Page 37 of A Very Titan Christmas
He cast a hesitant glance at the ice rink. “The only reason I ever skated was—”
“To get me in bed. Yeah, I understood what you meant, but since we both know that’s not an option, maybe we get a little exercise and decide on the cookie-decorating theme.”
Her mind circled back to what she’d just said. Sleeping with Bryce wasn’t an option. Of course, it wasn’t. Still, she couldn’t help but wonder if it’d be fun to go down that road for old time’s sake. The logical part of her brain clamped a hand over the curious part and told it to shut up and sit down. There was to be no imagining Bryce Richmond in bed. No wondering about him in bed. Absolutely nothing to do with Bryce and a bed. Because it was probably a horrible idea to think about him gloriouslynaked. Like she was doing now. Her cheeks warmed. Good God, she needed to get a hold of herself.
What had she been saying again? Oh yeah. “I’m going to go ice skating. Join me, and you’d be one hell of a fake boyfriend.”
He didn’t move a muscle except to cross his arms over his chest.
“Bryce, don’t make me beg.”
“I’m not making you do anything.”
“I’ll force you to hold my purse and camera bag if you don’t skate.”
“I don’t care.”
“It would be fun. And think of it like this: this is my job. It’s research. You can give me a quote, just like you did when I was a reporter for the high school newspaper.”
“I made up most of my quotes.”
That was true. They’d had so much fun pretending then. Why couldn’t he roll with it more now? She pressed her mittened hands together as though begging. He remained unmoved until she batted her eyelashes.
“Rach, don’t do that. You look ridiculous.”
She laid it on thick. People were starting to notice her antics.
He noticed too. “I’ll put on freaking ice skates.”
She squeed and gave a little clap, bouncing up on her toes to kiss him on the cheek. “Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. You’re the best fake boyfriend in all of Vermont.”
“Or the world.”
“And the humblest too.” She dragged him toward the skate rental booth. “We’re going to have so much fun.”
She stowed their shoes and her purse and camera bag in a locker. It didn’t take them long to lace up and hit the ice. His mood slightly improved when the attendant offered him hockey skates. Rachel wished she’d worn longer socks and would note that in her article.
The first thing that became apparent was that Bryce had not lost his skating skills. He glided this way and that, watching her cling to the wall with a train of little kids. He grinned as Rachel shooed him away. She unsteadily tried to recall how to move forward.
Bryce skated backward and lined up in front of her.
“Show off.” She watched her feet as if they weren’t attached to her body. They wouldn’t do anything she ordered them to do.
Bryce extended his hand and curled his fingers, beckoning her forward. “Give me your hand.”
“You’re distracting me.”
“You’re thinking about this too hard.”
The two little kids in front of her figured out how to move their feet and pushed away from the wall to join in the frenzy of speed skaters swirling around the rink.
“Please be quiet. I’m concentrating.”
Bryce stopped in front of her, and with the bit of momentum Rachel had garnered, she slowly crashed into him. His hands caught her waist and held her so that she wouldn’t crumple.
“Line your feet up. Now, slide them back and forth.”
“I don’t know how.”
