Page 124 of The Puck Stops Here

A weighted pause and then, ‘Thank you.’ She took a breath. ‘I appreciate it.’

Did she? Or was she just saying that to make him feel better?

‘You still want to do this?’ He gestured to the ice.

‘Wantis questionable with these toes, but yes, let’s do this.’

And then he swept away before he said anything else, did anything else to land him in further trouble. His brother was going to kill him for mentioning Sienna, but hell, the entire situation was killing him already.

He snuck a look her way as he gathered up the cones, relieved to see she hadn’t bolted with his revelation. She’d taken a seat and was pulling on her skates. Her ponytail had fallen over one shoulder, that one stray curl falling from the rim of her black beanie to her thigh… and there went his fingers, tingling with the tease again.

Dammit all.

When he’d first seen her across the ice, he’d been mad. Mad at himself for his own impossible reaction to her. Her warm honey eyes and a smile that got to him whatever level it sat at. Her body clad in skintight black, the layers doing nothing to detract from her femininity. Hell, she’d been a sight for sore eyes, and he shouldn’t have wanted her still. Not after everything…

But he did. And what kind of an idiot did that make him?

The kind who’s falling in love for the first time, perhaps?

‘Ready?’ He launched across the rink, pushing the answer away with every fierce stroke of his skates.

‘All yours,’ she said, slapping her thighs and giving him a grin.

Damn, he wished.

She launched to her feet and promptly fell back with a yelp.

‘Alright, Twinkle Toes, you wanna try that again?’

He hopped off the ice and took her by the hand, ignoring the warmth that worked its way beneath their gloves as he tugged her up.

‘I warn you,’ she murmured, her voice as unsteady and apprehensive as her step. ‘I’m not very good at this.’

‘Don’t worry, I’ve got you.’

Her lashes flickered, her eyes locking onto his. Warm and… trusting.

‘We’ll do this together, okay?’

She nodded and he eased her onto the ice, every inch of him attuned to her. Every breath, every wobble, every nervous giggle…

He moved around to face her, taking both hands in his. ‘Okay? Now push off with the foot that feels more natural, and I’ll match you… that’s it, now glide.’

She followed his instruction, her gaze drifting to their feet…

‘Uh-uh. Keep looking up.’

Her eyes came back to him and his heart pulsed with his smile.

‘That’s it. Now push… and glide. Push… and glide.’

He matched his rhythm to hers, kept up the instruction, losing himself in it and her, their bodies working in tandem, the soft whoosh of their skates filling the air. He let go of the pent-up tension, the questions, the unresolved feelings… though the urge to have her glide that bit closer, to catch her in his arms and spin away with her…

She laughed softly. ‘I can’t believe I’m doing it.’

‘I can.’

Her smile was full of wonder. ‘You really are good.’

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