Page 197 of Revenge Puck

He dips the spoon into the whipped cream with deliberate slowness, dragging it through vanilla and whipped cream until it’s the perfect bite. He lifts it toward me, hand hovering between us over the table.

“Open,” he says, low and gravelly.

“Oh my god—is this foreplay?” Declan sounds genuinely horrified. “I’m going to vomit.”

Aaron smiles at me as he says, “Skate away, bro.”

Declan glares at him. “You are on thin ice.”

“We areliterallyon ice.”

Declan throws his hands up. “Unbelievable. I humble myself by being here as your server. I demonstrate emotional growth—and this is what I get?”

I nod. “This is what you get.”

I cannot wait to tell Blaire about this.

She will eat the details up.

Satisfied that he’s no longer needed or welcome, Declan pushes off and skates backward a few feet before turning toward the tunnel, apron strings fluttering behind him.

The rink quiets.

The air suddenly feelstoastier.

Aaron is still holding the spoon, waiting for me.

I lean forward; take the bite.

Close my eyes and moan. “Mmm.”

Frozen vanilla melts on my tongue. When I open my eyes again, Aaron is watching me like I handed him the Stanley Cup.

He sets the spoon down.

Fusses with the napkin.

Reaches for his wine glass and lifts it toward me, eyes never leaving mine. “To new beginnings.”

He lifts his glass a little higher.

“To new beginnings,” he repeats. “With a beautiful, smart woman, who scares the hell out of me in the best possible way.”

My breath catches, but he keeps going.

“You deserve effort and honesty and a man who doesn’t hide behind ego, or other people.”

I don’t even know what to say.

“Aaron—”

He shakes his head, wanting and needing to finish this before he loses his nerve.

“Juliette,” he says, and hearing my name on his lips makes my pulse stutter. “This isn’t about rivalry or revenge or timing. I don’t want you wondering if you’re part of some game, because you’re not.” His thumb brushes over the stem of his glass. “I want this to be about you and me.”

He sets the wine down.

Reaches across the table.