Page 40 of Home for the Holidays

“I’ll be fine,” I tell him.

He’s out of the car in an instant, hopping around to open my door for me.

“I didn’t ask if you would be fine. I asked if you wanted me to drive you.”

Oh.

“All I have is practice, I can drop you off, head to the rink, and swing by to pick you up after.”

I have to lean in. I have to trust myself—and him.

“That would be nice. Thank you.”

Jake grabs my hand and kisses the back of my knuckles. “It’s my pleasure.”

sixteen

. . .

Jake

Clothes go flying. My suit jacket lands in a crumpled heap, my pants get shoved down, and I think one of my shoes dents the wall.

I don’t care. Scooping Rachel into my arms, I stride confidently toward the bedroom.

Her sequined dress zips halfway up her back, and as I slowly drag the tab down, I hear her swallow loudly.

“Jake…”

I pause. “Rach.”

She turns. “I should do it,” she says.

“Do what?”

Her pale cheeks flush red. “I’m wearing a bodysuit.”

I squint at her. “Like a superhero?”

She laughs weakly. “No. Like… to hold everything in.”

“Is that a bad thing?”

She swallows again. “I just… I don’t want you to see it and get turned off.”

“Trust me, that won’t happen.”

“But—“

“Trust me, Rach, I like your body exactly the way it is.” I pinch her hip. “I don’t care what you are or aren’t wearing under your dress.”

She reaches for the zipper of her gown, then lets it pool to her feet. She’s left in a spandex bodysuit that covers her from chest to knees.

It does hold in her curves. It gives her more of a snatched-in look. But I don’t like her better this way. It doesn’t change the way I feel about her body.

Cupping her cheek, I kiss her slowly. “I want you naked.” My voice comes out raspy and hoarse.

She reaches behind her, slowly unfastening the body suit. Her movements are decidedly not graceful. It almost looks like she’s struggling against the spandex.