Page 2 of Fire and Ice
After Chelsea had given Kyra extensive instruction on a move, she saw that the firefighter and goalie had left. She glanced around the rink and didn’t see anyone watching. Disappointment curled in her belly. She was so preoccupied that she nearly skated into Kyra.
“He’ll be back.” Kyra laughed as she held onto Chelsea’s arm in an effort to stay upright.
A song came on over the loudspeakers that Chelsea had skated to in one of her championship performances back when she trained and lived in Colorado. “I think I’ll stretch my legs.”
Kyra plopped down on a bench. “I’ll be your audience.”
Chelsea raced around the rink—it was the day after Thanksgiving, and the ice was nearly empty of skaters. She let herself fall into the rhythm of what was one of her favorite choreographed performances. She set her mind free, no longer thinking of gorgeous firefighters or any number of things that bombarded her when she wasn’t on the ice. She was glad it was one of her longer performances. She needed the feel of cool air brushing her skin and the extra stretch in her muscles.
Her thoughts turned back to the firefighter and the reason she had decided never to date anyone in a dangerous profession. Why would she even look twice his way?
Because he’s so freaking hot and looks like a great guy.
Get a grip, Chelsea.
She sped up on the ice, performing her routine at a faster pace than normal.
Back when Chelsea competed, before her grandmother passed away, she had been a world-champion skater. She had left home at thirteen to live with a host family in Colorado Springs while one of the most renowned trainers in the world took her under his wing. She trained at the Broadmoor World Arena, in the World Arena Ice Hall, one of the finest training facilities in the world.
When her parents died two years later, her siblings had been taken in by their abusive grandmother.
Her only regret had been leaving her four younger siblings with a woman who could harm them in any way. Chelsea had wanted to earn enough money to take care of her brothers and sisters when she was old enough.
As she skated around the rink, the day their grandmother died came to mind. Chelsea’s chest tightened at the thought of the unkind woman who had raised them.
Chelsea had become the pseudo-matriarch of the family and carried on, doing her best to raise her younger brothers and sisters.
She had always been an emotional eater, but she had controlled it with a strict diet and constant training. Once her grandmother was gone, and Chelsea could no longer compete because of her responsibilities, her emotional eating took over.
To help ease the tension caused by thoughts of her grandmother, Chelsea performed one of her more complicated moves as her chest relaxed.
She had made peace with no longer being slender and athletic, but now and then, a hint of insecurity knocked at her mind. Well, she hadn’t given in to that for some time, and she wasn’t going to now.
Chelsea came to the graceful end of her performance, smiling, her arms raised, her head thrown back as if she stood in front of a row of judges and knew every movement had been perfect.
Light applause brought Chelsea out of her thoughts. She whirled around and saw Kyra where Chelsea had left her.
Kyra clapped like mad. “Incredible!”
More applause came from behind Kyra, and she looked beyond her friend to see the drop-dead gorgeous firefighter on his feet in the stands, grinning and clapping.
She heard him say, “Beautiful. That was beautiful.”
The heat she felt earlier was nothing compared to how her body responded when he made a “come here” gesture with his forefinger.
She hesitated just a moment as Kyra urged her on by mouthing, “Go on.”
Heart pounding, Chelsea skated to the place Grady stood. She came to a stop just inches from the barrier separating them. Not only was he built, but he had the most beautiful blue eyes she had ever seen. Fire-ice blue.
“That was incredible, Chelsea.” He gave her a sexy grin as surprise must have flashed over her features. He jerked his thumb in the direction of concessions. “Bette told me your name when I asked, and said you live in King Creek. I just moved there.”
Chelsea felt flustered for a moment. He had asked her name?
He held out his hand. “I’m Grady.”
She almost told him she already knew, but she grasped his hand instead. Wildfire seared her the moment they touched. “I think I need a fire hose.” The words came out before she could stop them.
He laughed. “Bette, right?”
