Page 74 of Skid Spiral

Niko made a face. “He was doing so well before. And getting confused about your personal life, attractions and all that, can really throw someone off. I didn’t know where his head was—I shouldn’t have assumed I could make an advance—”

I shook my head vehemently to interrupt him. “No way. That’s the hugest of huge leaps, Niko. I’m sure he had other stuff going on.”

“It still could have factored in.” Niko hesitated. “It wouldn’t be the first time I’ve messed things up, badly, that way.”

I still wasn’t buying this whole taking-full-responsibility stance. “So you came all the way around the world to coach him out of his slump because you felt guilty about it?”

“It seemed like the least I could do. And I did want to see him back on the ice. I believe everything I’ve told him. The world should see his talent.”

I eased closer to Niko and looped my arms around his neck in a loose embrace. “Have you talked to him about all this stuff?”

Niko exhaled roughly. “I tried to bring up what happened between us before, but he was obvious about changing the subject when I even hinted at it. I thought it might be better to let him pretend it never happened—write over it as if it doesn’t matter. The last thing I want to do is reopen old wounds.He’snever mentioned it.”

These incredible, hopeless men I’d found myself involved with. I blew out my breath with fond exasperation and peered up at him.

“You know how he is. So proud it might as well be bulletproof armor. He probably just needs a little more time to get over whatever’s actually eating at him.”

Which I suspected was not quite what Niko thought it was.

Niko lowered his head so his forehead rested against mine, his stance relaxing just a little. “I really hope so. I’ve been trying my best.”

I shifted one of my hands to stroke his cheek, his closeness sparking heat all through my body. “I’ve been able to see that from the first moment I showed up.”

My mind tripped back to the things Jasper had said about Niko when he’d dropped by my house—how impressed he was by the other man’s coaching. It wasn’t my place to share our private conversation, but I felt it was fair to add, “I’m one hundred percent sure that Jasper knows it too. It was just a bad day. The two of you will sort it out.”

Niko hummed to himself. “Thank you for listening.” He teased his fingers along my jaw. “You really are an angel, aren’t you?”

I couldn’t help grinning at him. “Only the most devilish kind.”

I bobbed up on my skates to press a kiss to his mouth. My coach let out a rougher sound and kissed me back eagerly.

More heat flooded me as Niko’s lean body pressed me against the boards. I breathed in, taking in the rush of adrenaline that came with his familiar cool scent.

When his tongue traced a sensual line across mine, I had to stop myself from stripping his clothes off him right there. He knew just how much to tease me and how to do it in all the right ways.

As our mouths collided again, I let him take the lead, following wherever he wanted to take me. But I couldn’t resist stroking my hands over his chest and then his back.

I wanted to feel all of him. It’d been too long since our delicious encounter by the lake.

Niko’s hands roamed down my body to my ass. He tugged me tighter against him with my back braced against the boards.

He was already rock hard behind his pants, and his rigid groin settled into just the right place between my legs. At the contact and the flare of hunger that came with it, a whimper seeped from my throat.

As I rocked against him, reveling in the friction, my head tipped back. Niko branded the side of my neck with his mouth, massaging my thighs at the same time.

Oh, God, he knew how to work me over just right. As if he’d been created just to get me off, and he was nothing but happy to do so.

A very large part of me wanted to urge him onward, to have him fucking me right against the boards. He slid his fingers along my waist, tracing the top of my leggings, and I knew he’d strip them off me and take me if I let him keep going.

But another part of me, maybe not quite as big but insistent, reminded me that off in the shadowed stands, Rafael was watching over me like some kind of guardian angel himself. He’d be seeing every kiss and every caress.

I had no idea how he’d feel about it. I had no idea how he really felt about me. But after seeing how he’d reacted to my make-out session with Jasper, I was pretty sure those feelings were conflicted.

I wasn’t going to give up on a love life just to make sure my bodyguard never got unfairly jealous, but that didn’t mean it was kind to rub it in his face.

Dipping my head, I sought out Niko’s lips for one more kiss. Then I eased back regretfully. “This isreallygood, but can I ask for a rain check? I’ve just—I’ve got a lot on my mind.”

Niko cupped my cheek. “Of course. You should never feel like there’s any pressure from me.”

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