Free Thawing Ava by Selena Illyria Page A

looked like a trunk or a chest had his okay. She opened her eyes long enough to give her two cents even though she wasn’t sure why he cared about her opinion. He bought coffee, end, and side tables, as well as new bookshelves and an entertainment cabinet. “We’ll get lighting later. You’re out of it. Come on.” He pulled her up and helped her to the car, settled her in, and took the keys from her.
    “Thanks for coming with me.” He climbed behind the wheel and drove them home.
    Ava didn’t protest when he wrapped his arm around her waist and plodded up to the elevator. In the comfort of his embrace, she relaxed and allowed him to take care of her. She couldn’t push him away, her arms refused to function, and her legs ached too much for her to move away. It felt nice to have a moment with him after a long day of trudging around shopping. When they reached their floor, he scooped her up and carried her down the hall. He put her down and unlocked the door, picked her up once more, placed her on the sofa, and tucked an afghan around her. “Relax, honey. I’m here for you.”
    She fell asleep right away.
    * * * *
    Ava woke up a few hours later sans shoes, socks, and jeans, tucked in her bed in the loft. She yawned and stretched before getting out from under the covers to go to the bathroom. After she used the toilet, she took a shower and changed into her pajamas. She couldn’t help but smile. Brice’d had a prime opportunity to strip her naked and put her in his bed; instead he’d respected her boundaries. Her heart swelled at his actions. She appreciated that he’d given her some space and distance. She let a small smile form on her lips. Maybe there was hope for him. She checked the time. It was ten o’clock at night. A soft snore drifted up from his bedroom area. He was asleep, thank goodness. Ava padded downstairs and headed for the kitchen.
    He’d left a note telling her that her soup and sandwiches were in the microwave.
    Once her food was heated up, she placed it on a tray along with a glass of milk and settled down on the sofa. Tomorrow they’d have to wait for the delivery of the furniture, but at least this place would get more life. She ignored the soggy bread and took a bite before turning on the TV to the NHL Channel. They were showing the most recent play-off games for the Stanley Cup. Rather than get up to get her notebook, she just watched and ate. Everything she’d seen and read began to click. Her confidence in her memory was shaky, and she was nervous about coming off sounding like a newbie given all the time she’d spent around the sport with her father. Reading and watching helped not only remind her of what she’d missed all these years but also brought her up to speed on some of the changes. Diving was a penalty—one Brice had gotten in the past. Elbowing and fighting were all penalty-box-worthy offenses as well as throwing your stick, something Brice had done in anger during an unfair call by a ref. When a player was in the box, that meant an opportunity for a power play, where the teams could face off while one team was a man down, but that was for a limited time.
    Her enthusiasm increased as she began to get the hang of things. A few times she found herself cheering along with the fans but had to keep the volume down. Even after she was done eating, she didn’t get up and rinse off her dishes; instead all she could do was watch until those games were done.
    “Ready to come to bed? Or do you want to sing more classic punk songs and try not to wake me up? I’m not offended. It’s cute, really, but I have an early practice and a packed day today.” Brice stood close to her. He had sneaked up on her again. His hair was mussed, his beard a bit unruly, and pillow creases were on his temple. He looked so cute just woken up from sleep she couldn’t stop her smile.
    “How about I make us some hot chocolate and then we go to bed in our separate beds?” she added quickly.
    Ava got