Holiday Hockey Tale The Icebreaker's Impasse (By Ivory Row) novel Chapter 48

Easton

The fire station has a very small crowd. I spot Banning and Barrett the minute we park. He raises a hand and Luci tells Cole to run to them. He and Barrett begin animatedly chattering as I haul the three boxes of cookies she packed. I swear I hope I don’t have to deck a fireman in front of my son today.

“Hey Luci Lou.” Banning holds out his hand for her to shake, trying not to grin.

“You can hug her.” I reluctantly surrender. He lets out a short bark of laughter.

She moves toward the boys as soon as he lets her go. He extends his hand to me with a slight smile and I take it giving him a firm shake. “I’m no threat, Easton. I hope she explained that.

I’m her big brother.”

“Yeah she made it very clear.” I admit. “You got under my skin that night at the house.”

He nods slowly as we watch her lead the boys over to a table that has fire hats and little. plastic axes. “I get it. You don’t like anyone else touching her, no matter how platonic it is.”

“That’s a civil description.” I tell him softly. “More like I want to rip their heads off.”

He nods knowingly. “You and I are a lot alike then. Let’s go help her.”

I watch her waving to two guys by one of the ambulances. She leans down to Cole and they

step closer. “Cole, this is Warner and Ari. They took us to the hospital the day we met.

“Hey buddy.” Warner says and I step forward to introduce myself.

“I’m his dad. Thank you for helping him that day.”

Luci steals the top box of cookies which I know was the heaviest. “These are for you. I wanted to say thank you.”

“Doing our job. But we appreciate all forms of cookie tribute.” Warner protests while Ari grins already searching through the cookies.

We talk to them a few more minutes before the horn sounds on the fire truck signaling their show. We wander over and the boys find a seat with the other kids. They have lights and all kinds of decorations set out to put on the truck. Five firemen approach and within two minutes, I pick out the trouble. Banning is beside me and he leans over slightly. “Ten and two.”

“Yep.” I agree lowly as I wrap my arm around Luci’s waist.

The first one is shamelessly winking at two of the other ladies and I hope he stays over there. Luci is watching Cole and Barrett. The show starts with them talking to the kids about all the fun stuff on the truck. They give the kids a quick safety lesson about Christmas lights and decorations lighting on fire, which I fully appreciate. Then they begin decorating their truck, asking the kids where they should hang certain pieces. Cole turns to us and he grins. “He’s a happy kid.” Banning observes. “I was wondering if he might like to come for a sleepover next weekend. Barrett has been begging. We’ll go stay with my parents Friday night. Mom likes to do a movie night kids thing for him. He wants Cole to be there. I could keep him until the hockey game on Saturday. Bring him with us and turn him over to Luci there. Unless you think he’s too young.”

I consider that. “I think he’d love it but let me talk to him first. Make sure he understands he would be sleeping somewhere else.”

“Very fair. And I could always bring him home if he got scared or homesick.”

The whole thing endswith them allowing the kids to sit in the truck and turn the lights on. Luci takes their pictures before she hands the boys each a cookie box. Which spurs me to move and walk beside her. Trouble number one is fully occupied with the other two single moms from the beginning. Barrett and Cole both hand their cookies over to two others; the first is the station captain, with the second one being the ten o’clock trouble. He wears a sleeveless tight shirt with his uniform pants and I don’t miss the way he flexes his arm muscles.

“Thanks guys for the cookies. You like the truck decorations for tonight?” The captain asks them.

“Yes! It’s going to be so bright.” Cole tells them.

Barrett nods. “We can tell everyone we picked the decorations.”

Muscles turns to Luci and smiles widely before his gaze dips down to her left hand. I almost laugh out loud. “Sorry but you look way too young to be their mom. Big sister maybe?”

“She’s our Luci.” Cole says firmly, and I want to high five my son, but then remind him not to share her name.

I wrap my arm firmly around her waist and rest my hand possessively on her hip. “Yes she is.”

I narrow my eyes at him and he gives me a tight nod. “Well, I hope you boys enjoy the light parade tonight. And Luci, if you’re ever free, you’re always welcome around here with or without cookies.”

Banning’s voice intrudes. “Wow, I see why you chose a dangerous profession. You like living on the edge.” He gives a low whistle before asking the boys to follow him.

“I’ve been known to push people off the edge.” I warn him coldly as I turn her to leave with me.

“Feel better?” She asks cheekily and I glance over to find Banning helping the boys in some game. I catch his eye and mouth “five minutes.” He nods with a smirk.

“No.” I resist the urge to throw her over my shoulder as I tug her to the big doors and around the side of the building. I pin her against the wall and kiss her, gripping her hips to hold her in place. As my tongue ravages her mouth, she surrenders with a soft moan. She drives me so damn crazy. Needing oxygen finally, I tear my lips from hers and kiss along her jaw before nipping her earlobe. “You’re mine, Luci and I will remind anyone I f*****g need to that you are. Problems with that, sweetness?” I slip my hands under her sweatshirt and caress my fingers along the bare skin on the sides of her waist. All my irritation from having to ignore her this morning in front of Dad spills into my words and my need to claim her. To remind her that she belongs next to me and is not for anyone else to pursue.

“No.” She mumbles out and I cup her cheek to kiss her again.

“Now I feel better. Guys like that fireman, you have to ice out. Damn bold to flirt with you while I’m wrapped around you. You’re mine and I won’t hesitate to remind him.”

Cole and Barrett are done when we walk back in. “Thanks.” I tell him and he grins.

“Anytime. See you guys tonight.” They head toward his truck.

“What are you looking so smug about, sweetness?” I ask once we leave.

“I think it’s nice you and Banning are becoming friends. Bonding over what you once were so upset with him for.” She teases, with me glaring at her. All she does is laugh more.

“Attitude sweetness.” I warn her.

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