Melting The Ice

by Amy Leigh Napier

  “Are you serious? He files a totally baseless lawsuit to try and gain a share of money that is in no way, shape or form his and all you have to say is I should share with my brother because he doesn’t have much?” She asked, her voice rising dangerously, expression stunned. “Why am I even surprised?” she muttered to herself.

  “Ever since Macy dumped him…”

  “You mean after he’d screwed around with her friend repeatedly and gotten caught?” Ava’s sarcastic voice interrupted her father.

  “Ava!” her father barked at her in disapproval. “Watch your language!” Allison had once again dropped her gaze as if she wouldn’t be involved in the scene if she couldn’t see them. Ava’s chair went flying backward as she came violently to her feet, enraged.

  “Don’t you dare come to my house defending Joey to me! He cheated on his wife with her friend and when he refused to stop, he got kicked out on his ass like he deserved. He doesn’t take care of his kids and never has and he was not in any kind of relationship with Macy when we bought that damned ticket! You always defend him, no matter what, don’t you, Dad?” She bit out angrily. “You keep right on defending him but he’s not getting a penny from me ever.” Her father came indignantly to his feet, assisting his shocked speechless wife to her feet. Cian was mesmerized by the family drama he was witnessing. He and his brothers argued amongst themselves but never in a million years had he been involved in anything like this with his parents. Clayton Secord, Sr. would have cold cocked one of his sons for talking to him in the manner Ava was speaking to her father. Although, in her defense, his father would never have supported any of his sons acting in the manner her younger brother had acted towards Macy and the kids. Not taking care of your kids was as low as you could go in the elder Secord’s book. He also couldn’t imagine any of his brothers trying to take money from him or each other to which they had no right.

  “I know when I’m not welcome.” Ben Talbot stated in a stiff tone, his eyes full of accusation. Ava was vibrating with rage.

  “Not when you come to my home and defend what your son is trying to do.” She stated with finality, not giving an inch. Without another word, Ben ushered his wife through the side gate and disappeared from view, the sound of their car starting a few moments later signaling their departure. Ava appeared as if frozen for a moment, a look of disbelief on her features. Her haunted gaze met what Cian could only imagine was his own incredulous expression. Her face crumpled and her body seemed to sag in on itself. A sob escaped her throat and covering her mouth with her hand, she ran into the house, the sound of her crying following in her wake. He considered going after her but figured she could use some time to regroup and besides, he had little experience with comforting crying women. He finished his dessert and the rest of his beer before gathering up the dishes to take in the house. He put them in the massive stainless steel dishwasher in Ava’s kitchen and after studying the LCD screen for a few minutes, figured out how to start the wash cycle. He grabbed another beer and headed back outdoors to watch the sunset from his lounger.

  One thing he had discovered on this trip was that West Virginia was a beautiful state. It might not be the most economically sound or have the most sophisticated residents but the scenery was breathtaking. Ava’s house was high on the very crest of a hill, with a valley separating it from Macy’s stone mansion on an adjoining hill and their friend Lena’s Greek revival mansion topping another one in a triangular formation. The area around them was wooded but nothing interfered with his view of the rich, vibrant colors of the sunset. The scene with Ava’s father and stepmother had bothered him more than he cared to admit. His main attraction to Ava was physical; she was a beautiful woman with a hot body and a real wildcat in the sack. But he also liked her. Over the last month, he’d gotten to know her a little and found her to be a kind, generous person. She was a private person and distrustful of most people; she was always looking for ulterior motives. He knew having the kind of money that built this gated compound and put several million dollars’ worth of automobiles in garages made for a heavy burden. After witnessing her father trying to justify Ava’s own brother suing them for money on which he had no claim whatsoever, he felt a little more understanding of her need for space. If that scene had been indicative of their relationship; and he would guarantee it did considering how quickly tempers had flared; it was no wonder she was so closed off. Not that he had any intention of giving her any space, but he understood why she felt she needed it. He wasn’t going to do anything to hurt her. He just wanted to hang out with her and have lots of hot, sweaty sex with her for the duration of his visit and part friends. He was contemplating going after another beer when he heard the door from the house open. His head turned to watch her step out carrying two Coronas. Her eyes were a little puffy from crying but she still looked good to him. She met his gaze with an oddly vulnerable stare of her own before handing him one of the beers. “Thanks,” he grinned to lighten the mood. “You must have read my mind.” She turned a wry smile on him.

  “Yeah that one took a lot of brain power.” He chuckled at her sarcastic response. She fell silent, her blue eyes looking away for a moment before meeting his gaze. She looked uncomfortable and faintly embarrassed. “I’m sorry you had to see that.” She said quietly, her voice brittle and polite. He snorted with disgust.

  “Hell, I’m sorry you had to see that.” He took a long drink of his beer, sucking a drop off his bottom lip. She looked up in surprise as he continued to regard her steadily. “Has your father always upheld your brother or is this something new?” She laughed without mirth and shook her head.

  “No, it’s nothing new. You would think I would be used to it by now, huh?” She said sorrowfully. “But I’m not.” They fell into a long silence, both of them sipping at their beers, gazing up at the sky. Finally, she turned and gave him a smile. “Thank you for not thinking I’m crazy.” He let out a bark of laughter. Surprising them both, he reached out and firmly but gently pulled her over onto his lap, settling her against his chest and wrapping his arms around her.

  “Who said I don’t think you’re crazy?” he teased. She’d been holding herself stiffly but relaxed at his teasing words and giggled. “I just think you’re right.” She didn’t respond for a long time; just lay against him, her face in the crook of his neck. He had one arm around her back, his hand resting on her hip and his other hand lightly caressing her thigh where her legs lay across his. “I can’t imagine your mom acting like that.” He had met Lora Talbot on several occasions since he’d arrived in West Virginia and they had immediately taken to each other. He felt her shaking her head against his neck.

  “No; never.” She sighed deeply. “Mom always expected us to behave the way we’d been raised. Dad expected the same of me, but not Joey. No matter what Joey did; it was okay. It didn’t matter who he hurt or responsibilities he just let slide, he never could do any wrong in Dad’s eyes.” Cian didn’t know what to do or say so he said nothing. She didn’t seem to expect him to contribute to the conversation because she went on as if she were talking to herself. “When we were growing up, I was always the good girl. I made good grades, was popular and stayed out of trouble. Did I mention my father used to be a minister?”

  “No, you didn’t.” He didn’t want to say too much because he was afraid she would clam up if he drew too much attention to his presence. This unexpected insight into her life was oddly fascinating.

  “Well he was.” She gave a mirthless laugh. “Then he fell for his best friend’s wife who also happened to be my mother’s best friend. As you can imagine, the church frowned on that kind of thing. I won’t bore you with all the details but I stopped being such a good girl.” She paused for a thoughtful moment. “That was over twenty years ago and I don’t think anything I’ve done since has made him happy…well except for paying him and Allison out of debt; that pleased him.” She grinned when Cian let out a quick burst of laughter, giving her a firm squeeze. “Thankfully, it doesn’t bothe
r me like it used to.” He weighed his words carefully before saying anything.

  “I would have hated to have seen when it bothered you.” He said softly, dropping a kiss on top of her head, shocking himself. Since when did he offer comfort and affectionate pecks to any woman? He shifted her closer to his body, liking the way she felt against him. Her breath was warm against his neck and sent a thrill straight to his groin. He didn’t think she would be interested in sex right now and suggesting it would not reflect on him very favorably under the circumstances, so he kept his hands where they were. He thought his lust-filled brain was imagining things when he felt her lips moving against the skin of his throat. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly, trying to get his lust under control and heard her giggle before her mouth opened against his throat, her tongue teasing. He felt himself growing hard enough to pound nails. She wriggled her bottom against him and worked her mouth up his throat to his ear, circling her tongue around the shell. His hands tightened convulsively on her hip and thigh when she nipped his lobe. Realizing he had tilted his head to the side to give her better access and closed his eyes, he struggled to do the right thing. “Ava…” his voice sounded low and rough. “You don’t have to do this.” She pushed herself upright, turning to straddle his thighs and loop her arms around his neck. She gave him a knowing smile and leaned forward to rub her lips against his. She kissed him softly for a few moments before he put a hand behind her neck and pulled her to him, his tongue entering her mouth to entwine with hers in a hot, wet kiss. She moaned into his mouth, grinding her pelvis against his, exciting them both more. His misgivings vanished when she reached between them to unfasten his shorts and slid her hand inside to stroke his hard length. His last coherent thought was he was willing to be her sounding board anytime, anywhere.

  Chapter Nineteen

  If he had thought their little poolside bonding session after her father’s visit was going to make Ava more amenable to him, he must have been out of his mind, Cian thought to himself the next evening, taking a long pull from his beer. After the episode by the pool, he had behaved very uncharacteristically when he swung her up into his arms and carried her to bed where they had went at it until they had collapsed in each other’s arms several hours later. It had been a weird experience all the way around. The sex had been just as hot as always with Ava. The things they had done to each other would have made a lesser man blush but there had been something different last night. The last time they had made love…he didn’t even like thinking that term but “sex” or “fucking” just didn’t seem to fit…had been so different from anything in his past sexual experiences. He couldn’t remember ever offering comfort to a crying woman other than his mother but he had comforted Ava. He had never swept a woman up in his arms like Rhett Butler in Gone with the Wind and carried her off to bed but he had Ava. There wasn’t much he hadn’t done sexually but he couldn’t recall a time before her when he had felt so connected not only physically, but emotionally, as well. He had lingered over her body, kissing and stroking her tenderly until he had slipped inside her body, their gazes locked through every thrust of his body into hers. They had continued to look into each other’s eyes, neither seeming able to break the contact even when the orgasms poured through their bodies. Dropping one last kiss on her red, swollen lips, he had rolled to her side and pulled her tightly to his body. She had snuggled against him and both of them had fallen into exhausted slumber.

  He had awakened that morning to sunlight streaming through the windows and no sign of Ava. Thinking she had probably already gone downstairs for some breakfast or was out for a swim, he’d taken his time taking a long, hot shower and getting dressed for his morning workout on the ice. He’d gone in search of Ava to let her know he was going out for a little while but had only found the housekeeping crew. They hadn’t known where she was; just that she had taken off in her little sports car after telling them she would be gone for a few hours. He’d sent her a text message and went about his morning routine, his head full of thoughts from the night before as he’d raced up and down the ice. He’d been content that his and Ava’s issues were resolved and he wouldn’t have to coerce her into sex anymore. After the previous night, he felt closer to her than he’d ever felt to another woman. He was anxious to see her so he’d rushed through his workout before heading home.

  He’d arrived to find her out by the pool in a tiny bikini with some guy named Scott, laughing and talking. She’d barely even glanced in Cian’s direction when she had introduced him as a friend of Jameson’s that was visiting. Scott had greeted him jovially, informing Cian he had known Ava most of her life since they had attended school together since kindergarten. It had been all he could do to keep his temper in check when she’d continued to treat him like some vague acquaintance but gushed all over Scott. More than anything, he wanted to jump up and yell at her she hadn’t been so stiff the night before when he had bent her over the bed and drove into her body until she had screamed with her orgasm but managed to refrain. He’d set down and talked with the other man, much to her consternation, learning Scott was the contractor that had built her and her friends’ homes. Scott laughingly told him about the rehab he was doing on “the Barracks” thanks to the water damage suffered after a weekend party thrown by Lena’s son, Jack. They still didn’t know what had happened but Jack had sent a check to cover the repairs.

  She had kept quiet, barely acknowledging his presence, until his anger had gotten the better of him. He’d known he was going to cause a huge scene if he didn’t get away so he had stalked off to the home gym to try and burn off some of his anger. It hadn’t worked. She had continued to avoid him for the better part of the day until she had breezed by him that evening saying she was meeting Scott and some friends and would see him later. He’d seen red. He didn’t need this shit. There were lots of women out there that would love to be with him whether they knew he was a hockey player or not and he wouldn’t have to cajole or coerce any of them. He’d gotten dressed and drove into town to the same bar where he had picked up Ava that first night, figuring a little hair of the dog that bit him might be just what the doctor ordered.

  He’d sat down at the bar and ordered a beer, only getting a couple of sips in before a curvy little blonde had taken the stool beside him and started coming on to him like a freight train. She introduced herself as Sabrina and flirted with him outrageously. She told him she was a student at the local university, was twenty-one years old and didn’t have a boyfriend. He’d flirted back and bought her a drink. His ego had taken a beating at Ava’s hands but Sabrina’s open admiration had him feeling more his old self. A couple of hours and several drinks later, he found himself on the dance floor with Sabrina who was rubbing her rear against his groin to the beat of the music. He was buzzed and feeling good, his earlier anger at Ava completely gone when a group of people at the front entrance caught his attention and he was right back where he had been when he arrived.

  Ava was hanging onto the arm of Scott the contractor as she and several other men and women that seemed to be with them headed for the bar. He didn’t like the way he was feeling at all. He’d never been a jealous person and he couldn’t imagine he was jealous over Ava but he was furious with her and strangely hurt. The song came to an end while he’d been visually tracking the group at the bar. Sabrina had him by the hand and was pulling him directly towards where Ava was setting before he realized what was going on and came to a sudden halt. Sabrina turned around to smile up at him. “I’m thirsty.” She said by way of explanation before continuing towards the bar, oblivious to his seething emotions. She bellied up to the bar beside Ava and placed their order, throwing a smile at him over her shoulder. Ava was listening to something Scott was saying. Her gaze skimmed over Cian and away before jerking back to him, her eyes widening in shock. He gave her a cool smile.

  “Ava.” He said, nodding his head at her in acknowledgement. Her eyes went from him to Sabrina who had turned to hand him his beer and back to
him, her look slightly disbelieving.

  “Ms. Talbot!” Sabrina squealed beside him. He watched in amazement as Sabrina hurried forward to hug a stunned Ava. “It’s so good to see you. How’s Jameson?”

  “Uh…Jameson’s fine.” Ava stammered, visibly unnerved. “How have you been, Sabrina?” He smirked when she turned a fake smile on Sabrina.

  “Oh, just going to Marshall and working. Is Jameson still at LSU?” Sabrina asked in an animated voice, practically bouncing she was so excited.

  “Yes he’s still there.” Ava responded, her eyes sliding back to him. Sabrina noticed Ava looking at him and turned to make introductions.

  “Where are my manners? Ms. Talbot, this is Ci…”

  “Ava and I are well acquainted.” He emphasized the last two words for Ava’s benefit earning him a glare from her. Sabrina didn’t seem to be picking up on the tension between them.

  “Yes we are. Cian is actually a friend of Jameson’s visiting for the summer.” Ava stated in a disgruntled voice.

  “Oh my God!” Sabrina exclaimed. “How cool is that? I used to date Jameson in high school.” She said by way of explanation to Cian. The bartender slid their drinks across the bar. He pulled his wallet from his hip pocket and paid for the drinks while Sabrina continued chatting with a very uncomfortable appearing Ava. She glanced away from Sabrina, her gaze meeting his penetrating stare, her own eyes hard and slightly accusing. He shrugged, unconcerned with her anger towards him. She had no right to be pissed at him for hanging out with Sabrina when she had given him the brush off repeatedly, gone out with other guys and treated him like some little sex toy she could stick in her bedside drawer when she was done with it.