Page 196 of The Husband Game

Charlie took a seat on the wooden bench nearby and held out his hands, wiggling his fingers. “Skates, please and thank you.”

Dustin laughed and handed them over. “Here you go.”

Resigned to making do with non-custom skates, Charlie slipped his foot into one and froze. He wiggled his toes. “Oh … these … how did you?”

He couldn’t even string together a full sentence but Dustin laughed warmly.

He was smiling as he said, “I called Taylor. He has an old pair of yours he’d saved. They were the ones from the Olympics. He thought they might have bad memories attached so he took them with him to the skate shop. They used your measurements and the brand you wore and had new custom ones made. They aren’t heat molded but if you decide to keep them, you can have that done later.”

“You …” Charlie sputtered and he took Dustin’s face in his hands. “You are a ridiculous, wonderful man. This is way too much, and I am so in love with you it is stupid.”

Dustin laughed again and Charlie tugged his hat down over his eyes, just because.

Dustin righted it with a boyish grin and Charlie wanted to kiss his smirk off his face but there was ice right there and he wanted to be on it right the fuck now so he quickly laced his skate, muscle memory taking over, his motions deft and sure.

He did the other skate, wiggled his toes, made a few tiny tweaks, then rose to his feet. “Let’s do this.”

Dustin held the door for him and Charlie held his breath as he stepped onto the ice, bracing himself for an onslaught of bad memories.

But there was nothing but bliss.

Just gorgeously smooth ice beneath his feet and the familiar ‘shick’ of his blades in the quiet night.

Charlie closed his eyes for a moment as he glided forward, smiling, enjoying the cool air on his cheeks. But he didn’t know the size of the rink yet so he opened his eyes again and took a slow lap, feeling the stretch of his quads and hamstrings responding to the familiar movement as he learned the space.

It was roomy for an outdoor rink but nowhere near Olympic size so he wouldn’t be able to build up the kind of speed he’d need for double or triple jumps.

He lengthened his stride, beginning to pick up speed, feeling the tingle in his skin as he stretched his arms out to the sides.

For a few moments, he let his body remember the sensations. Then he was off, moving quick, quick, quick.

Charlie allowed the energy to flow through him, straightening his spine and lowering his shoulders, mentally preparing for a toe loop.

He took off, landing with a little wobble because it had been so long but he did it again and again until he was landing every one.

He tried a single lutz and he had no height at all because he hadn’t been training and yes, he was heavier than he’d been the last time he’d done one, but that thought didn’t linger, didn’t drag him down.

He made another pass around the rink and tried again, better this time, then slowed to a stop as he saw Dustin standing by the edge of the rink, quietly watching him.

“Oh,” Charlie said, slowing to a stop. “I … This isn’t a very good date, is it? I’ve been hogging the ice and you probably aren’t enjoying yourself much.”

He skated closer to Dustin, who caught him around the waist and smiled at him, the boards between them. “Do you enjoy watching my games?”

Charlie gave him a puzzled frown. “Of course I do.”

“Then why wouldn’t I enjoy watching you do something you love? Seeing that smile on your face is more than enough for me.”

Charlie pressed his mitten-covered hands to Dustin’s cheeks. “You really are …”

He didn’t know how to finish it but Dustin smirked at him. “Devastatingly sexy and amazing?”

“Sure, we’ll go with that,” Charlie said drily. But it didn’t begin to cover everything he wanted to say.

Dustin took his hand, squeezing it. “I’m yours. That’s all.”

“Come skate with me.” Charlie tugged a little. “Please.”

“Anything your little heart desires, kitten.”

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