Page 111 of Crack the Ice

She nods, slurping her drink as we file out of the row, Chief’s hand firmly on her lower back. They’re adorable, and after all the bullshit they went through, I’m glad they’re finally getting to enjoy each other a bit.

“Yeah, you know how much I love coming here,” she says. “Well, now that my mom’s gone and I have an actual family here, you know?”

I reach over and squeeze her arm, just once to let her know I’m here. “I do, and we love it when you’re here.”

“Aunty Rory,” Lily says as she stops in front of me, her hands immediately finding her hips, chin tilting up like she’s ready to go to war. “What are your thoughts on Lemurs?”

A boisterous laugh falls from my lips at the same time Cade pinches the bridge of his nose. This has been a debate since we went to the aquarium. “Reed says they’re raccoon monkeys, and they shouldn’t be in the aquarium.”

She gasps a full-body gasp that would put my mother’s telenovelas to shame, flattening her hand against her chest as Chief mutters, “Here we go,” under his breath.

“I have some words,” she grumbles, stomping the rest of the way up the stairs like an adorably angry toddler.

“Where’s Twinkle Toes?” she yells in the players’ hallway. As if she’d summoned the man himself, the door swings open and Reed walks out. He’s first out of the locker room for the first time since I’ve known him.

He scans the area, my heart somehow beating harder yet slower at the same time. That is until his eyes meet mine and everything else fades away. His gaze trails up my body, cataloging every inch of me, from my navy blue sneakers, to my black leggings, only to be outdone by the oversized Jersey with number fifteen on it. His jersey.

My cheeks heat as he stalks toward me, ignoring everyone else vying for his attention.

“You look gorgeous wearing my name, baby,” he drawls, completely ignoring Rory.

“Nope.” Rory steps in between him and me, finger already raised accusingly. “I have a bone to pick with you.”

Mav’s brow lifts in that lazy, amused way he gets when he knows he’s about to lose an argument but will love every damn second of it. “And that would be?”

Lily giggles, Cade shakes his head, and Rory? Well, her finger pushes into the center of his chest. “How dare you demean my precious raccoons by calling Lemurs a ‘raccoon monkey’.”

The corner of his lips twitch as he looks over her head at Chief, who simply shakes his head. The words he’s not saying are clear as day in the smirks they trade. You’re on your own, buddy.

“And how dare you crush the dreams of a child by telling her Lemurs don’t belong at the aquarium? Which, to be honest, they should be in Madagascar, but that’s neither here nor there. If the kid likes the Lemurs, take her to see the damn Lemurs.”

“Are you done?” Mav asks, looking down at the finger still pressed to his chest.

“Not until you apologize on behalf of raccoons everywhere.”

His eyes roll, but there’s no fighting the smile now. “So sorry to insult your precious raccoons.” He pauses long enough to look over at Lily. “Now, I guess Lily left out the fact that she is now a member of the aquarium and can go see the Lemurs every day if she so chooses.”

Rory hums, seemingly satisfied with that answer. She steps back and lets her finger drop. “Yes, she did leave that part out. Nice save, Twinkle Toes.”

“Fucking Twinkle Toes,” he mutters under his breath as he steps around her, coming straight for me, ignoring the rest of the people in the hall like they were never there to begin with.

He buries his face in my hair, breathing me in, long and slow, like he’s been waiting all day to hold me against him again. His exhale brushes my hair across my neck, and it tickles, raising goosebumps that run the length of my arms. Another breath and everything narrows to where his mouth is pressed against my ear. “I think it’s time to go home. I hope you brought that frosting with you.”

“I did,” I breathe.

“Good girl.”

Heat blooms low in my stomach, spreading through my body like the stubborn bitch it is. I press my thighs together without thought, and he knows. He knows what he’s doing to me. I can tell by the way his smile stretches against my temple. The worst part is? He’s not going to do a damn thing about it until it’s on his terms this time.

“Come on kiddos,” Kait sings from further down the hall. “You’re coming home with us.”

Of course, this was planned by Cade and me. But that doesn’t stop Lily from asking why.

“Not because it’s you and Reed’s–”

“Kait and Markus just wanted to take you to your birthday breakfast in the morning,” I cut Cade off, shooting him a look that I hope says, keep it together, or our surprise will be ruined. “Is that okay?”

“Won’t you be sad if you don’t have birthday breakfast in the morning, Reed? It’s your birthday, too.”