Release (9 page)

I wrapped my arms around myself. “It’s cold in here.”

“Well, it is an ice rink.”

I smiled and nudged my shoulder against his. “Haha, wise guy. I just wish I would’ve brought a sweatshirt. And a scarf. And some gloves.”

“I brought you some stuff,” he said, nodding toward his black bag. “I wasn’t gonna let you freeze.”

“Thanks.”

He sorted through the bag and pulled out a gray hoodie, passing it to me. “It’ll be big on you, but it’ll keep you warm.”

I slipped on the sweatshirt, taking in its scent of his cologne. He passed me gloves and a black fleece band to put over my ears.

“Why aren’t you bundled up?” I asked when he stood up.

“Because I’m warmed by your presence,” he said, winking.

“Sometimes you’re adorable.”

“Sometimes?” He cocked a brow at me skeptically.

“Most of the time,” I conceded.

He reached for both of my hands and helped me to a standing position.

“I’m just used to the feel of a rink,” he said. “You ready?”

I nodded, my heart racing. He turned to face me, helping me gingerly step onto the ice. When I got there, he steadied me with his hands around my waist.

“Put your hands on my arms,” he said. “Hold on beneath my biceps.”

I clutched him tightly, unnerved by the gliding sensation beneath my feet. He skated backwards, not even looking behind him. My feet faltered and his biceps hardened, flexing to keep me upright.

“I won’t let you fall,” he said. “I’ve got you.”

He turned effortlessly, not even needing to check and see how close the walls were. I was in awe of the way he moved so gracefully over the ice.

“Faster?” he asked.

“Uh …”

He broke out in a wide grin, his single note of laughter making my stomach flip nervously.

“Want me to carry you?” he asked.

I arched my brows with surprise. “What, like now? Here?”

He did something with one of his skate blades, slowing him to a stop. Time seemed to stop along with him. We stood in the center of the rink, his blue eyes locked on mine. His hands tightened on my hips and he slid closer to me. I felt his warmth and remembered the way he’d awoken something inside me the other night. He’d roused my sexual side from a very long sleep, and now it wouldn’t be denied. The throbbing between my legs was back.

“Can I say something?” I said, my awkwardness breaking the spell between us. “I’m sorry about the other night. You didn’t do anything wrong.”

“I pushed you further than you were comfortable with. I’m the one who’s sorry.”

“It’s not normal to flip out over someone touching you,” I said, looking down at the ice self-consciously. “I’m twenty-seven years old. It’s embarrassing.”

“Don’t ever feel that way with me, Samara. I like you a lot. You’re the kind of person I can open up to, and I want you to feel the same way about me.”

His hopeful, earnest expression was killing me. I sighed and glanced over at the empty blue bleachers.

“There are things I don’t want you to know about me,” I said softly. “Things I don’t want anyone to know.”

There was a pause before he spoke. “Okay. I respect that.”

“Can we skate?” I asked. “I’m getting cold.”

“Yeah.” His hands encircled my waist again and he slid back into motion. The music coming from the speakers and the swishing of our skate blades on the ice were the only sounds in the cavernous arena.

I liked ice skating, probably because I didn’t have to worry about falling. It almost seemed cathartic, circling the arena and letting my legs do all the work. My mind was free to be lazy here, unlike when I was reading or working.

“What did you ever see in Amy?” I asked Orion on impulse. It wasn’t so much that I cared, but that I wondered if I unknowingly had something in common with that ice queen.

A slight smile tugged at the corners of his lips. “Fuck if I know.” He sighed. “I guess, if I’m being honest, she just made the whole thing very easy for me. I’ve never liked being single. And the women I meet through work aren’t really interested in
me
. It’s the job and the money they like. I figured since we’d gone to school together that Amy liked the real me.”

“But she’s so awful.”

“Tell me about it. I didn’t know the extent of her catty side when we were together.”

I loosened my grip on his arms a little as he finished turning at the end of the rink.

“How does it feel, being back here again?” I asked. “When she’s still here? Does it bother you?”

His expression fell. “Yeah. I don’t like it. Mom and Liv needed me here or there’s no way I would’ve come. But truthfully … it’s not easy showing my face around here.”

I scrunched my face in confusion. “Why? You didn’t do anything wrong. She did.”

He sighed deeply. “It’s humiliating. She was cheating on me for two months. Everyone knew. My friend Casey tried to tell me several times, but I didn’t want to hear it. I’m too damned trusting, and when Amy said it was malicious gossip, I believed her. It took Liv telling me she saw them making out at the Dugout for me to believe it.”

“She’s the one who ought to be embarrassed, not you.”

He shrugged and looked away. “You wanna know the worst part?”

My heart sped up. Was he about to tell me he still had feelings for her?

“What?” I asked in a tiny voice.

“I didn’t even learn my lesson. My teammates made it their mission to turn me into a guy who doesn’t give a shit, but I just couldn’t do it. I don’t have casual sex. And I’m not one of those people who says I’m better off alone, either. My parents had thirty-four great years together. That’s what I want.”

He pulled me in a little closer, and I slid my hands up further on his arms. He had biceps of steel. I had a strong, sudden urge to feel these muscles skin to skin, without his shirt keeping me from the warmth of him.

“I think it’s good that she didn’t kill your dreams,” I said. “She doesn’t deserve it.”

He let his skates slow to a stop as they lost momentum. I wasn’t sure if I lunged or he pulled – maybe both. All I knew was that he tasted like cinnamon and I couldn’t get enough of him. His mouth was warm and sweet, his tongue equal parts tease and relief.

“Is this okay?” he asked, breathless as he pulled away.

“Yes.” I grabbed two fistfuls of his shirt and pulled his mouth back to mine. When he wrapped me into his arms and our bodies molded together, his desire was evident. He wanted me. And
damn
, did I want him back.

We kissed and skated – with a lot more kissing than skating happening – for a couple more hours. And as we walked out, I couldn’t keep the goofy grin from my face. Because even though I was in an ice rink, I was warm all over.

I’d just pulled into the library parking lot when I pushed a button to pick up a call on my Bluetooth.

“Niko,” I said, grinning. “You back from Russia? Did Sadie come to her senses and ditch your ass at the altar?”

“Hey, asshole. The wedding was great. Thanks again for not coming.”

“You said it was small and intimate,” I protested. “For your immediate family. You know I would’ve been there if you’d asked me to.”

“I’m just bustin’ your balls. It was good. We didn’t think we’d get to spend much time sightseeing but we ended up staying an extra few days.”

“So you’re Niko Alexander now?” I quipped, using his new wife’s maiden name.

“You’re in fine form today, motherfucker. Have all the months of abstinence made you a cranky bitch or what?”

“It’s cleared my mind,” I said. “Like one of those nasty cleanses but I didn’t have to shit my guts out.”

Niko scoffed into the phone. “I’d rather shit my guts out than give up sex any day.”

“Yeah, me too. Don’t get me wrong, the dry spell sucks. I am kinda seeing someone here, though.”

There was a beat of silence before he spoke. “If you’re seeing Amy again, I’m gonna beat your ass so fucking hard—”

“No,” I said, cutting him off. “You know I’m over that.”

“Okay, good. That’s good. You should have some fun in the offseason. That’s actually why I’m calling.”

“What’s up?”

“Me and Sadie are doing a week at a beach house in Mexico in a couple weeks. Luke and Dell are coming too. It’s kind of a spur of the moment thing. Two of Sadie and Dell’s college friends are coming, and they’re both single.”

“Oh yeah?” I tried to sound interested, though I was staring at the front door of the library thinking about Samara.

“Yeah. Come with us.”

I took a deep breath and tried to think of the best way to refuse him. Niko was a stubborn asshole who’d made it his mission to get me to jump into bed with a woman – any woman – besides Amy.

“Thanks man, but I really can’t,” I said.

“Bullshit. You can.”

“No, I’m busy here. I’m helping with my niece and nephew.”

“You can get away for a few days, can’t you? Just hire a babysitter.”

I smiled at his persistence. “Yeah, it’s not just that. I like this girl I’m seeing. I’d rather stay here.”

“You finally bust out that condom?” he asked, amused.

He was referring to the condom I’d had in my wallet since before Amy and I broke up. He’d swiped it one day in the locker room and drawn a big ‘x’ on it in magic marker. Now his main source of entertainment was checking for the ‘x’ to see if I’d used the condom yet.

“Unlike you, I don’t run my mouth about the woman I’m with,” I said defensively.

“So no.”

“Fuck you.”

“Relax, man. If you like her, I’m happy for you. Bring her to Mexico if you want.”

I thought about Samara’s refusal to wear a swimsuit at the pool. She wouldn’t feel comfortable on a trip to Mexico in July wearing jeans.

“Nah, we’re gonna hang around home. But thanks. And congrats on the marriage. I’m really happy for you guys.”

“Thanks.”

We signed off and I headed toward the library door. Samara had been on my mind from the time I woke up this morning. That was becoming my new normal.

I had The Count of Monte Cristo in my hand, and I slid it into the return slot at the front desk. I went to the Adult section and wove through the aisles of books, scanning titles as I looked for Samara.

She was at the end of a row, pulling books out from the bottom shelf of her cart. Damn, did she have a nice ass. She stood to put a book on a shelf, oblivious as I approached behind her.

“Hey,” I said softly.

The book flew out of her hand as she let out a half-scream and spun around. Her eyes were wide with terror. I’d scared the shit out of her.

“It’s okay,” I said, putting my hands in the air. “It’s just me.”

Her shoulders dropped and she let out a deep breath.

“Oh my gosh,” she said, laying a palm on her chest. “I’m so sorry. I was lost in my own thoughts and I didn’t hear you coming.”

I bent down and picked up the book she’d dropped, handing it to her.

“I was just looking for something to read,” I said, stepping closer. “And I thought,
damn
, if only I knew a sweet, sexy librarian I could get a recommendation from. Then I remembered I do.”

Her cheeks darkened, but she didn’t look at the ground. Progress.

“I might be able to help with that,” she said, smiling.

“Yeah?” I leaned my hip against a bookshelf. “What’ve you got for me?”

“Well, what are you in the mood for?”

I couldn’t help grinning. “Why are you blushing? What is it
you’re
in the mood for, Miss Cross?”

I was getting pretty good at reading her. The warm, eager glow in her hazel eyes told me she was liking this, so I stepped closer and wrapped a palm around her hip.

She licked her lips quickly before speaking. “I could … I mean, I have … I have something you might like to read. Several things, actually.”

My blood heated in response to her sensual tone. I covered the last of the distance separating us and cupped her soft cheek in my hand.

“Tell me more,” I said, my lips brushing against hers.

She slid a hand around my neck and into my hair in invitation. I gave her a kiss I meant to be gentle, but that only lasted a couple seconds. Her soft moan into my mouth drove me further. I wrapped my other hand around the back of her head, cushioning the impact of backing her into the tall shelf of books.

Her hands wound around my waist and then up my back. The harder I kissed her, the tighter her fingertips dug into me. My cock throbbed, aching for release. Samara had to feel it pressed against her lower stomach. But I wanted her to know how she affected me, so I shoved my hips against hers, cupping her face in my hands as I kissed her. Fuck breathing. This was better.

“Orion,” she said, panting as she broke away. “Will you come over tonight?”

“Yeah, I’d love to.” I was breathless too, and I took a step back to get ahold of myself. Samara’s hands gripped my back, willing me to remain close to her.

“You smell so good,” she said softly. “Like freshly fallen leaves in fall. And your body is unreal.”

“I assure you it’s very real,” I said in a low tone against her lips. “And every last inch of me is yours for the taking.”

A flash of desire lit up her eyes before they dropped with uncertainty.

“I don’t mean sex,” I whispered. “You can draw the line wherever you want to.”

“It’s not that I want to draw a line,” she said with a longing expression. “It’s that I have to.”

“I understand.” I touched a fingertip to her lips. “And I’m good with it. I just want to be with you – whatever that means.”

“I’m off at eight. Can you be at my place at eight-thirty?”

I nodded and stepped back, though I wanted to stay close enough to feel her warmth and take in her sweet scent.

“I’ll bring dinner,” I said, glancing down the aisle to make sure it was clear before I adjusted myself. I sure as hell didn’t want to get caught leaving the Henley Public Library with a raging boner.

“I’ll bring dessert,” Samara said lightly. The corners of her lips turned up seductively.

I ran a hand down my face to clear my mind. Damn. She was opening up to me, and it made me want to push her against the bookcase again. This shy, beautiful woman whose walls were tall and strong was giving me a chance. I was going to make the most of it.