Page 19 of Christmas Kisses

"You don't? Do you want to learn?"

"I'd like to try, but I can't make any promises. I'm a klutz."

"You've got to stop with the negative self-talk, beautiful. I've watched you closely the past week and a half, and you are definitely not a klutz."

"Let's do it, then."

As it turns out, I am a klutz on the ice. The fun part is, most of the time, Ben catches me in his arms and I get to look up at his gorgeous face and feel protected by him.

After an hour, my fanny hurts, and I'm ready to give up.

"Ben, it's no use. I'm freezing. My jeans are wet, and my ass hurts."

"Okay, let's go sit in the truck."

He spreads one blanket on the back seat, and we sit close together. The other blanket goes over us and he starts to pour hot chocolate for us. I'm really uncomfortable, so I start taking off my jeans.

"Wh-what are you doing?"

"I'm taking off my wet clothes."

When I toss the jeans aside, I realize I'm in a vulnerable position. I trust Ben, so I'll just make sure to keep the blanket securely over the lower half of my body. I see Ben gulp, but he keeps pouring the hot chocolate. He hands me my cup, and I take it into both my hands, taking advantage of the added warmth it brings.

I sip the warm liquid, and it feels like I've been transported to heaven.

"Oh my god, this is so good. Did you make it?"

"Yeah, it's my grandma Esther's secret recipe."

"What's the secret?"

"I can't tell you. She'd have my hide if I ever did that. I can pass it on to my children, though."

"Fine. Be like that."

"Just think of me as the designated hot chocolate maker." His features turn softer as he looks at me for the longest time. "Are you enjoying your time with Brandy?"

"We're having fun. That's all that matters."

Ben puts his arm around me, and we snuggle closer. I watch the kids in the rink skate and pull stunts like jumps and twirls, and I grow envious.

"I should have learned to skate when I was a kid. It wouldn't have been as traumatic as learning now is."

"Why didn't you learn?"

"I tried to teach myself, but I fell down a lot, as you witnessed today, so I just let it go."

"We'll try again some other time."

He places a kiss on my forehead, and we stay like that for the longest time. When he finally says something, it's not the words I want to hear.

"I should take you home."

I nod in agreement, and he moves up to the driver's seat. I roll myself up in the blanket and move to the front through the gap between the seats. I'm not putting on those wet jeans again. We sit in companionable silence during the drive, and I keep sneaking looks at him. I wonder what it'd be like to be his. To have permission to touch him whenever I wanted to.

When we get to my house, he parks the car and smiles at me.

"What's on your mind, beautiful?"

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