Page 59 of One Night With You

He held out his hand, and I slipped my smaller one into his calloused one and let out a sigh.

“I’m really not good at this.”

“Dating or figure skating?”

“Let’s go with both on that answer.”

He let out a rough chuckle. “You’ll get the hang of it.”

“I really don’t think I will. But I can try.”

“That’s all that I ask.”

“That’s asking a lot.”

He kissed my temple, and I grinned, doing that wobbly thing on skates before we got onto the ice. My feet immediately went out from beneath me, and I fell hard on my ass. A couple of teenagers laughed, and Kingston ignored them, leaning over to pick me up without even sliding. The man was diabolical. And I was totally going to fall in love with him for real. That was going to be a problem.

“You okay? I’m sorry I didn’t catch you.”

“We’re at the entrance, if you would’ve caught me, you would’ve had a blade up somewhere you didn’t need to.”

“Well that sounds lovely,” he said, cringing.

“Let’s just get out of the entryway so I don’t embarrass us any further.”

“You’re doing just fine.” He took my hand and set me next to the wall so that way I could hold on.

“Maybe I should have gotten hockey skates.”

“You don’t have the toe pick, but they are a bit easier for me.”

“I feel like the toe pick will just make me fall. Case in point, that incident right when we got on the ice.”

“I don’t think that’s the toe pick’s fault.”

“I would push you, but then I would probably be the one that fell, and I’d hurt a small child.”

“You’re doing just fine. Plus I get to hold you, I think it’s a win-win.”

“Look at you being all smooth.”

“I try.”

“So, you take a lot of dates out on ice skating rinks like this?” I asked despite myself. I seriously could have kicked myself, but then I would’ve fallen on the ice again and I already knew I was going to be bruised from it.

“Yes, just last week I was taking my other girlfriend out.”

“You are very lucky that I know that you’re joking with me, or I would’ve pushed you, my falling be damned.” Not an inkling of jealousy slid through at hisjoke though, so was that progress? Or was that just denial?

“Okay, I think I’ve got the hang of it,” I said, as I let go of the wall. Kingston held my hand, and when I wobbled, I leaned into him.

“There you go, you’ve got it!” Kingston practically shouted, and I ducked my head, blushing.

“Why are you so good at everything?”

“It’s a gift.”

“You were supposed to be modest.”

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