Page 22 of Ice Contact

“What did I tell you about compliments, Olivia?”

“That you don’t give them unless you mean them.”

“Exactly. And I meanteveryword of what I said.”

I blink, my heart pounding against my chest.Like when he said his dick was hard? I mean…I’m not mad, but…what thehellis happening?

I swallow back the lump in my throat, trying to recover from all the dick thoughts bombarding my mind. “Thank you. It means a lot. And so does this jersey.”

“I’m glad you like it. Would you do me a favor, Olivia?” His deep, gruff voice has goosebumps prickling across my skin. “Will you sleep in my jersey tonight?”

Oh my fucking God.My core clenches around nothing, desperate for this man halfway across the country. I’ve only met him twice, but the way he talks to me makes me think he could ask me to rob a bank and I would do it without a second thought.Also, I could use the money.Still in a state of shock, I nod my head slowly.

“I may never take it off.”

18

hayes

We beat Denver 2-1 in OT tonight. I’m exhausted from the game, but I head down to the weight room to get a few reps in to force out the lactic acid while my muscles are warmed up. Otherwise, I’ll be sore and stiff as fuck in the morning.Well…not that I’mnotstiff every morning thinking about what my sweet little siren’s lips will feel like on my dick.

Walking into the visitor’s gym, I feel the base thumping in my chest as Russian metal music blares through the speakers.Fuck.I’ve been avoiding Vladi’s meddling self all damn day. I spin on my heel, beelining back to the cardio area, when I’m yanked back by my shirt.

“Well, well, look who it is. You’re just in time to spot me,” he says, dragging me over to the squat rack, my eyes nearly popping out of my head from the force.

Could I get away from him? Yes. But I don’t need an angry Russian chasing me through the underground tunnels of the arena.

“Why are you avoiding me, Hayes Larson?”

Double fuck. He didn’t use Larsy, which means he’s pissed. Full name means he’s inching toward blowing up entirely.Motherfucker…someone send help.

“Vladi,” I awkwardly laugh, gently yanking myself from his grip, “I am not avoiding you.”

“The fuck you’re not! I saved a seat for you on the plane yesterday, but somehowBougiesat next to me and talked my fucking ear off about his millions of social media followers. Do youknowhow much vodka you owe me to make up for that little seat switch?”

I can’t help the evil smile spreading across my face.The plan fucking worked,andit didn’t totally fuck us for the game today.I planted Bougie for him yesterday, knowing it was risking a full Vladi meltdown that would bleed into the game. “Alright! Alright,” I hold my hands up, trying to smother my smile, “I owe you vodka.”

“Alot.And top shelf. None of that shitty American crap. Motherland vodka; the water you idiots drink tastes like piss,” he grumbles, sliding more plates onto the bar. “Now, tell me about you and The Weapon?”

“I just gave her a ride home. That’s it. What’s it to you?”

“She looked upset. And you just got out of that shit-show of a relationship with C-3PO, so I wanted to make sur-”

Holding my hand up, confused as fuck, I halt him mid-sentence.

“Wait, wait, wait…C-3PO?”

“Cheating Cunt Chelsea, Pregnant and Obnoxious.” He blinks at me, settling under the bar and setting his feet. “You know this nickname, yes? We used to just call her C3, but then…well…you know.”

The dead-serious look on his face, paired with his wide-eyed disbelief that I didn’t know how my friends referred to my ex, makes me burst into laughter. “I didn’t,” I say, still chuckling, “But it’s fucking brilliant.”

He nods, stone faced as he drops into a series of punishing reps. “As I was saying, I wanted to make sure you were thinkingwith your brain, not your lonely cock. Also, I’m your fucking best friend, which means I get to know what the fuck is going on in your life. Lie to me again, asshole, and I’ll throw you through a goddamn wall.”

Damn. He’s right.

“Remember me telling you about the girl I met the first night I was in town?”

He grunts, dropping into a deep squat with controlled precision. “Yes. You haven’t stopped droning on. You talked my goddamn ear off the entire first day of training camp. I’m tempted to start wearing earplugs around you, brother. What ever happened with that situat-” Vladi stands up fully from his squat, standing strong under the bar flexing under his warmup weight as his eyes widen with realization. “Oh,fuck.You said she was a singer. It’s her, isn’t it?”

---