Page 22 of Fire and Ice
He snorted out a laugh. “And I bet you don’t make noises in your sleep.”
Her eyes widened. “I—you—” She stopped, unable to think of any kind of reply.
“I’m just teasing you, Chels.” He grinned before taking a giant bite of his hamburger.
“Men,” she grumbled before chomping a fry.
He chuckled and ate his burger in a few more bites.
By the time they finished, he had eaten two double bacon cheeseburgers to her single burger, plus all his order of cheese curds, half of hers, and most of the fries.
“You remind me of my brothers after playing football when they were in high school.” She smiled. “You sure worked up an appetite.”
He relaxed back into his chair and blew out his breath. “Give me fifteen minutes, and I could eat another.”
She brushed aside a lock of hair that had fallen across her right eye. “Again, thanks for dinner.”
“Only the best.” He pointed to the bags. “Which, by the way, it is the best cafe.”
“I traveled all over the states back in the day, and believe me, I know.” At his skeptical look, she laughed. “Hey, after a win, I treated myself. Of course, I worked ten times harder the next week just to make sure it didn’t stick to my then skinny hips.”
He looked at her with amusement. “You’re not just beautiful, but you’re adorable, too.”
Chelsea had a hard time believing his praise. She didn’t think she was beautiful or adorable, for that matter. She wasn’t that slender, athletic, young woman anymore.
She grabbed up the garbage and started putting it all into one bag. “Boy, have I got you fooled.”
He stood and came around the table and caught one of her hands in his. “You couldn’t fool me if you tried, honey.”
“That’s the second time you’ve called me honey.” She wasn’t sure why she said it.
He bent down and brushed his lips over hers. “It won’t be the last.”
She could barely catch her breath as he drew away. It was almost impossible to tear her gaze from his.
“How about we take Spot for that walk and then watch a movie?” He studied her. “Technically, this wasn’t supposed to be a second date, but I think it qualifies now.”
“I think you’re right.” She still couldn’t look away from him. “A walk and a movie sound good.”
She didn’t care what the movie was. It could have been a cheesy 1950s sci-fi flick for all she cared.
After Grady clipped the leash on Spot, they slid into their jackets.
The walk was nice, especially when Grady slipped her arm through his and kept her close. The chill on Chelsea’s cheeks and nose made her feel alive. She enjoyed the crisp coldness of the evening and loved the smell of fall in the air. Fall came late to this part of Arizona, but desert temperatures dropped in the evening, especially in rural areas.
Spot sniffed everything they passed, and Grady let him have a little extra leash to explore, but the dog was still well-behaved and obeyed all commands.
They paused in front of decorated homes to comment on displays they liked. In between viewing the houses, they talked about the game, and she expressed her admiration for his skill on the ice.
He shrugged. “Teamwork makes it possible.”
“Yes, that’s true.” She tipped her head back because he was so much taller than her. “Your skill allows you to take that teamwork and make things happen.”
“Like I said, I’ve been skating and playing hockey as long as I can remember.” He smiled down at her. “What do you think about going skating together closer to the end of the week? I need to check my schedule to see what shifts I’m working, but I think we’d have a good time on the ice.”
“I think I can get away from the shop.” She nodded. “Skating with someone who’s great on the ice is always fun.”
“Good.” He held her closer to his side. “I’ll give you a call later this week.”
