Read Skating on Thin Ice: Seattle Sockeyes (Game On in Seattle Book 1) for Free Online Page A

his eyes. “It’s possible. Nothing is off the table.”
    “You aren’t just gathering information for potential owners, you’re building your resume.”
    He relaxed against the back of the booth and rubbed his stubbled chin. The man didn’t appear to own a razor, and it was sexy as hell. “Lauren, a savvy businessman is always looking over the horizon for the next challenge.”
    She didn’t bat an eye, just studied him and wished she could read his thoughts. “Lots of savvy businessmen don’t care who they step on to get what they want.”
    “I won’t lie to you. I’ve been accused of that a time or two.”
    “And in this situation?”
    “I want what’s best for the team and the potential ownership.” He stared her in the eyes, and for the first time, she knew he was being one-hundred-percent honest with her.
    “Why come across as someone who doesn’t know hockey when you’re a fan?”
    “I never said I didn’t know hockey, never said I wasn’t a fan. You made those assumptions, not me.” He almost smiled. She hated it when he smiled because it changed the hard lines of his face and sucked her deeper into this spell he’d woven around her.
    “You got me there,” she conceded.
    “I don’t have an insider’s knowledge, and that’s where you come in.”
    “Okay.” She hedged, unsure she wanted to be his insider, depending on what he did with that info.
    “Lauren, whatever happens, getting the Sleezers out of the league will be the best thing that could ever happen to this team, short of winning the Cup.”
    She couldn’t argue with that. Back when Mr. Sleezer was alive, things weren’t so bad, even though the guy was a cheap bastard, but his sons didn’t have their father’s work ethic or business savvy. None of the good free agents wanted to play for the Sleezers, unless they broke the bank on their contract offer, and the Sleezers wouldn’t do that. It’d cut into their play money. As a result, the team had to use home-grown talent and draft picks to field a decent team. Cooper Black, their star, could’ve gone elsewhere over the years, but he stayed out of loyalty to the city, the management, and the team, and in spite of the Sleezers. At least he’d been lucky enough to sign a pretty lucrative seven-year deal just before the old man died, making him a free agent after next season. The sons would’ve never paid their top player that well.
    “I need you, Lauren,” Ethan implored, and his quiet voice sent chills through her. As if to drive home his point, he reached across the table and grabbed her hand, his sky-blue eyes shining with the intensity of a man on a mission. For a moment, Lauren savored the feel of her hand in his. He ran his calloused thumb in small circles around her palm, and she suppressed a shudder. His eyes held hers and wouldn’t let her go.
    “Do you want another beer?”
    The waitress’s comment snapped Lauren from her dangerous thoughts and back to solid ground. She yanked her hand away.
    “No, we’ll take the bill.” Ethan paused and sent a questioning look Lauren’s way. “Unless you’d like another one?”
    Lauren shot to her feet. “No, no, thanks. I need to go.”
    Before he could respond, she scurried away like a scared little mouse, so unlike her. She could mix it up with the roughest, toughest male but this secretive businessman sent her spinning into the boards.
    She glanced over her shoulder. He was staring after her, scratching his chin thoughtfully.
    Lauren got the hell out of there. She’d been swept along by the sheer force of his charisma. That just would not be tolerated. Today, tomorrow, or any day in between.
    * * * *
    “What a dick.” Cooper growled, in a fucking bad mood after the playoff loss, and that asshole Williams invading their locker room as if he had a right pretty much drove Cooper into enforcer mode.
    “So? He’s a dick. We’ve worked for dicks most of our professional career. What’s changed?” Cedric, his