and move to Denver. At least in Denver she could find a job and not be responsible for the demise of someone else’s bank funds.

Esther stood and rinsed out her mug. “So, what do you think?”

What did she think? She thought she was poison, that’s what she thought. But she looked around the bakery and realized it was established. That was something she didn’t have to do. The equipment was in working order and she wouldn’t have to buy new. And, if she took on the partners, she could afford to move on with her recovery plan and settle into Aspen Creek as a permanent resident with her own house and her own business.

Esther glanced at the clock on the wall. “You don’t have to decide right now, but if I don’t get home before the four o’clock news, my husband sends the police over here to see if I’ve died.”

Malory gave it one more thought. It would be a good way to start over. “Mrs. Madison, I would like to acquire your business and be your business partner.”

“Well then, it looks like we’ll both get what we want.”

Energy pulsed through her and she had to share her excitement with someone. When she’d concluded her business with Esther, she drove down the street to Maggie’s, but it was well after five. Maggie was long gone. Her car wasn’t outside her house either.

Malory sat in her Jeep and huffed out a breath. She’d head to the ice arena and tell her dad the good news.

The lot was full. She hopped out of the Jeep and hurried inside. She hoped she could catch the last part of the game in progress.

She’d specifically stayed away from the sport after high school so that it wouldn’t remind her of home and the many hours she’d donned the gear and stood in the crease to protect the net. Once she heard that Christopher Douglas had signed his first NHL contract, she never followed another game. She didn’t want to see his face or hear his name.

Malory stopped herself before she headed to the stands. He’d hurt her a long time ago; why did it still sting? Because she’d loved him, she realized. She’d always loved Christopher and she’d given him her friendship, her heart, and her innocence.

Reaching for the medal around her neck, she rubbed it between her fingers. She’d never taken it off since he’d given it to her. Obviously, she never wanted to forget him.

The joy over the bakery faded and was replaced by a bubble stuck in her chest. It was heavy and uncomfortable, filled with guilt and doubt. She’d broken Alan’s heart and he walked out of their marriage. Would he hate her forever too?

Malory made her way to the stands and found a seat. The game was a blur until she heard the unmistakable voice of Christopher from the bench.

“Get the puck!”

Malory shifted her eyes to see him intently following the game. Then she noticed the players weren’t the same as the other night. These were older kids, around twelve and thirteen.

“What are you doing?” he yelled at the players. “Pass the puck.”

The player moved down the ice between all the others, pushed the puck between the feet of an opposing player, and caught it on the back side. Each of the other players from Aspen Creek stood center ice and watched the player, surrounded by opposition, take the puck to the net and score just as the final buzzer sounded.

The crowd cheered, the team high-fived, and Christopher paced behind the bench before walking out onto the ice with his team to shake hands with the other team.

Malory walked around the end of the rink. He’d won the game and she’d scored a bakery. Maybe they could celebrate together.

The thought bounced in her head and she looked out over the ice to see him walking back toward the bench. It had come full circle. They’d both moved back home in search of something. Maybe it was a sign, and she’d be foolish not to accept it. He’d made his mistakes and she’d made hers. Maybe it was time to forgive, forget, and see what was between them.

Her stomach did a flip as she watched him rake his fingers through his thick, dark hair. Her heart hitched when she realized she wanted to tangle her fingers in those long locks and this time she wanted to be the one who started the kissing.

Malory laid her hand on her stomach and tried to take a deep breath as Christopher and his team headed off the ice. She needed to get her emotions under control. The very last thing she needed was to be aroused by Christopher Douglas. She’d been there before. When her body did the thinking, everyone got hurt.

He turned the opposite direction from her and headed toward the locker room. Malory stopped walking as he tapped the player who had scored on the shoulder.

“There is an entire team out there. Are you aware of that?”

“We won.”

“That’s not my point. My point is the showboating has to stop. You took that puck off the stick of one of your own players. You didn’t pass once in the whole game.”

“But four of the six goals were mine.”

“And did you notice the rest of the team? They didn’t even move toward the net. There wasn’t a reason to. You start playing like a team player or you can find a new team. Everyone on this team deserves to be in the play. It’s not just all you.”

The player unsnapped the strap of the helmet and pulled it off. Her long hair fell from beneath it, and Malory smiled from a safe distance.

“Fine. You’re a good one to talk. Without me there’d be no team.”

“Then you can watch from the bench next time.” Christopher crossed his arms and the player stormed off. “Trust me on this. When they shut you out, you won’t have a team to play with,” he called out after her.

Malory walked toward him. “You were kind of hard on her, weren’t you?”

“That? Trust me that was a pat on the back.”

She watched him follow the player with his eyes. She’d seen that same fire in her father’s eyes when he’d come down on Christopher. And just as with her father there was compassion and love in his actions and words. Each of them wanted the best for each player and the team. And each of them had been that show-off player who went on to bigger and better things, like teaching younger players to play.

“It seems I’ve heard those words before. Showboating. Team player. Watch from the bench.” She inched closer to him.

“I’m the best kind of coach. I’m the one who has walked the walk.”

“What are you doing now?” She let the smile that was itching finally settle on her lips.

Christopher regarded her and took a step back. “I have some planning to do for the Christmas pageant.”

“Oh.” She stiffened her shoulders. “I was thinking . . .”

“C’mon.” He tugged her down the hall toward the kitchen and shut the door behind them.

“What’s wrong?”

“Showboat’s parents were headed toward me. Not what I want to deal with right now.”

The room was dark, but the light from the rink filtered under the door and gave the room a dim glow.

Malory swallowed hard. She wanted back away from him, but was trapped between him and the door. She wanted to celebrate her day with someone, but she needed to be mindful of taking the necessary steps to avoid the intimate situation in which she was finding herself. She took a step, but only ended up closer to him as he stood there with his hand on the doorknob. She sucked in a breath. She could sense the instant she decided to let the moment unravel. She rested her hands on his broad chest and felt him stiffen then relax.

“What did you want to tell me?” His voice had gone husky and in the dark, she smiled. She was getting to him and she hadn’t even started.

“I just bought myself a bakery.”

“Did you?” His hand slipped from the knob, and he slid it over her hip, resting it on her waist urging her to move in closer to him.

“Uh-huh. My new partners and I, that is.”

“I see.” His other hand rose, brushing her side and stopping on her waist.

She felt his fingers tighten into her skin and she knew he was vying for control. Christopher Douglas wasn’t synonymous with the word.

Malory lifted her hands to his shoulders and then wrapped them around his neck as she pushed even closer to him. In the dark, every one of her senses took over when her eyes couldn’t. She felt the pounding of his heart beating against her chest. The scent of his woodsy cologne filled her nose as she stretched up on her toes so their mouths would be closer. Her mind told her to step away. Friendship was all she could afford right now. A lover would cost her too much in the end. But she could hear his breath begin to grow heavy as his hands slid from her waist to the small of her back. Suddenly, common sense didn’t matter much.

“I was thinking we could celebrate. You know, your move back. My move back.” She inched her lips closer to his. “Your new business. My new business.” She gently touched her lips to his. “Us.”

If she had wanted him to lose his mind, she was certainly succeeding. His entire body was pulsing, and when she covered his mouth with hers, not gentle and soft, but hungry and hot, he couldn’t help but move with her. Her fingers tangled in his hair, and he moved her until her back was against the door. She let out a deep, throaty groan as he moved his hands up her sides, pulling against her coat and her shirt until his hands felt the softness of her skin.

He could drown in the silky touch of her, the feminine scent of her, the very thought of her.

She tugged at his bottom lip with her teeth and it sent a shock wave straight from his mouth to his masculine core.

“I didn’t think you were too receptive to this.” She was pulling his shirt from the waist of his pants, and then her hands were on his skin, sending shockwaves through his veins.

“I wasn’t.” Her voice was muffled against his neck as she trailed mind-blowing kisses from his lips to his ear. “I mean, maybe I was too receptive and it made me mad.”

“I’m glad you got over it.” He hoisted her to his waist and she wound her legs around him tightly. Her fingers in his hair were driving him mad. Common sense would tell him that taking her in the kitchen of the ice rink wasn’t smart, but he wasn’t thinking about smart. He was thinking about making love with Wil. He’d thought about making love to Will since the last time he’d had the pleasure.

He let the thought linger as she moved against him, making any thought near impossible to think. The last time they’d made love they’d been young. She was a woman now and he was a man. They’d each had other lovers and they’d each grown from who they’d been. But that night, under the full April moon on Christmas Island, they’d made love on a blanket and promised each other the world.

How dumb had he been to give that all up for one lousy hour with another girl?

Pounding at the door made both their heads shoot up.

“What?” Christopher yelled as he gently and quietly set Wil back on her feet and the pulsing electricity between them fizzled.

“You having dinner? Clear the ice,” Mac Stern hollered through the door, and then Christopher heard his footsteps head back down the hall.

He reached his hand next to the door and flicked on the light. He looked Wil over. Her eyes were smoky, her hair tousled, and a flush filled her cheeks. He’d kissed her until her lips had swollen, but the smile on them was sexier than any of it.

“I guess we got caught.” She tucked in her shirt.

“Just interrupted.” He raked his fingers through his hair and turned to straighten his clothes. “I’m glad you’ve had a change of heart.”

“I’ve been doing a lot of thinking.”

He nodded. “Let’s reschedule this celebration. I’m not going to let Mac Stern ruin this for me.” He finished tucking in his shirt and pulled her to him again. “Tomorrow night we have games clear up until eleven o’clock. But I was telling Harvey I’d like to take you to Denver for the weekend if you’re available.”

Her eyes opened wide, and that sexy smile turned into a grin. “I haven’t been to Denver in far too long. What did you have in mind?” She moved in close again and wrapped her arms around his neck.

“I’m fairly sure I could get us tickets to the Avs game, front row.”

She shook her head. “Sounds nice.”

He pulled her against him tight. “Or we could stay in. Eat room service. Take a carriage ride. Whatever you think.”

“I think”—she planted a wet loud kiss on his lips—“you’d better find a room with a good menu. It’s been a long time and I’m going to need my strength.”

She winked, opened the door, and strolled out of the arena, leaving him lightheaded.

CHAPTER FIVE

Night slipped into early morning and Christopher pounded his fist into his pillow again. There was no comfortable position, not when his thoughts swam the way they were.

He rolled onto his back and rested his hands behind his head. That Wil, she’d thrown him for a loop. She’d all but punched him for kissing her the day before and then she’d shown up and thrown herself at him. It was enough to make a man lose his mind.

She wanted to celebrate? Oh, he’d show her a celebration.

He wondered if you’d lost your heart to someone so many years ago, and she never really left your thoughts, did you have to start over from the beginning if you were lucky enough to have a second chance? Did he have to wine, dine, and impress her? Could he just rush in and tell her he was sorry and he’d never stopped loving her? Was it appropriate to bring up the last conversation they’d had on that blanket in the middle of the lake?