Page 33 of The Hockey Contract

Leo guided me toward the rink entrance. "Jax texted that he's already here. Remember, you're madly in love, you've been secretly dating for months, and you're excited to join the Kraken family."

"Got it. Madly in love with Ice Man. Can't wait to break my ankles on frozen water. Living the dream."

"That's the spirit." Leo grinned, then his expression shifted as he looked over my shoulder. "Here comes your husband."

I turned to see Jax approaching, dressed casually in jeans and a Kraken sweatshirt. He looked different outside his usual suits or workout clothes—more approachable somehow. When our eyes met, his expression softened slightly, a barely perceptible change most people would miss.

"You made it," he said, coming to stand beside me. To any observers, we probably looked like a normal couple greeting each other.

"The traffic was terrible," Leo explained. "I should find Olivia. She wanted photos of the happy couple on ice."

As Leo walked away, I turned to Jax with undisguised panic. "I wasn't kidding about not being able to skate. I'm going to embarrass you in front of your entire team."

To my surprise, he smiled—a genuine smile that transformed his usually serious face. "Relax. I've got you. Let's get you some skates."

The rental skates felt like medieval torture devices on my feet. I wobbled even standing on the rubber mats beside the rink, clutching Jax's arm for balance.

"How do people do this voluntarily?" I hissed as he led me toward the ice.

"You get used to it." He positioned me at the entrance to the rink. "Hold onto the boards with one hand and my arm with the other. Small steps. I won't let you fall."

The moment my blade touched the ice, I knew I had made a terrible mistake. My feet slid in opposite directions, and only Jax's solid grip kept me from splitting like a wishbone.

"Easy," he said, his voice surprisingly gentle as he steadied me. "Find your balance first."

I clung to him, acutely aware of his strength as he supported me. Other players and their families glided past, some offering encouraging smiles, others watching with barely concealed amusement.

"Everyone's staring," I whispered, mortified.

"They're not," Jax assured me, though I could see his teammates nudging each other and grinning. "Let's try moving forward. Small steps."

Step by excruciating step, we made our way along the boards. Jax was unexpectedly patient, his large hand firm around my waist, voice calm as he offered instruction.

"You're doing great," he encouraged after we'd completed a quarter of the rink's circumference.

"I'm doing terribly and you know it," I gasped, clutching his arm as my feet threatened to slide out from under me again.

"For a first-timer, you're doing great," he insisted. "My nephew cried and refused to leave the boards his first time."

"I'm seriously considering crying myself."

That startled a laugh out of him—a deep, genuine sound I hadn't heard before. It transformed his face, softening the hard edges and revealing dimples I hadn't noticed.

"Something funny, Jax?" called a voice. A player skated up to us, moving with effortless grace. "Introducing the wife to the ice?"

"Sienna, this is Marco, left wing," Jax introduced. "Marco, my wife, Sienna."

"The famous baker," Marco grinned, eyes moving obviously from my face to my death grip on Jax's arm. "Jax didn't mention you couldn't skate."

"I wouldn't want to rob everyone of this entertainment," I replied, forcing a smile even as I felt my right foot slipping again.

Marco laughed. "She's got spirit. Good luck teaching her, Jax. Maybe next time find someone who can actually stand on ice?"

As he skated away, I felt Jax tense beside me. "Ignore him. He's an ass to everyone."

"It's fine," I said, though the comment had stung. "He's not wrong. I'm a disaster on ice."

"You're doing fine," Jax insisted, guiding me forward again. "Let's take a break by the players' bench. You can sit for a bit."

---