Emma nodded, her throat suddenly dry. "Sure."
“Meet me at the top of the stairs?” Emma bobbed her head. Tyler pushed off from the boards, then stopped and turned back. “Promise you won’t leave?”
Emma tucked her hair behind her ears and flashed a teasing smile. “Depends on how long I have to wait.”
Tyler set his jaw and sprinted across the ice. Emma laughed and grabbed his licence off of the boards, then slipped it into her pocket.
* * *
Tyler's heart thudded as he raced toward the locker room, his skates biting into the rubber floor. He skidded to a halt, nearly losing his balance and dropping his stick and helmet in his haste to reach the door.
Inside, he fumbled with the straps and buckles of his gear. Why were there so many things to undo? He cursed under his breath as he wrestled with the layers of padding, not bothering to pack his bag nicely as he stripped.
Finally, he managed to shed the last of his gear, leaving him clad in only a sweat-soaked T-shirt and compression shorts. He tore them off his skin and bolted to the showers, not even waiting for the water to warm up. He scrubbed his hair and skin, then rinsed off as fast as humanly possible and towelled off.
His hair was still dripping when he emerged from the locker room, panting and dishevelled, but no longer smelling like sweat and iron.
He slung his bag over his shoulder and gripped his stick as he jogged to the stairs. When he reached the top, he was out of breath.
Emma took a sip of her drink and handed the other cup to Tyler. “That was impressive.”
Tyler dropped his bag, then set the London Fog on the thin strip of the ticket counter behind her. He grabbed the drink in her hand and the paper bag she was holding and set it next to his cup.
“Tyler, what—” Emma’s breath hitched as he grabbed her hips and pushed her back against the wall, her hair covering the paper taped there announcing the upcoming summer free skate schedule.
He couldn’t wait another second to pick up where they left off. Tyler pressed his body against hers, the wet tips of his hair brushed her forehead as she looked up at him. Her coat was still undone, and he moved his hands up the sides of her body.
Emma’s eyes flicked to the offices with lights on down the hall. Tyler brushed his nose against her cheek and watched her eyelids flutter closed as she inhaled. “Who told you I didn’t work on property?” he whispered.
Emma’s throat worked, and seeing the effect he had on her was intoxicating. “Troy’s ex. She came by today, and—” She sucked in a breath, as Tyler pulled her earlobe into his mouth. “I went to your house on Saturday night, and I saw her. I thought—”
Tyler pulled back and looked at her. “You came to our house Saturday?”
Emma nodded. “When I heard about Troy. I figured you’d found out that morning, and then the way we left things—I wanted to make sure you were okay.”
“And you thought I was sleeping with her?” he asked. Emma smiled weakly. Tyler smoothed her hair out of her eyes. “I haven’t been with anyone since we met.”
Emma raised an eyebrow. “Since we met? At Tim Hortons?”
Tyler nodded. “Couldn’t do it.”
Something flickered in Emma’s expression. “Why not?”
She knew the answer, or she wouldn’t be asking, but he could see in her expression that she needed to hear him say it.
“Because all I can think about is you.” He kissed the tip of her nose. “It’s been annoying as hell.”
Emma laughed and slipped her hands under the edge of his shirt, brushing his lower back.
“Bowen! Why the hell are you still here?”
Tyler spun to find Nora, the assistant manager of the Ice Arena, stalking toward the front doors. Her eyes widened and she stopped. “Oh, Emma. I didn’t—” Nora cleared her throat. “We’re closing for the storm, so I suggest you get home before the roads freeze over.”
Emma’s cheeks were stained pink as Tyler pulled back. His pulse quickened. He didn’t want to go home, at least not alone, but he had no idea what Emma was thinking.
Tyler picked up his gear, then snatched the paper bag from the counter and opened it.
“You’re eating that now?” Emma laughed.
