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“So, you don’t normally teach the class?”
“No, it’s only temporary. Cammie’s got a new partner, and they have extra training sessions at the moment. I wouldn’t be doing it if she hadn’t begged me. Especially this season when a Saints player could walk in here at any moment.”
I leaned against the boards as I peered up at him. “You seriously expect me to believe you’re a secret figure skater?”
“I’m not a secret figure skater. I just got injured doing it.”
“Hmm, okay.” I pretended to look thoughtful. “So, did you ever have to wear Lycra?”
He closed his eyes and gave a deep sigh. “No, I never wore Lycra. I just practiced Cammie’s routine with her. I never actually performed.”
“What music did you dance to? It was Swan Lake, wasn’t it?”
“It wasn’t Swan Lake.” He’d opened his eyes now, and I could see a hint of amusement dancing in them. He could tell I was enjoying this.
“Look, to be honest, this is difficult to believe,” I said. “I think I’m going to need to see the receipts for this rumor, Reed.” I was totally messing with him because the truth was I believed every word. I just wanted to actually see him skate.
I think he must have realized that because he cocked his head at me and raised an eyebrow. “Seriously, Sunshine?”
“Seriously.” I grinned back at him.
He shook his head but returned my smile before he shot away across the ice at lightning speed. It was only now I’d tried ice-skating myself that I could really appreciate just how talented Reed must be. He made it look so simple. As easy as if he were walking or running but with infinitely more power, speed, and grace. It reminded me of the first time I’d seen him skate when I’d showed up to the wrong game. He glided all the way to the far side of the rink before curving his way along the boards and speeding back toward me. I wasn’t exactly sure what he was doing, but as he drew closer to me, he launched himself up in the air and spun effortlessly in a full circle before landing neatly on one skate.
I’d completely stopped breathing, and my eyes were wide with shock. “What was that?” I gasped as Reed came to a sudden stop before me.
“An Axel,” he replied.
“That doesn’t look like something most hockey players can do.”
“Because they can’t.” Reed grinned, almost proudly. “Although, Parker would probably try to tell you otherwise.”
“Well, it was incredible.”
“Thanks.”
“But, if Parker thinks he could do it, then I’m going to have to see the whole routine before I’m fully convinced.”
“No way,” Reed replied with a laugh. “No one will ever see me do that routine. My reputation would be destroyed.”
“Not even me?”
“Sorry, Sunshine. But I would have to be out of my mind to embarrass myself like that. It would be the death of the Darling Devils.”
“Well, now, I really want to see it.”
Reed simply smiled and shook his head, and I knew there was nothing I could say to convince him to show me the routine. It had been worth a try though. He might have been embarrassed, but if the full routine was half as impressive as that one single jump, I imagined it would be pretty spectacular.
“So, I guess you didn’t get the scar from a heartbroken and angry ex-girlfriend throwing an ice skate at you.”
The smile dropped from his face, and he eyed me closely. “You believed that rumor, didn’t you?”
I shrugged.
“Well, just so you know, I’d never hurt a girl that way.”
"Perhaps not intentionally,” I agreed. “But I would have thought it came with the territory when you have so many girls throwing themselves at you.”
“Violet.” His voice lowered, and a shiver went down my spine as he said my name. “Despite what everyone says, I’m not some player. There’s only one girl I care about, and she’s standing right in front of me…”
