Page 41 of Campus Crush
This wasn’t even officially a date, but fuck did I want it to be.
“Here, let me help you with those,” I offered, kneeling in front of her. I showed her how to properly lace the skates, making sure they were tight enough to support her ankles but not so tight they’d cut off circulation. My fingers brushed against her calves, and I tried to ignore the electric feeling that shot through me at the contact.
“Thanks,” she said softly when I finished, her eyesmeeting mine. For a moment, I forgot what we were doing, lost in the warmth of her gaze.
Did she have any idea how badly I wanted her? The lengths I was willing to go to win her heart?
“Um, right,” I said, clearing my throat and standing up. “Let’s get you on the ice.”
I put on my own skates quickly, then stood and offered her my hands. “First rule of skating—it’s all about balance.”
Abby took my hands, her grip firm as she stood shakily. “I feel like I’m on stilts.”
I laughed. “You’ll get used to it. Walk with me to the entrance. Keep your knees slightly bent and your weight centered.”
She took a few tentative steps, wobbling but managing to stay upright. “This is harder than it looks.”
“You’re doing great,” I assured her as we reached the rink entrance. I stepped onto the ice first, then turned to face her, still holding her hands. “Okay, now step onto the ice. I’ve got you.”
Abby took a deep breath and placed one skate on the ice, then the other. Her fingers tightened around mine as she tried to find her balance. “Oh my God,” she breathed, looking down at her feet. “How do you make this look so easy?!”
“A lot of practice,” I said with a grin. “You’re doing great. Better than most beginners. You haven’t even fallen.”
“Don’t jinx me,” she warned, but she was smiling too.
I kept hold of her hands and started skating backward slowly, pulling her gently along with me. “The key is to keep your weight forward. If you lean back, you’ll fall on your butt.”
She nodded, concentrating hard on her feet. “Forward. Got it.”
“And relax your ankles a bit. You’re too stiff.”
“Easy for you to say,” she muttered. “You’ve been doing this since you were what, five?”
“Four, actually,” I said. “But everyone starts somewhere. Don’t be afraid to fall. It’s part of learning.”
She took a shaky breath. “I’ll try to remember that when I’m flat on my back.”
“If you fall, I’ll help you up,” I promised. “But let’s try to keep you vertical for now. Ready to try moving on your own?”
Abby nodded, determination setting her jaw. I slowly released one of her hands, keeping a firm grip on the other. “Push off with the side of your blade, like this,”—I demonstrated with my foot—”then glide and repeat with the other foot.”
She mimicked my movement, wobbling a bit but managing to propel herself forward. “I’m doing it!” she exclaimed, her face lighting up with pure joy.
My chest tightened at her expression. She looked so beautiful like this—cheeks flushed, eyes bright, her usual reserve forgotten in the excitement of learning something new. I wanted to see her look like that all the time.
“You’re a natural,” I said, and I meant it. For someone who’d never skated before, she was picking it up quickly. But I shouldn’t have been surprised. I suspected that Abby excelled at anything she set her mind to.
We made a slow circuit around the rink, Abby gaining confidence with each stride. She was still wobbly and relied heavily on my support, but she hadn’t fallen, and her smile hadn’t dimmed.
“This is amazing,” she said, looking around at the empty rink. “I can’t believe I waited this long to try it.”
“Better late than never,” I replied, enjoying the warmthof her hand in mine. “Want to try a full lap without stopping?”
She bit her lip, then nodded. “Let’s do it.”
We picked up the pace slightly, and I watched as Abby concentrated on her movements, her tongue peeking out between her lips in focus. It was adorable, but I bit back my smile because I didn’t want her to be self-conscious, especially not when she was doing so well. We were about halfway around when her skate caught on something, and she lurched forward with a startled cry.
I reacted instinctively, catching her around the waist and pulling her against me to keep her upright. She crashed into my chest, her hands grabbing my shoulders for balance. For a moment, we just stood there, breathing hard, our faces inches apart.
