Chapter 5 #2
“Did I ever.” Chelsea felt almost like she slipped into another world as she thought back to those early days.
“For as long as I can remember, I’ve been on the ice almost daily.
Even after my ‘retirement’, I continued to skate and teach in my spare time.
It wasn’t easy once I was raising my siblings, but it turned out fine. ”
Money had been tight, and Chelsea had worked two jobs.
She had also traded a few hours of her time each week, helping the owners of the ice rink in exchange for free ice time.
When her sisters were old enough, they had taken on cleaning houses together for an income, which had helped their little family tremendously.
Grady tore off another chunk of bread. “Tell me how you came to be a champion.”
She tipped her head, thinking back to those days.
“Coach Markus, my trainer, knew one of the best figure skating coaches in the world, Vlad Ivanov. As a favor to my trainer, Coach Ivanov came to watch me skate in a local competition for my age group. I was thirteen. After I was off the ice, he took me aside and told me he’d like to train me for world competition with the Olympics in mind for the future.
He said it would be a lot of work, and I would have to move away from my home in Appleton and go to Colorado Springs if I were to train with him. ”
“Did that scare you?” Grady bit into the bread and chewed.
“A little.” Chelsea smiled. “Let’s just say I was lucky to have that opportunity and so very happy it happened.”
“Opportunities don’t just happen.” He studied her intently. “You made the opportunity by all the work you did by practicing over and over.”
She considered what he had to say. “That’s true. Coach Ivanov never would have made the trip from Colorado Springs if my first coach hadn’t seen what I could do, and that came from practice.”
“Exactly.” Grady smiled. “What competitions have you been in and won?”
“Pretty much every level you can participate in, I won at one time or another.” Chelsea wasn’t bragging, and she knew he understood that. She stated facts from her past. “There was a time I was almost unbeatable.”
“The Olympics?” Grady asked. “I’m pretty sure I would have recognized you.”
“My grandmother passed away from a heart attack six months before the start of the upcoming Olympic Games. I had no choice but to come back and raise my siblings. I am the only surviving relative, and they would have been put into foster homes.”
“How old were you?” he asked.
“Not much older than eighteen.” She felt almost defiant as she added, “I would never let them be put into the foster care system.”
Time to talk about something else. Besides, she wanted to know more about him.
“Tell me about you and that enormous Irish family you grew up in,” she said just as the Caprese arrived.
Chelsea’s voice was so beautiful, her face so expressive, Grady could have listened to her for hours, but he recognized her need to move the focus from herself. He released her hand as the server placed the caprese between them.
He nodded to the plate and waited for her to serve herself. God, she was stunning with her beautiful eyes and long eyelashes. The blue dress was the perfect color for her, and her long blonde hair fell in a silky wave to her shoulders. A pair of diamond earrings sparkled at her ears.
Her sweet personality blew him away. Everything about her was so clearly genuine.
Grady couldn’t remember her question for a moment, then responded when he did. “Growing up in my family was one adventure after another.”
She watched him with an intense, interested expression. “You said you have ten children in your family, including you. Six sisters and three brothers?”
“Exactly.” He dished some of the appetizer onto his plate. “Twelve of us make for one hell of a holiday. Then you add in all the spouses, nephews, and nieces, and it becomes a zoo.”
Chelsea laughed. “I’m picturing a madhouse.”
“A madhouse would be tame in comparison—at least there, the inmates are locked up.” Grady held back a laugh as Chelsea clapped her hand over her mouth as if trying to block a flood of giggles.
He used his fork to cut into the fresh mozzarella, tomato slices, and fresh basil.
He took a bite, then chewed, swallowed, and chased it down with iced tea.
“There’s no such thing as a quiet moment with the exception of the five hours when everyone is finally asleep at the same time. ”
She smiled. “Sounds crazy.”
“Yep.” He nodded. “Our family reunions are nuts and usually last three days.”
“Did you play hockey with your family?” she asked.
“Are you kidding?” Grady ate another bite and finished before continuing. “Hockey is in the Donovan DNA. Our family hockey history goes back to the late 1800s.”
“I’m not surprised.” Chelsea looked impressed. “You’re good at it.”
“I do okay.” He shrugged. “Had to hold my own in our family.”
“You are far too modest.” She gripped her fork as she looked at him and smiled. “Own that skill.”
Grady flashed a grin. “If you insist.”
“I insist.” She cut into her caprese. “Tell me about your background in the sport.”
“If you put it that way.” He winked. “I played junior leagues in Seattle from the time I was four years old and continued on up through high school. I played for Washington State University and had a promising career ahead until a career-ending injury. At that time, it was the end of the world.”
Chelsea looked at him with understanding in her gaze for what it had meant to lose what had meant so much to him. “When you’re ripped away from something you love and want to do for the rest of your life, it’s not easy to take.”
“It sure isn’t.” He shrugged. “I switched to Option B.”
She tipped her head to the side. “Was Option B becoming a firefighter?”
“Yep.” He nodded. “Thankfully, I had the best doctors, and they fixed me up so well that the injuries didn’t ruin my chances of being a firefighter. I wanted to do that or play hockey from a young age. Life chose for me.”
They paused for a moment as the server arrived with the main course and set the plates on the table. She gave a little bow of her head, asked them if they needed anything else, then left when they responded in the negative.
Chelsea continued their conversation. “Were you already taking classes toward a career in fire science?”
“Just the basics,” he said. “I transferred to a college that specialized in fire science, went through the academy, and eventually ended up where I’d wanted to be as a kid.”
She enjoyed a bite of gnocchi before asking, “You were a firefighter in Seattle?”
“Fourteen years.” He set his fork down. “Then I moved to Arizona and rented a house in Phoenix. I wanted the slower life, though. I checked out King Creek and moved here a few months ago, when I was hired on to the fire department.”
With a grin, she said, “And you have a Dalmatian named Spot from your sister, Jackie.”
His lips twitched. “Yes, a firefighter’s best friend. He’s good company, too.”
She took a drink of water and set her glass down. “What made you move from Seattle to Arizona?”
He shrugged. “Needed a change of pace.”
By the time they finished dinner, they had covered a wide range of topics. Chelsea shared stories of family fiascos as she raised her brothers and sisters, and Grady talked about his own colorful childhood.
“I haven’t had this much fun since I left behind my crazy family.” He laughed. “Never a dull moment back home. Here, it’s sure quiet in comparison.”
She dabbed at her mouth with a napkin before lowering it to her lap. “This has been the most enjoyable evening I can remember having in a long while.”
“Good.” Something heated his chest, warming his heart. “You need to enjoy yourself as often as possible.”
“You’re right.” She glanced up as the server arrived, and Grady followed her gaze.
“Dessert?” The server rattled off a number of decadent treats.
“A cannoli or tiramisu.” Grady glanced at Chelsea. “No Italian dinner is complete without one of those treats.”
“How about sharing tiramisu?” She smiled. “It’s my favorite.”
“That’s what we’ll have.” Grady nodded to the server. “One tiramisu to share, and I’d like coffee, decaf.” Chelsea ordered decaf, too.
The server departed, and Grady turned back to Chelsea. “I have a league game tomorrow night. Think you can make it?”
“I’ll be there a couple of hours before the game starts, coaching one of my most brilliant students.” She tucked stray hair behind her ear as she added with a teasing smile, “I can hang around.”
“Good.” He studied her. “I like the thought of you being in the crowd, cheering us on.”
Within fifteen minutes, the server returned with their dessert order. Chelsea and Grady ate it slowly. She seemed to want to draw out their evening as much as he did.
After they finished dessert and coffee, Chelsea looked around them. “We’re the last ones here.”
Grady put his hand over hers, enjoying the warmth of her skin. “That’s because I’ve enjoyed your company so much that I haven’t wanted to step foot out of this place.”
“Same here.” She turned her hand so that it was palm up against his. “I’ve had a wonderful time. I hate to see it end.”
He gave her a mischievous look. “It hasn’t ended yet.”
Her response wasn’t so much teasing as it was almost sultry. “It sure hasn’t.”
He gripped her hand before removing cash from his wallet and putting it in the check presenter. He stood and helped Chelsea scoot her chair back, took her hand, and assisted her to her feet. He helped her into her dressy coat before they exited the restaurant.
Grady touched the small of her back as they walked toward his SUV. A shiver ran through him when he put his fingers against her, and he wished her coat wasn’t between them.
He helped her into his vehicle, then went around to the driver’s side. After he climbed in and glanced at her, she looked almost shy.
“It’s getting late.” Her voice was soft.
“Don’t worry.” He reached out and traced his finger along her jaw. “I’ll get you home, safe and sound.”
“I know you will,” she whispered.
He wanted to kiss her and kiss her. Make both their minds spin. It was too awkward with the console between them, so he slid his fingers to her lips and felt the softness before he let his knuckles slide down her neck to her shoulder. He smiled and then put his hand back on the wheel.
Grady’s simple touch burned her through, and she wanted to be so close to him that he heated her from head to toe.
The minutes it took to drive from the restaurant to her house seemed to go by so slowly, yet too fast. She wanted Grady, and she knew he wanted her. But it was too soon to let it go beyond dinner.
Or did it matter?
Their light conversation seemed almost stilted compared to how easily they had conversed in the restaurant. When they arrived at her house, she waited for him to come around the vehicle and help her out.
He took her hand and linked his fingers with hers as they strolled up the pathway to her porch, colorful holiday lights glittering on the eaves. The lights from her Christmas tree glowed through the opaque curtain in her living room.
Her heart thumped as they walked to her front door. Her hand shook a little as she dug her keys out of her purse.
The moment she had the keys in her hand, he took them from her and slid them into his jacket pocket. Before she could say anything, he cupped her face in his hands and lowered his lips slowly toward hers.
Her mouth grew dry. She wanted him to hurry and kiss her, but realized he was giving her every opportunity to tell him no.
That wasn’t going to happen.
He kissed her, so very soft, so wonderfully sweet.
She slid her palms up his shoulders and wrapped her arms around his neck as he tugged at her lower lip with his teeth.
She gasped at the erotic sensation, and he took the opportunity to draw her tongue into his mouth.
He sucked on it, somehow bringing her closer and closer to him, melding them together, mind, body, and soul.
She barely had a moment to breathe when he drew away before he kissed her again. A little whimper escaped her, followed by a moan of sheer pleasure. He moved his hands beneath her coat and rested his palms on her hips.
He brought her closer to him, pressing his hips to hers, and she felt the solid muscle against her. She gasped, giving him another opportunity to kiss her even deeper.
She was so very lost in the kiss. She didn’t know if she was strong enough to say no to him if he wanted to come in, or if he wanted more of her. In this moment, she would have given him anything he wanted…because she wanted it all too.
Yet his hands didn’t stray. They remained on her hips, warm and possessive. All he did was bring her impossibly closer to him, until they might have been one.
Her mind was reeling as he pulled away from her.
She tried to catch her breath as he stepped back.
He never took his gaze from hers as he dug in his jacket pocket and brought out her keys.
She only had her house, car, and mailbox keys on her keyring, and he picked out the one for her home with no problem.
The pounding of her heart couldn’t have been any harder. She waited, still feeling his kiss on her moist lips as he unlocked the door and opened it. He held the door open and waited for her to step inside.
She stood inside the door, waiting for him to come in, too. He didn’t. He held out the keys, and she let them drop into her palm. To her surprise, he stayed on the porch, studying her with his intense gaze.
Was he waiting for her invitation? “Would you like to come in?” She couldn’t believe how shy she sounded.
He shook his head. “Don’t tempt me, Chelsea. I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
A smile came from nowhere. He wasn’t pressuring her—he wasn’t trying to get her to do something she might not be ready for. She moved closer to him and leaned over the threshold. “You’re a good man, Grady Donovan.”
“That’s what you say now.” He put his forehead against hers. “Just wait ‘til the next time I get a hold of you.”
The way he said it gave her shivers.
“Oh, really?” She surprised herself at how flirtatious she was acting. “Can’t wait.”
“I’ll see you tomorrow at the rink, and we’ll set another date.” He kissed her one more time before separating himself from her. He turned and walked down the sidewalk to his SUV.
She waited for a long moment until he was in his vehicle before closing her front door and locking it.
Her breathing came slow and easy, but her stomach flip-flopped. She had just had the most wonderful night with one of the sexiest men on earth. And he wanted to see her again.
With a grin, she danced her way to her bedroom. It wasn’t going to be easy to get to sleep tonight.