Chapter 2

The chill of the evening air clung to my skin as we stepped away from the cacophony of the main rink, seeking the relative sanctuary of the lounge area tucked behind the velvet ropes. The transition was immediate; the roar of screaming children and the scraping of a hundred blades gave way to the low, murmuring hum of conversation and the soft, melodic strains of a jazz trio playing in the corner. The space was decorated for the holidays, strung with cascading fairy lights that draped from the high, vaulted ceiling like frozen waterfalls, casting a warm, golden glow over the polished wooden floors. It was a sensory overload of comfort and cold, a paradox that suited our mood perfectly. I had shed my heavy wool coat, letting it hang on the hook near the entrance, and adjusted the silk scarf around my neck. My dress, a deep emerald green that I had chosen specifically for this evening, clung to my curves in ways that felt deliberate and provocative. I could feel the weight of his gaze before I even turned around, a physical pressure against my back that made the fine hairs on my neck stand up. When I