A Feel For The Ice Ch. 01

"I always tell Riley that he has to wear mittens before going outside in weather like this," she said, rubbing more vigorously for a moment. "I wouldn't have thought a grown man would need a reminder like that." As she spoke, she lifted her eyes to Hayden's face and blinked when she met his eyes.

He looked so serious and in the dim light from the street lamp on the corner, his eyes were nearly black. Suddenly very aware of what she was doing, Anna released his hand and moved to sit back. Or tried to, but Hayden's hands shot out and closed around her arms. Even through the layers of her winter coat and blouse, the heat from his hands seared her.

"My... car's probably warm now," Anna muttered, still leaning away from him.

"I think it needs more time," Hayden replied and leaned closer, pulling on her arms. "I think it needs... a while..." He let his sentence trail off, still tugging her closer until she could feel his breath on her cheek.

Anna was caught by the darkness of his eyes. She opened her mouth to say something, anything, to break the spell but he bent his head down, capturing her lips with his. With her lips already parted to speak, his tongue touched her bottom lip before sliding inside and stroking hers. It was such a soft touch and so deliciously warm that Anna's eyes drifted shut and she relaxed under his hand.

Oh, heaven help her, she'd forgotten how good it felt to have a man kiss her. Hayden's hands were so strong, so sure as they circled her shoulders and drew her closer. She sank against him and went willingly as he cradled her against the seat. He shifted, lifting his mouth from hers briefly. In that moment, her eyes fluttered open to find him gazing down at her. He smiled and she lifted a weak hand to touch his bearded chin. Then he was lowering his lips again and she closed her eyes, sighing as his mouth closed over hers.

Her body relaxed in his arms and she tipped her chin up, silently encouraging him to take the kiss deeper. His hands pressed more firmly into her back and she moved closer to him, at least, as close as she could. Their jackets were too bulky and the car was too small. The heat was rising and Anna felt her face heating up exponentially. Hayden slanted his lips over hers and licked the corners of her mouth.

Anna groaned and lifted her hands to his shoulders. He pressed against her lips harder and the kiss turned very intense, very fast. Hayden's lips were soft but so hot. His tongue was slick against hers and she felt her chest getting tighter the longer he kept their mouths fused together. When she thought she might burst, Hayden ripped his lips away. They sat there not speaking, gasping for air and Anna's eyes blinked open to see Hayden looking away from her.

She watched his profile in the dim light of the car and saw his eyes were closed. His jaw was clenched and he swallowed once before turning to face her. His eyes were still dark with lust and Anna felt her heart stutter when she recognized that look. For some reason though, he looked upset.

"What's wrong?" she asked, her voice coming out husky. She cleared her throat and offered him a weak smile.

Hayden's eyes dropped to her lips and he swallowed again. Anna was held immobile as he parted his lips and drew one hand up to slide a thumb across her mouth. Her lips parted on a sigh and her heart skipped over several beats again before settling.

"Hayden?" she murmured his name, not entirely sure if she'd even spoken out loud.

"I think it's time for you to go home," Hayden whispered, his voice husky.

Anna shivered at his tone and the continued stroke of his thumb over her lips. "W-why?" she stammered.

"Because I don't want to do this in a car," he told her, his eyes lifting to meet her surprised gaze. His mouth softened into a smile and he stopped his thumb just at the corner of her lips. "And I don't want to rush because we need to get you home to your son."

For a moment, Anna forgot to breathe altogether. Hayden's smile widened into a wicked grin and his thumb slid over her lips again before he dropped his hand. He lifted one of her hands and brought her fingers to his lips, pressing a hot, moist kiss to her knuckles. Anna's breath caught and she inhaled deeply.

"All right," she murmured when she regained enough air to speak.

Hayden released her, pulling his arms from around her and moving back to his seat. Anna shifted back in her own and fiddled with her gloves, trying to remember how to put them on. She got herself together and turned her face back to Hayden to say goodnight.

"I had a great time," she told him and meant it. She might forget how to get home but for now, she was almost euphoric.

"I did, too," he said and smiled. "May I call you tomorrow?"

"I'd like that," she agreed.

"Good. I'll figure out something for us to do on a real date," he added.

Anna blinked, thinking she must have misheard him. Dating hadn't really crossed her mind at this point but she supposed it was what people their age did. Riley's smiling and open face crossed her mind and she frowned.

"I should go," she murmured and turned to open the door. "Good night, Hayden. Drive safely."

"You too, Anna," he replied and she climbed out of the car.

She rushed over to her vehicle and got in, somewhat surprised at how warm it was. Locking her seatbelt in place, she glanced over at Hayden in his car one more time before putting the car in gear and driving home.

***

Hayden sat in his car, in that school parking lot, for nearly ten minutes before he felt he could safely drive home. It took rolling down his window and turning off the heat altogether before he'd managed to get his body under control again. When he was over the worst of the physical ache, he rolled the window up and drove home. Along the way, he kept seeing Anna's eyes falling shut as he kissed her and all he could smell was her fresh scent.

God, all he'd wanted to do was push her into the back seat and bury himself inside of her. Her mouth had been so warm and inviting that he had problems focusing on anything else. It had taken every ounce of self-control to pull away and tell her to go. What he'd said to her had been true; he didn't want to take her in a car in the middle of a school parking lot. He wanted to savor her, make it last through the night until they both couldn't see straight.

Things were made more complicated by the fact that she had a son. Hayden wasn't about to suggest they get rid of him for a night just so they could get busy. He liked Riley and Riley was Anna's entire world. Hayden could never get in the way of that, nor did he want to. He wanted to make sure that they could make this work, all three of them. It would never work out with just two.

Sighing, Hayden shook his head to clear it of the heavy thoughts and focused on the remainder of his drive home.

Plenty of time to sort it all out, he thought. He was already friends with Riley, which made things easier. He would just have to continue to devote all his time to both Anna and her son. Eventually, they would find time to be together as he longed to be.

A grin split his face as he recalled Anna's reaction to his kiss. Hayden was certain she longed for the same thing as he did.

Oh, the anticipation is going to kill me, he thought and chuckled to himself. Or make it that much better when I finally have her naked underneath me.