TRAPPED UNDER ICE (ROCKING ROMANCE COLLECTION)

by M. J. Schiller

  He escorted Beth to the first door, opening it on a large bedroom with a king-sized bed, which was recessed into the wall a bit and on a raised platform. The lighting and the décor screamed classy. He set her suitcase on a luggage stand and it was immediately dwarfed by the massive room. She took a few steps tentatively forward.

  “The bathroom is over here.” He crossed to the far corner of the room and reached in to switch on a light. She walked slowly in his direction and peered in without venturing further. On the right, a small waterfall poured from the wall into an enormous sunken tub. Thick towels hung from rings, and flowering plants were nestled in alcoves around the tub. The rest of the room was as spacious as Cassie’s bedroom at home.

  Beth felt Chad looking at her, and she lifted her head to find his eyes locked on her with a burning strength that almost took her breath away. She stepped back, reaching around to grab the doorframe to steady herself. He inhaled shallowly, licking his lips but remaining silent. She was intensely aware that this was the first time that the two of them had been alone together since she left his bed in St. Louis. She glanced away, feeling awkward.

  “I’ll let you get unpacked or freshen up or whatever, and wait for you outside,” he said, and was gone before she could comment.

  Beth stood frozen in the doorway for several seconds, thinking about the look on his face. Finally, she forced herself to move, crossing slowly to the bed. She stepped up on the platform and ran a hand along the russet and chocolate colored silky comforter. Spinning, she sat down as if testing the mattress, bouncing a few times with her hands on the edge. She fell back, staring at the ceiling. What was she doing here? She didn’t belong in a place like this, with someone like him. She closed her eyes, concentrating on just breathing in and out. After a time, she slowly turned her head to the side and opened her eyes, almost imagining him there beside her. So strong was the feeling, she reached out, again passing her hand over the place where he belonged, warming the surface with his heat. She squeezed her eyes shut. This was going to be so hard.

  ***

  Chad crossed to the couch and plopped down. His hands slid up his face as he bent over, the fingers threading into his hair, palms on his temples. What the hell was he doing? All morning he had been second-guessing himself, nervous to the extreme, tapping on stuff constantly like he was the drummer instead of Keith. His insides felt tighter than they had before his first big stadium concert. Why had he invited her there, a woman he barely knew? And better yet, why had she agreed to come? He had pretty much convinced himself that it was a mistake when her car pulled in.

  When his eyes first landed on her as she got out of the car, his heart had literally leapt in his chest. A shot of pure joy unlike any he had felt before spurted through him. It was like that burst of adrenaline that had filled him at that same first big concert about halfway through his first set, when he realized that this was where he belonged, this was what he was made for.

  He slid down, laying his head on the back of the couch and staring at the ceiling, hands falling to his sides. In her bedroom, he had been filled with a need for her so consuming he had to leave or he would have peeled her clothes off there and then. He didn’t even need to make love to her, just feel her beside him, her skin against his, so comforting. He laughed. This was just beyond him.

  Hearing her door open, he sprang up to a seated position, deciding at the last minute to stretch his arms along the back of the couch in what he hoped looked like a relaxed position.

  He turned, trying to keep his voice calm and even. “Hey! You all settled in?”

  “Pretty much.” She came around the couch, but hung back, her hands behind her. She looked as uncomfortable as he felt.

  He patted the seat beside him. “Come here.” He wanted to comfort her about as much as he wanted her comfort. She strolled over and sat down. He turned toward her a little. He gestured with his head. “The girls are playing ping-pong in the game room.”

  “Game room?” She turned and noticed for the first time a recessed bar to the left of the door they had entered through. To the right of that was a carpeted stairway leading down. From the opening a distinct sound rose. A ping-pong ball was being paddled and bouncing across a table rhythmically.

  “Uh-huh. There’s a ping-pong table, a pool table, darts, and a hot tub. They wanted to go into the hot tub, but I said they’d have to ask you. I thought you might want to catch something to eat first.”

  She smiled, seeming to loosen up a fraction. “I am starved!”

  He put his palms on his knees and got ready to stand. “Let’s eat then.”

  She put a hand on his arm to stop him from rising.

  “Why did you switch hotels?

  He wasn’t ready for this. “Huh?”

  “Why did you switch hotels? When you first called we were staying at a low-budget place. Why did you switch?”

  He wasn’t about to tell her the real reason. “This place is a little…quieter. Not as many people in and out. I didn’t want to be interrupted by fans. I wanted you all to myself.” He reached over to play with her hair. It was true. He hadn’t wanted a lot of commotion with fans. Their time together was short; he wanted to make the most of it. But that wasn’t the only reason.

  “Okay,” she said slowly. She brought her eyes up to his and the mesmerizing green-blue had his head spinning. “I just want to be sure that you weren’t trying to impress me or something, because that is so not necessary.”

  “Impress you? Not really,” he answered honestly, letting the back of his hand trail down the side of her face. “I did want to spoil you a little.”

  Her lips slid into a smile. “I’m good with that.”

  He chuckled and sat up straighter. “Speaking of which, I wasn’t sure what you’d want to do today, so…” He pulled a handful of different sized tickets out of his shirt pocket, fanning them out in his hand. “I’ve got tickets to a show, to a museum, and to the Blackhawks’ game, just in case you wanted to hang around after the anthem.”

  She studied his face. He tried to keep it neutral and not give away which would be his choice. She plucked the Blackhawks tickets out of his hand. “I love hockey!”

  His eyebrows rose. “Really?” He couldn’t hide his pleasure.

  “Yes! My dad used to always take me to the Blues games when I was little. We’d park across the highway and cross over a pedestrian walkway that spanned it. It was terrifying with all of those cars whizzing by underneath, but my dad would hold my hand, and I would feel safe.” Her face grew softer with the memory. “He used to answer my questions so patiently, about off-sides and high-sticking…” She laughed. “Actually, I remember once—I must have had a lot of questions that night, because my dad handed me a legal pad—why he had a legal pad with him, I don’t know. Probably to collect stats, he was a statistician—and he told me to write down all of my questions and he’d answer them during breaks in play.”

  Chad smiled, leaning forward to take her hand. “That’s a nice story.”

  “Did your dad ever take you to hockey games?”

  “Our house was pretty much a hockey game every night,” he said, a bitter taste in his mouth.

  “What do you mean by that?”

  He looked up, shifting his weight. How did that slip out? “Nothing. It’s just, growing up so close to Canada, hockey was just what you did.” He hoped she would let it drop. Standing, he reached for her hands and pulled her to her feet. “Now, how ‘bout we get some of that food?”

  “Sounds good.”

  Dodged a bullet. He turned from her and exhaled, crossing to the stairs. He stuck his head down a little and hollered, “Hey, girls! Ready for some grub?”

  There was a general hubbub followed by pounding of feet on the stairs.

  “I’d say they’re ready,” he joked.

  CHAPTER TEN

  They headed out, but as he was locking the door behind them, Chad heard a voice calling his name. He turned, inwardly cringing a little, as he
was expecting a fan. A Latino man with a blue bandana wrapped around his head stood behind him, his arm around a girl in a maid’s uniform.

  “Manny! Manny Juarez! What the hell are you doing here, man?” Chad swallowed the short, squat man up in a hug.

  “Hey! I didn’t know if you’d recognize me.”

  Chad kept an arm around the shorter man’s shoulders. “Not recognize an ugly mug like that? Of course, I recognize you. You haven’t changed a bit.”

  “Heh, heh! But you have. Big man on campus.”

  “I always was the big man on campus,” he boasted.

  Manny turned to address Beth. “Don’t let him fool you. He was so scrawny when we were growing up that we worried that the breeze would sweep him into a bad neighborhood.”

  “Who are you kidding? There weren’t any neighborhoods worse than ours.”

  Manny slapped his arm, chuckling until he started to cough. “No kidding! You got that right!” He stood back a little as if to appraise Chad. “You’ve put a little meat on now, though.” He jabbed Chad in the ribs, then turned to the woman beside him, who had been smiling and nodding throughout their conversation. “You remember my cousin, Rosy?”

  “This is Rosalita? Little Rosalita?” Chad remembered her as perpetually thirteen. He was pretty sure she had a crush on him back then. She continued to nod and smile. He looked at Manny. “Still doesn’t speak any English?”

  Manny shrugged. “Not much.”

  “Uhh…bonito volver…a veros, Rosalita.” He looked at Manny.

  “Not bad. Little rusty, are you?”

  He ignored the remark.

  “Tambien!” she responded, still nodding her head like a bobble doll.

  Chad turned to Manny. “So you never answered my question. What are you doing here? Down for a visit?”

  “Nah, man. I live here now. Lost my job at the supermercado. Old man Sanders, he got all crabby after you left. Made us clock in and out for lunch. I think he was just looking for an excuse to fire me. Couldn’t afford to pay me no more. So, I live here with Rosy. She’s alone, too, so, you know, why pay two rents? I got a job as a night janitor at a school. St. Alvarez.”

  “What about your mom? She move down, too?”

  “Nah, man. My mom died three years ago.” Manny shook his head, shuffling his feet. “That emphysema is some nasty shit.”

  Chad clamped a hand on his shoulder. “Oh, sorry to hear that, Manny.” He turned them a little and drew closer, pulling out his wallet. “Listen, why don’t you let me help you.”

  “Nah, man. I don’t need it!”

  “Come on, now. I owe you. Remember that time you helped me haul my equipment in the rain? Those amplifiers were heavy, weren’t they?”

  “Damn straight, they were heavy!” Manny laughed.

  “Well, I never paid you for that.” Chad began peeling off bills.

  “Are you sure?

  “Yeah, I’m sure.” Chad continued to lay bills in his hands.

  “Nah, man. This is too much!”

  “It’s interest, Manny. I owe you interest on that.”

  “Well…okay. You’re sure?”

  “I’m sure. And hey, what are you doing later? I’ve got some extra tickets to the hockey game.”

  Manny’s eyes brightened. “Oh yeah?”

  “I’ll leave them at the front desk for you. Game’s at two. Need a ride?”

  “Nah, man. I’m good.”

  “Still drivin’ that old beater Buick?”

  Manny laughed. “Nah. I got a new beater Buick now.”

  Chad laughed along with him. “Well, I’ve got to take these ladies to lunch.”

  “Ahh, the lunch is good here!” Manny assured them.

  “Good. ‘Cause I’m starved!” Beth asserted.

  “Nice seeing you again, Manny.”

  “Yeah. You too, Chad. I’ll see you later. At the game.”

  “Good. Adios, Rosalita.”

  “Si, adios.”

  Chad put his hand on the small of Beth’s back so that he could lead her to the restaurant. “Sorry about that.”

  Beth looked up with a smile. “Don’t be. He seemed like a nice man.”

  “Who, Manny? Manny’s the best. I haven’t seen him in…forever. I should have introduced you. I was just so surprised to see him.” They continued walking for a few minutes in silence, Jessica and Cassie whispering to each other about something as they followed behind.

  After a bit, Beth spoke up. “You’re quiet.”

  “Hmmm. Oh, sorry. I was just thinking about Mrs. Juarez. She was a nice woman. Used to make these one Mexican cookies with chocolate in the middle. Mannn, were those good!” He chuckled. “I guess I must be hungry, too.” But after a second or two, he continued. “She used to call me ‘skinny chico blanco.’ ‘Come here, skinny chico blanco,’ she’d say.”

  “She called you a skinny, white chick?”

  He swatted her. “No! Chico is boy. Skinny, white boy.”

  “Oh!” She laughed. “Sorry, I took French.”

  God, she was beautiful like that, when she smiled, so carefree. “Ooh, la la!”

  She laughed again and squeezed his hand.

  And he was supposed to behave himself. This was going to be hard.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  It turned out that the lunch at the St. Ives was far better than even Manny had espoused. When the homemade chips with your sandwich are to die for, you know you’ve had a good lunch, Beth mused. Now, they were on their way to the stadium for the hockey game. The group, too big for even a taxi van, had split up. Chad insisted that she leave her car and not have to worry about finding the arena. They sat in the far back together, Cassie and Jessica in the seat in front of them, and Pete in front with the driver.

  She glanced at Chad, who seemed to be listening to the girls’ conversation with an amused smile on his lips. He took his arm from around her shoulder and sat forward, leaning on the chair in front of them.

  “So, Cas, how long have you two known one another?”

  The girls looked at each other. “Forever,” Cassie supplied.

  “Since second grade,” Jessica corrected. “I started at St. Dominic’s in second grade, and Cassie came up to me on the first day of school and asked if I wanted to be her friend.”

  “How sweet!”

  Cassie gave him a hard stare, although it looked like she was trying not to smile. “Are you teasing me?”

  “No, no. Well, yes. But now that I think about it, it is kind of nice. I wish someone had been like that when I was growing up.”

  “Oh, like you weren’t Mr. Popular,” Cassie needled.

  “I wasn’t. Me and Davey—you know David, the quiet one in the band?” When Cas nodded, he continued. “We were kind of left out of everything.”

  “You were? Why?” This time Cassie seemed genuinely concerned.

  Chad shrugged. “I don’t know. We were closer than most brothers. I think they thought that was weird or something. And our parents passed away when we were young, which was also unusual—”

  Cassie interrupted. “How old were you?” Both girls turned to listen now.

  “I was thirteen. Davey, eleven.”

  “I was thirteen when my dad died, too.”

  “Yeah. That’s rough. I’m sorry, Cas.”

  Beth noticed Jessica squeezing Cassie’s arm to comfort her and her heart tightened, but she remained silent.

  “What about you, Jessica?” Chad asked. “Tell me about yourself.”

  “Oh, man.” Jessica glanced at her friend, looking nervous. “Sounds like an interview question.” Cassie nodded to encourage her. “My parents are both alive. And married. To each other. That’s kind of unusual these days.”

  “No kidding!” Chad sat back, stretching his arm around behind Beth’s neck again. “What does your dad do?”

  “He’s an attorney at Illinois Insurance”

  “Corporate attorney, cool. Must be a smart guy.”

  “He is. My mo
m’s a lawyer, too.”

  “Wow! Brain trust. Brothers or sisters?”

  “Just one. Zack. He’s eleven. He’s okay, I guess.”

  “They get along pretty well,” Cassie agreed. “Except when Zack listens in on her phone conversations.”

  “Yeah, I know. Did I tell you about the other night when he…”

  Chad relaxed back into his seat and Beth tuned out the rest of the conversation. He whispered in her ear, “Good kids.” The warmth of his breath on her neck was inviting. She tried to distract herself from thinking about that by looking out the window.

  “The snow has slowed down,” she commented. “Maybe we won’t get as much as they say.”

  “I don’t know. I don’t think I’d mind being snowed in with you,” he answered with a sexy smile.

  Recognizing something outside the window, Chad sat up and called out to Pete, who directed the cabbie to a service entrance to the United Center. Once inside, they were hustled to a luxury box and then Chad was whisked away. He looked back apologetically as he was led through the door. Before long his voice was ringing out through the P.A. system. Though the national anthem would seem to be far from his regular thing, he did an outstanding job and Beth was impressed. When he returned, they cuddled together in the seats at the front of the booth. Within the first five minutes of the game, a fight broke out. The three Bloomington women sprang to their feet, appalled and thrilled in equal measure.

  “And here I thought you abhorred violence,” Chad teased.

  “I do!” Beth insisted. “Just not at a hockey game.”

  He laughed. “Okay, I’m trying to work that one out…”

  Soon after, Manny and Rosy arrived. Chad excused himself and got up to talk to them for a moment. Beth watched him throw back his head and laugh a couple of times when Manny said something. She enjoyed the opportunity to just watch him, apart from her. When he returned, he apologized.

  “I’m sorry. I just haven’t seen Manny in so long.”

  “That’s okay,” Beth began.