Page 53 of Cold as Ice

Well, if he’d been able to see the sun, anyway.

A second later, Malcolm came out.

“Hey,” Elliott said, pulling up his hood. Mal did the same, nodding at him, and they headed off in the direction of Sammy’s.

“How did the quiz go?” Mal asked as Elliott pulled the door open.

Elliott grimaced. “Not as good as I’d hoped. I got a C.”

“But not bad,” Mal said, with unexpected diplomacy.

“What?” Elliott joked, as they approached the counter. “Aren’t you supposed to pin me to the wall over anything less than an A?”

Mal’s gaze swung his way, unexpected heat burning his blue eyes. “What?” he barked.

Elliott’s mind rewound and he laughed weakly, even though his double-speak was not very funny. Not funny at all, really, not unless it actually happened for real.

If Mal really pinned him to the wall and kissed him, lips trailing down his neck, hips working hard and relentless against his own . . .

“Uh, joke?” Elliott claimed, shrugging. He’d needed to make the joke to deflect from feeling the way he did about his quiz grade.

Mal rolled his eyes, but when he reached for his wallet in the back pocket of his sweats, Elliott swore his fingers were trembling.

“It’s on me,” he said, as he paid. “You got it the last time.”

“Aw, you’re a sweet date,” Elliott teased.

And sure enough, he got another one of those looks, full of heat and longing and terror, before something slammed down in Mal’s eyes and he went stern, again.

The problem with that was that the sternness, whichhadbeen a total buzz killer before, was now kind of a turn-on.

When even Mal’s annoying habits work you up, you’re fucked.

“It’s not a date,” Mal said, brows drawing together.

Elliott nudged him with his elbow. “Just breathe, Mal. It’s not a ring or an invite to my bed.”

“It’s a study session,” Mal said, and yeah, he definitely looked a bit agitated.

“Yep, it sure is,” Elliott agreed, nodding. If the word date sent him into a meltdown, then he just wouldn’t use it. After all, it reallywasn’ta date, anyway.

“I don’t know why you even need to go there,” Mal said.

“Toteaseyou,” Elliott said with exasperation.To flirt with you.

Malcolm looked surprised. Astonished, really. “Is that why you do it?”

“Yes.” Elliott nudged him again. Before a few weeks ago, he’d gone out of his way to avoid touching Malcolm off the ice. Now, he felt like an addict who couldn’t wait to get another hit.

“Well. That . . .” Mal cleared his throat. “That explains some things.”

“It’s just fun, though I know how you feel about that particular three letter word.”

As they settled down in the same booth they’d occupied a few nights ago, the corner of Mal’s mouth tilted up, almost into a smile. “That’s the same thing, yeah? You’re teasing me.”

“Finally, you’re catching on,” Elliott said, pulling out the quiz, sliding it across the tabletop. “You wanna nail me against the wall now or later?”

Malcolm rolled his eyes. “You’re ridiculous. But . . .yeah, let’s go over this.”

---