“You coming or not Boss Lady?”
Devyn finally smiled and extended her hand for him to help her down. She crawled out of the cab of the truck. Chad’s hand wrapped around her waist, and pulled her to the ground.
“Do you know how to ice skate?”
Chad smiled. “Hell no. We’re going to kill ourselves together.”
If looks could kill, he would have just died on the spot. He tried to hold back his laugh, but failed. Devyn smacked his arm, the sting from her palm in the cold actually hurt. He laughed harder, snaking his arm around her waist to pull her close to him.
“Relax,” he cooed in her ear. “This is going to be fun. I’ve been coming here since I was a kid. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve never been good at this, we’ll be lucky to be able to stand, but I know a few tricks.”
“What kind of tricks?”
“Like holding onto the side of the rink. You’re less likely to fall.”
“I could have told you that one.” She rolled her eyes. “You’re going to get me killed. Was this your plan? Make me agree to a date with you and then you bring me somewhere to kill me and then steal my job?”
Chad doubled over, a laugh escaping his lips.
“Please.” He wiped a tear from his eye. “If I wanted your job, I wouldn’t kill you for it. I’d just take it.”
“Arrogant. That’s what you are.”
He shrugged his shoulders. “Whatever. Lace up. We have a limited amount of time here.”
It didn’t take long for Devyn to get the hang of ice skating. Before long, she was doing circles around Chad, who was actually half decent at ice skating. He had played up how bad he was to make her feel better about the fact that she couldn’t skate, but turns out she didn’t need it.
“Oh my god,” Devyn said, staring up at the snow falling around her. She pushed off her heels, picking up speed. She had never felt so good in her entire life. Her breath was ragged, falling in uneven breaths as she pushed on her heels to gain momentum.
She skated toward Chad, slowing down to meet him by the other end of the skating rink.
His arms fished around her, wrapping her up in a hug. Their bodies were pressed against each other, the heat between them was the only thing keeping her from shivering. He stared at her. Her lips parted and the words tumbled from her lips before she could stop them, “I think I’m falling for you, Mr. Weeks.”
He leaned down, pressing his lips to hers. Her entire body lit on fire. She reacted in ways she never thought she would. The warmth pooling in her belly again. Her heart skipped, fluttered. She wanted more. He pulled away. He was smiling, showing off the perfect row of white teeth.
“I think I’ve already fallen for you.”
“I’LL PICK YOU UP IN the morning,” Chad murmured against Devyn’s neck. Her arms were wrapped tightly around him, face snuggled closely into his chest. “Just let me know when you wake up. I really have to go.”
Chad looked down at her face peering up at him. “I wish I didn’t have to.”
“I wake up at 5:30 every morning.” She laughed. “So just let me know when you’re ready to go.”
“You are Wonder Woman,” he muttered, pressing his lips to hers again.
“Go. You need to get home, remember?” She pushed lightly on his chest.
He nodded, pulling away from her and walking down the stairs of her porch. She stood in the doorway watching him until he was settled in his truck. Chad rolled the window down and waved at her. She opened the door and slipped inside the house.
She flipped the light on, walked into the living room. Maria poked her head through the kitchen, raising an eyebrow at Devyn.
“Why do you have that look on your face?” Maria crossed her arms over her chest.
“What look?”
Maria leaned into the kitchen doorway, studying her. “You look like you’ve been enjoying yourself.”
Devyn rolled her eyes. “Next time I’ll asked for your permission.”
She stalked over to the coat closet, stuffing the puffy winter coat she had been wearing inside. Another suggestion from Chad that had came in handy.
Maria shrugged. “It just looks nice on you is all.”
“I–,” Devyn stuttered, fighting to find the right words for the way her stomach filled with butterflies and her brain had turned too goo for a guy. A guy who had tormented her. Devyn glanced to the floor, avoiding her sister’s gaze.
Maria stepped toward her, unwrapping the scar she hadn’t taken off.
“Did Alex change the dress code?”
Devyn refused to look Maria in the eyes. Her cheeks burned and she could only imagine the way she might look. “I went ice skating.”
“Oh. With anyone in particular?” Maria’s smirk was plastered on her face. Devyn didn’t have to look up to know she was about to be given a big ‘I told ya so.’
“I went with Chad,” Devyn said in a meek voice. “And I enjoyed it. I enjoy him.”
Devyn swallowed the lump in her throat and walked past her sister into the kitchen. She grabbed a tall glass and the whiskey from the refrigerator door.
“Since when do you drink?” Maria teased. “Don’t tell me Mr. Tall Dark and Handsome has passed his bad habits onto you.”
She raised the glass to her lips, the scent filling her nostrils. Images of Chad flashed through her mind. His lips against hers. His fingers in her hair. The way he said her name. The taste of whiskey on his mouth. She didn’t want to give him up, but she wasn’t sure how they would make things work since she was his boss.
Devyn took a large drink. The alcohol burned the back of her throat.
“I’m his boss,” she said into the void. “I’m not ready for this to end.”
Devyn met Maria’s eyes.
“Who said it had too?”
CHAD PULLED INTO HIS driveway. It was past 8
