‘Is she American? Are you going to see her again?’
‘I have two children and a job here.’ With a rueful smile, Patrick drained his drink. ‘It was good while it lasted, but not every relationship has a happy ending, as you well know.’
Stella looked towards Daniel and met his hot, intense gaze. ‘Yes,’ she said softly. ‘I do know. I’m sorry it didn’t work out for you. You deserve to meet someone lovely.’
‘Stella.’ A sandy-haired paediatrician she knew vaguely walked over to her. ‘Do you skate?’
‘Actually, I do,’ Stella said quickly, dragging her gaze away from Daniel. Maybe on the ice she’d forget. Muttering her excuses to Patrick, she handed her mulled wine to Ellie and opened the bag on her shoulder.
‘Whoa—are those your own skates I see coming out of that bag?’ Ben teased her, but Stella ignored him and laced her feet into the skates.
Then she removed her coat and the three men stood in stunned silence.
Ellie was the first to speak. ‘Wow,’ she said faintly. ‘Gorgeous skirt. And those red tights are stunning.’
‘I thought they were festive.’
‘You look like a very sexy helper of Father Christmas.’
The paediatrician obviously approved because he took her hand gallantly and the last thing Stella saw before he led her onto the ice were Daniel’s blue eyes glinting dangerously.
He had no right to be possessive, she thought miserably, gliding onto the ice without even thinking about it. Just as she had no right to want him.
Harry, the paediatrician, flailed along next to her, skating in straight lines and stopping by crashing straight into the side of the rink. Clutching the side for support, he looked helplessly at Stella. ‘You’ve obviously done this before. Any tips?’
‘The trick is not to fall over.’
‘Very funny.’
Stella prised his fingers away from the side. ‘You need to relax.’
He clutched her hand, wobbled and crashed to the ice taking her with him. ‘Sorry. That was a bit too relaxed.’
Laughing, Stella unravelled herself and stood up, deciding that it was possible to have fun after all. And then she turned her head and her eyes clashed with Daniel’s ice-cold gaze, and that single look withered her newborn happiness.
This wasn’t going to work, she thought desperately. They weren’t going to be able to pick up the threads of their life while they were working and living in the same community.
She w
as going to have to leave this little part of England that she loved so much. She was going to have to move away from her friends—leave Patrick and the children…
That sobering thought helped her to achieve her balance and she reached out a hand and pulled Harry to his feet. ‘Copy me. Watch…’ Delaying the moment when she’d have to return to her friends, Stella showed him how to move, how to balance, and then took his hand and guided him across the ice.
He was slowly gaining in confidence when a dark figure glided up to them.
‘My dance, I think.’ Daniel stood in front of them. To the casual observer he was relaxed and confident, but Stella sensed the simmering tension in his powerful frame.
Apparently unaware of any dangerous undercurrents, Harry raised his hands in a gesture of surrender. ‘If you can skate into the middle of the rink with no one holding your hand, you’re a better man than me, Buchannan. You win the lady’s hand.’
Clearly unaware of their previous relationship, Harry gave a good-natured smile and skated carefully off the ice.
Stella was left facing Daniel.
Without speaking, he took her hand and pulled her against him, his eyes on hers as he glided backwards, taking her with him. It didn’t surprise her that he was competent on the ice. Daniel was a natural athlete, physically fit and well co-ordinated. She doubted there was any sport that he wouldn’t excel at if he tried.
Feeling the dangerous throb of tension, she tried to lighten the mood. ‘I assume you’re releasing your inner ballerina.’
‘Actually, I’m releasing my inner caveman.’ His sardonic smile made her heart beat faster.