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“I cannot believe a four-year-old is lapping me.”
Sam grinned. “That whale is giving her a false sense of security. Just wait until she doesn’t have it.”
I stopped moving to look at him. “Are you just saying that to be nice?”
“I meant what I said. You’ve done this before. You can do it.”
“I’m not sure I did it well.” I racked my brain for any memories of me gliding confidently across the ice. I don’t think there were any.
“We’ve got all morning to get this right.”
“Great,” I said, even as every nerve in my body was on high alert with him focusing all his attention on me. Maggie was always a buffer between us. A necessary one that took the attention and focus off me. I never wanted Sam to see me, and I had a feeling he would.
I was safe if I hid in my bedroom and never went out. I couldn’t say anything wrong or do anything stupid. I was protecting him and me.
But with his steady grip on my elbow and his hand on my lower back, I wanted to be stupid with him. I wanted to be open and honest. I wanted to sink into him. Trusting him to catch me. But that was crazy and foolish and everything I was a few years ago when everything blew up in my face.
I wouldn’t make those mistakes again. I bit my lip, more determined than ever to get this skating thing so Sam would have something else to focus on, like maybe lapping me while I sat on the bench and drank hot cocoa.
I tried harder to push off one blade, then the other, doing it repeatedly.
“There. You’ve got it,” Sam said encouragingly.
He eased away from me to give me a foot or so of space. This time when Maggie passed us, she stopped. “Go, Miss Alice.”
I smiled at her cheerleading. “Thank you.”
Taking my gaze off the ice in front of me was a mistake. I flayed my arms to get my balance, but it didn’t help. I started to go down, but arms came around me, grabbing me before my butt hit the ice. “Sorry, I should have told you to lean forward when you feel yourself losing your balance.”
“You never mentioned that,” I murmured as he helped me back on my feet, lost in the feel of his hard body wrapped around mine. My heart pounded in my chest.
“I should have.”
It was hard to reconcile this guy with the one who was so serious on job sites and fiercely protective of his daughter. This guy was warm and accepting, sweet and caring. He was drawing me in despite my reservations and the walls I’d thrown up to protect myself over the years.
He was chipping away at my defenses, making me think a different life was possible.
I tried again, this time managing a few awkward glides. I kept trying, encouraged by Sam’s words. When I was able to skate around half the rink, Sam refocused on Maggie.
He convinced her to give it a shot without the whale as a crutch. It was much harder for her, but he wanted her to learn how to skate. Not just lean on the whale the whole time.
It gave me the opportunity to watch him interact with his daughter. He was by her side, encouraging her and guiding her. It made my ovaries weep for something more.
He turned his head to find me from time to time, and when he met my gaze, he’d smile or wink. It was intoxicating. Eventually, my legs tired and my feet were numb, so I got off the ice to take a break.
A few minutes later, Sam came over and sat next to me. “Are you okay?”
“I just needed to get off my feet.” I couldn’t move though. My feet were too heavy with the skates on to even think of untying them.
“You want some hot chocolate?”
“I’d love some.” I moved to untie my laces, assuming he’d stay with Maggie.
He stopped me with a hand over mine. “I’ll go. You watch Maggie.”
“Are you sure?” Watching his daughter while she was skating on a thin steel blade over ice was a tall order. Did he trust me? I wanted him to. I wanted to be worthy of this man’s belief in me.
“Of course.” He finished untying his boots and pulled on his shoes before patting my knee. “Be right back.”
