Page 1 of Fire and Ice
1
“I think I’ll burn down my house.”
“What?” Kyra Connor jerked her head up, her hands frozen over her ice skate in mid-tie as she stared at Chelsea.
Chelsea Dunn barely noticed her friend as she nodded toward a hockey goal at the end of the indoor ice rink in the middle of downtown Phoenix, Arizona. They sat close enough to see a gorgeous, dark-haired man in protective gear, holding his helmet beneath his arm as he talked with the goalie. He strapped on his helmet, skated away, then exploded into movement toward the goal and slapped the puck past the goalie.
Chelsea sighed. Just watching the man made her heart flutter. “Men in uniform are so hot.”
Music blared from the speakers as several people skated around the rink, which was separated from the hockey players by a movable barrier.
“He looks familiar.” Kyra tapped her finger on her lips. “Where have I seen him before?”
“Bette in concessions told me his name is Grady Donovan, and he’s a firefighter.” Chelsea put one elbow on her knee and rested her chin in her palm as she stared at the man who certainly set her on fire. “Work, play—he has both going for him when it comes to a man in uniform.”
Kyra nodded. “Double whammy.”
Watching him did funny things to Chelsea’s midsection, as if a pair of champion skaters performed triple axels in her belly. “According to Bette, he moved to King Creek not too long ago from Seattle—the odds that this man lives in our small town are crazy. Maybe I’ll run into him.”
“Imagine finding that sexy hunk in your bedroom.” Kyra gave Chelsea a teasing look. “You don’t want to let him slip through your fingers.”
Before he’d put on his protective gear, Chelsea had spotted the firefighter, who earlier had worn snug jeans and a blue T-shirt that stretched at his biceps and chest. Chelsea would bet her last dollar he had ripped abs, too. “If only.”
“Hmmm.” Kyra finished securing her skate. “Have you seen the latest firefighter calendar? He’d definitely qualify for Mr. January.”
“Any month would do.” Chelsea sighed. “Yep, I definitely need to burn my house down.”
Kyra shook her head. “You’re a nut.”
Chelsea straightened and looked away from the man. “Think he likes women who are on the fluffy side?”
Kyra lightly punched Chelsea in her upper arm. “Dammit, Chelsea. You’re gorgeous, and that’s that. Not only on the inside, but you are amazingly beautiful on the outside. No one cares about anything but who you are.”
Chelsea rubbed her arm even though it didn’t hurt. “Can’t help it.”
Kyra narrowed her gaze. “Yes. You. Can.”
Chelsea offered her friend a smile. “I’m happy with who I am, I just wondered—” She snapped her mouth shut at the murderous look in Kyra’s eyes. Chelsea raised her hands, her palms facing Kyra. “Nothing. I wondered nothing.”
Kyra sniffed as she stood, and they made their way to the rink. “Come on and show me those moves you promised to teach me.”
Chelsea stepped onto the ice, conscious of the man who had taken over her waking fantasies. She was grateful she was skilled and confident enough that she didn’t worry about falling on her ass in front of him. She looked damned good on the ice.
The moment she started to skate toward the opposite end of the rink, Grady looked over his shoulder, and their gazes met and held. He didn’t even look at Kyra, who had an elegant, willowy, and beautiful presence.
A slow, sexy smile curved the corner of Grady’s lips.
Chelsea’s cheeks heated in a five-alarm blaze. She cut her gaze away from him and put on a little speed to move across the ice and distance herself from the man she’d like to use to douse the fire that now coursed through her body.
“You’re blushing.” Laughter rang in Kyra’s voice. “Mr. Firefighter more than noticed you.”
Chelsea mumbled under her breath. “Shut up and pay attention.”
Kyra sniggered. Chelsea glared at her.
While Chelsea instructed Kyra on a few moves, Kyra landed on her ass several times. She laughed every time she hit the ice. They had been friends for a relatively short time, but one thing Chelsea liked about Kyra was that she could laugh at herself. She was fun to be around and easygoing.
Chelsea avoided outright looking at Grady but did glance at him from beneath her eyelashes and from the corners of her eyes. She caught him watching her a few times. The thought that he could be interested in her warmed her enough that she didn’t feel any chill from the ice.
