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We both look up, not realizing that midnight is actually closer than either of us realized. “Guess we’re staying,” I say, grinning.
Laughing, she turns slightly, toward her friends, her head resting on my shoulder. “We can go straight after,” she murmurs, making me smile.
When the clock does strike midnight the bar fills with cheers, as the sound of Auld Lang Syne echoes from the speakers. Everywhere people are hugging and laughing and kissing and while I want to celebrate and mark the occasion, there’s only one person I want to do that with.
“Delaney,” I say, leaning close so she can hear me.
She turns in my arms, looking up at me, a smile on her face. Leaning in, I press a soft kiss to her lips, followed by another. I feel her hand slide into my hair, holding me in place as she deepens the kiss, and I can’t help but smile.
I trace my tongue across her bottom lip, feeling the way her body folds into mine, melting against me as though she can’t get close enough. My hand slips beneath her top, my fingers trailing over her spine, just like I did through so many nights back in that cabin.
I pull her closer, even as our kiss slows, my nose brushing against hers, our lips barely touching.
“Delaney,” I whisper again, my heart pounding in my chest, the blood pumping through my veins.
“Yeah?”
I blink my eyes open to find her already watching me, a soft smile on her face. “I love you.”
30
DELANEY
Alex’s words echo in my head, pulling a smile to my lips so big it makes my cheeks hurt. I’ve wanted to say it to him for so long. I was prepared to blurt it out, but he beat me to it. I don’t care about the words, not needing to say them because I know we both feel the same way.
But hearing him say he loves me is like music to my ears, making me glad we both waited until now to say it. Well, I haven’t said it back and judging by the look on Alex’s face, he’s not so patiently waiting.
“Laney?” he says hesitantly, and I swear I don’t mean to laugh at him, but it slips out. This is not the boy I met all those weeks ago. The one who was arrogant and cocky and swore he was god’s gift to women. Guess the love of a good woman did change him, not that I believe in that kind of shit.
“Yes?” I reply, my word coming out dripping with sweetness, making him squirm just a little. “Did Alex Cunningham just admit he loves me? Did that avalanche knock a few things loose? Maybe it’s all that oxygen going to your brain, making you say crazy things.”
“The only thing I’m crazy about is you,” he says, wrapping his hand around the back of my neck and pulling me closer. “Come here.”
When our lips are nearly touching, the soft tickle of his breath brushing my mouth, I say it back, “I love you too.” His lips curl up into a massive smile, the crowd of people nearly drowning out the admittance that passes between us.
As much as it feels great to be back in civilization, we’ve gotten used to it just being the two of us, and that’s all I really want right now. I just want to be in the quiet of my house with Alex next to me, curled up against the warmth of his body.
“Let’s go home,” I say, pushing up on my toes to kiss him again. Even after spending every single day and night together, it’s hard to keep my hands off him. I want to be with him all the time and while spending New Year’s Eve with Zoey and our high school friends Mila and Charlie is great, the idea of being alone feels more our speed now.
“Guessing you’re heading home,” Zoey says, coming up behind me with Mila and Charlie in tow. They’re all smiling, holding drinks, like they’re so happy to be back here in Tahoe and I can’t disagree.
As much as I didn’t want to come back here after Vermont, there’s no place I would rather be. It’s home. It will always be home. And when Alex and I were trapped out there in the woods, this was the one place I dreamed about, like it was a sanctuary. Our sanctuary now.
“It is so good to see you,” Mila says, pulling me in for a hug, a huge smile on her face. “Getting back to normal is tough after trauma, but you’re going to be just fine. Trust me, I know,” she adds, winking at me as her fiancé comes by and slings an arm around her shoulders.
“Thanks, and don’t stay gone so long. I know southern California is better than the mountains, but this place isn’t so bad, especially when you’re kinda a local celebrity.”
Mila and Charlie started off going to school here in Tahoe and after they transferred, Mila returned to work with the local college newspaper to write an article about her past. She conquered a whole bunch of bullshit and came out a total badass.
“We’re going to hit the slopes tomorrow,” Charlie chimes in. “You should come with us. We’re going to teach these Aussie boys of ours how to ski. It should be a good laugh.”
I chuckle, knowing that learning to ski as an adult can be a bit of a challenge. “I know a great instructor if you need one,” I tease, making Mila and Charlie’s guys look at them for clarification.
“Delaney is one of the best ski instructors at Badger Creek,” Charlie says, looping her arm through her husband’s. “You’d be lucky to have her as your instructor.”
Both Mila and Charlie’s guys let out a laugh. “We don’t need lessons,” one of them says, his Australian accent on full display. “How hard can it be?”
“Hard,” Charlie deadpans, shaking her head with Mila echoing her sentiments. “We don’t need any broken limbs while we’re on vacation.”
