Melting the Ice

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER ONEHarrison

Harrison Dash maneuvered around the furniture in the dark room. Sneaking out of puck bunnies’ apartments was something he had down to a science. The nameless beauties lay sound asleep in their beds, while he made his silent exits. Tonight was no different. It was the middle of the night, and the room was pitch black. As Harrison crept towards the front door, he was stopped dead in his tracks by the sound of keys jingling in the lock.

Shit.

Harrison’s usual pick-up of choice was a puck bunny. Bunnies came with the benefit of not wanting him to stay the night any more than he wanted to. They rarely even gave him their names before he had them flat on their backs or up against a wall. Harrison had no interest in relationships; as a matter of fact, he was a self-proclaimed lifelong bachelor. So there was no need for names and no need to spend the night. He was in and out, literally. And that’s how he liked it.

Harrison had vowed against marriage. Nothing good came from being tied down to one woman. Case in point, he’d once given his heart to someone special, and while planning a life together with said woman, he had caught her in bed with his brother.

From that day on, he was done with relationships.

Typically, Harrison didn’t encounter the trouble leaving a bunny’s house as he was about to have tonight. Bunnies liked to keep their hobby of screwing hockey players separate from their personal lives, and on the down-low from their boyfriends.

Katie, or Krissy, or Kimmie, whatever her name was, had said that her boyfriend wasn’t coming home tonight. Guess she’ll be as surprised as I am. Harrison stood in the shadows, as the front door swung open. The way the large man was swaying back and forth made it clear he was drunk. Guy was probably lucky he’d made it home in one piece, if he drove himself. But that wasn’t Harrison’s concern at the moment.

When the shadowy figure moved through the dark room, Harrison hurried to the door and tried to slip out, but the tipsy man shut it too quickly.

“f**k!” Harrison grunted.

The burly man spun around, frantically waving his arms. “What the f**k? Who’s there?”

There was no way Harrison was going to announce himself; he wasn’t stupid. But the guy took a swing. Harrison, a professional hockey league enforcer, was skilled in the art of fighting. After all, not just anyone was chosen to be an on-ice enforcer. However, he preferred not to use his fighting skills outside the rink if he could help it. Tonight didn’t look like it was going to be one of those nights.

Harrison ducked, and the mystery-man’s clumsy swing missed him, instead connecting with the wall and resulting in a loud crash. His ungainly, drunken movements had him knocking over lamps and tables, while trying to find Harrison.

All the noise woke the puck bunny, who started to screech incomprehensible words.

“You are w*****g around again?” the drunk man yelled at the woman, then turned his attention back to Harrison. “You another one of those hockey boys?”

While Harrison stood, shocked by the screaming of the bunny, the man took a weak swing that connected with Harrison’s jaw, and Harrison had no choice but to put the guy right on his a*s. Harrison returned with a right hook, sending the big guy sprawling to the ground. Shaking his hand in pain, Harrison slipped out the door and hopped into his vehicle. He wasn’t going to hang around, waiting for the guy to get back up.

Speeding down the street, Harrison chuckled to himself and turned up the radio. His hand was aching, but it would be fine. Just another Saturday night in his world.

The sun streaked brightly through the windows of the local diner. The glaring orange ball was still rising in the bitterly cold sky, and even though there was no snow on the ground right now, frost crept around the corners of the glass. It was late January in Pittsburgh and the dead of winter here in the Keystone State. This Sunday morning, Harrison was waiting on his buddies. They’d just finished a grueling workout, and it was time to feast on breakfast.

Harrison was one-third of what the fans liked to call the “Triple Threat” on the Pittsburgh Renegades professional hockey team. At the age of twenty-four, he had moved into the main enforcer position after Matt Jasper retired. Brody Fallon and Luc Marcella made up the other two-thirds of the “TT.” Not necessarily enforcers, they were two young guys who, while talented in the scoring department, weren’t afraid to mix it up and throw some punches when needed.

Harrison’s stomach growled hungrily. He was already on his second cup of coffee and was annoyed that Luc and Brody were so late. Twice, his mindless sweep of the room had him looking at a smoking hot brunette who made no secret that she had her eye on him.

She had been sneaking glances in his direction since he got here, as well as doing the flip thing with her hair that girls did when they were flirting. The brunette had re-applied her lip gloss twice in the last fifteen minutes, and she was making quite a spectacle of drinking—she looked like she was giving that straw a blow job. In his line of work, this was nothing new. Women threw themselves at him every day, and that was why he had no need to get tied down to only one, when he could have his pick.

The bell over the exit chimed, and the door swung open. Brody and Luc strutted into the diner as if they owned the place. Brody flashed smiles at every female in the place, while Luc headed straight for their table.

“What the hell took you two so long?” Harrison asked. “The arena isn’t that far away.”

“Yeah, sorry about that,” Brody Fallon half-heartedly apologized before he sat down. His focus was on a young woman at another table rather than at Harrison. “We were unavoidably held up after practice.”

Luc sat down with a huff and rolled his eyes. “And if you believe that, I have a bridge to sell you.”

“A bunny?” Harrison guessed. Harrison liked the ladies, but Brody was known as the team man-w***e. He would screw anything that was willing. “You should’ve left his sorry a*s behind.”

“He’s already been warned for next time.” Luc gave Brody a dirty look. “You skank on your own time, man. I’m not playing when there’s food waiting for me!”

Luc waved for the waitress so they could order. Once the waitress was again out of earshot, the ribbing continued.

“Was this just a pose-with-the-bunny-for-selfies kinda hold up, or did Luc have to pull your lame a*s out of her backseat?” Harrison asked.

“You don’t want to know,” Luc said, his face twisted with distaste.

“Then I definitely would’ve left his ugly mug!” Harrison laughed.

“Bro, you know you would’ve been all over that too if you had seen her. Damn. She was so sweet I thought I was gonna get a cavity.” Brody licked his lips as though he were eating something delicious.

Harrison shook his head in disgust. “Dude, that is not appetizing! I don’t want to know that s**t. I don’t ever want to know where your tongue has been. Ever.”

“Yeah, well, you weren’t the one pulling him out of the car,” Luc added. “I can’t un-see that shit.”

“You fools are too much.” Harrison chuckled. He had no other words for these two. Brody was used to being picked on, and he brought it on himself. On the other hand, Luc had become a one-woman man as soon as he’d met Kassie, so he tended to be a bit judgy about their love of the bunnies.

Before Harrison could say any more, their plates were set in front of them.

“Alright! Let’s eat,” Luc said, as he dug into his breakfast.

The trio took a few quiet moments to appreciate the hot, fresh food. Brody shoveled it in like a caveman, while Luc and Harrison did their best to ignore him.

“Sam said Ty will be landing around three. He wanted to have an off-the-books team practice tonight, but Morris talked him out of it. Instead, a few of the guys are meeting at the training facility.”

“I’m sure Sam wanted to get home to see his kids. Wouldn’t you?” Harrison asked.

“Don’t forget his wife. I mean, damn, I wouldn’t kick her out of bed for eating crackers.” Brody wiggled his eyebrows.

“Nope, I’m not touching that comment, dude.” Harrison shook his head.

Sam’s wife was Trina Kidd, the sister of their team captain, Tyler Kidd. Tyler and Sam had been at an All-Star weekend in San Jose and would be home later today. Which meant that as soon as their captain hit the tarmac, their little week of hedonism and relaxation would come to an end.

Tyler was known to be a bit of a ballbuster when it came to the game. He meant well, though. He just wanted to be the best and be the captain of the best. Couldn’t fault the guy for his drive for perfection.

Harrison nodded to Luc. “You going?”

Luc shook his head adamantly. “f**k, no. Seriously, how does Paige live with that guy? He’s been gone all weekend. I know I’d be running right home to Kassie and making up for the lost time.”

“Paige knew what she was getting into. But I know what you mean,” Brody added. “Dude needs to loosen up.”

“Ty? Have fun? Mr. Serious? I’m pretty sure he was born with a scowl on his face and a rule book in his hand,” Harrison joked.

“Guys, he’s really not that bad. He’s just focused. And stubborn, and yeah, well…” Luc said, pausing to come up with another way to describe their captain.

“Are you suggesting that he just has resting b***h face?” Harrison joked.

“Nah.” Brody shook his head.

Luc shrugged. “I’m just sayin’ that he’s got an awesome career and a babe for a wife. I don’t think he really cares what you guys think, or anyone else’s opinion, for that matter. I know I wouldn’t.”

Brody waved Luc off. “Oh, please. You’re not one of us anymore, Marcella.”

“Why? Just cause I have a lady and you don’t?”

“Precisely,” Brody said, as he shoveled a huge forkful of scrambled eggs into his mouth.

“You guys are assholes,” Luc grumbled with sarcasm. “Let me ask you. Don’t you guys get tired of random and nameless women every night?”

“Let’s see, do I get tired of banging a different gorgeous lady EVERY night?” Brody acted like he was thinking. “Uh, NO.”

Harrison could feel Luc’s stare on him, as he tried to eat his breakfast. He ate about half his food before finally looking up. Luc was still waiting for an answer. Yeah, Brody could act like a horny adolescent boy sometimes, but they were single guys. What did Luc expect from them?

Luc nodded in Harrison’s direction. “Dash? What about you?”

Never in a million years would he admit that he wanted what Luc had with Kassie. “If you’re asking if I’m ready to settle down, the answer is f**k no.”

“I forgot who I’m talking to. Mr. I’m Never Getting Tied Down. But seriously, you should take a chance.”

“You’re either whipped, or just scared of Kaden,” Brody said without looking up from his plate.

“Again, dude, you’re a f*****g asshole,” Luc snapped.

“Meh.” Brody shrugged.

“You’re missing the point. Kaden has nothing to do with this. And if whipped means coming home every night to a gorgeous lady who loves me as much as I do her, then maybe I am whipped. And I’m good with that.”

“I’m good where I’m at. Settling down is part of the dream for some guys, and that’s cool, I guess. I mean, you and Kassie, that’s great… But it’s not for me.”

“What he said,” Brody agreed, with his mouth full of food.

“You guys don’t know what you’re missing,” Luc answered. “You’ll see. Someday you’ll meet a special girl who’ll be everything you ever needed. It’s called fate, you morons. That woman is out there somewhere, and I just hope you open your eyes when you find her.”

“Whatever, bro. I’ll be sure to call you if that ever happens. But don’t wait by the phone,” Brody mocked.

Luc looked at the almost empty plate in front of him, obviously ignoring Brody’s comments. “I’ll definitely be needing a nap after this meal.”

“I’ll be spending the afternoon in bed, but I won’t be napping,” Brody said, as he nodded at two girls at a neighboring table. The ladies waved back at him and smiled. Brody got up and tossed some cash on the table. “If you’ll excuse me, boys. I’ll catch you two on the flip side.”

Luc nodded in Brody’s direction. “Dash, you sure you want to be like that? I bet Kassie has some friends she can set you up with, if you want to give this dating thing a try?”

“Nah.” Harrison chuckled. “I’m happy living the single life. But thanks.”