Page 66 of Love on Ice

“And let that asshole keep stalking you?”

“I don’t want to give you the wrong idea. What happened between us at the resort was only ever supposed to stay at the resort. We agreed.”

“Things changed the moment we got back, and your ex threatened you,” Felix says through gritted teeth.

“I don’t want to lead you on.”

“Then why did you kiss me on the plane?” he asks.

“You kissed me.”

“And you kissed me back,” he argues, folding his tattooed arms across his chest.

“Reflex. Muscle memory. Nothing more.”

Felix walks toward me, his large presence looms over where I am sitting on the bed. I swallow nervously. My heart is beating wildly in my chest. “You’re only lying to yourself, Harper. At least I’m honest with myself, that I get off on the memory of your pussy gliding up and down my cock. That I can still taste you on my tongue. I let you pretend that you don’t miss my cock or my fingers in your cunt.” My breath comes out in stuttering bursts as I squeeze my thighs together, my nipples tingle over the memories of his lips wrapped around them.

“Felix,” his name was supposed to come out in a warning, but it feels more like a plea.

“Yes, princess?” He grins as he continues to stare down at me. “Do you need something? You look like you could use a glassof water, you seem awfully flushed suddenly.” I try to push him out of the way, but my hands meet a stone wall. “Just so you know, you can’t push a hockey player around, it’s our job to stay standing.” He laughs. I roll my eyes, step around his massive bulk, and rush into the bathroom.

Thankfully, by the time I get out of the bathroom, Felix has gone to hang out with Sam and Nate in the bar before dinner, so his note says. All that’s left of him is his spicy cologne. I inhale deeply, and the memories of us twisted in the sheets of our bed come floating back, making my skin goosebump. How the hell are we going to be able to sleep side by side tonight?Why are you fighting this, Harper? Jump the man. You know you want to. You know he wants to.Because I’m worried that if I do that, I might fall for him. There, I said it out loud.In my mind.I like him. So, I need to keep this bitchy barrier up between us because the guy is seven years younger than me, plus he’s a hockey player. He has a million and one younger and sexier women vying for his attention.Why the hell would he want someone like me?An older woman with relationship baggage, namely an ex who won’t leave her alone. He can do so much better. I need to keep him at arm’s length, it’s the only way I can protect my heart.

I grab my purse and head over to Kimberly’s room.

“Hey, you look stunning,” she says, greeting me at the door. I’ve gone for this gorgeous pink metallic mini dress that looks like fish scales for dinner tonight.

“Babe, you look fricken sexy. Va, Va, Voom,” I tease Kimberly. She’s wearing a gorgeous baby blue halter dress that clings to her curves and dips low, showing off her incredible cleavage.

“I just popped a bottle of champagne, come on in,” she says, holding the door open for me. I walk in and take a seat on her balcony that overlooks the sun setting over the water.“Here.” She gives me a glass of champagne. We clink our glasses together before taking a sip. “I’m surprised to see you here. I thought you would be locked in your hotel room jumping the hot hockey player’s bones, again.”

I take a larger sip, loving the feeling of the bubbles as they pop on my tongue. “He’s hanging with Sam and Nate at the bar.”

“Your brother loves him. I think he wishes he could date him,” Kimberly teases.

This makes me laugh because it’s true. “Yeah. He’s a little obsessed.”

“It’s cute. He’s like a puppy with a new toy.” Kimberly smirks. “I’m surprised you are now dating Felix, it’s a complete about-face from what you have been saying.”

“He’s hard to resist,” I say, quickly taking another sip of my champagne. Kimmy has known me my entire life and can read me like a book.

“Won’t deny that. Plus, he’s super nice, which makes sense as he’s Canadian. He’s protective over you, too, which is a sexy quality,” she adds, sipping her drink.

“What’s your point, Kimmy?” I know my friend, she doesn’t beat around the bush.

“My point is it’s suss. I don’t believe the bullshit that you two had a moment on the trip over and now you’re together.” I stare out over the pinky-orange sky and twirl my glass, contemplating if I should tell my oldest friend what’s going on. “Harper, talk to me. I promise whatever is going on you can trust me.” Tears fall down my cheeks. “Oh, babe, what is it?” She gets up from her lounge chair, scoots over onto mine, and hugs me.

“The reason I’ve not been myself is because I think Josh is stalking me. It’s like out of my peripheral, I see him everywhere I am, but when I look, he’s gone.”

“Babe, why didn’t you tell us? We could have helped you.”

“I feel like I’m going crazy. Nothing has happened, it’s just a feeling. I’m nervous and stressed, and I’m jumping at my own shadow nowadays. Why do you think I decided to go on this trip at the last minute? I needed space from what was happening. I’m in this heightened state of panic all the time and …”

“And you’ve asked Felix for help?”

“He worked it out. Then kind of demanded that I accept his help, or he was going to tell my family. I don’t need Mom worrying about me when she has the gala next week.”

Kimberly hugs me tighter. “You shouldn’t have been going through this alone.”

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