Chapter 94 Skating
Verena
Lisa chuckled at the way my face scrunched in worry as I checked again to see if the helmet was properly strapped around Dahlia’s small head. “Are you sure this is safe?”
I wobbled on my own skates while she stood on the rink like a professional, carrying Dahlia in the front baby carrier. “I think you’re going to have a heart attack if I show you videos of me spinning with her on my chest,”
I clutched my pearls—definitely horrified. “I might actually pass out,”
Lisa threw her head back and laughed, hand resting on my shoulder. “Relax Verena. I’ve been dancing, skating, and performing since I was four. This is nothing and the best part is she loves it, so much,”
“I’m just worried you might hurt yourself and her in the process,”
She smiled. “Trust me, Verena. We won't fall,”
I mean, I was trying to but I couldn’t just stop imagining the worst possible scenarios, playing out in my head and…
My eyes coasted over to Daxton who sat on the bench, skates planted next to him as he argued with someone over the phone. He had no plans of joining us. He only came to watch me skate until a small issue started in the hotel and now, he was busy handling that.
I watched him run his hand through his hair and damn, he looked so hot doing that.
“Fuck off, Ashford!”
Did this man realize he was shouting in public? “—and before fucking off, fix whatever this is before I return,”
Parents steered their children away from his direction, one kid snorted and the teenager who sat next to him grabbed her skates and shifted.
Lisa cleared her throat. “Done staring?”
My face flushed red as I fixed my eyes back to her. “I wasn’t…”
“Oh! You were,” She teased. “Want me to hold your hands? Your legs don’t look balanced in those skates,” she stared at my feet.
“I haven’t skated in a while,”
“Let me hold your hand,”
Before I could respond, a little girl in a helmet skated over to her with her legs wide apart. “Miss Lisa, hold me, I think I might fall,” she screeched, rushing right towards me.
“Whoa—!” I barely had the time to react when her head collided against my stomach, my skate slipping underneath me.
This was it. I was going to fall.
My hands flailed by my side but before I could hit the ice, fingers latched above my wrist, a hand slipped above my waist—steadying me.
“I’ve got you,” the low unfamiliar voice touched my ears.
I breathed hard, Lisa heaving a sigh of relief. “Are you okay?” she asked.
“I am…” I let out a breathy laugh. “I really am,”
She sighed again and reached for the little girl's wrist who muttered ‘Sorry.’
“It’s okay,”
Lisa stared at me with eyes full of concern while I gave her a reassuring nod. She smiled, took the little girl's wrist, and together they both skated off—slowly.
That was when I suddenly realized the hand still holding me—now on my arm as I turned to look at the blonde-haired man who was still staring at me. “Thank you,”
He returned my smile. “I’ve never seen you around here. A first-timer?”
“Here? Yes. Skating? No,”
The corner of his mouth tilted up. “You don’t look much of a skater to me,”
“The last time I skated was when I was ten. I had this massive fall, sprained my ankles, and didn’t dare pick up the skates anymore,” He had dropped my arm, his hand still steadying my waist—to make sure I could stand properly.
“I should definitely hold your hand. We don’t want you to fall again,” He had this small, comforting smile on his face. “And by the way, I’m Malachi,”
“Verena,”
Hand in hand, we skated around the rink slowly—occasionally throwing a glance at Lisa who did some little stunts as she skated with the girl that bumped into me earlier.
She was really good.
“So, you live here in Seattle?” He watched me closely.
“Dallas. I only came here for her birthday party—” I pointed over to Lisa who skated around gracefully. “She’s my brother's fiancée and the baby strapped around her chest is my niece, her name is Dahlia…” I held back my tongue, closed my eyes briefly at how quickly I was doning out information to someone I barely knew.
Malachi grinned at the self–realization. “I think you will make a good aunt,”
I whipped my head back to him. “Really? With the way I just…” my words trailed, a thrilling shudder rolling down my spine when those silver-speckled blue eyes locked with mine.
Slowly, he removed an AirPod, then the other as he looked at Malachi, looked at me before his eyes settled on our hands still loosely entwined on the rink.
Something dark and possessive crawled through them.
He was already rising to his feet, reaching for his own skates.
I smirked. A countdown started in my head and in three, two, one—
Daxton skated towards me with an insane speed that left me stunned. He really had to flex that he was once a hockey player.
“Sorry to interrupt your little discussion but it’s time out,”
Stifling my chuckle, I slowly dropped Malachi’s hand. The poor guy’s eyes flared in confusion as he watched me take Daxton’s hand.
“Thank you for saving me from that big fall,” Daxton was already pulling me and I hoped Malachi heard me.
I think he did because by the time I tossed a glance at him over my shoulders, he waved at me before skating away.
“You almost fell?” Daxton
“I did and he saved me from falling,”
He tutted, a flicker of guilt in his eyes. “I should have been beside you. Should have been the one to catch you instead of him—” He looked over to where Malachi was with a glare on his face.
“You are one big jealous dude,”
Daxton barked out a scoff. “Jealous? Me? No, I’m not,” He now skated backwards, clutching my hands while throwing occasional glances over his shoulder.
“He was trying to hit on you. When we came inside, I noticed his gaze on you but didn’t think much of it…” The frown on his face deepened, his eyes still shooting daggers at Malachi who was now skating with another woman.
His eyes softened as they met mine, pulse going nuts as a mischievous grin slashed his face. “So, you really can’t skate?” he now stood beside me.
“I can,”
He smirked, eyes nudging towards my shaky legs. “I see. What if I want us to go a little faster?”
My eyes pinged wide with fear. “Don’t you dare!”
He craned his head to the side, a dark smile creeping up. “You know I love dares,”
A firehouse of adrenaline shot through me when he clutched my hands tightly and yanked me forward with startling speed.
“D-Daxton,” I screamed, the people around fading into a blur. Every second was like a ticking bomb. I was sure I’d crash into his back and take us both down.
But as we carved wide arcs and circled the rink over and over again, I started getting used to the speed.
He tossed a proud smile at me. “You are doing well. I knew you had it in you,” Then he dropped my hand and skated next to me at a low pace.
Tired from going round the rink, I sat on the bench while Daxton kneeled, unlacing my skates.
“That was thrilling,”
His eyes shot up to mine and he gave me one of those smiles that always made my heart stutter. “We should do that again,” He pulled my skate off, warm hands cradling my feet as he pressed a kiss to my ankle.
Heat rose on my cheeks. “Eww, I haven’t even showered yet,”
“Ewww?” He cocked a brow. “Say that one more time and I will actually suck your toes right now,”
I blinked—not because I was shocked but because I knew he would actually do that right now.
“You are crazy. We’ve children watching—” I tried to yank my feet from him but he held it firmly to his chest, the glint in his eyes pleading for me to dare him.
I lifted my gaze to see Lisa approaching and a wave of relief flooded through me. Daxton still didn’t drop my feet even though my toes were poking at his chest.
“If it pleases you love-birds to know, I ordered us coffee. Didn’t have the time to ask for preferences so I just grabbed what I thought you two’d like,”
His gaze still didn’t leave my face as I glanced up at Lisa. “Thank you. I love every type of coffee but I can’t say the same for a picky someone—” I blinked at Daxton.
Only then did he let go of my feet and unlace the next skate. “Did Matilda tell you that…”
Lisa squealed. “Delivery is here,”
I raised my head, breath catching in my throat when I locked eyes with the woman who balanced a cardboard carrier, glancing back and forth at Daxton and me.
Ashley Delavine?
She remained frozen in the same spot, not even noticing Lisa who now took the coffees from her. Something in her eyes broke as her gaze finally rested on Daxton who pressed another kiss to my ankle.
“What are you staring intently at…” He followed the direction of my eyes and paused.
He looked at her for no less than a second—acted like she wasn’t there and her eyes burned with anger when he broke eye contact.
Dahlia suddenly squirmed on Lisa’s chest, letting out a sharp cry and Lisa was forced to return the board to Ashley.
“Verena, can you help me with this,”
“No, you stay here,”
Daxton stood up with a grunt, sauntered towards Ashley, and just when he got close, she bumped the cardboard carrier into him and spilled the coffee all over his shirt.