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“Oh, don’t be sorry.” Elsie snorted as Orin plopped down next to her. “He got what was coming to him. But to answer your question, it was my money. I just stole it back.” She glared at Orin, who stuck a plastic fork in her hand and pushed a plate in front of her.
“Eat,” he muttered.
She tried scooping up some eggs, but they kept falling off the fork. Next, she tried a pancake, but the fork wasn’t strong enough to hold it.
“Orin,” I warned as I looked between the two of them. Hell, I knew he had a job to do, but she still had to eat.
He threw his head back and sighed. “She has attacked me numerous times. I cannot uncuff her.” Instead, he picked up her fork and started feeding her little pieces of eggs. She moaned around the fork, making his hand freeze. “Don’t do that,” he muttered.
“You know this would be kind of sexy if you weren’t such a strait-laced tightass.” She licked her lips suggestively at him, and he huffed in irritation.
Eros howled with laughter, slamming his hand on the table. “He’s only being strait-laced around you. He’s anything but that.” Orin threw a bagel at him, which Eros expertly dodged.
Milliani came in and waved at everyone, and sat next to Valik. She patted his arm, and he took off his sunglasses, giving her a wink.
“How’d you sleep?” I asked her as I sipped on my coffee.
“Oh, wonderful, thank you. I can’t seem to find my phone, though. Has anyone seen it?” She looked around the table, everyone shaking their heads. Her gaze settled on Elsie a little longer than necessary, and Elsie arched her eyebrow at her.
We sat around lazily, eating our breakfast and drinking coffee. There was no sense of urgency in the air, and I sighed, relaxing into Cian’s arms. Milliani kept rubbing her temples, and after a while she excused herself and went back to her cabin.
I sidled up next to Valik and elbowed him in his side. “You feel better now that you ate?”
He groaned and rubbed his stomach. “I’m not drinking that much ever again. Except maybe tomorrow, but only because it’s your wedding day.”
I looked over my shoulder, then back at him. “How’s Milliani doing? She seems… off?”
He furrowed his brow. “You know, she was doing well back home, but…” His shoulders slumped forward, a faraway look in his eyes. “She’s been distant since she got here yesterday. I don’t know if she was trying to face her demons alone, or if she’s regretting coming with me.”
I rubbed my hand over his. “I’m sure it’s nothing to do with you. Just keep me posted or let me know if you want me to talk to her. Now, you better get ready to kick some ass on that mountain because Eros wasn’t playing around about that race.” I nodded toward Eros, who had just squeezed himself into his snowsuit and was doing lunges down the hall.
“Fuck.” Valik laughed and stood, cracking his back.
Everyone went either back to their cabins or to their rooms upstairs to get ready for the day. Cian promised me I would love riding on the snowmobile, so I reluctantly agreed to go with him. Valik, Eros and Juliet were coming with us, while Thora, Felix and Sophie were going to try ice skating out on the lake. Valik said Milliani’s head was bothering her, and Miss Longfellow brought her a tray with tea and some aspirin. Orin dragged Elsie out the front door and said he would be back after he dropped her off at the sheriffs’.
Back in the master suite, Cian eyed me up and down in my pink snowsuit appreciatively and tried to pinch my ass, but the material was too thick. I giggled as he chased me around the room and threw me onto the bed. “Everyone’s waiting for us,” I panted as he lay on top of me and pinned my hands over my head.
“Fuck ’em,” he growled and leaned down, brushing his lips against mine. I tried wrapping my legs around his waist, but the snowsuit was not having that.
“I thought you said you were gonna show me how to ride?” I squealed as he rolled us over so that I was straddling him. He gripped my waist, my palms flat on his chest.
“Why don’t you show me how well you can ride, little star?” His gaze seared me, stirring a desire inside me only he could tame.
“You guys ready?” Valik pounded on the door and Cian rolled his eyes.
“I might have to fire him,” Cian groaned, and I slid off him slowly.
A short while later we made our way over to where the snowmobiles were, and Cian explained to Juliet and I how everything worked.
“It’s pretty straightforward once you get going.” He pointed to the right handlebar and then the left. “This is the throttle that propels you forward, and this is the brake. Just remember to squeeze gradually, especially around corners. Your feet will rest here. Don’t tense up. The more you fight the movements, the faster you’ll get tired.” He handed us goggles and motioned for Eros to come over. “Eros is going to take you on a test spin first, Juliet, while I take Nova.”
I had butterflies in my stomach as the engine idled. One of my top three traits included clumsiness, and God forbid I shot us over a big hill by accident.
Cian revved the engine as I slid on behind him and wrapped my arms around his waist.
“Hold on tight, baby!” Cian yelled over the engine, and in a flash, he sped across the terrain.
We shot across the retreat, skimming over the snow. Cian made it look so easy, but I could feel the power of the machine between my legs. Icy wind blasted me in the cheeks as Cian rushed down slopes and through trees. I turned to see Eros and Juliet behind us, and for some reason Eros thought that was a challenge for a race, because a second later he sped up and they were right next to us.
