Playing for Hearts (35 page)

The money Dominic was paying her would make it possible to remodel and open for business. She rubbed her gloved hands along her thighs. The nice cushion in her bank account would see her through the first year when money was tight.

Distracted with going over her plans, she almost missed the group of women standing at the end of the aisle, staring at her. She flashed them a smile. Not knowing how long they were standing there, warmth flooded her cheeks. She probably looked like a ditz, staring off into space.

They took her acknowledgement as an invitation to approach her. She uncrossed her legs.

“We heard you were Dominic's girlfriend. Is that true?” The leader of the pack flipped her hair.

“Very much so.”

“How long have you been going out with him?” She flipped her straight black hair to the other side.

If the woman kept whipping her head around, she'd get dizzy. “A few months.”

“She's lying. I was with Dominic two weeks ago.” A voice from the back of the group spoke. “Let me go. I'll cut the bitch.”

Oh, shit.
She stood. If any woman was going to fight her, she wanted witnesses. She'd scream and fight, but she wanted proof of who started the altercation so she knew whom to sue.

“Tell me, what does he whisper in your ear right before he — ”

The music began. She shook her head, not hearing the rest of the question. An idiot could figure out what the woman was telling her, but she'd rather play ignorant. The women were psycho.

“He'll get tired of you.” Ms. Hairwhip pointed in her direction.

“I doubt that.” She raised her brows and peered down her nose. “Now, why don't you and your little entourage scurry back to your nosebleed section seats, and waste somebody else's time.”

She laughed at the jaws that dropped. Ignoring them, she turned to sit down when Dominic waved her over to the bench. She walked away from the women, and went down the next aisle. Their hatred heated her back, and she wondered how much of the bitchfest Dominic had witnessed.

Dominic stood on the back of a chair and hooked his arms over the fiberglass shield. “Everything okay?”

She flipped the closest seat pad down, and climbed up until she balanced on the armrest, putting him at the right height to talk to him face to face. “Just trying to earn my money by defending your honor against one of your sleazy lovers.”

“Really?” He leaned to the side and peered over her shoulder.

“I didn't get a name, but the woman you slept with two weeks ago wanted to kick my ass.” She wrinkled her nose. “Really, Dom. You need better taste in women.”

“I'm going to call my security team. This is going too far. I haven't — ” He moved to step down, but she grabbed the sleeve of his jersey.

“I'm fine, really. We need to step it up, and put these ladies — and I use that term lightly — in their place.” She stretched until she faced him nose to nose. “Kiss me, so I can save face in front of your last lover. Then go play with that little ball.”

“It's a puck.” He kissed her lightly on the lips. “Can I kiss you again?”

“Only if you win, big guy.” She jumped down and walked to her seat.

Everyone had either returned to their seats or were making their way back to their ticket holding spot. After a quick scan of the area, she saw no sign of the women who'd bothered her. She sat down.

“I'm so jealous.” Stephanie pouted.

“Don't be. You have Bradley.”

Stephanie sighed. “Yes, but I still hate you for having Dominic. I always dreamed of Bradley and Dominic making a Stephanie sandwich.”

“Shut up. I'm beginning to like you, and I wouldn't want to have to break your neck.” Diana glared, but she softened the look by scrunching up her nose. “Any thoughts of Dominic are now mine. He's off limits to you.”

Guilt flashed over Stephanie's face and told her she'd hurt the woman's feelings. Diana patted the other woman's hand. “Honey, it's time to let your fantasy go and start keeping it real. Give Bradley all the attention you can.”

The next hour and a half flew by. The Sharks won three to one in an exciting game filled with fights and penalties. Diana walked up and down the aisles in the empty arena waiting for Dominic to come out of the locker room in her attempt to stay warm. Her excess energy had nothing to do with the excitement of seeing Dominic star in the game. Nope. He had enough women to show him what a superstar he was, and she wouldn't lower herself to become one of his rabid fans. She shivered. The cold coming off the rink penetrated her coat.

A bright flash blinded her to the spot. She blinked. “Who's there?”

“Thank you, Ms. Spenner,” a male voice called in the distance.

She sank down in the closest seat. Okay, she was officially freaked out. She didn't sign up to be stalked by the press.

Dominic stood in the hallway leading out of the locker room. He waited for the last few players to head out for the night before he went and found Diana. He dug the heel of his skate into the carpet. He hated to leave her out there alone, but he wanted to take tonight to reconnect with her without everyone around.

He wasn't going to take anyone's advice anymore. If she had doubts about his sincerity, he'd show her the real him.

She'd grown distant during the day, but he saw her loosening up during the game. The times he'd caught sight of her, she'd thrown herself into the Shark spirit and participated in cheering the team on. He wanted to take advantage of her good mood, and get back on solid footing again. He was on the brink of breaking through to her. He could feel it.

Whatever had made her panic when he kissed her at the condominium was no longer there when he gave her the small peck during halftime. Whether she'd been putting on a show for the females in the stands or she'd forgotten that she'd sworn against starting a relationship with him, he had no idea.

He had to convince her they were two consenting adults. He never mentioned anything about love. Not once had he asked her to love him or made it a prerequisite to the job. Hell no, he wanted to have old-fashioned wild sex with her.

Sex and love were two different scenarios. Sex left everyone feeling good and satisfied. Love was a different sport, and not for him. To shoot for love, he'd have to believe it existed. The way women threw themselves at him, he had a feeling females were worse than males when it came to putting sex before love.

The locker room door swung open. Fresnick led the remaining players out. He lifted his chin. “Good game.”

Fresnick knuckle bumped him. “Are you coming to Julia's for a beer?”

“No. I have something else to do. I'll catch you next time.” He took their good-natured shots at his sex life with a wink and a smile, and then headed in the opposite direction.

In the bag he carried, he'd shoved a pair of skates from the front desk that he'd borrowed before the game. He wanted to spend time with Diana, and thank her for all her help. Tonight's game had gone well, and even the coach noticed he wasn't as distracted. He'd kept his head in the game, and shot two of the three points the Sharks earned. He gave her all the credit that he played a good game.

She kept the fanatics in line on and off the rink. With her by his side, he could concentrate on his playing. Everyone was happy, and now it was time to make every effort to impress. He wanted her, and he'd do anything to prove how exploring their attraction together would be good for both of them.

He stopped inside the arena and scanned the area. Diana sat midway up the stands in the home team section. He opened the swinging door and glided out on the ice, skating to the middle of the rink.

He knew the moment she lifted her gaze and spotted him. The frown smoothed and she stood, jogging down the steps toward the board.

Motioning for her to come his way, he skated ahead and opened the referee zone's door. He stepped off the rink and pointed to the seat in front of him.

“What's up?” She approached him and sat down.

He tossed his bag on the floor beside her. “I'm taking you skating.”

“On the ice?”

“That's the only place to skate.”

“Get out.” She laughed. “I can't skate. There's no way I could even stand up without falling.”

“I'll teach you.” He kneeled down and unzipped his bag. “It's easy, once you get some practice.”

“I'll fall.”

He smiled. “I'll catch you.”

“I don't have skates.” She sat down and crossed her legs. “If you want to practice more, I'll sit here and watch you.”

He pulled out a pair of white practice skates. “Problem solved. Now you can go out on the ice.”

“You're crazy.” She sighed, shaking her head. “I don't think this is a good idea. I'm not the athletic type. It'll hurt when I fall, and what if I sprain my wrist and have to go to the hospital? My medical card is at my hotel room back in Cottage Grove.”

“Then I'll pay the doctors to make you better,” he said.

“Hey, the skate fits.” She peered down at her foot. “How did you know what size I'd wear?”

“Lucky guess.” He slipped off her other boot and smiled at the toe socks with the word Sexy splattered all over her foot. “I like you the way you are … socks and all.”

He quickly laced her skates before she could come up with any more excuses. Then he stood and held out his hands. “Main thing you need to remember is to relax from your waist down. Go with the flow. If you tense, your upper body will make you lose your balance.”

“Great, I'm already doomed,” she muttered. “Living with you makes me tense.”

“Yeah?” He stepped closer, still holding her hands. “I can help relax you before we go out on the ice.”

She pushed him as her ankles careened to the side. “Whoa … ”

“I've got you.” He squeezed her hands, wishing the gloves she wore were gone and he could feel the warmth of her skin. “Baby steps. Don't stomp. Glide.”

On the ice, her legs went one way and her upper body the other. He wrapped his arms around her and held her close, taking the weight off her legs. Her heart raced against him, clear through his shirt. She gazed into his eyes, seeking the security he could give her, and in that moment, he wanted to be the man she could depend on.

“I told you. I suck.” She clutched at his shirt. “I'm not athletic … at all.”

It would've been fine with him if they stood there the rest of the night with her in his arms. “Let's try something different. I'll stand behind you and hold onto your hips.”

She inhaled and wrinkled her nose. “Just don't let me fall.”

“Trust me.” He slid into position. “I'm right here. You'll be fine.”

Even with his sweatshirt covering her to her knees, he knew what was under the bulky clothes. He spanned his hands on her hips and pulled her snug against him. She molded against him, using him for support.

“Loosen your knees,” he whispered into her ear. “Let me do all the work.”

Slow at first, he pushed her across the ice. Halfway around the rink, her hips relaxed and he picked up speed. One full lap, she turned to gaze over her shoulder at him and lost her balance.

“I've got you.” He kept going. “Have you ever roller skated?”

“Uh huh.” She placed her hands on top of his. “A long time ago and I sucked at that too, but I could at least stand on my own.”

“Ice skating uses the same movements. Push off with your right foot, glide, push with your left foot, glide. To start out, don't use your muscles. Just go through the motions, and I'll make sure you move forward.”

“Okay.” She pushed and her feet went in the opposite direction.

He lifted her by the waist, and set her back on her feet. “Again.”

Again and again, she struggled to find the rhythm. He widened his stance, giving her room to move her skates. After a while, he gave her more space, never letting go of her hips. Her shapely hips. Hips that had his fingers itching to pull her back against him. Hips that teased him every time she walked across a room. He wanted more than anything to bury his head between those hips and have her scream his name.

“I'm doing it.” The excitement in her voice snapped him out of dreaming about laying her down on the ice and tasting her.

He chuckled. “I knew you could.”

“Okay. Okay. Hold my hand.” She waved her arm out to the side. “I want to skate myself, but don't let go. Promise me.”

He skated out from behind her, and linked his fingers with her gloved hand. “You're doing it by yourself, I only helped a little.”

She glanced at him, wobbled, and he lifted her hand in the air until she got her balance back. “This is so fun. Let's go faster.”

“Why don't we go slow.” He kept her from leaning forward.

“My legs are shaking.” She laughed. “I'm so out of shape.”

“No, not my sweetcheeks.” He squeezed her hand.

“You're so lucky I'm on the ice or I'd chase you down and make you take that back.” She stared at the ice, concentrating on each step.

He skated out in front of her, skating backward, still holding her hand. “You can try. I'm right here. Come and get me.”

She lifted her gaze to his, determination etched on her face. Her tongue popped out between her lips as she tried to go faster. The sight of her lips, shiny and red, caused an ache in his body. Too tempting to think about what he was doing or what he was risking, he leaned forward without hesitation or paying attention to where he was skating and kissed her.

“What are you doing?” she sputtered. “I'm going to fall.”

“No you won't.” He slowed down, letting her catch him, and he stole another kiss.

The adorable wrinkle between her brows grew and he couldn't help but laugh. Lust filled his brain, because it wasn't her declaration for him to stop that filled him with happiness. It was the way she puckered her lips, waiting for the next kiss when he grew close.