Ryker (Cold Fury Hockey 4)

Gray gives me a shrewd, skeptical look. "How?"

"We could do a double date with Zack and Kate," I suggest. "I mean...maybe just go over to their house for dinner. Eat, drink some beers, hang out."

"A double date," she murmurs, as if it's the most miraculous thing in the world.

"Or," I drawl suggestively. "You could come over for dinner here one night with me and the girls. They know you as my boss, and I could have you over in that capacity. Let them start to get to know you."

Again, her eyes swirl with turbulence. "What if they don't like me?"

"Not possible."

"It is too possible. Anything's possible," she says gently. "Statistically, that is."

"For once, screw your statistics," I tell her firmly. "I know my daughters. I know you. They will like you. Come to adore you like I do, I would bet money."

"It's too soon," she throws out, trying to seek every excuse in the book to assuage her fear of rejection by them. "You and Hensley aren't even divorced."

"Just waiting on the signed paper," I tell her, which it seems I'm saying that a lot. I'd called my attorney to find out what the fuck is taking so long for the judge to sign the decree, and I'm hoping that moves things along. "But you have to remember, Hensley and I have been separated for over a year, so I don't think it's too soon to introduce them to someone I'm interested in. For Christ's sake, Hensley had Patric around them all the time, so they understand the concept of their parents moving on."

She tries one last time to succumb to her fear. "But what if they told someone? Like Hensley?"

Okay, that actually is an honest concern. But then an idea strikes me. "Not if you just come as a 'friend' to a get together. We'll do something at Kate and Zack's. The girls love going over there and playing with Ben. You come and solidify that you're Daddy's, Kate's, and Zack's friend. It's low pressure and so natural they'd never even think to say something about it, and even if they did, we can say you were invited by Kate and Zack."

"It's a whole lot of lies," she points out to me, but for the first time I can see her entertaining this.

"For the greater good," I assure her. "And besides, we are friends, are we not?"

"You couldn't touch me in front of the girls or let them know in any way we're--"

She stumbles, doesn't quite know what to call us.

"Fucking?" I provide.

"Dating," she corrects in a schoolmarm-type way, peering down at me with censure.

"Except we're not dating," I tell her with a grin. "We do a whole lot of fucking."

And as if to prove my point, I release her hands and slide my own over the insides of her thighs. I watch as my fingers inch inward, starting to get hard over the thought of pushing them through that blue silk.

Her hands lock around my wrists and my gaze rises. She looks worried. "We do more than fuck."

"I know we do," I reassure her. "I was just kidding."

"I'd like to be around you even if you didn't do magical things to me with your penis."

"And my hands and mouth," I remind her.

She nods and lets my wrists go. "We'd have to be very careful how we act around each other in front of the girls."

"Agreed. But doesn't mean I won't try to steal a kiss or cop a feel when their backs are turned." I shoot her a mischievous wink.

"God, you're so bad," she says with a laugh.

"I wanna be bad right now," I tell her with a low, husky growl, and slide one hand all the way home. She purrs deep in her throat and rotates her hips against me. "Want me to be bad?"

She moans and I take that as a yes.

Chapter 22

Gray

One other time I remember feeling this level of nervousness and the two experiences are apples and oranges, yet producing the same anxiety. Here I am getting ready to knock on Zack Grantham's door, to hang out with him, his fiancee, and my illicit lover, all carefully calculated so that I can spend some low-pressure time with Ryker's girls.

My heart is racing, my hands are sweaty, and my stomach is flipping.

It's exactly how I felt just before the puck dropped in my first Olympic game.

Crazy, right?

I push the doorbell, hear footsteps from inside, see a shadow pass in front of the frosted glass panes, and then Kate is opening the door. She gives me a warm smile and the scent of tomatoes and garlic hit me full on.

"Gray," she says as she steps back and welcomes me inside. "I'm so glad to have you here."

I swallow hard, feeling very awkward about finally being around someone who knows about Ryker and me. It's unsettling because I have no clue how Zack and Kate feel about this. Ryker said they were supportive, but what do I know? They're not my friends but his, so I have no choice but to roll with it.

"Thanks for having me," I say as I hand over a bottle of wine. "I picked this up on the way here. It's a red but I wasn't sure what you were having for dinner."

Kate takes the bottle and surprises me with a hug. "Oh, that's so sweet. And hey...all wine is good, right?"

I laugh as she pulls away, feeling slightly better. "All wine is definitely good."

Kate turns and heads through the living room, where I can hear Ryker and Zack talking in the kitchen. My pulse is thumping, almost as if my heart recognizes it's getting closer to the source of its excitement.

"The kids are upstairs playing," Kate says as we enter the kitchen, and then says to the guys, "Look who I found dawdling on the front porch."

Zack gives me a smile that's not quite as welcoming as Kate's and maybe is even a little skeptical. Still, he sticks to good manners and says, "Welcome, Miss Brannon."

"Gray," I say automatically. "And thank you for having me. Your home is beautiful."

Zack shrugs his shoulders, and then my eyes slide over to Ryker's. He's looking at me as if I was the last ray of sunshine before a dark storm. His eyes sparkle and he gives me a sinful smile as he swaggers toward me.

He surprises the shit out of me when slides his hand around my neck and pulls me to him for a kiss. My first inclination is to push him away, because I'm on pins and needles over not only meeting his kids, but giving any signs of PDA. It's been so ingrained in me that this is wrong, and yet, the minute his tongue hits mine, I'm lost.

So I kiss him back and I don't care that Kate and Zack are watching.

When he pulls away, I'm left dazed and confused. He kisses me on the tip of my nose and whispers, "Told you I was going to try steal a kiss when the girls weren't around."

All I can do is nod as he chuckles and releases me. I blink my eyes clear as Kate gives a romantic sigh and turns to the oven where she pulls out some garlic bread.

"Want some wine?" Ryker asks.

"Sure." I know it will ease my nerves.

While Ryker busies himself with my wine, an awkward silence fills the room. Kate stirs some pasta boiling and checks a red sauce in another pot. Zack stares at me and I stare at Ryker. I can faintly hear the kids upstairs.

"Am I the only one that finds this a little weird?" Zack finally asks.

Kate turns her head over her shoulder. "What's weird?"

"That our boss, Gray Brannon, is standing in our kitchen. Having a secret affair with our buddy Ryker," he tells his fiancee, then turns to look at me. "Because I have to say, I'm a little intimidated."

I steal a glance at Ryker, who is struggling not to laugh.

"Well, I'm not intimidated," Kate says as she turns toward us, wiping her hands on a towel. "Gray's just a person like us. Right, Gray?"

"Right," I agree confidently. "Just a person. Tonight just a friend."

"And secret lover," Ryker tacks on probably just to embarrass both Zack and me.

My cheeks do burn a little over that, but I tell Zack, "I swear I don't bite, nor will I discuss business. I just want to hang out with some people who are willing to front for us so Ryker and I can feel a bit normal for a change."

Zack's eyes immediately soften. "I imagine it's tough."

>

"You have no idea," I tell him as Ryker leans over and gives me a glass of wine. "But you don't get to choose who you fall for."

He smiles at me and laughs. "You know, Ryker told me that same exact thing that day we busted you two over at his house."

"Well, let's just forget all about the outside world and have a nice evening," Kate says as she turns off the burners under the pasta and sauce. "Ryker...want to go get the kids?"