Page 64 of Ice, Love, & Other Penalties

“I’m proud of you, Indie,” I tell her gently. “I know how hard this is.”

“Because someday you might be able to ask for your benefits back?” she asks, one eyebrow raised.

“No, because you’re finally taking charge of your life,” I state, turning in my seat to face her fully. “I only want you to be okay.”

“Why?” she asks, brows furrowed in confusion.

I want to say, Because I love you, because between you showing up that first morning when I was desperate and afraid of what my future would look like in this city and this moment, I’ve fallen completely and hopelessly for you.

But neither of us are ready for something that big though. So instead, I reach out and tuck a stray lock of hair behind her ear, my fingers trailing lightly, yearningly over her cheek. “Because you deserve to be happy, Indie,” I say softly. “And I’ll do anything I can to help you get there.”

Her breath catches at my gentle touch and the tender look in my eyes. For a long moment we stay suspended like that, gazes locked, faces inches apart. The air between us seems to hum. Then, as if drawn together by an invisible thread, we both start to lean in.

My eyelids drift shut as her lips meet mine, soft and seeking at first, then firmer and more passionate. My heart pounds wildly in my chest as we kiss. One of my hands slides around to cradle the back of her head, tangling in her hair, as I pull her closer.

She makes a small, breathy sound against my mouth that sends desire rocketing through me. Her hands clutch at my shoulders, then travel up to frame my face as the kiss deepens further. In this perfect, private moment there is nothing and no one else in the world but me and her.

Chapter Thirty-Seven

Indigo

My lips still tingle from that earth-shattering kiss as we make our way into Ty’s house. I sneak a glance at him out of the corner of my eye, my heart skipping a little when I find him already looking at me. The heat in his gaze makes my cheeks flush.

I’m not quite sure how we got from the garage to here, it was a bit of a daze. The kiss replays over and over in my mind—the way his mouth slanted over mine, firm and seeking at first, then more passionate as we both gave in to the attraction simmering between us.

Ty reaches out and takes my hand, entwining our fingers and brushing a soft, swoon-worthy kiss over my knuckles that makes my insides melt.

“I don’t want you to leave tonight.” His thumb grazes my cheekbone, a question in his eyes. “But I also don’t want you to think that I brought you here to . . .”

“Claim your benefits?” I supply, cheeks flushing.

He winces. “I just want to spend time with you. We’re always on the run, or Myra is around.”

“What if I want to give you a benefit or two?” I tease, hiding my own nervousness, or hoping that we don’t get too personal.

I mean even when I try to avoid it, we always end up talking about our past, or the future—which isn’t too special. He just wants to get through as many seasons as possible because after that he won’t have the same income. Me . . . there’s the business I’m trying to start up with Lyr and Harper, but it’ll take time.

Neither one of us is ready for it. Next semester, I’m going to start taking business classes. Lyr is compiling some designs and Harp is still not sure if she can even work as a biochemist because her stupid ex-fiancé made her sign a non-competitive contract that stops her from working on anything in her field for a long time.

But I do know a lot of Ty’s past now. How he got his first skates from the coach of an outreach program, and that he now donates part of his earnings to places like that. He believes hockey and that program saved him from an uncertain future.

I love that I know those little things about him that no one else does. But it’s knowing these details that scares me a lot more than having sex with him. Getting close is . . . what if I lose myself and this time I end up like my bio-mom?

Ty’s hands close gently over mine, bringing me back to this moment, to us.

“As much as part of me wants that—benefits and sexual favors—what I want more is to just talk with you tonight.” He presses a soft kiss to my wrist. “There’s still so much I don’t know.”

My chest constricts. “Intimacy scares me,” I remind him.

He nods. “I know. And isn’t that what life’s all about? Doing what scares you the most, conquering your demons.”

I gulp and nod once. “Letting you touch me could be a good way to claim something too.”

“Somehow I think you’re more afraid of opening your soul than your legs, darling,” Ty says bluntly.

“That’s crude,” I mutter, cheeks flushing with embarrassment.

“No, it’s the truth,” Ty insists, gaze unwavering.

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