Page 94 of Test the Ice
“I feel like I’m missing something,” Zoe mutters through a mouthful of bacon. “Did something happen last night, and also, I thought cooking was her job?”
“I gave her the day off,” Malaki says. “We had a late night.”
Malaki and I immediately make eye contact, and my cheeks burn. I walk farther into the kitchen and hold my arms out for Charleigh. Malaki’s eyebrows furrow, and he spins away with her in his arms. “Stop stealing my girl,” he chides.
His girl?
Why does that make my entire world tilt?
“Did something happen last night?” With a piece of bacon in between Zoe’s fingers, she looks between Malaki and me.
“What happened was–”
I cut Malaki off. “Benedict texted me.”
His jaw tightens, and the muscles in his temples flicker back and forth. He turns toward the counter, still holding Charleigh tight.
“What did he want?” Zoe asks.
“He wants Reese,” Malaki mutters under his breath.
Zoe scoffs. “Well, he can’t have her.”
I pop a hip. “Obviou–”
“Agreed.” Malaki throws his knuckles out for my sister to fist bump, which she does, replying with a stern nod. He then glances to Charleigh and holds his fist out for her too. She looksat it with confusion but smiles when Malaki forms her hand into a little fist and pretends to fist bump himself.
He cheers, praising her for the action, and just like that, I’m swept away into a fantasy land where Benedict doesn’t exist and Malaki does.
“Shit. I gotta get to the arena.” Malaki tenses before glances at Charleigh. “Don’t repeat that word.”
I laugh while Malaki whisks over to me. I hold my arms out for Charleigh, who happily climbs into them. “See you later, Charleigh-girl.”
My heart warms as her little dimples appear, and I’m pretty sure mine are showing too. Malaki pauses in front of me, his eyes bouncing back and forth between mine. His hair is messy, a lock or two falling onto his forehead when he leans in closer. One of his hands wraps around my waist, and he lowers his voice. “Just fine, huh?”
My cheeks warm as I sink my teeth into my bottom lip. He pulls back slightly and stares directly at my mouth. I lift a shoulder, ready to play it off, but Malaki’s cheeky smirk has my mouth twitching to hold back my own smile.
“That’s what I thought,” he says before bopping Charleigh on the nose.
He strides past us confidently and disappears down the hall to gather his things for their last away game of the season before the playoffs.
When I spin back around, my jaw half on the floor from Malaki’s cool exit, my sister is resting against the counter with a sparkle in her eye.
“Don’t,” I warn, giving her a stern look.
“Do!” Malaki calls from down the hall.
A suck in a lungful of air, and swing around with Charleigh propped on my hip. Malaki winks at me, and this time, I make sure he is completely out of sight before turning toward Zoe.
“My, oh, my,” she sing-songs. “You and your fiancé are very flirty this morning… I wonder why that is?”
I huff and grab my own piece of bacon. “Don’t you have class or something?”
Zoe rolls her eyes. “Yeah, my friend is outside waiting for me.”
I instantly go into mothering mode. “Your friend? Who?”
Zoe comes over and gives Charleigh a kiss on the top of her head before heading for the door. “You don’t know him.”
