Page 38 of Defensive Zone

“Do you have to argue with everything I say?” he asked, shifting her so he was in front of her, her fingers laced with his.

Don’t look at your feet. Don’t look at your feet.

“Max, I’m going to fall,” she said.

“No, you’re not. Don’t you trust me?”

She laughed. “Yeah. Uh. Nope.”

“Harsh, Gabi.”

His trademark grin was back in place as he continued to skate in front of her, backward.

Why was he so damn graceful?

“You never took skating lessons as a kid?” he asked.

“Nope. My mom loves to skate, but it wasn’t my thing. Add in the wobbly ankles, and I was good with sitting on the sidelines and sipping hot cocoa while she skated.”

“When I’m done with you, you’re going to love skating,” he said.

She bit back a laugh. “Yeah, okay.” And then she pitched forward.

Right into his arms.

A short while later, she was finally back on the bench. The kids had skated circles around them, and she’d gratefully let Max guide her to the edge so he could give them his full attention.

He’d grabbed Elise, too. The bundled-up infant in his arms was more than she could handle.

As much as he drove her insane, he was so freaking good with the kids. They doted on him, and he doted right back.

And she couldn’t get enough of it.

It was a problem.

“Gentle, little one,” he said with a chuckle when Elise grabbed a handful of his beard and tugged.

Then he leaned down to nuzzle the baby, who giggled when his beard touched her face.

It was too much for her. Like ovary explosion too much.

She paused, but couldn’t take her eyes away from the scene in front of her.

Wait. No. No explosion.

Abort mission.

Dammit.

She shook her head.

Why did he have to keep surprising her?

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