Page 29 of Love on the Ice

“I’ll give hanging out with our friends about an hour, then we’re heading home.”

She doesn’t say anything immediately. Instead, she slides her tongue along her bottom lip, her eyes focused on mine.

“Okay,” she breathes, her voice coming out in a whimper.

Fuck me, but that is hot. She’s hot. I may not make it the hour after all.

LORELAI

I’m not sure what’s going on, but I don’t think I care either. His mouth on mine and arm wrapped around my waist, holding me tightly against his chest, feels good. I wish we weren’t in front of a bunch of people right now.

Eventually, we walk toward the two waiting SUVs and climb inside. I sit in the back row with Reid’s giant body beside me, taking up almost the entire space.

I can’t deny that I like it. I like the way his thigh is pressed against mine. When he reaches over, he wraps his fingers around mine, holding my hand. Reid is holding my hand. My cheeks heat. I’m sure they’re bright red, too. Thankfully, it’s dark, so he can’t see that.

“Where are we going?” Sky asks from the row in front of mine.

Otto is driving. He doesn’t turn around, but I see his eyes flick up to the rearview mirror before he answers. “We always go to this bar after a game. Great food and chill atmosphere.”

I like the sound of that. But I also don’t know if I care about good food and atmosphere, because I want to go with Reid. Wherever he wants to take me. Anywhere. Sinking my teeth into my bottom lip, I try to breathe.

In and out.

In and out.

Reid squeezes my hand. Then I feel him move closer to me. His mouth touches the shell of my ear, and I hold my breath. There is no more breathing in and out. There is nothing except my heart racing.

“You look hot in a Fury jersey, but you need one with my name on the back.”

I let out a heavy sigh. He leans back in his seat, his eyes on my profile. Slowly, I turn my head to face him, my eyes finding his. His lips curve up into a smirk. I think about his name on the back of the jersey. I can’t deny that I like the sound of that, too.

“Do they sell them with your name on them?”

He snorts. “Not yet. But they will.”

“Maybe I’ll just have to wear one of your game ones,” I murmur.

Something flashes in his gaze, and his nostrils flare. I’m not sure what the reaction is, but it makes my heart race even faster. It slams against my rib cage. My breaths shorten to pants as I try to calm myself, but it doesn’t work. There is no calming.

Just the thought of wearing his jersey to a game like that makes me think of high school and how all the popular girls would wear their boyfriend’s football jerseys to school on game days. I was so envious. I wanted to be one of those girls so badly.

And now I am.

That’s exactly what this is. And I know I’m not in high school anymore, and wearing a jersey like that shouldn’t really be something I aspire to. I need to get a job and get my school stuff handled. But the seventeen-year-old girl inside of me is seriously doing cartwheels right now.

“I think I could make that happen,” he says with a grin as the car stops.

Everyone starts to pile out of the SUV, but as I start to move, Reid tugs on my hand, and I am forced to sit back down in the seat. He reaches for my neck, wrapping his fingers around the side. His eyes focus on mine. They look deep inside of me, and I am gone.

I am completely lost to him.

I’ve never felt like this before.

I don’t even know what to compare it to. It’s all brand new. It’s all foreign. And as scary as it is, it’s also exhilarating.

Reid leans forward, his mouth touches mine, and his tongue slides across the seam of my lips before he lifts his head. His eyes focus on mine. My entire body freezes at this moment, my breathing included. I’ve never had so many breathing issues in my life, but with this man, I don’t know how to control myself.

“An hour, Lore.”

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