“You said you wanted more,” he said, his voice soft but insistent. “So come with me.”
I hesitated, the weight of the moment pressing down on me. But something in his gaze made it impossible to say no. Wynter’s hands were on me immediately, steadying me as my skates touched the ice. His grip was firm, his fingers warm against my waist.
“Relax,” he said, his voice low and close. “I’ve got you.”
His breath was steady and even as he guided me across the ice.
“You’re doing fantastic look at you,” he teased, his tone light but his gaze intent.
“I’m notdoinganything,” I shot back, trying to ignore the way my pulse quickened. “You’re dragging me.”
“More like keeping you from falling face flat,” he said, a hint of a smile playing on his lips. “But you’re still here.”
The words lingered, heavier than they should have been. His hands slid from my waist to my wrists, guiding my arms out slightly as if he were shaping me into something softer, more fluid. The intimacy of the moment was almost too much, his closeness overwhelming.
“Why are you looking at me like that?” I asked, my voice barely audible.
His lips parted, but he didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he leaned in, his face inches from mine. My breath caught, the tension between us taut and electric.
“Because I want to,” he said softly, his voice a confession. “Because Ican.”
The rink was silent, the cold air sharp against my skin, but Wynter’s presence was all-consuming. He stood close, his breath visible in the chill, his voice low but firm.
“Put your trust me,” he commanded with such authority he only embodied on the ice.
he pulled me gently onto the center of the ice, his touch steadying. His fingers found my waist, his grip solid and commanding.
“This is the tricky part,” he murmured. “Don’t look down, that makes it worse.”
Before I could reply, he lifted me up into the air. My pulse raced—not from fear, but from the sheer exhilaration of being in his hands, of being at surrender to him completely.
And then he caught me. His arms wrapped tightly around me, holding me close. My breath came short as I pressed against him, our bodies perfectly aligned. His chest rose and fell against mine, his dark eyes searching my face.
“You okay?” he asked, his voice soft but tinged with something heavier, something I couldn’t name.
I nodded, my hands clinging to his shoulders. I should’ve stepped back, but his grip didn’t loosen, and neither did mine.
“You didn’t let me fall,” I whispered.
His lips twitched, the barest hint of a smile. “I never will.”
“Hmph you say that now…” I grumbled.
The space between us thinned to nothing. His fingers tightened at my waist, and his gaze dipped to my lips for just asecond—a second too long. The air was thick with something unspoken, something dangerous.
“Come again?” he asked, his voice rough, barely above a whisper.
I couldn’t answer. I couldn’t breathe.
The world around us seemed to vanish, the cold air, the hum of the lights, everything but him. He leaned closer, his eyes locked on mine, and for a moment, Ithoughthe might kiss me. My heart raced, my skin buzzing with anticipation.
But then, just as his lips hovered near mine, I stepped back, breaking the moment.
“No,” I said, my voice trembling but firm.
His brows furrowed, confusion flashing across his face. “Yesoh—”
“I know what you want.” I breathed heavily,
