Page 56 of Small Town, Big Storm

We stand there for a second, our gazes locked, amusement in the air.

Then he lifts a hand, strokes the backs of his knuckles over my cheek.

I suck in a breath, that flicker of heat from a moment ago back with a vengeance.

Back in aconflagration.

“Now I’m wondering if I like them so much for another reason,” he murmurs.

“I— What do you mean?”

“Your skin is gorgeous.”He leans a little closer.“Like peaches and cream.I’d forgotten…” His voice drops.“I’d forgotten how beautiful you are.”

My exhale is sharp, shaky.“Storm, you shouldn’t say things like that.”

“Maybe not.”Those knuckles drift a little lower, skating along the edge of my jaw, down the column of my throat.

Butoh,it’s nice to have his hands on me.

Our night together…

Well, I wouldn’t say it was thebestsex of my life—not that I’ve had all that much freedom to experiment and explore, what with a baby then a toddler then an elementary-aged kiddo ruling my life and all.

But what I had that night with Storm…

We were both young and inexperienced, but we certainly made up for it with enthusiasm.

His knuckles drift a little lower, hugging the slight curve of my scoop-neck tee, making me wish there was less fabric so they could drift lower.

Making me wish things were different.

Thatsomany things were different.

A titter has him stiffening, jerking his hand away.

I don’t want that, don’t want the anger storming back into his eyes, don’t want the rage and pain and remorse andhurtto take over.

I don’t want it so fiercely I blurt, “Will you play in the Home Ice Classic?”

His face goes from pissed to confused in a heartbeat.“What?”

“It’s a charity hockey game that raises money for the town,” Rain says and I jolt, my gaze flying over Storm’s shoulder to see that he and Holly have circled back without us realizing it.

There’s something in Rain’s eyes that has my nape prickling.

Maybe because, aside from color, his are so much like Storm’s—hiding shadows and pain and regrets.

And hurt.

And anger.

But he’s gentle when Holly yanks on his arm hard enough to wrench it out of the socket, her excitement filling the air in wriggles and?—

“It raises money for the Pioneer Museum!That’s where I go to camp.We make crafts and play games and go on hikes and make goose det-deter-deterrents.And sometimes we even see rattlesnakes.”She throws up her free hand, dances around.“It’s the besttime ever!”

Storm’s face goes soft.“You like it then?”he asks.

Holly’s approaching bobblehead status as she nods enthusiastically.“No, Iloveit!”