She stiffened but didn’t pull away when I gently peeled her fingers from the rail. I coaxed her forward slowly toward center ice.
“You’re a menace,” she said, wobbling. “You’ve sunk my flotation device.”
I snorted. “My pleasure.”
She narrowed her eyes. “And you freaking glow in it.”
I chuckled, moving us forward. “I coach. I destroy comfort zones. You translate.”
She didn’t quite smile, but her shoulders eased a little. Her free hand floated out, the instinctive reach of a tightrope walker’s, and the other gripped mine tight.
I tried to let go, but she clutched harder. “Wait, where are you going?”
“Nowhere. Switching strategies.”
She didn’t look convinced, peering at me with suspicion.
“Side by side will throw your center off,” I said, stepping behind her, her hand still gripping mine. “From behind like this”—I placed my free hand on her hip—“you’ll be more stable for the gentle side-to-side shift.”
She craned her neck to give me a skeptical look. “That sounds suspiciously close to you pushing me ahead alone.”
“That wouldn’t be a bad idea.”
“Sean Murphy, don’t you—!”
I laughed hard before she finished. When the hell was the last time I laughed this freely without a scoreboard in the background?
“You won’t fall. Promise,” I said when I caught my breath.
She took a breath and slowly let go of my hand.
Both my hands held her hips steady as I pushed us forward in a slow glide. Her back lined up with my chest, and we found a gentle, swaying rhythm, her closeness turning the moment into a slow-burning, sexy dance. Not only the physical sensation, but the tension between us was taut, then my mind flew to the spilled undies.
I shouldn’t be doing this—teaching someone’s maybe girlfriend to skate in the middle of the night, after already giving her two late-night rides. A pattern was forming, one I couldn’t keep brushing off.
But her fingers had let go of the wall and held mine.
“Are you seeing someone?” The words were already there before I could talk myself out of it.
Her breath caught for a second. Then she twisted slightly, glancing back at me. “No.”
One honest word. Which of course was the most dangerous answer of all. So, the flirty panties were for her own peace of mind?
My hold automatically firmed on her hips, her warmth bleeding through the layers. I guided her around the rink, keeping her balanced. And damn it, I almost wished she’d said yes. Because this thing, this not-off-limits spark wasn’t breaking any rules, but it sure as hell was getting into my head, knocking loose the focus I relied on.
I’d told myself I was helping her build confidence, but guiding her like this, hand steady at her waist, I was crossing into something murkier. The air wasn’t cold anymore, heat gathered under my gear.
Then she leaned back slightly, her shoulder brushing my chest as she found the rhythm, trusting me completely. That was it. Not the closeness, not the late hour, not even the damn panties.Trust. The ease in her body hit too close. Evie had trusted me too.
“It’s getting late,” I said, easing back a little. “We should call it.”
I led her to the rink exit. We shuffled off the ice, her balance shaky.
“Thanks,” she said, eyes avoiding mine.
“Don’t mention it,” I replied.
I watched her unlace the skates and leave the arena. Only then did I push off and cross to the other side, slipping through the back to my car.
