Page 19
Story: The Christmas Bet
“Glide with your feet. Use me for balance, but slowly glide your feet along the ice to move.” He holds my waist and pushes us towards the wall of the rink. “If you think you’re going to fall, grab me or the railing.”
I nod and bite my lip. My heart is racing from just being on the ice. There’s no way I’m not going to not make a fool of myself. I’msogoing to end up on my ass.
“Relax. Your body’s stiff as a board right now.”
Exhaling, I try to do as he says. Working up the courage, I take a small step and move my foot along the ice. My body wobbles as the other foot naturally follows suit. I hold out my arms like a bird, flapping to keep myself upright.
“Oh my god! Conner, I just moved on ice. I skated!” In my excitement, I jump up, forgetting that I’m on ice and immediately fall on my ass. “Fuck! Ow, that hurt!” I roll over and grab the railing to try and hoist myself up. Conner comes up behind me and grabs me around the waist.
“Shit, I’m sorry, Allie. I didn’t move fast enough. Are you okay?” He moves around me and leans against the wall, his eyes roaming over me to check for any injuries.
“Yeah, yeah. I’m fine. My ass stings a bit. Oh, and my ego may be a little bruised, too.” I try to brush it off, but I can feel the heat in my cheeks.
“Should we try again? We can just take it slow. Why don’t you hold on to the railing, and I’ll help guide you?”
Giving him a weak smile, I nod. “Okay.”
Slowly, we start moving along the ice as I hold onto the wall with a death grip. I’m lost in thought, trying to hold on for dear life, when Conner breaks through.
“So, can I ask you a personal question?” He turns towards me.
“Um, sure.” My hand isnotleaving the railing. I have it gripped so tight my fingers hurt.
“I’ll preface this question by saying you don’t have to answer it. What happened to your parents?”
I let out a long sigh and look up at the people above us, watching all the skaters on the ice. “It was a bad winter storm after the holidays. They were driving home from a little getaway that my dad had planned for my mom. They hit a patch of black ice and their car skidded into another car head on.” I purse my lips and try to hold back the lump forming in my throat. It’s been a long time since that happened, but it still gets me emotional. They were my parents, and I miss them so very much.
“Christmas was the last holiday we all celebrated together.”
Conner nods. “That’s why you go all out.”
“My mom was the ugly Christmas sweater, decorate the minute Halloween ended, and Christmas music on all day long kind of person. She loved Christmas. She loved bringing the family together, the laughter, the chatter, all of it. I got my love of Christmas from her. So, every year, I go all out. I even shop last minute at the stores like she used to. It’s how I hold on to them.” I clear my throat, fighting back against the stinging in my eyes.
For a while, we skate in silence. I think Conner’s trying to process everything I just laid on him. Honestly, it’s a lot. Lacy is the only other person who knows about my family. Well, her and her family. They took me in after everything and have been my everything since then.
“My dad used to bring me here every year. It was our tradition. Him and I would skate, laugh, and just lose ourselves in the moment. Being a cop wasn’t easy, so a lot of time I saw him stressed or exhausted. But when we came here, he let go. He was happy. It was a side I rarely saw.” Conner’s voice softens almost to a whisper.
I don’t even know how to respond to that. “I’m so sorry, Conner.” I take my left hand and place it on his bicep. “He sounds like he was an incredible man who loved his family. Loved you.”
Without warning, Conner turns me, placing my back against the rink wall. His arms move under mine, locking me in place. His lips crash into mine, and he kisses me with fervor. My lips work against his as his tongue pushes past and thrusts against mine. If it weren’t for his arms and body supporting me, my weakened knees would have me crashing to the ground again.
He pulls back from my lips and presses his forehead against mine. Both of us are trying to catch our breath, our chests heaving from the intensity of that kiss. I need to feel him again, I need that intimacy with him. My lips feel swollen; the burn lingers from his kiss.
“My place?” I pant.
“Let’s go.”
This is going to be longest fifteen-minute drive of my life.
Chapter 12
Conner
The minute the door to her apartment shuts, I back her up against it. I need to taste her sweet lips again. She’s addicting. Her laugh, her smile, her taste, it’s like a drug I need more of. Since the night I left her on her bed, I’ve tried to pull back, tried to not to want more of her. But I just can’t deny how much I need her against me. I need to taste her, feel her. I fucking need to consume her.
My hands box her in against the door, and I nibble on her lip, eliciting a moan from her.
“I really like hearing you moan for me,” I groan. I grip her hair and tilt her head back as I kiss her neck, making her whimper. Letting go of her hair, I place my lips back on hers.
I nod and bite my lip. My heart is racing from just being on the ice. There’s no way I’m not going to not make a fool of myself. I’msogoing to end up on my ass.
“Relax. Your body’s stiff as a board right now.”
Exhaling, I try to do as he says. Working up the courage, I take a small step and move my foot along the ice. My body wobbles as the other foot naturally follows suit. I hold out my arms like a bird, flapping to keep myself upright.
“Oh my god! Conner, I just moved on ice. I skated!” In my excitement, I jump up, forgetting that I’m on ice and immediately fall on my ass. “Fuck! Ow, that hurt!” I roll over and grab the railing to try and hoist myself up. Conner comes up behind me and grabs me around the waist.
“Shit, I’m sorry, Allie. I didn’t move fast enough. Are you okay?” He moves around me and leans against the wall, his eyes roaming over me to check for any injuries.
“Yeah, yeah. I’m fine. My ass stings a bit. Oh, and my ego may be a little bruised, too.” I try to brush it off, but I can feel the heat in my cheeks.
“Should we try again? We can just take it slow. Why don’t you hold on to the railing, and I’ll help guide you?”
Giving him a weak smile, I nod. “Okay.”
Slowly, we start moving along the ice as I hold onto the wall with a death grip. I’m lost in thought, trying to hold on for dear life, when Conner breaks through.
“So, can I ask you a personal question?” He turns towards me.
“Um, sure.” My hand isnotleaving the railing. I have it gripped so tight my fingers hurt.
“I’ll preface this question by saying you don’t have to answer it. What happened to your parents?”
I let out a long sigh and look up at the people above us, watching all the skaters on the ice. “It was a bad winter storm after the holidays. They were driving home from a little getaway that my dad had planned for my mom. They hit a patch of black ice and their car skidded into another car head on.” I purse my lips and try to hold back the lump forming in my throat. It’s been a long time since that happened, but it still gets me emotional. They were my parents, and I miss them so very much.
“Christmas was the last holiday we all celebrated together.”
Conner nods. “That’s why you go all out.”
“My mom was the ugly Christmas sweater, decorate the minute Halloween ended, and Christmas music on all day long kind of person. She loved Christmas. She loved bringing the family together, the laughter, the chatter, all of it. I got my love of Christmas from her. So, every year, I go all out. I even shop last minute at the stores like she used to. It’s how I hold on to them.” I clear my throat, fighting back against the stinging in my eyes.
For a while, we skate in silence. I think Conner’s trying to process everything I just laid on him. Honestly, it’s a lot. Lacy is the only other person who knows about my family. Well, her and her family. They took me in after everything and have been my everything since then.
“My dad used to bring me here every year. It was our tradition. Him and I would skate, laugh, and just lose ourselves in the moment. Being a cop wasn’t easy, so a lot of time I saw him stressed or exhausted. But when we came here, he let go. He was happy. It was a side I rarely saw.” Conner’s voice softens almost to a whisper.
I don’t even know how to respond to that. “I’m so sorry, Conner.” I take my left hand and place it on his bicep. “He sounds like he was an incredible man who loved his family. Loved you.”
Without warning, Conner turns me, placing my back against the rink wall. His arms move under mine, locking me in place. His lips crash into mine, and he kisses me with fervor. My lips work against his as his tongue pushes past and thrusts against mine. If it weren’t for his arms and body supporting me, my weakened knees would have me crashing to the ground again.
He pulls back from my lips and presses his forehead against mine. Both of us are trying to catch our breath, our chests heaving from the intensity of that kiss. I need to feel him again, I need that intimacy with him. My lips feel swollen; the burn lingers from his kiss.
“My place?” I pant.
“Let’s go.”
This is going to be longest fifteen-minute drive of my life.
Chapter 12
Conner
The minute the door to her apartment shuts, I back her up against it. I need to taste her sweet lips again. She’s addicting. Her laugh, her smile, her taste, it’s like a drug I need more of. Since the night I left her on her bed, I’ve tried to pull back, tried to not to want more of her. But I just can’t deny how much I need her against me. I need to taste her, feel her. I fucking need to consume her.
My hands box her in against the door, and I nibble on her lip, eliciting a moan from her.
“I really like hearing you moan for me,” I groan. I grip her hair and tilt her head back as I kiss her neck, making her whimper. Letting go of her hair, I place my lips back on hers.