Page 21 of Hat Trick

I eye his proffered hand, then slip my palm snuggly againsthis.

Gameon.

8

Hunt

“That sculpture issupposedto have hard nipples,Marshall.”

I make a show of glancing up at the frozen mermaid in front of us, jerking my head to the nipples in question as I nudge Gwen in the side. “She’s turned on, Gwen. Leave the poor girl alone to her horniness. This is a judgment-freezone.”

The throaty groan Gwen releases is all kinds of sexy. “It’s made out ofice.” She waves a gloved hand at the boardwalk of ice sculptures against the backdrop of the twinkling harbor. “They’reallmade out of ice. Get your mind out of thegutter.”

Around Gwen, my mind is permanently in thegutter.

I lean down, allowing my breath to whisper across the shell of her ear. “You think she’s dreaming about Eric rightnow?”

Goosebumps erupt over her flesh, and I swallow achuckle.

“Eric?” sheechoes.

“Yeah. Prince Eric—Little Mermaid’s boyfriend. Ringin’ anybells?”

Chin tipping back, she glances up at me with a roll of her eyes. “I can’t believe you just turned a Disney movie into an R-ratedporno.”

“Aporno?” My hand flies to my chest, and I go all out trying to uphold the mock-affronted glare. “Gwen, we haven’t even hit PG-13. Don’t challengeme.”

“I’m not—” Her pursed lips break into a wicked grin, and she dances away from me, her boots tromping in the snow. “All right, let’s doit.”

My teeth rattle as my jaw clamps shut. “Let’s dowhat?”

Her blue eyes flit side to side, taking in the children screaming bloody murder as parents stalk down their offspring. Couples stroll through the night, faces tipped back as though expecting snowflakes from the otherwise drynight.

Everyone is way too consumed with their own lives to overhear us, but Gwen nevertheless starts back my way again, swinging her hips and stripping off her rightglove.

The glove is clutched in her left hand, and, when she’s within reach, she surprises me by hooking a bare finger into the neck of my sweatshirt and tugging me down to her level. Gwen isn’t short but I’m taller. Broader. It goes against every instinct in my body not to drag her into my arms and finally learn what it’s like to kiss GwenJames.

But then I’d be going against my own rules, and there’s no way I’m doingthat.

If she wants me, then Miss James is going to have to show me the old-fashioned way. I expect to be properlycourted.

Courted, really? Did the cold officially cut off yourdingleberries?

With her breath warming my face, Gwen declares, “I challenge you to find something raunchy about everysculpture.”

What Iwantto do is demonstrate how every thought I have of her is raunchy. Obviously, that’s not a go—yet.

Wrapping a hand around her wrist, I rub her chilled skin between my two palms. “I’m in.All in. But you have to do the challenge with me. Each time you can’t think of something, that’s another date I collect fromyou.”

Her blue eyes warm even as she ducks her head. “Going for a hat trick,Marshall?”

“Always,” I vow. Releasing her hand, and therefore severing our connection, I stuff my hands into my sweatshirt pocket as I stroll down the pebbled path. Over my shoulder, I toss back, “Don’t worry, Gwenny. Each time you best me, you’ll earn akiss.”

“Breaking your cardinal rule already?” she teases, sashaying to catch up with me. Her scarf comes undone around her neck. To my surprise, she leaves it as is, as though content to justbeinstead of constantly pulling herselftogether.

I likeit.

More than Ishould.

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