Page 27 of Wedlocked

I snapped the skis back on and grinned. “Who wants to go again?”

6

Rory

Skiing is fun,but have you ever been ice skating?

It’s far superior.

It also requires far less coordination than skiing. At least for me anyway. I mean, skis are practically as long as I am tall. Don’t get me wrong. I had fun yesterday, but my muscles still ached.

“I’m so excited,” I said, bouncing in my fur-lined boots as I carried my rented skates toward the lake.

“Rory.”

My snow dancing faltered a bit at my name passing Ryan’s lips. He only used my actual name when I was in trouble.

Making a face, I spun, nearly pitching sideways in the snow.

Alarm deepened Ryan’s eyes, and he shot forward to slide an arm around my waist. He made a growly type of sound that made my stomach dip and scowled. “I swear, woman, you are a walking hazard.”

“I am not,” I refuted.

“Is that why you were dancing around and then almost face-planted while carrying a set of razor-sharp knives?”

I glanced down at the skates in my hands. “Well, I wouldn’t have almost fallen if you weren’t back there calling to me so ominously.”

One of his near-black eyebrows arched. He was so handsome. All dark hair, dark eyes, and olive skin standing out here amongst a wintry white backdrop. “I said your name.”

I gave him a baleful look. “You know what you did, Ryan Stephen Walsh.”

“Pardon me for not wanting you to impale yourself on ice skates.” His voice was dry, but his gaze held a bit of amusement. Reaching over, he grabbed my skates by the laces and hauled them out of my arms.

“The blades have guards on them,” I pointed out. I mean, it was obvious, but if he wanted to act like a moron, then I would treat him like one.

“I saw you on those skis yesterday, camera girl,” Jamie said, hijacking the conversation per usual. “Guards or not, you’d have found a way to do some damage.”

“And just what is wrong with my skiing, Jamie?” I asked, hands on hips.

“Well, by the end of the day, the kids on the bunny hill seemed to teach you a few things, so it improved.”

My mouth dropped open.

Jamie laughed. Ryan followed until I gave him the evil eye.

“I’m much better on skates,” I told Jamie. Glancing at Ryan, I said, “Right, Ry?”

He nodded. “It’s true.”

“It was always my favorite thing to do in the winter, especially around Christmas in Chicago.”

“You’ll have to give me some tips because, growing up in California, my feet never touched a pair of ice skates,” Madison said, joining the conversation.

“Don’t you worry, Maddie baby, I’ll hold your hand,” Jamie said, draping his arm over her shoulders. She looked more dwarfed beneath him than usual because of the red puffer jacket zipped around his upper body. The boots he wore added another inch to his six-foot-three frame.

“It’s really fun,” I told Madison. “You’ll get the hang of it. I’ll take my skates,” I told Ry.

“How about you hold my hand instead?” he asked, flashing a charming smile, reaching out his arm.

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