Page 28 of What About Us

“Yes, ma’am.” He nods and opens the back of the vehicle, pulls out two bags of skates, and follows me inside.

I check in with the desk, and then we move to an area where we can change before getting on the ice.

Of course, I’m not changing my shoes.

But after Xander puts his skates on, he just sits there, watching me.

“What? Do you not feel comfortable with this? We don’t have to do it, just tell me if you’re having second thoughts.”

“Sweetheart, skating is easier than walking for me. I’m waiting for you.”

“I’m ready. Let’s go.”

“No you’re not.”

I frown at him. “I’m not getting on the ice.”

He shakes his head, opens the second bag, and pulls out brand-new skates.

“I brought you supplies.”

I blink at him. “How—what? Why did you do that?”

“Because I assumed, correctly of course, that you don’t own your own pair, and we’re going to be doing this a lot. I can’t have you wearing rental skates. Those come with rental foot fungus.”

I snort and shake my head.

“I can’t skate.”

“Why?”

Xander frowns up at me, and I do not want to admit this to him.

“I don’t know how. I’ve never done it.”

His sexy smile spreads over his lips. “You’re about to learn, Red.”

CHAPTER SEVEN

XANDER

That pretty blush moves into her cheeks, and she shakes her head. She’s wearing a gray wool hat, but her red hair peeks out from under it, and my fingers itch to brush some strands behind her ear.

“This isn’t about me,” she says, and nibbles that kissable lower lip. “This is for you.”

“Look. If I’m out there teaching you how to skate, I have to go slow. If I don’t have you on the ice with me, I’ll be a rebel and you’ll be mad at me, and I might sustain a career-ending blow.”

“Don’t fucking say that!” She props her hands on her hips, and God, I want to kiss her. “That’s not funny, Xander.”

“I know. It’s fucking serious. So you’d better let me put these skates on you. Besides, you don’t want to waste these. They’re CCM.”

She blinks at me. “I don’t know what that means.”

“It means they’re damn good, now get over here and take your shoes off.”

Did I order my sexy physical therapist brand-new professional-grade skates? Fuck yes, I did, because I can’t wait to see her in them and on the ice.

It’s going to be sexy as fuck.