Page 2 of Breaking the Ice (Denver Stampede #6)

“Geez, Dani, you okay?” Miranda’s voice cut through my brain. I’d completely forgotten she was standing there, and I focused on her. On her stupid, grinning face.

She quickly schooled her expression. “Take small sips next time.”

“Shut up,” I muttered. “And I’m fine.” That last bit came out with a little more bite than I’d intended, but the woman was clearly laughing at me.

“Okay. Glad you’re okay,” Blue Eyes said, and I turned to look at him again. That small smile was in place as he slid back onto his barstool.

“Uh, yeah. Thanks,” I said, taking another sip of my drink. The bubbles tickled my nose, but I didn’t cough.

I heard Miranda take his order, but I focused on finishing my club soda, scanning my Instagram feed, and continuing to avoid texts from the exasperating men I didn’t want in my life.

“Coming right up. You’ll love it,” Miranda said.

“Great. I’ve heard the food here is fantastic, especially the burgers,” he said.

“Our burgers are the best, just ask Dani. She always gets them.” Miranda paused. “Right, Dani?”

I was starting to regret getting friendly with her, but I looked over at them anyway. Blue Eyes had his dimple out again with that too-nice smile, and Miranda looked annoyingly smug.

“Uh, yes. Very good. The staff can be mediocre, but the food is great.”

Miranda chuckled. “She’s kidding. She’s just grumpy today.”

“That sucks. Bad day at work?” He shifted back. “Sorry. None of my business. And you don’t seem grumpy.”

“Thank you.” I resisted the urge to glare at my friend.

Then my phone vibrated on the bar again, and this time it was face-up, so I saw Roger’s text pop up. It’d been a few minutes so I’d hoped that he’d given up, but apparently not.

Roger: Want to grab a drink and blow off some steam? I’ve missed you.

Roger: We’re good together and you know it.

“For fuck’s sake,” I muttered.

“Asshole again?” Miranda asked.

“Yup. He just won’t give up.”

“Men are the worst,” Blue Eyes offered.

My head snapped up and I snorted out a laugh.

His cheeks were tinged pink and Miranda smirked.

“Sorry. Ignore me.”

“You’re not wrong,” I said, annoyed that I was even having this conversation with a stranger.

“You should always block an asshole, but apologies. I’m invading your space. None of my business,” he rambled.

“He’s not wrong,” Miranda said.

“You’re correct, because it’s not his business.” I knew I sounded testy, and this guy hadn’t been anything but nice, but Roger not backing off made me pricklier than usual.

“Got it.” Blue Eyes turned his face back to the drink in front of him.

Miranda quirked her brow at me again and I wrinkled my nose at her.

“I think your food’s up. Be right back.” She headed into the kitchen.

I sighed. “Sorry, I don’t mean to be rude. It’s just been a long week, and this isn’t helping.” I gestured to my phone as he met my gaze again.

He smiled. “I get it, and I promise I’m not trying to pry.”

“Here you go,” Miranda said, depositing a burger in front of him before I could say anything else.

“Wow. Looks awesome.”

“The bacon marmalade is my favorite. You got that on it, right?” I asked.

He looked surprised by my comment, which I guess I understood since I hadn’t been super friendly toward him.

“Uh, yeah, I did. Want a fry or something?” he asked. “Oh, and I’m Gabe, by the way.”

He held out his hand and I shook it.

Ignoring how my hand tingled at the contact would’ve been smart. Maybe my hand had fallen asleep or something, just like my butt.

Hell, walking out of the bar and heading home would have been the right thing to do, but I shook his hand as Miranda put another club soda in front of me.

TUCKS

I thought I’d majorly flubbed talking to the most beautiful woman I’d ever seen, but she was still sitting here, talking to me about surface-level shit like how we were handling the warmer than normal temperatures for late September in Denver and how we both enjoyed hiking in the area.

Hell, I think I even mentioned the fall foliage while she helped me finish my fries.

I didn’t typically share food, but I was making an exception for her because I wasn’t ready to watch her walk out of the bar.

Not that I was trying to take her home or anything. I wouldn’t have said no if she’d offered, but she definitely had a not-interested vibe going on, especially based on the few comments about some dick that wouldn’t stop texting her.

“Chimney Gulch is a solid hike. And I did Bear Peak earlier this year. Great views,” I said.

“I’ve done both of them, too.”

“I’m always looking for a hiking buddy.” I popped another fry into my mouth.

“Are you asking me out?” She tucked a strand of auburn hair behind her ear. Her skin looked so soft, and I wanted to nibble on her newly exposed earlobe.

Fuck . I was getting ahead of myself.

“Dani, I knew I’d find you here,” a voice called out before I could respond.

She dropped her head down. “Fucking hell.”

“What?” I started to glance over her shoulder.

“Don’t look. It’s my ex.”

My body tensed. “Is he stalking you? How would he know where to find you?”

“He knows I come here a lot, unfortunately.” She sighed and slid onto the seat next to mine.

We’d started two seats apart, but as soon as she’d started picking at my fries, I’d moved one closer to her, keeping just the one seat between us.

“I know we just met and all, but will you kiss me?”

My head jerked back. “I’m sorry, what?”

She met my gaze. “Will you kiss me? Telling the asshole it’s over doesn’t seem to be sinking into his thick skull, so maybe seeing me kissing someone else will do it.”

“Are you sure you want to kiss a stranger?”

Fuck yeah, I wanted to kiss her, but this was just weird, so making her repeat her request seemed like a good idea.

“We shared fries.”

“He going to kick my ass for kissing you?”

“It’s none of his business, and you could probably take him.” She squeezed my biceps and I flexed without thought. “Yeah, uh. Wow.” The last word was breathy and my stomach tightened.

I was human, after all, and she was gorgeous and feeling me up.

“You sure?”

“Does the thought of kissing me turn you off or something?” she taunted.

“Fuck no.”

She shifted on the barstool, and my gaze dropped to her chest. I wanted to put my hands all over this woman, but for now, I was game to kiss her. Only an idiot would reject that request.

“So, what are you waiting for?” She quirked her brow, a teasing smile on her lips that turned to a brief frown when her ex said her name again.

How could a guy be such a dick and not take no for an answer?

She sighed. “This is ridiculous, I know. Can you just…”

The words died on her lips as I snaked my arm around her waist and tugged her against my chest, then dropped my lips to hers, cutting off anything else she was going to say.

The soft “oomph” vibrated against my closed mouth, and desire shot through me as her hand curled into my shirt, bracing her against me.

I sank my other hand under the fall of her hair, cupping her nape and pressing my lips harder to hers. I wasn’t sure how far she wanted to take it, and as much as it killed me, I let her lead. This was her show, after all.

Her mouth was pillowy soft and she hummed against me when my thumb caressed the shell of her ear. I wanted to nibble on that spot later if she’d let me.

Her tongue darted out, tentatively tracing my lips, and that was all the invitation I needed to open my mouth against hers and tangle our tongues.

She tasted delicious, citrusy from the lime in her club soda and sweet from the dessert she’d been finishing up when I’d arrived.

I swallowed the soft moan that fell from her lips and gently licked the inside of her mouth, savoring her and deepening the kiss.

Her other hand clasped my shoulder, and then the hand on my shirt moved into my hair, her nails scraping against my scalp. Heat barreled through me and I wanted to drag her into my lap, but then she would have been extremely aware of how hard my dick currently was.

She kissed me back with an intensity that matched mine, and I couldn’t get enough. Then she pulled back slightly, biting down on my lower lip for a brief second before diving back into the kiss, and I swear to god, I was about ready to come in my pants.

Fucking hell, she was perfection, and it wasn’t until someone cleared their throat a bit too loudly that I remembered this was for show.

I broke the kiss and tried to catch my breath. Pressing my forehead to hers, I met her gaze. She looked as hazy as I felt, and that made me want to do a silent fist pump.

“Darling, I think we got carried away,” I rasped, trying to sound like I was teasing and not completely affected by our kiss.

A soft smile played at her damp lips and it took everything in me not to capture her lips again.

“Really? I didn’t even notice.” Her hand was back on my chest and covering my racing heart.

“Dani, what the fuck?”

The ex.

I squeezed my hand at her nape one last time to center both of us and then looked to my right.

Where I found Roger Jensen, goalie for the other Colorado team, glaring at me.

“Seriously, Dani? Making out with Tucks? What the fuck?” Jenzy said before I could acknowledge him.

“Tucks?” she asked.

“Fuck. You don’t even know who you’re kissing?

Real nice, Dani. Real fucking nice. And what the fuck, Tucks.

Get your hands off my girlfriend. We handed you your asses last night so you’re in here trying to steal my girl?

” He closed in on me and I immediately stood up, shifting my body in front of Dani’s.

Our asses? We’d lost by one goal last night. Fuck. That wasn’t the point I should have been drilling home right now.

His girlfriend?

She poked her head around my body to face him. “I am not your girlfriend, Roger. We broke up over a month ago. We are done, like I’ve told you more than once.”

“Come on, baby. You don’t mean that.” He held out his hand to her, but she kept herself pressed to my back.

I felt her step around me, but I barely moved. I didn’t know Roger well, but he’d always come across as an asshole, and the tension radiating off of him right now was high.

“Yes, I do. We’re done, and I’ve moved on.”

“With a man you clearly don’t even know, and of all the people you could’ve picked, it figures that you’d go for another goalie. Guess that’s your type.”

“You’re a…” she started, turning toward me, and then paused and looked back at Jenzy. “You’re an asshole, Roger.”

I wondered if she’d been about to ask if Jenzy was right, if I was also an NHL goalie, before catching herself. How many goalies had she dated? And I hadn’t missed the almost sneer in her voice when she’d started talking. Roger had probably soured her on hockey players. Dick.

Roger crossed his arms over his chest, puffing out like the asshole he was. I wanted to deck him.

“So how long have you been dating?” The condescension irked me. “I mean, Tucks, you haven’t even been back in town that long, right? Preseason just started.”

“I guess when you know, you know.” Her voice was saccharine-sweet.

He rolled his eyes. “Please. You don’t even know his name.”

“Yes, I do. It’s Gabe. Gabe Tucker,” she replied.

It was probably easy to guess my last name based on my nickname. I was one of the lucky guys who didn’t end up with an annoyingly stupid nickname that I hated. I bit back a chuckle thinking about poor Micahtron.

“Good guess.” He sneered again.

“It’s not a fucking guess,” she fired back, and I finally stepped in, done with his dickish behavior.

“I believe she’s made herself quite clear, Jensen.” I wrapped my hand around Dani’s waist so we’d appear as a solid unit. She stiffened for a brief second, then shifted into me, so I took that as a sign to keep her close.

“Really, dude? My leftovers? You’re all trying to take our fans, and now you’re taking my ex.”

“Are you fucking for real right now? I’m not some possession,” Dani bit out. “But at least you finally got one thing right. I’m your ex .”

“Of course you aren’t a fucking possession. Roger’s just being a dick and needs to watch his mouth,” I said, not sure how alpha man she wanted me to go to defend her.

Roger sneered. “I’d wipe the floor with you, Tucks. Try me.”

Dani tried to move back in front of me, and I let her slightly adjust, still keeping my arm around her.

“Knock it off, Roger. Just go home. We’re done, and I’m dating Gabe now. I’ve moved on, and so should you.”

He scoffed. “You going to let her talk for you? Tucks tucking his tail between his legs. That tracks.”

I leaned into him and kept my voice low. “Fuck off, Jensen. Stop showing your ass and walk away. She’s done with you. Move the fuck on already.”

His nostrils flared and I braced for him to lash out at me with his fist or some bullshit out of his mouth. Fuck, he was a prick.

“Get out of here, Roger. This is my bar and you have no right coming in here and harassing my customers,” a man called out, stepping out from the end of the bar.

“Oh please, Randy,” Roger whined. “I’m just talking to Dani.”

“And I have no problem calling the cops,” Randy replied.

“Fine, play your game.” Roger took one step back. “We can talk about this later, Dani.” Then he turned to me. “And see you on the ice next week, Tucks. Can’t wait to hand you your ass again.”

At that, he stomped out of the bar like a petulant child who was also a raging asshole.

“Well, that was.” I paused. “Ah, are you okay?”

“You’re a hockey player?” she asked at the same time.

I hated how irritated she sounded when she said hockey. Guess we were one and done on that kiss.

I was just going to remind myself how it hadn’t been real or anything and completely ignore how I physically ached to do it again. Nope, none of that.

Fucking hell.