Page 17 of Pucking Snowed In With My Ex

“What does that matter?”

“What does it matter if you tell me? Is it a secret?”

“No, nothing like that. It’s just weird to talk to you about it. I mean, I don’t want to know how many girls you dated or slept with. Probably more than I can count, but you don’t see me asking.”

She had a point, so why did I care? I cared because it was another piece of a larger puzzle in my mind. I lifted my shoulder, trying to be nonchalant. “True, but I’m a curious asshole like that. So if you don’t care, then tell me.” Just like that, her hand went to her mouth as she tried to chew on her nails, which were already down to nothing. “I won’t judge. I’m just curious.”

“No one,” she said, looking away.

“No one?” I snorted before I could stop myself, and there was no mistaking the murderous glare Skye shot my way. “I didn’t mean anything by that.”

“Oh, yes, you did. I don’t know why you keep acting like I am this….” She shook her head. “Never mind. You got your answer. Believe it or not, that’s your choice.”

I grabbed her arm as she turned to walk away and pulled her back. “Cal….” Dropping my lips to hers, I cut her off.

“I’m sorry. It was a reflex,” I whispered against Skye’s lips. Kissing her cheek, I grazed my lips down her neck and loved that she shivered under my touch. “I just can’t believe someone as sexy as you hasn’t dated in three years.” I nipped at her earlobe, and she moaned. “I didn’t mean to be an ass. At least not this time.” Skye smiled as I moved back to her lips, and wrong or not, I loved that she hadn’t been with anyone. It was such a double standard, but in my heart, Skye had remained mine. Hayley had been bugging me weekly since I broke up with Skye to talk to her, and I was too stubborn to listen. “Do you think they will notice if we don’t come back for a while?”

“Yes, yes, we will. Jesus, you two are fucking rabbits. Literally and figuratively speaking,” Tyler drawled as he stepped into the doorway, shaking his head. I held up my hand to block out the light on his phone.

“You’re just jealous,” I said, making Skye laugh. “Put your damn phone down. You’re blinding me.”

“Guilty as charged. In all seriousness, I’m happy to see you two….” He waved his hand around like he was casting a spell. “Doing whatever this is, and before either of you deny anything sparking other than the non-existent electricity, do we need to pull out the generator?”

Groaning, I nodded. “We better.” I looked down at Skye. “You good if I go outside for a bit?”

“Why wouldn’t I be?” Just when I thought she might open up, she slammed my fingers in the door. “I’m fine, really.” Giving me a small smile, she slipped past Tyler and disappeared.

Tyler watched her walk away and then looked at me, his face growing serious. “What’s going on?”

“I don’t know, but something is off with her and Alex, and it’s more than they got drunk and slept together. I can’t quite put my finger on it, but there is a vibe, a tension in the air that’s off.”

Tyler nodded. “I’ve felt it, too. She won’t say?”

I shook my head. “Not a single word.”

Tyler rubbed his chin. “That’s weird all on its own.”

“Yeah. Come on, let’s get the generator going, but I’m happy you see it too because I thought I was imagining it to make an excuse for what happend.”

“Naw, man, keep after her for an answer. I’ll be honest. I never believed the shit you saw, just sayin’.” Tyler clapped my shoulder as we reached the downstairs door. “Skye was never the type to drink or…you know.”

That was a slap across the face. Tyler was right. She wasn’t. In fact, she rarely drank and wouldn’t touch any recreational drug. A cold dread ran down my spine. If Alex hurt her, I was going to kill him with my bare hands.

CHAPTER NINE

SKYE

Why am I so stubborn?

My mother would probably love to know the answer to that question as well. I was notoriously stubborn when I wanted something or didn’t want to do something. In this case, I didn’t know what the hell I wanted and banished myself to the living room while everyone else went to bed. As much as I wanted to say yes to Cal inviting me to sleep in the same bed as him, I refused. Why? Because I just couldn’t let myself feel like everything was normal and okay between us.

He had gone away, and I was keeping a huge secret, and now…we were just different. So why did being down here with only the fireplace burning to keep me company feel so wrong? The house creaked, and I sat up straight, looking around. I didn’t see anyone in the darkness, but goosebumps rose all over my body.

All I could hear was the thumping of my heart. I glanced at the fireplace poker as I heard the creaking again. It could be the house settling in the cold, but I tossed off the blanket and grabbed the poker, putting my back to the old stone. The quiet snicker that came from the shadows made my blood pump harder.

“What do you think you’re going to do with that,” Alex asked. I didn’t have to see his face to know his voice. It still haunted my nightmares.

“Come closer and find out,” I said, my hands tightening on the black metal.