I get on the swing and Marcel stands and watches me as I lean back and pump my legs to the sky.
“Aren’t you a little old for that?” he asks with a sexy smirk, which makes me wonder what he’s thinking.
“You of all people should know you are never too old.” I swing higher, feeling free.
He watches me and the children for a long moment, with his hands buried in his coat pockets, but I can see the muscle ticking in his jaw. “You’re making this very difficult for me,” he mutters.
“Good,” I say quietly, almost to myself as I swing high and take a flying leap off.
He jumps to catch me and, though I’ve landed, Marcel scoops me into his arms.
“What the?” He seems shocked.
“It’s time to teach an old dog—”
He eyes me like he’ll flat out drop me if I finish that sentence.
“—how to ice skate.” I broaden my grin and he gently sets me down.
“Who says I don’t already know how to ice skate,” he huffs clearly bluffing.
“Billionaires don’t ice skate,” I say flat out.
“Very judgmental, Juliet.” He acts affronted.
“Well, let’s see how well you can skate.” We walk deeper into the park where there is a little lake that has been converted into an ice rink with a bright sparkling banner draped along the shore. The vendor has skates and benches set up to put them on.
For a heartbeat, we just stand there in the falling snow. The silence between us is heavy, much heavier than I expected. Since it’s Christmas vacation all the kids are out and about. We watch mothers and fathers with their young children holdinghands and teaching them how to skate. There are a few hot shots on the ice, teenagers who probably grew up on the lake skating.
Marcel’s gloved hand brushes mine. It’s a fleeting touch, but it sends a rush of warmth up my arm that I can’t ignore.
“I can’t skate,” he says softly as if he’s choking up. “No one ever taught me how, ma chérie.”
I squeeze his hand and smile. “No time like the present.” I widen my grin and he looks horrified.
Chapter Sixteen
Marcel
“No. Absolutely not, this is where I draw the line. I could break my back,” I complain as Juliet drags me toward the stand where a man and woman are renting ice skates to the public. “And I’m not wearing rental shoes.” Just the thought of it sickens me.
“I tried something for the first time with you,” she gives me a sexy evil grin.
“That was entirely different.”
Was it though?
She might have been just as frightened to have sex for the first time but she never let me know. However, Juliet does everything with bravery and grace.
“I guess you could buy a pair, they have a few for sale, maybe they have some in your size.” She walks over to the vendors and I take her hand.
“I can’t,” I confess, too afraid to try to ice skate, which looks impossible.
“But it’s fun,” she looks defeated.
“Not to me. I can watch you skate.” I give her a loving smile.
“Not without you.” She cocks her head. “Ready to check out the library, then? We have about an hour before we need to head over to Fire Lake for the Festival and Christmas market.”
