Page 45

“All right, I think we’re ready to go.” Carson stands back upright and tips his chin to look at me. “Are you ready, Mom?”

My stomach does a flip. “Ready when you are.”

Matteo is the first at the door, pushing it open before breaking out into a run across the yard. Carson holds the door open for me, although he doesn’t leave much space. I’m forced to brush against his body as I walk out onto the front porch. His hand drifts against mine as I move past him and my fingers instinctively twitch towards his.

I pull them back as if I’d been burned. My pace quickens as I step away from him. Goddammit. Every moment around him isa test against my self control and I’m not sure how much longer I’m going to be able to keep it together here.

Matteo steps out onto the ice and immediately begins to skate as his blades hit the surface. Carson follows after him and I’m right behind, all three of us moving one after the other. Matteo skates out ahead, not even bothering to stay with the two of us as he begins to race around. I watch his little legs and a smile lifts my lips as I laugh to myself.

Carson spins around to face me. He lifts his hat from his head and positions it backwards.Why is that so sexy?His blades cut into the ice and he moves with precision, skating backwards as I skate towards him. He scans my body with narrowed eyes. “This isn’t your first time on the ice.”

“Of course it isn’t,” I laugh, shaking my head at him. “I figure skated growing up, but I stopped competing when I went to college.”

“And your brother played D1 hockey, right?” he questions me and I nod in response. “Is that why Matteo started to play?”

“It’s clear he’s a natural,” I tell him. Matteo continues to move around the rink without us. There aren’t many people yet at the public skate, so it’s easy to keep track of him for now. “My brother suggested it and Matteo had already been skating with me before I signed him up. He fell in love as soon as he stepped on the ice.”

A smile transforms Carson’s expression. Goddamn him for looking as good as he does right now. “It’s in his DNA on both sides then.”

I bite back my own grin. “I suppose it is.”

“I’d like to meet your brother and your family sometime.” He pauses, his eyes slowly searching mine. “I want my family to meet you and Matteo, as well.”

My heart crawls into my throat. “I’d like that.”

“Good,” he says softly. His strides slow as I move closer to him. As I come up beside him, he turns around to face the same direction as me. His arm brushes against mine. “I would too.”

A gentle laugh escapes me. “You already said that,” I say as I turn to the side to look at him. He’s much closer than I realized and the heat radiates from his body. Both of our strides slow more. He shifts his body slightly so his chest faces me more as his head tips down closer to mine.

“I did, didn’t I?” he murmurs. A new fire ignites in his eyes. I never noticed the three small freckles in his left pupil until now. And just beneath his left eye, close to his temple is a small mole.

His gaze drops down to my mouth and my lips instinctively part. My tongue darts out to wet them, and my head tips back as he inches closer.

And then a body collides into both of our legs.

“Whoa!” Matteo yells out before he falls onto his bottom and laughter erupts out of him. My skates abruptly shift, throwing me off balance. Carson’s arms dart out, injured one and all, and he grabs me as best as he can with his fingers wrapping around my biceps.

“Your wrist,” I say, as I grab onto his shoulders to steady myself instead. His right hand isn’t secured around my arm at all because of his cast. I glance down at it before looking back at him.

“I’m okay,” he says, his voice low. “Don’t worry about me, trouble. As long as you and Matteo are safe, that’s the only thing that matters to me.” He winces, but quickly recovers as he looks down at Matteo and slowly moves his hands away from my arms.

I drop my own from his shoulders and let out a breath while I go to check that Matteo didn’t hurt himself. Matteo bounces back up, ignoring the two of us as he starts to skate again.

Carson and I stand still, facing each other as I reach for his casted hand. I take it in my own and gently hold it while I search his face for pain.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” My fingers slowly trail over the plaster material, inching closer to his exposed fingers. Concern knits my eyebrows. “Please don’t lie to me.”

His throat bobs as he swallows roughly. “It aches sometimes. Movements like that and the pressure make it feel sore.”

A frown tugs my lips downwards.

“It’s okay, Trouble,” he says softly. His fingers sweep against my palm. Electricity slides along the nerve endings in my arm, my stomach quickens as my heart beats harder.

My eyes flash to Carson’s and he stares back at me with a hooded gaze. His lips part, a ragged breath escaping him.

“Andi...” His body inches closer to mine and my breath catches in my throat. His fingers trace the lines in my palm again. His other hand reaches for mine.

Tension sizzles in the air between us. My heart forgets how to pump blood and my lungs forget how to breathe. His tongue darts out to wet his lips, the smell of his cologne infiltrates my senses.