Thin Ice Page 4

  Harmony had never been good at hiding her emotions, whether physically or emotionally. If she wasn't shouting out her feelings for all the word to hear, it was plainly written on her face. One of those heart on her sleeves types of people. Sometimes it was a real boon!

  Oh hell!

  She should have known better than to come here today. Harmony was due at work in a couple of hours, she was closing tonight, but after a quick breakfast, a couple of pop tarts and a glass of milk, she'd wondered what to do with herself before heading into work. That's when her gaze had landed on the Slashers calendar hanging on the wall in her kitchen.

  She got up, walked over to it, unpinning it from the wall and went back to the table, flipping to the front. Thoughts of Peter Petrovic had crossed her mind several times throughout the weekend, she often found herself looking out the windows at work hoping to catch a glimpse of Peter riding up on his motorcycle, but he never came.

  So there she was, staring at his picture in a calendar. It was a pretty damned good picture too. The calendar had a different feel for each month, some of the guys were in suits, others in their jerseys, but Peter had been dressed casually in jeans, with a white t-shirt and a form-fitting leather jacket.

  Apparently, he'd looked the part of the hot biker long before buying what she assumed to be his first motorcycle.

  The photographer had posed Peter in a casual stance as well, having him stand before the camera, with one hand in his pocket and the other on Sadie's head as she sat at his side. What a pair they had made! She could see why he had adopted her.

  After staring at the picture for far too long, Harmony read over the little blurb about Peter, his stats and what not, as well as a small biography, and sighing, because he was more than just a little pleasing to the eye, she put the calendar back on the wall and called to Lupus, who had gone into the living room and curled up on the couch, knowing better than to beg.

  She hadn't realized until she pulled up to the park that she had even intended to come here, but it was too late now. Peter was only a couple of feet away at this point, and Lupus was far more interested in chasing Sadie and retrieving his ball than he was in Harmony's discomfort. She was clearly on her own.

  Peter stopped a couple of feet away, pulling off his sunglasses and tucking them into his back pocket. “Miss Harmony, so nice to see you.” He said, a big smile spanning his handsome face.

  Harmony did her best to tamp down what she was feeling, but with the way he was looking at her, as if he wanted to kidnap her and take her somewhere private to have his way with her, she was sure he could hear her heart thundering in her chest. It felt like the hooves of a dozen horses galloping around in there!

  “Hi.” She eventually managed, relieved when Lupus finally gave up the chase and came to inspect the man near his mistress.

  Peter crouched down, holding out a hand for Lupus to sniff, but his eyes never left Harmony's face, even when Lupus pushed his big head into Peter's palm to be scratched, deciding he was alright by him, his gaze never wavered. It was unnerving.

  “Is good looking dog.” Peter commented, standing and scratching him behind the ears as Lupus leaned heavily against his legs.

  Harmony nodded, “that he is. Where did Sadie run off to?”

  Peter shrugged, then turning, let out a loud whistle, to which Sadie responded with a bark and bounded over, walking in circles around Lupus as the two sniffed each other out. “Fast friends,” he remarked, once they ran off again together.

  Harmony wasn't sure what to say, normally not one to shy away from small talk, or any conversation for that matter, face to face with Peter Petrovic, with nothing to distract them, she found herself at a distinct disadvantage. To break the silence though, as he continued to study her with those ice blue eyes of his, Harmony ended up saying the first thing that came to mind.

  “So you're from Russia huh?” She said, turning away from him and smacking herself in the forehead afterward, causing Peter to laugh.

  “Da. Yes, I am from Russia. Was it not obvious by my accent?” He chuckled.

  “Sure, of course, I uh. I don't know what's come over me. I seemed to be quite tongue-tied whenever you're around.”

  “Is same feeling I get. I understand.”

  She smiled at that, pulling her glasses off finally and indicating a bench nearby with one hand, “would you like to sit down? I think the dogs are occupied for now.”

  Peter spotted Sadie and Lupus over by one corner, sniffing together at the fence line, and fell into step with Harmony, sitting at one side of the bench as she took the other. Though the distance between them did nothing to hide the sexual current that pulsed around them. It was almost a palpable thing.

  “I admit, I looked at that calendar this morning, read your biography.” She said after a few seconds of silence, at which they tore glances at each other while looking at the ground and shuffling their feet in the dirt. It was an unconscious thing, and so neither had noticed the other one doing it.

  Chuckling, and pushing a leaf with his foot, Peter looked up at her, and as the sun turned her eyes that dark violet color, his cheeks flushed with heat, and his breath caught in his lungs. “was very interesting?” he asked, almost breathlessly.

  “Well,” she began, twiddling her thumbs to keep calm, as his eyes roamed her face. “Let's see. You're 26, born in Moscow Russia, six feet tall, 175 pounds, blonde hair, blue eyes, though really they look more like ice to me, and don't take this the wrong way, but they kind of remind me of a Siberian Huskies eyes.” He laughed again, more amused sounding than uncomfortable though, and Harmony couldn't seem to stop the word vomit as it continued to pour out of her mouth. “I like your eyes; I think they're pretty. And oh yeah, you have an older sister, she's a scientist and so is your dad, and a younger sister, who plays hockey too.”

  “All that on a calendar?” He interrupted, still laughing lightly, allowing her to catch her breath.

  She nodded, “there's more.”

  His eyebrows raised as if indicating she should continue, so she did.

  “Your mom is Ilyana Kornokova, though she takes her married name now, she was a famous figure skater in the 70's very pretty, I can see where you get your looks, and it also said that you've been skating since you were old enough to walk, that you played in the KHL for two years before coming over to the NHL, undrafted, like so many are these days. I think Panarin was the same right?”

  God, what was the matter with her! Babbling on about how good looking he was! As if the man didn't already know that! He certainly doesn't need me drooling all over him! She scolded herself, praying for the earth to open up and swallow her whole before she made any more of an idiot of herself.

  Peter, bless him, managed to rescue her from herself, latching onto that last bit of information.

  “Da. Panarin, he is friend of mine. Good guy.”

  “He was rookie of the year his first year, right? Sorry, Blackhawks, I know, probably a sore spot, although, you guys won the cup this year, so I imagine it doesn't really matter anymore.” And she was off again!

  “Losing the cup will always matter, but as I said, Panarin is friend of mine, wish him all the luck. Was there anything else this calendar say about me?” he asked, with a soft twinkle in his eyes.

  What was that? Mischief? She didn't know, couldn't tell. If he wasn't blushing, he was smiling. She doubted the man ever frowned, and with a face like his, he really had no reason to!

  “Um, no. No that was it. There was a little bit about Sadie, just that she was a police force drop out, but too much for her owners to handle and that's why she ended up at the shelter, something about a prey drive. Is that right?”

  He nodded, folding his hands in his lap, “yes. She loves to chase the ball, but will not give it back. Not make for very good police dog. Is sweetheart though.”

  And just like that, his soft words, the softer smile, and Harmony felt her heart shifting, melting really. It was amazing that he could have such an effec
t on her so quickly. She hardly knew this man!

  “What about you Miss Harmony? You know my, biography is it? What can I know about you?”

  Before she could speak, Lupus ran up to her, ball in mouth, and dropped the slimy thing in her lap. In one deft movement, she picked it up and launched it out into the field, Lupus, and Sadie who had ambled over, quickly giving chase again. As the motion hefted it forward, her hair slid down the front of her shoulder, falling in reddish-brown waves.

  Peter, failing to contain himself, as he had been wanting to touch her for some time now, reached out and pushed it back over her shoulder, lingering a moment as that shock of recognition coursed through them again.

  Sitting up straight, and looking him square in the eyes, his stare bold and intense as it iced over and pierced through her, she blinked, once, then twice, before she was able to breathe again.

  What the hell was that? And why did it happen every time they so much as touched?

  “I uh...excuse me.” she said, fishing around in her purse for a stick of gum and allowing herself even the tiniest distraction so that she might gain her wits about her.

  Peter seemed to understand, taking a second to look down at his hands, appearing to examine them.

  Probably looking for burn marks. She thought to herself as she finally got control of her emotions again.

  Clearing her throat, Harmony finally spoke again. “I was born in Pooler, lived there pretty much my whole life until moving to Savannah a couple of years ago. My father owns the store where I work, his father gave it to him when he retired, and soon it'll be mine.”

  Peter looked at her with an intense interest, his eyes riveted on her. It was a little unnerving to have someone pay such close attention to her, but a warmth spread over her just the same. “I thought you say your grandparents raise sheep?” he asked, causing her to laugh and smile.

  “Yes, they do. My mother’s parents, they live in South Carolina, and they raise dogs and sheep, that's where I got Lupus from.”

  “I see.” he said, smiling a little sheepishly, he had two sets of grandparents of his own after all.

  “Anyways, I work most days, and spend the rest of my time with my dad or downtown at the clubs. I like to dance, but I can be a bit of a homebody at times too. I guess you could say I've lived a pretty sheltered life. I'm sure not nearly as fascinating as yours, what with all the traveling you do!”

  “Is lonely life sometimes,” he admitted, his smile turning down at one corner of his mouth. “I miss home, but I will get to see family in a few weeks. So I guess is not so bad when you get used to it.”

  “I didn't think about it like that. You're pretty far from home. I can't imagine being that far from my dad.”

  “What about your mother?” He asked, picking up on the lack of any mention of her.

  “She died a couple of years ago... cancer.” Harmony tried not to frown.

  He felt like a boob anyways, “Sorry.” he said.

  “No, no, it's okay. Really,” she assured him. “She was a pretty heavy smoker, and it was bad there at the end, she suffered something fierce, but now she isn't suffering anymore.” Harmony laid a hand on his knee, drawing his eyes up to meet hers. “So you see, it really is okay, she's better now.”

  He nodded, his gaze solemn as he read the tenderness in her exotic violet-blue eyes. “Da, I see.”

  They sat there like that for a couple of minutes, the silence stretching, just looking into one another's eyes. There was something here, and they both knew it. It was like a shiver, whispering through them before they could so much as acknowledge it. And just as Peter considered leaning forward to kiss Harmony, her phone sounded. A loud beeping noise that broke the quiet and shattered the moment.

  “Shoot. I guess it's time to go.” Harmony said, her voice barely audible as she reached into her pocket and silenced her phone.

  Peter stood, waiting for her to do the same, and scolded himself for not being quicker.

  Standing, Harmony called to her dog and clipped the leash onto his collar. “We should do this again sometime.” She smiled, making Peter blush.

  He nodded, “yes, we should. Maybe you even do me the honor of having dinner with me Miss Harmony?” He asked cautiously.

  After what had so boldly passed between them only minutes ago, Harmony wasn't surprised by his question, but found herself contemplating it all the same. There was definitely something here worth exploring, but with everything going on in her life right now, did she have time to find out what it was? She didn't think so, but when she looked deep into his crystal like eyes, and saw the hope shimmering so close to the surface, she wasn't sure she had the strength to turn him down.

  “Sure. I'd like that.” She heard herself saying. And with that, she reached into her purse and pulled out a business card, handing it to him. “Here's my business card, give me a call sometime,” she said, with one last wave, and a look over the shoulder before closing the gate behind her and heading in the direction of her car.

  Once safely behind the wheel of her Miata, Harmony slipped her glasses back on and breathed a deep sigh of relief. She hadn't even realized just how tense she'd really been until now. Her nerves were strung tighter than the strings of a harp! Had Peter really done that to her?

  God, if she wasn't careful, she'd lose her heart and not even know it.

  Peter stood watching as Harmony pulled out of the parking lot, a smile on his face, and once her car was completely out of sight, he looked down at the business card in his hands, flipping it over and over as he thought about Harmony and their brief time together. Too brief. He wanted so much more than this. He just couldn't figure out why.

  Peter wasn't a skeptic by any means when it came to romance, he just didn't have much experience. He wasn't like some of the other guys on the team. Dean or Donovan, for example. He knew those two had had their fair share of women before settling down, hell, even Viktor bragged about several encounters in their home country, as well as the women that continuously threw themselves at him here in America.

  And he wasn't even what one would call attractive! Viktor might have blue eyes, and his hair was blonde like most other Slavic men, but it was also receding already, and he often just shaved it off. His ears stood out, and his nose was too big, and yet, Viktor was usually seen with a woman on his arm!

  Even young Andre already had more experience with women than Peter did! And he was only 23! Okay, so it was only a three-year difference, but it was still true that Andre had “hooked up” more frequently than he. Peter could count the number of partners he'd had on one hand. Maybe that wasn't such a bad thing, not being a dog and all, but it made him feel inadequate somehow. Like he wasn't good enough for Harmony, wouldn't be a good lover.

  Of course, that hadn't stopped him from wanting to kiss her just now! And of the lovers he had taken, he certainly hadn't had any complaints. So maybe there was still hope for him. Maybe he'd go out with the guys tonight, get some advice, figure out what it is he should be doing to really get Harmony's attention. Yeah, that sounded like a good idea.

  Calling Sadie to his side, he clipped on her leash and headed for home. He had things to do, and people to see.

  Chapter 4

  The First Date

  Work had been a nightmare. They were down two cashiers, Shelia's kids were sick again, pink eye, and she'd contracted it herself, so she couldn't come in, and Tim, their one male cashier had the flu, so he was going to be out a couple of days as well. Harmony had tried calling both of her shift supervisors to see if either or both would come in, but neither answered. Figured. Everyone screened their calls these days.

  So not only did Harmony have to run one of the registers, but she still had to take care of her back office duties. It was a long hard night indeed. Thankfully, they were only marginally busy, but it was still hell on her feet. By the end of the night, all she thought about was soaking in a long hot bath. And since she'd left straight from the park, dropping Lupus off at her
fathers, who only lived right down the road, she didn't have all that far to go to get to one.

  Her father had one of those huge soaker tubs, as well as a hot tub, though god knows how long it had been since anyone had used it! Hell, it probably didn't even work anymore. No, the tub would do just fine. Harmony kept several changes of clothes at her father's for just such an occasion, and as her room had never been redecorated, she had a comfy place to sleep as well.

  All of which was calling to her, begging her to take advantage of its open hospitality. Besides, her father would certainly love the company! He seemed so lonely when she'd dropped off Lupus earlier, maybe after her bath she'd suggest they play some cards or something, gulp down a couple of beers, eat some nachos.

  Yeah, it was going to be a good night.

  Peter sat at the bar with Andre and Viktor, nursing a beer as the two of them chattered on about one thing or another, pointing out various women and judging them by their “attributes.” Something that didn't necessarily appeal to Peter, the female body was something to behold in his opinion. Capable of giving life, and able to bring a man to his knees in a fit of pleasure, yeah, women were definitely worthy of a certain amount of respect and admiration.

  Perhaps tonight had been a bad idea. Maybe Andre the kid wonder, and Viktor the conquer weren't the best guys to tell him how to impress a lady. Because Harmony was certainly that. Had this been a previous century, she would have been like royalty compared to the girls that currently flocked around them. He certainly didn't want to appear to be heavy handed where Harmony was concerned.

  Though she seemed pretty open and honest in expressing herself, when they touched, he sensed something. Some dark and secret yearning, and then she'd pull back so quickly, as though she were hesitant to explore it any further. She was afraid of something, or at the very least unsure of herself, and maybe Peter too. Not that he wasn't just as frightened by his body's response to her, but he had the good sense to know it was worth going after. He just knew they could have something real, something lasting, if only they'd let themselves.