Page 90 of Stuck with Me

Rosie tears off her helmet. “What the hell was that back there?”

I shrug but put back my shoulders. “Just having some fun.”

“It’s fine, Rosie. Nobody got hurt,” Maverick says.

“Yeah, we’re cool. So, there’s a back parking area up ahead and about a hundred and fifty yards past it is a ski lift station. I’ve got some free passes. We can either park and take a ride up the mountain on the chairlift for fun, or we can turn around and head back. Which is it?”

“I’m always up for seeing the mountain on a clear day,” Sabrina says.

“Same,” Cammie agrees.

“The ladies have spoken. Let’s park.” Maverick revs up his sled.

After we abandon the sleds in the small parking area and start our trek through the snow, I’m caught off guard by how beautiful the mountain is. Everything is topped in snow and there’s only white and trees as far as the eye can see. When we reach the ski lift station, it’s busier than I anticipated. Moments ago, it was quiet and peaceful. But only a few yards from that is a bustling ski resort.

“This is the smaller of the two ski resorts in Maple Ridge,” Rosie says as she strides up next to me.

“I hadn’t realized Gigi’s cabin was so close.”

“Ahh.” Rosie beams up at me. “So you admit, it’s Gigi’s cabin.”

I roll my eyes and smirk at her. “Only because that’s what I’ve been hearing you call it for the past four days. I’m not admitting shit.”

She laughs and a bubble of relief expands in my chest. Things have been awkward since she snuck out of my room this morning. I want to go back to having fun with her. Flirting and teasing. I may not be able to have her as my own, but that’s the next best thing.

“Hey, Mr. Cabin-Stealer, have you ever been on a chairlift before?” Cammie asks me as she hooks her arm into Maverick’s.

“Uh, no, can’t say I have.”

And suddenly, I’m distracted by how fast it’s moving. The chairlifts are lowering at the station and skiers are hopping on the bench without it stopping. Shit. Is this safe? Is this even legal?

My heartrate accelerates and heat explodes in my gut, spreading into my limbs. My legs weaken. And I need to sit down.

I close my eyes and inhale a deep breath and begin to count.One…two…three…

Someone reaches for my hand and squeezes it in their small one. I don’t need to open my eyes to see who it is. But I do anyway. Because I want to look at her.

“I’ll ride with the cowboy and keep him safe,” Rosie says in a teasing tone, but I don’t give a shit. I’m grateful.

“Guess that means you’re with me, Designated Dean,” Sabrina says.

Rosie lets the others go first. “Watch them. See how they’re getting in line with the chairlift before it reaches them? As soon as you feel it touch the back of your thighs, plop down. There’s nothing to it. Easy-peasy.”

I let Rosie tug us in line for the next chair. It’s not the chairlift I’m afraid of. It was the speed of it, the height of it, the newness of it. Okay, hell, I guess it is the chairlift.

“Ready?”

I nod and as soon as the chair brushes against my legs, I let myself drop. Rosie and I come down hard onto the wood seat and she lets out a huff of breath.

“There. You did it.”

“Rosie, I’m not a fucking child,” I grunt and yank my hand from her grip.

“No? Because you could’ve fooled me.” She looks at me with a glare, not backing down.

“I wasn’t scared. Just the people, the speed, it triggered something.” I’m the one who breaks our eye contact. I glance down at our dangling feet.

“I wasn’t referring to that, dumbass.”

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