Off the Ice (Penalty Kill 2)

“You said frozen water didn’t scare you, Presley,” I remind her.

She glances back at the ice. “Yeah, but…”

Hooking my fingers into two belt loops, I pull her to me. “We’ll have fun, I promise. First, we need to talk about yesterday.”

“Levi,” she sighs, “I don’t want to argue.”

“We aren’t going to either. But I need for us to talk about this.”

Her light brown eyes study me before giving in.

“You completely threw me for a loop when you told me your first was Zack and I probably could have handled it better. But Presley,” I cup her flushed cheeks in my hands, “I don’t buy the just friends shit, not for Zack anyway.”

“Levi.” Her lips part.

“Let me finish. And the fact that he still hangs around? Definitely don’t like that, but if you want him around, fine. I don’t have to trust him, and I sure as hell don’t. But I trust you and that’s good enough for me. Just

for curiosity’s sake, how would you like it if I hung out and talked to Sunny still? Knowing that I slept with her.”

Smarty frowns her cute little pout. “You’re saying you aren’t friends with any of the girls you slept with?”

“No. Would I help them if they needed it? Probably. Would I talk to them regularly or anything more than a passing acknowledgment? No. The closest of a friend to me out of any of those girls would be Sunny. And even then, friend seems to be too strong of a word. I had her back and she had mine, but that’s it. Look, Presley, I’m not trying to open a new can of worms here.”

“I guess I see your point.”

“That’s all I wanted. I’m sorry for blowing up at you.” I give her a short and sweet kiss. “Are we okay now?”

“Yeah and I’m sorry for throwing numbers in your face. Sorry for the whole thing, really. I was maybe just a little jealous over Allie.”

I dip my head and nibble on her neck. “Who?” My girl laughs, bringing out a smile from me. “Let’s skate, Smarty.”

While we exchange our shoes for a pair of skates, Presley keeps talking, worried.

“Are you sure this is safe? I mean, what if we fall in?”

“If it wasn’t safe, I wouldn’t let you be out there, Presley.”

“Let’s do this then.”

I can’t help my grin as she props her hands on her hips, looking a little excited, but a little nervous too. Without waiting for her, I skate onto the ice and then around a few times. Holding out my arms, I say, “See? Completely safe!” I glide to a stop in front of her, that beautiful smile taking my breath away as I take her hands and lead her onto the ice with me. She’s a little wobbly at first, trying to get used to the difference, but soon we’re skating along, enjoying ourselves.

Chapter Eleven

Presley

February

“Okay, let me understand what you’re saying. You went on a date with my twin brother?” I’m taken aback when Marley, who’s sitting across from me, tells me Trevor and she went out last night.

“Are you mad?” Marley asks quietly.

“I’m not sure what I’m feeling. I’m happy and confused. Are you happy?” A huge grin comes across her face, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen her eyes light up like that before. “Well, as long as you two are happy then I am.”

Marley leaps up and hugs me. “I was so worried.”

“Don’t be worried. I’m just a little shocked, but enough of that nonsense.” I wave her off. “Tell me everything, just leave out the sex. ” Marley tells me how she’s liked Trevor for a long time and with tutoring him, they’ve become close. Finally, he asked her out. They had dinner and a great night together, and she didn’t even mention sex.

“I didn’t realize that you liked Trevor for that long.”