Page 6 of Ice Contact

If I’m being honest, I don’t want her to.

6

olivia

I’m full-on bear hugging a man I just met in a bar. And, I might add, a very tall, handsome, and muscular man with a killer smile and big, soulful eyes. I don’t know what possessed me to wrap my arms around him. Maybe it was the cider beer. Maybe it’s the fact my boyfriend ditched me for a stupid video game. Maybe it’s because Hayes just said words I’ve desperately needed to hear for years but never had voiced. Regardless of the reason, I’m holding onto him so tightly I don’t want to let go. But a wave of guilt washes over me and I loosen my grip, pulling back from him slightly.

He wraps his warm arms around me and pulls me even tighter into our embrace. One of his hands slowly rubs my back, soothing the pain and loneliness that’s been my reality for so long. His other hand gently rests on the back of my head, holding my broken pieces together.

Hayes pulls back and gazes into my eyes with a deep longing, inviting something I feel deep in my soul. His hand cups my cheek as I lean into his touch, my eyes searching his as the sound of rain surrounds us. Hayes slowly leans closer, his lips inches from mine. Heat burns in my core making me have thoughts and desires I should not be having since I have a boyfrie-

“BOOM”

Hayes and I jump back from one another, my cheek cold from losing his heat. I look over to see Johnny walking away from the dumpster. I swear I see the slightest smirk on his face as he quickly looks away and heads back into the bar.

“I should get going,” I sheepishly say nervously digging in my purse for my keys.What the hell am I doing?

“Olivia, I’m sorry if I overstepped. That’s not like me,” he says, his face crumpling with remorse.

“You didn’t overstep at all. I got caught up in your stellar equipment hauling skills and all your talk about talent,” I mumble under my breath. “I’d better get going. It was so nice to meet you, Hayes, and thanks again for helping me with my gear.” I open my car door, but I turn back to look at him, my heart not wanting the moment to end, but my head knowing it’s the right thing to do. “Seriously, thank you for tonight. Welcome to Milwaukee.”

7

hayes

Welcome to Milwaukee indeed. If this is the welcoming committee, I’m going to look for sponsorship deals with the Milwaukee Tourism Board, becausedamn.

But…fuck.She has a boyfriend. On the other hand,shewas the one who put her arms around me and pulled me in close enough I could feel the pounding of her heart. Those soft lips, capable of singing the most beautiful songs, wereso closeto mine. God, I wanted to kiss her.Fuck her shitty-ass boyfriend.

And now I’m home in my apartment. Alone. No internet. No TV. Just my imagination. I am definitely not going to lie here in my empty apartment imagining those lips on other places of my body. I shift on my bed, lacing my fingers behind my head. Nope. I’m a respectful gentleman. Staring at the ceiling, I hear the low rumble of the fridge, filling the void Olivia left. My jeans feel tight as I relive the night over and over. I need more alcohol.

And a cold shower.

I strip off my clothes, my phone slipping from my pocket, hitting the floor with a loud thud. Holy shit…I could Google her! Find her on social media maybe? Snapping my phone off the floor in an instant, I hop back on my bed to do some detective work.Shit.We did not exchange last names.Damnit.Maybeshe’s on the bar’s social media page? A quick search for Walt’s on Water only brings up a few check-ins and one bad review claiming they had the world’s worst mozzarella sticks and should be ashamed to serve them in the dairy state, but no actual social media page.Remind me to stick to the cheese curds. Turns out Walt’s is in the technology dark ages. And no mentions of Olivia. I drop my phone on my stomach.

Fuck.

Maybe I’ll go back to the bar tomorrow and see if that bartender, Johnny, will give me the scoop. I think I saw him smiling when he caught us outside. Or maybe it was an evil smile. He does work for Walt, who apparently knows Olivia’s boyfriend somehow. Then again, he seemed like he wasn’t a fan of Banks. Or Bart. Or whatever the fuck that guy’s dumbass name is.

I throw my arm over my eyes, fisting my sheets with my other hand. I can let this go. I’m not here to find a relationship. I just got out of a really shitty one. I’m here to work hard and play hockey, building a new life for myself in a new city. I’m a professional. We hit the ice every day, putting our personal lives aside and focusing on the task at hand.Speaking of hands…they were so petite and silky. The thought of what I want her doing with those hands has me hard as a rock.

Fuck cold showers.

Palming my dick, imagining her hands instead of mine, I dream of her soft lips parting to take me in one inch at a time. Wishing her fingers were digging into my ass to pull me further into her mouth. Wanting her to look up at me with those fathomless eyes while she licks and sucks my thickness. I move my hand slowly at first, then faster and faster, longing to have Olivia here, in my bed, lying beside me. On top of me. Beneath me. Every muscle in my body tenses as a warm feeling overtakes my abdomen. Fantasizing about my cum exploding across hertits and her tongue sends me over the edge. Screaming her name, I find my release longing for more of her.

“Fuck. I am totally screwed.”

8

olivia

Three Weeks Later

Tonight is the home opener for the Milwaukee Steel Riders. Every game is exciting, but the firstrealgame of the season is my favorite. The offseason feels dreadfully long for a fan, making the simple act of being in the arena with fresh ice exhilarating. It’s like showing up for the first day of school with your new sneakers and backpack ready for a new start but being nervous to make a good impression. Except this ‘class’ just happens to be filled with twenty-thousand fans who will rip you to shreds on social media if you don’t meet their standards.

No pressure.

Much like the players, I have a whole pre-game routine to help calm my nerves. While I get ready at home, I listen to my hockey playlist and fix my hair and makeup. I drink a cup of tea specifically brewed to prep my vocal cords, then I get dressed, putting on my prized possession, what I like to call my ‘work uniform’. I cherish my personalized Riders jersey—the vibrant blend of blue, teal, and white, adorned with the team's striking motorcycle emblem on the front, and the name 'BROOKS' stitched across the back—fills me with pride.

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