Page 31 of On Thin Ice

I have to admit she's right about being late, Coach will give me more shit than it’s worth if I rock up more than ten-seconds after he wants me there. We better not show up together either or Callie’s dad might get suspicious and that’s the last thing either of us need.

“How do you know if you’re in love?” I say to Lewis as he lifts the weight off my chest where it almost crushes me. The guy is at least four inches shorter than me but he’s built like a bull.

I’ve been watching Callie from across the gym all morning as she helps set up for the freshmen competition tomorrow. I can’t stop wondering if my feelings for her will ever settle, or if they’ll just keep multiplying every day like they have been since we met.

Lewis chuckles beside me as we switch places. “Ahh, you’ve been infected I see…”

“Well, I'm not sure,” that’s bullshit, I’ve never been so sure about anything in my life but I need someone else to confirm it for me. “How would I know?”

Lewis lies back on the bench, taking the weight on his arms and pressing it up and down with ease. “Easy,” he grunts, setting it back on the stand after five reps. “What’s the first thing you think about when you wake up in the morning?”

“Hockey,” I say after a beat of hesitation. Lewis cracks a smile and shakes his head at me, his chestnut waves moving with him.

“Liar,” He says, smirking at me as he gestures for me to get back on the bench.

I lie down and take the weight from him, pressing it to the sky. “Ok, her,” “And the last thing you think about when you fall asleep at night?” “Her again,” I grunt, giving him the weight and sitting up, rubbing my hand over my jaw.

“You’re in love man, plain and simple.” He murmurs and my eyes fall on Callie again, she’s watching me too this time and I notice a smile pulling at her lips when she catches my eye.

“Can I tell her that though? Or is it too soon?” I mutter, still holding eye contact with my girl before she shifts her gaze to one of the younger gymnasts who’s asking her for help with something.

Lewis shrugs beside me. “Depends, do you think she feels the same way?” I turn back away from Callie and start to collect my things, stuffing my clothes into my gym bag and contemplating everything that’s happened between us over the last couple of months. Does she love me? I’m not sure yet, maybe that means she’s not quite there.

“I’m not sure if she’s there yet.” I say as Lewis and I head to the locker rooms, towels hanging over our forearms. Lewis, pushes open the door and I spot Kyle sitting on the bench, his head buried in his phone screen. “Maybe wait for her to say it first then.” Lewis says, swinging his bag into a locker and heading for the showers.

“I hate this uncertainty, I know how I feel about her but I don’t want to come on too strong and scare her off. I also don’t want to hide my feelings, I feel like an idiot.” I huff, following behind Lewis into the showers. I strip off my clothes and hang them on the hook outside my cubicle, stepping into the steaming water.

“You’re not an idiot, you’ve just never been in love before. It’s new man and you’re learning, that’s nothing to be ashamed of.” Lewis says, his voice slightly raised so I can hear him through the splatter of water and the shower curtain between us. “She’s the first girl you’ve ever loved, she’ll be ecstatic to hear that when the time is right.”

A light laugh rumbles in my throat. “She’ll be the only girl I ever love I can guarantee you that, because there’s no way I'm ever losing her.”

Chapter 25

Callie

I thought I’d get out unscathed today, considering the fact I was only supposed to be ‘helping out’ the freshmen gymnasts, preparing them for their first practice competition tomorrow. Somehow I ended up on the bar, demonstrating something that Ellen requested of me when my hands weren’t adequately chalked up, leaving me with a gaping rip in the centre of my palm. It hurts like a motherfucker and the entire drive to Sean's after practice all I can think of is dousing it in freezing water to cool the burning skin. There’s a party tonight at Sean’s house and I can’t fucking wait to get drunk off my face so I can forget about the competitions I have coming up next week that I'm far from ready for. When I pull up outside I don’t bother to knock, I spend a hell of a lot of time here and the guys don’t mind me just walking in unannounced. Although I did get instant karma for that once when I walked through Sean’s front door and found Kyle naked on the couch, balls deep inside some random puck bunny. He of course thought it was hilarious, but I’ve struggled to look at him the same way since. I accidentally use my bad hand to twist the doorknob and curse at myself under my breath before shoving the door open with my foot. Kyle, Lewis and Nick are all on the couch, shovelling something into their mouths whilst they drool over some half naked girl on the TV screen. I go straight to the kitchen, dropping my bag from my shoulder in the hallway and turning on the cold tap before sticking my palm under it. “Ah fuck!” I yell, gaining the turning of three heads in my direction from the couch. The horny zombies soon turn back to their movie when they see I don’t have any limbs hanging off or anything.

Sean’s loud footsteps descend the stairs, having heard me yelling in pain. “What’s wrong baby?”

I twist my neck to look at him, he has those grey sweats on that I was wearing whilst he was away, they look much hotter on him. The deep v shape leading down to his impressive package catches my eye as he tucks his hands into his pockets, the sweats shifting lower on his hips. “I have a really bad rip,” I say, squeezing my hand into a fist and wincing as the raw skin contracts. “I need to clean it but it’s painful as shit.” Sean reaches across me and tears off a piece of kitchen towel, damping it under the cold water as Kyle brushes past him on his way to the fridge. He gives my shoulder a squeeze as he leaves the kitchen again, arms full with beers and popcorn.

“Here, let me do it.” Sean reaches for my hand but I put my balled up fist behind my back, snatching the wet towel from him with my other hand. “Let me look after you.” He says sternly and I'm automatically turned on, I love when he gets bossy with me.

I scowl at him. “No, I look after myself, I always have.”

“You don’t need to anymore.” He reaches around my body, snatching the wet towel out of my balled up fist and polluting my lungs with his manly aroma.

His fingers dig into my hips and he lifts me off my feet. My ass lands on the kitchen counter and the zombies on the couch turn their heads to see what’s happening. I fold my arms over my chest and purse my lips when Sean sinks his hands into my thighs and brings his face closer, his minty breath tickling my tongue.

“Sit your pretty ass on there and let me clean your hand.” He whispers, pulling my hand towards him and prising my fist open.

I’m not finished fighting yet though so I snatch it away from him. “No, I don’t need y—”

He smacks a hard kiss against my lips, silencing me and splaying his hand across my back, pulling my chest to his. “Callie,” he sighs, pressing another lighter kiss to my flushed lips. “Just shut up for once and let me take care of you.”

I try to scowl but my cheeks betray me and turn a light shade of pink as I slap the back of my hand into his, allowing him to clean my gaping wound.

He smiles triumphantly and kisses my warm cheek. “Good girl,” Oh god.

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