Zack (Cold Fury Hockey 3)

Just the thought of some of that ice cream causes joy to course through me, and I do a little happy jig right in the middle of the kitchen.

When my pre-celebration dance is over, I get a bowl out of the cupboard, the ice cream scoop out of one drawer, and a spoon out of another. With my implements laid out with the precision of surgical instruments, I open the freezer and swear the interior light shines down on the pint of ice cream in an almost ethereal glow...like it's the long-lost Holy Grail or something.

I actually bow my head and offer up a prayer. "Dear Lord, thank you for introducing me to my two favorite men in the world...Ben and Jerry. I hope you aren't offended by this threesome."

Chuckling to myself, I take the ice cream out, bump the edge of the door with my hip so it closes, and turn toward the kitchen counter.

And that's when I see Zack...standing across the kitchen by the door to the laundry room.

I let out a terror-filled gasp, because I've never been much of a screamer, and the ice cream goes crashing to the ground as my hands come up to clutch at my chest. I start running in place and then realize I need to be moving backward to escape the intruder, only to come up hard against the countertop, which slams into my lower back. That doesn't hurt as much as the sharp, stabbing pain in the center of my chest, which I'm sure is a heart attack in progress.

"Didn't mean to scare you," he says in a low voice. "I decided to come home early."

He's casually leaning one shoulder against the doorframe and holding what looks like a stack of mail in his hand.

"Holy hairy nuts on a groundhog," I wheeze as the adrenaline starts to subside. I clutch at my glasses and pull them free of my tank top, opening them up and shoving them on my face. They're almost like a shield to me. "You almost gave me a heart attack."

Pushing off the doorframe, Zack throws the mail down on a built-in desk to the right of his double oven and walks over to me. He bends down to pick up the ice cream.

I take just a moment to admire his thick and shiny hair cut in a fashionable style that's short on the sides but a little longer on top. That's when I also notice my bare legs right in front of him and realize that I'm half-naked.

His face tilts up to look at me and the shadows cast from the cupboard lighting make his face look harsh and wild. Yeah...I've provided some thought since I've moved in here to the fact that Zack Grantham is just a supremely gorgeous man. So beautiful, in fact, that I often don't know how to act around him or know what to say. There's a little part of me that's still starstruck to be working for and living in a hockey god's house. So when I'm feeling immensely insecure next to his star power and phenomenal looks, I tend to end up acting even goofier than normal. It's my natural reaction mechanism to cope with awkward situations. My geek power rises and shines.

Zack stands up and sets the ice cream on the counter. "I think I'll have some too."

He reaches into the cupboard and pulls out a bowl. Turning toward me, he pins me with a direct stare. I feel like he's trying to convey something to me, but my heart is still beating so hard, I'm not sure enough oxygen is actually getting to my brain to make sense of it.

So I stare back at him.

Finally, his gaze goes down toward the area of my left hip, which is still pressed against the counter, and he says drily, "You're in the way. I need another spoon."

I jump as if electrocuted, brought out of my stupor, and scramble out of his way. "Oh, sorry. Um...I'm going to just go get some clothes on."

Zack gives me his back as he takes the lid off the ice cream and starts scooping some out. "You have clothes on."

"More clothes," I practically squeak.

His voice sounds almost bored when he says, "You're wearing pajamas, Kate. I've seen a woman in pajamas before. It's nothing extraordinary."

A stinging bite of hurt hits me in the middle of my chest. It shouldn't bother me, because I know he's right. I'm not anything extraordinary at all. I'm just plain old dorky Kate.

But damn...I am indeed almost half-naked and he didn't even give me a second glance. I'm not just plain and dorky, I'm apparently abhorrent and pathetic.

Feeling more vulnerable than I ever have before in my life, I scurry past Zack and round the back kitchen island, heading toward the stairs. "I think I'll pass on the ice cream. Good night."

From my peripheral vision, I see Zack's head snap my way. "Are you sure?"

I pause just before hitting the staircase. Turning to face him, I even manage to give a game smile. "Yup. Not good for the hips, you know."

Without waiting for a response, I leap up two of the stairs but hear him call me. "Kate?"

My heart starts stuttering again. I back down the staircase and, holding on to the stair railing for leverage, I lean back to peek around the wall separating us. He's not looking at me, but scooping some more ice cream.

"The Cold Fury has a home game tomorrow," he says as he pulls out another scoop. My mouth waters for some, but I'm too freaked to stay. "I'm going to bring Ben. Would you like to come with us?"

My jaw drops open and goose bumps break out over my skin.

Go to a Cold Fury hockey game? Is he freaking kidding me?

Dream. Come. True.

Zack's head swivels my way and he brings up his thumb to lick a dab of ice cream off. I'm mesmerized by the action...his full lips parting and his tongue coming out to take a swipe. Wow. I didn't know something like that could be so sexy. Just...wow.

"Kate?" Zack says, and I jerk my eyes back up to his. "The game? Do you want to go?"

"You want me to go to the game with you?" I manage to rasp out.

"Well, it would be for Ben," Zack says as he puts the lid back on the ice cream. "I might have to talk to reporters, so I'd need you to watch him."

"Oh...um, yeah," I murmur, then clear my throat and say a bit more firmly, "Yeah...that would be awesome, actually. Thanks."

"Good," he says with a small smile.

"Okay. Well, good night."

"Good night," I hear him say quietly as I run up the stairs.

Chapter 7

Zack

I had a chance to sit in the owner's box tonight but decided against it. Kate told me this was her first live game and I knew she would enjoy it more down among the fans. This would suck for me, because I'd probably be recognized and I didn't feel like dealing with the fans tonight. Not on my first real venture into the limelight since the accident. Lucky for me, Alex's fiancee, Sutton, and Garrett's girlfriend, Olivia, agreed to go with us, and they are effectively caging me in to provide a buffer in the row we're sitting in. I've got on a baseball cap pulled low, so maybe I won't even be recognized at all.

Ben sits to my right with Olivia beside him, and Kate sits to my left with Sutton on the other side of her. The players are out on the ice warming up and AC/DC's "You Shook Me All Night Long" is blaring over the arena speakers. It's odd sitting here...in the stands, and watching my teammates out on the ice. It's killing me not to be down there with them.

I'd come to a couple games while I was out on injured reserve, but I'd always sat up in the owner's box. I felt so removed from it all up there, and I didn't have to suffer unwanted questions about my injury or repetitive offers of sympathy over Gina's death. They pretty much left me alone to watch the action down below.

But sitting out here, among the masses of fans, with Ben jumping up from his seat and banging on the glass as he recognizes my teammates skating by, is actually kind of cool. I'm glad I decided to do this.

Still not sure how I feel about Kate sitting next to me at this very moment, though.