With that, Vox starts weaving through the small crowd toward the steepest run up here, while I’m left standing with my mouth hanging open.
“LANG!” Vox calls out. “Get the fuck over here!”
Although he’s getting along with his teammates, he’s definitely more animated and carefree when it’s just him and me, and I cradle that piece of knowledge close to my heart.
Eventually, I get my ass in gear and board over to him, trying to shake away the thoughts now plaguing my mind, specifically the ones that involve what he feels like as he comes apart in my arms, the way he chokes out my name as he spills his release, and the way I want to do so much moretohim,withhim,forhim.
Thankfully, it’s just bright enough out today to need my tinted goggles, so I’m hoping he can’t see that I’m incapable of pulling my gaze from his mouth. He has a small freckle just above his lip on the right side, and it’s doing nothing to extract me from this debauched rabbit hole I’m in.
“Ready?” Vox asks. Before I can reply, he tips his board over the edge and is almost out of sight a breath later.
I’ll fucking die if I try keeping up with him right now. My mind is such a mess, there’s no way I can lock in for his kind of speed, regardless of how much ‘like riding a bike’getting back on a board has been. Although the physical part of riding isn’t challenging, I’m still working through the mental block, and it’s making me far more cautious and slower than is probably necessary.
Plus, instead of watching where I’m going, I’m imagining Vox spilling down my throat and,fuck,it’s wreaking havoc on my concentration.
When I get to the bottom, Vox is standing with an elbow propped on the sign for the lift.
“Jesus, I know it’s been a minute, but I could’ve slid on my ass and gotten down here faster than that.”
“Yeah, just a little rusty. Let’s go again. I’ll pick it up.”
Vox nods and makes his way to the line.
I stay quiet on the lift, lost in my thoughts, wondering how I allowed this to happen…withVox Montgomeryof all people.
“What’s wrong?” Vox asks, picking up on my mood change. “Is it boarding?” he presses. “I know it’s a little more crowded today because it’s Saturday. Are you doing okay with it?”
The concern in his voice makes it impossible to keep my hands to myself, and I pat his thigh with my gloved hand.
“Yeah, I’m fine. Better than fine, actually.”
When I try to remove my hand, Vox’s glove comes down over mine, trapping it in place.
“Good. Then show me what you’ve got on this next run.”
Chapter 31
Vox
It takes Connor two more trips down the mountain before hefinallygives me a run for my money. But when he locks in, I have to earn it. I’m good, probably the best there is right now, but Connor Lang is a different beast entirely, andholy shit, it works me up.
“Okay, hotshot,” Connor says once we’re back at the top. “I know you can go fast. Now, I want you to pump the brakes and match my track. Your objective is to stay behind me the entire time. If you pass me, we go again.”
He says that as though the whole point of today wasn’t to spend the entire day on the mountain together anyway.
My ass is fucking sore, but it’s a turn-on knowing the snowboarding king in front of me made me that way.
I’m not sure today is the best day for his lessons since all I want to do is drag him into the trees and fuck him against one, but he seems more focused once we get back to the top of the slope.
Connor takes off down the hill at an agonizingly slow pace. I last sixty seconds before I’m pulling up next to him.
“I could snowboard faster than this when I was still in my mother’s womb,” I complain, throwing my arms behind me. I take off, bending low and hauling ass down the slope.
I’m waiting at the lift when Connor finally makes it to the bottom.
“Okay, well, you failed,” he says with a chuckle. “We’re going back up.”
“This is the most pointless exercise I’ve ever engaged in.” I pout.
