Chapter 16

Noelle

Whooo hooo. I’m having sex with my dream man on the top of a Zamboni in an almost-chilly ice rink.

I seriously can’t believe this is happening. Like seriously. In all the years I’ve dreamed about being with York, I never could have imagined a scenario like this.

However, it’s perfect.

More than perfect. When I saw the size of his …equipment, I about flipped out. Almost called the whole thing off, but I trusted him when he told me it’d fit.

I’ve always trusted York Steele.

And now the way he stares at me as we come together on this Zamboni has me believing in a future for the two of us. I know it’s silly. I know I shouldn’t let my mind wander, but I can’t help it.

I’ve always been in love with him.

He reaches between our bodies, the pad of his thumb grazing over my clit. He toys with it, making my eyelid’s drift closed. “You like that, don’t you. Fuck, you’re so hot.” He leans closer, his mouth opening to suck on my breast. He plays with the nipple between his teeth, sucking, nibbling it into his mouth.

I hold onto him, my fingers running through his thick hair.

Speaking of thick…his dick moves inside me, slowly at first, but he picks up speed every few seconds. Until we both get lost in the feel of each other.

I ride him, letting my hips thrust and grind against him.

“Are you on the pill? Or should I pull out?”

I nod. “I’m on the pill.” Thank god for my last OB/Gyn appointment and her suggesting I go on it. Phew.

I’m not sexually active. At all.

But I’m glad I decided to take the pill, because the thought of York pulling out any time soon makes my heart clench in my chest.

My body heats up, and the cool air of the rink no longer bothers me. I keep grinding, riding York’s dick as he applies the perfect amount of pressure to my clit. Before I can even stop, my body’s building toward my release, and there’s nothing I can do to stop it. Not that I’d want to.

I grip onto York like my life depends on it as my body vibrates. “I’m coming,” I tell him, every cell in my body lighting up instantaneously. “Oh York, I’m coming,” I shout.

“That’s it, ride me, Noelle. Keep going, don’t stop. Fuck, I’m so close.” He holds onto my ass, gripping the flesh in his fists as he pounds away inside me.

I find his mouth, locking mine over his in an all-consuming kiss. It’s one of those kisses that changes everything. One where I never want it to end.

His body stalls for a moment before he’s grunting into my mouth, our kiss turning sloppy…messy…perfect as we cling onto one another. “Fuck, Noelle. You feel so good,” he groans through his orgasm.

Our foreheads press together as we both try to catch our breaths.

When my heartbeat finally lowers, I gaze into his eyes.

“You’re perfect,” he whispers before somebody is shouting.

We both perk up, noticing the Zamboni has somehow traveled onto the ice during our lovemaking.

“Oh shit,” York says, jumping up slightly.

I bound off his lap, getting dressed in record time and getting down from the Zamboni. I’m slowly moving across the ice as York gets himself put together and joins me.

My eyes widen as I spot the person who was shouting at us only moments before. It’s Danny, the security guard for the ice rink. He’s high up in the stands, so hopefully he didn’t catch us.

“I thought we were alone,” I say to York.

“So did I,” he says back as Danny makes his way closer.

And then I spot my father.

“Oh my god,” I say, my hands brushing through my hair so I’ll look more presentable. I can’t believe this.

Danny and my father inch closer to the edge of the ice as we draw near.

“Dad, hey! What are you doing here?” I ask, trying to sound casual. But if someone were to hook me up to a heart monitor, they’d see just how intensely I’m freaking out.

“Someone tripped the security system when the Zamboni switched on. What are you two doing?” My father’s looking past us at the Zamboni in the middle of the rink.

“Uh,” York starts, rubbing the back of his neck with his hand.

“He was taking me on a Zamboni ride,” I say quickly, hoping my father buys it.

Truth is, I grew up at the rink and have ridden a Zamboni countless times.

My father’s eyebrow raises. “Why?”

York laughs, cutting the silence with the sound of it. “Well, that’s what I was wondering, but she insisted.”

I give him my best evil eye as he tosses me under the bus. “Dad, I just dared York that he didn’t know how to operate a Zamboni. He said he did. I didn’t believe him, so there…” I say, feeling pretty proud of myself for the story I’ve given.

My father shakes his head, spinning on his heels to leave. “Your mother wanted to have everyone home so we could exchange gifts.”

Both York and I let out a deep breath. Phew.

My father walks away and Danny raises a brow. “Um, Noelle, your sweater’s on inside out.”

I glance down, rolling my eyes when I notice my faux pas. Hopefully my father didn’t notice. “Thanks,” I mumble, and York runs back to return the Zamboni to its rightful spot.

The ride back to my parents’ house is excruciatingly quiet. York hasn’t said a word, and as the silence stretches out between us, the more worried I become.

“Um,” I start, not really knowing where to begin.

“Noelle, I’m so sorry,” York says, navigating the roads like a pro.

“Sorry for what?”

He glances at me for a quick second before staring back at the road. “For… you know what?” He pulls the truck off the side of the road. He turns in the driver’s seat to look directly at me. “I’m not sorry for a damn thing. Noelle, I know this whole thing is for pretend, but I don’t want it to be. I want you. I want you more than I’ve ever wanted anything in all of my life.”

My heartbeat bangs loudly in my ears. “Really?”

He leans toward me. “Yeah. Do you want to date me for real?”

I can’t stop the smile that splits my face. “Yes, York. I want it.”

Our lips crash together as we kiss on the side of the road. And I don’t care who drives by to see. Our fake relationship is now real.

Just how are we going to tell everyone?

We’re sitting around the kitchen table, mugs of hot cocoa in hand, the smell of cinnamon and chocolate filling the air. The house feels warm, cozy—the kind of night where everything should feel perfect. And for the most part, it does. York and I have finally decided to be an official couple. The thought makes my heart flutter, a little thrill running through me every time I glance at him across the table. He’s sitting there, casually listening to my dad ramble about the plans for tomorrow’s winter festival charity event, his smile soft and knowing. Every so often, his eyes meet mine, and it sends a jolt of happiness through me.

But then the knot in my stomach tightens, reminding me of the one thing I can’t shake: my parents don’t know. And I have no idea how to tell them, especially my father.

Dad’s stirring his cocoa with a spoon, oblivious to the anxiety swirling inside me. He’s deep in conversation with my mom, making plans about the booths for tomorrow, the music, the volunteers. But all I can think about is how he’s going to react when he finds out I’m dating York Steele—his York. The guy he practically considers family.

I take a deep breath, forcing myself to stay calm. Now’s not the time to drop that bomb. I mean, York and I just made it official. We haven’t even had time to settle into the idea of us being a real couple, let alone face the potential fallout from my father. I shift in my seat, fidgeting with the edge of my sweater, my eyes darting between my parents and York.

“Are you okay, Noelle?” My mom’s voice cuts through my thoughts, and I realize I’ve been staring into my mug like it holds all the answers to my problems.

“Yeah,” I lie, plastering a smile on my face. “Just thinking about tomorrow. It’s going to be a busy day.”

“Busy, but it’ll be great,” my dad adds with a grin. “The festival’s always a hit, and this year’s kissing booth is going to raise a lot of money. You excited, York?”

York nods, leaning back in his chair, completely at ease. “Yeah, should be a good time. Looking forward to seeing everyone out there.”

He’s so calm, so York—like he doesn’t have a care in the world. I envy that. He has no idea how much I’ve been stressing about telling my parents. I wonder if he’s even thought about it. My dad trusts him, respects him. How’s he going to react when he realizes York’s dating his daughter?

I’m chewing on my lip, lost in my thoughts, when my dad stands up, stretching. “Well, it’s getting late. We’ve got an early start tomorrow, so I’m heading to bed. You two should get some rest, too.”

My heart skips a beat as everyone starts to say goodnight. My mom gets up and hugs me, and then York. Everything feels so normal, like it’s just another evening. But inside, I’m freaking out.

“Night, Noelle,” York says, his voice low and warm as he brushes past me on his way to his room. His hand grazes mine, just for a second, and it’s like a jolt of electricity. I want to reach out, grab him, tell him to stay with me. But instead, I force myself to smile as I mumble, “Goodnight.”

I watch as he disappears down the hall, my heart sinking as he goes. I head to my own room, but the moment I lie down, I know there’s no way I’m sleeping tonight. My thoughts are spinning too fast, my mind racing with everything left unsaid. The truth sits heavy on my chest—this secret about York and me. And now that we’re official, keeping it from my parents feels even more overwhelming.

I toss and turn, the sheets twisting around me as my brain refuses to shut off. All I can think about is York, just a few rooms away, probably already asleep. But I’m wide awake, aching to see him, to feel that connection between us again. I stare up at the ceiling, wishing he were here beside me, wanting to feel the safety of his presence, the way he makes everything else fade away.

My fingers hover over my phone. Maybe I should text him. Tell him I can’t sleep. Ask him to meet me. But what if my parents hear? What if they catch us?

I sigh, rolling over, staring at the clock. It’s late, and the house is so quiet. But all I want is to sneak down the hall, knock on York’s door, and let him in on the secret running through my mind—that I’m not scared of being his girlfriend. I’m scared of everything that comes with it.