Page 56 of Crazy About Love (All About Love)

“While you skate next to me.”

“While I sit on a bench.”

“After you’ve gone around at least twice.” He holds up two fingers.

“Once.”

“That’s the spirit,” he exclaims.

I groan, tossing my head back.

“Wait…gaah!” I don’t know how he does that, but he gets me every time. “Fine. One lap around, but you have to hold on to me.”

“Steady hands at your service.”

It’s fortunately not very crowded at the rink. Though too many people might be good, because then I’ll just fall into someone instead of flat on the ice. My heart starts to thump harder than I expected when Alec bends down in front of me and starts lacing up my rentals. I yank up the bottom of my jeans to my knees, grateful that at least the open relationship I have forces me to shave every day in case of unexpected encounters.

A feather-light touch to my ankle makes me jolt a bit, and I lean forward to see what Alec is doing.

“Here,” he says, handing me the anklet I had on. “Better put it in your pocket till we’re done.”

I stick my hand out, and when he plops the jewelry into my palm small jitters crawl up and down my arm. It’s so unexpected that I shiver hard, accidentally kicking his elbow.

“Whew, got the chills,” I say with a laugh. He reaches around his neck and pulls his red scarf free, then hands me that too. I take it even though I don’t need it. Smells like him, and I’ve always loved that smell—Icebreakers and sometimes cinnamon monkey bread. Oh, I could go for a piece of that right about now.

He pulls the laces tight and finishes tying them, then stands up like he’s totally used to walking around on razor-thin steel blades.

“Ready?” he asks, holding both hands out to me.

I reach out, but pull back quickly. “One time around,” I say with narrowed eyes. “That’s it.”

“That’s it.”

I study his face, making sure I’m not setting myself up for something. Once I’m satisfied with his sincerity I settle my hands in his and let him pull me up.

“These ankles were made for rolling,” I start singing as I wobble my way to the rink entrance. “And that’s just what they’ll do.”

“One of these days these ankles will just snap themselves in two,” he finishes in his Broadway-worthy voice.

I laugh, pausing at the entrance and staring at the cut-up ice. “Exactly, my friend. So please hold on to me.”

That dimple indents, and he snakes his arm around my waist and holds one of my hands in his while I take a death grip on the wrist he has by my hip. How is it possible that I feel more unstable now? And warm.Reallywarm. His dimple keeps distracting me.

“I got you whenever you’re ready to step out.”

I nod like I understand what he’s saying, but to be honest I have no clue what he just said. Like, I heard the words but I don’t know what they mean. So I just step forward without really thinking and my foot does what all feet do when they hit slick ice—it slips out from under me.

Alec said he was going to hold on, and he always keeps his promises. Only problem is that the momentum of my fall was too much for his reflexes, and instead of him keeping me up, I yank him down.

“Oh shitshitshitshit. Theresa, you okay?” he says from behind me. Or more accurately,underneathme, since my butt landed right on the cushion of his crotch, and even with the fall and the cold outside, I can tell hedefinitelywouldn’t get the nickname “22.” And because I’m a girl who’s got an ass cheek to his joystick, it starts growing against my butt.

Rumbles shake through my stomach, and the force is so strong that it locks up my throat; the only noise that slips out of my mouth is a tiny squeak. Alec’s body tightens—all of it this time, not just the happy guy downstairs—and he starts checking me.

“You hurt? Are you okay? Sorry, I didn’t expect you to—Are youlaughing?”

I manage to look at him through my laugh-tears, nodding, unable to get up because my abs are getting a major workout. His panicked face relaxes, and he pushes me slightly.

“Damn it, don’t do that shit. Thought I hurt you.”

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