Romance A Feel For The Ice

I don't deserve this, Anna thought as Hayden kissed her.I don't deserve a man like this, speaking these words to me and setting my body on fire.

A moan escaped her lips as he slipped one hand between them to squeeze her breast. She twisted under the weight of his body, so hot and wanting to feel more of him. She ran her palms down his back and clutched his shirt in both hands. With a sharp yank, she pulled his shirt from his pants so that she could get her hands underneath. When she touched the hot skin sliding over his taut muscles, she moaned again.

"Anna," Hayden hissed her name as she slid one hand around to his front. "I'm supposed to be undressing you."

She giggled, feeling like a carefree teenager again. Hayden made her feel young and beautiful, something she'd never really felt in her entire life. "So undress me," she replied playfully and shivered when his dark eyes narrowed.

He pushed himself onto his hands and knees and Anna gazed up at him, both her hands on his hips now. He raked her half-naked body with his eyes and Anna swallowed at the lust burning in his gaze. One of his hands slid down her side and around to her stomach. She caught her breath as he pressed his thumb into her belly button. Before she knew what was happening, he flicked open the button on her jeans and separated the zipper with ease.

Oh shit, she thought, her mind whirling.

With a wicked, wicked grin, Hayden shifted to her side and ran his palm along her stomach, below her belly button and just above the line of her jeans and panties. On the second pass, he slipped his pinkie finger beneath the clothing and she felt the warmth of his touch deep inside. He continued to run his hand back and forth over her belly, teasing her with his lower two fingers. Then he leaned over her, capturing one erect nipple in his mouth as he slid his hand into her jeans, inside her panties and down to cup her where she felt him the most.

Her mouth opened on a silent cry as he separated her moist folds and stroked her. Her body jumped under his touch and her pulse began to race with renewed energy. The blood pounded in her ears and he stroked her again. His breath was hot as he moved to her other breast, his body pressing into her side and his arm flexing as he pushed further between her legs. One finger teased her opening and she moaned.

His mouth disappeared from her breast and she felt his breath tickling her ribs before moving lower. He moved his hand from her clothes and grasped her jeans and panties at her hips. She knew what was coming and her body reacted instinctively, her hips coming up off the bed as he slid the pants over her legs. His hands singed a path down her legs and she shivered as the cool air touched her everywhere. Hayden knelt near her feet and pulled off her socks, the last of her clothing.

With her naked before him, he lifted her leg and planted a kiss to the inside of her left ankle. She raised her head to watch him as he repeated the caress on her right leg. He moved between her legs as he kissed higher up on her calf. He inched up her body, leaving hot, moist kisses on the skin of her legs, his fingers caressing the backs of her knees and lifting goosebumps over every inch of her body.

His breath was higher between her legs in the next moment and she bit down hard on her lower lip to keep from making any embarrassing noises. His hands were gentle and she concentrated on breathing as his fingers brushed through her damp curls. Then he parted her lips and dragged one finger through the moisture there. She shuddered, unconsciously squeezing her legs together.

"Anna," Hayden's voice was soft and rolled through her like a wave. His hand was still between her thighs, his fingers still sliding between her folds. "Anna, love, I promise not to hurt you."

His words made her open her eyes to stare at him. She thought he must mean he wasn't going to hurt her in bed. It was a tiny concern in the back of her mind when compared with all the others; that he might physically cause discomfort just because it had been so long for her. But as she looked into his dark eyes, and saw the gentle smile on his handsome face, she realized he meant more than that.

"Do you trust me?" he asked.

She nodded, not trusting herself to speak and felt her insides turn to liquid fire when his smile turned devilish. He lowered himself quickly then, her thighs relaxing on either side of him and Anna felt his hot breath a moment before his tongue slid up inside of her.

She gasped and bucked up off the bed. His hands clamped down on her hips, holding her in place and she worked her fingers around her bedspread, clutching frantically at it. A long-forgotten tingle started in her toes and rushed through her body in the next second. She trembled as Hayden shifted, moving his hands to hold her open to his lips and tongue. His breath was so hot on her, seeping deep inside her body. He rubbed his thumb over that one spot, then again, then a third time as he dragged his tongue through her wetness.

"Oh God," she moaned and arched off the bed, the tingling spreading.

She moved one hand up to slide her fingers through his dark hair, unaware of what she was doing. Her eyes may have been open but she couldn't be sure if the stars she was seeing were real or imagined. All the while, Hayden's lips and tongue and fingers didn't stop moving. He stroked and teased her, delved inside and lapped at her. She gasped and moaned, wondering if the noises in the room were all coming from her.

Then Hayden slid his tongue inside her again as he pressed his fingers down on just the right spot and Anna felt her body explode. She cried out, her fingers tightening on his head and her thighs tensing around him. He held her, unrelenting in his exploration, tonguing her while she sailed through her orgasm. He didn't even let her come down before moving his mouth and sliding two fingers inside of her.

"Hayden," she moaned his name and threw her arms wide on either side of her, gathering the bedspread in her hands again. "Oh God, Hayden, please!"

He chuckled, the warm reverberation sending more shock-waves through her body. At last he released her, pulling her thighs together and kneeling beside her. She stared up at him, breathing hard and smiled when he ran the back of his hand down her cheek. Her eyes slid down his body and she reached for his arms, pulling herself up.

"You're still dressed," she complained and pulled at the front of his shirt.

Chuckling, he held his arms up as she commanded and she lifted his shirt over his head, throwing the garment to the floor. Greeted by the site of his broad chest, covered with a light layer of coarse brown hair, Anna couldn't help the giddy grin that spread across her face. She splayed her hands out on his chest, sliding her palms over the firm muscles and groaning inwardly when he flexed for her.

"Better?" he asked and she was glad that his voice came out sounding strained.

"Not quite," she replied and winked at him. She didn't know what had come over her but she suspected it had something to do with what he'd just made her feel.

Anna moved her hands lower, dragging her fingers over his nipples and across his firm abs. Clutching the waist of his pants, she released the button and pushed her hand inside, cupping him over his underwear. He groaned and his hands closed around her upper arms. Smiling innocently, Anna looked up into his face, gratified to see the tension in his jaw. She squeezed him, delighting in the heavy warmth against her palm.

"Anna, please," he ground out from behind clenched teeth.

She scoffed at him and gave him another light squeeze. He grabbed her wrist and tugged her hand out of his pants. "You got to play with me," she whined playfully.

"I know," he agreed and rolled so he could push his pants and underwear off, along with his socks.

Anna rolled over on top of him, loving the feeling of his body naked alongside hers. She reached up and touched his face, running her fingertips along the contours of his eyebrows, cheek and nose. Pausing at his lips, she parted her own and slid her tongue along her bottom lip. Hayden made a low noise in his throat before drawing her close and kissing her. Anna draped herself over his chest and kissed him back, eagerly thrusting her tongue against his.

His kisses made her feel intoxicated. She would gladly give up her job to trail around after Hayden, if he would allow her to continue with this; sliding her lips over his and stroking his tongue with hers. His hand swept her hair up from her neck and he held it in a messy bundle at the back of her head as he wrenched his lips from hers. She stared down at him, her vision a little blurry around the edges.

"Anna," he murmured her name, his accent thick and drawing out the two syllables of her name like a caress.

He pressed her down and licked the skin just under her ear. Anna sighed, turning her head and giving him all the access he desired. He sucked on her ear lobe for a second before moving down, dragging his lips over her flushed skin. His tongue dipped into the hollow at the front of her throat and she sighed, her hands fisting in the bedcovers by his head.

Quicker than she could process, Hayden rolled them over, tucking her under his body. One of his thighs slid between hers and she groaned at the broad, muscled feel of his leg. He shifted again and she felt another muscle press against her skin, something hotter and more demanding.

"Anna," he breathed her name again, his mouth close to her ear.

She shivered and arched off the bed as his hand slid down her ribs and around to her backside. He cupped her bottom in one hand and squeezed as he sucked on the pulse point just under her chin. Shifting, she jerked when his tongue flicked out to graze her sensitive skin in a single, hot stroke. He groaned when her movement squeezed his erection between them. She did it again, this time fully aware of her affect on him.

His mouth lifted from her skin and he inhaled rapidly for a few moments, his hands stilling on her body. Anna moved again, wanting desperately to feel him touching her again. She wanted to see him lose control like he'd done to her. From the way his breath was rushing out, she guessed he was close.

"Hayden," she murmured and turned her head to lick the sweaty skin of his throat. She wriggled, shoving a hand between them, seeking. A moment later she found what she wanted and closed her fingers around his generous size.

His hand on her bottom squeezed again before sliding lower, under her thigh and in. His fingers brushed against her molten center before he hooked his hand around her leg and lifted. As he did that, his thigh nudged hers further apart and she found herself spread open before him.

Both her hands went to his arms, holding on tight as he moved until he was nestled between her legs, his cock brushing against her wet core. Her eyes widened when she felt the head slide between her lips. Hayden lifted one hand to brush the hair from her face as his body continued to move almost imperceptibly over hers.

"Anna," he whispered her name before pressing a gentle kiss to her lips. "Anna."

Over and over he whispered her name, his hips thrusting against hers, but he wasn't pushing into her. His voice broke one moment before he dissolved into a language she didn't understand. All she knew was that he was breathing hard and every so often, her name slipped from his lips.

"Hayden," she whispered, pressing the tips of her fingers into his muscled arms. "Hayden, please. I want you. I need you... inside of me."

His eyes narrowed and he kissed her hungrily, thrusting his tongue inside her mouth as his solid length split her open. Her breath caught in her throat at the sudden, unexpected discomfort. Hayden must have heard it in her breathing or felt her tense up beneath him because he froze. His kiss turned gentle and his eyes were soft as he gazed into her face.

"Anna," he rasped out. "I'm so sorry."

"Don't be," she managed to gasp. "I'm fine. I just... it just caught me by surprise."

He nodded, keeping still over her, though Anna could feel him start to tremble with the force of holding back. That he cared enough to worry more about her than his own pleasure brought tears to her eyes. She blinked them back, breathing deeply. She realized then that she cared more for this man than she'd suspected. Biting her lip, she looked into his eyes and lifted her hips, forcing more of him inside of her.

He groaned, shaking more noticeably now. His muscles vibrated beneath her hands and he dropped his forehead to rest against hers, his eyes shut tight. "Anna, please," he pleaded and added something in Swedish that sounded like a similar entreaty.

"Hayden," she replied, lifting her hips again until they both moaned. "Make love to me."

His eyes flew open to look into hers.

"Please," she added, barely above a whisper.

Exhaling, Hayden lifted his head as he moved his body, burying himself deep inside of her. They groaned together at the sensation of him filling her so completely. The discomfort she'd felt faded to the background and all Anna was left with was exquisite heat. It swept her up and blanked her mind. She forgot about how it felt to worry that her body wasn't good enough or that her life was too complicated. She felt only Hayden's body around her, inside of her and his heart pounding against her chest.

"Anna," he groaned her name as he moved inside of her.

His movements were slow and deliberate. He drew out of her almost all the way and pushed slowly back in. Anna clawed at his shoulders as he tortured her with a deep kiss and repeated the motion of his hips again and again. He tangled his tongue around hers and thrust again, moving faster at one moment and then slower the next. He was killing her, one hot minute at a time.

Then she felt the shift in him, like a dam breaking. He lifted his mouth from hers and dropped his forehead to her collarbone as his movements became more erratic. His breathing was harsh and warm against her skin. She sucked in a breath as he licked her skin, coupling it with a firm squeeze of her thigh, where he hadn't moved his hand from since entering her body. Lifting her hips, she tried to meet his pounding thrusts but something coiled deep in her belly and she cried out, seeing those stars again.

With a growl, Hayden lifted himself over her, staring into her eyes as he thrust into her over and over. Anna looked into his face and shivered through her climax, feeling ripped open by the desire in his eyes. Another wave wracked her body and she arched under him, wailing and clutching at his shoulders.

"Hayden!" she cried his name and felt his body tense around her.

With a groan, he pushed into her for a few more seconds and then relaxed, covering her body with his. Anna held him close, weak and overheated. Hayden turned his head to press a kiss to her neck, a sensitive spot that Anna suspected would bear a dark mark come morning.

With a sigh, she decided it was a small price to pay for what Hayden had done to her, for the reawakening he'd given her.

When Hayden stirred sometime during the night, the room was dark and he was warm beneath the covers with Anna. He rolled over and curled his body around hers, smiling when she shimmied her body back to settle closer to him. It didn't take long for the rest of his body to wake up and she stirred, murmuring something in a husky voice as she woke.

Hayden didn't say anything. Instead, he ran his hand up her side, from her naked hip to the underside of her breast. He felt her shiver and press more firmly against him and that was all the encouragement he needed. Shifting, he hooked his arms around her and rolled her underneath him. She turned her face towards him and sighed as his lips brushed against hers.

"It's not morning already, is it?" she asked in a sleepy voice.

Chuckling, he dropped another kiss on her lips, teasing the corner of her mouth with the tip of his tongue. "No, it's not," he replied. "But I can't wait until morning before having you again."

With that, he sealed their lips together, plunging his tongue into her mouth. Her hands came up to his shoulders, holding on weakly as he ran his hands all over her body. She rose to his touch, sighing into his mouth and when he stroked between her legs, she was already damp with desire. Growling low in his throat, Hayden continued to plunder her mouth while drawing delightful noises from her as he slid his fingers all through her silken heat.

This time was different. Hours before he'd been practically out of his mind with wanting her. It amazed him that he'd been able to hold back for so long, committing himself to her pleasure first. Then he'd driven himself inside of her, making her cry out in pain. That sound had cut right through him. He'd never wanted to hurt her, not for anything. She'd gradually adjusted to him and their love-making had ended on a wildly satisfied note.

Now, Hayden wanted to ensure there was no pain, no discomfort. From the way she was whimpering and rising under his hands, he thought they were already well on their way to that end. So he pushed his fingers up inside of her and grinned against her lips when she groaned.

He worked her into a frenzy, delighting in all the sounds she made and the way she pleaded with him. When he moved between her thighs to slide his aching erection inside of her, he kissed her face all over and murmured her name. He moved inside without hurry, watching her face and waiting for any sign that it wasn't complete pleasure for her. Her mouth hung open and her eyes widened but she smiled as her hands slid down his sides until she was cupping his ass.

Grinning in return, Hayden pushed further in, swallowing hard as he felt all her tight heat surrounding him. He kept his movements slow for a minute, wanting to draw it out for both of them. With a wink, he reached between their bodies and rubbed her just above where they were joined. She gasped and arched under him, pressing her naked breasts against his chest. Shifting his gaze, Hayden lowered his head and covered one nipple with his mouth. He tasted her sweet flavor, a musky lingering scent of sweat and sleep, and he sucked hard on her for a moment. She gasped again, higher this time and close to his ear. His name dropped from her lips in the next second and he felt her tighten all around him. Her fingers pressed harder into his ass cheeks and her back came right off the bed as she came.

Pleased that she could let go with him, Hayden lifted his head to kiss her mouth. Her tongue traced his lips and he slipped his inside, teasing her and playing with her as his movements went faster. He couldn't hold back for much longer. It was a miracle that he'd even lasted this long. At her first touch, he'd been ready to blow and now that he felt the continuing pulse of her orgasm from deep inside, he couldn't stand it any longer.

Raising himself over her and resting his hands on either side of her face, he pushed his hips against her faster, sliding deeper with each thrust. Her legs bent around his sides and she held him close, her breathing ragged. Their eyes met as he pushed again, burying himself as deep as he could. In the inky black of the room, Hayden couldn't see the shimmering grey of her eyes but she smiled at him, her eyelids sweeping low and he lost it.

Thrusting hard and fast, he rode the crest of his climax, grunting with the force of letting go. She held him close, pressing moist kisses to his throat as he came and settled into his embrace as he moved himself beside her. He kissed her temple, sniffing when her wild hair tickled his nose.

Giggling, Anna lifted her head and ran a hand between them, sweeping her hair out of his face. She settled back against him, her flushed cheek warm against his bare chest. His heartbeat was still out of control and he smiled as she ran her fingers through the curls on his chest.

"Sorry," he murmured and kissed her forehead.

"For what?"

"For waking you," he replied and yawned, sinking back towards sleep.

"Hayden, if you wake me for that, there's nothing to be sorry for," she told him and turned her face to kiss his chest.

He shivered at the feeling and gathered her close, inhaling her womanly scent. Together they drifted back to sleep.

When Hayden woke up the next time, he was alone in bed. He sat up and looked around, blinking blearily as he came awake. He thought he heard water running but it stopped almost as soon as he heard it. Throwing the covers back, he reached for his discarded pants and pulled them on before walking out into the hall. He located the washroom first and after taking care of nature's urges, he crept down the hallway towards the stairs.

He was cautious, not sure if Riley would be home already. At the top of the staircase, he stopped, listening for the familiar sound of Riley's chatter or stomping feet. Hayden heard what sounded like a pot banging and slippered feet shuffling across the floor. Satisfied that he was still alone in the house with Anna, Hayden moved downstairs and into the kitchen, smiling when he found Anna cooking breakfast in her bathrobe and slippers. She was humming and hadn't noticed him yet.

"Good morning, Anna," he said and moved across the kitchen towards her.

She whirled around, a butter knife in hand and blushed when she saw him shirtless in front of her. Her gaze flicked to his bare chest before moving back to his face and he grinned when her hazel-grey eyes darkened. Moving closer, he slipped his arms around her waist and bent his head to kiss her.

"How did you sleep?" he asked, pulling back just far enough so that all he could see were her beautiful eyes.

"Pretty good," she replied and smiled. "You?"

"Best sleep I've had in weeks," he said.

Her blush deepened but she giggled like a young girl before kissing him again. He released her and stood aside as she continued to make a breakfast of toast and some sort of egg scramble with green onions, tomatoes and colorful bell peppers.

"Wow, that smells amazing," he said, inhaling the sharp scents with a smile.

"Hopefully it tastes amazing as well," she replied with a sideways glance at him. "Are you just going to stand there and watch or are you going to help?"

At her playful tone, he lifted his eyebrows, stepping close to her side. She jumped as he put his arms around her and buried his face in her neck; she'd pulled her unruly locks into a ponytail and Hayden took the opportunity to savor her. She sighed and let him, something that made Hayden grin. He planted one more kiss to her soft, warm skin and stepped back.

"What would you like me to do?" he asked.

She directed him towards the dishes in the cupboard and had him get the juice out of the fridge. A few minutes later they were both sitting at the table, munching on breakfast. Hayden downed his quickly and went back for seconds, making Anna laugh.

"I'm a growing boy," was his simple reply.

They chatted about their time apart. Hayden filled Anna in on their road trip out west, telling her about his roommate and his trip to Disneyland with a few of the guys. It had been a short trip, only a few hours, but Hayden assured Anna that he'd picked up something he was sure Riley would like.

"When is Riley coming home?" Hayden asked after he stopped stuffing food in his mouth. He swallowed the last of his juice and relaxed back in his chair as Anna finished her breakfast.

"I have to go pick him up around noon," Anna answered.

"Can I come along?"

Anna's eyebrows went up and she took a sip of her juice before responding. "Don't you have practice today?"

Hayden's mind ran through his schedule and he recalled that yes, he did have practice later in the afternoon. The team's next game wasn't until the following evening. "I don't have practice until later," he told Anna. "I'd like to come with you to see Riley."

"Really?"

"Of course," he replied and smiled as he thought of his little friend. "I missed him over the past ten days as well. Plus, I need to make sure he's keeping up in school and hockey."

Laughing, Anna stood up from the table and carried her dishes to the sink. "I'm sure he'd love to see you, too," she told him. "He would probably love the opportunity to show you off to his friends." She glanced over her shoulder at him and smiled. "Are you sure you're up for that? Twenty-some eight and nine-year olds, plus their parents, gawking and asking for autographs?"

"I can handle it," Hayden replied with a dismissive wave.

"Well, I can't wait to see you try," Anna said with a playful smirk.

Grinning, Hayden jumped up from his chair and pinned her against the counter. She spun around in his arms, giving a little squeak of surprise. Before she could utter another sound, he covered her mouth with his. She sighed into his mouth and he felt his groin tighten. Pulling back, he grinned down at her, taking in her flushed cheeks and bright eyes.

"So... when do we have to leave to get Riley?" he asked.

"We don't have to leave until eleven or so," she replied, blinking in confusion.

Hayden's eyes took in the current time over the stove and he was elated to find that they had two more hours. With a growl, he lifted her into his arms and carried her back to her bedroom to make the most of that time.

Anna wasn't sure how Riley might react when he saw both his mother and Hayden Zimmerman. She chewed on her bottom lip as she drove to pick up her son later that morning. Her body was still lit up from Hayden's attentions following breakfast. It brought a blush to her cheeks as she recalled all that had passed between them in the last twelve hours. She heard a low chuckle from the passenger seat and glanced sideways at the very man who'd turned her on so repeatedly.

"What?" she asked.

"I'm just wondering what you're smiling about," he replied and gave her a wink that told her he knew exactly what she was smiling about.

"Don't make me hurt you," she muttered non-threateningly at him. He chuckled again and faced forward.

They didn't say much on the rest of the drive. In another few minutes, Anna was pulling up in front of the house where Riley had spent the night. The front yard of the house was crawling with members of the hockey team. They were rolling around in the snow and chucking snowballs at each other. A few parents stood by watching and making sure no one got hurt.

Anna didn't open her door right away. Instead she glanced over at Hayden and started chewing on her bottom lip again. He met her gaze and smiled, reaching over to take her hand in his.

"Don't worry," he said. Then he leaned across the space between them and kissed her on the lips before she could protest. "Riley will be all right."

Nodding, and flushed from his kiss, Anna turned to get out of the car. She walked across the sidewalk and smiled a greeting at James Gallagher, one of the host fathers. He grinned at her and then pointed out her son, covered at the moment with a mountain of snow. Riley was sputtering with laughter as another teammate dumped a handful of snow over his dark head.

"Oh wow," Anna breathed and laughed. "Looks like they're having a good time."

"They are," James agreed and sipped at his steaming mug of coffee. "Have been all night, too."

Anna grinned at him and jumped when she felt Hayden slip his hand around her fingers. She noticed James' eyes move to Hayden along with the gazes of the other parents gathered around. Half-turning to Hayden, she returned his smile and introduced him to everyone. "This is Hayden Zimmerman," she said.

For a moment, no one said anything or moved. Then Riley noticed his 'good friend' had arrived and shoved his friends away so he could get up.

"Hayden!" he cried and flew at Hayden, hugging the hockey star around the waist. He turned his flushed face up and blinked snowflakes out of his eyes. "I'm so excited you're here!"

"Wow, thanks, kiddo," Hayden replied, clearly pleased by the eight-year old's greeting. He bent over and detached Riley's arms from around him. "I'm glad to see you, too."

"How was your road trip?" Riley asked as he stared up at his hero. "I watched some of your games and I saw you scoring lots on some nights but not on others and I was scared that you hurt yourself that one game but then you called so I knew it was OK and my mom told me you were probably OK so that's good-"

"Riley, give Hayden a second to breath," Anna scolded but she was grinning as she said it. She loved listening to her son's rapid-fire speech and enjoyed watching Hayden try to absorb it all. To the man's credit, he did his best to nod and respond whenever Riley drew a breath, which wasn't often.

"Oh gosh, you have to meet my friends!" Riley exclaimed and grabbed Hayden's hand as he began to jump up and down. "Can you come meet them?"

Anna glanced around to see most of the parents and kids were pretty much standing and staring at them anyway. She smiled sheepishly at the grown-ups as Riley tugged Hayden's hand, leading him across the snowy lawn to meet his teammates. As the kids crowded around, Hayden crouched down to speak to them all at eye level. Anna's heart warmed at the sight. He had such patience, not only with her own hyperactive child, but with all the kids.

"Anna," someone's voice spoke at her elbow and she turned to see Elaine, James' wife. She was smiling but her eyes were on Hayden and the kids. "How on earth did you meet Hayden Zimmerman?"

Laughing, Anna gave her the short version and left out the romance. "He's kept in touch with Riley for weeks now and they're good pals," Anna concluded. "When Hayden came over, he insisted on coming with me to pick up Riley.

Elaine lifted her eyebrows at Anna's words and her expression had Anna blushing. "He sure seems to like the boys," Elaine commented, her eyes going back to the scene on the lawn. "Though I've never known an NHL player to go to all this trouble for some random kid."

Anna's immediate instinct was to say that Riley was not just 'some random kid' but as she opened her mouth to speak, she realized what that would mean. She met Elaine's curious gaze and shrugged, unsure at this point how she wanted to classify her relationship with Hayden. She decided that at the very least, it was no one's business what went on between the three of them anyway.

"Well, Hayden's a nice guy and I know Riley sure likes spending time with him," Anna replied, going for something at least vaguely honest.

"Hmm," was all the response Elaine gave her.

Sighing, Anna turned back to Riley and Hayden, still surrounded by the other children. "Come on, Riley," she called. "It's time to go. Say good-bye to everyone and thank Mr. Gallagher for having you."

Riley nodded and pulled Hayden along behind him as they walked towards the adults on the sidewalk. "Thanks, Mr. Gallagher," Riley said as he looked up at James.

"No problem, sport," James replied with a grin. "And it was nice to meet you, Hayden." He held his hand out towards Hayden, who shook it with a smile of his own. "You make sure you remember to keep your head up next time, Riley."

Riley nodded enthusiastically before reaching for his mother's hand and turning with her towards their waiting vehicle. Riley chattered non-stop on the drive back to their house and Hayden did his best to answer when he was required, throwing Anna smiling eye-rolls every so often. When they pulled up in front of their house, Anna helped Riley down and then went around to the trunk to grab his bags. Hayden followed Riley up towards the house, the boy still talking a mile a minute.

"...And then the puck hit the post and I was so mad that it missed and did you know that it makes that sound like a doorbell that's kind of broken but you hear it anyway?" Riley was saying as Anna trudged up the walk and handed the house key over to Hayden to unlock the door.

"Yeah, I know the sound," Hayden agreed as he opened the door and turned to take the bags from Anna.

"Well, it made that sound and I knew I'd missed but it was OK because I had another chance in the next period and-"

"Riley, sweetie," Anna interrupted her son with a firm voice. "Give Hayden a minute to rest! Take your coat off and go wash your hands. I'll start making lunch."

"OK!" Riley agreed and rushed off to do as she asked, dumping his jacket on the hall floor.

Laughing, Anna bent over to pick it up. A second later, Riley reappeared and hurried to his mom's side, grabbing her hand in both of his. "Is Hayden staying for lunch?" Riley asked, his bright eyes flicking back and forth between the two adults.

"I think Hayden might have to get to a practice, Riley," Anna replied, glancing over at Hayden as she spoke.

"Aw!" Riley whined and whirled around to face Hayden. "But you just got here!"

Anna and Hayden's eyes met over Riley's head and Hayden grinned as Anna turned to hang up their coats while trying to hide her blush.

"I wish I could stay, kiddo," Hayden saved her by saying. "But your mom's right. I've got to get to practice."

"Do you have to?" he asked, dropping Anna's hand and turning to Hayden.

"Yup," Hayden replied. "You're never late for your practices, right?"

Riley shook his head solemnly.

"Well, there you go," Hayden said. "I can't be late either."

"OK," Riley agreed, though he sounded terribly put out by it.

"Listen, why don't I come by tonight after practice?" Hayden suggested, meeting Anna's gaze again and smiling when she nodded in agreement. "Then we can all watch a movie together and you can make popcorn."

"Yes!" Riley agreed excitedly, throwing his arms around Hayden's waist in a hug.

Laughing, Hayden bent down to hug the little boy in return. He pulled away after a moment and told Riley to do what his mom told him. Riley nodded, calling his 'good-bye' over his shoulder as he ran down the hall.

"Thank you, Hayden," Anna said in a soft voice when she was left alone with him. "I appreciate how much time you spend with him."

Grinning, Hayden stepped close to her and drew her into his arms. He held her around the waist and stared into her eyes. His were such a deep, soft brown that she felt her body melting in his embrace, memories of the previous night washing over her. He must have felt the rush of heat through her, or he might have heard the stutter in her breathing; either way, his eyes darkened and he bent his head to kiss her.

"I can't wait until tonight," Hayden murmured against her lips and she shivered, hearing the promise in his words.

"Me either," she replied and smiled when he leaned back far enough to hold her cheek with one big hand.

"I'll call when I'm on my way," he said and released her. "Should I bring pizza again?"

Anna laughed and shook her head. "Not unless you want me to go up another dress size."

He scowled and pulled her close again, devouring her with another gut-wrenching kiss. She was dazed and breathing heavily when he released her this time.

"You're gorgeous, Anna," he told her, his voice rough and low. "Don't you ever forget it."

"I'll try," she breathed in reply and smiled as he kissed her once more.

Stepping away, he opened the front door and waved as he walked out. Anna shut the door behind him and leaned one shoulder against the cold metal, wishing her core temperature would stop rising.

"Mom!" Riley cried her name seconds before barreling into the hallway.

She jumped, startled by his abrupt arrival. She turned in time to see Riley skid to a stop in front of her. He cocked his head at her and smiled. "What are you doing?" he asked.

"Nothing," she replied and pushed away from the door. Reaching down, she scooped her son into her arms and carried him into the kitchen. The entire time, he protested, squirming in her embrace until she was forced to put him down.

He's getting way too big for me to do that, she thought with a gasp.

"What movie can we watch when Hayden comes back later?" Riley asked as he pulled a chair out from the table and clambered onto it.

"He said you could pick whatever you wanted," Anna replied as she pulled out dishes and opened the refrigerator to start making lunch for the two of them.

"Cool," Riley breathed and Anna glanced over to see him kneeling on his chair with his chin propped in his upturned hands. "Is Hayden going to stay late tonight?"

Anna dropped a butter knife and swore under her breath. "I... don't know, sweetheart. You'll have to ask him when he comes back."

"I wish he could spend more time here," Riley said with a sigh.

Smiling, Anna turned around to face him, dollop of mustard on the knife. "I know, sweetie." A thought occurred to her and she wondered if she ought to talk to Riley about Hayden; about the possibility of him spending a lot more time around their house. As she eyed her son, she thought she probably should. Riley was a smart kid; if she didn't speak to him up front about it, he might get suspicious and possibly even upset.

She finished up their sandwiches as she mulled over the possible conversation. Turning with two plates, she walked over to the table and set lunch before her son. After grabbing two glasses and a jug of milk from the fridge, she sat down across from Riley, who was already digging into his sandwich.

"Riley, I need to ask you something and you need to be perfectly honest with me," she began, picking at the crust of her own sandwich.

Riley looked up at her and he moved the chunk of sandwich around in his mouth until he could speak; sort of. "What's perfectly honest?" he asked, except it sounded more like, "mutsh furfeshly momisht?"

Anna hid her smile behind her glass of milk before responding. "It means you have to tell me what you think, no matter what. OK?"

He nodded, still working the giant bite of food in his mouth.

"If Hayden were to start coming over here a lot more, would that be all right?"

Riley nodded again, his eyes growing wider.

"What if it was to... spend more time... with me?" she asked and quickly added, "I mean, he'd still want to see you but what if sometimes he came just to see me?"

Riley's brow knitted in a tiny frown and he swallowed that bite of sandwich. Anna studied his face, wondering what was going through his head.

"Why would he want to see you?" Riley asked. "You don't play hockey."

Anna laughed before she could stop it from escaping her. She smiled apologetically at her son, knowing he'd asked it in all seriousness. "That's true," she agreed. "I don't. But Hayden and I are friends anyway. He's a very nice man and I like talking to him as much as you do."

Riley nodded though his face showed her he was still confused.

"We've never talked about this, Riley," Anna went on, her voice dropping. She looked down for a moment and sighed. "About me... and men. About... dating."

"Dating? You mean like a boyfriend and a girlfriend?" Riley asked, his eyes snapping open wide again.

"Yes, like that," Anna said, meeting her son's gaze. She didn't know why, but she was feeling more anxiety over this conversation than she had over the prospect of spending a night alone with Hayden. She supposed that she wanted Riley to understand and to not be upset with her. Not just because she liked Hayden but because she didn't want it to affect her relationship with her son. Or her son's relationship with Hayden.

"Are you and Hayden... boyfriend and girlfriend?" Riley's tone as he asked this was a mixture of awe and incredulity.

Anna couldn't help but smile at the nature of their relationship being broken down so simply by an eight-year old. Would that everything in my life were this easy? She thought and sipped at her milk. "Yes, Riley. I suppose we are."​