Page 43 of My Best Bet

“Jeez babe.” I laughed.

“Sorry!” She came closer again. Her nose and cheeks were red from the cold and her warm breath hung in the air.

“I was just gonna say–”

She gasped as the puck went sailing across the ice, away from me. Shock registered on her face.

“I got it!” she burst out. “I got it from you!”

My eyebrows raised in surprise and a chuckle popped out of me. “You did.”

She dropped her stick and threw her hands in the air. “I won!”

“Okay, chill.” I laughed. “Act like you’ve been there before, babe.”

“But I haven’t! This is the best day!” she shouted up at the sky. “I beat you! I will never forget this.” She let out an evil laugh. She was possibly more competitive than I was.

“Oh my God, it’s getting to your head,” I said, but I couldn't stop from grinning like a crazy person. Ilovedher. Damn. “Let’s go again, c’mon.”

“Nope. I have to go out on a high!” She started skating away.

“No, let’s go,” I argued, skating around to block her path.

She angled around me. “Guys! I got the puck from ‘The Conman.’ I am the best in the world!”

The group cheered her on.

“Atta girl, Mer!” JP called out.

“Colt’s losin’ his touch!” Kap added.

“You little brat.” I grinned while grabbing her up.

She giggled against my chest. “Okay, what were you gonna say?”

“I was gonna say–”

“I love this song, turn it up!” someone yelled, interrupting me.

She laughed at my frustration as Coldplay’sYellowblasted through the boombox.

“Mmm I do love this song.” She glided away from me and started doing lazy little spins around me, feeling the music.

“I love you,” I whispered.

She stopped skating. Her mouth dropped slightly open as she regarded me.

I glided closer to her and held her face with my gloved hands. “I love you,” I repeated. “You’ve got my whole fucking heart, Meredith Bennett. Every piece of me loves every piece of you.” I could barely feel my lips, but I sealed those words with a kiss.

When I pulled back, her eyes were still closed. Snowflakes clung to her dark eyelashes. “I love you, too.” She blinked open her sky eyes. “So much. So fucking much,” she said with a laugh.

My girl barely ever swore, so I knew she was serious. Grinning so hard my face hurt, I lifted her and spun us around, making both of us laugh.

JP eventually called us off the ice, saying it was too dangerous to keep skating this late. After that, we all sat around the bonfire making s’mores and drinking the hot chocolate I brought in a huge thermos.

The group was all laughing about how Hans almost killed Kappy last week because Kap stole the zam to go on a little joy ride, but then he got it stuck in the middle of the ice.

“It’s not as simple as it looks, guys,” he argued, making everyone crack up.

---