Page 103 of No Rhyme or Roughing
All I heard was that she loved me.
The next time she tried to poke me, I grabbed her finger. “Sydney Valentine, please shut up.”
“What—”
“Because I’m going to kiss you right now. I think I need to, because kissing you is my lifeline. Touching you brings me life. Just being near you fills me.”
She yanked her hand away, staring at me. “Well, what are you waiting for?”
“Nothing.” I leaned in, our breaths mingling. “Not anymore.”
I kissed her, pulling her onto her tiptoes until her body pressed flush against mine.
“I’d give it all up for you,” I whispered.
“I don’t want you to.” She bit down on my bottom lip, drawing a groan from me. “I’d never want to change who you are, Ry.”
My hands traced down her back. “I’m going to need you to say it.”
“Say what?”
I raised a brow, and she smiled, pressing another kiss to my lips.
“Oh, that,” she teased. Another kiss. “Well… I may, kind of, sort of, have some kind of feelings where you’re concerned.”
“You’re in love with me.” I buried my face in her neck, trailing my tongue along her skin. “You. Love. Me.”
“Maybe.”
“You do.”
“Fine. I do.”
“Do what?”
Closing her eyes, she whispered, “I love you.”
Before I could respond, a throat cleared near the Zamboni tunnel.
I laughed into Sydney’s shoulder, already knowing who it was. Lifting my head, I locked eyes with Mr. Macintosh.
He stood with his hands on his hips, an impish grin on his lips. “Sorry to interrupt, kids. Didn’t realize I was running a brothel.”
“Those are illegal,” Sydney stammered nervously, “but I don’t think they’re necessarily bad, and?—”
I clapped a hand over her mouth. “Need something, Mr. Mac?”
He frowned. “Come to my office. Now. Miss Brothel-Lover can join you. Don’t make me wait.”
He walked back the way he’d come, and I couldn’t stop laughing.
Sydney pushed away from me, nearly slipping on the ice. I caught her around the middle, hauling her back.
“He’s really just a puppy,” I said. “An old, grouchy one.”
She looked skeptical. “We should go.”
For a moment, I worried she regretted everything we’d just admitted to each other. But at the tunnel, she reached back, lacing her fingers through mine.
