Thawing Ava, page 2
Fuck.
Ava had hoped her parents wouldn’t have that information, but apparently the world hated her. “Nope, never met him,” she lied. “Besides I didn’t hang out at the frat house all that much. It wasn’t exactly hygienic.” She wrinkled her nose, remembering the smell of stale beer and pizza and something that had been living in their refrigerator for God knows how long. How anyone got laid in the frat house was beyond her.
“You didn’t have a problem with it during Christmas,” Brice finally spoke up.
“Ava, no need to be shy. I know you knew him, but we don’t have time to rehash the past. We have a practice get to,” her father stated.
“My memory of that time is fuzzy.” Ava didn’t want to think about that time, not with him in the room. The pain of his rejection and wondering if it was because of her weight hung in the back of her mind, threatening to come to the forefront if she let it.
James frowned. “Oh, well. At least you two have hockey in common. That’s a start.” He beamed at her despite a question in his eyes.
Ava couldn’t resist smiling back, even though guilt pinched at her. “Yeah, even if I haven’t watched a game in years. Perry hated the sport, thought it was too violent. Guess I’ll have to get a Hockey for Dummies intro.”
Alexi made a growling noise in his throat. “Some people just don’t know what the fuck we’re all about. Shame. We could’ve used someone like you cheering us on.” His eyes filled with mirth and a spark of trouble.
Heat flushed her cheeks. Brice pulled her from her thoughts by clearing his throat. “Time to go, captain,” Brice stated as he motioned for Alexi to precede him out of the office. Neither man made a move to leave.
“Alexi, that’s my daughter,” James warned.
She glanced away. It had been ages since a man had gazed at or even flirted with her. She couldn’t count the glimpses Brice threw her way—he was off limits, even if he was a delectable distraction. She shook her head.
She remembered the young man he’d been back in college, so in love with hockey; now it had come to this. “He was just being cute, Dad, no worries. Besides I don’t date hockey players.” Ava knew she was lying. Hockey players could be on the list, but she’d never thought they’d be interested in her.
“Just snobby, cheating, lawyer assholes,” James muttered.
“Dad!” Ava couldn’t help but grin. Her mood lifted a bit.
“You know I’m right. Anyway, this will take your mind off missing that bullet. I’ll call the car around. You get settled in and maybe get a new jacket?” He winced and looked away. “It’s a bit bright, honey, and well, it’s a bit big on you. You’re a healthy girl, but that’s just… You look like a snowball with arms and legs.”
Ava rolled her eyes. “It’s freeze-your-tits-off cold outside. I lived in Florida most of my adult life. ’Scuse me for wanting to stay warm.”
Alexi’s face turned red; then he started to guffaw loudly. Her father followed suit. Even Brice chuckled. Ava ignored all that and got up to leave. Any talking to Brice would have to wait. Practice came first. “You guys go to practice, and I’ll talk to you later, Brice.” She grabbed the handle of her luggage and wheeled it out of the office. She bypassed the rink and headed straight for the car waiting in the parking lot. Once she was inside the warm interior, she ordered the driver to take her to her parents’ home. After she got settled, she’d check out Brice’s apartment building and get a good look. She was also going to look for a place to live once this whole thing with Brice was over. Maybe she could kill two birds with one stone.
* * * *
Brice trudged up the last few flights of stairs and pushed open the door to the twelfth floor. His body ached—in a good way—and his head was clear. No crap with women, no run-ins with the paparazzi, nothing but hockey and a loose plan to unwind and relax for the night.
No women. He’d told his teammates that. That was partly true. As soon as Ava walked into the office that afternoon, he knew he was gone. She’d been the one who got away in college, and now she would be in his life and his babysitter at that. Ha! Companion or whatever they wanted her to be. Brice doubted the team believed him, and he couldn’t blame them. He’d been a total asshole as of late. With Christmas coming up, his blues had increased to stupidity level. Just seeing Ava had made him feel as if his equilibrium had returned. For the first time in years he could see things and reflect without trying to paint the scenes in better terms. He’d tried to worm out of taking responsibility; it wasn’t his fault women had created a scene in the lobby of his apartment building or that he’d stayed out so late. He’d needed to blow off steam.
He smiled as he remembered Ava’s entrance into the office with that huge bright white parka and jeans, face with little makeup, big brown eyes wide with surprise when she’d seen him. He’d eaten up every inch of her. Her flawless cocoa skin looked waxen, and there were bags under her eyes that made his heart hurt. She hadn’t been taking care of herself. Davis had mentioned her breakup with that jackwad of a fiancé, something about cheating. Looking at Ava, Brice couldn’t fathom any sane man leaving her for another woman. The puffiness of her jacket couldn’t hide her full breasts and voluptuous form, and the jeans molded her thighs and perfectly rounded ass like a second skin that he wanted to palm and give a nice spank.
If it hadn’t been for her father and Alexi, he’d have suggested helping her get out of that bulky jacket. Instead he’d had to deal with listening to his character flaws while Alexi stared at her as if he wanted to absorb her into his memory and use her for his spank bank later. Brice couldn’t very well call out his friend and captain. He was supposed to be behaving. He couldn’t deny that Ava Jackson had been on his mind since Christmas a few years ago when he’d been a senior in college and had gotten a bad case of the stomach flu.
She’d taken care of him during that time while trying to study for some classes. Davis had left on vacation with his boyfriend’s family, and her parents had taken an anniversary/non-honeymoon honeymoon to France. She had nowhere to go, and he’d needed someone to keep him company. That had been the best Christmas he’d ever had. It had been simple but perfect.
The only drawback was they’d never gotten together once winter break was over. He’d tried to call her, but the number was to a pizzeria and not her dorm. After calling everywhere and getting nowhere, he’d given up. Not even Davis could help him; his head had been buried in classes and his new boyfriend. Brice had hated to write it off, but he’d always hoped they’d meet up again. Now they had.
This time he could get things right, maybe even convince her to give them a try. Even though he had to stay away from women, Ava wasn’t just a woman. She was intelligent, sexy, fun, and she loved hockey. He’d have to reintroduce her to the game, but still, she was open to it. How many women could he say that about who didn’t only want in his pants? Although he couldn’t be sure about that last part. The glances she’d thrown at him the few times their gazes had met made him think there was hope that she was as attracted to him as he was to her. Besides, it was her job to be with him 24-7. And she wouldn’t bring him the same kinds of headaches other women had, right?
Just seeing her today had turned around something inside him. A fire he’d thought had dimmed in his soul seemed to have lit up. He wasn’t sure what it was about her that had brought this out, but he was determined to find out what else she could do for him. Brice couldn’t help that he also wanted to see her over him and under him. Ava was trouble with a capital T, but she was worth it.
He got to his apartment and unlocked the door. There was a lot he needed to do before she came over. Brice threw down his bag, put away his jacket, and broke out the steam mop and rubber gloves. He ached from practice, but nothing would keep him from making sure his apartment was so spic-and-span that she’d be impressed by it, maybe even ignore the “Lady Killer” moniker the gossip rags had christened him with and what she’d heard from James and Alexi. He wanted to impress and dazzle Ava, and recapture some of that Christmas magic they’d created back in college.
He still had to decorate his apartment, but that would come later. Brice had to prove to her that his talent and career mattered to him. Then she’d be willing to give him a chance. He also wanted to see if she was the same caring, sweet woman who’d nursed him while he’d been a whiny baby during his bout of stomach flu. He’d missed her glowing smiles, her praise, her comforting presence, and her expressive face. She couldn’t hide any of her emotions and thoughts from him. She’d been so trusting and confident. No doubting his desire to be a pro in the NHL, no “it takes time.” She’d just told him, “You’ll get there. I know it.”
Fate had given him a chance to prove that her faith in him was justified. He just hoped what her father and Alexi had said wouldn’t color her judgment too much.
Chapter Two
The next day found Ava standing in front of Brice’s apartment waiting for him to come home. He’d insisted on meeting her to show her around the place they’d be sharing, and work out a schedule to allow them both to feel as if they could live in the same space without killing each other. Nice offer. She wasn’t sure how this was going to go between them, living under the same roof, being in close quarters again. Just like Christmas. She could still remember the disappointment she’d tasted when he hadn’t returned her calls after break. It had taken all her courage to call him. She had mulled over every word, even written it down like a dork. Her hand had shook when she’d dialed the frat house and waited for someone to pick up. It had been a relief when Davis had answered. He claimed he’d get the message to Brice immediately, no questions asked. After that, nothing. She’d see Brice walking around the quad, arm slung over the shoulder of one of the cheerleader set, laughing, smiling, walking with her brother. The sting of humiliation made her use the long way back to her dorm or go out of her way to avoid the frat house, even turning down party invites from her brother. Brice had graduated that year, same as Davis. Now she was confronted with him as an adult, and she wasn’t sure if her memory of him or his actions today indicated that he’d felt the same way she had back then or if she was imagining things. So much had changed for them over the years.
A sense of sadness crept up on her when she thought of all those years when she’d stopped watching the game. She and Davis used to love going to games and talking shop at the table. Now she was forced to buy a Hockey for Dummies book to reacquaint her rusty brain with the rules, positions, and plays. Some stuff came back to her; others were lost in her mind along with old cartoon shows and which boys she thought were cute and she’d die if they didn’t talk to her or acknowledge her existence. That other stuff wasn’t important. Making sure she understood hockey and all its rules was. It not only allowed her to bond with her father once more, but it would be nice to talk to Brice about something, anything, since this was the sport he loved. That and discussing the current state of hockey wouldn’t lead to sex. She remembered them watching a game during Christmas break together along with the few times she’d managed to get up the nerve to say hi whenever she’d see him with Davis off campus. He was so invested in the game he refused to get up to go to the bathroom until the commercial. Too bad DVR hadn’t been invented by then. Instead he’d had to use a VCR, check the programming over and over again, and keep the TV on the same channel when the game came on. Ah, the good old days.
He hadn’t had to explain the game to her; she’d gotten the gist of things, but it had been so cozy, just the two of them, sharing ginger ale for his still delicate stomach and popcorn.
Now he was back in her life, and it was Christmastime once again. The world must hate her to push them together like this. In college he hadn’t seemed that woman obsessed, but ever since he’d made a pro team, he’d become some sort of “Lady Killer,” as the press had dubbed him.
Ava knew all about lady killers—her ex had been one; so charming a woman couldn’t resist him. He could talk the panties off a girl within minutes of meeting her but wouldn’t stay loyal if his life depended on it. She didn’t want to think of Brice as that, but what if he really was like Perry? She wasn’t sure how to change Brice’s attitude, but she knew that he needed her if her father had to bring her in to fix his problems. Her father had trusted her to help him when he’d coached peewee hockey, so she had some experience in wrangling boys to an extent. And she’d taken care of her aunt’s café whenever her aunt had gotten ill or needed a break. She supposed that would help her.
Ava checked her watch. Practice had been over for at least fifteen minutes. Where was Brice? The arena wasn’t that far from the apartment building. Traffic wasn’t too heavy in this area, which was surrounded by shops and pubs and restaurants. She’d checked it out online. The building he lived in had spaces available starting at five thousand a pop for a two-bedroom. Upper floors cost more and had more space available. Her mother had told her Brice lived on the twelfth floor, which meant he had a three-bedroom, two-and-a-half-bath apartment that included one bedroom in a loft area, an office/study, an open-air layout, a fully stocked kitchen, and a living-room area. As a resident, he had access to all three of the pools, one Olympic-sized, the gym, spa, and steam room. He could also take advantage of the laundry, pet walking, and maid services offered.
Working-class people couldn’t afford to live here, but according to the gossip rags, Brice come from money and had inherited his personal wealth but didn’t flaunt it around, which was nice. He drove an SUV he’d had for over five years and had simple suits that didn’t exactly keep up with the latest trends. He gave a lot of time to charity and talked with the peewee teams in the area. He seemed like a down-to-earth, nice guy; his only issue was with women and partying. Hopefully she could make sure he kept it in his pants and she wouldn’t lose her heart all over again. Her father was counting on her. Hell, she was counting on herself.
Ava had looked over the team’s stats. Alexi had been right; they had a real shot at the play-offs. Two losses and one tie in the season so far. Both times they’d lost, it had been Brice’s fault, missed passes and shots and even a high amount of penalties, which led to time in the box. Somehow she had to get him to refocus his efforts. It seemed that when he went to a club, that’s where he met the women who fucked with his concentration. First rule, no clubbing. And since she hated clubs in general, she doubted he’d be able to convince her to go to one. She was twenty-nine, not eighteen. It felt silly to have hung on to her feelings for so long. She thought she’d gotten over him. All it took was one look, and she’d felt that spark again. There was more going on in her life right now—well, not right now—there were more important things.
Last night, after the meeting at her father’s office, she’d had a talk with her parents about Perry and possibly moving up to Witch Fields for good. Once she started her babysitting gig, she would need to start making plans for herself while Brice was at practice. She needed to pound the pavement and look for a job in a restaurant, bakery, or café. She wanted her own business in the food industry one day, and working from the bottom up all over again would help reinforce what she had to do. She needed a job that would allow her to play babysitter to Brice when practice was over. Ava would be able to work longer hours once the season ended. At least I have a lot to keep my mind occupied enough to resist Brice’s possible advances. But none of that could happen if he didn’t show up.
What is taking him so long?
She studied the hallway, which was painted a soothing taupe color, with live potted plants here and there and a few abstract art pieces on the walls. A floor-to-ceiling pair of windows let in light and showed off a great view of the downtown area. There were only four other apartments on the floor, which spoke of how much space had been invested in each suite of rooms. From the pictures on the Web site, a tenant could get furnished or unfurnished depending on their taste and needs. She wished she could afford to live here. Most of her budget would deal with finding a place and moving her stuff up to Witch Fields; whatever was left over would go to storage and getting anything she hadn’t been able to keep back. The creak of the stairwell door put her on alert. She turned around and looked over at the entryway, hoping it was Brice and that she wouldn’t have to stand out in the corridor for much longer. Ava felt awkward about just waiting or pacing for him.
Brice appeared with a ball cap low on his forehead, hiding his auburn hair. He had a neatly trimmed beard covering his high cheekbones. He wore a dark blue parka and well-worn jeans with a few places so thin they looked like they’d rip any day now. He had thick-soled work boots that had seen better times, with mud-splattered toes and washed-out patches on the suede. Brice carried a huge duffel bag with him.
He didn’t look up, just continued to nod his head as he walked. Ava took some time to study him. Brice moved with that smooth grace he’d always had, confident on terra firma and the ice. Broad shoulders were defined despite the slight puff of the jacket. She could see his trim waist, and the denim molded to his muscular thighs and calves. As he approached, she saw his fingernails were manicured.
He looked up, and she sucked in a breath as his green gaze met hers. A small smile formed on his lips, and she found it difficult to take in air much less not return the gesture. She tried to ignore the dampness of her palms. Her pussy fluttered as he drew closer, and her heartbeat picked up. She tried to swallow, but her mouth felt dry.
His smile grew to a grin that showed off his straight white teeth. For the first time in her life she found a beard on a man sexy. Her heart hammered against her rib cage as she thought about feeling that scruff on her inner thighs and her sex.
Ava shifted from one foot to the other as the ache between her legs increased. She licked her lips and brushed loose strands of her hair behind her ears. Ava looked down as the heat in her face increased to become a prickling fire. She felt awkward and unkempt. Even though she hadn’t dressed up to meet him, she’d kept her style casual.
