Page 6 of Love on the Ice

He frowns at the sight of me but otherwise stays silent. Forcing myself to do something instead of just staring at him, I reach for a plate and start to load myself up with cheese, crackers, salami, and fruit. This is girl dinner, not man dinner. Wrinkling my nose, I lift my eyes to meet his again.

“This is what they fed a group of hungry men?” I ask.

His eyes widen, and a smile plays on his lips. “Yeah,” he says with a chuckle, then he takes half a step toward me. “Wanna get the fuck out and get some real food?”

His smooth, deep voice washes over my skin, and I swear it reaches my damn soul. I should probably say no, but I don’t. I’m so shocked by the question that I just blurt out the first thing that comes to mind.

“Hell yes.”

He lets out a chuckle, jerks his chin toward the door in the living room, and holds out his hand. I don’t know if I should put mine in his. I don’t even know his name. But he isn’t bothered by my name or my hesitation, either.

Instead, he leans forward, wrapping his fingers around mine before he straightens, and then he tugs me behind him as he marches straight toward the front door.

I faintly hear Karlie’s voice call out my name, but this man is not going to wait for a thing, and he’s also not going to let me dillydally. We hurry across the street toward a big black SUV. Then he practically swings me up into the passenger seat before he slams the door behind me.

I jump slightly but then pinch my thigh, trying to figure out if I fell asleep at my book or not. The pinch hurts, so I think I’m conscious. This whole moment feels like it’s straight out of a romance novel.

It’s exhilarating.

Chapter

Three

REID

She’s a damn hottie. I don’t know if she realizes it or not, but the glasses, the messy hair, the shorts, and the oversized shirt all do it for me. I don’t know if it’s because she’s not primped and putting on a show like the other girls, but she seems chill, and I like that a hell of a lot. I need calm in my life, mainly because I’m the exact opposite.

I start the engine of my SUV, shift it into Reverse, and back out of the driveway. This whole living situation is going to be a challenge when it comes to parking. We all bought ourselves nice rides when we signed our contracts a few months ago, and all five of us want to park them inside the two-car garage.

As I move through the streets, I realize I don’t know this girl’s name. She’s sitting beside me, shifting in her seat, and it makes me wonder if she’s regretting her decision to get into a car with a stranger.

“I’m Reid, by the way,” I announce.

I can feel her eyes on my profile, but she doesn’t speak immediately. I continue driving until I reach my destination, which is an all-night diner the guys and I have gone to when we are finished at the club and need some sustenance.

“I’m Lorelai,” she murmurs as soon as I shift the SUV into Park.

Something causes my lower back to tingle at the sound of her name. It’s beautiful and different. Turning my head, I smile as I look at her. She’s got pink cheeks, her eyes searching mine for just a moment before she clears her throat and lifts her hand. I watch as she wraps her fingers around the door handle, then tugs it open.

She jumps out of the passenger seat, and I feel like an ass because I didn’t open the door for her. Shaking my head, I inwardly remind myself that I don’t even know this girl, and we are certainly not on any kind of date. But I still feel like I should have opened the car door for her.

I jump out of my seat as well, then rush toward the door and open it before she can reach the handle. I feel less guilty about not grabbing her car door this way. Lorelai dips her chin as she passes through the doorway and stops at the front counter.

Following, I stop before I reach her side. A waitress lifts her head from behind the counter, her eyes finding mine. Her lips curve into a grin, and she jerks her head, reaching for two stacked menus on the edge of the glass countertop.

“Follow me,” the waitress snaps, popping her gum when she does.

Placing my palm against the small of Lorelai’s back, I guide her behind the waitress toward the table. The menus are slapped down on the center of the table with a pop, and then the waitress is gone.

Lorelai slips into the booth, scooting to the middle, and I follow suit across from her. I reach for a menu and glance at it, but I don’t need to because I always order the same thing here. A protein bowl.

Flicking my gaze up, I watch her for a moment. She’s chewing on her bottom lip, her brows snapped together in what appears to be confusion.

“You okay?” I ask.

She lifts her eyes, her gaze searching mine for a brief moment. “I’m good. I was trying to decide how hungry I am.”

“You don’t know?” I ask.

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