Grabbing the skates, which I now notice he brought, he places my feet in them just as gently. They’re a perfect fit. “How did you know my shoe size?”
He shrugs without looking up as his ears turn a shade of red. “I guessed.”
While he continues with his task, I enjoy the rare chance of drinking him in. He looks right at home on his knees. I bet he’d look just as good doing other things on his knees, too. A lock of rogue hair falls on his forehead, refusing to stay in place with the others.
My fingers strain in my lap as I restrain myself from doing something stupid like touching it. He’s stunning. He’s alluring, and I know that he knows it. How can you not when you look like he does and have the talent to back it up?
His gentle caution with my feet makes liquid pool in my belly, and my heart beats at a staccatoof its own. It’s no secret he hates me. Then why is he being so careful with me, I wonder.
Patting my thighs a couple of times with those huge hands, he hoists me to my feet, pulling me out of my out-of-character and highly inappropriate thoughts. God, he’d laugh at me if he found out I find him attractive.
Wait! Did I just admit that I find him attractive?
Fucking great!
He offers me his hand while I tilt my head to look at him with a frown marring my features. “Why aren’t you mocking me?” For a second, I feel like I see hurt flash through his eyes. But that can’t be right. Right?
He clears his throat and asks as if my question doesn’t make sense to him, like it’s absurd, “Why would I do that?”
But he’s the one acting absurd, or have I been plunged into an alternate universe while I was sleeping and didn’t even realize it? I seriously inspect my surroundings to discern if that, in fact, is the case.
“Come on now. Let’s do this,” he beckons me with his still outstretched hand. Hesitantly, I place my palm in his, his fingers curling around mine, fitting perfectly.
Waddling like a penguin behind him, I stand on the edge of the ice. Shaking my head repeatedly, I express, “I don’t want to.”
I look at the hard ice, and a picture of my skull splattered on it flashes through my mind. I’m nowhere near drunk enough to giggle at it. “I will fall, and I will die.”
He lets loose a surprised chuckle. “No, you’re not going to fall and die, Kaeli.”
I glare at him, the sound of his chuckle making my stomach flip like I’m a fucking teenager. “Don’t patronize me.”
He swivels to look at me, taking both my hands in his. “Come on, Kaeli. I promise I won’t let you fall. Trust me.” Sincerity drips from his voice, and I bury my fears for a moment, staring at his handsome face.
“I don’t trust you,” I scowl at him, yet not pulling my hands from his grasp as the rough pads of his thumb tenderly caress my skin, drawing a shiver out of me.
He throws his head back and laughs at my claim. “Smart woman.” My own lips threaten to tilt up at the sound. “Now, step down on the ice. I know you can do it.”
“But why the hell are you teaching me to skate,Ezra?” I find myself asking him, unable to wrap my head around his decision.
He tilts his head like I voiced the stupidest question ever. “Because no one did, Kaeli.” He says like it’s that simple.
His words are both a punch to the gut and the balm over it, soothing the persistent ache. No one has ever done something like this for me. Even those who claimed to like me, to be my friends. Whereas this man has never shied away from the truth. He accepts that he hates me and doesn’t hide it.
And yet, this is the man who paid enough attention, cared about me enough to attempt to teach me to skate without an ulterior motive. My eyes threaten to water, and I hate that he can arouse such a strong emotion out of me.
I don’t think I’ll ever be able to repay his kindness.
Fourteen
Kaeli
“Don’t leave me,” I blurt out, trying to disguise the tremors racking my body.
He squeezes my hand as he ever so slowly pulls me across the ice. “Don’t worry, I got you.”
I’m afraid that’s what the problem is. If he keeps showing me this side of himself, I might never want him to let me go. And that scares the shit out of me.
I pick up one foot and move over the ice like I’m walking. Peeking a glance at him, I find him looking at me, astonished. My brows knittogether. “What?”
