Page 16 of Stitch's Mercy

“Nope, I haven’t forgotten.” I rubbed the side of his handsome face. “I’m so in love with you, Brady Hayes. Just thought you should know.”

He dropped the bag on the floor and wrapped his arms around me and kissed me passionately. We were all tongues, hands, and soft sighs.

“I would be okay if we stayed in,” I told him through my kisses.

“But I really want to take you out on the ice.”

“You already did. Even fucked me on the ice.” I grinned, then captured his bottom lip between my teeth, and said, “Please.”

He kissed me hard, then pulled back. “I promise to give you my dick when we get back.”

“Well… Okay…” I playfully pushed him away. “If you insist.”

“I do.”

Twenty minutes later, we arrived at the frozen pond. The sky was gray, and the sun had dipped behind the evergreens.

“That wasn’t as short of a walk as I’d thought it would be,” I told him as I shivered.

“I should’ve considered the snow we walked on. Sorry, sweetheart. We’ll make this quick.” He led me to a tree stump and had me sit.

“It is pretty out here. Bet it’s really nice during summer. And warmer…”

“Wait for it.” He removed his phone from his coat pocket and seemed to type out a message.

“Did you get a text? What am I waiting for?”

He raised his hand as if telling me to be quiet.

I scowled and sealed my lips.

“Five, four, three,” he said while lowering each finger as he counted. “Two, one!” Suddenly, Christmas lights flashed on all around the pond.

I gasped from my spot and covered my mouth with my mitten. “Did you do all this? It’s so beautiful, like a winter wonderland!” And so worth having frozen snot in my nose and chattering teeth. Had he done all this special for me?

“Yep. Did it when I was out last week and linked it to my cell phone. Seeing the awe on your face made it worth it, Rudolph.” He booped my nose with his finger. “Let’s get your skates on before you turn into an ice sculpture.”

“No arguments there. It’s freezing!”

Brady made quick work of putting the skates on me, then himself. I poured our spiked hot chocolate into a mug I’d brought so we could drink some to warm our insides before venturing out onto the ice.

“Are you ready, sweetheart?”

God, I loved how he called me sweetheart. “Yes. But be prepared to catch me when I fall.”

“I won’t let you fall.” He took my hand and led me toward the ice. “We’re just going to go slow, like we’re walking.”

“Okay.” I squeezed his hand like he was my lifeline, because he was.

The surrounding trees illuminated the pond perfectly. I’d argue that it was better than the Rink at Rockefeller Center. Not that I’d ever been there, but I’d watched plenty of movies showcasing it.

“Take short, slow steps, baby.” He went onto the ice first and held both of my hands as he skated backwards.

“Look at you, show off,” I teased. “It’s clear this isn’t your first time.”

“No. I played hockey in high school with Bone and Hustler.”

I cocked my head. “You mean Micah and Levi.”

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