Page 200 of Skate the Line

“I’ll take care of Lars,” he says.

I turn away and grip my own stick a little tighter than before. I catch Sunny’s eye, and she’s watching me closely.

It calms me enough to send her a wink. Her cheeks ripen with color, which is something I find highly captivating.

Staring at her from across the ice and making it known to at least one person—even if it’s only Kane—that she and I are something more than what we portrayhas me reeling.

I’m being reckless, but at least I’m no longer in denial.

What started as something temporary is turning into something that I want to make permanent.

Fifty-Nine

SUNNY

I help laceEllie’s skates and make sure her helmet is on straight before following the rest of the team’s families onto the ice. Some I recognize, and some I don’t. Scottie is already out there, flinging pucks at the net toward Emory, who continues to laugh with each one he catches.

“Okay, you’re gonna have to help me,” I say to Ellie. “I’ve never stepped foot on a rink before.”

“What?!” she shrieks.

I laugh and follow her onto the ice.

Naturally, being the child of a pro hockey player, she does just fine. She spins around once, and I try to mimic her. Except, I’m in shoes, and I have zero traction. My foot slips, and I instantly think about how this was an awful idea, considering I was in an accident two days ago.

“Have you lost your mind? If you fall…” Rhodes swoops me up a millisecond before I land on the hard ice. It’s unbelievable how often he catches me when I fall.

I try to hide my surprise and wrap my hands around his neck. “Are you a vampire?”

His eyebrows fold. He tries to hide his amusement, but I see the hint of humor on his lips. “What?”

“You’re so fast,” I explain. “You’re somehow always ready to catch me mid-fall, even when you’re not even paying attention. I’m going to start calling you Edward.”

He looks disgusted at the thought. “Please don’t.”

I’m surprised he knows what I’m referencing, and now that I know he doesn’t want me to call him that, I’m going to have to make a point to do it.

“That’s an upgrade from Oscar.”

He grunts.

When I realize he’s making no effort to put me down, I decide to press his buttons. “Put me down…Edward.”

A burly growl rumbles from his chest, and he tightens his arms around me. People are starting to look at us like we’re something that we’re not.

“For the record, I’m always paying attention to you,” he admits.

I roll my eyes. “You are not.”

He looks at me with his vibrant green eyes that look more like a dare than anything. “I’m watching you even when you think I’m not, Sunshine.”

He is?

“You better put me down,” I whisper. “Or else people are going to start thinking there’s something more to us than me being your daughter’s nanny.”

His jaw flexes. “Good.”

I stiffen. “What?”

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