Chapter 8 #2
His voice was deep, husky, and very strong. Much like the arms that had somehow managed to scoop me up even before my body hit. I’d always wanted to be held by a huge man just moments before an incredible display of passion, but this was ridiculous.
I could tell I’d opened my mouth to object, but nothing came out but a single, undignified moan.
Blinking, it took me a few seconds to focus, but when I did, I was blown away by the eyes staring back at me.
Eyes the color of the polar ice caps, tinged in a perfect cerulean blue with irises flecked in violet and silver.
The color wasn’t natural, nor was it anything I’d ever seen before. They were beautiful, stunning to the point I couldn’t utter a word.
“Are you okay? I didn’t hurt you, did I? I didn’t get too close. Right?” When I didn’t answer, he took long strides, holding me against the heat of his body. Wait a minute. He wasn’t just warm from the thick parka. He was on fire. Wow. I was burning up alive.
Not only did he have perhaps the most gorgeous eyes of any man I’d ever seen, everything else about his handsome face floored me.
With long, dark eyelashes framing his high cheekbones, an aristocratic nose, and strong, square jaw with just a hint of stubble, I was blown away by how insanely good looking he was.
“Um. I’m fine. You can let me down. I was just… winded.” I should be furious with the man. I should at least be annoyed. Why was I enjoying being in his arms when I should insist he put me down?
“I’m really sorry. That was stupid.” His words were said in an ‘oh-shucks’ manner, but I had the distinct feeling he was continuing to play with me. “But you’re a great skater.”
“Okay. You can let me down.” Even before he made it off the ice, I managed to wiggle, scrambling from his arms. While he didn’t try to stop me, I could sense he was ready to catch me once again if I fell.
“Like I said, I’m fine. Just a little lightheaded.
I appreciate the compliment.” If he believed the oh-shucks routine would garner him some brownie points, he was sorely mistaken.
That’s the moment a light popped on over my head, bright enough a plane could land. Oh, my God. It wasn’t possible. Karma couldn’t hate me that much. Could she? “No. No. No…”
“What?” His eyes opened wide and while it had taken him a few seconds longer, I witnessed the very moment recognition hit him.
Whereas I was shocked and incensed that I’d had to put up with his bullshit twice in one day, he was already grinning, having the time of his life.
“You,” I hissed. “You flower killer!”
“Me? A killer? You were the one who tried to maim me with a water hose.”
“Oh, please. It was apparent you needed to be cooled down. A little too rough for you?” I smashed my hands on my hips, offering my infamous venomous look that used to get me in so much trouble at school.
He appeared amused. The bastard. “And you were eager and thrilled someone was… heating you up.” When he dared take a step closer, I fought with myself to keep from jumping.
I backed away from him and while I would normally feel uneasy around a stranger, an influx of electricity gave me a nauseating feeling.
Which was entirely ridiculous.
Plus, I was tingling all over. Not cool by a longshot.
“Are you following me? Stalking me?”
His entire face filled with amusement. “Obviously I work here. I could ask you the same question. Not that I would mind having a beautiful stalker, but still…”
The ire in his eyes and the twist of his soft lips was even more annoying than him being the murderer of my flowers.
What annoyed me the most was how my body was responding to him.
My eyes seemed locked on his mouth, the swell of hunger unnatural as could be.
Yet my pussy was wet, my lacy thong damp and my pulse racing.
“I belong here.” My God, by the sound of my voice, I might as well have stamped my skate on the ice.
When he took a deep whiff, I shuddered inwardly. If the bastard said a single word about my horrible condition, I would knock him out cold.
The bastard kept his smile, his eyes now twinkling as if knowing the uncomfortable condition I was in. Oh, I wanted to slap him hard. Maybe I would.
“Oh, yeah?” he asked while scanning the perimeter. “Says who? For all I know, you broke in and are stealing time on the ice. Maybe I should contact the police.”
The man had managed to crawl so far under my skin he was peeking out through my mouth. I was so angry, spots formed in front of my eyes and for the first time, my comeback wasn’t quick enough.
Which allowed him time to head toward the maintenance offices. Which then prompted me to yank him backward. He careened into me, forced to grip my arms.
And when he did, another shot of electricity tore through every muscle.
He obviously noticed it too, his eyes opening wide. “A little con artist.”
“Not true. Maybe you’re the con artist, casing my neighborhood.”
His laugh was more of a snort. “Yeah, well, not much of a neighborhood to case for jewels or anything.”
Was he making fun of me? “I’ll have you know I have plenty of cool stuff to steal. Plenty.”
My words continued to amuse him, his face lighting up. He was far more handsome than I’d thought before, in a rough and tumble way. He was one big guy with a goofy smile and the most engaging eyes I’d ever seen.
But I wasn’t going to be fooled by the man. Nope.
“That was shitty of me. Your house is pretty.”
“Uh-huh. So why were you there killing plants?”
“You are never going to let me live that down. Are you?”
I thought about his question and answered honestly. “No. Why were you in my quaint neighborhood other than to irritate me?”
He almost took the bait and I could feel inner turmoil deep within. When he answered, the strange moment of seriousness surprised me. “Looking for a place to live. The house next to you is for rent.”
“Great. So I might have an offensive Zamboni dancing menace and flower killer as my next-door neighbor?”
The sweep of sadness that had appeared on his face surprised me. Something or someone had hurt him. Now, why did I care? It wasn’t like we were going to be friends.
“Nah. I’ll find another place, so you don’t need to worry about running into me after whatever heist you pull off.” His goofiness returned, but the haunted look in his eyes remained.
The last thing I wanted to do was tell him the little deal I’d made with arena management since I worked here as well.
“Don’t look so terrified, flower worshiper. Your secret is safe with me. I doubt you’re going to steal anything.”
“Very funny. Do you actually work here?” My question was more of a demand. Why was I so attracted to him? There was no rhyme or reason, but I touched my lips again, which felt as if still swollen after the rough kiss.
The bastard was paying close attention to what I was doing. Of course he was. After another smirk, he took a deep breath, half choking when he expelled it. “Yeah, I do.”
“Oh. Well, maybe I’ll stop coming here.”
“Very funny.” We stood a foot from each other, the strange awkwardness unexpected.
“You’re not sick, are you? You almost fainted.”
It was my turn to laugh. “No, I’m not sick. You don’t need to worry that I’ve given you some horrible disease.”
“Well, good.”
The deepness of his voice wasn’t contrived. Neither was his smile.
Then he opened his mouth again and all bets were off as to my ability to ignore him. “Let’s grab a drink.”
“Why would I want to do that?”
He took his time, moving closer, his entire demeanor changing as the arrogance returned. “Because you want me.”
“I want you.” In repeating the words, I found even more amusement than when bantering on my soggy lawn. “And what exactly do I want?”
My mystery flower murderer took a took few seconds glancing from one side of the ice to the other as if ensuring we were alone before opening his mouth and inserting not only his foot but his entire leg.
“My cock thrust deep inside your tight little pussy.”
Now, me being a sweet, unassuming girl who was quick to apologize and even quicker to forgive, he’d managed to cross my last nerve and shred my patience all at the same time.
So I did what any red-blooded American girl would do when faced with a pontificating, arrogant, rude flower killer.
I slapped him hard across the face.