Page 28 of Just A Little Joy

“No toe pick for me, but I think I can manage to show you a few things.”

I wasn’t sure if I was falling for him, or if he was just making it very hard not to.

SEVEN

TRAVIS

If this was what it meant to be a Daddy, sign me up. Holding Casey’s hand in mine as we eased around the rink made me feel ten feet tall. It took a few false starts for him to find his feet, but once he got the hang of it, he let go of one of my hands and started gliding mostly on his own. Every so often, he shot me a nervous look, and I answered with a smile that told him to keep going. After a few laps, he was ready to let go completely, but I missed the feel of his hand in mine. I fervently hoped he was as touchy-feely as I was.

Watching him reach for me like that hit something old and quiet in my chest, something that had been waiting for the right person to lean into.

“You’re doing great, bub,” I told him as he took the turn on his own, but I jinxed him. Within seconds, he lost control and landed on his butt, skidding across the ice.

The way he looked up at me with that mix of embarrassment and trust made every protective instinct I had flare hot.

“Ha. I think you meant I was doing great, and now I’m back where I started,” Casey said with a laugh.

I hurried over and braced myself to pull him up. His legs were a little wobbly, and he fell into me. When our chestsbumped, my lungs forgot how to work. Casey’s hands gripped my biceps, his fingers flexing through my jacket. He was so close. His mouth was inches away, full and pouty and impossible to ignore. I dipped my head and brushed my lips over his. The taste was too tempting, so I went back for a second. Casey pressed more firmly against me, and I settled my mouth on his for a longer sip.

My tongue slipped between his lips, and his met mine in a bold slide. I felt rather than heard his small sigh with Casey so close. I knew there were cameras on the rink, and as much as I wanted to explore every invitation he offered, the middle of this place couldn’t be it. Casey’s fingers snaked their way under my shirt, and I literally yelped at how cold they were on my skin. I glanced down and realized I’d left my gloves on while his hands were bare.

“Holy shit, bub. Why didn’t you say something?”

“About what?” Casey looked genuinely confused. He glanced around before lifting his face back up to me. “I’m gonna need a little more to go on.”

“About how cold you were. I don’t want you getting frostbitten in here.”

“Oh, it’s only cold when I touch the ice.”

“Uh, yeah, that’s kinda the point. You were touching the ice, and now your hands are frozen.”

“Sorry.” Casey immediately withdrew from me and shoved his hands in his pockets. Shit.

He always pulled back too fast, like he was bracing for trouble that was never coming from me.

“Nope, that’s not what I meant.” I pulled them back out and raised them to my mouth so I could blow some warm air on them. When they seemed less icy, I pulled off my gloves and put them on him instead. “Here, this will help.”

“Won’t that mean you’re going to be cold?”

The fact that he even worried about my comfort while shivering told me more about his heart than anything else could.

“Meh, I’m more used to it.”

“You know, I do snowboard.”

“Yeah? I haven’t been in forever.”

“Maybe we can trade good times?” I kinda choked at Casey’s choice of words because I doubted he meant where my mind wandered. “I mean, you showed me ice skating so I could show you snowboarding.” Casey paused and then looked away. He almost looked embarrassed, like he’d said something wrong. “If you wanted, I mean.”

He said it like it was nothing, but the offer felt like a door cracking open to a life I hadn’t let myself imagine.

“Yeah,” I said and raised his hands so I could blow on them again. “I’d want that.” Casey’s face transformed from fake nonchalant to the brightness I was used to from him. “But for now, let’s get you off the ice and try to get dry. All those falls left your sweats pretty wet.”

“Ugh, I’m going to get your car seat wet. Are you sure you don’t mind taking me home? It’s across town from here,” he said as he glided across the ice slowly toward the wall opening to leave the rink.

“My place is closer. Why don’t you just stay with me tonight?” I kept my voice casual, but I knew my insides were churning. “I can get you into warm clothes and some hot chocolate pretty quick.”

Inviting him home felt reckless and inevitable at the same time, like my whole body had already decided he belonged there.