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He closed his eyes and gave a deep sigh. “No, I never wore Lycra. I just practiced Cammie’s routine with her. I never actually performed.”

“What music did you dance to? It was Swan Lake , wasn’t it?”

“It wasn’t Swan Lake .” He’d opened his eyes now, and I could see a hint of amusement dancing in them. He could tell I was enjoying this.

“Look, to be honest, this is difficult to believe,” I said. “I think I’m going to need to see the receipts for this rumor, Reed.” I was totally messing with him because the truth was I believed every word. I just wanted to actually see him skate.

I think he must have realized that because he cocked his head at me and raised an eyebrow. “Seriously, Sunshine?”

“Seriously.” I grinned back at him.

He shook his head but returned my smile before he shot away across the ice at lightning speed.

It was only now I’d tried ice-skating myself that I could really appreciate just how talented Reed must be.

He made it look so simple. As easy as if he were walking or running but with infinitely more power, speed, and grace.

It reminded me of the first time I’d seen him skate when I’d showed up to the wrong game.

He glided all the way to the far side of the rink before curving his way along the boards and speeding back toward me.

I wasn’t exactly sure what he was doing, but as he drew closer to me, he launched himself up in the air and spun effortlessly in a full circle before landing neatly on one skate.

I’d completely stopped breathing, and my eyes were wide with shock. “What was that?” I gasped as Reed came to a sudden stop before me.

“An Axel,” he replied.

“That doesn’t look like something most hockey players can do.”

“Because they can’t.” Reed grinned, almost proudly. “Although, Parker would probably try to tell you otherwise.”

“Well, it was incredible.”

“Thanks.”

“But, if Parker thinks he could do it, then I’m going to have to see the whole routine before I’m fully convinced.”

“No way,” Reed replied with a laugh. “No one will ever see me do that routine. My reputation would be destroyed.”

“Not even me?”

“Sorry, Sunshine. But I would have to be out of my mind to embarrass myself like that. It would be the death of the Darling Devils.”

“Well, now, I really want to see it.”

Reed simply smiled and shook his head, and I knew there was nothing I could say to convince him to show me the routine. It had been worth a try though. He might have been embarrassed, but if the full routine was half as impressive as that one single jump, I imagined it would be pretty spectacular.

“So, I guess you didn’t get the scar from a heartbroken and angry ex-girlfriend throwing an ice skate at you.”

The smile dropped from his face, and he eyed me closely. “You believed that rumor, didn’t you?”

I shrugged.

“Well, just so you know, I’d never hurt a girl that way.”

"Perhaps not intentionally,” I agreed. “But I would have thought it came with the territory when you have so many girls throwing themselves at you.”

“Violet.” His voice lowered, and a shiver went down my spine as he said my name. “Despite what everyone says, I’m not some player. There’s only one girl I care about, and she’s standing right in front of me…”

My eyes widened, and I stood before him stunned.

He didn’t wait for a response, and instead he held out his hands toward me. “Now, are you going to give this skating thing another try?”

I hesitated. Not because I was terrified of falling on the ice but because I was terrified I was falling for him. Every moment I spent with him, I could feel the protective barriers I’d erected around my heart slipping away.

It was impossible to resist him, and I reached out and took his hands once more. “Don’t let me fall,” I said.

“Never,” he replied.

He was skating backward, smiling at me as I glided after him. The longer he held me, the more I began to wonder if perhaps it wouldn’t be so bad to fall after all.

We were halfway around the rink when the lights suddenly flicked off. I gasped and stumbled forward, but Reed’s strong arms wrapped around me. It was only dark for a moment before soft colored lights flared above, and gentle music started in the background.

I smiled at the way the lights reflected across the ice around us.

It certainly felt romantic, and as I looked into Reed’s eyes again, my heart fluttered.

His arms were gripping me tightly, and we were close enough now that I no longer felt unsteady on my feet.

The pretty lights and music created the perfect backdrop for a kiss, but I had been wanting to kiss him well before this moment.

“Does the rink normally plunge into darkness on a Sunday morning?” I murmured to him.

“Only when the center manager spots a guy who needs serious help impressing a girl.”

“I don’t think you need much help with that…”

Our bodies seemed magnetized to one another, and I could feel us shifting closer, both unable to fight the pull.

The anticipation that hung in the air created a beautifully perfect tension between us, and I didn’t think I could stop what was about to happen even if I tried.

Reed lightly placed one hand on the side of my face, rubbing his thumb against my cheek.

Gone were the jokes and the banter, and I felt exposed as I looked into his eyes.

There was nothing fake about the way my heart pounded.

I wanted Reed. And there wasn’t a single part of me that could deny it anymore.

His eyes sparkled, and he smiled as he lowered his lips to mine.

Our first kiss had been filled with fire, but this time it felt different.

Perfect. The moment was ethereal, and as our lips met, it was as light and delicate as snowflakes caressing my skin.

Each touch was gentle as if we were handling something precious.

Something tenuous and new that could disappear if you looked at it too closely or held on to it too hard.

But a breath later, those tentative first kisses gave way to something deeper, more intense—a collision of desire and longing.

As if we’d both been holding back these feelings for too long and they had swelled up into a storm that, once released, couldn’t be controlled.

The heat of our breaths mingled in perfect harmony with the frosty air surrounding us.

Reed kissed me like I was as essential to him as the air we breathed.

Sounds of chatter drifted over to us, and I heard someone shouting Reed’s name.

He pulled away, and as I regained my breath, I realized there was a group of kids giggling as they watched us from the side of the rink.

They were all dressed up in costumes and holding balloons.

It looked like they were here for a birthday party. I guessed that explained the lights.

An elderly woman was glaring at us as she shooed us from the ice.

“Sorry, Deb! We were just leaving,” Reed shouted to her before gently guiding me from the rink. His cheeks were slightly hot from embarrassment, but he didn’t take his hands or eyes off me until I was safely off the ice.

“Apparently, I don’t have a fifty-year-old wingwoman,” Reed murmured.

“Apparently not,” I agreed with a laugh.

I was all too happy to remove my skates, but I immediately missed the feel of Reed’s hand in mine and the warmth of having him hold me close.

Once my shoes were back on, I glanced at my phone and swore under my breath. “I need to get to work.”

I hated the idea of racing off immediately after the moment we’d just shared, but I didn’t have much of a choice. All I wanted right now was to kiss Reed again, but I was going to have to wait.

“When can I see you again?” he asked.

“Uh, tomorrow? I could meet you after you’re done with training?”

“Perfect.”

We both hesitated, unsure how to part. Did I go in for another kiss?

A hug? Did we shake hands? There were a few kids still watching us from the ice and giggling, so a full-blown make-out session was most definitely out of the picture.

But Reed quickly made the decision for us both and gently brushed a kiss against my cheek.

It reminded me of the first time he’d kissed me there on the day I’d laid out the rules of our fake relationship. Oh, how things had changed since then. And the simplest kiss now sent my heart and head spinning.

As I dashed from the ice rink, all I could think was how perfect this morning had been, how much I liked Reed, and how I’d well and truly gone and broken my golden rule.