I was pretty sure by the look on Bo’s face that she’d rather take a puck to the mouth than see me walking toward her. I didn’t care though. She looked good—great, even, with her leggings and large sweatshirt that reached almost to the bottom of her thighs. Her hair was in a long braid down her shoulder, and she was makeup free, looking as if she had just rolled out of bed. But those eyes were in slits, and she did not look happy.

“I sort of thought you wouldn’t show up,” she called to me, and then her face twisted in confusion. “What’s that? I thought you said you knew how to skate!”

I placed the balance checker in front of her. “It’s for you. I figured you can come out on the ice with us and just follow carefully.”

Her face relaxed, but she held back the smile. “Oh. I didn’t think of that.”

“Yeah, my mom tore her ACL when I was like nine, and she had to do it this way.”

“Oh,” she said. I was starting to love the way she said that word. Her lips formed a perfect circle for my cock to fit right into. Was I wrong for thinking that?

I didn’t think so either.

Tearing my gaze from her mouth, I looked down at her ankle. “How you feeling?”

I had taken her home the night before. She lived about six blocks from me, in a sublet that she and a friend were sharing. It was a nice location, but she wouldn’t let me take her upstairs. Her friend had come down to help, which upset me. I wanted to help her. I wanted to be there for her, and it was annoying that she wouldn’t let me. I wasn’t sure what her deal was, but I was going to find out.

When I looked up, she shrugged, grimacing a bit. “It’s achy, but I’ll be fine.”

“Did you keep it elevated?”

She shot me a deadpan look. “I know how to take care of myself.”

“Not saying you don’t. I just want to make sure.”

She swallowed hard and nodded. “I did.”

“Good.” I wished I’d been there helping her. I’d spent all night worrying and wishing I had gotten her number so I could check on her. “Hey, you should give me your number.”

Her brows pulled together as her lips pursed. “For what?”

This time it was me with the deadpan look. “In case I’m stuck in traffic or something and I’ll be late.”

“So you won’t text me dick pics?”

I laughed, surprised. “Not today, but maybe next week,” I said with a wink, and she rolled her eyes before handing me her phone.

“Do as you please.”

“Oh man, wrong thing to say to someone like me,” I teased, but she wasn’t listening. She was leaning on the balance checker.

“Cute kid,” I said, holding the phone up. “Your brother, right?”

Something moved in her eyes, but it was gone quickly, and her eyes narrowed as she reached for her phone.

I held it up out of her reach. “I’m not done. What’s his name?”

She seemed uncomfortable as she said it. “Davis.”

“Oh? They didn’t name him Hank? Or Bocephus Jr.?”

She laughed, and it was a real laugh. From her stomach as her eyes closed a bit, but then she stopped abruptly. “I must be high to think that was funny,” she muttered, and now I was laughing as I typed in my number. “No, actually, I wouldn’t let them.”

I nodded. “Well, he’s gonna love you extra hard when he’s older.”

“Probably not,” she muttered, but before I could ask what she meant, she looked up at me, her bright-blue eyes burning into mine. “How are your jumps?”

I shrugged. “Good. I mean, I haven’t practiced them in a while, but I’m sure I still got it.”

She nodded, biting her lip. “We’re working on her Salchow jump. She’s almost got it.”

I scoffed, waving her off. “Oh, I have that easy. Let me get my skates on. When’s she gonna be here, and what’s her name?”

“Tenisha, and she’ll be here in about ten. I asked for you to be early so we can go over a few things.”

My brows rose. “What things? Need my credentials? Wanna call my mom?”

She waved me off. “No, I need you to know that I take my job seriously. There will be no playing around.”

I nodded. “Check.”

“And don’t flirt with me.”

“In front of the kids, right?”

“At all when we’re on the ice.”

I made a face. “That’s hard, though. You’re so hot.”

She shook her head. “For real. I take this completely seriously, and I need you to realize that. I depend on this money.”

There was desperation in her voice, and I didn’t understand it. My work ethic was sound. I didn’t get why she would assume it wouldn’t be here. “Fine, I’ll be completely professional. I won’t let you down.”

She swallowed hard and then nodded. “Thank you.” She looked past me and then smiled. “There she is. Let’s do this.”

I held up my fist. “Yeah, let’s kick ass.”

Her eyes widened a bit, but she pressed her fist to mine and smiled. “Yeah. Don’t embarrass me, please.”

Before I could say anything, she was wobbling away, and I couldn’t help but grin.

Because I was excited to prove her wrong.

* * *

Bo was sucking on her lips as she tapped her good sneaker into the rubber floor. Her lips were pursed, and her hair was a little messy from trying to demonstrate. When she couldn’t do it, she ran her fingers through her hair angrily. Her face was red, her nose especially, as she moved her hands through the air. I wasn’t sure what she was doing, so I just sat there, waiting for her to speak to me.

We had finished all her privates. All the girls were great, and I enjoyed working with them. They were adorable, but I especially loved watching Bo with them. She was so motherly and gushed on them. She was nothing like my mom, who did a whole lot of yelling and direction. Bo was nicer, which surprised me, given how bitchy she was most of the time.

She especially had a soft spot for the little skaters. I guess I did too. We went over time with Amelia because she was trying so hard to get her leap and we wanted her to get it. It was fun—lots of fun—and I didn’t regret coming to help instead of going out with the guys for a beer. I wanted to be here.

With Bo.

“So that was cool. Will we have the same girls all week, or do they come weekly?”

She looked down at me. I was sitting on the bench, untying my skates. Clearing her throat, she tucked her hands into the sleeve holes of her shirt. “We’ll have two of them on Thursday, but other than that, they all come next week.”

“Cool. Do we get Tenisha again? She’s going to get that jump; I’ll make sure of it.”

She smiled. “Yeah, she comes on Thursday.”

“Awesome.” I flashed her a grin before looking down to take my skate off. “So was I on my best behavior?”

When I looked up, she was struggling again. It was sort of funny, but she nodded, a smile curling her lips. “You did fantastic. I thought I was going to have to do a lot more. You are actually really great.”

“Yeah, I’m basically great at everything.”

When she rolled her eyes, I couldn’t help but laugh.

“Anyway, I appreciate you helping me. Thank you.”

“Anytime. Honestly. I had a blast,” I said as I slid my feet into my sandals. Standing up, letting my skates hang from my fingers, I smiled down at her. “Wanna go get a drink?”

She shook her head almost immediately, like she knew what I was going to say. “I can’t drink on my pain meds.”

“We can get food and a bottle of water.”

She looked away, shaking her head. “I can’t. I’ve got homework and makeup shit since I missed last night.”

I nodded. “That’s right.”

“Yeah, so—”

“I’ll walk you out.”

She didn’t want me to, I could tell, but I wanted to. Dropping to her speed since she was hobbling on crutches, I walked beside her in silence until I asked, “So, you said that you depend on the money. Do you not make much as an ice girl?”

She laughed out loud, looking up at me like I was kidding. “Oh, you’re serious?” She laughed a little more, and I realized she must have made shit. “I make forty dollars a game.”

I made a face. “That’s totally not worth it. I mean, just with all the shit the players put you guys through.”

She nodded. “The girls like it.”

“You don’t.”

“No one really messes with me, and all you do is stare.”

That made me unbelievably happy. I didn’t want to beat up anyone on my team. I liked the guys. “Well, when I see a gorgeous girl, I gotta check her out.”

She blushed a bit as she looked down, watching where she was going.

“So, you depend on this, then?”

She nodded. “I make a lot here, I’ve built a great clientele, and everyone loves me.”

“You’re great with them.”

“Thank you.”

“So you were a figure skater?”

“I was, all growing up, but I wasn’t good enough to do anything with it. I’m really smart though, so I got a full scholarship without skating.”

I smiled. “That’s awesome.” I paused, hoping that she would ask me something, but she didn’t. So I asked, “So you’re not paying for school?”

She shook her head. “No, I pay for most of it. I only got a partial scholarship to MPT.”

“I thought you said you got a full scholarship?”

“Yeah. That was for an Ivy League school.”

“But you didn’t go?”

“Nope, I lost that.”

“Why?”

She shrugged. “Mistakes.”

“Like?”

“Stuff,” she said, waving her hand at me. “I’m not telling you.”

“Yet.”

“Or ever. We aren’t friends.”

I laughed at that. “Of course we are. We’re practically besties.”

“If your friends treat you the way I do, then I would suggest you get some new friends.”

I smiled. “Nah, they’re cool, but you’re my favorite.”

“You don’t even know me.”

“Because you won’t let me, but just think, we have a date on Saturday, and I’ll learn all kinds of things. Like how many freckles are on that sweet pussy of yours.”

Reaching out, she smacked my chest. “There could be kids out here.”

I shrugged innocently. “Hey, we’re not on the ice.”

She rolled her eyes, looking out in the parking lot. “Whatever.”

Holding the door for her, I asked, “Can you drive?”

She nodded. “Yeah, I’m fine. Thanks.” She wobbled to her car. “Bye, Gus the Bus.”

I laughed. “See ya, BJSJ.”

I was answered by her laughter, and I couldn’t think of a better way for our night to end.

Problem was, I wanted more.

A lot more.