Page 53 of Shallow

The way she smiles through her threat is the moment I know I’m sitting with apsychopath.

Although what I told her wasn’t entirely the truth. Okay, fine, I made the whole thing up. But when it comes to Taryn, I give zero fucks if she finds out I just sold her a line of bullshit or not. There’s no way in hell I’m telling her where I’m really taking Shiloh. Why in the hell would I? So she can show up and shit all over what I’ve put inmotion?

Fuckthat.

Without even so much as a goodbye, I disconnect the call and throw the phone on the seat beside me. Not even Taryn’s threats will stop me from what I have plannedtonight.

* * *

Shiloh wrapsher hands around her bare arms and shivers even though I have a firm grip on her shoulders. My body is pressed close behind hers as I walk her forward, slightly amused by the geriatric shuffle steps she’s taking. Obviously, she doesn’t trustme.

For goodreason.

“Where the hell did you take me, Cary? It took forever to get here and this blindfold itches. Not to mention I can’t see anything, and, shit, it feels like we’ve walked into a meatlocker.”

“Calm down, Starshine.” I move her where I want her, reminding myself why we’re here, because the blindfold is doing more for me than her. It conjures illicit thoughts of restraining the rest of her and I almost groan inanticipation.

“Cary!” she shouts, reminding me where we are as I reach down and attempt to tame my hardeningerection.

“What?”

“Are we going to stand here all day, or do you plan on just parading me around a walk-in freezer blindfolded for shits andgiggles?”

Obviously, we’re not at a bar, and I never had any intention of calling Will. In fact, the place is completely deserted. Just how I plannedit.

Phase one. Earn hertrust.

Working my fingers through the knot tied at the back of her head, I lean in close and press my lips against the outside of her ear. “Didn’t anyone ever tell you that patience is avirtue?”

She snorts, the sound echoing throughout the empty arena. “Didn’t anyone ever tell you that virtue is a quality wasted on good Catholic girls andvirgins?”

“I’ve never been a fan ofvirgins.”

“And I’ve never been a fan of stalling. Take this shit off,Cary.”

As the last knot unties and the blindfold slides down her cheeks, I wait for it. She doesn’t disappoint, letting out a gasp as she covers her mouth. “This is an ice skatingrink.”

“Wow, prettyandquick,” I joke as her hand flies over her shoulder and smacks my arm. Resting my chin in the crook of her neck, I nod toward the freshly packed ice. “This isn’t just any ice skating rink, Starshine. This is the Wilmington Ice House. The Ice Hawks play here. A few of these kids have even grown up to play in theNHL.”

“Yeah, but that doesn’t explain why we’re here. And why you blindfolded me and drove me all this way just to show me a slab of ice where some smelly boys hit each other with sticks, and…” Shiloh’s face pales and her eyes widen as understanding finally settles across her face. “Oh my God. You brought me ice skating because of what I saidyesterday?”

“I asked if you could’ve done anything in the world, what would it have been. You said ice skating. So, cover girl, it’s time to put your blade where your mouthis.”

“No,” she laughs, pressing both hands out in front of her, “you’re not getting me in a pair of skates outthere!”

“Whynot?”

“Because I’ll make an ass out of myself. I can’t skate, Cary. I was being hypothetical. I didn’t think you’d take me soliterally.”

“Well, literally speaking, you don’t know me well enough anymore to make assumptions about what I will or will not do. And hypothetically, if you bust your ass, no one is here to seeit.”

Shiloh takes a wide scan around the rink and pops a hand on her hip. “What did you do, rent out theplace?”

“Something likethat.”

Shiloh has never been one to rattle easily, so I get a kick out of the way she blinks repeatedly as if I just told her I’d decided to climb Mt. Everest bucknaked.

“Cary, you don’t have the money for something likethat.”