Tripping (Iced #2) - Kristine Allen Page 0,35

pooled in my eyes. Willing them not to fall and ruin my makeup, I turned to him. “Oh my God. Are you serious?”

“Well, you love music, and some little birds might’ve let it slip that you love this place.” He appeared to squirm a little in his seat at his admission that he hadn’t figured this out on his own.

Blinking away the tears, I gave him a watery smile. “It doesn’t matter how you found out, it’s that you are willing to take me. Thank you so much.”

We parked, and he again seemed nervous. It almost made me laugh, because there he was, a big bad professional hockey player, and I made him nervous.

“Before we go in, I have one more thing for you,” he said as he reached behind my seat. He brought out a little silver gift bag with a curly bow on it.

“Cameron, you don’t need to buy me things. The jerseys were too much—though you might have a friend for life in Jett. I can’t let you keep doing stuff like that.” Though I was trying not to sound ungrateful, I didn’t want him to think I’d only agreed to go out with him because of his money.

“Well, too bad—I already did.” He shrugged, and a brilliant smile lit up his face. He motioned for me to open it, acting more thrilled than I was. I had to giggle.

Peeking in the bag, I saw a small black velvet box. “Cameron,” I began, but he held up a hand.

“Stop. It’s done, and it made me happy, so please continue,” he said. The lights of the dash reflected in his icy blue eyes, nearly taking my breath away. He was adorable in his excitement.

Lifting the box out, I held it in the palm of one hand as I raised the lid. My hand went to my mouth, and tears welled again. That time one actually spilled over and down my cheek.

“It’s too much,” I said into my hand.

Nestled in a bed of white velvet was a silver or white gold treble clef with a diamond at the very bottom set in the curl. It was beautiful in its simplicity, and that he had chosen such a thoughtful gift made my heart nearly burst in my chest.

“Do you hate it?” he asked, sounding worried.

My shocked gaze shot to his. “Are you kidding me? It’s beautiful. Perfect. Thoughtful. I’m at a loss. Thank you. Thank you so much!”

Impulsively, I clutched it in one hand as I threw myself over the console to hug him. His broad hands splayed over my back, and I simply held him tight. Though I didn’t want to, I extricated myself and held it out to him.

“Would you do the honors of putting it on me?” Turning in my seat, I presented my back to him. I ducked as he brought it over my head, and a shiver shot down my spine at the light graze of his rough fingertips against my neck. After he had released the clasp, I touched it affectionately and tried not to moan at the backs of his fingers trailing along my neck and shoulder.

Pleased beyond words, I faced him. “Thank you again.”

He cleared his throat and reached out to lift the pendant from my skin. His touch made my heart race and my stomach flutter. We slowly leaned closer until our lips were nearly touching. My chest was about to explode, and my breaths were coming quickly.

As if we both realized where we were, we blinked and sat back.

“Are you ready to go in?” he asked, still breathing roughly.

“Yeah,” I replied softly.

The production of Wicked was amazing. I was lost to every minute as I clutched his hand tight. I was enraptured, and the fact that he went out of his way to give me that experience crumbled the last of my walls I’d tried to reinforce against him.

When the lights rose at the end, I was clutching my chest and my eyes were wide. In a post-musical stupor, I slowly looked at the man sitting next to me, then down at where I held his hand.

His lips were pulled into his mouth as he tried not to smile. Finally, he did. “I take it that was a win?”

“That was absolutely the best date I’ve ever been on in my life,” I finally said as I huffed out the breath I’d been holding.

“I wish I had something to top it. Maybe I emptied my arsenal. Should I have saved this