Meet Your Match (Kings of the Ice, #1)

by Kandi Steiner

warm palm sliding over my knee called my attention away from the chaos, and I found Vince, his eyes set on mine as his hand squeezed.

“You’re with us,” he reminded me. “And we’ve got you. Okay? We have a VIP area in there that’s completely roped off. You only have to be in the crowd for a few minutes while we make our way in.” I nodded, a little embarrassed by my anxiety. “I’m sorry, I just…” “Your phone.” “What?” “Pull out your phone. Pretend like you’re recording, or actually record it, we don’t care,” he

“The seas will part for you, Maven. Everyone knows you.” Those words from Carter made me blink. Everyone knows you.

“You can hang out back here if you want to be out of the mayhem.”

“What about you?” I asked. A slow, lazy grin spread on his beautiful mouth. “I am the mayhem.”

He held out a hand for mine. “Oh… I’m okay,” I said. He cocked a brow. “You’ve been sitting there all night. Come on,” he said, wiggling his fingers. “Dance with me.”

“Maven,” he said. “Talk to me. Tell me what’s wrong.”

“Oh, I don’t know. I guess I just wanted you to surprise me again, and found myself dreadfully disappointed.” That beautiful, scarred brow lifted into his hairline. “How so?”

“You’re jealous.”

“You are, aren’t you?” “Get a grip, Tanny Boy,” I shot at him, lifting my chin and standing even higher on my heels. “You couldn’t make me jealous if you tried.” “Is that right?” “It is.” “Huh,”

“So you don’t want me to take you up to my condo right now?” he asked, his voice low and seductive in the space between us.

He pressed into me harder when I didn’t answer, eliciting another gasp I wished I could keep inside.

“You don’t want me to touch you the way I was touching them?”

“You don’t want me to haul this sweet ass over my shoulder and carry you inside,”

“To pin you against my window, hike this skirt up over your hips, and fuck you for the whole city to watch?” My chest heaved against his, and he drove that thigh a little higher, taking my skirt with it as my eyelids fluttered shut. His grip on my hips tightened, just a fraction, just enough to break me. And I kissed him.

him, moaning and squeezing my legs together when he dipped his tongue inside to taste me. But as quickly as the kiss had come, he pulled it away, along with the rest of him.

“Sorry, pet,” he said, tucking his hands in his pockets. “You’ll have to admit you want it before I give it to you.” I gaped at him.

She was jealous. I didn’t need her to confirm it, because when I’d backed her into that wall, her body had betrayed whatever lie she was trying to tell me and herself. She’d kissed me.

The way she melted into me when I kissed her back, how she trembled when my hands framed her face and my leg slid between her thighs. I loved pushing that skirt up to her hips, loved pushing that girl to the edge even more.

Vince asked, turning to look at me. I didn’t miss how his eyes immediately went to my tits, and he almost looked disappointed to find them covered.

“What are you afraid of?” The question seemed to catch him off guard, and Vince watched me for a long pause before he answered. “Being worthless.”

felt him grow hard behind me, his erection pressing into the small of my back. And still, I didn’t pull away. Those fingertips danced down the span of my arms, gliding back up before they were on my back. He touched me so softly it was almost like he wasn’t touching me at all, and yet I couldn’t let out the breath lodged in my throat.

They found my hips next, pulling me flush against him, letting me feel what I did to him. His breath was in my ear, louder now, more unsteady. He didn’t say a word as his fingers skated over the slim band of my thong,

and then one hand pressed against my stomach as the other traveled farther up. Just the tip of one finger slipped beneath the band of my bra, and his cock twitched against my back. “Fuck,” he whispered.

My nipples peaked, thighs clenching together at the jolt of electricity I felt from that one little word.

“What are you doing?” I asked, watching him walk across the deck, thumbing away on the keyboard. “Posting it.” “No one wants to see me. This is about you, remember?” He didn’t reply as I followed him. “What are you writing?”

“Goodnight,” I said to Vince when we made it to our rooms. I was already tapping my key card and opening my door when he just leaned against the frame of his, watching me. I paused, arching a brow. “You’ll be in my bed soon.”

“Never going to happen, Pigeon.” He pushed to stand, invading my space so quickly I backed up and hit the wall in-between our doors. Vince stared down at me, a lazy smile on his lips. “I can’t wait to make you eat your words.”

“I love that face, by the way,” he said, glancing at where I was still frozen in place. “The one you make when you realize you’ve met your match.”

night out celebrating with my girl

“How’s it feel to be the hottest thing on the Internet?”

“Hello? Did I lose you?” I snorted a laugh at that, my senses coming back to me in a whoosh. “Yes, actually. Years ago. Why are you calling me, James?”

“I was just thinking of you. It’s been a long time.” “You were just thinking of me,” I repeated, deadpan. “Meaning, you saw the photo Vince posted of us last night.”

“Transparent as an ice cube, aren’t I?” He let his laugh die off, a moment of silence before he added, “So… is it true, then? Are you two together?” “That is none of your business.” “No,” he agreed. “I just didn’t peg you for someone who would throw away a great opportunity for the chance to jump in bed with a rookie.”

“Excuse me?” “I’m just telling you to be careful.” “Be careful,” I repeated. I actually could not believe the audacity of this man. “Look, I understand how guys like him tick. I also know you’ve worked your ass off to get where you are.”

“Don’t act like you know anything about me anymore,”

loved you,” James said, his voice just above a whisper. “You know that.” “No, I don’t,” I clipped, fuming. “Thanks for your concern, but it’s no longer needed. You were the one who exited my life, James, so at least have the decency to stay gone.”

day?” “What the hell is wrong with you?” “Me?” She balked, catching the door before it could shut when I let go of it. I headed back toward my bedroom, to where I had the shower going. “What is wrong with you?!” “You posted that video when I told you, I told you not to.”

“But you did it anyway. Because you’re Maven King and you just do whatever you want.” She scoffed. “In case you forgot, you agreed to this.” “Oh, my bad. I thought when I specifically asked you not to post something, you’d listen. Didn’t you tell me that in the beginning? That if I wanted anything off the record, all I had to do was say so?”

“This is a good thing,” she said after a moment — but it felt like she was trying to defend herself more than convince me. “Every news outlet in the city has picked up the story, along with some of the national stations. You’re welcome for the great publicity.” “Did it ever occur to you that I wasn’t supposed to be there?”

“Yeah. It’s against my contract. I’m not supposed to play any kind of sport or do anything that can put me or my body in danger during the season. I can’t so much as swing a golf club without risking my job.”

“Coach McCabe filleted my ass today.”

“Okay, well…” She stammered, then stood tall again. “Well, you let the kids take pictures, which I’m sure they posted. So what’s the difference?”

“The difference is that in those photos, I wasn’t skating on the ...

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to yell. But there is a difference between me just hanging out with some kids playing hockey, as opposed to playing...

“Yeah, well, I guess we’re even then.” “How the hell do you figure that?”

“The picture? You kissing my hair? My girl?”

“What, not ready to admit that yet? Because let’s face it. It’s true.”

“You’re so used to getting everything you want.” I tilted my head. “Well, almost everything.” “What’s that supposed to mean?” I dragged the tip of my nose along the bridge of hers, smiling. “You want me.” Her next breath shuddered out of her, her eyelids fluttering. “You are seriously deranged.”

“Your heart is about to pound out of your chest,” I said, voice low and taunting. I swore I felt her heart stutter under my palm. “Why do you fight it?”