The Hockey Star’s Remorse

Chapter 79

I bit my lip, feeling a bit sheepish. “Maybe just a little?”

He extended his hand, his touch warm and reassuring as I tentatively placed mine in his. His grip was steady as he guided me forward, his movements deliberate and patient. It was surprisingly comforting, and I found myself focusing on the feel of his hand in mine rather than the skating itself.

My breath was getting a bit more labored, but I wasn’t so sure that it was from the skating. I could feel my hand growing embarrassingly sweaty in his grasp, but I knew pulling away would only result in me crashing to the floor.

With Timothy’s guidance, I felt a bit steadier on my feet. His touch was firm yet. gentle, and I focused on his voice as he offered tips and encouragement.

“You’re doing great, Evie. Just relax and let the skates do the work.”

His words were oddly soothing, and I found myself growing more comfortable with each step. My initial embarrassment began to fade, replaced by a determination to master this newfound skill.

As we glided together, I couldn’t help but steal occasional glances at Timothy, his chestnut hair ruffled by the breeze, his hazel eyes warm and encouraging. The proximity between us sent a rush of warmth through me, and I felt a familiar blush creeping onto my cheeks.

It was like my body had become hypersensitive in his presence. The material of my shirt felt constrictive, rubbing against my hardening nipples as the cool breeze and Timothy’s hot touch conflicted with one another. I swallowed hard, growing more breathless by the minute. “See, you’re a natural,” Timothy said, his voice. breaking my daze. Evidently, I’d managed to skate a short distance without stumbling.

I cleared my throat, which felt painfully dry. “Maybe I’m getting the hang of it.”

After what felt like an eternity, but was likely only a short while, my body had begun to cool and the tension in my muscles had loosened. I could eventually skate with ease by Timothy’s side, but I would occasionally snatch his shirt sleeve. between my fingers when I felt myself slipping.

“You’re doing great, Evie,” Aria encouraged, already a few paces ahead of us. “Just

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Chapter 79

take it one step at a time.”

think I’m getting the hang of this,” I said

51%,

his hazel eyes locking onto mine. “See? I knew you could

still intact. Aria’s excited cheer echoed through the air as we made our way off the

Aria suggested,

called after her, taking my arm to gently guide

our way to the counters for some much- needed sustenance, I found myself walking beside Timothy, the warmth of his presence sending

some fries. and buffalo wings. We took our trays to one of the tables and dug in, barely coming up

kind of skating always makes me feel like a kid again,” Timothy mused, waving a french fry in the air. “It’s nice to let

agreement, watching as the thick cheese dripped from my nacho chip. “I can imagine. It’s like this little escape from

his gaze meeting mine. “Exactly. Not gonna lie, adulthood kind

you have no idea how right you are, Timothy. Evie is

rolled my eyes playfully, sticking my tongue

“Well, a little break every now and then can do wonders. Speaking of breaks, I think I see an

food, we ventured into the arcade area, the vibrant

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Chapter 79

hand at various games, challenging each other and reveling in the lighthearted competition. The atmosphere was infectious, and I couldn’t help but feel

drifted toward the coin–eating claw games, Timothy and I ducked into one of the game cabinets for a zombie shooting simulator. After shutting the curtains, we struggled to find the coin dispensers in the darkness. Our hands would occasionally tangle together,

help but bump our thighs and graze against each other’s warm skin. I found myself holding on

just as flustered

game commenced, I was already laughing at how clumsily he was handling the game. He would consistently miss the targets or shoot our allies, costing us

out of practice,” he said, although the disclaimer wasn’t needed by that point. Granted, I

We watched as the timer ticked down for us to reinsert our coins, but neither of us made a move to do so. I looked over at

tapping absently on the gun’s trigger. “I can’t recall any other year where

my gun back on the holder