Page 12 of Ski You Later (Alpine Glow #1)

“No.” The voice behind sounds bored as he responds instantly.

I whip around in my chair, my blonde curls slapping me in the face as I look at him. “Roman!” I whisper-yell in his face.

“What?”

Turning back to the group, I hold up a finger in the universal gesture of give me a second . Turning my knees to face the outside of the booth, Roman puts his arm on the wall above me and leans down.

I furrow my brow as I glare up at him, poking my pointer finger into his chest. “They’re reaching out. This is time for you to make a friend,” I plead.

“I have a friend,” he counters.

“Who?”

“You. ”

My blank stare speaks for me because I get the added bonus of watching his lip quirk up. “You need more than that,” I say exasperatedly.

“No, Langley. I really don’t.” His gaze is teasing, the smile countering the storm cloud he had when he walked in here.

The shuffling of the group beside us catches my attention, and I see them all exiting from the other side of the table.

Charles must see my expression, yelling at me as he shuffles himself from the seat.

“We’re going to dance, you should come!” He smiles at me, lessening his expression as he looks over my shoulder.

Then, I lose sight of them all as the group joins the masses.

Turning to the giant grump beside me, I can’t resist another chance to mess with him. “I hope you’re happy, bud.” Poking his chest harshly with every word.

His face fights the urge to increase his smile as his hand whips out to wrap over mine. “Oh, I am.”

With one more glare, I finish off my drink and pluck his from his hand. He gives a protest that I promptly ignore and drown the contents of his rum and coke.

“I’m going to dance; you can come if you like,” I tell him. He doesn’t move out of the way, and I revel in the blush that colours his cheeks as I squeeze past him .

With the drinks flowing through me and a sudden burst of confidence, I happily smile as I make my way onto the dance floor. I don’t even make it ten steps before it feels like I’ve been hit by a truck.

Aurora’s arms wrap tightly around me, and she screams in delight when I laugh and hug her back. “Girl, you scared me half to death! Why do you always do this!” I try to use my stern voice, but I can’t seem to be angry when it comes to her.

“Where have you been! It has been an Isla and Liam sandwich all night!” Aurora puts her finger in her mouth and makes a fake vomit motion.

“I stopped at the table to drop my stuff. Also, I brought Roman, so maybe you guys –.”

“Why the fuck did you bring Roman!” Aurora’s voice somehow yells louder than the music, and I can’t help but cringe. Before I can explain, she decides to continue. “Did he force you to invite him? I bet he wants to see us all having fun before he books another last-minute training session.”

Aurora laughs at her own joke, but I frown up at her.

“He did everything in his power not to come, but I forced him. Maybe if his athletes gave him a chance, they would realize he’s actually very nice.

” I end my speech with a knowing look and feel satisfied at the skepticism in Aurora’s gaze. “Will you give him a chance,” I plead.

“Nope,” she declares. “I don’t buy it. He’s a raging ass, and I’m going to prove it!” The way Aurora seems to be swaying makes a laugh escape my throat. Wait, is she swaying, or am I?

A fit of giggling quickly takes over me, and I quickly realize I’m too drunk to be having this conversation. Aurora’s laughter quickly joins mine, and she grabs my hand.

The giggles fully take over my body as we both sway on the spot. Aurora’s laughter reaches my ear and I decide the only reasonable thing to do at this point is get a drink and dance. She must have been thinking the same thing, grabbing me at the wrist and yanking me onto the floor.

We join the rest of the team late enough into the night that all the friend groups have merged together. My cousin is nowhere to be seen as I scan our group and I can let myself relax with everyone.

I spot Charles and a guy from the bobsled team becoming well acquainted behind me. Liam and Isla are exactly how Aurora had described, the pair grabbing for each other as if it’s the end of the world. I spot my best friend looking in their direction, but I quickly bring her attention back to me.

Songs go by in a blur, some requiring me to sing at the top of my lungs while others I keep strictly to dancing. Charles has ditched his guy, also having noticed Aurora’s situation, and spends his time with her.

Landon and Xander show up at some point, both boys giving me a hug and making my friend’s eyebrows raise. I told Aurora about our afternoon together, but it slipped my mind to tell anyone else.

As Xander spins me around for the millionth time, a parting of the crowd gives me a clear view to the back of the bar.

Roman reclines against the wall, the signature scowl well in place as his eyes stay glued on me. The intensity of his gaze causes me to stumble and Xander immediately pulls me closer to him.

Whether it be the lights or all the drinks flowing through me, I thought I saw genuine anger quickly flash across Roman’s face. Before I can look closer, I’m spun in the other direction and brought back into the circle of my friends.

I try to go back to dancing, but the feeling of Roman’s eyes on me is similar to an itch that I can’t reach. At this point, the only thing that will calm me is another drink.

I get Aurora’s attention, pointing to myself and then the bar behind me, and she gives two thumbs up in return. Making my way off the dance floor, the feeling of lightness returns to me as I wiggle through a crowd of friendly faces.

The various sports teams smile as I walk by, even some athletes I’ve talked with before giving me a wave. Frustration fills me as another group of people passes me, and I realize that I’ve been looking for Roman this whole time.

The wall he was previously at stands vacant, and a sour feeling fills my stomach when I think he could be on the dance floor. Maybe another girl asked him to dance, and he obliged her. I start to gnaw at my nail but force myself to brush off the feeling.

Roman and I aren’t even anything. We’re barely even friends, and I have no justification to feel this way.

A spot at the bar frees up, and I quickly fill the open position.

Two shots of tequila later, my brain is murky, and I’m ready to get back to the dancing.

Pushing myself away, I do another once over of the space, hoping I had just missed Roman the first time.

The entire floor seems Roman-free as I focus on my path and walk straight into this guy’s back.

As an apology immediately bubbles from my throat, but the odor of the man causes my blood to go cold. The smell of cheap cologne drowns me as Daniel turns around.

The anger on his face quickly disappears as he sees me, and a slimy smile takes over his features.

“Whoa, Rhodes. How much have you had to drink tonight, babe?” I feel hands on my back, and before I understand what’s happening, he’s pulling me in for a hug.

This is torture. Having his touch on me while I have to continue to inhale him. Mixing this interaction with my two tequila shots causes my brain to swim.

Panic and claustrophobia overtake me as I plant my hands on his chest and push. I can’t seem to get even an inch away as he peers down at me and laughs. “Hey, hey. Calm down. We’re basically family, Rhodes.”

His words only cause more emotions to flood me, indignations, denial, and fury all cloud my judgement as I fumble for what to do.

All the time I spent trying to prepare myself for when this moment would come, seems to crumble at my feet.

My mind does nothing but spin as his disgusting form tries to get closer to me.

My breathing quickly turns into rapid pants before I can control it, and I find myself falling into a full-blown panic attack.

“What the hell is wrong with you –.” Daniel’s words are cut off abruptly. The sticky heat of his body finally leaving me and being replaced by cool air kissing my skin.

There’s some yelling that’s undecipherable over the music, but I just put my head in my hands and attempt to orient myself. I need to get a grip right now, the drinks in my system are turning against me as I feel myself start to sway.

Gentle hands grip me under my elbows, steadying me and slowly guiding me away from the busy crowd. I immediately know it’s Roman, his strong hands showing a reverence I would’ve never associated with the team captain.

He tucks his arm around me and seems to relax as I push myself closer to him. Filling my nose with the clean laundry smell that always sticks to his person.

He starts to walk, and I blindly follow. The fear that Daniel will follow us prevents me from even registering our movements .

The noise decreases as the crowds become easier to maneuver through, and I realize he’s walking toward the washrooms.

The distinct noise of girls shrieking fills my ears, but Roman pays them no head as he leads me into a stall. Putting the lid on the toilet, I have no shame as I sit down and put my head in my hands.

He shuts the bathroom door behind him, and I notice he doesn’t lock it as he crouches down so we’re at eye level. His finger is crooked as it lightly rests under my chin, applying light pressure as he tilts my head up to look at him.

There’s a quiet moment that passes between us, the silence stretching as we both continue to watch the other.

“What happened, Langley,” he whispers. The night’s events flooding back to me as I let his words register.

The alcohol in my body does nothing to suppress the wobble that forms in my lip, the water in my eyes coming quickly after.

The tears start to fall at the same time I watch Roman’s face crumple. His usual disdain is nowhere to be seen as his expression turns to one of sorrow .

“No. Don’t cry, beautiful,” he says softly. Placing his hand on the side of my face as the tears silently stream down. Roman’s thumb swipes away the moisture and helps soothe me.

After a couple minutes of holding me, I start to feel better. I fully blame the drinks for my little episode, and I quickly sniff as I sit up straighter. Guilt fills me to the brim, he didn’t want to come out, let alone spend his night with a crying girl.

“Roman. I’m so sorry,” I half laugh and half sob. My dehydration becoming apparent as my head starts to spin.

“It’s okay,” his voice soft as he rubs my face.

“If it makes you feel better, I had a great time. Team bonding went better than I could have hoped.” His tone is light, but the sarcasm is laced in every word.

“I think I’m ready to call these guys my new brothers,” he states with a serious expression.

I peer up at him, my spinning head making all of this worse. “You are kind of an ass,” I deadpan. The time for niceties is far behind me, and I put my splitting head against the cool bathroom stall.

“Don’t I know it, Langley,” his tone chipper.

He starts to say more, the sound of his voice coming from high above me. But I think the drinks have run their course, and I get no warning as I promptly blackout.