Page 79 of The Roommate Remodel

Then he hands me a jersey. “I know you agreed to wear the other guys’ jerseys before I had a chance to ask. But I still want to be the first.”

I unfold it, stare at Brax’s number sixteen, and smile.

“See how that feels,” he says, rising to his feet.

I slide it over my head and give him a thumbs up.

Everything feels fantastic until my blades hit the ice and I wobble like a toddler learning to walk.

Brax leaps forward to grab my arm. “Steady, girl.”

I cling to his arm, sure that I’m going to pull us both down even though we’re standing still. “Did I mention I’m awful on skates?”

“Your sister warned me.” He winks at me, and it makes my heart feel as unsteady as my legs. “It’s why I insisted on tying your skates. Wouldn’t want you to sprain an ankle. Now, give me your hands.” He turns so he’s facing me and offers both hands for support. I place my palms in his and wait for the spark of his touch to spread through me. I can’t get over how my body lights up whenever he’s near. Honestly, I’m not sure I everwantto get over it.

“Now, slide forward,” he instructs gently.

“But you’re in front of me,” I say.

“I’ll move with you. Don’t worry about me,” he says with an easy smile. “Skating is like walking for me.”

“If only that were true for me.” I wobble on the first glide forward, but hanging on to Brax’s steady grip gives me confidence.

“Eyes on me,” he instructs while skating backwards.

I didn’t even realize I was staring at my feet. I tip my face toward his and take in his dark green eyes that look inky black under the dancing lights.

As the ice sparkles around us, his gaze has the same effect on me.Distracting.When I finally forget that I’mactuallyskating, my body wobbles, and I pitch backward.

Brax leaps for me, catching me before I bite the dust. All the sparks I felt before are gone, replaced by the sheer rush of adrenaline.

“Good catch,” I murmur as he sets me back on my feet like a rag doll. “I didn’t know how good you’d be at saving my butt.”

“Well, your butt is top priority for me,” he says with a smirk.

I burst out laughing. “My tailbone thanks you.” Then I glance away from his gaze, sure that my cheeks are blazing.

“Eyes on me, Jazzy,” he says, leading me forward on the ice.

“You’re distracting to watch,” I admit.

“So are you,” he comments. “But you’re never going to learn to skate if you’re watching your feet. I hope I’m more interesting than the ice.”

The music switches to Taylor Swift’s “Lover” and a lighting effect sends shooting stars around the ice. “Is this a Taylor Swift playlist of my favorite songs? Or are you just exceptional that way?”

“All the above,” he answers. “I told the guys to start the playlist and then leave. More like warned them that if they didn’t, they’d have to do my dirty laundry for the rest of the week.”

“Are you always this bossy?” I tease.

“Only when it comes to you,” he assures me.

Even though my ankles are quivering, a warmth rises in my middle as his gaze stays locked on mine. With the music as our backdrop and the lights spinning in dizzying circles, I feel like I stepped into a fantasy world.

I’ve never been the lucky girl, the one who gets all the breaks.

But I feel like I’ve just won the lottery. It doesn’t seem possible that he would chooseme,but he did, for reasons I don’t understand. He sees something in me I don’t even see in myself. Under that tough exterior, he’s kind and tender and remarkably funny.Exceptional in every way.

“You’re getting better,” he says, slowing us to a halt.

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