Page 83 of Just One Kiss

His only answer was a really sexy smile.

* * *

The skating rink was packed with families and kids. Holiday music and spinning lights added to the fun holiday atmosphere. They put on their skates and left their boots in a cubby, then stepped onto the rink.

The first slide of her blade on the ice brought back a torrent of memories, and she braced herself for whatever pain might follow, but it was the joy that came back, the feeling of familiarity, the sense that everything in her world that had been out of kilter suddenly fell back into place.

Yes, there were images in her head that reminded her of her dad, the way he'd watched her from the side as she took a lesson and the happy times afterward when they'd talked about her routine over hot chocolates or hot apple ciders. There were the two-hour drives they'd taken to rinks outside of Whisper Lake so she could compete. She'd loved those drives because they were together and because she got to do something she loved.

Her dad had been very passionate about dreams. He'd always told her to follow her heart and not be afraid to really live her life, even if it was messy, even if she made mistakes.

His advice rang through her head now, and she couldn't help feeling like she hadn't really gone after her life. She did love her job and her friends.What about everything else? Was she pushing herself enough? Was she taking enough risks?

She looked over at Jake, knowing he was probably the biggest risk she could take.

He smiled. "This isn't enough, is it?"

"What do you mean?" she asked warily, not sure if he was talking about their relationship or the slow speed at which they were moving.

"Skating around in a circle with me. You need to go faster. You need to spin."

"It's too crowded."

"Not anymore," he said, as the rink changed over to adults only for the next ten minutes, and the kids and families cleared the ice. "You have the room you need. It's up to you to take it."

He gave her a little push, as if he didn't trust her to do it on her own. And maybe she wouldn't have.

"Fly, Hannah, the way you used to," he urged. "Feel the ice. Take this moment wherever you want it to go."

She pushed off, gathering speed as she moved forward. Her hair flew out behind her. She didn't know where Jake was anymore, somewhere behind her. But it didn't matter because she was flying. Her talent and her skill came back in seconds. It was as if she had never taken a break from skating. She was going forward, backward, and then spinning around. When the music stopped, the rink filled with applause, and it took a moment for her to realize they were clapping for her.

She felt a little embarrassed at the show she'd just put on, but as Jake joined her in the middle of the rink, she saw nothing but approval and respect in his eyes.

"That was fantastic," he said. "You never showed me that before."

"I don't know why I did now."

"You let the skater in you come out."

"I thought she was gone."

"She wasn't. How do you feel?"

"Amazing."

"Good. So, want to go slow with me again?" He extended his hand, and she took it.

They skated with the crowd now, and it was as perfect as her unexpected solo. Because she was with Jake. She looked over at him. "Thank you. Not just for bringing me here, for giving me that little push."

"I'm glad you seized the opportunity, and everyone loved the show. You're still good, Hannah. You must have been spectacular when you were a kid. I know you must have told me how skilled you were, but you didn't show off those skills in high school."

"When we went to the rink back then, I was more interested in holding your hand than skating," she admitted. "And maybe it was still too close to the loss of my dad. He was the one who shared my love of skating, who got me on the rink, who drove me to practices. I lost a lot of interest in skating after he died. Tonight, I felt like he was with me. I haven't felt his presence in a very long time. It felt good." She paused, looking at his handsome face. "You feel good, too. So good, I think I want to stop skating now."

His eyes sparkled. "Are you sure? We haven't been here very long."

"I know, but I'm ready to go whenever you are."

"Whatever you want."

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