Page 91 of Melting the Ice

“I’m fine. Really. And I love Denver. I have fun jobs, my art business is growing, and I want to stay here. I’m even setting aside money so I can get my own place soon.” That last bit was a lie because I had no plans to leave Micah’s condo for as long as he’d have me.

And based on our conversation last night, it would be a good long while. Maybe even forever.

“That’s great. Can I see some of your stuff? I mean, you always were the best artist in the house.” He chuckled. “Yeah, I know. It’s not like that’s saying much. I’m good at stick figures at best.”

I grinned. “No kidding.”

“Seriously, I’m glad you’re doing well with your art. And that Etsy shop. It’s amazing that you’ve managed to find a job where you can do it anywhere.”

“Thanks, Ray.”

“You look happy. Almost dreamy,” Ray said with a chuckle.

“I like it here.”

“So stay. It makes it convenient for me. I get to visit my best friend and my sister in one visit.”

“Yeah, it does,” I murmured.

***

I glanced around my temporary room at Harper’s. They actually had a second bedroom, no puzzles to be seen, and it really was nice of her and Connor to let me crash in it for a few days. Harper had only said to put in earplugs so I wouldn’t cramp their style.

I chuckled. That woman was so awesome. I loved that she’d forced me to be friends with her. Or maybe I’d done that to her. However it happened, it was amazing.

I’d left Ray to get situated on the couch at Micah’s and gone back to Harper’s to get some stuff done. Harper was still at work, so I had the place to myself for a bit. I changed into my jersey with Micah’s name on the back. Since I’d had his jersey from various teams over the years because of his friendship with Ray, it wasn’t out of the norm that I would have his Stampede jersey, so I told myself that Ray wouldn’t think anything of it when we were at the game later.

Ugh. I was annoyed with all my overthinking. Annoyed with myself.

Snap the fuck out of it, Josie.

It was going to be fine. We were going to go to the game, and I was going to try to avoid drooling over Micah on the ice. Or at least keep my brother from seeing it. It would be totally fine.

Totally fine.

***

“Get that puck out,” I yelled later that night as Micah checked one of the Anaheim forwards into the boards and then tried to get possession of the puck. The glass rattled, and I could see the determination in Micah’s gaze from my seat. I loved sitting this close to the ice.

Holy freaking hell, he was so hot. My body felt like it was going to combust because I knew exactly how it felt when he turned that intensity on me. And how ramped up he was after a game.

Dammit. I was going to miss his feralness tonight. He’d texted me between warm-ups and the start of the game to tell me how hot I’d looked in the stands and that if Ray hadn’t been there, he would’ve found a way to kiss me. But instead, he’d just said hello to both of us like I didn’t know the sounds he made when he came.

I shuddered.

Stop it right the freaking hell now.

Then Tally got in the mix, and Micah managed to get the puck to his teammate.

“Go, Tally, go, boys,” someone shouted next to me, but my gaze was locked on Micah’s, and I swear he turned his fired-up eyes on me for a split second, then skated up the ice toward the center line.

I sucked in a breath and took a quick peek at my brother, but he was focused on the game. My body squirmed with barely banked need. Maybe I could sneak down to the locker room before the game ended.

“Fucking yes!” Ray yelled as the goal horn blared, and everyone got to their feet.

Crap. I’d missed the goal, dreaming about what I wanted to do to Micah.

“Sweet fucking goal, right?” Ray said to me, a bright smile on his face. “Didn’t think it was going in for a second.”

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