Page 18 of Break the Ice
Adjusting the sleeves of my hoodie on my wrists, I watch Elijah do the same to the sleeves of Jayden’s spare suit jacket. He looks so grown up and put together.
Even though he’s a couple inches shorter than Jayden, their brawn is about the same, so the suit fits like a glove.
“Ready?” He asks, walking to the suite door and opening it for me.
“Are you sure this is a good idea?” I step out into the hallway with his hand coaxing me at the small of my back and we head for the elevator. “Maybe I should stay here.”
“You can, but I don’t want you out of my sight, Fin.” Pausing in front of the brass doors, he pins me with an unwavering expression.
He’s as on edge as I am.
It feels like we’re on borrowed time. As though any second, I’m going to be ripped away from him.
I step closer to Elijah at the thought, only for him to inch backwards towards the lift when the doors ping open.
“Come on,” he says, gesturing for me to follow him. “I have a surprise for you.”
A surprise? I’m more than done with those. I can’t think of the last time anything good ever came from one.
“You’re gonna love it. Promise,” Elijah coaxes.
I’ve always trusted him; so, if he says I’m going to love what he has in store for me, I know I will.
When I follow him into the elevator, he shows me his phone with the map of the Fury’s arena on the screen.
“I’ll be in there with the press,” he says, zooming into the press box before he zooms into the other side of the arena. “You’ll be here with some of the other guys’ families. I promise you’ll be safe, and you won’t be on your own.”
I listen to him intently as he tells me all the ways I can get to him if I need to.
“If you want, you can wave to me,” Elijah whispers, lifting his gaze to mine before he adds, “I’ll wave back.”
A deep flush percolates over his cheeks, all the way to the tips of his ears, as I take in the sudden streak of lightness in his demeanor. I can’t stop myself from getting lost to it.
Everything about him is grown… manly and beautiful.
“I was joking,” Elijah murmurs, shaking his head down at floor. “You don’t have to wave at me. It’s kind of dark in the press box anyway, so you probably won’t see me. Plus, the game is more interesting.”
Before I can tell him otherwise, the doors open and he ushers me out.
Hand in hand, he brings me to his side as we move towards the lobby. His hold on me is tight and strong. My belly swoops with every grate of his calloused touch when his thumb strokes the back of my hand.
It’s just like when we were teenagers, hiding out in the woods or walking around my grandparents’ farm.
Gosh, I’ve missed this more than I knew I did. And I don't ever want him to let go. Ever.
“Fin,” he croons, using our joint hands to lift my face to his as he comes to a slow stop as we round the corner from the elevator bank.
A lazy grin tugs at one side of his mouth, and when he opens it, a shrill squeal cuts him off.
“Oh my God!” I don’t get the chance to look up before I’m being yanked away from Elijah. “God, it’s been so long.”
I’m paralyzed by the onslaught of emotion fisting my chest. That uncontrollable burning that makes it impossible to breathe, to speak.
“Let me look at you!” I’m motionless when Christina pulls back. Blue eyes welled and wide as her hands squeeze down my arms to my hands.
I don’t care about the pain. It’s nothing compared to the joy overtaking me.
“No. No… Don’t do that. You can’t fucking cry, Amish, it’ll set me off.”
