Page 50 of The Fake Date Agreement

He ties the laces for my left skate and moves to my right. “I was.”

I’m not sure why Reid is so determined to commit violence on my ex-boyfriend, and I’m not sure why it makes me feel so good to hear him say stuff like that. I’m not confrontational, but maybe I’ve been secretly harboring a violent side all this time.

“You shouldn’t. I mean, I wouldn’t want you to get in trouble with your coach.” Not because I don’t think Marc deserves it.

“That’s only if he found out.” Finished with my skates, he moves on to his, and I realize something else important.

“You did mine first so I couldn’t run away, didn’t you?”

A smile stretches across his mouth, and I sigh again.

He makes quick work of kicking off his sneakers and lacing up his dark blue skates. Then he’s up, reaching for my hand. “Let’s hit the ice.”

“I’m cold,” I complain.

“You’ll warm up when you get moving,” he says with a smile that says he’s not buying what was a last desperate effort to get out of this skating business.

And it was a bad lie because Reid double-checked to make sure I’d layered up with a couple of T-shirts, a thick sweater, socks, and a coat because it can get so cold in the arena.

He steps out onto the ice first and turns to face me.

I grab onto the side of the rink and hold on for balance. I also hold on because I have no intention of breaking my face, which is exactly what will happen if I follow Reid onto the ice.

“Come on, Tobie.” He holds his hand out for mine.

I shake my head. “I’m going to do the splits and break my hips.”

“You’re not going to break your hips.”

“Then I’ll break the ice and fall through to the other side.”

“The other side?” Flint-gray eyes sparkle with amusement.

I cling to the side of the rink, desperate to hold on forever. “Uh… Australia?”

He laughs. “You won’t break anything. I’ll go in front. You can hold my hands.”

“But you’ll be skating backward,” I remind him.

He winks. “I have been known to do that a time or two.”

I blush at my stupidity. Of course, he knows how to skate backward. He could probably do it blindfolded.

He grips my hips and tugs. “Come on, let go.”

I clamp on even tighter.

“Shit, you have some grip on this wall,” he says, impressed.

“Yes, so you should probably just give—” His fingers dig into my sides, and I squeal, letting go as a snorting giggle bursts out of me.

I clamp my hand over my mouth, but from Reid’s grin, I fear it is far too late for that.

“You’re ticklish.” He looks absolutely delighted.

“No, I’m not,” I say in a rush.

He reaches out to tickle me again.

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