Forbidden Knight (15 page)

What have I done? Eva thought to herself. What have I done? Shaking her head she walked to the living room and grabbed her purse, slid into the car and quietly drove away. She felt like she was driving away from her future, but that couldn't be right, could it?

Justus didn't know what had hit him. That woman. Damn! She was hot, hotter than hot. But not in
 
the same way the puck bunnies were. Sure they were hotties, but no substance there. Eva was sexy exactly because she wasn't like them. She was smart and thoughtful and could make her own way in the world. Was that it? Since she didn't need him he wanted her that much more?

Whatever. He needed to shake this. Back to the rink, he had to skate. He would park around back this time. No one would see him, he could just work off some of this steam.
 

The SUV purred to life and he steered it on the familiar path to the rink. Parking in the back he slipped in the back door and made his way to the team locker room where he kept his gear.
 

Once he was laced up he took to the ice. Stroking around the rink, harder and faster, the wind in his hair. Gotta forget, gotta forget.

Eva stowed her purchases in the trunk of the car and headed back to town. It hadn't taken very long, just some tops, lingerie, casual skirts. She already had her jeans and standard little black dress. Never leave home without it. Her special errand had been surprisingly quick, and now she was headed back.
 

She slid the car into a space at the rink and slipped in the front door again. Just like before the place was quiet and empty. She sat on one of the benches and laced up the skates she had just gotten at the used sporting goods store. They were gorgeous, not unusual in a town where there were half a dozen skating clubs. People aged out of their boots pretty quickly here.

Once the skates were laced she headed for the ice, just to blow off some steam. As she stepped through the double doors she saw a figure leaving the ice, just glimpsed his boots as he turned the corner.
 

Great, she was alone. She stroked to the center of the ice and stood for a moment. Then she skated forward around the rink a few times to get her skating legs back. Once she felt warm she began to practice her footwork, Forward and backward crossovers, three turns, small spins. She was thrilled with how fast it seemed to be coming back to her. She hadn't really been on the ice in years.

Back to center ice she wondered how much of
 
her favorite dance, the Paso Doble, she'd recall. She began, hearing the music in her head, long sweeping curves turning to this side and that, really feeling the imaginary tune.
 

Suddenly there he was, next to her, skating alongside in his hockey skates. He glided in behind her and put his right hand on her waist, and his left in hers. She had no idea how the hell he knew how to ice dance, but he seemed to.

They fell into the pattern of the quick stepping dance. How in the hell did he know how to do that?

************

Seeing her on the ice was breathtaking. She took some warm up strokes and then tried out her edges, swaying this way and that into the curves she carved onto the ice. She did some turns and a spin or two then headed back to center ice. She stopped, put her toe pick in and then stood up straighter arms above her head as if she were going to do a program.

Once she started it he recognized it, and almost without thinking he skated to the rink to partner her.

Putting his hand on her waist he joined in, skating alongside her, the routine he supposed he'd forgotten coming to him with every move. There were a lot of slip steps, which were okay on hockey blades and intricate footwork, which really was not. He hoped he wouldn't cut her as they swung in and out of the rolls required of the dance.
 

At the conclusion, he was down on one knee and she was above him, arm extended, eyes shining, her smile as big as all outdoors.

"How. Did. You. Learn. That?" She asked, breathless.

He laughed "Us hockey boys, we got recruited, there were never enough guys in the skating club to partner the girls, so some smart aleck coach raided the hockey, team. None of us wanted to do it at first, but then you know...girls, so we did. I got pretty good really, never took the tests for real or anything, but still. It was fun, and I got to hold the hands of some of the best-looking women at school, so it was a win/win. In the end, I felt like it improved my skating a lot, way more than only doing hockey drills."

She shook her head "The things I don't know about you,"

"What happened to shopping," he asked her, not because he really wanted to know, but mostly because he just didn't want to end the conversation.

"Oh, I'm done, I didn't need that much. Stopped at the sporting goods store and lucked into the skates so I thought I'd come here. I was surprised the rink was open, I'm not sure when open skate is during the day, but I figured the worst that would happen is they'd throw me out."

"It's open on my nickel actually. When I'm in town, and there isn't anything else happening, I have them keep it unlocked so the boys and I can practice. In fact some of them should be here shortly," he said, reluctantly checking his watch. "Oh, yeah, any minute now."

"Ok, I'll head to the bleachers."

"You're watching?"

"I'm watching, my chores are done and it's back to work. And you're my work."

 
He skated close to her and lifted her chin so she was looking up at him. "Is that all? I'm just your work?" Then he bent his head to hers and their lips touched. Gently he kissed her, sliding his hand through her hair and pressing her closer to him. She was sure there had never been a kiss like this before. She felt breathless and lighter than air. Her whole body felt alive with excitement. Everywhere he touched her felt electric. With her eyes closed she could imagine they were somewhere else. That she was someone else and that this is something that was absolutely fine to be doing.
 

Then she opened her eyes and knew it wasn't.
 

She was saved by the whoops of the other members of his team as the entered the back of the arena. Blinking hard she squeezed his hand, then turned to leave the ice and head upstairs to watch.

The boys from the team didn't seem to be doing any specific practice or drills, this looked like they were all on their own. It looked like a mess, to be honest, she couldn't tell who was doing what, and she had no idea how they stopped from ramming into one another.
 

Her mind was on other things, like dancing with Justus, and skating with Justus and sleeping with him, and fighting with him. Why did he make her so mad, and why did it matter? She was losing the battle to convince herself that he was bad news for her. She was on the rebound, she had plans, she had an RV to go live in...none of that seemed to matter when his breath was on her neck and his voice was making shivers run up and down her spine.
 

Eventually the skaters finished and one by one left the ice. Eva went out to her car and drove around back to find Justus.
 

He came out and knocked on the drivers side window for her to lower it.

"See you at home, I'll be there soon. Just have to run to the bank."

Eva sighed, he wasn't understanding she needed to keep eyes on him all the time. Cripes, he was thick.

"Fine, see you in a few minutes then?"

"Yep," he tossed over his shoulder as he loped to his car and got in.

Eva struggled with whether to follow him or not. She didn't. She should have.

************************

Justus was so tired of being regarded as that woman's work. He could manage his life just fine, thank you very much. He had been doing it for years, long before she had blown into his life like a fresh breeze when he was in high school, and long after she had left. taking the light and laughter with her.

He wasn't such bad news, not really. Well maybe a little bit, he admitted to himself. But not enormously bad news. Maybe bad for her, though. Hell, he didn't even know anymore. She was special, beautiful, strong, sexy, nothing like the girls that came and went during the season. Nothing like anyone he had ever been with.
 

She was completely rejecting, though.

Fuck it, he thought as he turned the car around and headed to the Tavern downtown. He needed a break from feeling like he was being judged all the time and found wanting. Beer was that break.

No sooner had he entered the Tav than Carri pulled a beer for him. She was a college kid pouring drafts for JC, the owner of the place. JC was a hound and Justus was pretty sure JC was gettin' it on with Carri. He usually did with every female bartender he hired, sometimes in the cold storage in the back. Why wait he said, when there was a perfectly good room on site. JC was a creeper, thought of these girls as his own personal wenches. Not cool as far as Justus was concerned.
 

Justus sat at the bar and took a drink of his draft. It was icy cold, and he felt relaxed as soon as he swallowed it. The TV was playing hockey re-runs, and, fortunately, it wasn't a CoyWolves game, or he'd have wanted to leave right away. Watching himself play, on TV, in a bar wasn't his idea of fun.
 

The place was pretty deserted, a couple of girls in the back, a guy or two at the bar. It was dinner time though, the place would fill up soon enough.

Sure enough other guys from the team started to filter in, a few characters from the village, a friend or two from high school and soon there was a crowd. Most of them knew him or knew of him.
 

"Justus, man, how's it hanging?"

"What's up man, can I buy you a drink?"

"Hey, over here, come sit with us!"

Justus waved all of them off, content to marinate in his own thoughts for a while.
 

A couple of women approached and sat at the bar near him.

"Justus?"

"Yeah, hi how are you?" He had no idea who she was, probably a puck bunny he laid and forgotten. There were a lot of them around.

"Hey, so how've you been?"

"Great thanks, just relaxing before playoffs start."

"I know, you're doing great this year, we've been watching," she giggled.
 

"Let me buy you girls a drink." He knew better, he really did, but he was tired of the watcher and just wanted to have some fun.

He waved at the bartender and set up the girls with drinks.
 

"You don't remember my name, do you?"

Justus nodded "You're right, I don't, forgive me?"

"Of course, just one night with Justus Knight is enough for any girl," she smiled and winked "but two nights would be better. I'm Anna," she said holding out her hand.

"Well, Anna, it's nice to re-meet you," he should have been embarrassed he realized, but he wasn't. She wasn't anyone to him. But if he were going to get his mind off of Eva, Anna was as good a way as any.

Anna slid in closer to him. and they chatted about nothing, the weather, the town, the upcoming playoffs. All the while she was tracing lazy circles on his thigh with her right hand. The circles came closer and closer to his crotch. He could feel himself stirring, and so he did what he always did, he ordered another round of beers. This time for the whole bar, which had filled up considerably in the time he had been there.

How long had it been, Justus wondered to himself. And where was he going to take Anna. He wondered if she had an apartment of her own.
 

Just as he was leaning in to ask her, he saw her. Eva, storming in the bar, obviously looking for him.

She stalked straight to him, and standing on the opposite side from Anna, grabbed his beer and pushed it away from him.

"Hey!" he said, reaching to grab the glass back.

Eva reached across and plucked Anna's hand from Justus's lap.

"What the hell?" Anna yelped as she leaned across him.

"Hang on, I got this, don't worry," he patted Anna's arm and turned toward Eva.

"We got a problem?" he asked.

"You know damn well we do. I took you at your word, I went home and waited for you. Gave you extra time in case you really had shit to do, and look where I find you."

"Home?" Anna asked. "She lives with you?"

"Yes, yes I do. I'm his fiancée, haven't you heard?'

"Oh no, I had no idea."

Eva was pretty sure that knowing wouldn't have stopped Anna, she didn't seem particularly concerned.
 

"Justus, it's time to go. I'll drive," she said, snagging his keys from the pocket of his jacket.

"No," he swiped and tried to grab the keys from her, but missed and send his beer flying instead.
 

Eva looked on aghast as the glass seemed to spin in slow motion and then hit the bar. There were shrieks as the amber liquid sloshed out and hit the people gathered nearby. Justus took the brunt of it, with the beer trickling down his hair onto his shirt and jeans.

Spilling the beer sent Eva's PR sensors into overdrive, and she grabbed him and yanked him to his feet. Surprised by her strength he stood and wrested his arm from her grip.