Page 68 of Small Town, Big Storm

“I hate you,”Poppy mutters.

I grin and help her back up to her feet.“Falling is part of the process, remember?”

Not that I’ve been letting her hit the ice hard.I’ve been keeping close—or as close as she’ll let me.Luckily, Holly is off and running…or skating.She’s found a friend and they’re having a great time.Falling and getting up.Long strides, short strides, changes in direction.

Lots of good practice.

Meanwhile…Poppy has made it a quarter of the way around the rink, her sweats are soaked through, and her mood is deteriorating.

She scowls at me.“You think you’re funny.”

“Now that you’ve done it your way,” I say.“Will you let me help you properly?”

“Does that mean I won’t have to learn by falling anymore?”she mutters, pushing up to her feet and rubbing her ass.

I’d offer to take over except…

“Yeah, baby,” I murmur.

Her scowl deepens.“Table thatbaby.”

“What?”

“You’re already sexy enough in your skates.And with—” She waves a hand.“Allof that.”

I lift my brows.“All of what?”

Another wave of her hand.“That.The cocky confidence.The grace and athleticism andbalance.”

Now my eyebrows fly up further.

Did I somehow miss her hitting her head?

“Don’t be coy,” she grumbles.“You know you’re gorgeous.”

Something’s growing inside me.

And it’s not my cocky confidence.

Okay, it is.

Or maybe it’s just my cock.

But also…

“You think I’m gorgeous?”

She teeters around to glare at me.“You know you are—” But she cuts herself off with a frown.“Ugh.Never mind.What am I supposed to do again?”

“Coy?”I press.

Her eyes narrow.“Never mind.I’ll figure it—ack!”

I move in a rush, catching her against me when her angry stride sends her toppling.

Heaven.

And hell.