Release: New Adult Sport Romance (Fire and Ice) Read Free

still has feelings for you.”
    “Yeah, but I was kind of a jerk to him this last year. It’s okay. We’ll figure it out.” She points at a shop across the street. “It’s right over there.”
    Above the door is a sign that has a guy riding a bike with a snowboard on his back. A bell jingles when Casey opens the door, and a hint of the same stale-sweat odor that permeates our locker room makes my nose crinkle.
    He’s behind the counter.
    “Hey, Kaleb. Have you met Lori yet? She needs inserts.” Casey is all smiles.
    Kaleb. I like that name. He’s in a flannel shirt that’s open to reveal a tight tee over a muscular chest. His sleeves are rolled up, and strong brown arms tell me he works out. He extends a hand and says, “Kaleb Wakefield.” I look into his sparkling eyes as I take his hand and can’t speak. A blush rushes from the warmth of his fingers to my cheeks and I smile.
    “Hi.” My insides tingle. Seriously? I could totally kiss him right now. My eyes drop to his mouth.
    His lips move and I almost touch mine when I think about what they would taste like. He says, “So, you need custom inserts for your boots?”
    I marvel at his soft, deep voice and imagine how it must sound when it’s husky with desire. “Yeah, my feet are killing me.” I do my best to hide my physical reaction, but let’s be real—I want to do more than kiss him. This crush is off the charts.
    “Let me show you what we have.” He walks over to a display and describes the differences. I can barely process it because I’m too focused on how good he looks in his jeans. He stops talking.
    Goodness, I’m a mess. I give myself a mental slap and say, “I’ll take a set of whatever you recommend.”
    He touches my arm lightly and I swear a current of electricity runs through my body. “Go sit over there and take off your boots and socks. I’ll warm these up and be back in a minute.”
    I do as instructed and take a moment to collect myself. Grateful for my recent manicure, I wiggle my toes and peek at the red nails.
    Kaleb comes over with what look like two floppy shoe prints. He places them on the floor. “Step on these.” He reaches out a hand to help me balance while I place my feet on each one. His grip is gentle, and his hands are surprisingly soft. “They might feel a bit hot, but they won’t burn you.”
    The warmth of the inserts caresses my feet, and I let out a little sigh of pleasure. “Oh, this is nice.”
    “You have such little feet,” he says. His hand squeezes mine gently and then drops. “You need to stand still for a couple of minutes.” He gives me a flirty smile. “That makes you a captive audience. So tell me, Lori, where did you come from?”
    “New Hampshire. You?”
    “Oregon. I came out here two years ago after I graduated from college. My parents are impressed with how I’m using my education.” He smirks.
    “I’m kind of using mine.” I grin. “I majored in elementary education.”
    “I majored in mechanical engineering. So I guess my summer job fixing bikes counts, right?” I hear the bell ring, and he turns toward the two new customers. “Hi, guys. How can I help you?”
    A man answers. “We need season tunes.” He’s holding two pairs of skis.
    “Right this way.” Kaleb’s big hands grab the skis from the man with ease, and he moves behind the counter. He gives them forms to fill out and walks back over to me. “Do you need to be anywhere?”
    “No. I have no plans other than pasta and maybe a book. Take your time.” I lose myself a little in his eyes.
    “Good.” A smile slowly forms on his face and two dimples appear. Oh, my gosh. Could he be any cuter? “You can sit now. Put on your socks, and I’ll be back when I’m done with these people.”
    I watch Kaleb talk to the couple. He’s attentive and kind, and I’m struck by his sincerity. While I’m drawn to him physically, right now the attraction is about what a genuine person he is.
    When they leave, he takes