Mallory, of course, didn’t know that.
She edged closer to the shoreline. “It’s really frozen, right?”
“Yes,” Jakob said matter-of-factly. He forced himself to soften his tone. “This lake has held far heavier than us.”
She glanced back at him. “That’s comforting. I think.”
He almost smiled. Almost.
She tested the ice with one cautious foot, then another, and Jakob heard the sigh of relief under her breath when it held. The sound hit him harder than it should have. She was so alive that he would never put her in danger. His dragon stirred, pleased by it in a way Jakob didn’t allow himself to examine the knowledge too closely.
Mallory took another step, then another, before she lifted her arms instinctively for balance. “Oh. Oh wow.”
“You’ve never skated,” he realized.
She shot him another look over her shoulder. “I’veseenskating. That counts for something.”
“It does not.”
She huffed, but her smile stayed. “You sound very confident for someone still standing on solid ground.”
Jakob hesitated only a moment before he stepped onto the ice beside her. The surface didn’t so much as creak beneath his weight. He could feel every hairline fracture and every layered sheet of ice from winter's long past. The lake welcomed him. More importantly, he could feel it welcome her.
Mallory noticed his confidence. Of course she did. “You’re not even wobbling.”
“I won’t,” he said simply.
She narrowed her eyes. “That’s not fair.”
He extended a hand before he could overthink it. “Come here.”
Her gaze dropped to his fingers. Hesitation flickered before she placed her bare hand in his.
The contact sparked.
Not fire. Not heat.
Something deeper. Something that settled into him like it had always been there and was only now remembered.
Her balance faltered as soon as he drew her closer, and she let out a startled laugh and clutched his arm with her free hand. Jakob tightened his grip instantly, as steady as the mountain itself.
“I’ve got you.”
“I’m noticing,” she breathed.
He guided her slowly and carefully with small, deliberate steps. Her boots slid instead of lifted, which was both awkward and endearing. Every time she wobbled, instinct roared through him.Protect her.
“You’re doing fine,” he told her, though she was clearly not.
“I’m doingsomething,” she corrected and laughed again when her foot skidded sideways.
Jakob adjusted without thinking and pulled her closer so his arm was firm around her waist. He felt her warmth through the layers meant to protect her from the cold. It wasn’t enough and made him yearn for more contact despite his own logic.
Her hand tightened at his sleeve. “If I fall, I’m taking you with me.”
“That won’t happen.”
“That sounds very final.”
