laughed, slapping a gloved hand over her mouth and wobbling at the sudden movement. Her heart pounded a staccato beat, and she concentrated on keeping her hands from trembling. “Yes. I would love to.”
Aaron flashed her that killer smile, and once again her heart was leaping into her throat. He held out her hand, and she took it, allowing him to lead her out onto the ice. They were both a bit shaky on their feet, gliding over the ice, hand in hand. Crisp, cool air whipped against her cheeks and in her hair. She couldn’t help the excited smile plastered to her face. The scraping sound of blades on ice, laughter and music made it a magical moment she’d burn into her memory forever.
Whirling in front of her, Aaron skated backwar d, both his hands clasping hers as he led her around ring.
“You’ve skated before,” she said, a little surprised at his skill. “But inside you were wobbling!”
He shrugged, a shy smile on his lips. “Once or twice on a frozen loch. It’s been awhile. You?”
“Not enough.” She swayed, shifting her feet. “And never on a frozen loch. Sounds magical.”
“You’re doing a great job,” he said , glancing around before turning back to her. “Most beautiful skater here.”
She raised a brow. “You are a charming one.”
Aaron tugged her closer to him, so like a dream. His scent was intoxicating and she was so close to just giving up all her inhibitions and pressing her lips to his.
“I prefer honest.” He flashed a devilish grin and she nearly lost her balance.
“Thank you,” she ducked her head, feeling the heat of a blush flame her cheeks.
He pulled her even closer, just barely flush against him, making her worry the points of their skates would tangle. Wrapping an arm around the small of her back, his heat seeping into her, he leaned down and whispered, “You’re welcome,” in her ear.
Just two simple words, but they still sent a shiver of delight careening over her senses. She lost her footing, clutching at his chest. Aaron chuckled, and steadied her on her feet.
“Careful, else we spend dinner at the hospital instead of 48.”
“Forty-eight?” Her mind whirled. “Like the 48?” Only one of the swankiest places at the Center, regularly visited by celebrities.
“You don’t like it?” He looked concerned.
“I…” How could she say she wouldn’t know, she’d never been? She glanced down at her jeans. “I’m not dressed appropriately.”
He looked relieved, followed by utterly sexy as his grin returned. “We’ve got time.”
Chapter Four
W as he making a mistake?
Aaron ran a hand through his hair, and stared at the buzzer outside of Darla’s apartment. They’d separated after the rink, each of them going home to change.
He was probably coming on too strong. One sort-of date at the cocoa shop, then he whisks her away from work to ice skate and now he was taking her to 48 where paparazzi stormed like ants at a picnic?
Yeah, this was a mistake. He turned away from the buzzer, prepared to call her and tell her something came up. But he didn’t have her number. He could probably get it from her café—but were they open at eight o’clock on a Monday night?
He always did this. Rushed head-long into every situation good or bad. Darla was good. Real good. But he was supposed to be mourning— was mourning. And yet, he knew a good thing when he saw it, and he couldn’t let her go. Not yet.
“Damn.” Her whirled back to the buzzer and stabbed it with his finger.
A moment later, Darla’s breathy, “Hello,” made him extremely glad he’d gone ahead with it.
To hell with paparazzi, he wanted to take her out, show her a good time.
“Hello, gorgeous,” he said.
“You might not think so in a minute,” she said with a little laugh. “ The life of a café owner doesn’t really require a 48-style dress.”
“I’m certain you’ll be beautiful.”
There was a long pause, then, “Thank you. I’ll be down in a second.”
Aaron
Aaron flashed her that killer smile, and once again her heart was leaping into her throat. He held out her hand, and she took it, allowing him to lead her out onto the ice. They were both a bit shaky on their feet, gliding over the ice, hand in hand. Crisp, cool air whipped against her cheeks and in her hair. She couldn’t help the excited smile plastered to her face. The scraping sound of blades on ice, laughter and music made it a magical moment she’d burn into her memory forever.
Whirling in front of her, Aaron skated backwar d, both his hands clasping hers as he led her around ring.
“You’ve skated before,” she said, a little surprised at his skill. “But inside you were wobbling!”
He shrugged, a shy smile on his lips. “Once or twice on a frozen loch. It’s been awhile. You?”
“Not enough.” She swayed, shifting her feet. “And never on a frozen loch. Sounds magical.”
“You’re doing a great job,” he said , glancing around before turning back to her. “Most beautiful skater here.”
She raised a brow. “You are a charming one.”
Aaron tugged her closer to him, so like a dream. His scent was intoxicating and she was so close to just giving up all her inhibitions and pressing her lips to his.
“I prefer honest.” He flashed a devilish grin and she nearly lost her balance.
“Thank you,” she ducked her head, feeling the heat of a blush flame her cheeks.
He pulled her even closer, just barely flush against him, making her worry the points of their skates would tangle. Wrapping an arm around the small of her back, his heat seeping into her, he leaned down and whispered, “You’re welcome,” in her ear.
Just two simple words, but they still sent a shiver of delight careening over her senses. She lost her footing, clutching at his chest. Aaron chuckled, and steadied her on her feet.
“Careful, else we spend dinner at the hospital instead of 48.”
“Forty-eight?” Her mind whirled. “Like the 48?” Only one of the swankiest places at the Center, regularly visited by celebrities.
“You don’t like it?” He looked concerned.
“I…” How could she say she wouldn’t know, she’d never been? She glanced down at her jeans. “I’m not dressed appropriately.”
He looked relieved, followed by utterly sexy as his grin returned. “We’ve got time.”
Chapter Four
W as he making a mistake?
Aaron ran a hand through his hair, and stared at the buzzer outside of Darla’s apartment. They’d separated after the rink, each of them going home to change.
He was probably coming on too strong. One sort-of date at the cocoa shop, then he whisks her away from work to ice skate and now he was taking her to 48 where paparazzi stormed like ants at a picnic?
Yeah, this was a mistake. He turned away from the buzzer, prepared to call her and tell her something came up. But he didn’t have her number. He could probably get it from her café—but were they open at eight o’clock on a Monday night?
He always did this. Rushed head-long into every situation good or bad. Darla was good. Real good. But he was supposed to be mourning— was mourning. And yet, he knew a good thing when he saw it, and he couldn’t let her go. Not yet.
“Damn.” Her whirled back to the buzzer and stabbed it with his finger.
A moment later, Darla’s breathy, “Hello,” made him extremely glad he’d gone ahead with it.
To hell with paparazzi, he wanted to take her out, show her a good time.
“Hello, gorgeous,” he said.
“You might not think so in a minute,” she said with a little laugh. “ The life of a café owner doesn’t really require a 48-style dress.”
“I’m certain you’ll be beautiful.”
There was a long pause, then, “Thank you. I’ll be down in a second.”
Aaron
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