“Hands off,” she instructed.
“Why, yes, ma’am.” Leaning back, I enjoyed watching her lace my shoes. There was something innately natural as well asintimate about what she was doing. Even with her spending time on the ice and developing a sweat, she had a fragrance that could easily knock me on my ass.
If she only knew how difficult it had been for this wolf to control himself. I’d almost kissed her twice, the hunger reaching a precipice I wasn’t used to.
Even now, with the way her ponytail swished back and forth across her upper back, I wanted nothing more than to grab a handful of her hair so I could keep her in place while deep-throating her with my tongue.
Well, hell. I forced myself to look away because it would seem around her my control was slipping.
“There we go. That should do it. Now, come on. I’ve got you. I’d taken the blade guards off. You’ll need to walk like a duck. That will make it easier for you.” She backed away but held her hand out. “Don’t worry. I won’t allow you to fall.”
I rubbed my palms on my pants before standing, purposely wavering on the skates. When I took her hand, the same wildly electric connection rolled down the length of my arm, hitting me square in the chest in a painful enough way I wondered what a heart attack felt like.
She constantly glanced at my feet as she helped me forward. I purposely almost tripped, forcing her to grip my arms and move her body closer.
Another even more intense wave of desire rolled through me to the point I couldn’t see straight. After snarking silently at my wolf to go back to sleep, I found it extremely taxing to try to pretend I was going to fall at any moment. My muscles were tense, every breath I took labored.
Maybe I was convincing enough because she continually offered comforting and encouraging words. “You can do it. That’s great. You’re doing so well. You could be a natural at this.”
I laughed as I scratched my head. “I think you’re being kind.”
“I’m not kind. Just ask my students.”
“Your students? You’re a teacher? And I don’t know if I can do this.” I gripped the railing for effect, even gritting my teeth so she could see my jaw was clenched.
She flitted her gaze in my direction, a beautiful twinkle adding a shimmer while at the same time I noticed the freckles dotted across her nose and upper cheeks. Her face was also flushed, likely from the cold.
But what if it was from something else?
“Of course you can do this. You can do anything you set your mind to. Yes, I’m a teacher. However, I think my students would tell you I’m more like Napoleon or even a drill sergeant.”
“That strict?”
“Oh, yes. I have to be. I teach some very troubled kids. Just trying to get through to them takes everything I have. They don’t think I’m good at what I do.”
I was so busy studying the way her lips formed words that I hadn’t realized I’d taken several steps onto the ice. Why not use that to my advantage? “I think you’re an excellent teacher.”
“Why do you say that?”
“Look at where I’m standing.”
Christine obviously hadn’t been paying attention either, laughing when she realized I was tottering on my skates.
I promptly acted as if now that her spell over me had broken, I was ready to pitch face forward. She stopped me, laughing in the process.
“Come on. A few more feet.”
Her voice was soothing, but more than that, there was a lilt that kept me on a sultry plateau. She had a way about her that was both nurturing and evocative at the same time. Within seconds, she had me twenty yards away from where we’d started. If I couldn’t skate, her lesson would be spot on.
But I was finding it very difficult to pretend.
“Do you want to try on your own?” she asked a minute or two later.
“Oh, boy. You like to see a guy fail. Huh?”
“Don’t be silly. You’re a big boy. You can handle some ice. Can’t you?”
“Well, I can certainly handle some heat. Can you?”
