“Yes,” Jack said, gripping her hands tighter. “I promise I won’t let you fall.”
Jessica took a fortifying breath, and Jack watched as the apprehension in her eyes turned to determination, as her spine straightened and her chin lifted.
Then, she stepped off the bench.
As he’d promised, he held her hands as he glided backward, easing them in a slow lap around the rink. Jessica’s movements were stiff and awkward at first, but by the time they made one full loop, she’d loosened up, taking Jack’s murmured instructions under advisement.
“I think you can try on your own now, don’t you?” he said.
“No!” she protested, but Jack had already pulled away.
“You’ve got this, sunshine!” he yelled as he blazed a path across the ice. Rarely did Jack get to skate without all of his gear on, and he took the opportunity to bask in the freedom of unrestricted movements, of not being bogged down by his pads and glove and oversized stick.
Jessica simply watched him, and Jack relished in the way her eyes clung to his body as he skated backward. He didn’t miss the way her chest rose and fell rapidly despite the fact that she stood still.
Jack grinned wickedly at her, skating to her side and coming to a stop, showering her skates and shins with ice shavings.
“Where’d your mind just go?” he asked roughly, reaching up to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear.
“I’m still wishing we were home in bed,” she said. “But that”—she gestured to his body, and presumably to the way he’d moved across the ice—“explains the stamina.”
She reached out for him, and he skated closer, pulling her into his arms.
“Those pads are heavy,” he said against her mouth, his lips brushing across hers in a tantalizing caress that had her surging forward—but Jack skated out of reach.
“Jack!” she whined.
“Nope,” he said, grinning at her, though he’d surprised himself with his self-control. Every molecule of his body screamed at him to take her, even if they were standing on a sheet of frozen water. But there would be time for that later.
“Then what are we doing here? Because I’m not gonna lie, I’m not having a good time.”
Jack balked at that, his skates instantly coming to a stop. “Really?”
“Really,” she said, crossing her arms once again. “I’m not good at this. And I’m fucking freezing!” she yelled, her words echoing from the rafters.
Without hesitation, Jack was at her side, scooping her into his arms and rushing back to the bench. Jessica squealed, but didn’t protest. When they reached the bench, he wordlessly placed her on it and untied her skates, then slipped her boots back on.
“I’m sorry,” she said quietly when she was once again in street shoes, feet planted firmly on the ground.
“It’s okay, Jess,” he said, giving her a small, reassuring smile. Then he extended a hand for her. “Come on.”
“Now where are we going?” she asked as he led her down the tunnel and through the bowels of the building. Thanks to the addition and upgrades to the facility, this path was a lot less dark and dank than it used to be. It was well lit, warm, and decorated in Spartan green and white.
“You’ll see,” he said as he led her down the hall, past the physical therapy pools and tables, the equipment rooms and showers, the storage lockers and media rooms. Finally, they rounded a corner into the lounge, and Jessica gasped.
“Is this all for me?” she asked, meeting his gaze.
“Yes,” he said somewhat shyly.
“It’s…beautiful.”
“Come, let’s sit.”
He led her to the couch in the corner, the table in front of it laden with the spoils of his earlier shopping trip. Jessica’s hand flew to her mouth when she spied the label on the pastry boxes.
When they were seated, Jack reclined against the couch back, Jessica’s back to his front, relaxed against him, and Jessica had been sated by pastries, she asked, “Why here?”
“What do you mean?”
