The Mating Rules

Stepping onto the ice, Hadley grins at me as I raise an eyebrow in an ‘are you really serious’ expression.

‘It’s fun’ he coaxes, moving back a few inches so I either have to step onto the ice or fall on my face.

‘Oh Goddess, Oh Goddess’ I whisper as I take a step forward, my blade contacting with the ice. ‘I swear, if you keep me safe whilst I’m on these glorified knives, I swear I will never complain about mates ever again!’

Gliding slowly backward, Hadley pulls on my elbows, taking me with him as I try to lock my knees to stop them wobbling. We get half way around before he glides me over to the wall and places my hands on the barrier.

‘Stay here’ he orders before skating away, leaving me on my own. ‘What?’ I shriek, ‘no! come back!’

I look around me, I’m on the opposite side of the rink to the exit back to the bleachers, I don’t know if I can get back on my own. I’m not completely sure how I got here in the first place because I don’t remember moving my feet at all.

Shifting my hands a few millimetres, I start to inch my way back the way I’ve come, keeping up my prayers to the Goddess to not let me die.

‘Where are you going?’ comes the familiar voice of my mate behind me after a few minutes and roughly six inches of progress on my part.

‘I was coming to meet you’ I reply airily, lifting my hand to wave it dismissively which is a really bad idea as my feet slip out from under me and I fall back, my arms windmilling like crazy.

Two strong arms catch me, lifting me up so my skates are back underneath me. I glance up over my shoulder sheepishly, ‘we really need to stop meeting like this’ I quip making the warrior chuckle as he turns me around slowly.

My gaze falls to his side as I frown, ‘what’s that?’ I ask, studying the plastic penguin with handles.

Hadley smiles, those damn dimples flashing me again, ‘it’s a skate buddy’ he explains, guiding me toward it and placing my hands on the handles. ‘You push it in front of you and it helps keep you upright whilst you learn how to skate.’

I gingerly push my foot forward, gripping the handles as tightly as I can, the penguin sliding forward at the same pace, stopping when I do. Moving my other foot, I start to semi walk and glide, the penguin giving me something to hold on to so I don’t fall forward.

Beside me, Hadley skates backward, grinning as I try to keep my momentum going. ‘Show off’ I mutter huffily as he circles me easily, placing a k**s on my cheek as he passes.

‘You are doing great’ he replies easily.

‘I look rediculous’ I retort, glancing around me, taking in a group of teenagers that have lapped me about four times since I released my death grip on the barrier. I’m not even acknowledging the child who doesn’t look older than 5 who is doing little pirouettes in the middle of the rink, I swear she’s smirking at me each time she spins round.

‘You look cute’ Hadley counters, continuing to skate beside me as I slowly do a circuit of the ice rink without falling on my butt.

After two circuits and a tiny bit more confidence, the warrior takes my safety penguin away from me, leaving it at the side as he takes my hands again and skates backwards pulling me. ‘Now just like you were doing with the skate buddy’ he instructs, ‘just pretend I’m a penguin.’

I shake my head, ‘that penguin didn’t look hot as sin, it was easier to concentrate’ I mutter under my breath but follow his instructions.

A smile creeps over my face as we slowly circle together, my strides on the ice lengthening as I get the hang of it.

‘This is so much fun’ I breathe, gingerly copying Hadley’s movements as he continues to guide me backward around the rink. Reaching the opening for the third time, I pull my hand from the warriors, fist pumping the air as I whoop.

‘YES! I did it!’ I cheer just before my skates fly out from underneath me and I fall backwards. Two arms wrap around me but I’m too far gone to be righted, my body spinning in the air as I land on something hard but warm.

‘Ow’ Hadley g****s from underneath me as I push up on the ice in horror.

‘Oh my Goddess, I’m so sorry!’ I whisper, trying to push off of him, but my skates just slide out from under me again, splattering me over the warrior’s chest.

Underneath me, the torso starts to shake, arms holding me down as Hadley laughs.

‘It’s not funny!’ I huff, pushing my hair out of my face so I can glare down at the man underneath me.

‘Yes it is’ Hadley replies, ‘this was the best idea for a date ever, I got to hold your hand all night, have your total attention and then ended it with you on top of me.’

Groaning, I bury my face in his chest, my own giggles taking over as we lay on the ground.

‘Are you two OK?’ comes a concerned voice above us, looking up, I find the teenagers surrounding us.

‘I’m a beginner’ I explain, trying to sit up again as a blonde boy of roughly fifteen holds out his hand to me, helping me to my feet, a girl beside him, steadying me as Hadley climbs easily to his feet.Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

‘It takes practice’ the girl agrees sympathetically, ‘the first time I came, I spent more time on my butt than on my feet, my butt cheek was black by the time I went home.’

I laugh, thanking her and the young boy for helping me, the group waving before skating off.

Turning back to Hadley I pull a rueful face, ‘I think I’ve had enough ice for one day’ I sigh.

‘Yeah, as much as I like having you sprawled over me, my jeans are clinging to my a*s from the melted ice’ he agrees, placing a hand on my back and helping me through the gap in the barrier and over to the bleachers.

Sitting down, I turn around, unable to help myself from watching the warrior walk over to our locker, giving me a really great view of his sculpted a*s in those jeans.

‘Stop staring at me woman’ his voice growls out making me jump, my face flushing.

‘I was just checking that your butt wasn’t too wet, I’d hate for you to soak the seat of your cab’ I reply to his back making him chuckle.

Grabbing our shoes, he heads back to me, sitting at my side as we unlace the skates and exchange them for our own footwear.

‘So did you have fun?’ Hadley asked, peeking over at me.

I nod, ‘I really did, and I didn’t die or lose any limbs in a wayward skate blade accident, so yay me!’ I reply happily

Laughing, Hadley grabs our skates, helping me to my feet with his free hand and guiding me over to the reception where we return them. Instead of heading back out, the warrior grabs my hand and leads me down the side of the rink toward a small burger bar, the two of us sitting at a small table in plastic chairs, Hadley grabbing the laminated menus and handing me one.

Running my gaze over the small selection, I settle on some chili cheese fries and a soda before placing it to the side.

Giving our order to the waitress when she appears, I wait until she leaves before talking again. ‘So, where did you learn how to skate?’ I ask curiously.

Hadley grins, ‘my mum loved figure skating’ he confides, ‘like really loved it, we’d have to watch the Olympics just for that. She put me on skates as soon as I could walk, said it would make me graceful for my mate.’

I snigger as he shakes his head in amusement, ‘it was OK when I was little and could get away with being cute, not so much now I’m a six foot four fighter’ he admits with a shrug. ‘But I did enjoy it and now she’s gone, I like to go to the ice once in a while just to remember how we would glide around the ice together after my lessons.’

I reach over the table, placing my hand on his arm, ‘you brought me here?’ I ask softly, touched that he shared such an important place with me.

Hadley nods, suddenly embarrassed, ‘this was the closest I could get to you meeting my mum’ he admits. ‘I know she watches me here, she was always so excited about the thought of my mate, and it kind of feels like she was here with us today. She would have been a much better teacher than me though’ he adds, lightening the mood, ‘she would not have allowed you a penguin, that’s for sure.’

I laugh loudly, pressing my fingers to my lips to try and smother the sound, ‘I swear that little kid in the middle of the rink was judging me harshly’ I grumble, though I’m smiling.

Hadley moves his hand so he can entwine our fingers together, ‘you did great, picked it much quicker than I did, first time I stood on skates I fell over before we even reached the ice’ he confides.

Our food arrives and I spear my fork into my fries, suddenly hungry as Hadley takes a huge bite of his burger.

‘Didn’t you have dinner before we left?’ I tease him, making him grin.

‘I’m a growing wolf sweetheart’ he replies sternly, ‘I need my strength, it takes a lot of food to fuel this body.’ He waves a hand down his muscular torso that is unfortunately covered by that damn coat that I suddenly hate with a passion.

‘Is sweetheart my new nickname?’ I ask trying to cover the fact that I was imagining all that body under his clothes.

The warrior blushes slightly, ‘don’t you like it?’ he asked, suddenly nervous.

I smile, nodding my head, ‘actually I do’ I reply, ‘makes me feel special.’

Hadley holds my gaze and I’m taken aback by the intensity of the feeling swimming there, ‘you are special Jamie-Lee’ he murmurs, ‘you have no idea how much.’