Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 74956 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 375(@200wpm)___ 300(@250wpm)___ 250(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 74956 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 375(@200wpm)___ 300(@250wpm)___ 250(@300wpm)
I’m saved from further commentary on my love life (or his undies) by the sound of the heavy rink door swinging open. Remy strides in like she owns the place, all long legs and controlled energy in black leggings and an oversized Frosted Bushtits Hockey sweatshirt. Her messy bun has those little wisps escaping around her face, the ones that make me want to pull out her hair-tie, burying my hands in all that red silk as I feast on her—
Focus, dude. You’re her fun coach right now, not her fuck buddy.
I extend an arm for a friendly hug, but she’s already gazing past me, her face lighting up as she sees we’re not alone. I was hoping she’d be excited about that, but maybe not this excited.
“Flo! What’s up, hot stuff?” she exclaims, dumping her gym bag on a nearby bench. “What are you doing here? I thought you were in Vancouver!”
“Remy, bella!” Florio glides to the boards, his arms spread wide. He pulls Remy into a hug, before kissing both her cheeks with typical Italian enthusiasm. “I just got back last night. I was going to spend the weekend recovering on my couch with Drag Race reruns, but your charming man here made me an offer I couldn’t refuse.” He nods my way, looking smug again. “Though he keeps insisting he’s not your man, so…not sure what to think about that obvious and blatant lie. I mean, you didn’t even say hello to him on your way in. If that doesn’t say ‘we’re secretly in love and fucking like bunnies,’ I don’t know what does.”
Remy glances over her shoulder at me, her eyes sparkling. “Ignore him. He’s terrible, but harmless. Flo knows all my deep, dark secrets, and he never tells tales out of class.”
“I’m a vault,” he assures me. “But Remy is my girl, so I can’t be your shoulder to cry on if this doesn’t work out, Big Guy. Sorry. She had my heart first.”
“Understood, and wouldn’t have it any other way,” I say, happy that Remy seems happy. It looks like fun date number two is off to an even better start than I hoped. “How did you two meet?”
“Flo’s littlest sister plays for my team,” Remy explains, gesturing to her sweatshirt. “Cecilia was crushing it at practice today, by the way,” she adds to Flo. “I can’t believe she’s only nineteen. Total powerhouse.”
“She got the power; I got the grace.” Flo pushes away from the boards to execute a perfect spin. “Speaking of grace, I didn’t know you used to figure skate, Coach Lauder! Your boy toy here said you actually started in my world and shifted to hockey. How did I not know this about you?”
“Not her boy toy,” I mutter, but at this point, I’m pretty sure I’m talking to myself.
“I mean, yeah, that’s true. Technically. But I haven’t figure skated in ages.” Remy turns back to me, grinning. “So, this was your big surprise? Figure skating lessons with the best coach in Oregon? How fancy.”
“Yeah,” I say, trying not to puff up my chest too much. “Even brought a pair of figure skates in your size.”
“I resent that.” Flo sniffs. “I’m the best coach on the entire West Coast, thank you very much. Now get those pretty legs out here and show me what you’ve got, girl. I’m already positive Big Guy is going to be hopeless, but I’m open to letting you surprise me.”
“I play hockey professionally,” I remind him as Remy perches on the bleachers, lacing up the white skates I brought. “I do know how to skate.”
Flo’s lips pucker as he tilts his head at a decidedly patronizing angle. “Of course you do, buddy. And I’m sure we can work with that basic skill set and a complete lack of artistry or musicality. Maybe. Eventually. If the gods are kind. Until then, you can be in charge of music! So, toddle over to the speaker and press play on my phone, m’kay? Please and thank you.”
I huff out a soft laugh and nod. “Yes, sir. Toddling, sir.”
The next hour passes in a flurry of Flo’s dramatic instructions, Remy’s jaw-dropping grace, and my growing awareness that watching her move like this—fluid and sensual and oh-so-sexy, with her butt sticking out behind her half the time—is probably going to be the death of me.
But what a way to go…
Every time she executes one of Flo’s moves with near perfection, revealing that she was clearly way more into figure-skating than she let on, I fall a little harder. And when I’m finally allowed out on the ice and she swoops in to correct my form, giving my ass a subtle pinch in the process, I nearly swallow my tongue.
An ass pinch…
Maybe I’m not the only one wishing our fun dates had a little more fun in them.