“Wait for me,” he says, gathering his gloves, hat, and goggles off the bench next to him.
I’m literally walking ten feet from where he’s sitting, but that’s too much distance. My chest pinches with how much he needs me and how much I wish he needed me in other ways.
Holding the door open for him, I let him walk by and follow him into the house.
“Where are you going to be?” he asks, wanting to pick a seat in my space.
“Go lie in bed. I’ll be right in.” He should probably rest if an afternoon of snowshoeing is in our future.
I stare in awe as he strips his layers while walking down the hallway toward my room.Of course, he would choose my bed.
I know he would feel terrible if he knew how hard he makes it for me sometimes, which is the biggest reason I’ve kept my mouth shut all these years. I’m so fucking thankful that I’m his safe place, and I honestly have no fucking clue what I’m going to do when he starts seriously dating someone.
I shake the thought away before the familiar queasiness pools in my stomach, and I make the call to the base lodge to book our tour.
Once the reservation is done, I steel myself as I make my way toward my room. It doesn’t help, though, because the sight of Liam, propped up against my headboard, shirtless and clutching a pillow to his chest while watching whatever he put on the TV, has me fucking sweating.
I don’t understand what’s going on.
Why is my attraction to him so fucking strong this time?
Is it because Taylor finding happiness with his new boyfriend called my loneliness into sharp relief?
I honestly don’t know, but it’s getting harder to conceal with each passing second.
And unfortunately, Liam notices.
Wincing when he sees me standing in the doorway, he apologizes. “Sorry. I hope it’s okay that I crashed in your bed? Your view’s better,” he says, waving a hand toward the open curtains.
I hadn’t even noticed that it’s snowing again, or that the muted sunlight reflects off the slope, highlighting the skiers as they sail past the turnoff for our cabin. I hadn’t noticed that you canjustmake them out through the pine branches. Hell, I hadn’t noticed there were other people at this resort at all.
Because all I see is him.
Forcing a smile, I reassure him. “It’s okay. You know anything of mine is yours, too,” I remind him again.
“I would say‘same,’but you already know that since you were wearing my shirt when I got back the other night.”
He’s laughing, but his statement makes me freeze. I was hoping he’d forgotten about that.
I’d needed to feel close to him, wanted his scent to envelop me, and it was the best I could do.
“I’m sorry for running out on you like that,” Liam finally says in a rare, serious moment.
“You don’t have to apologize,” I say, wanting to ease his discomfort. “I know it was shocking to hear. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner. I just didn’t know how.”
Liam pats the bed next to him.
“You’re forgiven. Now come veg with me for another movie before I have to get my lazy ass in gear.”
I swallow hard before stripping out of my snow pants. Thankfully, I still have long johns on underneath as I climb onto my bed. Too afraid of my body’s reaction if I were to get under the covers, I try to keep a decent amount of space between our bodies without making it seem like I’m avoiding Liam.
But that plan gets shot to hell when he worms his way over to my side, puts his head on my shoulder, and wraps his motherfucking arm across my torso.
“I could never stay mad at you, D. I’m just glad there aren’t any more secrets between us, though, because that shit sucked. I understand why you didn’t tell me, but promise me you won’t try to protect me like that anymore? I can handle the truth.”
But with the truth comes the possibility of rejection…and that’s not somethingIcan handle.
Fuck. My. Life.
