Page 18 of Dirty Pucking Tease

"Just drag me to the wall," I said, reaching my hands up to him.

He leaned down, looping his arms under mine and wrapping my arms around his neck. He lifted me to my feet. His grip tightened around my waist as he lifted my skates off the ground, and I wrapped my legs around his waist.

"What are you doing?" I whispered, my mouth near his ear.

"Skating." He smiled against my cheek. He pushed off the ice, carrying me around the rink, spinning and gliding across the ice. He leaned his head back so he could see me. "I may not be able to do all the fancy lifts, but I got this one down." He brushed a loose strand of hair out of my face.

"Yeah." I smirked. "How many girls have you done this with? I heard you were really popular with the skaters."

"None," he said, his tone so earnest I believed him. "This requires intimacy, and if you haven't noticed, I struggle with that kind of stuff."

"I've noticed," I said. "But you're doing it now." I wanted to know if this was considered intimate to him or if it was part of him helping me overcome my awkwardness with men.

"What's going on here?" Owen shouted from across the rink. Jax and I head snapped to see his skates hit the ice as he pushed off, heading towards us.

I expected Jax to freak out and drop me, but he didn't.

"Kai and I were talking about her conversation with Olga this morning," Jax said when Owen slid to a stop in front of us.

"And that requires you to carry her around the rink." Owen laughed.

"No," Jax said, our cheeks nearly pressed together. "But she's teaching me to figure skate."

"Sweet," Owen said. "Maybe Cam will teach me." His gaze darted around the rink. "Where is Cam?"

"She's home," I said. "Twisted ankle."

"Ahh," Owen said. "Well, are you ready to practice, or are you still figure skating."

"Let me take Kai up to the benches," Jax said. "And then we can smack the puck around."

"Wait a second," I snapped. "So I teach you to figure skate, but you aren't going to teach me hockey."

Jax's lips curled into a smirk. "That would require your legs to work, Baby Cruz. Unless you want me to carry you."

"You're at all of the games," Owen muttered. "You don't know how hockey is played?"

My eyes went wide as Jax's grin widened. I had never missed one of Jax's games, just like I'd never missed one of Trystan's performances or Harlow's violin recitals, but I didn't know they saw me.

"I think I should call it a day." I forced a smile. "But I'll see you guys at Trystan's show tonight."

Jax skated to the far side of the rink and stepped off the ice. My legs released around his waist, dropping to the ground, but his grip didn't loosen.

"I want to kiss you right now," he whispered against the shell of my ear.

"Owen is here," I whispered back.

"I'll see you tonight, Baby Cruz." He smirked, stepping back onto the ice and gliding away.

13

The bass of the drums and lead guitar rattled the walls of the nightclub as Trystan belted out the lyrics to his newest song. Strobe lights danced across the stage, lighting up as the crowd of screaming girls went wild. The venue was packed tonight, standing room only.

Kai, Syn, Harlow, and Cam were all dancing at the front of the stage while Owen and I hung back with our teammate, Brandon.

I ordered another round. I loved my brother, but he and I had very different tastes in music. Thank god, this was his last song, and by the time he wrapped everything up, I'd be done with my beer.

"Are you ever going to tell me what's up with you and Kai?" Owen asked before bringing the long-neck bottle to his mouth and drinking.

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