AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Anna clicked her tongue beforesmirking at me. She knew I was so far past wanting to learn to ski.“Of course, that’s fine. It’s your birthday trip, you get to dowhatever you want,” she said. I turned away from her before shecould see the red staining my cheeks.What I wanted to do washer dad.I smothered my erratic giggle at the thought.
“You wanna go?” She turned towardMelonie. She jerked slightly as she looked at Anna. It was likeshe’d been startled out of her own little world.
“Oh, yeah, fine, whatever,” shesaid as she set her menu down and looked at Ben. Whatever had beenriding her when she walked into the cafe quickly disappeared as sheflicked her eyes from me and then to him. “You’ll go too, won’tyou?”
Ben nodded absentmindedly and sheaccepted that as an answer before shooting me another nasty look.Was she trying to keep Ben away from me?The way she keptlooking between the two of us made me feel as though she werethreatened by me.
I frowned at her as the waitressstepped up to our table. Whatever questions I felt the urge to askdied on my tongue as she recited the day’s specials.
Chapter Sixteen
“Are you sure you have to work?”Melonie pouted to Ian as we entered the cabin. “I could use somemore lessons.” She held her hands clasped in front of her in a waythat thrust her chest out. Whatever had been riding her back intown was obviously gone as she shamelessly flirted with Ian. I hadto bite my tongue as red flashed before my eyes. Couldn’t she tellby now that he clearly wasn’t into her like that?
Ben slid past all of us, makingeye contact with nobody as he disappeared toward his room. I triedto ignore the pinch of guilt I felt at his turn of mood.
Ian, being the gentleman he was,was kind in his letdown. “I have reports I need to catch up on andphone calls to return,” he said before glancing at me as I stood infront of the fireplace to warm my hands. Anna stood next to me witha scowl marring her features. She knew exactly what Melonie wasdoing and it looked like she had just about enough of it. Ianmust’ve seen my annoyance with Barbie at that point as he lookedback toward her. “I’m sure you can find another instructor for theday, Malinda,” he said.
I slapped my hand over my mouth tosmother my snort and Anna outright howled with laughter. Shegripped my arm as she cackled, causing me to look at her. Themoment we made eye contact we both erupted into hystericallaughter.
Melonie huffed and crossed herarms over her chest. “It’s Melonie,” she seethed at Ian beforescowling at me. Ian held his hands up in defeat as he apologizedbut he and I both knew he’d done it on purpose. He’s seen myjealousy and acted accordingly and I liked him all the more forit.
Melonie stomped past Anna and meon her way to their room with a nasty look twisting her lips. Shewasn’t used to not gaining the male attention she so desperatelysought.
“Oh, man,” Anna breathed beforewiping a tear out of the corner of her eye. “That was fuckinghilarious, thanks for that one, Dad.” She chuckled as she looked atIan who had the decency to at least try and look innocent. He saidnothing as he grinned at us before shoving his hands in hispockets.
“Anyway, I’m going to get ready togo. Are you sure you don’t want to go with us?” she asked thequestion directed at me. I tried not to let my eyes wander to Ianas I answered her.
“Are you kidding?” I scoffed.“This fireplace has been begging for me to curl up with a nice longbook since we arrived here.” I gestured to the huge hearth in frontof us and the large black sectional behind me facing the fire. Foronce I felt like I wasn’t outright lying to my friend, I really hadwanted to sit and just enjoy a good book in front of that fire.
Anna rolled her eyes at me beforeflouncing toward her and Melonie’s room. “All right, but justremember, we only have a couple more days here and it doesn’t snowin Florida,” she sang as she disappeared down the hall.
“Oh, believe me, I know!” I calledafter her with a chuckle. The snow was beautiful to look at but Iwas so over the frigid temperatures and ready to get back to warmerclimates.
I was so busy looking after Annathat I didn’t see Ian invade my space until he was tugging at mycoat sash. I sucked in a startled breath as I swiveled my eyes inhis direction. He was staring into mine with such intensity I feltas though I’d burn under his gaze. His fingers worked withprecision as he pulled the knot free for the third time that day.As he slid the coat from my shoulders, I couldn’t help the visionthat flashed before my eyes of him slipping other clothing from mybody. I flushed at the thought.
Would he forever have this effecton me?
He gripped my coat before it fellto the ground and tossed it on the couch at my side. When hereturned his hands to me I felt myself leaning into him against mywill. The sheer magnetism he emitted seemed to pull me in at everygiven chance.
After our impromptu gropingsession on the busy sidewalk, I was ready for everything hepromised me. I wanted to know what it felt like to have someonemake love to me. I wanted to know what it was like to be joined asone. I simplywanted.
“Looks like we’ll have the houseall to ourselves, Little Bambi,” he murmured before his handsdrifted to my hips. His fingers danced their way under the hem ofmy shirt, teasing the flesh that lay underneath. I shivered andlicked my suddenly dry lips, his eyes followed the movementhungrily. “Whatever will we do with ourselves?”
I allowed my eyes to flutterclosed at the sensation of his thumb dipping below the seam of myjeans just to come back up and repeat the process.Up, down, up,down.When I heard him chuckle at the effect he was having onme my eyes sprang open.
His sea-colored gaze heldchallenge as if he were begging me to play along in his sexy littlegame of cat and mouse. I felt a grin tug at my lips as I moved myhands to surround his neck. I leaned forward to give him theimpression that I was going to kiss him, only to pull back slightlybefore our lips were sealed together. I hoped my eyes reflected thesame provocation as I spoke.
“I hope you’ll teach me a fewthings I’ve been dying to learn,” I said in a voice much huskierthan I’d ever heard. I leaned in then and ran the tip of my tonguealong the seam of his lips. When he opened for me I nipped hisbottom lip. His hand flexed against my hips as a deep rumbleemitted from low in his chest. When his eyes met mine again I knewI’d awoken the dominant beast I’d gotten a taste of earlier.Good.
“Oh, Bambi, you have no idea whatI have planned for you,” he admitted deliciously before kissing melightly. When he nipped my lip I couldn’t hold back the whimperthat rose. The sharp pain zapped straight to my pussy beforesettling in my core as a steady thrum. His smile was animalistic ashe pulled away. “I’m going to shower. Will you join me wheneveryone leaves?” he asked.
I swallowed my anxiety as Inodded. He sauntered from the room and I found myself nervous.Are you really going to do this?my inner voice screamed atme as I watched the hallway Ian had disappeared down.
“All right, we’re out of here,”Anna’s chipper voice sounded loud as she appeared behind me. Ijumped at the sudden surprise at her appearance before recoveringquickly. Melonie and Ben followed, dressed in their thermalwear.
Melonie’s face still kept the sameshrewd look of disgust as she glared at me while Ben looked simplyunfazed. Ever since the cafe he hadn’t said much at all. I caughthim looking my way only once since then and I got the weirdestfeeling from it. His gaze had held confusion, anger, and oddlyenough resolve. Like he’d decided something and failed to clue therest of us in on his plan.
Since he wasn’t speaking I onlyhad to assume he was trying to work our new dynamic out in hismind. I’d thought that when I told him I didn’t see him the sameway he saw me, that would’ve been the end of it. I honestly thoughthe could go back to seeing me as a friend but after today I beganto wonder if that was even a possibility.
