by L. A. Ashton
The female skater caught her partner, skidding around the ice in a circle, and without a single missed beat or pause he scooped her into his arms, his body suddenly spinning with her momentum.
“Gorgeous,” Beverly said. Kaito nodded.
The female skater touched down on the ice gracefully, her body always perfectly fluid. They wound down in a spinning embrace, the music trickling off and forcing the darkness around them in a tight circle. They posed in that beam of light, chests heavy and cheeks rosy, found.
The audience burst into loud applause, and Kaito joined them.
The skaters exited the rink, and there were a few announcements as presents were thrown to the ice and gathered by staff. Kaito was busy scribbling all these thoughts before they slipped out of his head and into the void. A writer’s brain was a fickle thing—it would lose genius faster than it created it.
He also missed the announcement. But the loud proclamation of “Cristian Alvarez” made his head snap back up, and Beverly nudged him with her elbow. Cristian’s entrance onto the ice was marked by bone-shaking applause. Hooting and high-pitched shrieks of “I love you!” split through the stands, and Cristian gave a single wave before taking his position at the center of the ice.
The crowd died down, and the lights dimmed. Everyone waited with rapt attention.
The single pluck of a guitar string marked Cristian’s first movement. He went from wrapped around himself to open and moving, the echo of the sound just barely carrying him across the ice. The guitar began again in earnest, and Cristian’s body moved with the fluid musicality that made him such a joy to watch.
It started off slow—Cristian’s movements were reaching and forlorn. He spun in whimsical circles, appearing to contemplate his inner turmoil. He gained speed and turned into a gorgeous Ina Bauer, baring his chest to the ceiling as his arms stretched out. When he rose, he brought himself quickly up to speed, popped a jump at the precise moment a cord stuck a high note, and nailed a perfect landing.
The crowd cheered, but Kaito watched him as he always did: soundless.
Cristian brought himself down into a cannonball spin, leg bent so he was crouching just above the ice while twirling at tremendous speeds. The music reached its climax, and Cristian rose from the maneuver and slowed almost to a stop as the music trailed off.
But he didn’t stop; his skate didn’t force a complete halt until a loud clap came over the speaker. Suddenly, he was in a dancer’s stance, a wide grin splashed across his face. A few more claps followed, and Cristian’s hips moved with the rhythm. Then the arena was flooded with the upbeat sound of flamenco, and Cristian lit across the ice with dazzling footwork.
The audience began to clap along with the familiar beat, and Cristian’s smile grew somehow wider. The way his legs moved—so powerful and yet so full of grace—took Kaito’s breath away every time. How could such a balance exist? How could he look so strong and yet so weightless?
Cristian was clapping along with the audience, beaming, and he went into a quick stride to suddenly—almost casually—jump into a vicious triple axel. He landed the challenging jump as if it had been certain. The crowd exploded in shouts of praise and applause. Cristian danced his way back toward the center, spinning to a quick and dramatic stop.
The cheers pitched higher, and gifts and stuffed animals were catapulted toward the ice. Cristian bowed, smiling and waving with both hands, and exited the ice.
Cristian had been the finale, as he should be. The crowd dispersed in large groups, and the announcement that the skaters would be around for pictures and autographs sent them all in one direction.
“That was phenomenal,” Beverly commented, both of them unmoving. It was best to wait for the congested hallways to clear.
Kaito just nodded. He felt the same way he always felt when he watched Cristian leave the ice—grateful, and somehow considerably sad. He could watch Cristian skate forever.
“I’m going to make my rounds. You coming or waiting?”
“I’ll wait.”
Beverly smiled a knowing smile—far too coy. She nudged him again. “Go get ’im.” Before Kaito could protest, she was gone.
Kaito loitered outside the clusters of people waiting for autographs for some time. Jason snuck by to say hello and was promptly swept away by his own fans. As the crowds began to disperse, Cristian’s eyes slid over their heads and locked with Kaito’s gaze. Kaito tried for a proper smile—warm, welcoming—but it felt half-formed and nervous on his mouth.
It took a blink, but Cristian’s face appeared to soften. Kaito looked back to the concrete and scuffed his shoe against the pavement. Eventually the voices grew fainter and Cristian approached.
“Kaito,” he said in the softly accented way that made Kaito’s heart ache. “I wasn’t sure if you were coming.”
Kaito nodded. It was difficult to make direct eye contact with him, especially this close. “I attend every year.”
“Good. I’m glad.”
Wringing his hands, Kaito looked up into his eyes. “I don’t know what your plans are, but…would you like to get a drink?”
Cristian tipped his head just a little. “As a journalist, or as Kaito?”
Kaito held up his hands. “Just me. I did all my scribbling while you guys skated.”
This pleased him. Cristian touched at Kaito’s back and led him toward the rear of the venue. “I know a small place. We won’t be bothered.”
“Good.” Kaito coughed, then cleared his throat. “Good.”
“Do you have all your things?” Cristian asked as he pulled on a hat and gloves.
“Yes.”
Cristian nodded and continued to lead Kaito toward the exit. The streets were shuffling with life—not bombastic, but not reserved. Couples and groups laughed with foggy breaths, and music floated through the open swing of doors before being muted by their closing.
Kaito wasn’t sure if the silence that rested between them was awkward or not. Cristian seemed content, but that might just be his face; he almost always looked the slightest bit pleased about something.
“Are you going to ask me?”
Kaito snapped his gaze toward Cristian at the question. Taken aback, he blinked a few times. “Ask you?”
Cristian looked down at him, then smiled. He turned his eyes back forward, and Kaito furrowed his brow.
The rest of the short walk was quiet, and Kaito began to panic. The restaurant Cristian led them into was one Kaito recognized from ads, but not from acquaintance. It had gray-toned wood for floors and a large section of booth and table seating. Adjacent to that was a dance floor, small and speckled with a few couples who were there to experience each other, not to show off grace or dance moves. Very unlike their last date, it felt casual and homey. Kaito began to relax.
“You like it?” Cristian asked. “Every time I visit America I find a million tiny places to try. I like coming back to this one because it’s calming.” He touched his heart. “And the steak is phenomenal.”
Kaito chuckled. “I appreciate your wisdom. I’ve lived on the East Coast most of my life and haven’t even made a dent in trying all the local places.”
“Two?” the approaching waitress asked. She was in torn jeans and cowboy boots.
“Yes please,” Cristian responded.
She tried not to look bowled over by his voice and beauty, but the color that sprang to her cheeks gave it away. Kaito could relate.
“Right this way.” She seated them at a booth against a dividing wall and handed out menus. “I’ll be back shortly.”
“Thank you.”
Kaito slid into his seat, gently touched the menu, and then withdrew his hand. Something was out of place.
“Did you enjoy the event?” Cristian asked him.
He almost jumped. “Ah, yes. Of course. It was quite star-studded this year. Everyone performed beautifully.”
“I agree,” Cristian said, leaning back against the booth. He ran his fingers through his hair, taming the
tangle his winter hat had left behind. His curls were back to perfection almost instantly. It was unfair.
Kaito wrung his hands in his lap. Apparently the table didn’t eclipse the motion, because Cristian eyed the movement with his superior height.
“Are you nervous?” he asked.
Kaito yanked his hands apart. “I apologize.”
“No apologies necessary…” Cristian lowered his voice and looked at Kaito from under his lashes. “You weren’t nervous last time we spoke.”
Kaito’s laugh came out in a flustered burst. “Incorrect,” he said. “I was, but endorphins and libido hid it well.”
Cristian was still looking at Kaito’s hands. “When I was a child, I found it difficult to sit still at school. I got in trouble all the time.”
Kaito raised his eyebrows in surprise.
“Too much energy,” Cristian said. “Skating helped me a lot with that.” He extended his hand across the table. “Would you like to dance?”
Kaito’s eyes slid downward. Could he ever say no to dancing with Cristian Alvarez?
“You don’t have to,” Cristian said.
Kaito subverted the comment by taking Cristian’s hand. Their waitress had just reappeared, and Cristian smiled apologetically at her.
“I’m sorry, miss. We’re going to dance a bit first. May we order after?”
She looked between them in open bewilderment. Once again, Kaito understood.
“Of course.” She flashed them both a bright smile and backed away. Cristian nodded his thanks. He led them to the dance floor and pulled Kaito into an easy, swaying stance. The music was slow and emotional, swelling with words of loving and pining.
“Not the most upbeat,” Cristian said. His lips quirked at the corner, barely pinching away a laugh.
Kaito relaxed his body against Cristian’s hold. The hand against his waist made his head buzz. “It’s still nice,” he said.
Cristian’s smile broke out over his face. Eyes crinkled at the corners, and he looked down at Kaito as if he were a treasure. Kaito couldn’t make contact with the expression for too long—his gaze dropped to inspect the floor.
Cristian’s voice was soft. “You’re still not going to ask me?”
Kaito looked up. He was definitely missing something. Whatever he’d sensed was off—it was linked to this question, filling the air between them. The mood felt precariously balanced on something Kaito couldn’t see.
“I’m sorry,” Kaito said, finally shaking his head. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Cristian’s eyes were warmer than ever as he looked down at Kaito.
“Although…” He took a breath. If Cristian was here, he was giving Kaito a chance. “I feel I must apologize. When I messaged you… I suppose I might have misunderstood what our relationship was. I was trying to be friendly, but I think I came off as prying during a sensitive time.” He bowed his head. “Please forgive me.”
Cristian huffed a laugh through his nose. Then he chuckled. Then he tipped his head back and laughed from his chest. Kaito stared at him, perplexed.
Cristian pulled Kaito closer to his body. “I feel I must apologize as well, Kaito.” Confusion wrote itself across Kaito’s face as he listened. “I was acting out of pettiness. When you messaged me, I believed you might have been using our closeness for a scoop, as a journalist.”
Kaito immediately froze, dropping Cristian’s hand to slap it across his mouth. Oh my God, he thought. I’m a journalist.
Cristian laughed again and pulled Kaito’s hand away from his mouth. “Of course you misunderstood my message,” Kaito said to him, looking up with pain on his face. “I am immensely stupid.”
Cristian shook his head. “No. You were trying to be a good friend.” He brought the swaying back into their steps. “The moment I saw you again, I remembered all the things that made you you. I realized I’d been foolish.”
“No,” Kaito combatted. “You were being smart.”
“That’s what Luis thought,” Cristian said. The name sent a lance through Kaito’s heart. “So will you ask me?”
Kaito sighed with his new understanding. “Are you injured?” he asked.
“Off the record?” Then Cristian shook his head. “Actually, you may tell the story once I want it out. But no, I’m not injured. My sister was having complications with her pregnancy. I went to see her, but she chased me out of the hospital until they were ready to induce delivery.”
“Is she okay?” Kaito asked, suddenly ragged with worry. “Is the baby?”
“Yes, they are both fine. They will stay in the hospital for a while under observation.”
Kaito’s shoulders drooped as he exhaled his relief. “That’s good news.”
“I didn’t want to bring attention and publicity to her fight. She was stressed enough. Also…” Cristian thought about his next words. “Her husband isn’t exactly a fan of me or my—” Cristian lifted one hand to execute air quotes. “—‘lifestyle.’”
Kaito’s hand flexed tighter around Cristian’s shoulder. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay. My sister loves me. He’ll come around eventually, I think.” Cristian occupied his gaze with the restaurant, and they danced a few steps in silence.
There was a nagging question, but the thought of asking it was almost too horrifying. And yet, Kaito had to.
“What about—” Kaito cleared his throat. “—Luis?”
Cristian’s eyebrows popped up in surprise. “Oh, yes. Luis has been my rink mate since we were children. He and my sister are very close friends.” His lips pursed into a thin line. “Why couldn’t she have just married him?”
Kaito tried not to inflate with the relief rushing through his body. It was difficult. Cristian’s eyes narrowed, and then his mouth tipped into a coy grin. He leaned closer. “Were you jealous?” His accent was thick and warm against Kaito’s cheek.
Kaito dropped his head. “I don’t have the right to such feelings.”
Cristian brought his forehead down, sliding their noses together. He spoke just above Kaito’s mouth. “Are you sure about that?”
Kaito lifted his chin. The tender notes of piano dropped from the speakers and resonated through his blood. So close to him, Kaito’s view of Cristian’s eyes was hazy and blurred. He tilted his head back and took Cristian’s mouth against his, lighting up every cell with warmth and want.
Cristian’s arm circled tightly around his waist, pulling Kaito up and into the kiss as they inhaled each other. When his grip loosened and they both pulled away, Kaito worried his legs would give out beneath him.
“Do you still want to meet my cat?” Cristian asked, remaining close enough to speak against Kaito’s skin.
Kaito nodded, not yet capable of words. Cristian’s eyelashes veiled the smoke of his gaze as he glanced around the restaurant.
“We can wait for amazing steak, yeah?” Kaito nodded again, more fervently, and Cristian chuckled. He took a step away, and Kaito almost staggered, but he kept his balance. Cristian canted his chin toward the entrance. “Let’s go.”
Kaito allowed himself to be swept across the floor and to the door, pausing only to grab the coats abandoned at their table and leave a courtesy tip. Cristian called a car, and soon they were being escorted to a place that looked more palace than hotel. Even in this cold, the grounds were beautiful; medians bisected roads with frosted lamp posts and trees that glimmered under their light. Two towers flanked the main portion of the building, and arched windows filled the space in-between. Kaito hadn’t realized a place this glamorous even existed here.
The car dropped them off, and they climbed a sweeping curved staircase off the ground level, passing through a gazebo and a beautiful outdoor dining area. Had Kaito not been following Cristian, he’d have liked to sit there and stare out over the grounds as the sky covered them in stars.
Cristian used his card to gain access indoors, and then he was walking them through a beautiful foyer. A fountain adorned the center, wit
h gleaming mosaic tile laid across the floor. The center was designed to look as if you were outside—the ceiling was painted with clouds, street lamps and palm trees were nestled along walls and in corners, and archways held up balconies for rooms on the next floor.
“This…doesn’t look like a hotel,” Kaito said, desperate to take in as much as he could.
Cristian threw a smile over his shoulder. “You’ve never done an interview here?”
Kaito shook his head. “No, but I’d love to.”
“Well, perhaps we can make that happen.” Cristian walked up a small flight of stucco stairs that brought them to the balcony overlooking the foyer. Kaito took in the intricate tilework and whimsical painting on the ceiling as Cristian swiped his card and opened the door.
Cristian stepped inside. “Luna,” he sang. Kaito stooped by the door to take off his shoes as Cristian ventured farther inside. The sound of tiny paws across carpet made Kaito lift his head, so he saw the small black cat trot out to meet Cristian and run the length of her body across his shins. “There’s my girl.”
He picked her up, holding her in his arms like a tiny queen. Kaito approached and held out his hand, offering it to Luna. She eyed him a bit suspiciously before sniffing him.
“She’s very pretty,” Kaito said.
“The prettiest,” Cristian confirmed. Finally content with her investigation, Luna leaned forward and rubbed her cheek along Kaito’s fingers. Kaito tried not to grin too stupidly.
“I knew she’d like you,” Cristian said. “How could she not love the father of five others like her?”
Luna leaned back against Cristian, and Kaito took the chance to continue petting her. It seemed like the right move—deep purrs vibrated from her chest. “I love cats,” Kaito breathed as if in confession. “They have such varied personalities, and they’re so independent.” He scratched under Luna’s chin, and she lifted her head for him.
“My parents had dogs,” Cristian said. “Small ones that yipped constantly. They should have trained them better.” He stroked a fond thumb over Luna’s snout. “Cats are much more quiet. Refreshingly so.”