Total pages in book: 153
Estimated words: 152064 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 760(@200wpm)___ 608(@250wpm)___ 507(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 152064 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 760(@200wpm)___ 608(@250wpm)___ 507(@300wpm)
I pretend that didn’t come out sounding suggestive. “You two in?”
“Would you believe I’ve never made a snowman?” Kellan says.
“How is that possible?” Everly bounds over and hangs off the newel post. She might have a crush on Kellan.
“I grew up in small town California and played the first few seasons of my career in LA, so the whole six months of winter is new to me,” he explains.
“Well that’s about to change,” Quinn replies.
“This will be so much fun!” Everly claps excitedly and bounces back to Victor.
We don our winter gear and head outside. The snow squeaks under our boots as we trudge through waist-deep drifts. It’s perfect for packing, and the guys quickly roll several massive balls.
“Wait! Don’t stack those!” Everly instructs Quinn and Kellan to roll the balls next to each other.
Victor crosses his arms. “Ev, seriously.”
Flip rolls a ball up next to me. Things feel normal-ish, like we’re back to being friends. It’s a relief, but it also sucks.
He nudges my arm with his. “I bet I know what she’s planning.”
“What’s that?”
“A snow dick.”
I snicker. “Oh yeah, that is totally an Everly move. Think Connor will be pissed at us for helping her?”
“If she didn’t do it, I would have.”
“Fair.”
He pats the ball in front of us. “Give me a hand?”
“Sure.” Our arms brush as we roll it over to the rest of our crew.
I try not to overthink it, but now the weight of the past few weeks hangs between us. Maybe time will smooth things out and make it less confusing.
It takes all four guys to lift our ball on top of the others. The guys roll more snowballs while Everly and I contour the base.
Kellan and Quinn add another ball, and I help Everly up so she can pack snow around it.
“You want a hand up?” Quinn asks.
“I got her.” Flip easily lifts me onto the opposing snowball, making sure I have my balance before he lets go. He bends and gathers snow into a small ball before passing it to me. “It’ll be easier to contour this way.”
“Thanks.” I accept the ball and work on filling in the gaps. Is he being protective? Possessive? I doubt Quinn or Kellan would ever view me as anything but a friend either.
“We need pictures before Connor comes out here and knocks it down,” Everly declares.
“Good call,” Flip agrees.
I pose while Flip snaps a bunch of pictures, and Victor reluctantly does the same for his twin.
Everly cannonballs into the snow and sinks in so deep she needs Victor’s help to get free.
I hop down, but my right foot sinks deeper than my left and I stumble forward. Flip rushes to steady me, but he steps into the same soft drift. We both scramble to right ourselves but end up buried in snow. I’m wedged in, Flip’s body half on top of me, one of his knees between mine. Of all the scenarios I’ve imagined where Flip ends up on top of me, this was not on the list.
I try to wiggle out from under him, but all it does is press me deeper into the snow. I turn my head, and my nose bumps the edge of his jaw.
“I think we’re stuck!” I don’t know where to put my hands because Flip is everywhere.
“Stop moving, kitten,” he orders.
I go still.
Flip’s hand appears beside my head. When he tries to gain leverage, his arm sinks in all the way to his elbow. Our faces are inches apart. Every part of him is touching every part of me.
I don’t breathe. Don’t move. His lips part, his tongue darts out. I track the movement, breath leaving me on a whimper. Flip’s nostrils flare.
“You need some help over there?” Kellan calls out.
“We’re good,” Flip grinds out.
Are we?
I don’t know what’s happening, but it doesn’t feel platonic.
Flip’s thigh presses against my center and I’m positive I’m a few hip rolls away from a spontaneous orgasm. Which I believed was a gift only Dred possessed.
Flip folds back on his knees, weight lifting off me. I’m not sure whether I’m disappointed or relieved.
He struggles to his feet and extends his hand. “Let’s try that again.”
This time he successfully pulls me out of the drift.
“Wow, that’s some deep snow,” Kellan observes.
“For real.” The imprint of our bodies is embedded in the powder.
“Nice snow dick,” Dallas calls out as he trudges toward us, the rest of the group in tow.
I’m eternally grateful for their arrival.
“Whose idea was this?” Dred points two fingers in opposite directions, one at Everly and one at Flip.
“It was mine!” Everly says proudly.
“I did think about it, though,” Flip admits.
“Very classy.” Hemi snickers.
“Who wants to go snowshoeing?” Connor asks as a gust of wind blows snow around us and a dark cloud blankets out the sun. He tips his head up and frowns menacingly at the sky.