Thawing Ava (23 page)

“Were those men on the Talons suspended for their conduct?” his mother asked. “I felt they were far too rough.”

“Fines but not suspended. This isn’t football.”

“Wish it was,” Ava muttered. “Or soccer.”

Brice chuckled. “Yellow cards all around?”

“That guy started that fight with Alexi, and those weren’t love taps you were getting either,” she pointed out.

Brice’s father agreed. “Exactly. The league needs to be harsher.”

“But they won’t.” He shrugged. “It’s rougher than all those sports you both mentioned. There are things that are expected. If things get out of hand, the refs will step in.”

“Not good enough,” Ava grumbled.

“This baked chicken is delicious. Did you make it, Ava?” His mother had already finished off one drumstick and was reaching for another.

“Yes, simple ingredients. Olive oil to help crisp up the chicken. Everything else is my mother’s recipe with my twist.” Ava preened. “And no, she won’t give out the recipe. I had to steal it when she wasn’t looking.”

His mother chuckled. “Your mother was always protective of her recipes. She even started a food fight to avoid one of the judges giving away all the ingredients they thought they tasted in her key lime pie.”

Ava laughed. “She refuses to let anyone guess what she uses. The bottles in her kitchen are unlabeled so only she knows what is what. Only when I’m dead, she says. Ninja mission if you ask me.”

Everyone laughed. Brice relaxed as he watched Ava and his mother bond over cooking.

“I don’t cook much anymore. You’ll have to teach me.” The request was unsure, her voice soft and low.

Brice held back a smile.

“Sure. I’m making waffle batter tomorrow if you want to come over and help out,” Ava offered.

Brice’s heart lurched; a grin spread across his lips.

Marion beamed. “I would love that. I really would.”

The rest of the hour passed easily with an exchange of gifts from his parents to him. They even included a spa kit for Ava. Before they left, they talked about more lunches and even dinners together and hugs.

As soon as the door shut, he turned to her. “Well, it’s a start.”

“Yes, it is. Now you have half an hour before you have to go. Present please.” She held out her hand and closed her eyes.

He gave her a quick kiss on the lips before he rushed to his closet and brought out a small, gift-wrapped box. “Okay, open ’em.”

She opened her eyes and picked up the box, turning it this way and that. Thankfully she didn’t shake it. Instead she carefully undid the tape without ripping the paper, pulled back the wrapper, and took out the plain brown box. “This better be chocolate for all the trouble I’m going through,” she teased.

“Better than chocolate, I promise.” His heart pounded as he waited for her to open the top.

Once she did and pulled out the small tree, her gasp was all he needed to know he’d done good. Tears shimmered in her eyes. “Is this… Brice, you saved it?”

“I didn’t want them to throw it out, so I saved it. Helps that it was plastic and not real. Otherwise it’d be dust—”

He didn’t get a chance to finish. She rose up on her tiptoes and threw her arms around his neck while holding the tree.

“I couldn’t let go of it even though you were gone and I might never see you again. You may have been Davis’s sister, but that didn’t mean the next time I saw you you’d be single and open to me. And it didn’t help that you were avoiding me and wouldn’t let me get you alone to talk.” He took her face in his hands and used his thumbs to brush her tears away. “I love you, honey. Maybe that’s why I didn’t pursue you, because I knew even then that deep down once I had you, I wouldn’t want to let you go, and that scared me too.”

She released his neck and settled back down onto the floor. “Thank you,” she whispered. “Give me time—”

“No need to return my sentiment, honey. Just know how I feel, okay? Now, I have to go change and then leave. Otherwise I’d stay here unwrapping
my
present.” He gave her a closemouthed kiss and went to change into a suit. Despite it being a holiday they had to leave for an out-of-town game and they needed to practice. When he came out of the closet, the tree sat in the center of the mantel with a little green-and-white mini hockey stick decoration dangling from one of the arms.

He gave her another hug and a kiss. “Okay, going off, but I have to say just knowing you’ll be here when I get back is perfect.”

“So you don’t regret my being your babysitter?” she asked.

“Nope because now you’re with me. I got you back, and I’m never letting you go.”

“Well, that’s good because I’m not letting you slip through my fingers ever again. Now go kick some ass!” she ordered.

He left knowing that his life was all the better for having her back in it. He wasn’t going to screw up this second shot at love with Ava or fail his team ever again. There was too much to lose, and Brice played to win. Always.

Loose Id Titles by Selena Illyria

Thawing Ava

* * * *

The BLOOD CLAIM Series

Trapped

Prelude

Tainted

Selena Illyria

Multi-published author, part vampire, part pixie, Selena Illyria was born with a need to write and enable. Her imagination takes her into the paranormal, sci-fi and fantasy genres and all sorts of mischief. When not writing she enjoys catching up on her TBR pile, watching some of her favorite programs, and listening to her favorite music, as well as teasing people with posts on decadent food and plot bunnies.

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