Page 53 of Ice Bet

I took a step back and rested my heels on the very edge of the opening, teetering back and forth over the ice. Riley stood unmoving in her tight black leggings and pink sweater. She had on fuzzy boots, and I thought about just picking her up and placing her on the ice, because how on earth would she even know the difference with those things on her feet? But I didn’t want to push her too far. Her chest was heaving, and although mine was too—for different reasons—I decided to go easy on her.

“Walk to me.” Riley opened her eyes, and the blue color was deeper than before. Panic filled them, and instead of walking toward me, she stepped backward.

I laughed and threw my hands up. “You just did the complete opposite.”

Her hands made a home on her hips. “You think that it’s going to bethateasy to get me back in the rink? By just demanding I get on there? Don’t you think I’ve tried that before?” Her arms flung to her sides in defeat. “I start to…panic.”

Typical of her to twist my words.

“I didn’t ask you to get back in the rink. I asked you to walk to me.”

Her hip jutted out with attitude. “You didn’t ask me anything if we’re being technical. You demanded.”

I smirked, knowing this was never going to work if I continued to rile her up, but it was so fun to watch her cheeks fire with heat. “Oh, I’m sorry. I thought you enjoyed being the submissive one.”

Riley’s lips parted. She sucked in a breath, surprised by my words. I winked and shot her a playful smile before I walked a little closer to her, closing the gap. “Come on. Close your eyes and take a step.”

Riley wanted to refuse. I could tell by the way she looked at me. But in the end, she did as I said and took one teeny-tiny step toward me.

“That was hardly a step, but progress is progress.”

Her eyes remained shut, but there was a small smile on her lips. “You sound like my dad.”

Good.The more she brought up her father during our time together, the more I could be reminded of who she was.

Silence passed between us, but I could feel the tension surrounding her. It was rare to see her relaxed, which was why it was bizarre to watch her sleep last weekend, but right now she looked as if she were ready for a fight.

Fuck, what can I do to distract her?

“Let’s play a game.” I rubbed my hands together and dove into the first thing that came to mind. “You tell me two truths and a lie, and if I get it right, you have to take another step toward me.”

Riley opened her eyes. “Keep ’em closed, Duster.”

“Or what?” she countered, laughing under her breath.

“I can always blindfold you.”

She sucked her lips in. I wasn't sure if her head went where mine went, but there was a wicked visual of her on my bed, but instead of sleeping, she was blindfolded and in zero clothing. I got a very quick snippet of her bare chest when she decided to flash me last weekend to prove a point, but it was embedded into my brain. Itabsolutelyproved a point.

Shit, stop it.

“Fine, but just a warning, I don’t like to lose.”

“Well, you won’t really be losing if I get you closer to the ice without freaking out, right?”

She knew I was right, so she cleared her throat, leveled her shoulders, and started our little game. “My favorite color is blue. My favorite drink is pumpkin spice. My favorite season is summer.”

I laughed. “Too easy, ice princess. Your favorite season is winter. Take a step forward, baby.”

I looked behind my shoulder, knowing no one was there, but I still checked to see if anyone just heard me call her baby.That’s a no-go.It was a habit, but I could only imagine what her dad would say if he heard me call herbaby—not once, but twice.

She grumbled something under her breath before peeking one eye open and taking thesmalleststep forward.

I put my hands in my pockets to keep me from picking her up around her waist and walking her onto the ice myself. “You peeked.”

“I didn’t want to trip over something.”

I smiled at her lie. “You’re impossible.”

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