W eddings make people horny. It’s a simple matter of hormones running rampant when they see love triumph. Or it could be knowing the newlyweds will get down and dirty sooner rather than later that gives people the urge to do the same. Whatever the reason, every wedding Beth ever attended ended with sex. She had no reason to believe tonight would be any different.

She adjusted the fit of her push up bra and eyed her body in the full-length mirror. It would do. The dress was low cut and the hot pink satin fit like a second skin. Her outfit left nothing to the imagination, and that’s exactly what she’d been shooting for. Stepping out of her comfort zone and flaunting her assets. She wanted her date to know what he would get if he played his cards right.

Several girls stood in front of the sinks, fixing their makeup before heading out for a special Valentine’s dinner. It was a day like any other as far as she was concerned. The cynic in her refused to believe love existed, and a holiday that celebrated such nonsense was lame.

“Hey Beth. Are you going out with Joe Larson again?”

Joe played right wing for the city’s NHL team. His reputation for getting around was well known on the ice and off of it. They’d been out a few times, but he wasn’t her boyfriend. They hadn’t had sex yet, but she hoped to remedy that soon. “I’m his date for Nicolas Ivarsson’s wedding tonight.”

Nicolas was the team captain, and one hell of a great guy. His bride to be, Caroline, had become a friend over the past month. As much as she hated weddings, she wanted to go to this one. Knowing the couple, it would be the event of the century. She would just make sure she stayed far away from the bouquet toss. The last thing she wanted was for everyone, including her date, to think she should be next.

Joe was clear about not wanting commitment. That’s why they hadn’t done more than fool around. He wasn’t ready to settle down, and neither was she. But she wasn’t interested in casual sex either. They were at somewhat of an impasse, yet he’d called and asked her to be his plus one. She hoped that meant he was interested in more than a fling. They had to work on their timing.

“He’s been around the dorm a few times. Are you like an official couple? We saw you guys holding hands the other night.”

“Yeah, you shouldn’t assume. It’s complicated.” Beth pulled out a pink lip gloss from her purse. She coated her lips and smacked them together. With her focus on her school work, she didn’t have time to play games. The only game she liked was hockey. She loved everything about the sport. The speed, the action and the athletes. Most of those guys were young, hot and talented. Joe was a perfect example. He was gorgeous and his body was a work of art. Unfortunately, she wasn’t the only one who thought that.

“He’s so dreamy. You’re so lucky. Are you two… you know?” The girls giggled. “Having sex?” One girl whispered as if it was a bad word.

She arched her brow. “That’s none of your business. I’m not interested in discussing my sex life.” Especially not with a bunch of gossiping University students. Beth tried to keep a low profile which was difficult when dating a professional NHL player. Joe was one of the most beloved and eligible bachelors in the city. Everything he did was newsworthy. Her roommate was dating Theo Montagne and found it difficult dealing with the press all the time. Luckily, years of practice had taught Beth how to keep her mouth shut. “You ladies have fun tonight.”

They all smiled and went about their business. Beth made it back to her dorm room in time to watch her date saunter down the hall. Joe had a swagger that most men couldn’t replicate even if they tried. She’d only met one other man who had as much charisma as him, and she refused to think of that asshole ever again. The door to her room was open, and she walked inside, waiting for him to follow.

“You look good,” Joe leaned close and kissed her cheek before retreating to her bed. He stretched out, making the tiny, twin bed appear even smaller. With his hands behind his head, he checked her out. “Let me rephrase; you’re stunning.”

Her cheeks heated, matching the bright pink shade of her dress. She twirled around, giving him the full view. “You look rather dapper in your tux. Will I need a hat? I’ve never been to an outdoor wedding in winter.”

“We’ll be out of the wind, but the ceremony is in an ice castle by the river. I’ve got my coat, toque and gloves in the limo. You should probably plan to wear something warmer than that sexy pink number you’ve got on. It will be fun taking you out of it later though.”

She closed the distance between them and straddled his lap. Joe was sexy and possibly one of the hottest men in professional hockey. He could be someone to build a future with, but their timing seemed off. Every time they tried to get close, something interrupted them. She ran her finger over his freshly shaved jaw. Her lips hovered over his, drawing out the foreplay. “You could help me out of it now.”

His hands slid over her hips as he licked his lips. “Temptress.” He nuzzled his nose in her hair and inhaled. “This bed is too fucking small. I could rent a room at the hotel and we can work up an appetite before the dinner.”

“Sounds—”

“Oh, for the love of chocolate! Put a towel on the handle or something so I don’t have to see shit like this,” Carly said, stalking towards her bed on the opposite side of the small room. Her auburn hair was tied back in a low chignon, and she wore a deep blue, floor length dress that matched the eyes of her boyfriend.

Beth laughed at her roommate’s outburst. Since Carly had started dating Theo, she’d walked in on them doing far worse on more than one occasion. “Are your virgin eyes burning? Oh wait, that’s impossible because you’re not—”

“We are not going there!” Carly held up her hand. “I thought you two were just friends. That’s what you told Theo when he asked you about your intentions towards my roommate.” She leveled Joe with her stare. Both men played for the same team, and they were friends.

Joe’s fingers caressed the exposed skin on her back. “We’re more than friends.”

She planted a chaste kiss on his lips before standing up. Once again, they had been interrupted. It was like fate didn’t want them to be together. If they ended up being just friends, that suited her fine. Her goal was to get through her classes with a high enough GPA to earn a scholarship. Chasing boys could wait. She’d wasted enough year’s doing that, and she had no intentions of repeating her mistakes. She faced her over-protective roommate and smiled. "Thank you for your concern. I love you, but my love life is not up for discussion. Why are you back anyways? Didn’t Theo pick you up an hour ago?”

Carly blushed deeper than a Valentine heart. “We… got side tracked. I forgot one of my mittens.” She grabbed the item from the foot of her bed and held it up. “Got it. I’ll see you there.” She raced out of the room as Joe and Beth laughed.

“I guess she left her coat in the car too.” Beth joked as she slipped her high heels on.

Joe stood and took her hand. “We should go, or we’ll be late.”

She nodded, grabbing a cute beanie from her closet. “Right. We wouldn’t want to miss Caroline’s big entrance. I hear her dad hired the symphony to play,” she said, pulling on her long cream-colored winter coat and matching gloves.

He fixed his hair with his right hand and stuffed the other in his pants pocket. “I’m not a fan of Valentine’s Day either, but I got you something.” He pulled a candy ring from his pocket and placed it on her finger. “Jewelry and candy. I covered all the bases. Are you ready?”

Unbelievable. The guy before her didn’t match the bad boy reputation that followed him. His gift was sweet and corny and she loved it. “Thank you.” She tore off the wrapper and licked the cherry favored ring.

“As ready as I’ll ever be.” She took his hand, threaded their fingers together and let him lead her out of her dorm.

The limo ride to the ice castle by the river wasn’t far. He took a lick of her ring as he helped her out of the car. It was freezing and Beth shivered as she stepped towards the entrance to the castle. Massive slabs of ice were molded into walls and turrets. She hoped the ceremony wouldn’t take long.

The couple getting married had their first date skating on the ice next to the castle. They shared their first hot chocolate walking amidst the frosty walls, and they wanted to say their vows where it all began.

“It’s beautiful, don’t you think?” Joe asked, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. His body heat warmed her.

Looking around, she didn’t agree. It was over the top cheesy, like something from a frozen fairytale. The only thing colder than the walls were her feet. She regretted her fashion choices as they slowly entered the castle. “It’s stunning. The lights add an extra—”

“Romantic feel. Yeah, they picked a great venue for the ceremony. I see Nico and some of the guys over there. Let’s make our way over.”

She was going to say they added an extra cheese factor, but she kept her opinion to herself. Based on the smiles she saw on the faces of those around her, her take on the castle wasn’t shared. Joe gripped her hand and pulled her further into the Valentine wedding wonderland. She giggled at his eagerness. For a man who was anti-marriage he seemed rather happy.

“I see Carly and Theo over on the left. We should head over there,” she suggested after seeing her roommate with two vacant seats next to her. Carly had fallen in love with the team’s leading scorer over the Christmas holidays. The relationship had surprised Beth, but she was happy for them.

They said hello to other players and their dates as they made their way towards the seats. He knew everyone, and it took them a long time to move only a few steps. Then she stumbled on a block of ice. Her two left feet tossing her forward. Joe caught her around the waist, moments before she face planted into someone’s back. “Sorry,” she said to the man she’d accidentally pushed.

A shiver raced down her spine as that man stepped aside. She got a clear view of the group ahead. Her heart dropped to the floor, and her mouth opened but no words came out. A flash of pain and anger overwhelmed her. In the distance, less than a few feet away, she saw him.

He was impossible to miss. The one man she’d vowed to never see again as long as she lived. Benny Wilder looked as handsome as ever and his smile made her toes curl. He didn’t see her and she wanted to keep it that way. No matter how hard she’d tried to run away, the past had caught up with her.