Page 12 of Ice King

Neither was I. Since it was likely I was getting a lecture, I wanted to get it over with. To say I was in a bad mood wasn’t close to strong enough.

Maybe I needed to shift and spend time in the forest. Hell, there were scattered highly secured recreational parks across the United States and even a few other countries for shifters only. Where we could let loose. A little hunting. Some chasing. Being free of prying eyes and criticism. However, when you lived in the Pacific Northwest where forests were everywhere, you didn’t need a trumped-up kiddy park.

Something had to give. Every muscle in my body was suddenly tense, my pulse skyrocketing. Sure, I ran hotter than humans, but I was burning up alive.

While neither of the two formally acknowledged me, as soon as I was within a few yards, the unknown girl’s skin took on an effervescent shimmer. I had to roll my eyes on that one. Finn’s romantic bullshit was rubbing off.

Even before I walked closer, I could tell they were talking about me. The coach wasn’t amused, likely since he was being hounded. I knew how much he hated when a fan charged him.

“I’ll take care of this, Coach,” I told him.

Coach Stryker’s right eyebrow lifted. “You will, huh? Then by all means. Go ahead.” He backed into his office, giving me some room.

I’d been on this scene for long enough to tell what the pretty girl was thinking. She leaned her back against the coach’s door, as if not planning on budging. She was shorter than me, although most humans were and she was decidedly human.

Through and through.

When she moved, her soft curls bounced off her voluptuous breasts, drawing my gaze from her tight tee shirt to her slender waist and rounded hips.

I might be tired of dealing with puck bunnies, but that didn’t mean I was a dead man. When I noticed a beautiful woman, I looked. And this woman deserved all the accolades out there. She had a perky nose with a few freckles dotting her cheeks, her lips lush and kissable, and her dazzling cerulean blue eyes held a shimmer that reminded me of a golden halo. They were alight with fire.

A spunky woman. I liked that too.

The way she stared me directly in the eyes held my attention for longer than it should. Eye contact meant someone was interested. Not this guy.

“Hey, babe. I appreciate the support, I really do, but I’m just not interested. But I might be able to swing a couple tickets for this weekend’s game if you’d like.”

When she didn’t answer right away, I couldn’t help myself, placing my palm on the door over her head.

She didn’t react at first, still holding eye contact, but I could sense a hint of amusement. But there was something else hidden beneath her slight, alluring smile, an entirely different sensation than I usually felt around any woman. I found it tough to explain.

If the girl felt anything other than amusement I’d be surprised. She lifted her chin to glance at my hand, a slight sigh for my ears only. “Thanks, but… no, thanks on the game. I’m not a fan. Including of hockey players. Hint. Not all women like a jerk.”

I’d heard just about everything, but her retort was more of a shock to my system than it should be. I’d been turned down before, but from her? It felt like a punch to the gut.

She folded her arms, sticking her nose up at me as if disgusted. And her smile had turned into a smirk.

Making me out to be an asshole in front of the coach wasn’t cool. Backing away, I shrugged as if I didn’t give a damn. “Your loss, kitten. Now, why don’t you run along and rub against another guy’s leg while the coach and I talk important business?”

To her credit, she didn’t get angry. She barely even reacted. Just stared at me. “Hmmm… I’m trying to figure out if there’s anything but bluster inside that big head of yours. I’m surprised it can fit through a doorway.”

She did not just say that shit.

The coach cleared his throat. “Maybe now would be a good time to introduce our new massage therapist. Georgia Wallace, Ford Kendrick, the player I was telling you about. Or maybe I should say warned you about.”

What?

I turned my head toward him. “Are you serious?” Sure, the position had been open for a little while, but we were at the end of the season. What the hell did we need one for now? Then it dawned on me. She’d been hired to be another babysitter. What the fuck?

“Yes, I’m serious and obviously she couldn’t come at a better time. While I wish we could afford to have a physical therapist on the payroll, we just don’t have the funds. However, Ms. Wallace has some special training in physical therapy that should prove useful to the organization. As you might imagine, with today’s fiasco, Ford, you’re off the team roster until further notice.”

“You can’t do that shit to me,” I countered, sounding like some whiny five-year-old.

“I can and I will since you don’t seem to have the need to get your head out of your ass.”

The smirk on her face turned into a sneer. She was enjoying the hell out of my dressing down.

“I am fine. See?” I lifted my arm, refusing to give in to the pain. Even doing a helicopter with it.