Hudson smirks.
“Tempting,” he says, carefully sliding his hand down my arm until his gloved hand finds mine. I still, realizing he’s holding my hand.
And I’m not… freaking out.
Before I can say anything, he tugs my hand and pulls me with him. I glide a little easier.
“Come on, Bambi,” he says, his voice full of humor and sweetness, and I find my footing. I push lightly, muscle memory kicking in as I find my balance. I squeeze his hand tight, never wanting to let go.
Round and round we go with the flow of the crowd, and then he lets go.
Panic hits me as he skates away, that I’m going to fall on my ass, but I realize that will only happen if I stop.
So I keep going. I keep my eyes on him as he skates backwards, toward the edge of the rink, where he stops. He keeps his gaze on me as I slowly make my way across the rink to where he stands, and when I get there, I realize how fast my heart is racing. I stop next to him, noting his smile.
“You ready for dessert?” he asks.
“There’s more?” I ask, raising my eyebrow. Hudson grins.
“Wait here,” he says, nodding to the empty metal bleachers behind the rink.
“Yeah, sure,” I say as we make our way out. I realize when I sit down how bad my legs ache. Despite being in shape, I’ve forgotten how straining this is on your ankles and calves. Fuck.
I catch my breath, watching the people in the rink skate around. Couples holding hands. Kids goofing off. I think about earlier, about Hudson leading me around the rink. Guiding me. With his hand in mine. How much I liked it. How I want to go back out there and do it again…
A moment later, he returns with two hot chocolates and sits beside me. I moan in delight when the hot liquid hits my tongue. It’s not the best hot chocolate; a little watery and too sweet, but it’s warm. Hudson shifts closer to me, his amber gaze finding mine, then drifting to my mouth.
“What?” I ask, noting the way he’s looking at me. “Do I have something on my face? Whipped cream? Chocolate?”
Hudson shakes his head.
“Nope.”
“Then why are you staring at me like that?”
Hudson looks away and for a minute I think he’s not going to answer me, then he turns back and holds my gaze firmly.
“I can’t stare at my boyfriend because I think he’s cute?”
My heart skips a beat, and it’s like the world stops. It’s not the first time he’s said it, now, what with yesterday and even earlier in my house, but…
It feels different.
It feels… romantic, I guess. He grins.
“Yeah,” I say, my voice cracking. “I mean, of course you can.”
Hudson sips his hot chocolate, and when he pulls it away, I note the small kiss of whipped cream on the edge of his nose, and I get an idea.
I carefully slide my phone out of my pocket.
“Hey, Huds,” I say with excitement.
“What?” he asks, turning toward me.
Click.
He looks a little confused. I lean into his space and carefully swipe my finger over his nose, wiping off the cream. He tenses, realizing what happened, and his cheeks turn a deep shade of scarlet.
