Page 40 of Twisted Collide

I nod and head toward the locker room of the training facility.Looking around, I clock a table and place them down on it. I’m not sure where they’re supposed to go, but seeing as this isn’t actually my job, it will do.

“That’s not where they go.” Dane’s gravelly voice takes me by surprise.

“What are you doing here?”

What is he doing here? Wasn’t he just skating on the ice?

My heart rattles in my chest. Did he come here for me? I can feel the apple of my cheeks warming at the thought.

“That’s none of your business,” he practically growls.

“Your personality, maybe?”

His head tips in question.

“That’s what you must be looking for since you obviously can’t find it.”

Nothing. Not a smile. Not a laugh. This man is wound up tighter than a broken clock.

The night I spent with him, he was moody, grumpy even, but this is next level.

Is it me? My presence.

No.

This is more. This is him, but for a second that night, he wasn’t like this.

God, he was beautiful when he laughed.

An idea pops into my head, something to make him smile.

I hop up onto the bench.

“What are you doing?”

“Since I can’t do this job right, I guess it’s back to the tightrope,” I tell him while I place one foot in front of the other, moving slowly. I try to balance. It’s a narrow bench, and I can feel myself slipping.

“Stop.”

“No. Since the last time I saw you, I’ve done research. This is my calling. If you walk in a straight line—”

“You’re going to fall.”

“Then help me,” I challenge.

“No.”

I place my hands out by my side. My foot slips a little, but I don’t have to worry about falling because Dane crosses the small space with lightning-fast reflexes.

His one hand wraps around my upper arm, while his other holds my waist.

I turn my head, and my pulse accelerates.

Our faces are so close that I can see the small ring of green surrounding his blue eyes.

Wow.

I never noticed that before, but how could I? It was dark that night.

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