Page 20 of Hot As Ice

The valet already has his car ready. Hunter helps me inside before going over to the driver’s side, and I watch in utter disbelief as he hands the valet guy a hundred-dollar tip. “Have a lovely evening, Mr. Cruise,” the man says.

We race down the empty street.

I clutch my seat with both hands as the speedometer rises and rises and rises.

“Hunter,” I squeak. “Please slow down.”

He looks over at me like he forgot I was even there.

“Shit. Sorry.” He slows all the way down to the speed limit.

Minutes later, he’s pulling into my street and stopping in front of my apartment building. He gets out of the car without a word, helps me out of my seat, and walks me to the front door. He thanks me for a great night, and then he’s gone.

I’m left staring after him completely bewildered and wondering if I’ll ever see him again.

Once I’m back in my apartment, Becca pounces. “Tell me everything,” she says. “And don’t leave a single detail out.”

seven

hunter

I WAKE UP at 5am to go for a run.

Last night didn’t go as planned, not at all, but I shouldn’t be surprised. Anytime my father is involved in anything, it always goes to shit.

When I left Stevie to do his bidding, he gave me a long lecture about watching out for gold-digging women. He’d drilled the whole “women are gold-diggers” bullshit into me since I was a kid, but I didn’t give a fuck about it. I have so much money in my trust fund, why would I give a shit if a woman wanted some from me? I’d be happy to give it.

Nonetheless, his words had soured my mood, and I’d barely paid attention to Stevie while taking her home. I regret that now. I should’ve kissed her. I should’ve slipped my hand under her dress and made her come. I wanted to hear her moan and fall apart for me.

I put on my running clothes and head out. It’s still dark. I can run several miles all the way to the pier and watch the sunrise. Maybe it’ll clear my head. I can’t figure out what’s drawing me to Stevie. It must be her sweet face, her innocence. I want to dirty her for some reason. I want to claim her like some primitive beast. Make her mine.

I run faster as thoughts of Stevie cloud my brain.

Her flushed cheeks when I was touching her face, her wide eyes full of curiosity and heat, her glorious tits heaving. The memory of her telling me she’s in my debt pops into my head. Last night was supposed to be me taking my payment by fucking her senseless. I run faster. She better not think she’s out of my debt by accompanying me to the art gallery opening. That was nothing.

My breath comes out harshly as I sprint to get my anger out.

Fuck my dad for ruining everything.

The sky is lightening as I get closer to the pier. A few stars are still visible. I pump my legs faster, lungs burning. Besides hockey, running is one of the few things that relaxes me. It’s usually sex too, until I had a harder and harder time finding partners who liked my rough handling and dirty talk.

I’m not sure innocent princess Stevie will like it, but I’d like to find out.

I reach the pier as the sun’s rays peek out over the horizon. Wispy cirrus clouds grab the light, weaving it through them, turning yellow into a warm orange. When I was a kid I was obsessed with the sky. I studied cloud formations, constellations, and moon phases religiously. For a while, I wanted to be a meteorologist.

The sky seemed like a perfect escape from the drama of my home life.

My feet tread hard on the boards of the pier. I sprint as fast as I can all the way to the end and collapse over the railing, looking out at the gray ocean churning below. A dip would be excellent right now, to wash off my sweat and cleanse my thoughts. I’m considering it a little too seriously when I feel a hand clap my back.

I turn my head, still leaning against the railing, to find Jamie, one of my best friends and a winger on my team. He’s breathing hard like me, sweat running down his temples. We usually run together around 6am on the weekends, but I didn’t wait for him this time.

“Thanks for the invite,” he says.

“Sorry. I needed to get out of the house.”

“Couldn’t sleep?”

I shake my head. “As usual.”