A Feel For The Ice Ch. 02

"Do you even have to ask?" he scoffed.

Later that evening, Anna sat in front of the television with her son, waiting for the hockey game on the West coast to come on. The Red Wings were in San Jose that night and Anna had agreed to allow her son to stay up for the first period. He was currently pouting, but as soon as the game came on, Anna knew he'd forget all about it. During a commercial break, the phone rang and Anna answered without looking at the caller ID.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Anna," Hayden's deep voice greeted her.

"Hey," she said and wrapped her free arm around her middle as warmth seeped all through her body. This is ridiculous, she thought. I have to learn to control my reactions or I'm going to hurt him when I see him next time. That thought made her smile in spite of herself. "Shouldn't you be getting ready for the game?" As she asked, she glanced at the clock; the puck was due to drop in less than an hour.

"I am ready," he replied. "I wanted to talk to you guys before the game though since it's going to be so late by the time it ends."

"Well, that's very sweet of you, Hayden," Anna said. "I'll let you talk to Riley." She passed the phone to her son.

"Hi, Hayden," Riley chirped, his demeanor friendly now that his 'good friend Hayden Zimmerman' was on the phone. "I'm watching the game."

Anna chuckled as she listened to her son's side of the conversation. He didn't stop smiling the entire time, although his eyes did get very wide at one point.

"I will," he assured Hayden at that moment. "I promise. I won't fail the test. Math is my favorite." A pause. "Well, hockey is my favorite but they don't teach it in school even though I asked the principal, Mr. Lambert why they don't and he told me it's because they don't have to teach sports but I think he was just mad because he didn't play good..." and he was off and running.

Anna pulled their shared blanket higher up her body, listening to her son talk. He was an unstoppable force once he got going. Hayden would probably have to hang up on him just so he could go change for the game. It surprised her when Riley handed the phone over to her after only another five minutes.

"Are you done talking to Hayden?" she asked as she took the phone from his hand.

"Yup," he said with a smile. "He said he wanted to talk to you."

"Oh. Hello again."

"Hi," Hayden said. "Listen, I told Riley I have a surprise for him before the game starts, so make sure you have the channel changed in time."

Anna laughed. She couldn't imagine what Hayden had planned but she couldn't wait to see. From the way her son was fidgeting on his side of the couch, she figured he was equally as excited.

"I hope this is OK," Hayden went on. "I told Riley I'd bring him something from Disneyland if he passes his math test this week."

Anna scoffed at that. "Riley always passes his math tests. He can probably balance my checkbook faster than I can."

Hayden's deep laughter filled her ear and she shivered, clenching her fist on the blanket around her middle. "I know, that's why I made the deal."

"You're just a big softie, aren't you?" Anna commented, amazed that this man knew enough about her son after a few weeks to make a deal like that; a deal Riley could easily handle.

"What do you mean?" Hayden asked.

"I mean, you play hockey and you hit other guys into the boards," Anna said. "You shoot the puck faster than I can see most times and you probably curse like a sailor in the locker room." Hayden laughed again and Anna paused a moment to savor the sound. "But under all that, you're just a big, soft... softie."

"Don't tell anyone else, all right?" Hayden asked.

"Too late," Anna replied. "Riley heard the whole thing."

Riley was giving her a look and when she glanced up, she was treated to the classic eye roll. She nudged him with one foot and he giggled, inching away from her.

"I can't wait to get home," Hayden said after a moment. "I'm tired of hotel rooms."

"I should think it would be nothing at all for you to go away," Anna replied. "Haven't you been in the NHL for ten years or something?"

"Ouch. You don't even know my stats?"

"Mo-om!" Riley added from right in front of her. "Hayden's been in the NHL since the '02-'03 season."

"Sorry, sorry," she apologized and laughed. "I'm not as well-versed as Riley."

"I'll forgive you this time," Hayden said. "But you'll have to make it up to me."

"Hmm, sounds interesting," Anna replied.

"You have no idea how interesting," Hayden countered, his voice dangerously low.

"I don't think you should say anything right now," she managed to say, much faster than she thought she'd been capable of.

He chuckled and Anna leaned her head back, squeezing her eyes shut. "I'll let you off the hook but only because I know Riley is sitting right there," he said.

"Thanks," she breathed.

"I'll call you guys tomorrow," he promised. "Have a good night and don't forget to turn to the game early."

"Will do," she agreed and they hung up.

After another half hour, she changed the channel, just as Hayden had asked and they sat back to watch the pre-game interviews. Riley was practically vibrating on his side and Anna resisted the urge to pull him back from the edge of the couch.

"We're here tonight to watch the Red Wings take on the San Jose Sharks on their home ice," the reporter on screen said. He was standing next to the bench at ice level and the players were all circling the rink in the background. Anna recognized him as the reporter who usually covered Red Wings games, either at home or away. "I'm standing down here to get the inside scoop on what's happening with the players. With me is Hayden Zimmerman." The camera panned out to show #40 standing on the ice beside him.

"Welcome, Hayden, and thanks for taking the time to do this interview tonight," the reporter said.

"Thanks for having me," Hayden replied with a smile at the camera.

"Now you guys are coming into this game with a pretty good record," the reporter said. "But your last game wasn't as successful as you'd have liked. Taking into account the fact that this is also one of your longer road trips, how do you think it will affect your game?"

Hayden gave a casual shrug and straightened up, towering over the reporter. Anna felt her stomach clench at the sight of him looking so impressive. It was one thing to see him in person or to see him play from the bleachers, but when he was wearing his gear and skates, standing next to someone in plain clothes, he looked very large.

"I think our chances are as good as any other time," Hayden answered. "Most of the guys had a couple good nights and we had a great practice this morning."

The reporter went on to ask a few more questions about this western conference road trip and about Hayden's point standings so far in the season. He also asked about the schedule since the holiday season was just around the corner. Finally, the reporter grinned at the camera and asked one final question.

"I was told before I got down here that you had something special you wanted to say to someone back home," the reporter said, turning his wide grin on Hayden.

Hayden nodded and faced the camera with a devilish smile. It seemed to Anna as though he was looking straight through the wires and across the miles right into her eyes. "I want to say 'hi' to my good friend Riley. I wanted to tell him to make sure he gets lost of sleep tonight and kicks butt at his next hockey game."

"How old is Riley?" the reporter asked.

"He'll be nine next month and he'd better kick butt in school between now and then or he won't get his present from Disneyland," Hayden replied and winked at the camera.

Beside her, Riley sucked in his breath and then began to bounce up and down on the couch. He shoved his hands against his mouth to contain his screams of delight and Anna laughed at him. On screen, the reporter let Hayden join his teammates at warming up and then a commercial started.

"Calm down, Riley!" Anna ordered with a laugh but Riley was beyond listening.

Eventually he settled down. The excitement must have proved to be too much for him because he was leaning on Anna and yawning before the first period was even half over. As the players skated off the ice, the game was scoreless and Anna told Riley to get ready for bed.

"But Mo-om," he whined, sitting up and facing her. "I want to stay up and watch Hayden score!"

"I don't think so, Riley," Anna said as she glanced at the clock over the television. "It's way past your bedtime already and Hayden told you himself that you had to get lot's of sleep tonight."

At the mention of Hayden and what he'd said on camera before millions of people, Riley perked up. He hugged his mom and ran from the room, thumping up the stairs to do as she'd asked. Left alone on the couch, Anna's eyes went to the television screen where the network was showing highlights from the first period. She winced when they showed a particularly hard hit one of the Sharks had delivered to Hayden. He got up afterward, though it was very slow.

Shaking her head, Anna slid off the couch to go check on her son. It was no use worrying about Hayden now. He was too far away and far too busy for her to fuss over.

I can save all my fussing for when he gets back, she told herself, smiling as she climbed the stairs.

***

It was late on Thursday night when the team returned to Detroit. All the players went their separate ways, heading for their homes in various parts of the city and Hayden wearily drove himself to his own house. He thought of calling Anna but it was already past midnight and he didn't want to wake her or Riley. Besides, he'd spoken to them earlier in the day before his final road trip game in Anaheim.

I'll call tomorrow, he thought and then frowned as he let himself into his house. Shoot, they'll both be in school.

He went around his house, throwing his belongings down here and there and turning the heat on. In the living room, he flopped onto the couch and turned the TV on, leaving the room in darkness. He knew from experience that even though he was so tired, he wouldn't fall asleep right away tonight. In the past, he'd always turned the TV on and fallen asleep on the couch. They had no early morning practice so he could afford to sleep as late as he wanted.

As he flipped through the channels, he thought about Anna and Riley. He'd enjoyed talking to them every day while on the road but listening to Anna's voice at times had left him so aroused he'd been unable to sleep. Of course he'd taken matters into his own hands, so to speak, but it was hardly a suitable substitute for the real thing.

Hmm, I know what I can do tomorrow, he thought, a smile lifting the corners of his mouth.I'll go to their house and surprise them with dinner tomorrow night.

It would be Friday night so there would be no rush to get Riley to sleep, nor would there necessarily be the need to be quiet even when he did. Hayden shook his head at his meandering thoughts.

It really has been too long for me if I'm thinking about seducing a woman while her eight-year old son is in another room, he thought ruefully.

The next day, Hayden took it easy, waking up late and lounging around the house for hours. He showered and dressed before heading out into the cold to drive to Anna and Riley's house. He saw the lights on in the kitchen as he rolled to a stop on the street and wondered if they were already sitting down to dinner.

Damn, he cursed silently as he got out of the car. I'm too late.

Still, he hurried up the front walk and rang the doorbell, eager to see them both after what felt like months. Anna opened the door and grinned when she saw him standing there. Seeing her, even heavily bundled against the chill in a dull grey sweater that hung to below her hips, made Hayden feel warm. He grinned at her and stepped inside as she moved back to let him in. Before he even took his coat off, he swept her into an embrace, laughing when she protested.

"You're freezing!" she yelped, trying to get away from him.

He just held her tighter and turned his face to bury his nose against her neck. Her hair was loose tonight and the ends tickled his nose but he didn't care. He breathed her in and squeezed her, feeling every inch of her against his body and allowing her warmth to seep into his bones.

"I'm sorry," he murmured at last, long after she'd stopped struggling.

"I forgive you," she replied, her voice just as soft.

Hayden pulled back to look into her face and smiled when he saw the flush high in her cheeks. He lifted one hand to cup her cheek, leaning close to kiss her on the mouth. She sighed and he felt his groin tingle in response. Reluctantly, he released her and moved away so he could take his jacket off. She led the way into the kitchen where she was cleaning up and asked if Hayden wanted some coffee or tea.

"What about dinner?" she asked as she reached into an upper cupboard to put some dishes away. "Have you eaten?"

"I'm all right, thanks," he replied and leaned one hip against the counter beside her. "It's awfully quiet here. Is Riley playing next door or something?" he asked, looking around.

"No. A couple of the hockey parents are hosting a sleepover tonight for all the boys on the team," she said and shook her head. "Brave, brave people," she added in a mock-somber tone.

Chuckling, Hayden turned so his backside was resting against the counter and he dropped his hands to hold himself up. "I can't believe someone would volunteer for that."

"I couldn't either," Anna agreed, moving around him to put more dishes away. "Apparently there are three families and they all live on the same street, one or two houses apart from each other. They divided the boys between the three of them so at least it's not twenty eight-year olds crammed into one house for the night."

"That's good," Hayden agreed and then his eyes went wide. "Wait a minute."

"What?" Anna asked, looking at him as she folded the towel in her hands and tucked one end through the handle on the front of the oven.

"Riley's gone for the entire night?" Hayden asked, barely able to hear his own words over the sudden roaring of his blood.

Anna nodded, still smiling at him. Then she seemed to realize what he was trying to get at and color flooded her entire face, spilling onto her neck. Hayden bit back a groan at the sight, wanting nothing more than to bury his face against her skin and lick her everywhere. Something must have shown in his face because Anna's breath caught and she turned away from him.

"Are you s-sure... you don't want... some c-coffee?" she stammered, moving away from him.

Hayden followed, moving to stand directly behind her as she fiddled with the coffee maker on the counter. She started when he pressed himself to her back and Hayden lifted his hands to hold her waist.

"I'm sure I don't want coffee," he murmured, bending low to press his nose to her hair. He nuzzled her and brushed aside her hair until his nose connected with the outer rim of her ear. She shivered and he grinned.

"What do you want?" she asked, her voice very faint.

Gently, Hayden applied pressure to her hips and turned her to face him. He lifted his hands to cup her face and he kissed her. It started as a soft brushing of lips and Hayden held himself back from ruthlessly taking all he wanted from her. He didn't want to frighten her, not when she was so obviously nervous. If he had to guess, he'd say she hadn't been with a man since her divorce.

That she was willing, even though she was nervous, made Hayden feel more like a man than he ever had before.

He sucked her lower lip into his mouth for a moment before lifting his lips and smiling at her bewildered expression. "I think you know what I want," he told her.

She blinked at him and then smiled. "Phone sex?" she asked, feigning innocence. "Seems kind of a waste now that you're here anyway. I mean, you'd have to go all the way back home, call me and by then I could be asle-"

Hayden cut her off with another kiss. She parted her lips and he felt the tentative stroke of her tongue against his all the way down in his groin. He slanted his mouth over hers and cupped the back of her head as he took the kiss deeper. Her body melted against him, her arms circling his shoulders where she clung tightly to him. Hayden dropped one of his hands to cup her backside, hauling her right up against his body so she could feel exactly what she was doing to him.

At her gasp, he pulled his mouth from hers and grinned. She was still flushed and her eyes were shut. Hayden lifted his lips to kiss her closed eyelids and her exhalation brushed against his throat, making his cock twitch.

"Where's your bedroom?" he whispered, moving his lips to her ear.

She shivered as he licked the edge of her ear and he moved back to look into her face. "Upstairs," she replied weakly, gesturing with one hand.

Before she could say anything, Hayden bent and swept her into his arms. She squeaked and pressed her palms against his shoulders. It had little effect on his grasp around her waist and under her thighs.

"What are you doing?" she demanded breathlessly. "Put me down before you hurt yourself!"

He frowned down at her, pausing in the kitchen doorway to plant a kiss on her lips. "What are you talking about?"

"I'm too heavy," she told him, averting her gaze as she spoke. "You can't carry me upstairs."

"Why not?" he demanded, continuing on his way. He didn't understand what she was talking about. To him, she was lighter than air. Maybe he was just so eager to have her naked and writhing beneath him that he didn't feel her weight. It didn't matter. In a minute, they were on the second floor and he was glancing in each room before locating the master bedroom.

"Hayden, put me down, please," Anna whispered at him.

For a moment, he refused. He stood just inside her bedroom and looked down at her. Red-faced, Anna turned her nose to his neck and tried to hide herself from him. Chuckling, he kissed her cheek and squeezed her waist and legs where he held her.

"I'll put you down when I'm good and ready, Anna," he told her.

She exhaled, her warm breath sliding over his skin and he swallowed, feeling his groin tighten even more. He moved across the room and stood over her bed.

"Anna," he murmured. "Look at me."

She hesitated a moment before lifting her head to smile shyly at him. He bent his head and kissed her, his tongue sliding between her lips and into her mouth. He slid it over and around her tongue, urging her to join him. With a sigh against his lips, she returned the kiss, her arms tightening around his neck. Her little fingers slid into the hair at the nape of his neck, raising goosebumps all over his body.

Still cradling her close, he bent one knee onto the bed and laid her down. He followed with his body, covering her as he continued to explore her mouth with his tongue. Her arms stayed around his neck, holding him close as he kissed her and he was so glad she wasn't pushing him off. Her body was so soft, sinking into her bedcovers and Hayden wanted to rub his body all over hers.

Moving his hands, he tried to pull her shirt up. Instead, he encountered her heavy, shapeless grey sweater and growled in frustration. Lifting his head, he looked down between them and glanced into her shining hazel-grey eyes as she giggled.

"What's so funny?" he demanded, moving over her to kiss her deeply before she had a chance to reply.

Her fingers tightened against the back of his neck and he slid one arm beneath her waist, sweater and all. He moved one leg over her, pressing his body down and swallowed her moan when she felt all his hard length against her stomach. He gently bit down on her lower lip before lifting his head again.