Page 58 of Power Play

“Keep going.”

“And you⁠—”

“I won’t let you fall,” I promise.

Except if she wants to fall in love with me. That, I wouldn’t mind.

Slowly, she gains confidence until she’s able to take a few strides on her own. At her nod, I release her hands, and she skates about twenty feet on her own. She picks up speed until she’s nearly at the half wall, and⁠—

Oh, fuck, oh, fuck, I forgot to teach her how to stop.

Snow flying, I race down the ice and pivot in front of her. She throws her hands up over her face, bracing for impact. She crashes into my chest and I cradle her to me. Burying her face in my chest, she wraps her arms around me. She’s shaking, her shoulders heaving.

“I’ve got you,” I murmur into her hair. “You’re okay.”

Riley breaks into a laugh tinged with hysteria. “What the hell was that?”

“So maybe I’m not the best teacher.” I chuckle awkwardly. “I’m sorry.”

Pulling back, she stares up at me, studying my face. After a moment, she nods, opening her mouth to say something and then looking away. She seems to remember she’s still wrapped around me and leans back, but that sets her off balance, and I clutch her to me again.

“Come on. Let’s sit for a bit.” I lead her over to the gate, and as she steps off the ice, my eyes fall to her ass in those tight jeans that cling to every curve. Biting my lip, I force my gaze to the back of her hair, pushing the thoughts away.

“So that’s ice skating,” she drawls.

She settles on the bench and I sit beside her, my hand only an inch from hers. I want to reach over and twine her fingers with mine, but it would be weird while we’re just sitting here.

“Yeah? What did you think?”

“Different from what I thought it would be.” She hums. “I’ll probably be sore tomorrow.”

“I can give you a massage,” I offer, before I can think better of it.

Riley turns to me, her lips parted in surprise. “What? Why?”

In for a penny, in for a pound.

I meet her stare head-on. “If you’re sore, I can give you a massage. Or if you want to schedule one with a professional, I can watch Emmy while you take a few hours for yourself. We can get a babysitter if you want.”

Her mouth opens, then closes, and she blinks a few times.

“That’s not necessary. I’ll be fine.” She crosses her arms over her chest, a stubborn set to her jaw.

I shrug, trying to decrease the sudden tension. “Okay. But if you ever want some time to yourself, and I’m not available, we can find a babysitter. Even if all you do is go upstairs and take a nap while they play with Emmy. We can make it happen.”

“I’m not going to leave my baby with a random stranger.”

Lifting my hands into the air, I back off. “I didn’t say anything about a random stranger. We’d vet them. Hell, we could probably ask Cari. As long as she doesn’t have training, I’m sure she’d love to come over and raid our fridge.”

“I’m not going to ask your sister to watch my baby.”

My eyebrows shoot up. “Your baby?”

Riley’s face pales. “I—I mean, she’s your child. She’s not mine. Not like that.”

“Face it, babe, she’s your kid, too.” Enjoying the shell-shocked look on her face, I nudge her ribs with my elbow. “I like that you call her your kid. I’m not a fan of unilateral decisions, though. Let’s talk this out. Let’s figure out a compromise. You deserve to have a break from all of… this.”

“I don’t want a break from Emmy.”