I pulled on my pajamas while Thayer grabbed for his clothes and anything else around my room belonging to him. Once he ducked into the bathroom, I straightened the bed and hurried to the door. I glanced over at the bathroom to be sure he was well hidden. When I couldn’t see him, I opened the door. “Hey.”
“You don’t have to keep your door locked,” Kason said.
“I felt safer that way.”
His eyes pinched shut. “Dammit. I should have stayed in here again.”
“Kase, it’s fine. I’m fine. I just needed a little extra security last night.”
He dragged his fingers through his hair. “You know I love you, right?”
I tilted my head. “Of course I know that.”
“I don’t ever want you feeling unsafe when I’m around.”
I hugged him. “I know.” I pulled back, hoping he hadn’t caught his best friend’s scent all over me. “And, so you know, I didn’t have a single nightmare last night.”
He assessed my face, and I couldn’t tell if he believed me or not.
“Aren’t you hitting the mountain early?”
“Yeah. Just waiting on Thayer to wake up,” he said.
I swallowed down my guilt. “Well, have fun.”
“You don’t want to join us again?”
“Maybe later. I’ve gotta talk to the insurance company.”
He nodded, understanding that while I had agreed to go away with him and his friends, I still had responsibilities back home. “I’ll see you later then.”
Once he walked away, I closed the door and locked it. Only then did I release a long, guilty breath.
Thayer stepped out from the bathroom fully dressed. “Close call.”
I scoffed. “You think?”
His lips pulled to the side, and I could see the wheels turning. I, too, didn’t know what to say after last night. It had been perfect in the darkness. But in the light of day, things were a lot more complicated.
He moved toward me and I tensed, unsure what I was supposed to do. But he didn’t seem to notice as he wrapped his arms around me. I relaxed into him. His hug was exactly what I needed in that moment. He pressed a kiss to the top of my head. “See you later, G.” He released me, unlocked my door, and cracked it open to make sure no one was around before he ducked out.
I dropped onto the bed and buried my face in my hands.
I was so screwed.
Thayer
Kason, Jesse, and I stopped at the bottom of the mountain after our fifth run of the day. I’d been feeling amazing, landing all of my tricks and adding new ones I didn’t think I was capable of.
The likely reason for my stellar day greeted us, snowboard gear on and a board in her hands. “Hey.”
I had not been expecting to see Giselle there, and my heart actually stuttered—it fucking stuttered. “Hey.”
“Where’s Shay?” Kason asked.
“She’s off doing work in the lodge. She said one day on the mountain was enough,” Giselle explained.
“Did you speak to the insurance company?” he asked, changing the subject because he probably knew it was safer with Shay off the snow.