AllFreeNovel
Share Us
He squeezes my shoulder. “This whole place is amazing. There are little hidden coves like this all over the park. It’s why I never leave.”
“You never leave because of the boarding in the winter,” Benji comments from a few feet away.
“Damn straight,” Wyatt agrees.
“You guys teach snowboarding and skiing in the winter?” I ask, remembering what Chelsea said last night. I assume theyinstruct at the world-famous mountain lodge that boasts some of the best slopes in America and is just minutes from town.
“For almost ten years now,” Wyatt answers.
The heat of his body warms the side of mine. His hand is rubbing up and down my upper arm as he gazes down at me. His eyes dip to my cleavage more than once.
“Well, I guess you guys must be good then,” I comment, ignoring the blatant ogling.
“No.” He slowly shakes his head with a confident smirk. “We’re better than good.”
“Some would say we’re world champions,” Benji adds, glancing over at Zane with a smirk.
“What?” I furrow my brows.
“Don’t you know who he is?” Chelsea asks me, stepping up beside us and nodding in Zane’s direction.
“Should I?”
Wyatt and Benji laugh. Zane runs a hand through his hair and looks away. Benji walks over and throws an arm across Zane’s shoulders. “Our boy here is a champion at the World Games.”
My mouth drops open.
“Was,” Zane corrects.
“You won a snowboarding competition?” I ask Zane, though I’m probably showing my ignorance because I don’t know much about the sport.
“He wonthesnowboarding championship. The most competitive one other than the X Games,” Benji answers, a look of reverence on his face. “All three of us competed. But Z is the only champion standing here.”
Zane shrugs Benji’s arm from his shoulders and tilts his can of beer back until it’s empty. He seems uncomfortable with the accolades and attention. He tosses the can in a bag.
“That was a long time ago,” Zane says, not meeting anyone’s eyes. “Let’s swim.”
Wyatt leans down until his cheek is pressed against the side of my head. “He doesn’t like to talk about it.”
“Why?” I ask.
“Because of how it all ended.”
“How did it end?” I watch as the other three walk closer to the waterfall.
“He blew out his knee in a competition. He was one step away from the Olympics. And then, just like that”—Wyatt snaps his fingers—“it was over.” Wyatt keeps his voice low so that the words are just between us.
I’m staring at Zane’s muscular, lean back as Wyatt talks. I’m starting to think there are layers to Zane that I missed at first glance. I’m visualizing peeling them back one at a time. Zane’s arrogance was the first thing that struck me, but I think I might’ve mistaken quiet confidence for conceit. And I’m certain I’d enjoy digging for the truth.
“Come on,” Wyatt says, leading us closer to the water.
“Are you sure it’s warm in there?” I ask dubiously as Benji and Chelsea enter the natural pool.
There’s a chill in the air that’s worse in the shade. It’s already left chill bumps across my skin.
Wyatt chuckles. He acts like he’s going to shove me in, and I grab him reflexively.
He groans while pulling me closer. “Why do I like the feel of you in my arms so much?”
