Romance Melting the Ice

"Don't you feel me?" He gave his hips a jerk, thrusting deep before stilling again.

"I want to feel you move," she replied, her breath coming faster. "Please, I want you to."

Hayden's resolve was crumbling fast in the wake of her soft entreaty. He pulled back and plunged deep, trying to keep his pace slow. But she was bound and determined to undo him. She rocked her body against his and threw her head back with a groan. Her legs tightened around his waist and he repeated the motion. Then again, pulling almost all the way out and then sliding back in.

"Oh, yes." The words fell from her lips in a husky voice that slipped through his last defenses and Hayden gave up trying to resist.

He didn't know why he bothered.

With his arm braced around her back, he tangled her hair around his other hand and bit down on her neck. As he thrust again, she cried out and he felt her coming around him. He growled as her body pulsed and throbbed against him and he began to thrust then. He pushed deep, sliding his hand lower to push on her bottom. Every time he thrust into her, he angled deeper, drawing out her orgasm until she was whimpering, all but hanging limp in his arms.

He lapped at the skin of her neck, tasting her sweat and all her unique feminine musk. She shuddered, riding through her climax and he continued to pump into her, bringing himself to the edge in a hurry. She dropped an arm back to brace against the table as his pounding body jarred her. Her fingers curled around his neck and he looked up into her face to see her eyes focused on him.

As their gazes meshed, he came. His mouth fell open on a silent cry and he pumped furiously into her, feeling her muscles clamp down on him. All the while, they gazed into each other's eyes, sinking into each other with every frantic stroke.

After a few minutes - hours, days, Hayden didn't know anymore - Natalie turned her head and pressed a moist kiss to his neck. He responded with a gentle rub of his cheek against hers. She giggled and shivered, his whiskers apparently tickling her. Her laughter trembled through her body and he groaned when he felt her muscles flutter around his softening member.

At last he pulled out of her and stood up straight. He stroked a gentle hand over her forehead, brushing her hair out of her eyes. "Better?"

She grinned and nodded. "Loads better. What would I do without you?"

He chuckled and leaned down to kiss her. If he had anything to say about it, she'd never have to do without him.

Natalie woke up some time during the night when she felt Hayden leave the bed. She rolled over and rubbed her eyes. The bedroom was dim, the only light coming from the washroom across the hallway. She was just dozing again when she felt the bed dip as Hayden climbed back in beside her.

She expected him to just lie down and go back to sleep but was pleasantly surprised when she felt his arms go around her middle. She melted into his embrace, smiling in the darkness when she felt his body curl around hers.

"I thought you were sleeping," he murmured into her shoulder and Natalie shivered as his warm breath tickled her.

"I was."

"I'm sorry I woke you."

The growing appendage against her backside told her otherwise. With a giggle, she rolled in his arms and smiled at his dark outline. It grew larger and she felt his breath on her lips a second before he kissed her. There was none of the urgency of their session in the kitchen now. The darkness and warmth surrounding them lent a lazy, intimate quality to their lovemaking.

Hayden took his time kissing her, exploring her mouth and tasting her. His hands were sure on her body but gentle and teasing as he stroked her. She rose to his caresses and gasped into his mouth as the intensity increased. In no time at all, he had her sweaty and writhing beneath his hard body.

Still, he kept his pace maddeningly slow, taking her to the edge but stopping short of tipping her over. He teased, taunted and made her cry out his name. She was whimpering and begging before he at last parted her thighs and drove himself deep inside of her. She came then, bucking under him and wailing as her orgasm ripped through her. Hayden chuckled darkly in her ear and continued to thrust into her. It was all Natalie could do to hold on to him until he groaned and tensed over her.

When they were both relaxed and breathing normally again, Natalie rested against Hayden's side, tucked in his warm arms.

"What time is it?"

He turned his head to look at his clock. "You really want to know?"

She groaned and buried her nose against his chest. "Maybe not. No, I do. Just hit me with it."

"One thirty."

"You bastard! What were you thinking waking me up at this time?"

He laughed and gave her a squeeze. "I was thinking, 'Gee, I've got this gorgeous woman in my bed, I should enjoy every moment I can.'"

Well, that was entirely too romantic for Natalie's befuddled brain to handle at this hour. She smiled and laid her cheek on Hayden's chest. Listening to his steady heartbeat soothed her and she felt her body relaxing towards sleep.

"How early do you have to be up?" His deep voice rumbled under her cheek and she came fully awake again.

"Up? Oh, not for hours."

"Don't you have a class on Wednesday mornings?"

She shrugged one shoulder and opened her mouth for a yawn. "I think it's just a study class. Then I have my regular schedule in the afternoon." She lifted her head and kissed the strong line of his jaw. "Plenty of time to wallow in your arms, Hayden."

He chuckled and drew her close, sealing his lips over hers for a delicious moment. When he pulled away, she settled back beside him with a sigh. "Maybe I'll make you breakfast in the morning."

She felt him tense at her suggestion and lifted her head to look at his shadowed face again. "Something wrong?"

He shook his head, a jerky motion. Smiling, Natalie propped herself up on his chest and looked down into his face. "Something about me cooking breakfast amuses you?"

"I have a fantasy about you cooking for me," he confessed.

Natalie couldn't help but laugh. "A fantasy? Do tell."

"I'll only tell if there's the slightest chance you'll make it come true."

"Hmm..." She pretended to consider as she felt Hayden's hands slide up her bare legs. Her breath caught as he stroked the curve of her thighs beneath her bottom and that was when she felt the growing muscle against her stomach. She laughed, giddy with desire for him. "Hayden!"

Hayden responded by rolling them and laying his body over hers. "You'll need to know the details so you can get my fantasy right."

"I don't recall agreeing to do it."

His deep chuckle vibrated through her body and she shuddered from the sensation. Who was she kidding? She'd do anything and everything to please this man. Somehow he'd become her entire world.

"It won't be hard," he said.

She giggled and pushed her hips up a little. "It sure feels hard."

He stilled her body with his hands and leaned down to stroke her neck with his tongue. "I meant my fantasy."

"Oh?" The word fell from her lips as little more than a breathy sigh.

"You'll need an apron," he told her. "And a pair of panties..."

As Hayden had no aprons, or any breakfast food to speak of - save cereal - the fulfillment of his fantasy would have to wait. Natalie promised when she woke in the morning that she'd do what she could to make his dreams come true. As they walked down the street to a nearby restaurant for breakfast, Hayden asked if she wanted to go to another game this week.

"I don't know." She shook her head, feeling some guilt creep up her spine over the fact that she was skipping class this morning. In the middle of the night, she'd told a small lie. There was a class this morning but she had wanted to spend more time with Hayden. The winter break was coming up and she'd be heading home to Buffalo, which meant that she wouldn't see Hayden after the following week.

"I really should concentrate. This one class I have, the one with the practice exam I failed? Well, it's a real bitch of a class. I need this grade to get my degree."

Hayden nodded as he gave her fingers a squeeze. "Why didn't you say so? I could have taken you home last night, Natalie."

"I wanted to stay."

"I just don't want to be the reason you're failing."

She laughed and this time it was her turn to squeeze his hand. "I appreciate that but it'd take more than a night in bed with you to make me fail a class."

He looked down at her with a smirk and she laughed again.

"If I'd been in real danger of failing, you wouldn't have heard from me for weeks!"

"Well, that's good. For me and your grades."

Natalie nodded. "I just want to get through everything and enjoy my holidays at home."

Hayden reached out to open the restaurant door for her but paused when she spoke. "Home? You're not going to be in the city for the holidays?"

"I'm planning to go to Buffalo to spend the holidays with my family."

They were seated in a few minutes and neither spoke as they removed their coats.

"I'm sorry if you're disappointed, Hayden." Natalie was the first to break the silence.

He shook his head and reached across the table for her hand. "I'm not, Natalie. Well, maybe I am a little but it's because my brother and his wife are going to be in New York." He paused and gave her that crooked smile she adored. "I wanted you to meet them."

Natalie's heart gave an involuntary thump and she smiled back at him. "I'd love to meet them. When do they arrive?"

"Not until the 20th."

"Oh, shoot. My exams are over on the 14th and I was planning on leaving for Buffalo that day. My last exam is in the morning and a couple of people from my dorm who are from Buffalo are going to carpool up there."

"I'll drive you," Hayden said.

Natalie drew back in surprise. "It's a long way, Hayden. You'll have games, won't you?"

Hayden pulled his phone out of his pocket to check his schedule. "The 14th? I have a game that night." He looked up at Natalie with an excited expression. "How about you come to the game and I drive you after? I don't have another game until the 16th."

Natalie laughed. "There's no way you'd be in any shape to drive after a game."

"Are you kidding? Even when we lose, I'm so wired after a game, I can't sleep for hours." He arched an eyebrow at her and grinned suggestively. "Don't you remember all the nights I'd call you?"

Natalie felt her body warm at the memory. Oh yes, she remembered. He would call her late on weekends and the phone calls always made her incredibly hot and usually left her with erotic dreams. It's why she'd always answer his calls. Even from thousands of miles away, he still made her crazy.

"I can't ask you to drive me all that way, Hayden," she said and shook her head. "It'll be late and it's a seven hour drive!"

"Then we can take turns driving." He leaned forward and took hold of her hand again. "Please, Natalie. I want to spend more time with you."

She looked into his blue eyes and smiled. He looked sincere so she found herself nodding along in another minute. "This way, I guess you can meet my parents too."

"Great!"

"Oh lord, they won't believe me when I tell them you're driving me to Buffalo."

Hayden laughed along with her and they made firm plans for the trip. After that, they ordered their breakfast and chatted until Natalie had to get back to school.

Natalie was excited when her last exam was over and she was getting ready to go to the game. Madison couldn't come with her, since she was already on her way home to New Jersey. Natalie decided she could brave the game on her own. She'd be leaving right after with Hayden and at the last few games, the patrons around her seat had been friendly. She figured it wouldn't be exactly like going alone.

As always, when Hayden skated around during warm-up with his team, he paused by Natalie's section and winked. Natalie felt ridiculously pleased when he did it this time and laughed when the girls behind her giggled and made comments.

Soon, the game was underway and Natalie was on the edge of her seat. It was still early enough in the season that there was no real urgency in every game but when the Rangers fell behind the New Jersey Devils in the first period, and struggled through the second, Natalie could feel the tension. She knew Hayden was frustrated as he made his way off the ice at the second intermission. She wanted to offer him some sort of comfort but she'd learned enough about him in their time together to know that when he was losing, or had just lost a game, he was a complete bear.

A cuddly, sexy-as-hell bear, she added silently and grinned like an idiot.

A short while later, the third period was in full swing and the Rangers were firing on all cylinders. Unfortunately, it wasn't working out for them. Natalie sat back in her seat with a groan as she watched the guys skate off the ice. Hayden was not going to be in the best of moods as they set out on their road trip.

In another few minutes, her cell phone rang and Hayden's low voice greeted her when she answered.

"I should be done in about fifteen minutes."

Natalie bit her lip. "Sure. I'll wait by the North entrance."

"Sounds good."

There was an awkward pause. Natalie could feel the tension coming through the phone and wanted to say something to make it better. She knew that anything she tried to say would just fall on deaf ears.

"Uh, I'm excited about our drive," she said instead.

That earned a deep chuckle and she smiled.

"Me too. I'll see you soon."

She hung up and hurried with the crowd through the building. She paced back and forth in front of the doors until Hayden showed up. He didn't say much, just gave her a hug and held her hand as they walked to his car. They joined the traffic leaving Madison Square Garden and Natalie wrung her hands in her lap as they remained silent.

"I'm sorry, Natalie." He was the first to speak, startling her.

"Why?"

"For being cranky." He gave her a sideways smile. "I just hate losing."

She rolled her eyes and reached over to pat his hand. "Who doesn't?"

"Losers."

With a laugh, Natalie wrapped her fingers around his hand and was pleased when he turned his hand over to return the caress.

"Well, it's over now and you've got nearly eight hours to mull it over." Natalie paused and looked at him. "You're not too tired to drive right now, are you?"

He snorted derisively and gave her fingers a squeeze. "Hardly. You were right the first time: I'm going to be mulling this loss over for a while."

"Why?" The question was out before she could stop it.

"Are you serious?"

In for a penny... she thought and plowed ahead. "Well, yeah. I mean, losing sucks, sure, but it's over now. Why dwell on it?"

Hayden gave her a narrow glance that normally had her squirming as her body reacted. This time, she felt like she was being given a reprimand.

"You're not an athlete, so you wouldn't understand."

His words hurt more than they should. Natalie tried to shrug it off and chalk it up to his foul mood but as the buildings receded and Manhattan disappeared behind them, she couldn't. Just because she was trying to be supportive didn't give him the right to belittle her like that. The more she thought about it, the more it upset her.

She wasn't sure how long they drove in silence. The city was well and truly behind them by the time either of them spoke.

"I'm sorry," Hayden broke the silence in a tone that was anything but sorry.

Natalie bristled at his tone and continued to look straight out the windshield.

"Don't you believe me?"

Natalie shrugged. Hayden smacked a palm against the steering wheel. The gesture startled her. She'd never seen Hayden do something like that. In fact, she'd never seen him in such a foul mood. She looked at him and saw his jaw clenched. He turned his face and met her gaze.

"I am sorry," he tried again, his voice still tense.

"I might believe you if you didn't sound like it hurt to say it."

"I don't know why you're upset."

Natalie's eyebrows lifted. "Are you kidding?"

"I'm not a mind reader, Natalie, and I don't play games."

She barked out a laugh. This conversation was not going well. Maybe we should have just stayed quiet, she thought.

"You play a game for a living!"

"That's different," he snapped.

"Obviously. You made it perfectly clear that I know nothing about it."

"Is that why you're mad at me?" He glanced over in time to see her shrug again. "I wasn't trying to be a jerk, Natalie. You're not an athlete so you don't know what it's like to lose."

"You may not have been trying to be a jerk, but you managed to accomplish it anyway."

"Damn it, Natalie, stop talking in circles!"

"Don't you yell at me!" she snapped and glared at him. "And stop taking your loss out on me. I didn't lose the game and even if I had, I wouldn't be treating my boyfriend like this."

Hayden looked at her and opened his mouth as if to say something. Natalie raised her eyebrows and crossed her arms over her chest. He scowled and turned his attention back to the dark road ahead of them.

After several tense minutes, Hayden blew out a noisy breath and reached for Natalie's hand. She resisted at first, wanting to hear an actual apology first, but she gave him her hand and remained silent as he took it.

"I'm sorry," he said in a quiet voice. "You're right. I shouldn't be taking it out on you."

Natalie didn't say anything at first. On one hand, she didn't want to start another argument and on the other, she didn't know what to say.

"Do you hate me?"

Natalie looked over and met his uncertain gaze. "Of course not."

"Then why won't you say anything?"

"We had a fight, Hayden. That's all."

"You don't hate me? Even though I've been a prick ever since we left the city?"

Natalie grinned and returned the squeeze of his hand. "I don't hate you, I promise. And the prickness will wear off soon, won't it?"

Hayden chuckled at her made-up word and shrugged. "I don't know. I really hate losing."

Natalie rolled her eyes and rested her cheek on the back of her seat as she studied his profile. "I know. I'm sorry you lost."

"It was so stupid, too," he went on, clenching his fingers around the steering wheel. "I should have had that last shot. It was coming right at me. Then Ryder pushed Sid and I lost sight of it."

Natalie nodded in understanding. It had been a bit of a fluke goal and she didn't blame Hayden for being ticked about it.

Hayden went on to vent all his frustration over the game as he drove. Natalie smiled and frowned as he talked about one botched play or another. He became incensed as he described one missed call when a Devil had blatantly pushed him over. Most of all, Natalie just listened to him talk. Not only was it one of her favorite spare time activities - he truly had the sexiest voice - but she was so pleased that he was opening up and sharing so much with her. It's not that he kept things from her, but the game, his career, he rarely talked to her about it.

Her eyes began to feel heavy at one point and Hayden glanced over at her.

"You should try to sleep a bit." He gave her fingers a squeeze.

"Why?"

"Because you're halfway there already. I'll wake you in another couple hours to relieve me."

Natalie's eyes snapped open all the way and she fixed him with a firm glare. "You'll wake me the second you start to feel too tired."

He chuckled and nodded. "Whatever you say, tiger."

She nodded, satisfied with his response and made herself comfortable in her seat. She drifted off, still clutching his strong hand in hers.

Hayden felt the tug of sleep behind his eyes. Between the empty dark highway in front of him and Natalie's soft snoring beside him, it was a wonder he'd lasted as long as he had. He let himself stew for as long as he could about the game. That kept his blood up and kept him alert for the first hour and a half.

After that, he relived his ridiculous argument with Natalie. And it had been ridiculous. He'd had no right to take out his frustration on her. She'd been trying to be supportive as best as she knew how.

As his thoughts turned once again to her, he glanced over. She was reclined back against her door and the seat, her legs wedged at an awkward angle between the seat and the dash. She had a small frown splitting her forehead and her lips were parted. Her dark lashes fanned over the tops of her cheeks and her nose twitched as he watched her.

Hayden felt his stomach clench. She was so beautiful and he couldn't imagine not spending as much time with her as he could. Their schedules were awful for trying to line up time together even though they both made an effort. Hayden wanted more. He wanted her around all the time. He didn't know if that was a good thing but the alternative, less time, didn't sit well with him.

As he tried to focus on the road again, Natalie stirred beside him. She stretched and yawned and cursed when she smacked her knee on the dash.

"Easy," Hayden murmured and reached out to smooth his palm over the wounded knee.

"Stupid car." She rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. "Did you see? It attacked me."

Hayden grinned. "I saw. You want me to take a baseball bat to it?"

She opened her eyes and glared at him. "Don't you mean a hockey stick?"

"I could use a stick, but they break. A baseball bat would do more damage."

"No, I don't think you need to hit the car." She straightened out in her seat and yawned again. "How long was I asleep?"

"A couple hours."

"Where are we?"

"Somewhere in Northern Pennsylvania."

"Liar! That was a sign for Whitney Point. Jesus, how fast are you going?"

Hayden laughed. "Relax. It's all under control."

"Hmm." Natalie turned in her seat and scrutinized him. "Why didn't you wake me?"

"I wasn't tired."

"You're lying again. Come on, time to pull over and let me drive."

"I'm fine." He glanced over and winked at her. "I've been mulling over the game since you fell asleep. It's kept me awake."

Natalie groaned and smacked a hand to her forehead. "You're still thinking about the game? What is wrong with you?"

Hayden had to laugh at her expression. It was more indignant than anything, as if she was offended by his concern over the loss. "I didn't mean to, but what else was I supposed to do? You weren't awake to distract me anymore."

Natalie narrowed her eyes and shifted on her seat. "You need me to distract you? Is that what you're saying?"

"Yeah. Can you manage to stay awake now?"

She scoffed and pushed her hair over her shoulders. Hayden glanced at her when he heard her undo her seatbelt.

"What the hell are you doing?"

"I'm going to take your mind off that game once and for all."

Hayden froze as she slipped her arms around his neck and planted a warm kiss to the side of his neck. He swallowed as his body reacted swiftly to her touch and struggled to keep his eyes on the road. Then Natalie dropped her hand to his lap and found the growing bulge inside his pants.

"Natalie!"

"What?" She drew back and looked into his face with a blank, innocent expression.

"You can't do that now."

"Why not?"

Yeah, why not? he asked himself and laughed nervously. "Because I'm driving."

Natalie ignored him and rubbed a little harder. He gasped and his hips lifted almost off the seat.

"Natalie, please."

"Pull off the highway, Hayden," she told him. "Or keep driving. Either way, I'm doing this."

Hayden made a strangled noise of protest as Natalie undid his zipper and slid her hand inside. She brought her mouth back to his face and kissed his cheek. She moved on to suck on his ear lobe and plant nibbling light kisses all down his neck. All the while, her hand maneuvered inside his pants and underwear and she grasped his straining erection with deft fingers.

They sighed together at the contact and Hayden almost closed his eyes, her touch was so sweet. He somehow managed to get the car off the road and brought it to a stop. Then he turned and brought his lips to Natalie's as she at last took his mind off the game.

They pulled up to a modest, older style bungalow sometime around six in the morning. They'd have been earlier, Hayden took great delight in pointing out, had it not been for Natalie's impromptu rubdown.

Natalie blushed to recall what they'd done on the side of that dark highway as she glanced over at Hayden. He met her gaze and grinned, as if he knew exactly what was on her mind.

"So this is where you grew up?"

"This is it." She shut off the engine and got out, glad to be stretching her legs.

The drive from Manhattan was around seven hours, depending on traffic and other assorted stops.

She grabbed her bag out of the back seat and led the way up to the house. Hayden followed and nodded when she told him to be quiet.

"My family are early risers but I don't know if anyone will be up this early," she explained. "We'll just stay in my room until everyone is awake."

Hayden gave her a mischievous wink at the mention of her bedroom and she rolled her eyes.

Inside, the house was silent and dark. Natalie found a light and they both quietly removed their coats and shoes. Then Natalie led him on a quick tour, showing him the way to the washroom and her bedroom. When they walked into her room and she turned from shutting the door, they eyed her bed in silence for a minute.

"I'd forgotten how small it is."

Hayden chuckled and pulled her close for a kiss. "We'll make do."

"What do you mean, 'make do?'" she asked as he began to pull her towards the single bed. "We can't do anything, Hayden. My parents' room is across the hall."

"I can be quiet if you can."

Natalie glared at him as he sat down on the edge of her bed. He pulled her close, bringing her to stand between his legs. She gazed down at him, wondering how she could ever think she could resist this man. With a sigh, she sank onto his lap and kissed him. Hayden rolled back onto the bed and she sprawled across his chest with a smothered giggle.

Hayden's hands were just pulling her shirt up when a knock sounded on her door.

"Nat, sweetie?" It was her mother. "Your father and I are awake. Come on into the kitchen for coffee."

She didn't say anything else and as Natalie lay on top of Hayden, they both heard her mother's footsteps shuffle away. Natalie turned her head to stare down at Hayden who was grinning.

"You know, when I was a kid, she always knew when I had boys over," Natalie whispered.

"Mothers know," Hayden agreed.

Natalie laughed and pushed herself off of him. They straightened themselves out and Natalie suggested that Hayden head into the washroom before coming to the kitchen. Hayden glanced down at himself and nodded.

"Good idea."
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