Page 78 of Rainbow Kisses

Maybe after tonight, we could start over.

Once you tell him about you and Rain.

Probably shouldn’t think about that right now. It’d just fuck with my head.

So I did my dance.

“I’m Too Sexy” by Right Said Fred blasted out of the speakers. It’d been a staple at hockey practices and warm-ups because hockey players were dorks. So I knew the beats, and I knew every fucking word.

And I’d put in some thought as to what I was going to do. Hell, I’d even admit to doing a little practice when no one else was on the ice. Because this was going to be the best fucking Dance of Contrition ever.

But there was only one person I was dancing for.

I looked up into the arena and found the Lawrence suite, where I knew Rain would be. And there she was, a huge grin on her face and clapping her hands above her head. Beside her, Maddy was shaking her head, but her smile was wide.

Now, I’m a pretty damn good skater. And while I don’t normally show off my skills, I’ve got moves. I wasn’t going to embarrass myself out here. I let the music play out for a few seconds before I pushed off.

If I had to classify my dance, I’d call it late-night bump-and-grind, college style. My technique was a little rusty, but my feet were sure as I moved around the ice. I didn’t do any pirouettes or anything where my feet left the ice. But I put on a fucking show. Because if I had to do it, I wasn’t going to half-ass it.

Rowdy probably recognized some of it. I’d been hot for a girl in college who’d been an ice dancer. She’d taught me a few moves.

The crowd loved it. But I was skating for an audience of one. Because, honestly, if I thought about the fans in the arena watching me, I’d probably trip over my feet and face-plant. Couldn’t think about Maddy either. Didn’t know how I was gonna live this down with her. At least, it’d be good for a laugh between us. Hadn’t been many of those this week.

Our meeting with Lin had gone well, I’d thought. Lin had looked good. Sober. And she and Maddy had been so happy to see one another. But Maddy had been quiet these past two days, and I didn’t know what to do to make things better. Honestly, I was hoping Rain had been able to get Maddy out of her head for a little while.

I lost my rhythm for a second and pushed those thoughts out of my head before I tripped and fell.

The hooting and hollering and stomping in the crowd complemented the music as the song wound down. Stopping at center ice, I bowed toward the bench then turned and did the same to both ends and the penalty box side.

Now, I let myself take in the ear-splitting noise coming from the arena, but my gaze sought the owners’ box. Anyone watching would think I was smiling at Maddy. And I did. At first. But for the last split second, my smile was all for Rain. She jumped up and down, cheering and circling one hand over her head like she was roping cattle. Her expression made me long for the moment we could be alone together.

Movement from the bench drew my attention as Rebel stepped onto the ice and skated toward me. The audience quieted as he stopped a couple of feet away.

Shaking his head, he sighed. “Nice moves. And take off the goddamn tutu.”

“I don’t know.” I shrugged. “I wear it pretty well.”

“No, you really don’t.”

“We good?”

A pause, then something that looked almost like a smile. Probably just gas.

“Yeah.”

I guess that was as good as I was going to get for now.

“Then let’s play fucking hockey.”

“Brian.”

I turned at the sound of Rebel calling to me just before I was about to leave the locker room. I’d been the last man off the icebecause I’d been named First Star of the game and had to give an interview to the radio announcer. Not only had we won the game, but I’d gotten assists on both goals. I felt good and the only thing that could make it better was to spend the night with Rain. But, of course, that wasn’t going to happen.

“What’s up?”

Fuck, that had sounded like I was angry with him, which I wasn’t, and I could see him stiffen.

“Shit, sorry. I didn’t mean that to sound pissy. It’s not you.” I shook my head. “What do you need, Reb?”

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