Total pages in book: 125
Estimated words: 119680 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 598(@200wpm)___ 479(@250wpm)___ 399(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 119680 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 598(@200wpm)___ 479(@250wpm)___ 399(@300wpm)
“We don’t have to. Not all the time, if you don’t want. When it’s safest, we could go without.” I tuck myself into my underwear and nab my shirt from the floor. I pick up Winter’s shorts and underwear.
“Okay. Yeah. That sounds good.” She glances at the clock on the stove. “Shit, you’re going to be a few minutes late.”
“It’s okay. Adele’s always late anyway.” I grab her hand before she can disappear into my bedroom to get dressed. “I have something I’ve been meaning to ask you.”
“Do you want to wait until we’re in the Jeep? I don’t want to piss Adele off.”
“Don’t worry about Adele.”
She tips her head. “Is everything okay?”
“Yeah. Everything is great. Better than great.” I squeeze her hand, my stomach twisting a little. “I know you’re not a huge fan of labels, but I feel like we’re beyond the just-dating phase, and I’d really like to be able to introduce you as my girlfriend, if that’s okay with you.”
She tugs at the end of her braid.
I don’t want her to feel like she has to say yes. “But it’s also okay if you’re not ready. I can wait, just know it’s on the table.”
“I’m ready for that label if you’re ready for that label.”
“Yeah?”
She smiles. “Yeah.”
I take her face between my palms and kiss her, soft and slow. “You’re my sexy girlfriend.”
She laughs. “And you’re my sexy boyfriend. But we need to get a move on if I’m going to get you to skate practice and me to hockey without both of us being late.”
“Right. Yes. We’ll celebrate later with more orgasms.”
We clean ourselves up with a wet washcloth, get dressed, and hop in the Jeep. Adele’s car is already in the lot when we arrive, so I give Winter a quick kiss. “Let’s go for dinner later. I’ll make a reservation. Just something low-key.”
“Skinny-jeans low-key?” she asks.
“Yeah. I love you in skinny jeans. See you soon.” I hop out so she can get to hockey practice on time.
I’m in a pretty damn good mood, so not even Adele’s irritation over my being late—for the first time ever—can dampen my mood. Unfortunately, my being late, coupled with my good mood, seems to be throwing Adele off. She struggles, and after three hours on the ice, she’s still not finding her groove. Winter will be here soon, and we haven’t made it through the routine once today without a mistake.
“Can we go through it one more time?” Adele asks.
“You’ve said that three times.” Or at least that’s how it feels.
“This is the last time. I promise. I just want to get the angle right on the twist. Maybe you’re overcorrecting.”
I don’t feel like fighting, so I just nod, even though the last time she almost kneed me in the face. “Once more through. Then we’re calling it a night.”
“One more time.” She smiles, and I start the track again, setting my phone next to the portable speaker so I can record this one. I’m crossing my fingers that recording it means we hit all the right notes and end on a high. And soon my girlfriend will be here to pick me up. When we took a break earlier, I made a reservation at a restaurant. Nothing fancy, since we’ll be fresh from practice, but I want to celebrate making it official.
I meet Adele in the middle of the rink. “Ready to rock this?”
“Yup.”
I get into position behind her, and we start from the top.
Everything goes smoothly at first. We nail every spin, our timing flawless as we move through the first complex combination and nail it, apart from a little stutter in the landing. I’m feeling great as we move into the second phase of the routine with the more complicated sequence—the one Adele sometimes manages and sometimes doesn’t. But I feel like we’ve got it this time.
The spin is smooth, the timing on point, and then the lift. At first we’re in sync, balanced, but then I see her hand lower, and her body tips forward. It’s not a lot, but it’s enough to throw us off. I correct, but so does she, and then everything goes sideways.
I don’t want to drop her on her face, so I bring her down, and her knee slams into my chest, knocking the air out of my lungs. My feet slip out from under me, taking her with me. My head hits the ice, and my elbow jams into the unforgiving surface, making stars burst in my vision. But it’s the vicious, searing pain in my left thigh that sends a wave of nausea rolling through me.
“Shit. Sorry.” Adele rolls to the ice beside me. “Oh no, oh God!”
Black and white spots cloud my vision.
“BJ? Adele? What the hell happened?”
I must’ve hit my head pretty hard, because I swear that’s Winter’s voice.