Free Breaking the Ice by T. Torrest

thing I’d ever witnessed, and there was decidedly some new precipitation moving into my own southern hemisphere.
       I watched him in a daze, his strokes building speed, his breaths turning choppy. I grabbed a tissue from the box on the floor and he held my hand over his length as he flinched and unloaded into it.
       “ Fuck ,” he snarled, panted, laughed as his movements slowed and his body sank back on the seat. He grabbed a few more tissues to clean himself off before buttoning up, then grabbed me toward him to brand my lips with a searing kiss. I settled myself on top of him, the both of us trying to catch our breath, my fingers lightly dancing over his naked torso. I laid my head on his chest, hearing his racing heart under my ear.
       He let out with a cleansing breath and growled, “That was insane.”
       Yes. Yes, it was. It was the most incredible non-sex I’d ever had in my life.
       I was still out of my mind, but the real world slowly started to creep back in. Led Zep was singing “Tangerine” on the radio, and I figured it must have been well past midnight if the stations were back to playing slow songs. I curled up against Zac’s side as his hand brushed a sweet caress along my bare skin. The back of my Volkswagen wasn’t exactly the most comfortable place to snuggle, but somehow, we made it work.
       Out of nowhere, he said, “I’m kind of crazy about you a little bit.”
       Holy crap, it sounded like he really meant it.
       “What?” I asked incredulously.
       I felt his chest rumble as he let out with a laugh. “It’s true.”
       I nervously tried to make light of his proclamation. “You’re just proud of yourself for getting me naked.”
       “No. Stop joking around. I’m serious, Ave. I liked you right off, and actually had to work really hard to stay away.”
       I couldn’t believe the words coming out of his mouth. “Then why did you?”
       “Well, for starters, I didn’t think you wanted anything to do with me. You made it pretty clear from the get-go that you didn’t do the groupie thing.”
       That was true. I didn’t do the groupie thing, but it didn’t mean I wasn’t into the relationship thing. I was just unglued enough to actually tell him as much when he spoke up before I could. “But then, you know, we became friends. I figured we were both staying hands-off because of that. Why did you stay away?”
       “Pretty much the same reasons as you. I guess I was playing it safe.”
       “Until tonight.” He shot me a wink at that, and I burrowed into the nook of his arm, my fingers flitting across his chest as he let out with an exhale. “I gotta tell you, when I found out who you were… I was crushed. Truly. You were the General Manager’s daughter, for godsakes. I had to keep my distance. I busted my ass all those years on the ice…”
       He trailed off, but I didn’t need to hear the rest of his sentence; I already understood. Of course I did. Hockey was his whole life. There was no way he could risk blowing his whole career just for a random hookup. But then what was so different about our situation now? Was it just easier for him to cave once I finally threw myself at him? The thought had me chuckling to myself.
       “I’m still the GM’s daughter,” I teased. “This could very well be career suicide for you if he ever finds out.”
       He brushed a thumb across my cheek, sending shivers across my skin. He raised my chin so I could look him right in those beautiful green eyes as he said, “Something tells me you’ll be worth it.”
       You’ll be . Not you were . Oh my God. Did that mean…
       He lowered his lips to mine and kissed me. “I can’t do it anymore. I can’t stay away.”
       “You’re serious!” I let out in disbelief.
       “I am.” He was smiling ear to ear, as if his admission had removed a heavy weight from his shoulders, set his spirit free.
       “You’re happy.”