Melting the Ice Ch. 03

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."

Natalie pointed the washroom out to him again and continued down the hall to the kitchen to greet her parents.

"Hello, sweetie!" Her mother greeted her with a warm hug. "Welcome home!" She glanced over Natalie's shoulder and raised an eyebrow at her daughter. "Where's your friend?"

"Just in the washroom," Natalie replied with an eye roll. She turned to lean over her father, who was seated at the table. "Hi, Dad."

"Good to see you, sweetheart." He returned her embrace and pushed a chair out for her. "How were your exams?"

Natalie groaned but ran through the recent whirlwind of events at school for her parents. She tried to keep quiet but her mother assured her that her sister and brother would probably sleep until noon.

"Won't they get up to meet Hayden?" Natalie asked with a smile.

"Oh, they might," her mother replied. "Jamie did mention something about getting his autograph."

"Larisa didn't believe us when we told her," Natalie's father piped up with a grin. "We should wake her just to see her reaction."

Natalie laughed along with her father and Hayden appeared in the doorway to the kitchen then, looking shy. Natalie sprang up and hurried over to take his hand.

"Mom, Dad, this is Hayden Lindgren," she introduced him. "Hayden, this is my mom and dad."

"I'm so happy to meet you both, Mr. and Mrs. Johnson."

"Gloria, please," Natalie's mother replied with a warm smile. She stepped forward to shake his hand.

"And I'm just Henry." Natalie's father shook his hand as well and they all sat around the kitchen table.

"It was awfully nice of you to drive our daughter all the way to Buffalo," Gloria said.

"It was my pleasure," Hayden replied and Natalie covered her smile with one hand.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't even ask if you wanted coffee."

"I'm all right for right now," Hayden replied as Natalie's mother jumped up. "I think I might try to get a few hours of sleep before heading back to New York."

"We'll send you off with a thermos of coffee," Henry said.

"Good idea," Gloria agreed.

Natalie smiled as she watched and listened for the next little while. She was impressed with how well her parents were handling having a veritable celebrity in their house. Her dad made them all laugh when he made a dig about the Rangers' loss last night but Hayden took it all in stride. When he yawned for the second time, Natalie urged him to go to sleep.

"Where?" he asked with a smirk.

She rolled her eyes and smacked his shoulder. "In my bed. I'll stay up with my parents. What time do you want me to come wake you?"

"Give me about three hours. That should be good enough."

"We'll have breakfast ready for you then, Hayden," Gloria said as Hayden rose from the table.

"Thanks. Sounds great!"

Natalie watched him go and turned back to see her both her parents giving her knowing looks. "What?"

"He's very nice, Nat," her father replied.

"And so handsome!" her mother added with a smile. "Are all hockey players as good-looking as he is?"

Natalie laughed as her father exclaimed indignantly.

***

Three hours later, just as he'd asked, Natalie crept into her room to wake Hayden. Her family had started pestering her to wake him an hour ago but she'd insisted he needed the sleep.

"He has a seven hour drive back to New York and a game tomorrow," she'd informed her sister, Larisa, who'd been the most vocal about waking him up. "He needs the sleep more than he needs to meet you."

Now, as Natalie shut the door behind her, she smiled at the sight of Hayden sprawled across her bed. It looked even smaller with him in it, covering it almost entirely. He was lying face down, one arm flung off the edge of the bed. His feet hung over the end as well and his hair was messed up. Best of all, he was wearing only his boxers and, though the blankets were covering most of his legs, all of his broad, muscular shoulders were revealed to her.

Smothering a sigh, Natalie perched on the edge of the bed. She reached out and brushed the hair off his forehead.

"Hayden? Hayden, time to wake up."

He stirred with a groan and buried his face in the pillow. Natalie touched his bare shoulder and shook him until he looked up at her.

"You have to get up," she ordered in as firm a tone as she could manage. "My mother has breakfast all ready. You've got just enough time to shower."

He groaned again but rolled onto his back to stretch. Natalie watched in open appreciation as the muscles of his torso bunched and stretched. He met her eyes and gave her a lazy smile that made her stomach flip over.

Abruptly she stood up, barely dodging his hand as he reached for her. If he touched her, they'd be very late for breakfast.

"Go ahead and shower," she said and laughed at his mock-wounded expression. "I'll see you in the kitchen." With that, she fled the bedroom, her face warm; not from embarrassment but from the desire to run her hands all over his sleep-warmed body.

***

"So what are your intentions towards my sister?"

"Larisa!" Natalie's voice was squeaky with indignation.

Her younger sister didn't look at her. She kept her eyes on Hayden and waited patiently for his response.

Hayden chuckled. He'd been thoroughly enjoying his visit with Natalie's family, even the pointed and tactless questions of Larisa, Natalie's seventeen-year old sister. "I intend to keep seeing her as long as she wants me around," he replied. "I intend to shower her with attention and devotion until she can't stand it anymore."

Natalie flushed as he turned his gaze towards her. Natalie's nineteen year old brother, Jamie, made a gagging noise, complete with finger-in-mouth gesture. Hayden and Natalie's parents laughed. Larisa, however, seemed pleased by his response and eased up on the questions after that. Hayden was allowed to finish his breakfast in relative peace.

After having Natalie wake him up, and run from his embrace, he'd met her siblings. Jamie had been very excited to meet him and Hayden had gladly signed a Rangers jersey for him. Henry had scoffed when Hayden offered to sign something of his. The older man was a steadfast Buffalo Sabres fan.

"I don't mind you dating my daughter, Lindy," Henry had said with a smile. "But don't think I'm going to start rooting for the Rangers just because of that."

"I wouldn't dream of it, sir," Hayden had replied solemnly.

Natalie insisted that Hayden needed to get going by noon. "You've all harassed him long enough."

"We weren't harassing," Jamie protested.

"Harassment or not, I really should go." Hayden pushed back from the kitchen table and smile at everyone. "I have a game tomorrow night and I don't want my sleep pattern to get too screwed up."

They all followed him to the front doorway. Gloria handed him a large thermos and a plastic travel mug.

"That's some strong coffee for you," she told him. "We don't want you crashing on the way back."

"Mom!" Natalie covered her face with her hands.

"What? It's true. You don't want him to crash, do you?"

Hayden chuckled as Natalie shook her head. "Thank you, Gloria. I appreciate the coffee, and breakfast."

"Well, you can come back and visit anytime. It was wonderful to meet you." She stepped close to Hayden and lifted her arms to hug him.

Hayden bent down to embrace the older woman and met Natalie's twinkling gaze over her mother's shoulder. Henry shook his hand after but Jamie and Larisa hung back, looking awkward. Hayden faced Natalie and neither of them said anything until Henry cleared his throat.

"All right, well, let's let the kids say good-bye without us gawking at them," Henry said and waved the family out of the entryway.

Natalie stepped closer to Hayden and tilted her head back to look up at him. Hayden reached out and pulled her against him, pressing his nose into her hair.

"I've missed you," he murmured.

She laughed and rubbed her nose against his chest. "We've been in the same room for three hours."

"But I haven't been able to touch you for three hours."

"You could have."

Hayden laughed and pulled back to look into her face. "Not if I wanted to keep making a good impression."

Natalie rolled her eyes at him. "Please. I'll be lucky to ever get a moment alone with you the next time you visit."

Hayden lifted his eyebrows at her words and grinned. "So there's going to be a next time?"

"Of course." She flushed and glanced down, her fingers playing with the collar of his shirt. "If you want there to be."

Hayden slid his hand into her hair and tipped her head back. "I want there to be nothing but more time with you, Natalie."

"You're terribly romantic when you want to be, you know that?"

He shrugged and bent low, sweeping his lips across hers in the barest of touches. She sighed against his mouth and it sent a frisson of desire through his body. He drew back with a groan and brushed her cheek with his fingers.

"Will you walk outside with me?"

"Sure."

They walked out to the street where his car was parked and Natalie crossed her arms over her stomach as she stood beside his door. Hayden wanted to push her up against the car and run his hands under her sweater. He didn't think she'd appreciate it, not with her family possibly watching from the house. He did pull her close, sliding his arms around her and pressing light kisses to her face.

"Drive safely," she whispered. "And call me when you get home."

"Yes, dear."

She pulled her head back to glare at him. "Don't you mock me. I mean it, mister. If I don't here from you by eight o'clock tonight, I will hunt you down."

Hayden laughed and bent his head to kiss her on the mouth. She parted her lips and he swept his tongue inside, tasting her and drinking her in before he had to leave. Her arms circled his shoulders and Hayden held her close.

After too short a time, he pulled away and brushed his hand over her forehead, smoothing the hair from her face. "I should go."

"You should."

"Will you watch the game tomorrow night?"

She made a face. "I'll try but I'll be fighting my father for control over the TV."

Hayden laughed and dropped another light kiss on her lips. He turned and opened the car door. "I'll call you later."

"OK. Bye."

Hayden slid into the driver's seat and waved as Natalie walked back up the driveway. He clenched his hands around the steering wheel and let his breath out slowly as he drove away.

This was going to be a very long drive back to New York.

***

Hayden did manage to stay awake all the way back to New York. He did as he was told and called Natalie the minute he reached his apartment building. She sounded tired as they spoke and he knew he was tired, so they didn't talk for long. Hayden headed up to his apartment and got ready for bed.

The following day was busy, with a morning practice and the game later. Hayden was a little tired from the last couple of days but the coach started him anyway. The team was playing well together and they managed to earn the win over the Bruins in overtime.

Hayden only had a few days to kill before his brother and wife got to New York but he missed Natalie. They talked every day but he missed having her close. Even when he went on the final road trip before Christmas, he missed her. He knew it was ridiculous. If she had been in New York, he'd have left on the road trip and been without her anyway. Knowing that she wasn't there in the city, that he wouldn't see her like he always did after a road trip, bothered him.

Hayden talked to his brother Jared on the phone when he and his wife arrived in New York on the 20th and apologized for not being there to greet them. He was playing a game in Raleigh the following night and wouldn't be back to New York until after the game. Hayden had made all the arrangements ahead of time so his brother and sister-in-law could get into his apartment without him there.

"Don't worry about it," Jared told him. "Hey, I understand what it's like." Jared played in the Swedish League now but he'd also played in the NHL at one time.

"I'll be home tomorrow night but it'll be too late to see you."

"No problem. We'll see you the morning after. I'm looking forward to coming to your game this week, too."

Hayden laughed and continued to chat with his brother for a few more minutes before hanging up. He contemplated calling Natalie but he had to leave for practice in less than an hour. So he put his phone away and tried to focus on hockey instead.

The game went well, they defeated the Hurricanes 3-1. Hayden was more pumped than usual, eager to get home to New York and see his brother.

At last, late that night, he arrived at his apartment to find Jared awake on the couch when he walked in. They embraced warmly and Jared explained how he'd wanted to wait up for Hayden.

"I'm glad you did," Hayden replied with a grin. "It's been too long."

They relaxed on the couch together and talked in low tones; Jared's wife, Mia, had gone to bed hours earlier.

"So tell me about this girl you've been seeing," Jared said after they'd discussed his flight and the family news from Sweden. "Mom said you talk about her all the time on the phone."