Page 59 of At the Edge with You

I cock a brow. “Oh yeah?”

“Yeah,” she says confidently. “Because just like him, you keep staring at him like there is nothing else going on in this world than whatever he is doing.”

My heart swells in my chest as my face blooms with heat. I’m so good at hiding what I’m feeling, but she saw that. I’m unable to think of a response, and she flashes me a wide, knowing grin before we set her up on the harness again.

Once more, I feel his gaze on me.

After I have her strapped in, I smile at her before I look over my shoulder to find him watching me again. His eyes are dark, his lips curved just a bit at each side. He has a board above hishead, mid-step, like he caught a glance and couldn’t look away. His gaze is like my favorite blanket, and I want to stay snuggled up with him. I give him a little smirk that only makes his smile grow more as I move to where I can safely use the pulley system for Skyye.

Unlike last time, he hasn’t put space between us. It’s been a week since we lay on the ice together, and while I still feel the need to devour the man, I have refrained. I want to talk to him first, tell him what is wrong with me. The problem is, I like how he treats me, and I don’t want it to stop. I’ve never been the center of someone’s world, and that’s how Jett makes me feel. I don’t even think he’s trying, yet the littlest things make my heart soar.

Jett has gone with me to the schools and talked to students and faculty. He went with me to businesses on Second and then on Third Street. Of course, since I had him with me, everyone was all for talking to us. We had a lot of good leads and set up meetings. It bummed me that they didn’t want to work with me alone, but I don’t care as long as we get the money to fund what I want to do. The whole time we were meeting with everyone, his hand stayed on my lower back. He even hooked his finger with mine, and I didn’t miss the looks we earned or even the gossip. Kitty had called me right as I was walking in the door to tell me that Ms. Hely saw me cuddled up with Jett all over town.

Crazy folks, but maybe we did look cozy.

He sure makes me feel that way.

Though he wasn’t very cozy when I suggested using my money to fund the overhaul of the west rink, the figure skating part of the pro shop, and the new website. No, he was downright pissed. Told me it wasn’t happening.

“The Ice Thistle has money. I’m just frugal.”

So damn frugal it makes me crazy.

I know he didn’t grow up like I did. With his dad being in and out of jail, they relied a lot on Hazel and Bea. He never went without, but…he went to public school, while I went to Prep. Two different sides of the coin, but we came together on the ice. I know he likes to have money to fall back on, though he went ahead and bought me two of the harnesses I wanted. We’ve hired the contractors for the upgrades. As Phillip wanted, things are moving and grooving, and I have every intention of making this place even more profitable.

For him.

Maybe for us.

Ugh, I hate allowing myself to think that way. I’m still unsure of how that could even work, and my growing desire for Jett is not helping. It confuses me more, and I’m almost to the point where I just want to make something happen. As soon as I think I want that, I convince myself that giving in to desires without thought could lead to losing him forever.

He already walked away once. I don’t know if I can handle it again.

Fable, I’ve always only wanted you.

I still can’t believe that. I want to question him about it, but sometimes I start asking things and then want to know something else. Then we’re so far away from my original question that the person I’m talking to gets frustrated and walks away. Jett isn’t like that. I mean, he listened to me explain a raccoon telenovela, but would he want to answer questions for me that could be hard for him?

As Skyye takes a breather, my eyes make their way to where Jett is, only to find he’s not there anymore. I look around the rink and find him coming onto the ice. He points to the rope I hold and then to Skyye. “She’s not getting enough amplitude off the jump. Show her what you mean.”

Skyye’s eyes widen as I hand him the rope. “You know how to coach, Coach?”

He smirks. “I skated with this beauty for years. I learned a thing or two.”

She sends me a “told you so” look, and I ignore her in order to show her again what I meant about getting that pop off the jump. She follows me, and Jett calls out corrections with ease. Skyye responds well, and when she leaves the ice at the end, she’s all smiles. I watch as Dean wraps an arm around her, showing her the videos he took, and I love how animated he is as he dotes on her. I’m glad she has him.

A finger hooks with mine, and I press my chin to my shoulder to look at Jett. He holds my fingers with such reverence that my heart beats out of my control as his eyes capture mine. “You’re a great coach, princess.”

“Thank you.”

He rubs his thumb along the back of my finger.

“Apparently Skyye thinks you like me.”

His face breaks into a wide grin. “I do.”

The two words are so confident that it’s hard for me to find my next breath. He pulls me to him, my body twirling around on the ice before my hands land on his chest and my skate knocks into his work boots. He has on a fitted green Ice Thistle shirt and dark khaki work pants. He’s got a pencil behind his ear and protective glasses on his forehead.

In other words, he’s drop-dead fucking gorgeous.

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