Page 125 of The Puck Stops Here

‘You might want to save the praise for when I have you going it alone.’

He eased out from her front, releasing one hand and felt her fingers tighten around his other. ‘Just relax and keep doing what you’re doing. I’ve got you.’

She gave a shaky nod, her jaw unclenching as she did so. Her trust in him danced along his veins, teased at his heart. ‘You’ve got this.’

They did a few loops of the rink, her posture improving with her confidence. ‘You ready to try it alone?’

She sent him a panicked look.

‘Don’t worry, I’ll be right beside you.’

They took a few more strokes connected and then he peeled his fingers from hers. She wobbled, her tongue peeking out of the corner of her mouth as she fought to find her balance and her rhythm once more. ‘I’ve got it, I’ve got?—’

She started to go, her body rocking forward, arms flailing… He swept to her side, catching her around the waist as her skates went out from beneath her.

‘Got you!’ He launched her into his arms, a thousand volts shooting through him as she pressed up against him, her soft yelp muffled by his chest.

He turned his head away as her scent tried to burrow its way in, everything about this moment taking him back to that kiss.Fuck, that kiss.

She’d tasted of heaven, felt like silk, her scent more intoxicating than any drink…

‘You okay?’

He held her steady, his hands firm around her waist as she lifted her hands to his shoulders and regained her feet. She shook her head, her hat tickling at his chin.

‘I warned you, didn’t I?’

‘It takes practice. You think I didn’t fall on my ass several times over when I started out?’

Hell, he sounded gruff. Raw. Had she noticed? Of course she’d noticed. This was Astrid; the woman noticed everything.

‘But you’re teaching the unteachable Twinkle Toes here.’

He lifted one hand to her chin and forced her to look up at him. ‘I promise, I’ll get you there.’

His intent had been to make her believe him, to make her believe in herself, but as her eyes met his, the rink fell away…therewas that look. A simmering heat beneath the vulnerability. Want. Desire. Only she didn’t. And it hit like a sucker punch to his gut.

‘You ready to try again?’

She took a breath that shuddered through her and into him. ‘Okay.’

‘Good.’ It was abrupt, and everything he needed to be to snuff out the fire, grateful that he’d been able to see sense. Not so grateful to be right.

20

The next day Astrid was bobbing in her trainers on the pavement, waiting for the twins to pick her up. She felt like a huge weight had been lifted. She and Blake were in a better place. She’d learned that he believed his brother had left his heart in Ashbury Falls, which could only mean one thing: Sienna. And today she would meet their mum, one of the last two sources on her list.

She was this close to getting all she needed for her article.

And this close to a serious twist in her karma tale, too.

Her phone buzzed.

Sissi

Hope dinner goes well! X

She gave a small smile.

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