Page 91 of Pucking Revenge

“We’re staying here?” Sara scans the ice, then looks back at me, her brows lowered in confusion.

Now that I’ve changed into warmer clothing, I’m ready to get this date started. “For the first part of the date, we are.”

“Oh, you think I’m going to let you take me on a multipart date?” she teases.

I run my tongue along my lips and bite down on a smile. “That’s not guaranteed?”

She laughs. “Maybe. We’ll see how you do out on the ice.”

I grin. “Then I got this in the bag. We both know the ice is my specialty.” I pull her toward the bench and drop to my knees. “Sit. Need to get you laced up.”

She’s still wearing my personal jersey. It’s taking everything in me not to drag her home so I can strip every other inch of clothing from her body and do all the dirty things that have been playing on repeat in my mind since the moment she pulled it over her head.

For once she doesn’t sass me. Instead, she demurely sits in front of me and allows me to take off her boots. She keeps her hands clasped in her lap and watches with a shy smile as I replace them with skates. When she’s laced up and ready, I lead her out to the ice to my personal place of worship.

“I’m not as good at this as you,” she warns, wobbling a little.

I chuckle and pull her close, then I push off gently so we move at a slow speed. “Not planning on letting go. Don’t worry.”

For several quiet moments, we skate hand in hand. She shuffles her skates, allowing me to lead. Everything about this space relaxes me. The familiar smell of the arena—the lingering scent of the concessions mixed with a hint of industrial cleaner and that indescribable smell of the cold. The crisp air against my cheeks. The sound of our skates sliding across the ice as our blades sink into it and push forward, making it feel like I have a superpower, like I’m gliding through air.

And even more than the location, Sara relaxes me.

“So this was your big plan?” she teases, breaking the silence. “Take me ice skating so you can show off your skills? Newsflash, Brooks, I watch you on the ice almost daily. Consider me impressed.”

There’s my sassy girl. “No. Thought we could talk. Hoped maybe you’d let me ask you a few questions so we could really get to know one another.”

She side-eyes me, her lips turned down. “What are you talking about? We’ve been friends for over a year. By now you probably know me better than anyone.” She squeezes my hand. “You can ask me whatever you want. You know that, right? You always could.”

I push off harder so we move across the ice a little quicker. “No, I couldn’t.” The lump lodged in my throat makes it hard to breathe, but I swallow past it. “I love everything you’ve ever shared with me, but there are questions I’ve never asked because I had to protect myself…”

She slips and almost goes down, but I’ve got a good grip on her, so I slow and steady her.

With a deep breath, she continues shuffling forward. “And now?”

“Now I know it’s pointless. I don’t know when I fell, Sar, but there is no turning back. Even if I get hurt, I’d rather know everything there is to know about my friend, my favorite person…” My stomach knots as I force the words out. “And if I’m lucky, maybe my real girlfriend.”

She turns to me then, her smile soft. “If the date goes well, you mean.”

“Yeah.” I clear my throat. “I know I have work to do. I need to show you that the guy last week… He’s not me.” I’m still so angry at myself.

“I know that’s not you, it’s just…” She ducks her head, focusing on the ice in front of us. “It hurt. And I’m not sure I’m even ready to date for real again.” She sighs. “But I’m not willing to lose you. So can we take this slow?”

My heart pangs in my chest. What’s slow when I want to give her forever?

“How ’bout we start with a few questions?”

“Okay, but I get to go first.” The smile she aims at me is bright. Shit. I’d give her anything when she looks at me like that.

“What do you want to know?”

“Tell me something no one else knows.”

I pull her along beside me, trying like hell to think of something that would impress her. The first thing that pops into my head is so not impressive. She’d probably laugh her ass off, though, and I do love her smile. “This secret isn’t really mine, but since you’re cute, I’ll tell ya anyway.”

She bites back a smile and raises a brow, waiting for me to spill the details.

“Last year in New Orleans, the guys and I were out after a game. We’d had a few drinks and were playing Truth or Dare.”

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