Page 87 of Icebound Hearts

Someone clears their throat and I pull away, my cheeks redder than a tomato. Roman smirks at us, so I do the only reasonable thing, I can think of. I flip him off.

Soon it’s Aidens turn, and he doesn’t even hesitate. He chooses dare. Roman grins, looking way too pleased with himself. “I dare you to pick someone in this circle and carry them into the lake.”

The group erupts, cheering and laughing, and before I can even move—

Aiden grabs me.

I let out a yelp as he hauls me over his shoulder, his grip tight

around my legs as he stalks toward the dock. “Aiden, don’t you dare—”

“Oh, I definitely dare.”

The cold wind bites at my skin as we reach the edge of the dock, the dark water stretching out below.

“Aiden, I swear to God—” He jumps.

The water hits like a shock to my system, stealing my breath as we go under. The chill wraps around me, and for a split second,all I can feel is him—his arms around me, the press of his body against mine as we sink before breaking the surface.

I gasp, shoving my wet hair out of my face. “You asshole!” Aiden is laughing, the deep, rich sound rolling through the night as he shakes the water from his hair.

I glare at him, shoving at his chest. “You are the worst.” He smirks. “You’re still wearing my hoodie.”

I growl, yanking it over my head and throwing it at him. “Not anymore.”

Aiden catches it easily, his eyes dark with something else now, something dangerous. He steps forward, water rippling around us, his voice lower when he murmurs—

“You love stealing my clothes.”

My breath catches, my body burning despite the cold. “Shut up, Knight.”

His smirk deepens. “Make me, Hart.” I giggle, swimming away from him. I’m freezing but the icy cold water feels good, numbing me.

I’m still freezing. Even after Aiden and I dragged ourselves out of the lake, even after I wrung out my hair and wrapped myself in a towel someone shoved at me, even after I stole another one of Aiden’s hoodies to replace the one, I tossed at him—I cannot shake the chill that has settled into my bones.

Which is why I’m currently curled up on the couch, cocooned in the thickest blanket I could find, glaring at Aiden while he sits beside me, completely unbothered.

“You did that on purpose,” I grumble, tucking my freezing feet beneath me.

Aiden, who has the audacity to look pleased with himself, smirks. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

I narrow my eyes. “You’re such an asshole.”

He stretches his arms over the back of the couch, his long legs sprawled out in front of him. “And yet, here you are, stealing my hoodie again.”

I cross my arms over my chest. “You owe me this hoodie.”

Aiden chuckles, his eyes flicking over me like he’s committing this moment to memory. “Fair enough, Angel Face.”

Before I can fire back, Alina plops down beside me, shaking her head dramatically. “That was the best thing I’ve ever witnessed. The tension? The dramatics? The shameless flirting?”

I groan. “We were not flirting.”

Alina and Maddie both burst out laughing.

“Oh my God, you are so in denial,” Maddie cackles, nudging me. “I give it two weeks before you cave.”

I scoff, tightening the blanket around me. “I am not caving.”

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