Black

“You don’t have to say anything.”

“You’re taking me roller skating,” I whisper excitedly. “And you bought me purple skates.”

With a soft touch, he brushes the hair from my face, tucking it behind my ear. “It was on your childhood bucket list of birthday parties, and you can’t skate without skates.”

“You didn’t have to do this.”

“I wanted to do this. I find myself wanting to a lot of things for you.” A wild grin spreads across his face, and he lowers his head. “And to you,” he adds.

I smile, feeling the heat spread through my body, wrapping itself around my soul like a warm blanket on cool winter night.

“Thank you.”

He presses a lingering kiss to my lips. “No thanks needed. We have this place to ourselves for the next two hours. What do you say we skate?” He holds his hand out to me, and I slip my fingers in his.

“I’ve never been skating before.”

“Never?”

I shake my head.

I can see it in his eyes, the question written across his face. What happened to you after your mother’s death? What else have you missed out on?

But he doesn’t ask, and I’m grateful because I’m not ready to tell him. Not here. Not on such a perfect day.

Today I want it to be us, surrounded by laughter and fun.

I can always tell him another day.

And I will.

Soon.

“I suck at this,” I say, toppling to my ass for the thousandth time. My butt hurts, and I probably won’t be able to sit for days, but I’ve had so much fun.

Rex, pro skater that he is, whirls around, stopping in front of me. He offers a hand to help me up, but when I stand, I fall against his chest.

“You’ll get the hang of it,” he says. “You just need a little more practice.”

I glare up at him, trying to stand straight without falling, and blow a chunk of hair out of my face. “I’m starting to doubt you.”

“Don’t ever doubt me. You’ll get it. You’re already doing so much better than you were in the beginning.”

“If by better you mean I’m only falling five times with each pass around the rink rather than twenty, then yes, I guess you’re right.”

“Come on, let’s do this next lap together.” Rex straightens his arms, holding them out toward me. He’s been trying to hold my hand all day, but I’m a stubborn woman and have refused any help, insistent that I can do this on my own. But maybe being on my own isn’t such a good idea. Maybe it’s time I let someone else help for once.

I can’t think of anyone better than Rex.

I rest my hands in his, gripping them lightly as he begins skating backward. My legs wiggle and wobble, but with Rex holding on, I know I won’t fall.

“Isn’t that hard? Skating backward?”

“Not so much.”

“It’s not fair,” I say, tightening my grip as my right leg gets too far ahead of my left, threatening to send me to the ground. “You can skate circles around me and go backward, and I can’t master forward.”

“That’s why I bought you skates. We’ll come back as often as you want and practice.”