AllFreeNovel
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He taps the end of my nose with his gloved finger. “I think you already know the answer to that.”
And I do. It’s been a long time since someone made me feel special. And chosen. But Zane consistently makes me feel that way.
“I don’t know …” I push. “That brunette was gorgeous.”
“Was she?” he asks. “I didn’t notice.”
“Sure you didn’t,” I quip, secretly pleased with his answer.
“I didn’t see another woman in the bar that night once you walked into the room.”
I roll my eyes and look away, but nothing can stop my lips from tilting at the edges.
We go back up and snowboard down two more times. The last time, I navigate my board without the help of Zane. It’s a solo mission. I fall more than once, mostly when I panic and can’t remember how to stop. And if I’m being honest, I miss the feel of Zane’s hands on my body, guiding and protecting me. He’s never more than a few feet away though.
“We’re gonna make a run on black,” Wyatt announces to Zane and me when we come into view at the bottom.
I snap out of my board, freeing my boots.
“Good!” I say. “I want to watch the masters at work.”
“I’ll stay here with Lo,” Zane says.
I shake my head. “I want to watch you too. I’ll be okay. I’ll sit right over there.” I point to a firepit with chairs and benches around it. Only one or two of the seats are filled.
“Are you sure?” he asks.
“I’m positive,” I answer.
He nods once and follows his buddies over to the lift. I trail the three of them as they walk, watching as they turn heads everywhere they go. They slap hands with a few guys that they know. And they own the attention of nearly every woman on the slopes.
I park my board and walk over to a place selling hot chocolate. After buying a cup, I sit next to the fire and watch the crowd as I wait. It isn’t long until I see Zane in his red-and-black snowsuit, flying down the slopes. He comes over a hill, soars through the air, and lands cleanly on the snow. Zane sprays snow a few feet out as he grinds to a stop. Wyatt and Benji are right behind him. Benji does a front flip as he travels over the same incline and bobbles just a bit when he hits the ground. But he steadies himself before he falls.
I rest my hot chocolate on the chair in between my knees and remove my gloves so I can clap. I whistle a few times, and Wyatt bows before dislodging himself from his board and walking over with the other two.
“Go again,” I command.
Zane shakes his head. “I’m starving. Let’s go grab something to eat.”
The other guys agree, and I rise to follow them into a pub nearby. There’s a roaring fire in the fireplace and tables scattered around the place. A mahogany bar lines the right side of the room. I end up sitting next to Benji with Wyatt across from me. Zane sits next to Wyatt.
I sip on my hot chocolate—which is now lukewarm—as we all order lunch. We devour our food in what feels like minutes. I forgot how hungry a few hours on the slopes can make you. And then Benji and Wyatt decide to go for another run.
“Are you coming?” Benji pauses to ask Zane.
He shakes his head.
“Go,” I say, not that he needs my permission. But I don’t want him to feel like he needs to babysit me. “I’m going to head home anyway.” I’m scheduled to work two twelve-hour shifts the next couple of days.
“Nah, I’m good.”
“You sure?” I ask.
He nods.
We say goodbye to Wyatt and Benji, and I start to gather my things.
“Do you have time to sit with me for a minute?”
