Fierce: New Adult Sport Romance (The Boys of Winter Book 4) Read online

  He fiddles with the pull tab on my fleece. “You should take this off so you don’t get chilled when we go back out. You’re a twin, right?”

  “Yeah, and we’re pretty close.” Although not as close as this. I drink in his unique scent. I put my hand over his and unzip my jacket.

  He nods, “I thought so. I’m kind of close to my sister too. It must be nice, having family around.” He helps me out of my fleece and holds it for me.

  “Oh, Derrick isn’t here this year. He and Gretchen Nickelson moved back to New Hampshire. He’s in medical school now.”

  “Where are your parents?”

  Here we go. “My parents died in a plane crash when I was thirteen. It’s just me and Derrick.”

  He takes my hand. “That must have been hard.” Whoa, another guy that doesn’t apologize for a death he had nothing to do with.

  I smile and give him a light squeeze. “It was, but now it’s just part of who I am.”

  “Nika?” A man’s voice calls us to pick up our tray, and Kelly retrieves it.

  I lead us to a table in the back corner. My bones clunk on the hardwood chair, but it’s oversized and the seat is hollowed out slightly, making it more comfortable than it should be.

  A fork clatters against my plate as Kelly sets my dessert in front of me. “Nika is an interesting nickname. How did you get it?”

  “When we were little, Derrick couldn’t say Dannika, and that was his version. It stuck.” I slice into my carrot cake with my fork and put a piece in my mouth. The cream cheese frosting is sugary, and energy rushes through my bloodstream.

  “It’s cute. I like it.” Kelly’s bagel crunches when he takes a bite.

  “Are you named after Kelly Slater?” I sip my latte and find it isn’t too hot.

  He nods. “Yeah. My dad was a big fan, and as a surfer he wanted me to be one too. I get funny looks around here, but at home everyone thought my name was cool.”

  “It’s a cool name. So where’s home?” I spear another piece of cake.

  Kelly swallows a mouthful of coffee. “Wherever I am. I worked my way through college, and probably spent more nights in my truck than in a bed since I graduated from high school.”

  “You sleep in your truck? Isn’t that uncomfortable?”

  He grins. “Nope. I’ve got a camping mattress and the stars as a nightlight. The sound of waves crashing on the shore puts me to sleep, and when I wake, I’m right where I want to be.”

  “Wow, so everything you own fits in your truck?” I try to imagine having only a few outfits.

  “Yeah. I don’t need much, you know.”

  I don’t know. I have more shoes in my closet than could ever fit in his truck. “Well the offer to borrow anything that fits stands.”

  He chuckles. “I don’t think your jeans would work for me, but thanks.” He leans in close. “I’m pretty easy to please.”

  “I can see that. I like to think I’m the same way, but I have an embarrassing amount of stuff compared to you.” I lick frosting off my fork.

  He leans back and picks up his coffee. “Have you ever been camping or slept on a beach?”

  I shake my head. “My idea of being on a beach is with a lounge chair and a cabana boy. And the only camping I’ve done is a long layover in some airport VIP lounge.” I grin at myself. “But I think I would like to try it your way.”

  Kelly raises his eyebrows. “Sleep in my truck?”

  “Maybe. Got an extra-thick mattress? Because sleeping under the stars with the ocean breeze sounds pretty amazing.”

  He reaches over and places his hand over mine. “Being with you in the back of my truck like that would be amazing.”

  My phone vibrates in my pocket with a text, but I ignore it because my attention is on Kelly. He lets go of me and says, “I’m going to get more coffee. Want anything?”

  “No, I’m good.” My insides are quivering, and I’m wondering just what might happen in that truck. I watch him walk away. His shoulders are broad and taper to a narrow waist. He has an athlete’s body, and his loose jeans don’t hide it from me.

  When he returns we talk more about his free-spirit lifestyle and surfing. We move on to my modeling, and I share how destructive it was becoming.

  “It’s a cutthroat business, and I never felt good enough. It’s hard on the ego, and I found I would starve myself, thinking if I were thinner there wouldn’t be flaws for the director to point out.” I glance down at my empty cake plate. “I feared I was a few pounds away from being fired, no matter how thin I got. And honestly—I really like cake.”

  Kelly grins. “I like the way cake looks on you. I probably shouldn’t say this, but I like how you’ve filled out.”

  I raise my eyebrows. “Filled out?”

  He shrugs. “Hey, I’m not calling you fat because you’re far from it. But you’re not bony anymore.” He gives me an evil smile and his voice lowers. “You look really good.”

  I smile back, thinking about how my nearly B-cup breasts are now D’s. “Nice save.”

  Glancing out the window, I realize I need to get home to feed the dogs. “Hey, I hate to cut this short, but I have three dogs at home that are probably hungry.”

  “Sure, I should get going too.” Kelly stands and takes our tray.

  When we get outside, the cold slices into me and I shiver. Kelly wraps his arm around my shoulders and pulls me against his body. I heat up instantly from the contact. He says, “Take a hot bath tonight. Your muscles are going to be sore.”

  “I will. Thanks for the lesson. I had a great time.” We’ve reached my car, and I turn to lean against it.

  Kelly says. “Thanks for the coffee. I had a good time too.”

  He leans in and brushes his lips against mine. But I want more, and I wrap my arms around his neck and tug gently. He stares for a moment and then kisses me again.

  This time it’s not so gentle, and his tongue darts into my mouth. I open to him and nibble on his bottom lip like I’ve wanted to do all afternoon. He tastes like coffee and salt, and I lose myself in the sensations.

  We’re both breathless when we break apart. He wipes my lower lip with his thumb. “Will I see you on the mountain tomorrow?”

  I nod because I can’t seem to speak. He looks down at my mouth and back up to my eyes. “Good. Good night, Nika.”

  I wave and squeak out. “Good night, Kelly.”

  I slide across the cold leather of my seat and put on my seatbelt with a click. Still trembling from his touch, I pull out my phone to read the text I got earlier. It’s from Christian.

  “Can I take you up on the offer to stay with you? Bought the spec house, and it’s not going to be livable for a while.”

  Christian in my house now that I’m dating Kelly? Shit. Plastic is slick in my hand, and I almost drop my phone before I text back. “OK.”

  Chapter 10

  After a quick morning walk with the dogs, I’m on my way to the mountain for a little ski time with the girls. I know they’re dying to hear about my date based on the group text Casey sent. I’m making them squirm a bit before sharing the details.

  The Continental Divide is in the distance, and the white-covered mountains jut into the crisp blue sky. Not a cloud anywhere, it amazes me that it managed to snow last night, and I’m anxious for a few more trails to ski. My wheels crunch ice and snow as I pull into the employee parking lot.

  Kelly’s truck is already here, and since it’s later in the morning, I’m sure he’s already on the mountain. A musty mixture of male and female sweat greets me when I open the door. I used to find it disgusting, but I learned to live with it last winter. Even so, it’s going to take me a few more days to forget it’s there.

  My locker is in the same row as Megan’s, and she’s the first one I see. “You’re killing us here. We need details.” She yells over to the next row. “Casey! Lori! Get over here.”

  I giggle when the other two girls crowd me on the bench. “Jeesh, could I at least open my locker?”r />
  Lori says, “Sure, but talk while you do. You’ll have to forgive us, but we’ve never known you with a boyfriend.” I grin as I try to focus on my lock combination.

  Casey adds, “That, and we’re all so hopelessly un-single we forget the thrill of the unanswered-lust stage.”

  “What?” I chuckle, and my metal door vibrates when I yank it open.

  Megan says, “Oh, come on. The way you picture him naked and can’t seem to concentrate on his words, and then when you try, all you can think about is biting his lower lip.”

  “Or running your hands over his rock-hard abs.” Lori sighs.

  Casey says, “The way he tastes—”

  I hold up my hand “Enough! I get it.”

  I give Casey a mock glare and she snorts. “Oh, please, you lived with Gretchen. She’s as crass as they come. And I wasn’t even thinking about that.” She pauses. “I meant his neck.” But the flush on her face tells me she’s lying.

  “Okay, okay. When I was coming in to get my lunch yesterday, Kelly was on his way out. But when he saw me, he came back in and we ate our sandwiches together. We got talking, and he took me out for a snowboard lesson.”

  Cool nylon swishes against my long underwear as I pull on my ski pants. “And then he suggested coffee.”

  I smile when I think about how often he touched me. “He’s touchy, and it was really nice.”

  Megan asks, “Yeah? And the kiss?” Her blue eyes are wide in anticipation.

  “Was awesome. Oh, my God, was it awesome.” My fleece zipper hums as I pull it up.

  Casey asks, “So when do you see him again?”

  “I don’t know. We just left it that we’d see each other on the mountain today.”

  Lori winks at me. “We’ll just have to bump into him then. He went out with Kaleb this morning. Hang on.” Kaleb is her boyfriend and also a snowboard instructor. She pulls out her phone and taps out a text.

  Casey pulls Lori’s arm as she begins to walk away. “Okay, we’re going to finish getting ready. Come get us when you are.”

  Megan says, “Will do.” She turns to her locker to finish as well.

  I squeeze my foot into the hard plastic shell of a ski boot and remember how comfortable snowboard boots are in comparison. Wait till Gretchen hears I went snowboarding. She used to compete, and she’ll love that I tried it. Especially when my brother frowns, thinking I might get hurt.

  I get an idea and pull out my phone to text Gretchen. “What’s the best snowboard/boot combination for me? Spare no expense. ;)”

  The last sentence will make her laugh because I really didn’t need to add it. Megan is ready and gives me a questioning look.

  “I’m texting Gretchen about snowboard equipment. I may have found a new sport.”

  Megan smiles. “Yes, I think you have. C’mon, let’s go skiing.”

  When we’re all on the chairlift together, the Kelly conversation continues.

  Casey says, “Wait till Jess hears about you two. She’s been after Kelly since she first saw him.”

  “Oh, she already saw us. When we left the locker room yesterday, she noticed him holding my hand.”

  Casey does a fist pump. “Yes! Sorry. We have a history, and I can’t help but be happy when she’s not.” She chuckles.

  Wind whips around us, and my face is cold. Fleece is soft on my skin when I snuggle into my neck wrap. “Do I want to know?”

  Megan says, “Not really, but I’m sure you can imagine.”

  I say. “Yeah, I’m sure I can too. It’s a shame because she can be really nice.”

  Lori says, “And she’s adorable. It’s too bad she can’t figure out when guys don’t like her. I’m sure plenty do.” She pulls out her phone. “I got a text from Kaleb. He says we should meet them for lunch.”

  Casey says, “Good. That means we can get a couple of runs in first.” We’re approaching the top of the lift, and the safety bar clangs against the metal frame of our chair when she pushes it up.

  Once we’re off the lift, we all take a moment to prepare to ski. Buckles snap shut as boots are tightened, and I grip my poles firmly in my mitten-covered hands to push off and start to skate my skis over to the trail the way cross-country skiers do.

  The evergreen trees are dusted with light white powder, and it glistens in the sun like millions of tiny lights. My skis glide effortlessly over the pathway to the trail. Even though the wind is cold today, moving will warm me up quickly.

  Casey disappears over the lip of the crosscut to the trail below, and we all follow. The metal edges of my skis slice into the smooth surface as I carve a series of S-turns down the hill. The rhythm of my movements is fluid, and I revel in the power of a sport I can’t remember learning.

  My body moves effortlessly, and I’m not the least bit breathless when we stop for a break. Neither are my friends. Megan says, “That was nice. The snow last night helped.”

  Casey says, “It was, but I’m anxious for a lot more. I want bumps.”

  Casey loves to ski moguls, or bumps. They require a different type of technique, and to do them well you need to be balanced on your skis.

  Lori snorts. “Of course you do. They’ll happen soon enough. Maybe you should snowboard so you can have a challenge.”

  I think about how snowboarding right now would definitely require effort. But it would be worth it if Kelly touched me half as much as he did yesterday. Megan smacks my arm. “You’re grinning like a lovesick fool.”

  “I am? I was just thinking about snowboarding yesterday.” I adjust the goggles on my face. “It’s definitely a recommended activity, Casey.”

  Casey says, “Uh-huh. I think it’s more like a certain snowboarder’s moves that you recommend.”

  A blush rushes to my cheeks. “Well yeah, that too.”

  She chuckles as we take off down the hill. And I do my best to keep from falling on the trail while I fall for Kelly.

  Chapter 11

  Lunch flies by as I flirt my way through it. Unfortunately, Kelly and Kaleb have to work at the Bike Shop this afternoon, and we can’t spend time together. The Bike Shop is a ski and snowboard shop in the winter, where they sell equipment, make repairs, and tune skis and boards.

  Kelly leaves early, and I pull out my phone to see if Gretchen answered my questions about equipment because I’m thinking this afternoon might be a good time to get it. The light from the windows is bright and reflects off the screen.

  She did, and I have a list of options along with strict instructions to get Kaleb to help me. But I’ll be ignoring those because I think Kelly needs to be the one that sets me up. My skin tingles at the memory of his kiss.

  I text Gretchen back. “Remember Kelly? ;)” She will because I gushed on about him when we first met last year.

  “What? Did you hook up?”

  A typical Gretchen response, I chuckle and Lori asks what’s so funny. She’s cradling a mug in both hands as she sips tea. “I just told Gretchen about Kelly, and she wanted to know if we hooked up.”

  Casey says, “That sounds like her.” She shakes her head and pops a piece of cookie in her mouth. I text back. “Lol, we had a date.”

  “You didn’t answer my question.”

  “Some of us like romance first.” Not that Gretchen slept around, but before my brother, love wasn’t something she did.

  She texts again. “If you need any ideas, you know where to find me.”

  I grin and click my phone off. I say to the girls, “I think I’m done for the day. Anyone want to go help me shop for a snowboard?” I push my helmet on my head, and it’s tight against my scalp.

  Megan answers, “I think you’ll have all the help you need. Don’t forget the tune.” She winks at me, and I smack her in the arm before I walk away.

  ***

  The Bike Shop door has a bell that announces when customers walk in. The jingle makes me smile because Kelly looks over and the reaction on his face warms my heart. Even though we saw each other less than an hour ag
o, he’s happy I’m here.

  He takes my hands and warms my cold fingers. “What are you doing here?”

  “I need to buy a snowboard. Help me?” I bat my eyelashes at him and he grins.

  “Sure, but you’re welcome to use my stuff. I don’t mind.” He traces my arms with his hands, moving up to my shoulders. Kelly loves to touch me, and it ignites my senses.

  “That’s sweet, but snowboarding is my new sport, and I think I need my own things.”

  He drops his hands and shrugs. “Okay, let’s go look at boards.”

  My phone is slippery in my fingers when I pull it out and scroll down to a text. “Actually, Gretchen sent me a list.”

  He takes the phone from me with a twinkle in his eye. “Did she now?” He studies the list, and I realize he can read a few texts beyond it and probably saw the hook up comment. Heat rises to my cheeks when his lips twitch in an attempt not to laugh.

  I say, “Yeah, maybe I should just read it off to you.” I try to grab the phone back, but he pulls it away.

  Kelly teases. “I don’t know; it was interesting reading so far.”

  “I’ll bet. Give me that.”

  He hands me the phone. “Want me to go get Kaleb?”

  “No. You didn’t read far enough.” I slip my phone in the front pocket of my jeans. “And you’re not going to.”

  Kelly steps in toward me and speaks softly. “I guess I’ll just have to imagine the things you said about me.”

  Fighting down my need to flush, I taunt back. “Or maybe I’ll just show you.” I hook my finger in his flannel shirt where it opens and pull him close enough that our noses touch.

  The bell over the door breaks us apart when new customers walk in. A man and a young boy keep us separated while Kaleb comes out to speak with them. Kelly and I wander over to the snowboards, and I stifle a giggle.

  After picking out a board and boots, Kelly walks toward the back where they’ll mount my bindings, which keep my feet attached to the board. He says, “This shouldn’t take too long if you want to wait. Or I can bring it all to the locker room for you tomorrow.”