Page 15 of Hat Trick Heart

I wave my hand in acknowledgement, and she goes brick red and her head ducks down.

“I forgot that there was someone here with us,” she whisper-hisses.

I chuckle and carefully help her over to the side of the rink. “Several someone’s actually. But I think we both got a little lost in our heads over here. I’ve kept you out here long enough. I should take you somewhere and feed you.”

She laughs and pats her rounded belly. “I’m sure you can guess that I could use missing a meal here or there. It’s not a big deal.”

I turn to her and lift her easily into my arms and over the little step out of the rink. She gasps and her hands grasp at my coat. I stand steady and glare at her. “Don’t say shit like that about yourself. You’re beautiful and if nobody’s said that to you before, there’s a lot of idiots out there in the world. I don’t intend to be one of them.”

Her bright eyes that remind me of the blue of alpine ice narrow in on mine and then widen, surprised. “You really mean that.”

“I really do. You’re perfect just the way you are and anybody that doesn’t recognize that isn’t worth your time or energy.”

I set her lightly on her feet but she doesn’t move away from me. Her little hands stay wrapped up in my parka and her eyes search mine until she nods her head like she’s just decided something important.

“I don’t want to go out to eat.”

“Oh.” Disappointment and fear well up inside me. “Are you not feeling good?”

I have to hope that that’s what it is because if I’ve said something that’s made her want to run away from me, to leave me, I’m going to kick my own ass.

And then stalk her because there’s no way in hell that I’m letting her get away from me now. I’m addicted to this woman.

She shakes her head and her auburn curls slide around her shoulders, wild and just a little frizzy. I kinda like it. She’s like a perfect doll most of the time so the untamed hair is sexy and surprising.

“No. That’s not it. I want you to take me home.”

I nod my head, my heart sinking. “Okay.”

“And then I want you to make love to me.” I nod my head at what she said before it sinks in.

But then…

“Are you serious? I mean, are you sure?” I jerk back and eye her narrowly, my eyes trying to see inside her, to pick apart what’s going on with her.

But she nods and smiles happily, her huge grin bursting over me, warming me from the inside out. “I am so sure, Emile. I’ve never met someone like you but I know that whatever’s going on with us, I don’t want it to end. I just want to spend more and more time with you. I want it all with you.”

I don’t wait to hear any more than that. Just grab her and pick her up throwing her over my shoulder. She laughs and I can feel the shakes of it all the way through to my soul.

“What are you doing? We’ve both got skates on!”

“Oh. Yeah.” I stop and carefully lower her and pull off her skates and mine and then I tug my boots on and toss her shoes to her before throwing her over my shoulder again.

“Wait! I need to put my shoes on.”

I shake my head and run out the door, feeling her grunt and scramble to keep from bouncing on my shoulders.

“Nope. You’d just have to take them off again when we get to your place. Might as well leave them off. I got you.”

And I do. I buckle her in after loading her quickly into my car and then I do the speed limit, working so hard to control myself that my hands are shaking on the steering wheel. We reach her place and even though it kills me, I ask her again. “Are you sure about this?”

She reaches over, her blue eyes bright in the dark interior of the car. “I am so sure.” Her hands hold steady on my cheeks and there is no uncertainty in her eyes. “I’m all in. Just don’t make me regret this, Emile. I couldn’t handle it if you just threw me away like a used tissue or something.”

I crinkle my nose in disgust. “That is truly a terrible image.”

“I know. That’s why I said it!” She giggles again and I growl under my breath.

“You’re gonna pay for that, sweetheart. Even if it takes me all night long.”

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