Thawing Ava (7 page)

She rushed off to the coatrack near the door, grabbed her coat, and shrugged it on with her head down and her focus on the floor. Her body had other ideas, like becoming tight and constricting once more. Her damn bra felt like it was smothering her breasts, and once again her panties had become soaked, just when they’d started to dry a bit.

His silence made her uneasy. She looked over at him and swallowed. Her stomach fluttered as nervous energy surged to the surface. His features were hard once again, and anger glinted in his eyes.

“What did you just say?”

“I’m not going to repeat it. Let’s just get my stuff.”

Brice filled the dishwasher and shut the door. He leaned a hip against the counter and crossed his arms. She watched as his biceps bunched up, stretching his tattoos, and his chest puffed up as well, making her very aware that he was shirtless. Her gaze trailed down his body, memorizing each ridge and dip until she zeroed in on his erection tenting his sweatpants. She swallowed at the girth and length outlined by the soft, worn cotton. Ava wanted to drop to her knees and tease him through the fabric before pulling his pants down and feasting on his thick and long shaft. She loved the idea of a blowjob, so long as it didn’t feel like a chore. Perry had always wanted blowjobs but never reciprocated. Any pleasure she could’ve gotten from the act died instantly.
Would Brice demand it or ask or maybe beg?
Her lips twitched as she thought of making him plead for her mouth on him.

She shook away those thoughts.

“Wanting to be spanked is normal. I enjoy doling a few out myself. In fact I’d like to bend you over the table and give you one right now for being so damn stubborn. I can see you trying to hide something from me, and I don’t like it. You
will
tell me what’s going on, Ava. Mark my words. Don’t think you won’t end up in my bed fucking me.” He said the last bit low and husky, a heated promise that cut through her clothes to raise goose bumps on her fevered skin.

This was all too confusing. She couldn’t ignore the deep pulse in her sex or the heat that flared over her ass at just the thought of his hands on her. She tried to hold back the tears of relief at being understood, at finally being accepted for who she was and what she wanted. Brice hadn’t sneered at her or looked at her in disgust. How could she stay away and keep herself safe, do her job, and get the hell out when he said things like that? This was turning into something she couldn’t even begin to define.

There was hurt and pain there, but also desire and need. Brice said all the right things; did he mean them? It seemed like he did. He confused her, distracted her, made her forget who she was and why she was there. She squeezed her eyes shut, pinched the skin of her inner wrist, and allowed the pain to distract her. Could she truly trust a man whose gossip column moniker was “Lady Killer?”

“Not going to talk about this. Get dressed, and um, do something with that thing. It’s an eyesore,” she mumbled and turned away from temptation.

Brice chuckled. “Eyesore? Not with the way you were looking at him,” he purred.

She glanced back at him. Her gaze tracked his fingers as he traced them down the center of his chest, bisected his abdomen, rimmed his navel, then stopped at his waistband. He hooked both his thumbs into the edge and yanked it down. She let out a high-pitched squeak and shut her eyes, but not before she caught sight of his cock: ruddy, thick, precum shining over the wide cap. Her pussy fluttered, and her knees went weak. “Goddamn it, Brice!” she grumbled. Why did he have to test her?

“Not God, honey, but you’ll find that out soon enough. By the way, sometimes I like to walk around naked, so get used to seeing me like this. Although, how can you keep me out of trouble if you can’t even look at me?” Brice’s voice was so close she sucked in a breath and stumbled back into the wall. She hadn’t even heard him move.

She could feel his body heat even through the thick padding of her jacket. She could feel the temperature around her spike. His breath fanned her face; she could smell the spices from the sauce and the tomatoes and pasta. “And don’t think I’ve forgotten about that spanking. You need one, honey, badly. Naughty minx, tormenting me with your lush curves and sexiness. Perry might not have known what he had, but I do. Don’t think you can hide from me. I’ll destroy every ounce of ice and all the walls you try to erect. I may have been stupid in college, letting you go, but now I’m grown up, and I know what I want.”

She sucked in air as he ran his hands over her hips, gripped her curves, and pulled her close. He rocked his pelvis against hers, and she cursed the barrier her jacket and jeans created. She could feel the slide of his thick shaft between the cleft of her ass even through the denim.

Ava let out a shuddering breath when his lips brushed over her pulse point. He nipped and sucked the skin with harsh tugs that would definitely leave a bruise. “You are mine now, and I’m not letting you go, not even after the season is over. We have
a lot
to catch up on, and I plan on taking my time. I’m going to rub another one out now. You wanna watch? Come into the bathroom. I’ll leave the shower door open.”

He pulled away. Without his support, she slid down the wall, whimpers fell from her lips, fever burned through her veins, and her body shook with restraint. Her pussy throbbed, demanding release. Her clit pulsed for attention. I’m so fucked right now, Ava thought. She wasn’t sure what was up or down or wrong or right. Her world had gone askew, and she couldn’t keep up the pretense of not wanting him.

How can I keep myself from getting hurt when all I want to do is be burned by the desire he’s offering me?

* * * *

Brice knew he’d lost his mind. He’d pressed and pushed, and now she might decide not to stay, but he had to tell her what she was getting into when living with him, even if it would be for a short time. If she came into the bathroom, he knew he’d won; if she didn’t, he’d have to try harder. Just hearing about her asshat of an ex pissed him off. He wanted to show Ava what she’d been missing. That all men weren’t like that;
he
wasn’t like that. Then she’d blurted out about the spanking. He had no idea where the hell that came from, but he was more than happy to indulge her kinks if that’s what she wanted.

His cock jerked at the thought of seeing his handprint on her ass or thin stripes from a crop. He wanted to know if she was into using toys, even do some BDSM-like scenes with him. Would she like blindfolds? Her hands bound over her head and legs tied to the footboard? He hoped so. There had never been the right lover who’d willingly wanted to try out something beyond vanilla with him. A bit of slap and tickle, fine, but not too hard, nothing that would leave a mark. Brice knew love bites and hickeys would show, but he didn’t care too much. A bit of guilt poked at his conscience. Her father would probably have a fit if he saw it and think Brice was taking advantage. Brice hoped James would be understanding once he explained. The blatant hunger in her dark brown eyes had set his soul alight. But the distance she tried to establish only showed him that he had his work cut out for him. He’d been a coward back then, too young and stupid to recognize what she meant.

As he turned on the shower for the second time, he didn’t bother to shut the door or close the cubicle. Even if she didn’t come to him, that was fine; he’d just have to work harder to get her to give in to her desires. Brice had nothing to be ashamed of when it came to his attraction to her.

He stepped into the stall and let the warm water cascade down his body. He kept his ears open for Ava’s footsteps. Instead, he heard the loud bell of the phone. Ava’s voice was muted from the water hitting the tiles. Rather than indulge once again in some one-handed relief, he cleaned up, dried off, and padded into his bedroom naked. Let her see what she’s missing.

“Okay, I’ll tell him. Talk to you later, Alexi,” she said before she hung up the phone.

Brice whipped his head around to look at her.
Alexi? What the fuck did he want? He better not be checking up on me
. Brice didn’t put it past Alexi to make a play for Ava given the way he’d looked at her in her father’s office. Ava was exactly what Alexi liked in a woman: curvy, sexy, and intelligent.

Ava came into the bedroom as he pulled on his boxers. “That was Alexi. Todd’s shin is acting up, so he’s going to have to miss the game until the doctor gives him the go-ahead. Must be really bad to have to sit out. You guys normally play even if you’re being held together by spit and a prayer.”

Brice’s lips quivered as he tried to hold back a smile; instead, he looked away as he yanked up his jeans and buttoned his fly. His cock was semihard and easier to deal with, for now. He pulled on a sweatshirt and grabbed some socks and his sneakers. “Yeah, well, Todd’s been going on like that for weeks with no break. He’s being forced to sit it out. Something’s broken, that’s for sure,” he muttered.

“Brice?” she asked, voice soft, seducing him to look up.

“Yeah?” He studied her face. A question hung in her eyes.

“Be careful, okay? I know hockey is a rough sport, but don’t be careless. Wouldn’t want that pretty face to get messed up.” She turned on her heel and left him.

All he could do was stare as her lush behind swayed away from him in an enticing roll of her hips. His heart stuttered at her concern. Not even his parents had asked that of him. He smiled and decided to reassure her. “Don’t worry about me, honey.”

There was hope. He just had to make her admit her attraction and desire for him. Brice knew he’d enjoy every minute of it. Tonight he’d give her a reprieve before the fun started. There was still the team to think of and a way to convince her father to let him pursue Ava. Brice knew he was risking a lot, but she was worth it. No matter how long it took, he would make the loss of time during college up to her. She would be his.

Chapter Five

Ava trudged through the door of Brice’s apartment. It was day two of living with him, and so far she’d gotten a combined three hours of sleep. The damn man was trying to kill her with his nightly masturbation sessions, ones that were neither quiet nor PG-13. She knew he was making sure she heard every filthy, dirty utterance until he came. There were moments when he begged her to come down and give him some relief. Her pussy was not thanking her for her resistance either. The damn traitorous area kept throbbing, and her clit pulsed. Her nipples felt like they were in a permanent state of being able to cut glass.

But there was no way she could acknowledge her attraction to him.

As soon as Brice put his things away, she decided it was time for a talk. “Brice, can I talk to you?”

He took off his cap and sauntered over to where she stood in the kitchen area, all predatory grace and easy confidence with a cat-that-ate-the-canary grin. “What’s up, sweetheart?” he asked as he placed his forearms on the counter and leaned toward her, his head only a few inches away from her chest. If he could just lean over, her inner minx murmured. Ava ignored her.

“I’m here to keep you out of trouble. You are aware of that, right?” She knew he knew that was part of the job.

Brice nodded and said, “Yes, and so far you’re doing a really good job of it.”

“Getting me into your bed isn’t part of the deal. You have trouble with women. I’m a woman.” She watched him nod. The smile didn’t slip off his face, much to her annoyance.

“There’s nothing that’s part of the deal that says I can’t make a play for you. Unlike most men, I can multitask, and you’re living under the same roof with me. How am I supposed to resist your lush curves and sexy smile? Hmm?” He tilted his head and gazed into her eyes. A question hung in the green depths. One she didn’t want to answer.

“I’m under contract to my father, Brice. I’m your companion, babysitter. Not your bed partner. It wouldn’t be”—she struggled to find the word—“appropriate for me to give in to your advances. Did it ever occur to you that you could be a rebound? Or that I’d think I was a pity fuck to you?” There, she’d said it. Maybe he’d pause to think about her words.

“First, you’re not a pity fuck, and second, rebound or no, I don’t care. I want you. End of story,” he said. His tone brokered no argument.

She shook her head. “No, it’s not. I just got out of a bad relationship. How would it help the team if I slept with you? Just because you didn’t find me in a club or at a bar or pub doesn’t mean I can’t distract you, and I refuse to let your game suffer because you can’t keep it in your pants. That’s part of the problem.” She pointed at him.

He leaned forward and nipped her fingertip.

Ava pulled the digit away from his face and ignored the gentle throbbing and heat that flowed up her arm.

“It may not help the team, but it would help me with my focus. I appreciate how much you want me and the team to succeed, but what I do or don’t do is on my head, sweetheart. I’m a grown man. If I can’t handle pursuing you and playing hockey, I shouldn’t be allowed on the ice or near you.” He straightened. “Now are we going to go furniture shopping, or should we start on some tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches for dinner? You’re exhausted, and it’s getting colder out there. A little comfort food would go a long way. We can even watch a movie if you’re up for it.”

She sighed. She didn’t seem to be getting through to him. At least she’d had her say, and she did appreciate the offer to make dinner two nights in a row. Her exhaustion was his fault, but he was willing to take care of her. Somewhere in her heart a part—a small part—of her melted.

“Come on. Let’s go find you some couches and a sofa. Do you want to try the store on 8th and Halliwell?” She grabbed the keys to his SUV and headed for the door.

“Sure. The window display looked good. If all else fails, we could always go to mainstream furniture stores.” He followed behind her. She could feel his gaze on her ass but didn’t say a word. Ava was just too tired for it.

“When we get back, you pick out a movie and I’ll handle cooking. We can eat in front of the TV.” He locked the door, and they headed to the elevator.