Read Online Candy for Christmas: Hockey Player vs Ice Skater by Novalee Swan - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Novalee Swan
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whiskey-coloured eyes flashed her way for a
second, before darting back where they’d come from. He was talking
to Lucas, the local mechanic.
“Which one?”
“Both of them. I just
want to watch.”
Kelly blinked, then
deadpanned. “I’ll go ask them if it’s on the menu.” She pivoted and
the blonde grabbed her arm, pulling her back around.
“Don’t you dare, Kelly
McKenna. I know where the bodies are buried.”
“Well then, Miss
Ashley Ames, you shouldn’t ask for things you don’t really
want.”
“But he’s just so
pretty.”
Kelly easily conjured
the image of shaggy malt strands, long fingers, curving collarbone.
She sighed. “Yeah.”
“All that salt and
pepper hair. Yum . I used to think Clooney had that look
cornered, but Lucas could school him but good.”
“Wait, I thought you
meant Bear was pretty.” She couldn’t quite believe Ash had
meant Lucas. Yeah, the man was smokin’, but compared to
Bear? Well, no-one compared to Bear.
“You think Bear’s pretty ?” Ash’s tone was a touch incredulous.
Kelly considered the
question. “You’re right,” the words were drawn out. Contemplative.
“He’s too,” she struggled for the right word, “rough, like velvet
rubbed wrong.”
“ Oh, poetry ,”
Ash almost cackled in glee. “You know when you start using clichéd
similes, it means you’ve got it bad.”
“Like you can talk,
Miss hung up on the same guy for years . It’s just, Bear’s…
If someone said, draw me a picture of the man that rings all your
bells, I’d say, no need. He’s right over there.” She gestured with
her thumb over her shoulder.
“You do know they can
hear us, right?”
Kelly jerked.
“Yep, I can see Bear
looking this way.”
For about two seconds
Kelly’s heart stopped beating. Shifter hearing.
Until Ash couldn’t
help herself and burst out laughing. “You should see your
face.”
“ You bitch .
Just for that, you are officially no longer my best friend. And no
more top shelf.” She paused then asked, just to be sure, “So they
didn’t hear us?”
“How should I
know?”
“ You’re the
shifter.”
Ash flicked her hair
back over her shoulder. “Because of the noise, they’d only be able
to hear if they were trying to.”
“So how do we know
they weren’t?”
Ash arched a delicate
brow. “I’m pretty sure if Bear had heard you, we wouldn’t be having
this conversation.”
Kelly walked over to
the bar, which a few months ago Bear had replaced with the
blush-coloured timber that gave the town its name.
“Two bourbon shooters,
two drafts and a Bud,” she murmured, eyes lowered.
She always had trouble
meeting Bear’s gaze. Tonight, after that conversation with Ash, it
was worse.
She was afraid he
would see how much she wanted him. But she half figured he knew,
cause their eyes constantly engaged each other in hide and
seek.
Bear nodded, quickly
pouring the drinks. He didn’t talk much. Not that he was the strong
silent type. His size just tended to do the talking for him.
Six feet six and built
like a line-backer. A sideways look was usually enough to make
unruly patrons see things his way.
The only exception was
when they were so shitfaced they deluded themselves into thinking
they could take him.
No-one in town could
take Bear, but there were nights she’d sure like to try.
He slid the drinks
across the counter. She loaded her tray and muttered thanks over
her shoulder before heading off to deliver them to the hyena pack,
who were new in town.
Kelly set the drinks
down closes to the pool table in the back room, and loaded her tray
with empty glasses. She was about to leave when a big hand reached
round and slipped a twenty into the neckline of her white T-shirt,
tucking it under the edge of her bra.
“Hey, trim. For your
trouble.” The words were slightly slurred.
She’d stiffened the
moment she realised what he was doing, ire rising at the offensive
term, but her arms were full of the tray and
second, before darting back where they’d come from. He was talking
to Lucas, the local mechanic.
“Which one?”
“Both of them. I just
want to watch.”
Kelly blinked, then
deadpanned. “I’ll go ask them if it’s on the menu.” She pivoted and
the blonde grabbed her arm, pulling her back around.
“Don’t you dare, Kelly
McKenna. I know where the bodies are buried.”
“Well then, Miss
Ashley Ames, you shouldn’t ask for things you don’t really
want.”
“But he’s just so
pretty.”
Kelly easily conjured
the image of shaggy malt strands, long fingers, curving collarbone.
She sighed. “Yeah.”
“All that salt and
pepper hair. Yum . I used to think Clooney had that look
cornered, but Lucas could school him but good.”
“Wait, I thought you
meant Bear was pretty.” She couldn’t quite believe Ash had
meant Lucas. Yeah, the man was smokin’, but compared to
Bear? Well, no-one compared to Bear.
“You think Bear’s pretty ?” Ash’s tone was a touch incredulous.
Kelly considered the
question. “You’re right,” the words were drawn out. Contemplative.
“He’s too,” she struggled for the right word, “rough, like velvet
rubbed wrong.”
“ Oh, poetry ,”
Ash almost cackled in glee. “You know when you start using clichéd
similes, it means you’ve got it bad.”
“Like you can talk,
Miss hung up on the same guy for years . It’s just, Bear’s…
If someone said, draw me a picture of the man that rings all your
bells, I’d say, no need. He’s right over there.” She gestured with
her thumb over her shoulder.
“You do know they can
hear us, right?”
Kelly jerked.
“Yep, I can see Bear
looking this way.”
For about two seconds
Kelly’s heart stopped beating. Shifter hearing.
Until Ash couldn’t
help herself and burst out laughing. “You should see your
face.”
“ You bitch .
Just for that, you are officially no longer my best friend. And no
more top shelf.” She paused then asked, just to be sure, “So they
didn’t hear us?”
“How should I
know?”
“ You’re the
shifter.”
Ash flicked her hair
back over her shoulder. “Because of the noise, they’d only be able
to hear if they were trying to.”
“So how do we know
they weren’t?”
Ash arched a delicate
brow. “I’m pretty sure if Bear had heard you, we wouldn’t be having
this conversation.”
Kelly walked over to
the bar, which a few months ago Bear had replaced with the
blush-coloured timber that gave the town its name.
“Two bourbon shooters,
two drafts and a Bud,” she murmured, eyes lowered.
She always had trouble
meeting Bear’s gaze. Tonight, after that conversation with Ash, it
was worse.
She was afraid he
would see how much she wanted him. But she half figured he knew,
cause their eyes constantly engaged each other in hide and
seek.
Bear nodded, quickly
pouring the drinks. He didn’t talk much. Not that he was the strong
silent type. His size just tended to do the talking for him.
Six feet six and built
like a line-backer. A sideways look was usually enough to make
unruly patrons see things his way.
The only exception was
when they were so shitfaced they deluded themselves into thinking
they could take him.
No-one in town could
take Bear, but there were nights she’d sure like to try.
He slid the drinks
across the counter. She loaded her tray and muttered thanks over
her shoulder before heading off to deliver them to the hyena pack,
who were new in town.
Kelly set the drinks
down closes to the pool table in the back room, and loaded her tray
with empty glasses. She was about to leave when a big hand reached
round and slipped a twenty into the neckline of her white T-shirt,
tucking it under the edge of her bra.
“Hey, trim. For your
trouble.” The words were slightly slurred.
She’d stiffened the
moment she realised what he was doing, ire rising at the offensive
term, but her arms were full of the tray and
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