Skating on Thin Ice: Seattle Sockeyes (Game On in Seattle Book 1) by Jami Davenport Page A

thigh-to-thigh with this sexy businessman in threadbare blue jeans. The heat from his body mingled with hers, and she gulped down a glass of water. Swallowing, she folded her napkin in her lap with a shaking hand and glanced around the table to see if anyone else had noticed.
    The guys were oblivious, except for Cooper. He rubbed his jaw thoughtfully and raised one black brow. Mortified, Lauren ducked her head, while the heat rose from under her collar to her neck and face. Good thing it was dark in this corner. She chanced a second glance at Cooper. He frowned at her, his blue eyes angry and uncompromising. The man noticed everything, and he definitely noticed her reaction.
    Cooper leaned over toward her and whispered in her ear. “I thought you were smarter than that.”
    “Smarter than what?” She played coy about as badly as Coop played nice.
    Cooper rolled his eyes. “Honey, that guy’s bad news. He’s not what he appears to be, and you’re going to get burned if you put your hand in that fire.”
    Boy, didn’t she know it, but Coop couldn’t know she knew. She smiled sweetly at him, glad Ethan was in an animated conversation with Cedric about skiing in Sweden.
    “He’s just doing his job, like you and I are.” She defended Ethan with a completely straight face even as she perpetuated unspeakable acts on the napkin under the table.
    Cooper didn’t respond, just tossed her another of his calling-bullshit-on-you looks.
    “Nice game, Brick,” she said, turning to the goalie. He grinned at her. Martin Bricker was hell on the opposing team’s offense, and off the ice, he was one crazy bastard, though behind the crazy persona lived a very sharp mind and savvy businessman. Brick hated wearing a lot of clothes, and tonight despite the cold weather, he wore shorts, a tank, and flip flops.
    “Thanks, Lauren. I aim to please.” He said with his Canadian accent, as he tipped an imaginary hat.
    Ethan turned his head toward Brick and nodded. “Yeah, great save on that one play. You snatched that puck out of thin air and stopped a sure goal.”
    Brick grinned at Ethan until he caught Cooper’s scowl out of the corner of his eye. The smile dropped off his face, and he stared down at the table. Ethan aimed an accusing glare at Cooper, shooting him squarely between the eyes, but Cooper didn’t flinch. If anything, he smirked.
    “We’ve won the first one, boys. Three to go boys. We can do this.” Cooper addressed his teammates. They nodded and murmured agreement as the waitress served their food and everyone dug in, the conversation completely dying as the guys ate ravenously after burning all those calories in a hard-fought game.
    Feeling eyes on her, Lauren glanced up. The goalie watched her with hungry eyes, only it wasn’t for her that he was hungry. He’d eaten everything on his plate and zeroed in on her just toying with her food. “You gonna finish that?”
    Lauren pushed her plate full of food across the table to Brick.
    “Hey, don’t get your hand too close to him. He’ll eat that too.” Cedric joked.
    The table erupted in laughter, except for Coop and Ethan. They eyed each other like two dogs sizing the other up before a big fight. Ethan matched Coop glare for glare, and not many people had the guts to do that.
    Pride for Ethan surged through her, and she had no right to that particular emotion or the ones that made her panties wet and palms sweat.
     

Chapter 8—Delayed Offside
    The next week and a half was a wild ride, and Lauren hung on for all she was worth. After trading wins with New York in New York, winning two at home, and losing another in New York, the Giants squeaked out a win in game six at home and advanced to the semi-finals against Boston. Four wins stood between this unlikely team of misfits and rejects and playing for the Cup.
    She’d stayed out of trouble where Ethan was concerned. Even though she couldn’t very well avoid him since she’d been tasked to assist him, she