Larry squeezes her shoulder in comfort.
“Thanks, I really appreciate it.” She fiddles with the piece of paper, eyes filling with determination.
Clearing his throat, Larry changes the subject. “Are you coming here for Thanksgiving this year? I know last time you celebrated with your friends.”
Ava shrugs and tucks the folded piece of paper in her purse. “Since Celine’s got herself a boyfriend, I think they’re celebrating with her dad, but I don’t know for sure. I’ll be here if you want me, so be sure to make extra food.” Ava winks. “You guys know how much I love Thanksgiving food.”
Tipping her head toward me, Linda says, “Valen, you’re more than welcome to join us. We keep it small, but we’d love to have you.”
“I appreciate your invitation and gladly accept.” I hold a hand over my heart and bow in her direction. She giggles, and Ava mouths around her hand, asking if I am sure.
I nod at her, and the smile I receive in return warms my heart.
CHAPTER 19
AVA
“I thinkit’s about time we cross something off your bucket list, don’t you?” I wave my spoon at Valen after licking off the ice cream. A sweet treat is always a must, even if most people consider it too early in the day.
“What did you have in mind?” Valen leans against the wall with his lean legs crossed. I almost drool at the gorgeous man holding his tiny dog in his arms. Pom Pom looks up at him with round brown eyes full of love, his tongue lolling out the side of his mouth.
That’s going in the spank bank.
Forcing those thoughts from my head, I say, “The ice rink just opened for the season, and I’ve been waiting all year to go. It’s so much fun.”
“What do you do there?” he asks curiously.
“Ice skate! You put special shoes on that have a blade on the bottom that allow you to glide over ice. They usually have it decorated nicely and play music while you skate,” I explain andpull my hair up in a ponytail. His eyes track the movement with undisguised interest.
“Sounds strange and dangerous.”
I roll my eyes at him and grab a coat off the rack by the door. “That’s what you say about almost everything. Let’s go.” My zipper gets stuck, and I pull on it to no avail. “Ugh, come on.”
My hair blows around my face as Valen appears in front of me and carefully pulls the zipper up. While he does it, he locks eyes with me and continues to glide it toward my neck.
“Stop making mundane tasks hot!” I sputter and accidentally hit him with my ponytail as I spin around. “My lady bits can only take so much.” I throw my hands in the air.
Valen chuckles and grabs his own coat, pulling it on with ease. “Let us roll.”
I pat his chest. “Let’sroll, big guy, but close enough.”
“What the fuck?” I fight not to fall for what feels like the hundredth time while Valen skates circles around me. “Isn’t this your first time? How are you this good?” Annoyance creeps into my tone. It’s entirely unfair that he’s good ateverything. I’m now determined to find something he sucks at—perhaps knitting, though he’s unusually good with his hands, or maybe drawing.
“Correct.” He makes a circle around me. “But it feels similar to a training exercise we used to follow. Muscle memory, I suppose,” Valen concedes and playfully sprays me with a little bit of ice from his skates. “It feels a bit like flying,” he says in a wistful voice.
I wonder if he misses it—being an angel—but I don’t want to ask and ruin the fun we’re having.
I do an awkward shuffle to attemptto walk on the ice but slip once more. My arms flail out as I try to grab on to anything, but I’m too far from the boards. Resigning myself to my fate, I close my eyes and brace for impact … only it never comes.
“Clumsy, tiny one,” Valen chides as he pulls me around into the circle of his embrace. His hands lock on my hips and help push me forward.
He holds me steady as we skate around. Every so often, his fingers flex against my hips like he’s holding himself back from squeezing me tighter. It’s on the tip of my tongue to beg him to do just that.
The fact that Valen is a virgin in all ways is adorable and yet terrifying at the same time. I want to continue to go at his pace and help him experiment with what he likes, but I’m also desperate for more.
Lost in my head, it takes a moment to realize how Valen has locked up in a different way or how his breath comes out in harsh pants near my ear. I glance around to see what’s affected him this way and find a large group of people on the ice. The number of skaters has increased exponentially, and our little corner is packed.
“Ava,” Valen whimpers, and I give his forearm a squeeze.
