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Iwobble in my skates and grab Rhys’ arm before I face plant.“I’m not very good at this.”
“You’re doing just fine,” he lies, and I laugh.
“I’m making a fool of myself.”
“No, you’re not.”
“You’re right.No one is looking at me when I’m with you.”
He angles his head, his brow furrowed together as he adjusts his hat.“What’s that supposed to mean?”
I laugh and wave my hand, catching the way the women are admiring him and looking at me with envy.No one has ever looked at me with envy before, and while I don’t exactly revel in that, I do love the intent way Rhys looks at me, especially when he doesn’t think I’m watching.
“You’re like a God around this place, loved by everyone,” I inform him, even though I’m not telling him something he doesn’t already know.
An almost sad look comes over his face, and it wraps around my heart.“I’m just me, Leeza.”
This is Rhys I’m talking to, the sweet guy from the app, not the life of the party Cheddar everyone knows and I strangely find myself falling a little more for him.Why does he keep this side of himself hidden?I’m not sure, but since last night, since taking me home, he’s been gifting me with insight into the man beneath the jersey, and I don’t think he’s putting on a false show for his little brother.I think this is the real Rhys, and I like him a lot.
Maybe that’s why I absurdly told him not to leave the room while we changed.Holy hell, what was I thinking?That’s so unlike me.I think though, there’s a part of me that really likes his attention, and maybe, just maybe wants to know what it feels like to be touched, kissed by him—to be the sole focus of his desire.
A fine shiver goes through me and he tugs me to him and I almost moan as his big body dwarfs mine, making me feel warm and safe.“Are you cold?”
“Maybe a little,” I fib.Wait, why am I fibbing?Maybe I should just come right out and tell him what he does to me.There’s no denying that I want him, and I think he might like me too.Oh right, I know why I can’t do that.
I’m getting close to him to do a story on him.
Ugh, kill me now.
He narrows his eyes.“Hey, are you okay?”
I swallow and try to put on a happy face, as his brother, Jesse and a group of girls all skate by and wave to us.“Yeah, I am.”
“I think you disappeared for a second there.Something on your mind?”
Oh, if he only knew.
I gesture toward the small kiosk serving up drinks and snacks.“Yeah, I was thinking a hot chocolate would be nice.”
He laughs.“Let’s do it.”
His palm leaves the small of my back and captures my hand and as we skate toward the kiosk, Samantha glides by, her gaze going from me to Rhys, back to me again.Rhys scrubs his face, and averts his gaze.
“Do you two know each other?”I ask, taking in his strange behavior and the snarl on Sam’s face when she looked at him.
“Something like that.”
My stomach instantly tightens and I have a suspicious feeling they might have hooked up in the past.All I know is there’s bad blood there, and maybe that’s why Samantha is out to get him.I want to ask, but don’t want to make him suspicious.
My mind races with questions as he starts skating, and I try not to look like such a novice next to him as we head to the back of the line forming at the kiosk.He lets my hand go and just like that, my stupid skates go out from underneath me and I’m flat out on my back, my head hitting the ice a little too hard.
“Leeza.”Rhys’ voice reverberates in my brain as he drops to his knees and brings me to his body, cradling me in his arms.“Are you okay?”
I blink as he carefully examines my eyes.“I don’t even know what happened.”
“This was a bad idea.”
I touch his face.“No, I liked coming here with you.”His face softens but concern still brims in his eyes.“It’s just been a long time since I’ve been on skates.”
