Read Melting Ice for Free Online Page B

Except for Black, they seemed sincere and willing to let him start over.
    Today was a new day for Isaac Wolfe. The puck was at his end of the ice; now he had to do what needed to be done or be benched permanently.
    For the second time in twenty-four hours, a ray of hope lit up the darkness inside Isaac, and he actually smiled, not his usual sneer, but a real smile.
     
    * * * *
     
    After spending a good part of the day at the Sockeye facility, he stopped at a local bar for a hamburger and toyed with picking up a woman or two.
    Isaac was restless, full of pent-up energy he’d tried to work off on the ice, only he’d failed miserably at removing the edge. Tomorrow would be his first game with his new team, and his first time in the locker room with these guys. He couldn’t screw this up. Despite the fact that he didn’t care much for socializing with his teammates in or out of the locker room, he’d make an attempt, which wasn’t easy for a loner like him.
    He sent a couple drinks over to a table occupied by two hot females dressed to attract a man. He knew the type. He also knew he could have them with a snap of his fingers. They were already watching him and giggling. Giggling really annoyed him. Usually he could get past it, but not tonight for some reason. In fact, his dick shriveled like he’d just gone swimming in Puget Sound. Even the thought of a little two-on-one action didn’t wake up his slumbering libido.
    The ladies waved at him and winked, expecting him to make the next move and join them, but he just sat there. Pretty soon, they’d be inviting themselves to his table, forcing him to make conversation he didn’t want to make. Playing nice didn’t work for him. Never had. Jenny had understood that. She could be just as snarky and volatile as he was.
    One of the women had long blond hair, but not nearly as gorgeous as Avery’s streaked locks. He found himself smiling just thinking of her, and the women assumed he was smiling at them.
    Shit. He’d better get out of here soon unless he wanted to finish what he’d so stupidly started.
    With a frustrated sigh, he threw some money on the table, walked toward the women who watched him expectantly, nodded, and slid past them, and straight out the door.
    Meanwhile his dick followed his imagination down the road he’d taken a few minutes earlier when he’d been thinking of Avery’s hair. He’d loved to see her hair cascading over her shoulders and tickling her taut, rosy nipples. Or even better feel it brush across his chest as she rode him into sweet oblivion.
    He swallowed hard, while his groin tightened with anticipation.
    She wanted him. He wanted her. Their chemistry had been explosive, so why put off the inevitable? Going after a woman he wanted had never been an issue before. Yet, he held back. Avery attracted him in ways he instinctively knew could be dangerous to the brittle walls he’d built around his fragile heart.
    He shook his head, irritated at himself for reading more into his fascination with the horse lady than was really there. Sure, he couldn’t get her out of his mind, but he’d never met a woman who made her living with horses. That distinctive fact probably piqued his interest and had nothing to do with her having any special powers over him.
    Getting in his car, he drove home, but memories of Avery’s soft lips on his and her brilliant blue eyes haunted him to the point where he almost drove off the road twice. Women never did that to him.
    It was already dark when he pulled into the driveway and drove past the barn. The place was dark except for a few outside lights. Other than a beat-up pickup parked in front, it appeared to be deserted. The upstairs window to what he assumed had to be the apartment was dark, too.
    He slowed, tempted to find out if Avery happened to be around, even though it was more than obvious she wasn’t. At the last minute, he talked himself out of it and drove on home. He let Hal out and waited while he