Page 107 of Hard Hitter
“Sure,” she heard herself say. “But don’t you have to...” she pointed into the conference room.
He pushed off the doorframe and walked toward her. “We’re done in there.”
She watched his approach, feeling helpless. The broad set of his shoulders appeared frequently in her dreams, as did the heated look in his eyes. “Where do you want to talk?” He’d better suggest someplace public. If the two of them went someplace private right now, not much talking was going to get done.
“How do you feel about linguini with clam sauce?” he asked.
“Hmm?” She shook her head to try to clear it of the sex haze that had descended on her the moment she saw him. His words finally penetrated. “Actually, I’m allergic to shellfish.”
His eyes widened. “Figures.”
“Why?”
He shook his head, smiling at her. “How do you feel about ice skating, then?”
“Skating? Me?”
“Yes you. You work at an ice rink. Two of them, actually.” He grinned. “Have you set foot on the ice since you started working here?”
“I haven’t skated since I was twelve.”
He took her hand. “Come on, then. No time like the present.”
She let herself be led through the locker rooms and toward the rink door. “I don’t have skates,” she pointed out.
“Not a problem—Georgia started giving free ice time to the Boys and Girls Clubs of Brooklyn. She has a whole stash of loaner skates now. I’ll show you.”
He wasn’t wrong. The skates lined a set of shelves in a supply closet off the rink. Ari found a pair of figure skates in her size and swiped her thumb across the blade. They’d even been recently sharpened.
“Girly skates?” Patrick teased. “Don’t you want to learn the right way?”
“These are what I’m used to,” she argued. “You don’t want me to fall down and break something, right?”
“Good point, rookie. Have a seat on the bench and I’ll be right back to help you.”
She sat down and began to lace up. It had been a long time since she’d done this. Right after she’d gotten the Bruisers job she’d had the itch to go skating again. She’d asked Vince if he would go with her to the rink in Prospect Park one weekend. But he’d turned her down, and she didn’t ask again.Stupid girl, she chided herself.
Be kind, her mother’s lingering voice reminded her.
Patrick returned with his own skates in hand and sat down beside her to lace up. He glanced at her tight laces. “You did that very well.”
“I’ve been tying my own shoes since kindergarten, thanks.”
He gave her a smirk.
“You’re still wearing your suit,” she pointed out.
“Well, you didn’t get a chance to change, so I figure it’s only fair. You can hold onto me if you feel shaky, okay?”
“Was that your plan?” she teased. If it was, he was about to be disappointed.
“The thought did cross my mind. But I really just wantedto spend time with you.” He turned to look at her with those cool blue eyes, and her pulse skipped a beat or three. “I missed you, Ari. Theonlyreason I spend time with you is because you’re important to me. You’re everything that I want, and everything I need. You already have my heart, and I don’t want it back. You understand?”
Slowly, she nodded.I miss you, too.
“Ready?” He stood up and offered her a hand, which she took.
Rising, she felt blades under her feet for the first time in more than fifteen years. “I forgot that I’d be taller,” she said with a laugh.
