Page 92 of Wilder

He was quick to loosen the laces, then he removed the skate. When she wriggled her toes once they were free of the boot, he took her socked foot in his hand and rubbed the bottom of it.

“Oh, you really shouldn’t do that,” Lexi said with a laugh. “It feels so good I’ll insist you do it all the time.”

“I don’t mind.”

He massaged one foot for a few minutes, then removed the skate from her other foot and massaged that one. Though he was willing to do it longer, he knew she needed to get home.

“Thank you,” she said when he sat back. “That felt divine.”

Wilder straightened to his feet. “You’re very welcome.”

After they put on their jackets, they waved at George as they left the rink. The snow had continued to fall steadily over the time he’d been inside, so Wilder walked with Lexi to her car and helped her clear the snow from it.

“You’ve done a lot for me today,” Lexi said. “I have no idea why, but I sure appreciate it all.”

“I’m happy to help, especially since my schedule isn’t nearly as full as yours. I consider you a friend, and friends help each other out.”

Lexi stared at him for a long moment, the falling snowflakes catching on her eyelashes as they stood in the snow. The light from the lamppost she’d parked in front of allowed him to see her face, but as usual, it was hard to decipher her expression.

“I haven’t had a lot of friends in my life,” Lexi said. “I don’t really know how they usually act.”

Truth be told, he was doing a lot more for her than he usually did for a friend. Not that he wouldn’t help a friend out. Everyone knew that if they asked him for help, he’d definitely give it.

With family, he might periodically jump in to do stuff without being asked, but with Lexi, he was actively looking for ways to help her, knowing it meant he could see her more often.

It really wasn’t what he should be doing, but he found himself fascinated by her, and he wanted to get to know her beyond the surface level she seemed to give to everyone else.

“Thanks again,” she said. “For everything.”

“I hope you rest well and have a good day tomorrow. I’ll probably stop by at some point.”

She smiled. “I look forward to it.”

With that, they said goodnight, and Wilder made his way back to Serenity, following Lexi until he needed to turn toward the house.

He hadn’t ever expected to find himself so entranced by a woman. But Lexi, with her guarded and sometimes icy demeanor, had definitely captured his attention. Wilder didn’t think it was a passing curiosity, which probably wasn’t a good thing.

Hopefully, they could build a friendship that was beneficial to both. That had to be enough, because he knew anything more would require too much compromise since their lives were so different.

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

Lexi wearily headed for Kayleigh’s office. The woman had phoned earlier and asked Lexi to come see her when she had a moment. George had told her he’d keep an eye on things, and if someone came asking for help on the ice, he’d tell them to come back later.

It had been a week of training and working, and just like Wilder had warned, she was burning the candle at both ends. She collapsed into bed each night, feeling like she had barely closed her eyes before her alarm went off. Even with the intense training they’d done before, it had never left her this exhausted.

As she stepped into the office, she greeted Andrea, Kayleigh’s assistant, who sat at a desk in the small space.

“You can go on in,” the woman said with a smile.

“Thank you.”

Lexi felt decidedly underdressed for the meeting when Kayleigh stood from behind her desk, revealing a deep purple pantsuit with a cream silk blouse. Her hair was pulled back in a twist, and her makeup was impeccably done.

It left Lexi wishing she’d had a change of clothes. But since the call for the meeting had come after she’d left her apartment, she hadn’t had a chance to bring anything.

“Thanks for coming,” Kayleigh said with a friendly smile, gesturing to a small sitting area on the other side of the office. “Let’s sit there.”

Lexi sank down onto the couch, grateful for a chance to sit, even if it was for a meeting with her boss.

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