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Our friendly competition quickly turned into a test of skill. We wove through the challenging terrain, our laughter mixing with the sounds of skis slicing through the snow. Every turn and every jump was a test of our skills, but it was also a shared adventure. Halfway down the mountain, we paused, our breath visible in the cold, crisp air.
“You’re tougher competition than I thought you’d be,” I said with a cocky grin.
“Likewise,” Owen shouted as he pushed off with his poles once again.
With renewed energy, we continued our descent. The bright sun cast a warm, golden glow upon the snow-covered peaks, creating a breathtaking backdrop for our race. As we navigated the slopes side by side, our movements synchronized effortlessly, something that did not go unnoticed by me.
As we approached the finish line, we exchanged a daring glance at one another. I was not about to let him beat me. I pushed harder than I imagined possible, and barely inched out the victory over him.
“Well, well, well. I guess we know who the best is here, don’t we?”
“Whatever. I let you win,” Owen said as he pulled his helmet off.
“Oh yeah right! We both know I’m better than you in every possible way.”
I tossed my hair as I removed my helmet, and Owen most definitely took note of the action. I started to move away from him, full of the confident arrogance that I deserved, but I didn’t get very far before he reached out and grabbed my hand to stop me. He spun me around and pulled me toward him in one swift movement. Even with our massive coats and skis in the way, he managed to meet my lips with his before I even realized what was going on.
His nose was icy against mine, but I didn’t mind at all. His lips were sweet and his tongue was warm as it slid its way inside my mouth. He nibbled my bottom lip, forcing a little giggle out of me.
“What was that?” he asked in a quiet, sultry voice.
“What was what?”
“That noise you just made? Are you giggling right now? At a time like this?”
“I just wasn’t expecting to be bit today, that’s all.”
“I didn’t bite you!” He paused for a moment before leaning in and whispering in my ear, “but I can if you’d like that.”
He backed away from me, once again leaving me speechless.
“Come on, I’m freezing,” he said, as if his last comment had never even happened.
I did as instructed and followed him back to the main lodge, where we found a secluded seat in the back of the cafe.
After ordering our (slightly spiked) hot cocoa, the cold started to melt away, and I felt more relaxed than I had in, well, I don’t know how long. We were quiet for a while, each of us lost in our own thoughts, but it wasn’t an awkward silence. It was a companionable silence that made it feel like we had known each other our entire lives.
I mean, I suppose we reallyhadknown each other our whole lives, but I knew very little about who he was as an adult. The man sitting across from me was not who I thought teenage Owen would turn out to be. He was far better.
I always knew there was something special about Owen, but I was so caught up in myself and my own life that I never took the time to really figure out what it was. Now, seeing who he was today, I wished I had.
“What are you thinking about?”
The question startled me out of my stupor, and I had to refocus my eyes on Owen as I tried to answer him.
“I—um—I was thinking about when we were kids. We had a lot of fun together.”
“We really did. Do you remember when we thought we could build a treehouse with like four planks of wood and a few nails and no hammer?” he laughed.
“I completely forgot about that! What were we thinking?”
“We had a lot of self-confidence for a couple of kids with no construction experience. And one who was afraid of heights.”
“How did you remember I was afraid of heights?”
“I remember a lot of things about you, Skye, probably more than you realize.” He was quiet for a moment before going on. “It seems like you’ve gotten over that fear, though. I mean, you weren’t even timid about the ski lift at all.”
“It’s something I’ve been working on for a long time… either that or I was just trying to impress you by not being scared.”
