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“I’m here,” he said, still holding her hips. “Bend your knees, get low for me.”
Unlocking her knees, Tess did as asked, still using his body as a support behind hers. “Usually, when you’re coming at me from behind, I’m doing everything I can to get my hips higher.”
The warmth of his easy snicker worked some knots from her muscles. “Yeah, well, I won’t be holding you up this time… I can play with your clit if you—”
“Do not even think about putting your hand up my skirt, Danny Winger.”
Another laugh. “Okay, babe. Let’s do this. Left and then right, okay? Don’t lean back. Keep your chin up and your shoulders back, lead with your tits.”
“Great line,” she murmured, glad he could be amused while she was so nervous. “What if I fall?”
All of a sudden, he disappeared from behind her. In one flourish of movement, he was in front of her, finger under her chin, gaze burning into hers. “You fall? You hurt yourself. That’s all that happens. We dust you down and we start again.”
Tess swallowed. “Nothing’s too broken to fix.”
“That’s right,” he said, dipping down to kiss her quick before disappearing behind her again. “Chin up. Shoulders square… feet apart, just a little. Skates straight. Left then right.”
“Left then right,” she said, fixated on the rink ahead. “Promise you’ll stay with me.”
“You go, I go. I’ve got your back, Little Red.”
The music was happy and the roller rink full of people having a great time. Her anxiety was high, but Danny was there, and he was right: so what if she fell down? Taking a deep breath, Tess let her feet move. Danny’s guidance urged her weight left, prompting her to lean more that way. He did the same the other way, and she actually moved forward without falling on her ass.
“It doesn’t help that you’re so amazing at everything,” she said, her hands grabbing for his when they slid up her body. Tess wobbled. Danny hooked a strong arm around her ribs, yanking her up, almost taking her skates from the floor. “See.”
“That’s ‘cause you’re trying to talk and worrying too much about what I’m doing. Let me worry about the crowd.” He boosted her higher. Her body still rested on his when he lost his mouth in her hair. “You concentrate on moving for me.”
The rhythm of his voice gave it maximum impact. Diverting all her thoughts away from her skates and where they were, her eyes closed like they were back in the trailer. Danny must have felt her relax, because he set her back on her feet.
Opening her palms, she clamped her heels together and worked to catch her balance. “Okay, we can do this.”
“You can do this,” he said. “Chin up.” As Tess raised her focus, the music changed to a track that made her smile. Danny gave her a squeeze. “This one’s made for you, baby.”
His stereo in the trailer linked to a catalog of tracks. Because Tess didn’t know how to use the system, he’d set up a playlist for her. Every one of her favorites was on there. It hadn’t eluded him she requested more than one Prince tune.
“Left then right,” she said to herself.
On a slow exhale, Tess leaned to the left, pushing herself forward, then shifting the other way. Letting her lips move to the words of the song she knew better than her own name, she set her focus and took her time going one way, then the other.
Danny’s hands loosened. Instead of panicking, she trusted him to stay close and kept on mouthing the words. They got all the way round once. Tess’s eyes flicked to the opening in the side, but didn’t allow herself to be distracted. After they’d passed it, Danny’s hands slid away. Despite her hammering heart and the track ending, she kept on going.
Looking straight ahead, her chin stayed up, her hips low. Everything he’d said repeated in her mind. Danny had believed in her. He’d urged her on, encouraged her. She never would’ve done it if he hadn’t tempted her into it.
Once again, he gave so much, and she had no way to repay his kindness. By the time their trip was over with, Tess would owe him a hell of a debt.
THEY SPENT HOURS ON the roller rink. Danny even showed her a few tricks. Tess’s confidence soared. No doubt that was a lot to do with the cotton candy and ice-cream they’d shared. Thank God Luz let them park overnight; they’d never have been able to find anywhere nearby so late.
Approaching the trailer, Tess hummed Danny’s seduction tune. He didn’t miss her hint. Glancing her way, he was already smiling. He dug the key from his pocket—turned out the trailer did lock after all.
As he slid it into the lock, Tess sidled up behind him and wrapped her arms around him to begin unbuckling his belt. Danny didn’t bother with formalities like underwear, so she expected to open his buttons and get him to attention before they even got inside.
She didn’t get close. He caught her hands and turned around, keeping hold of her to put a little space between them.
He’d never stopped her touching him, not when the prospect of sex was on the table.
“What’s wrong?”
He let her go to retrieve something from his back pocket. The letter. Seeing it chilled her.
