Thawing Ava (22 page)

“Understandable. And you guys do need to be careful.” She left the table and brought back the carafe of coffee. “Did they say anything about my contract?” She wanted to know if they were going to end it now or keep her on. This was a favor to her father. Despite Brice’s behavior, someone still needed to monitor his progress until proven otherwise. Not that she didn’t think he couldn’t do it or he wasn’t serious about stabilizing his life. Management would want to be cautious and make sure he could in fact still focus.

“No, nothing. You’ll probably hear what they want to do about it after the new year. To them so far it’s a win-win. They get someone to watch me, your dad is able to have you close, you have a job, and I have you. See? Everyone wins.” He grinned. “This way the coach doesn’t have to bench me. He could’ve, but they didn’t want to given how many injuries we have at the moment. With our current lineup, we can still go to the play-offs. If we don’t have any more injures. That game against the Talons was brutal. The team is taking massive fines for excessive violence. We were lucky to escape with a few concussions and minor injuries. We’re able to play, even though the doctors need to clear us before every game. I’ve got stitches and bruises, nothing too major.”

“You’ll still need to do yoga and your morning routine. You skipped that this morning,” she pointed out.

He chuckled. “Only for today. Tomorrow back in the pool and the gym and then afternoon practice.”

She knew his schedule for the next few weeks. As the play-offs approached, the tension would increase. The less drama, the better, and she was willing to help out any way she could.

She sat back down at the table. “Why did it take so long for them to address the issues going on with the team?” It was a question she hadn’t really thought about until now.

“Because the original owners were too busy swindling money from the team and trying to stack the bench with egos that they didn’t think about how to manage a team properly. My issues were the least of our problems. There was infighting and money negotiations and all sorts of shady shit going on. At least I showed up come game time, and I did go to practice. Some wouldn’t even answer the phone because they had a hangnail.”

“Damn. Hockey players were always so down-to-earth to me.” She shook her head.

“Every sport has its prima donnas. Ours were just on this team. We were newly formed, and most of those guys were going into retirement but wanted to get paid first. Nothing wrong with that. They were also surrounding themselves with hangers-on who just wanted to say they knew a Stanley Cup winner. It happens. We’re not all like that.”

She knew that.

“So in the end, people just thought the players had taken advantage of a new team.” He shrugged. “We’ve weeded out those who didn’t want to be here and are bringing in new blood.”

Ava went back to finishing her breakfast. “Okay, hurry up and get dressed. We need to get there so I can change into new clothes and then help Mom in the kitchen and with decorations. Party starts at seven, ends at nine.”

* * * *

They arrived around noon. She was able to take another shower and get dressed in fresh clothing before packing up her things and stowing her suitcase in Brice’s car, then went back to help her mom in the kitchen. Brice was already in there helping out with the prep work. The only thing left to do was decorations, but her father and Davis had that sorted. Tinsel in green, blue, and white decorated the ceiling, along the mantel, and on the staircase. Mini hockey gear decorations hung on the large Christmas tree that stood in the living room.

The doorbell rang. Rather than have her mom or dad stop what they were doing, Ava answered it. Alexi was the first one to arrive, cuts and bruises on his face. She winced. “Come on in. You sure you can eat?” Alexi came in and took his hat off. His ear looked like someone had tried to rip off the tip. “Oh my God! I heard you’d got bit, but I never thought…”

“Asshole claimed he was hungry. They benched his ass, and he’s got a huge fine on him.” Alexi gave her a big grin that showed he was missing one of his front teeth.

“Jesus, I thought… It was really a brawl, wasn’t it?”

Alexi ran his tongue over the empty space. “I’ll go in to the dentist once the season is over. Yeah, brawl isn’t the word for it. More like a melee. Brice’s pretty mug got off easy.” She took his coat and led him to the dining room area. “Okay, I’m going to be robbing your parents’ house,” Alexi remarked as he picked up a mini goalie mask in the team colors.

“Get in line. I don’t know where they got it since I haven’t seen it around town, and they refuse to tell me. I think they bought them all and are hiding them in this house somewhere.” She eyed the door to the storage cupboard under the stairs.

Ava spent the next half an hour answering the door and entertaining the team members and their families. Kids ran around the house, and she chatted with the wives and girlfriends. Not once did she feel out of place or the odd man out. Everyone made her feel welcome and accepted. By the time nine rolled around, she was tired and ready to go to bed. She and Brice bid good-bye to everyone and even snagged a few decorations from the tree.

When they got home, she changed and brushed her teeth and got into bed. She snuggled down next to him. “That was a great party. I didn’t realize how much I missed that until now.” Laughing with Davis and the team made her realize just how much she’d sacrificed to be with Perry.

Brice’s arms came around her, and he kissed the pulse point on her neck. He moved against her until she could feel his semihard penis against her ass. “You can’t back out now. There’s no escaping me. If you try and leave, I will go after you. I will fight for you. Don’t think I won’t.”

“Oh really?” She shifted against him and sighed.

“Yes, I will. Now I’m going to tell you what happens after New Year’s.” He placed a kiss to her shoulder.

“Go on.” She was curious to see what ideas he had.

“You are going to move in with me. After the season is over, we’re going down to Orlando and get your stuff.” He kissed down her arm, taking his time. He picked up her hand and threaded his fingers through hers.

“Uh-huh.” Liquid heat flowed through her veins and seeped into her body, awakening her arousal.

“You’ll work with Davis in PR, and you’ll go to school part-time.” He kissed the back of her hand, then up her arm.

“Sounds good so far,” she said. She melted against him. “And then?”

“Then after six months, we’ll get engaged.” He traced the shell of her ear with the tip of his tongue.

She shivered as her pussy contracted and her panties grew damp. His words came at a distance. All she could say was, “Uh-huh.”

He released her hand and slipped it over her hip to cup her mound. She moaned as he worked his fingers on her clit. He moved the crotch of her panties aside and slipped his fingers between her damp folds to tease the pulsing nub. She rocked her hips against his digits. Needing to give him some of the same pleasure he was giving her, she reached between them and took hold of his cock. She smeared his precum over the wide crest. It was awkward, and her shoulder felt stretched, but she kept it up, matching the same rhythm he did.

“After a year, married.” He bit into her shoulder as his hips pumped and his cock slipped up and down her hand. His fingers tapped, circled, and played her clit, bringing her close to the edge, but it wasn’t enough.

Pressure built up in her womb, expanding at a crawling pace. She tried to keep still, to keep her hold on him and work herself against his fingers, but restless energy filled her body. She needed to do something. He slipped a hand under her and held her hip, stilling her movement.

“Be still and let me make you come,” he urged.

He slid his fingers through her slick folds and sank first one, then two into her pussy. She moaned when Brice pressed his palm against her clit while he worked his digits in and out of her wet channel. She clenched her inner muscles around the invasion, trying to hold him inside her for a bit longer. He pushed her toward orgasm as the pressure mounted. Unable to move, all she could do was continue to work his cock, feeling it jerk and thicken in her hand as he pumped his hips.

“God, Ava, yes, so close,” he moaned.

“Brice, please. Need to come.” He rocked his palm as his fingers worked faster. He curled his fingers and hit her G-spot. Bright white stars burst behind her eyes as she cried out. The pressure inside her exploded, washing her in sensation. Her legs shook, and her hand stuttered in its pace. He released her hip and wrapped his hand around hers to finish him off. She felt him pulse and jerk in her hold before he came, bathing her ass and lower back with his seed.

He rested his forehead against the center of her shoulders. His humid breath brushed over her cooling, sweat-misted skin, raising goose bumps. “What were we talking about?”

“Shower time?” she suggested, unsure of whether her brain could work properly as the bliss set it.

“Then bed, practice, or something tomorrow. Love you, honey.” Brice kissed her nape and slipped out of bed. His footsteps looked wobbly as he headed to the bathroom. He returned to help her to the shower stall. They managed to clean up and then dry off. He set her down on a chair and stripped the bed and put fresh linens on it.

“No one likes to sleep in a wet spot.” Once done, they got back into bed and fell asleep.

Chapter Fourteen

Christmas Day

Christmas morning was a study in frantic energy. Brice had to work out, but expending that much energy on weight training or the elliptical bike or doing a few laps around the pool couldn’t dispel the fact that his parents were coming for lunch. He also hadn’t given Ava her present yet. It was something simple, and she’d probably freak out about it, but he knew he had to give it to her. He was relieved she hadn’t found it yet; there were very few places he could store it without her stumbling upon it. As he finished up his last rep, he wiped down his arms, face, and neck and headed upstairs, taking the stairwell rather than stinking up the elevator cabin.

When he arrived at his apartment, Ava was running around like a madwoman, stirring this, tasting that, and putting up the decorations they’d pilfered from her parents’ house. The place smelled heavenly. She’d gone light and healthy with baked skinless chicken drumsticks and baked potatoes with a simple spinach-and-tomato salad. Everything smelled good, and his stomach grumbled happily. One thing he could count on was her cooking to put him at ease. She, on the other hand, looked like she was about to slip and fall. He caught her around the waist and drew her to his body, ignoring his sweat-stained clothing to hug her and kiss her on the temple. “Thank you, honey. It all smells wonderful. Now stop it, drink some wine, and rest. I’ll take a shower and take over, okay?”

“Can’t. Didn’t even get you a present. So much to do. Need to finish cooking, the decorations… Are they okay? Not sure. Put everything in a box that we didn’t like.” She tried to wriggle out of his arms. “All sweaty. Now I need to go shower.”

“You’re fine.” He kissed the side of her neck and felt her heart flutter faster. He nipped over her pulse point before he released her. “No need to worry. I’m happy. No one to impress but you, so stop worrying. I don’t give a shit if they don’t like it or they do. Just know that I love what you’re doing, and the tree looks awesome. Next year we pick out the tree and decorations.”

“I just—”

“I know what you want, and no matter what, you don’t have to impress anyone but yourself. I’d be fine with leftovers. There’s no need to go all out for my parents or me for that matter. I love everything you do, honey. Have some wine. Chill.” He turned her around and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

“Fine. After I finish cooking. I’m almost done anyway.” She darted back to the kitchen before he could stop her.

With a sigh, he let her go, took a quick shower, dried off, and dressed in sweats and an old T-shirt. He would change into a suit before he left for the arena. He set the table and then went to help her finish up the cooking. He wouldn’t change to meet his parents. It was his house, and he would dress how he liked. Latent anger simmered in his veins at how his mother had treated Ava. They didn’t deserve to see him trussed up.

“Thanks.” She drank the last of her red wine, rinsed out the glass, and put it in the dishwasher.

“No thanks needed. After my parents leave, I have a present for you.”

Worry clouded her eyes. “Oh my God! I didn’t get you anything.”

His heart lurched in his chest. “Don’t. There’s no need to. You being here is gift enough. I just wanted to give you something that would show you how I felt about you.”

Her eyes widened. “If it’s a ring—”

He cut her off. “Our engagement isn’t until June, so no, it’s not a ring.” He grinned as he watched her fidget and bite her lip.

“Brice—”

“We’ll talk when there’s more time. But I have it all planned out. No worries.” He turned away from her before she could say anything else, grabbed the dishes of baked chicken and potatoes, then the leftover rolls and the salad.

“Yeah, we’re so talking later.”

He was saved from responding by the doorbell sounding. Rather than have her freak out again, he answered it and took his parents’ coats. His mother greeted Ava shyly with a small attempt at a hug before they settled on a handshake. “Good to see you again. Thank you for having us over.”

Ava stepped back. “It’s Brice’s apartment.”

He came over to her and slipped his arm around her waist. “It’s our apartment,” Brice corrected. “And thank you for wanting to come have lunch with us.” He prayed things would go smoother. “Come on. Let’s eat.”

They walked over to the table and sat down. Everyone served themselves with the only sound being scraping and clinking of utensils. For a moment, nervous energy jittered along his leg, causing it to start shaking up and down.

“Caught the Tampa game. Good job,” his father commented. “Brutal but good. What does that make, three in a row for you guys?”

Relief swept through him. “Yeah, but it’s not a sure thing. We need to do more work on our defensive side, show more control, and not let them rattle our cages.”