Collide: A Riverbend Novel (10 page)

REESE

I didn't sleep at all. I
sat next to Garrett on the plane drawing.

"I'm sorry about last
night," I whispered to him.

"It's okay. I'm just glad
you're alright."

He rested his chin on top
of my head. "What are you drawing?" He moved my hand out of the way
so he could see the whole page.

"It's your
home."

He kissed the top of my
head and moved his hand so I could continue drawing. "You're hair
smells good," he laughed.

I smiled a little. "Thanks.
I like your home. It's homey."

“I like it too.”

“Mine’s cold.”

"I'm sorry." He took my
pencil from me and turned to a blank page. He scribbled some words
and then moved his hand so I could read it.

Have you thought anymore
about us?

Yes. I'm not ready. You
don't deserve someone broken. Some broken
princess
.

I focused my eyes out the
window so he couldn't see how broken I really
was
.

I want you, Reese and all
the broken pieces.

A tear fell down my cheek,
and I wiped it away.

What if it doesn't work? I
don't want to lose my friend.

You could never lose me.
Ever.

Promise.

Promise.

I held the pencil in my
hand, thinking.

Let’s see how the trip
goes. Then I will tell you for sure.

I laid my head on his
shoulder and yawned.

"Okay," he whispered in my
ear.

~~~

I looked down at the skis
on Garrett's feet. "Not happening," I said as I looked over at
Havock with a snowboard. "Nope. I'd break something."

"Put them on, Princess.
We're wasting daylight," Havock rolled his eyes and pulled a
toboggan over his ears.

Garrett grinned. "I'll
teach you. You'll be fine."

Havock put his sun glasses
on and laughed. "You could go hang out on the bunny
slopes."

I groaned. "This is going
to be painful." I slipped on the skis and strapped them in
place.

We went up the ski lift and
Garrett held my hand as we reached the top of the
mountain.

"It's easy. Just let the
ski lift push you onto the mountain. Let your feet drop. You
ready?"

"No!" I said as I shook my
head. "This is a horrible idea!"

He laughed and pulled me
with him as he slid off. I tripped around until I caused us both to
fall into the snow. Havock slid past us and headed down the
mountain. Garrett laughed and wiped snow off my face. He leaned
down and pressed his lips to mine.

It shocked me but it wasn't
a bad shock. Actually, it was rather nice. "I don't think that has
anything to do with skiing," I whispered against his lips. He
kissed me again then moved off me. He stood then helped me
up.

I slid some and he stopped
me. "I'm going to die," I said as he laughed.

"You won't if you follow my
directions. And I like you way too much to let anything happen to
you."

"Okay let’s do
this."

~~~

I followed his directions
and still ended up on my butt or face more than my feet. After two
hours, I laid back in the snow not moving. I'd just fallen really
hard and didn't want to move.

He sat next to me and
patted my thigh. "Skiing isn't your thing."

I groaned. "You go ski. I'm
going to lay here."

"I don't think so." He
helped me up.

"So, what next?" I asked as
my body protested to movement.

We were at the bottom of
the mountain near all the restaurants and ski resort. "Are you
ready for lunch?"

"Shit! I haven't checked my
sugar."

"Back to the resort
then."

"But...this
sucks."

"Let's go check it then
I'll take you out to lunch."

"Okay." I pouted as he
helped me get my skis off. Sore did not describe my
body.

He bent down a little and
motioned towards his back. "Hop on."

"Are you serious?" I asked
with a raised eyebrow.

"Naw, I'm just hunched down
like this to look at my feet." He laughed. "Hop on."

I laughed then hopped on.
When we got to the resort he put me down then slid his key in the
door. He opened it and let me in first. I went into my room. I
grabbed my glucose meter and tested myself.

He peeked his head in. "Are
you alright?"

"It's a little low but
nothing lunch won't fix." I smiled. "But since its low I get some
chocolate." I clapped excitedly.

"Only under one
condition..."

"Yes?" I asked as I looked
at him suspiciously.

"Come closer so I can tell
you."

His dimples showed as his
smile widened.

I moved closer.
"What?"

He slid his hands slightly
under my shirt where his fingertips touched the skin right above my
pants. The warmth from his hands felt nice and made my skin tingle.
He leaned down and met my lips with his.

I smiled against his lips.
"That's nice."

"Now you can have
chocolate."

I laughed. I grabbed my art
book and his hand. "Come on. I'm hungry."

We were about to walk out
when Garrett’s eyes widened at the sight of something behind me.
“Reese, look out-” he yelled, but then stopped mid-sentence.
“Whoa.” He rubbed his eyes and shook his head.

I looked behind me then at
him. "Are you okay?" I asked, my eyebrows furrowed.

He nodded and looked at me
with confused eyes. "I think so." He scratched his head. "I
think...I mean...I saw..." He shook his head again. "Never mind. I
think the altitude is getting to my head."

I chuckled then kissed his
cheek. "Let’s go eat. Maybe it'll help."

On our way out he kept
looking over his shoulder. I looked over my shoulder.

He rubbed my back. "You see
something?"

I saw a shadow. Following
us. I turned my head and smiled. "Besides a lot of people and snow,
no. Come on. If I don't eat soon my blood sugar will get all
screwed up."

He looked one more time, so
did I, but it was gone. He blinked his eyes a few times but that
was it. He didn't mention it anymore.

Garrett let me pick the
place. We sat at a small round table and after ordering our food,
he sat and stared at me as I drew.

"What are you drawing
now?"

"The mountains. They're
beautiful." I didn't tell him that I was drawing him as well. Him
on his skis.

His cell phone beeped and
he pulled it from his jacket pocket.

"It's dad checking on us."
He texted back then stuck it back in his pocket.

I looked up when I heard a
chair scooting across the concrete. Havock pulled up a chair and
sat at the table with us. "Here you two are. I was worried you got
lost on the mountain somewhere."

Garrett shook his head.
"Reese can't ski."

"No, it was very comical.
You missed a good laugh."

"I bet." Havock laughed
then waved at a waitress to come over. He scanned the menu quickly
then ordered.

I closed my art book,
stretched, and groaned. "I hurt everywhere."

"I bet we have some Advil
or something back at the room," Garrett said as he took a drink of
his Dr. Pepper.

"That and a hot bath will
help." Havock grinned when Garrett cut his eyes at him.

I shrugged. "It would be
nice. You guys can go back to ski and snowboard while I go back to
the room."

Garrett shook his head. "I
don't feel comfortable leaving you alone."

"She's short, but she's not
three, Garrett." Havock rolled his eyes.

"Under the circumstances
she doesn't need to be alone, Havock."

"We're at a ski resort I've
never been to. What's the worst that could happen?" I
asked.

"No," Garrett said sternly.
"Mom and dad would kill me."

"You're going to be so
bored." Havock added.

"No I won't. A nap actually
sounds nice." The waitress brought our food out.

I watched as Havock loaded
his fries in ketchup and mustard. He then took a fry and stirred it
around until the ketchup and mustard were all mixed
together.

"That looks
disgusting."

He half grinned then took
his massive cheeseburger, opened it and scooped fries on it then
replaced the bun on top. He took a bite.

Garrett laughed. "He has
issues."

Some of the mustard-ketchup
mixture was left on his bottom lip near his lip ring. He licked it
off in a seductive manner as he kept his eyes locked on mine. He
cracked up when I started blushing.

Garrett smacked him on the
back of his head. "Seriously?!"

Havock couldn't stop
laughing. "Sorry," he said between breaths as he continued to
laugh. "It's just so good it got me all excited. I forgot I was in
public."

"You are so weird," Garrett
said as he started to eat his food.

"Would you like me to
leave?" Havock asked as his laughter started to calm a
bit.

"It wouldn't hurt my
feelings."

Havock nodded, grabbed his
food, and walked off to a table by himself.

I shook my head and dipped
a piece of my personal pizza in ranch and took a bite. "You two are
a mess."

"Don't feel sorry for him.
He likes to be alone." Garrett laughed.