Page 53 of Meet Me in the Penalty Box

“Well, considering the fact that it feels like there’s no blood flowing to my feet… I think they’re tight enough."

“Then your ankles should be safe,” I told her as I led her onto the bench and opened up the door. “Come with me, love,” I said softly as I stepped out onto the ice and turned around to face her with my hand out. “I won’t let you fall.”

Harper hesitated for a moment before sliding her hand into mine. I helped her onto the ice and her eyes were wide as her feet slid involuntarily. I laughed and held her steady as she attempted to get her bearings. One of her hands were in mine and the other was clutching my arm as she held on for her life.

“This feels so unnatural,” she breathed and shook her head. “You guys make it look so easy.”

I slowly began to move and pulled her along with me. She slowly released her grip on my arm and I watched her as she watched my feet move. She tried to mimic the movements as we moved around the ice. “See, you’re getting it. Just move your feet like this,” I told her as I alternated between pushing off on one foot and switching to the opposite.

Harper tried to do what I was doing and her foot slid a little farther than she wanted. A nervous laugh escaped her as she clutched on to me again. “Nope, not doing that,” she said as she shuffled along. “I’m good doing whatever this is.”

We did one lap around the arena and as we made our way back toward the bench, I saw a light flash on in the other locker room. There was movement in the room and I caught a glimpse of someone moving down the tunnel. My heart stopped in my chest and I quickly pulled her to me.

“Fuck,” I muttered as I lifted her up in my arms and skated faster to get off the ice. “We gotta go, Harper.”

“What’s wrong?” Her voice shook with concern. I pulled her through the door and broke off into a jog as I led her down the tunnel with me. We stepped back into the locker room and I left the light off as I pushed her against the wall and shielded her with my own body.

“Shh,” I murmured as I gently pressed my finger against her lips. “I saw the security guard walking toward the ice down the other tunnel.”

“You’re kidding, right?”

I shook my head even though she couldn’t see the movement through the darkness. My heart pounded erratically and I couldn’t get it to slow down. “I wish I was.”

The footsteps outside the room got louder and Harper’s body grew rigid against mine. I sucked in a deep breath and held it as the door slowly opened. As it opened, we were carefully tucked just behind one of the cabinets so the guard didn’t see either of us as he flicked on the lights.

Harper’s eyes were wide as she stared up at me. I moved my hand over her mouth, covering it completely as I shook my head. I didn’t want either of us to get caught and the adrenaline was surging through my system right now.

The security guard let out a sigh and the light flickered back off before the door closed behind him. I waited three more seconds before finally exhaling the breath I was holding in. I removed my hand from Harper’s mouth and she exhaled simultaneously. The darkness had surrounded us again and I couldn’t see Harper, but I could feel her under the palms of my hands as she was pressed against me.

Her chest rose and fell in rapid succession and I slid my hands along her torso, using all of my senses but sight to absorb her. “What are you doing, Nico?” she questioned me breathlessly.

“There’s no way we can go back out there now without getting caught,” I murmured as I slid my hands up over her shoulders and pushed her coat away from her body. “We have to wait it out now until he goes away.”

“You really didn’t think this through, did you?”

I stifled a laugh and shook my head. “I thought we would be good and be able to have time to skate before anyone showed up. Looks like plans have changed.”

“Now what?” she asked me.

I smiled as I slid my hands under the bottom hem of her shirt. “We can go to one of the public rinks and do their public skates instead.”

Harper was silent for a moment. “You mean that was always an option? You just decided you wanted to do something illegal instead for my first time?”

“What’s life if you’re not taking risks?” My face dipped down to hers. “I’m willing to risk it all for you, love. What about you?”

She slid her arms up around the back of my neck and pulled me closer until her lips brushed against mine.

“I’m here, aren’t I?”

My lips collided with hers as I staked my claim on what was already mine.

She was mine and she was willing to risk it all for us.

CHAPTERTWENTY-THREE

HARPER

The room was dark and I couldn’t see Nico but I could feel him. My senses were heightened and his palms were soft against my skin as he lifted my shirt up over my head. The air in the room was cold against my skin and a shiver slid up my spine as it was a contrast to the warmth that was rapidly spreading through my body.

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