Page 39 of Ski You Later (Alpine Glow #1)

This is an unexpected snag to say the least.

The sight of him standing on my doorstep causes my limbs to freeze to the spot. My hand remains on the doorknob, and I can feel the way my eyes have widened comedically.

His hair is styled to look as if it naturally flows that way, but I know the time he spends sculpting it. He’s wearing skinny jeans, which is honestly more of a red flag than the cheating, and he’s making a face as though he wants to come across as innocent.

This whole display makes me want to vomit a little, but a bigger part of me sees him for who he is. An insecure loser that caused self-doubt to wiggle its way into my brain. I have no idea what he’s doing on my front porch, but I couldn’t be happier at the turn of events.

“What do you want?” I ask and don’t even pretend to have any patience for him .

He starts to squirm on my doorstep, as if he’s upset by my words. Then, as he starts to shrug his shoulders inward, I can’t hide the disgusted look that takes over my face.

Panic starts to shine through the cracks of his calm expression, and I can’t help but soak it in. I quickly glance behind him and hope that Roman is late for the first time in his life. The last thing I want is to have this moron ruin anything else in my life.

“You should go. There’s nothing we have to talk about.” I start to close the door in his face, but his boot slips in the house before it can fully shut.

“Rhodes, give me five minutes to talk,” he insists.

“No, I’m okay, thanks.” I start to put my shoulder into the door, but of course, he’s wearing steel-toed boots. Damn Canada’s terrible climate, forcing everyone to wear fortified footwear.

“Rhodes, seriously, open the door and let me talk to you. Things aren’t going well with your cousin, and I have been thinking about us.

” The absurdity of what he’s saying stops me in my tracks and lets his counterweight open the door wider.

“I feel terrible about how we left things. Can we just talk for a bit? ”

He gives me a smile that only an oaf would find charming, and completely misreads my expression. What he thinks is happy-shock on my face, is really a look so dumbfounded that I can’t even describe it. The absolute nerve of this disgusting little pig.

The smile falls from his face as I hold the door frame and let out an honest to god cackle. This guy must think I have no self-respect, and the nerve of him just makes me laugh harder. The fact that he thinks I still want anything to do with him is killing me the most.

Finally, I look back at him as I wipe the tears from my eyes. The pretend charm has morphed into anger as he crosses his arms in front of him. While I hear the rumbling of a truck in the distance, I don’t dare take my eyes off of the moron in front of me.

“What is wrong with you? I’m asking you for a civil conversation, and you’re acting like a crazy person. I don’t remember you being this nuts.” He throws his arms wide now, hurling the insult to my face.

“What’s wrong with me? Daniel. You. Cheated. On. Me.” I clap my hands in his face after every word, in order to get my point across and also to annoy the hell out of him. “There’s no talking. There’s no reason for you to drop by. I have a date, and you need to leave. ”

Even with my fastest attempt to close the door, I see that damn foot sticking it’s way further into my home. I’ve been looking forward to this night all week now and I’m not about to let this loser take any more from me.

Throwing the door open wide to face him, he puts his hands up in surrender and opens his mouth.

I don’t give him a second to even get a word out as I point behind him.

“Can you just leave already! This is ridiculous!” My voice conveys every inch of disbelief and exasperation I feel, and then my heart plummets as he tries to approach me again.

Luckily, he doesn’t even make it a step before he is yanked backwards and out of my face.

Roman has an easy couple of inches on him, as he grabs him by the collar of his jacket and yanks him away from me. Daniel tries to shove him off, but Roman doesn’t budge, as he grabs his front lapels and proceeds to shake the man before him.

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing at my girlfriend’s house.” Roman hasn’t even glanced my way as he uses all his focus to stare daggers at Daniel.

“Dude, you need to calm the hell down, I just wanted to talk –. ”

Roman gives Daniel a good shake, hauling him up to his eye level, and causing Daniel to go on his tip toes. “You’re going to listen, and you’re going to listen good. Never bother her again, and we won’t have a problem. Are we clear?”

Daniel scoffs as he tries to get out of Roman’s grip, but his knuckles are white on Daniel’s jacket. With another rough shake, Roman looks Daniel dead in the eyes. “I said. Are. We. Clear.” The menace dripping from Roman’s words causes me to step back.

I’ve never seen this side of him. Not when the team is attacking him, and not even when the coaches are mistreating him. This is an entirely new version of Roman, and I can’t help but marvel at the fact that it’s all because of me.

Daniel starts to mutter something under his breath, and Roman drops him like he’s a hot potato.

He seems to have oriented his position in a way so Daniel lands right at the top of the stairs and falls back the second Roman lets him go.

My mouth drops open as I watch Daniel fall, but Roman just lets himself in and closes the door.

I try to look back and see if there’s a seriously injured moron on my front porch, but Roman’s hand tilts my chin towards him. “Don’t worry about him. He’s fine.”

The dismissive tone almost makes me smile, but this new side of Roman does cause some uncertainty to seep into my head. Roman casually turns the lock on the door and closes the window coverings so the man outside can’t give us any more problems.

Then, doing a complete one-eighty, Roman’s hands wrap around my waist, and he hauls me into his chest. The act is so sudden that it takes me a moment to process.

His head falls easily into the crook of my neck, my feet are clear off the ground as he holds me flush against him, and he breathes me in deeply.

I slowly wrap my arms around his neck and lightly brush back the curly strands of his hair to help him relax. It all clicks in my brain as I hold him back just as tightly. While I know he’ll protect me no matter what, I also know he doesn’t care for violence and threats.

After a few more minutes of Roman holding onto me for dear life, he starts to slowly slide me down his body, and releases me once my feet hit the floor. His eyes lift from the ground to meet mine, and he gently brings his hands up to cup my face.

“Are you alright?” He asks, and the tenderness in his voice causes my entire chest to constrict. I nod up at him, placing my hands on the outside of his larger ones.

“I’m okay,” I say with a smile, and I can’t help but mean every word. It was good to face Daniel and not have a feeling of fear or panic. I’m so proud of myself and how far I’ve come. Now I just need to make sure Roman knows that and not ruin our date before it starts.

“You don’t have to lie; it’s okay to not be okay,” he says lightly, moving his hands to rest on my hips. I smile ruefully at him, but he responds before I can reassure him further. “How about we have our date another day. I understand if you would rather not do it tonight.”

I can feel my eyes becoming watery as I look up at him. Just the fact that he keeps thinking about me and what I need makes me weak in the knees. But the pit that forms in my stomach when I think about him heading home solidifies how much I’m against his plan.

“No, I don’t want that. Not even one bit,” I tell him without hesitation.

The side of his mouth tips up at my words, and the hands on my hips seem to tighten. “I mean, it would be a shame to let this pretty outfit go to waste.”

He puts some distance between us and takes in every inch of me. The blush that spreads up my neck is furious, and I look away before I turn into a tomato. I use this time to look at him in turn, and I can’t help but marvel at his outfit tonight.

His neon red team jacket is nowhere to be seen as he sports a knee-length navy coat.

His classic cable knit sweater hugs his upper body and is accented with straight-legged black dress pants.

The flow of his dark curls hasn’t changed, but instead looks more styled than usual.

To put it simply, he looks absolutely gorgeous.

I noticed he’s still admiring me, and I decide to spin in a circle before him. “What? Do you think I look cute?” Throwing my gaze behind my shoulder, I watch as he gravitates towards me.

Leaning against the wall behind me, I look up at him innocently and gently flutter my lashes. His hands land lightly on either side of my head as he doesn’t hesitate to lean into my space. “I think you know damn well that you look cute.”

His voice is low, his gravelly timber grating against my brain in the best way. I can’t help but lean in a smidge closer to his strong chest. “Cute enough to take on a mystery date?”

“Oh, definitely cute enough for that.” He plants his hands on each side of my neck, leaning down and planting a quick kiss on my temple. “Close your eyes and stay here.”

He’s gone in a flash, and by the time I process his words, he’s opening the door again. Slamming my eyes closed, I rock on my heels as I stay pressed against the wall.

“Hold out your hands,” he says with excitement in his voice.

I wordlessly put them out and can’t hold back the furrow in my brow as an enormous lump is placed in my arms. My eyes fly open immediately, and I look at the brown paper wrapped around my gift.