Winter Wishes (The Play #1.5) by Karina Halle Read Free Book Online Page A

you were a figure skater in a past life.”
    Thierry shrugs, shooting him a sly smile. “No need to be jealous.”
    As we make our way down to the rink and I begrudgingly shove on a pair of rented skates that smell like they’ve been made of cheese, I realize that Thierry really can skate like an angel and contrary to Lachlan’s self-effacing attitude and the Frenchman’s claims, Lachlan is the opposite of terrible.
    I mean, he’s not the best of the best but he can at least stand on the ice and move smoothly without eating shit every five seconds. Not like me.
    By the time I fall down for the tenth time, Lachlan shakes his head and hoists me to my feet.
    “Kayla, I hate to tell you this,” Lachlan says earnestly, holding my hands. “But you might just be complete rubbish at this.”
    “I told you!” I exclaim, wanting to hit him but knowing that if I let go of him for a second I would fall again.
    Thierry skates over to us. “Actually I believe she said she wasn’t very good at it. That implied that she would be somewhat good. Which she is not.”
    “Ferme la bouche,” I tell Thierry. Shut your mouth .
    He raises his brow, folding his hands behind his back. “I better get out of here before she uses more French on me. Somehow it’s worse than her skating.”
    Thierry quickly skates away and I yell after him, “You know, you don’t need to talk about me like I’m not here!”
    “He means well,” Lachlan says, his eyes twinkling even more so with the reflection of the white rink. “As well as a Frenchman can. Come on. Let’s get you around the rink at least once.”
    Before I can protest, Lachlan comes around me, his skates on the insides of mine, one arm wrapped around my waist, the other holding onto my arm.
    “Just like this,” he whispers into my ear and my nerves dance along my neck, down my limbs, alighting my body like only he can.
    I’m as tense as anything, my legs starting to shake as he slowly glides forward, pushing me with him. I know I’m going to bail at any moment.
    But Lachlan’s body is so strong, so powerful, so solid against mine. And when he whispers into my ear, “I’ve got you,” I believe him. He has me – now and forever. He won’t ever let go. He won’t ever let me fall.
    I relax, closing my eyes, and let myself sink into his warmth, his mass. I let my worries melt away and just become one with his heartbeats, his movements, as much as possible. It’s almost like sex in that way, that our bodies are so fine-tuned to each other, our connection is nothing short of second nature.
    We glide so effortlessly, my hair blowing back from my face, the chill of the wind on my nose and cheeks, it almost feels like a snow-dusted Christmas dream.
    “Open your eyes,” Lachlan whispers.
    I do and see that we are already on the other side of the rink. It felt like we got here through no effort at all.
    “I can’t believe it,” I say softly, looking across the crowded rink.
    “You better. You had this in you. Sometimes we just need to have a little faith and try again.”
    Boy is he right about that.
    “Want to keep skating?” he asks me.
    “Only if we can skate all night,” I tell him.
    I lean back against his chest, his big arms around me, and we slow dance on ice, me and my beast.
     
     
    CHAPTER FOUR
    Lachlan
     
    “Are you ready?” I call out for Kayla. I know Emily, Jo and Lionel are, Emily in her crate while the others sit at my feet, tails thumping with no idea where we are going.
    “Just a minute,” I hear her say. It’s followed by a whole heap of rattling coming from the bedroom. I know she’s been fretting all morning over what to pack for Christmas, even though it’s not like she came here with a lot of options.
    Finally she emerges, lugging her suitcase instead of her overnight duffel bag that she had before.
    “It’s just for a few nights,” I gently remind her, sticking my hand out, offering to take it.
    She holds it back from me. “I couldn’t