AllFreeNovel
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Oh, so I’m really going on the ice. I wish it were on skates, but whatever. I know how to walk on the white thing.
“Thanks.” I offer what I hope is a polite smile, except I have so much nervous energy coursing through me, I probably look terrifying instead.
Max waits all by his lonesome self in the middle, and I tilt my head, silently asking him what the heck is going on. He pretends like we do this every day instead. I look around, trying to find anyone to clue me in. Our parents are too far now, so they’re no help. The crew members are too busy dismantling the props and equipment to give me a second glance.
“Max,” I hiss once I’m close enough. “What’s all this?”
A corner of his lips tilts into a smirk, and he drops his gloves dramatically as if getting ready for an old school fight. Instead, he offers his hands to help me step from the ice onto the carpet. I crane my head back to meet his eyes.
“Answers, now.”
“Calm down, you impatient woman.” Max lifts my hands and places a slow, hot kiss on the knuckles of one hand, then the other. All the while, he doesn’t drop the smirk or the eye contact.
My breathing turns exponentially more shallow as he guides our hands back down between us, as the curve of his lips stretches into something sweeter, more sheepish, and as the silence between us prolongs. Someone asks for help carrying some equipment. There’s a yelp as someone slips on the ice, followed by a crashing sound. And through the chaos, Max strokes the back of my hands with his thumbs. Back and forth. His eyes shining like twin stars.
“Luz.”
“Max.”
“Do you remember how we first met?” His voice is soft, reserved only for us.
I snort. “How can I possibly forget? I’m still not over how terrible a first impression you made.”
He has the decency to blush at that. “Okay, yeah. But my point is that it was on the ice too. Which is why I feel like this setting makes sense.”
“For what?” I open my eyes as wide as they can go, shifting my hands to grip his in a vise. “For what, Massimo Cassiano?”
Sighing, he says, “For this.” And drops to one knee.
“I knew it!” I cry out, pretending like I’m in perfect control even though—hell no, I’m not. This definitely wasn’t on my bingo card for tonight. This has to be why our parents kidnapped me. Max planned this whole thing.
Oh, crap. That’s my huge face on the jumbotron. Are those tears running down my cheeks?
“Luz Maria Rodriguez.” I turn my attention back to the man making me weep like a baby. That glorious smile and the blush on his face won’t distract me from the fact that his eyes are watery too. Serves him right. “Seeing you that first time felt like a lightning strike. It feels like that every single day I get to spend with you.”
I don’t even complain about his cheesiness anymore. It’s part of him, and I love him with it.
He frees a hand to rummage in the back of his pants.
“The answer is yes,” I say seriously. “Even if the ring doesn’t fit or is ugly.”
Max pauses, pressing his lips to hold back laughter. “Can I at least finish my speech? It was going really well in my mind.”
“Oh, yeah. Sorry.” I grin, absolutely not sorry.
“As I was saying.” Max clears his throat in an exaggerated way. Slowly, he brings forward not a box, but a single ring held between his index and thumb. It’s a slim silver band with an oval-shaped diamond that won’t break my finger—simple, perfect, with an undeniable meaning. He opens his mouth to speak, and I interrupt again.
“Out of curiosity, where did you hide the ring?”
“Tinker Bell.”
“Sorry, sorry. Go on.”
“I knew this wouldn’t go a hundred percent according to plan because you’re unpredictable, but I love that about you. Without you, my life is too boring.”
I blow a raspberry. “Sure, Mr-All-Star-Stanley-Cup-Winner.”
“Boring without you. But don’t tell my team that.”
