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‘That’s why you’re here isn’t it?’

‘But do you not want to give Aiden hell for setting you up?’

‘I can do that later. Right now, you’re due a lesson and I’m more than capable of giving it to you. Unless you think I’m not up to the task.’

‘I know you’re more than capable, I’ve just told you as much.’

‘So, what’s the problem?’

She couldn’t believe he was offering. After everything she’d done, after everything he’d just divulged against his will too.

Was this an olive branch? His way of saying let bygones be bygones…

And if it is, what are you doing debating it?

Get your bloody skates on!

‘Is it because I’m not Aiden?’

* * *

Blake stared at a flabbergasted Astrid and wanted to give himself a smack upside the head.

He’d been making amends. Trying to show her that he wanted to move forward. That he didn’t care that she liked his brother. That the kiss they’d shared hadn’t imprinted on him. That it hadn’t kept him awake at night and stolen his concentration by day.

How the hell he’d managed a record-scoring game that week he had no idea, but he’d suspected she’d be watching, and he’d wanted to outshine the rest, be the best.

But to what end?

She liked Aiden and he needed to make peace with that.

Because looking into Astrid’s eyes and seeing the compassion and understanding glistening back at him, to know that regardless of who she wanted in the bedroom, she cared about him… that it wasn’t just about her article, it was about his wellbeing.

So why in the hell had he asked that ?

‘Get your skates on and forget I said anything. I’ll go clear the cones off the ice.’

He pushed off and she reached out. ‘Wait.’

Slowly he did a one-eighty, eyes narrowing on her frown, the way she chewed over her lip…

‘I’m… I’m really sorry for what happened,’ she said eventually. ‘For what I did.’

His jaw pulsed as his body fired with the memory of just that … ‘You should’ve been straight with me from the beginning.’

‘Straight with you?’

‘About liking my brother,’ he said tightly. ‘I wouldn’t have liked it, but I wouldn’t have got in your way.’

‘You weren’t in my way. It wasn’t… it’s not like that.’

He swallowed the noise in his head, in his heart, and focused on her and the potential hurt she was walking into. Because he could care about her too.

‘Well, whatever it’s like, just watch yourself. My brother’s a good guy, he has a good heart, but he gave it to a girl a long time ago, and I don’t think he ever got it back again.’

Her eyes widened, her chin lifting, voice weak. ‘He did?’

‘He hasn’t mentioned her…?’

Of course Aiden hadn’t. The man was trying to outrun his past, like the rest of them.

‘No. How long ago are we talking?’

He hesitated, the shimmering emotion in her eyes giving him pause.

‘Are we talking a few years? More?’

‘They were childhood sweethearts.’

She gave a nervous chuckle, her false bravado destroying him. ‘Long enough ago not to leave an impact now, surely?’

‘Aiden would like the world to think so. But for a man who thinks he’s an expert on how our exit from Ashbury Falls affected me and Mom, he’s pretty clueless when it comes to himself.’

She wrapped her arms around her middle. ‘Why are you telling me?’

‘Because as much as I love him, I’m not sure he’s the guy for you. And I’m not saying this because I like you…’ You sure about that? ‘I’m saying it to protect you.’

A weighted pause and then, ‘Thank you.’ She took a breath. ‘I appreciate it.’

Did she? Or was she just saying that to make him feel better?

‘You still want to do this?’ He gestured to the ice.

‘ Want is questionable with these toes, but yes, let’s do this.’

And then he swept away before he said anything else, did anything else to land him in further trouble. His brother was going to kill him for mentioning Sienna, but hell, the entire situation was killing him already.

He snuck a look her way as he gathered up the cones, relieved to see she hadn’t bolted with his revelation.

She’d taken a seat and was pulling on her skates.

Her ponytail had fallen over one shoulder, that one stray curl falling from the rim of her black beanie to her thigh…

and there went his fingers, tingling with the tease again.

Dammit all.

When he’d first seen her across the ice, he’d been mad.

Mad at himself for his own impossible reaction to her.

Her warm honey eyes and a smile that got to him whatever level it sat at.

Her body clad in skintight black, the layers doing nothing to detract from her femininity.

Hell, she’d been a sight for sore eyes, and he shouldn’t have wanted her still. Not after everything…

But he did. And what kind of an idiot did that make him?

The kind who’s falling in love for the first time, perhaps?

‘Ready?’ He launched across the rink, pushing the answer away with every fierce stroke of his skates.

‘All yours,’ she said, slapping her thighs and giving him a grin.

Damn , he wished.

She launched to her feet and promptly fell back with a yelp.

‘Alright, Twinkle Toes, you wanna try that again?’

He hopped off the ice and took her by the hand, ignoring the warmth that worked its way beneath their gloves as he tugged her up.

‘I warn you,’ she murmured, her voice as unsteady and apprehensive as her step. ‘I’m not very good at this.’

‘Don’t worry, I’ve got you.’

Her lashes flickered, her eyes locking onto his. Warm and… trusting.

‘We’ll do this together, okay?’

She nodded and he eased her onto the ice, every inch of him attuned to her. Every breath, every wobble, every nervous giggle…

He moved around to face her, taking both hands in his. ‘Okay? Now push off with the foot that feels more natural, and I’ll match you… that’s it, now glide.’

She followed his instruction, her gaze drifting to their feet…

‘Uh-uh. Keep looking up.’

Her eyes came back to him and his heart pulsed with his smile.

‘That’s it. Now push… and glide. Push… and glide.’

He matched his rhythm to hers, kept up the instruction, losing himself in it and her, their bodies working in tandem, the soft whoosh of their skates filling the air.

He let go of the pent-up tension, the questions, the unresolved feelings…

though the urge to have her glide that bit closer, to catch her in his arms and spin away with her…

She laughed softly. ‘I can’t believe I’m doing it.’

‘I can.’

Her smile was full of wonder. ‘You really are good.’

‘You might want to save the praise for when I have you going it alone.’

He eased out from her front, releasing one hand and felt her fingers tighten around his other. ‘Just relax and keep doing what you’re doing. I’ve got you.’

She gave a shaky nod, her jaw unclenching as she did so. Her trust in him danced along his veins, teased at his heart. ‘You’ve got this.’

They did a few loops of the rink, her posture improving with her confidence. ‘You ready to try it alone?’

She sent him a panicked look.

‘Don’t worry, I’ll be right beside you.’

They took a few more strokes connected and then he peeled his fingers from hers. She wobbled, her tongue peeking out of the corner of her mouth as she fought to find her balance and her rhythm once more. ‘I’ve got it, I’ve got?—’

She started to go, her body rocking forward, arms flailing… He swept to her side, catching her around the waist as her skates went out from beneath her.

‘Got you!’ He launched her into his arms, a thousand volts shooting through him as she pressed up against him, her soft yelp muffled by his chest.

He turned his head away as her scent tried to burrow its way in, everything about this moment taking him back to that kiss. Fuck , that kiss.

She’d tasted of heaven, felt like silk, her scent more intoxicating than any drink…

‘You okay?’

He held her steady, his hands firm around her waist as she lifted her hands to his shoulders and regained her feet. She shook her head, her hat tickling at his chin.

‘I warned you, didn’t I?’

‘It takes practice. You think I didn’t fall on my ass several times over when I started out?’

Hell, he sounded gruff. Raw. Had she noticed? Of course she’d noticed. This was Astrid; the woman noticed everything.

‘But you’re teaching the unteachable Twinkle Toes here.’

He lifted one hand to her chin and forced her to look up at him. ‘I promise, I’ll get you there.’

His intent had been to make her believe him, to make her believe in herself, but as her eyes met his, the rink fell away… there was that look. A simmering heat beneath the vulnerability. Want. Desire. Only she didn’t. And it hit like a sucker punch to his gut.

‘You ready to try again?’

She took a breath that shuddered through her and into him. ‘Okay.’

‘Good.’ It was abrupt, and everything he needed to be to snuff out the fire, grateful that he’d been able to see sense. Not so grateful to be right.