Page 106 of Moms of Mayhem
The kiss deepened, slow and deliberate, like he had nowhere to be and nothing else to do except memorize the way I tasted. Like we hadn’t done this earlier today.
His hands slid up my back, under the edges of my coat, fingers splayed wide like he needed to anchor himself. I felt it everywhere—his breath, his warmth, the way he kissed like he missed me even though we saw each other hours ago.
God, this man could kiss.
When we finally came up for air, I rested my forehead against his chest, trying to remember my name. Then a thought slid through the fog in my brain, sharp enough to cut through the heat of the moment.
“Wait.” I pulled back just enough to look up at him. “Where’s Jace?”
Beckett blinked, then smiled. “Relax. He’s at Ty’s working on some physics project. Something about medieval siege weapons? They’re in full MacGyver mode. I texted Ty before I came here—he said he’d keep him as long as we want.”
I raised an eyebrow. “As long as we want, huh?”
He smirked. “We’ll test the limits of that later. For now…” He glanced down the quiet street, then back at me. “Come with me. I want to skate.”
“Skate?”
He nodded, suddenly a little sheepish. “Doc cleared me this afternoon. First time back on the ice since surgery. I’m nervous as hell.”
My heart thudded with something more than just affection—pride, awe, that soft ache that came from watching someone try hard things. And then more than a little panic that we’d reached this next milestone so fast.
“And you want me there?” I asked, already knowing the answer.
“Of course I want you there.” He kissed my knuckles, then opened the car door for me. “I don’t want to do it alone.”
I stared at him for a beat, then grinned. “My skates are in the garage at home.”
“No, they’re not.” Beckett opened his truck door parked next to mine and held up the hockey skates I’d had since high school. “I already got them for you.”
It was the smallest gesture, but the fact he’d thought this through ahead of time, planning to spend this moment with me, made me melt.
He tucked me into my car, then got into his truck, driving down the winding mountain streets to his house. Several trees around the pond were lit up with twinkle lights, and a soft glow came from inside.
Beckett opened my car door as soon as I parked, handing me a vest to put over my sweatshirt. My skates were slung over his shoulder, and his hand grabbed mine, tugging me into his chest for another kiss.
“I can do this, right?” he said, his voice far less cocky than his normal tone.
I reached up and smoothed a hand across his brow, easing the little crease forming there. “You absolutely can do this. The doctors think you’re ready, and I think you’re ready. And my phone is fully charged, so I can call 911 when we’re wrong.”
Beckett chuckled, his smile wide and shining bright in the moonlight. He dropped his forehead to mine, and for a long second, we just stood there, breathing in the quiet night.
He kissed me again, gentle and lingering, before pulling back. “If I fall and break something, promise you’ll kiss it better.”
“Only if it’s entertaining,” I teased. “Bonus points if I catch it on camera.”
We walked the short path to the pond together, boots sinking into the new snow. The lights strung through the trees reflected on the ice, dancing across its smooth surface in shimmering patches. It was beautiful. Quiet. Like the whole world had taken a deep breath and let us have this moment to ourselves.
We sat down on the stumps near the pond to lace up. Beckett’s fingers moved slower than usual as he tightened his skates. I could see the tension in his shoulders, the careful way he flexed his leg, testing its strength before even touching the ice.
“You good?” I nudged his knee with mine.
“Guess we’re about to find out.” He blew out a breath. “This is the longest I’ve ever been off skates since I was four. Feels weird.”
“Well, I haven’t sharpened mine in five years, and I thinkone of my ankles is weaker than the other, so we can be weird together.”
He grinned and stood, wobbling only slightly. I stood too, offering my hand. “Ready?”
Beckett nodded, then stepped onto the pond.
