The Life That Mattered (Life #1)(24)

“Ronin!”

“Stop pouting!” He smacked my ass while strutting about twenty yards over from the end of our run. “You like to watch, so here you go.” He deposited me on my feet as skiers came down a hill dotted with sliding boxes and rails.

I grinned. Yeah, I liked to watch.

“I’m going up. Keep your eyes peeled.”

“Going up? To do that?” I narrowed my eyes.

“Yes.” He sauntered off without looking back.

I returned my attention to the skiers sliding along the rails and boxes, some more flashy with their turns and dismounts. A few failing to land at all—except on their asses.

About fifteen minutes later, my guy came down the hill.

“Slow down,” I whispered to myself.

Nope. He didn’t slow down. Ronin jumped onto one rail, flying off with a lot of air time, and then he was right back on the second rail. Finishing with a box, he spun once in the middle before landing perfectly back onto the run. The cockiest grin took up residence on his face as he came straight toward me.

“Stop!” I flinched, stumbling back a step as he shifted to the side, skidding to a dramatic halt mere inches from me. “Really?” I punched his arm. “You never mentioned you can do tricks on jibs.”

He shrugged, removing his skis. “Now you know.”

“I’m taking my loser ass home.” I stomped toward my skis.

“I’ve got your shit, grumpy. Just head toward your Jeep.”

When we reached my Jeep, I sat sideways on the driver’s seat while Ronin secured my skis to the rack.

“I think it’s your attitude. If you start believing you can ski, I think you’ll find your body will cooperate.” He removed my ski boots and tossed them in back while I slid on my snow boots.

“Yes. I think it’s all in my head.” I grunted a laugh, starting my Jeep.

“Want me to pick you up for drinks?”

“No.” I tried to keep my bottom lip from swelling into a full-on pout. “I’ll grab a ride since I don’t intend to be under the legal limit when I leave the bar. And I don’t want you to have to be the DD either since tomorrow is your day off.”

“Cool. That means we get a little drunk together, then I fuck some sense into you for your pouty attitude. Good plan.” He smothered me with a hard kiss to make his point.

“I’m not pouting.” Okay, I couldn’t even say it without sounding pissy. Clearly, I needed a drink or five.





CHAPTER SIX





After a shower, a little makeup, and drying my hair straight, I slid on white leggings, gray ankle boots, and a long-sleeved floral boho blouse. The cab arrived a few minutes early, but I was ready.

Ready to pretend I didn’t go skiing.

Ready to forget my best friend thought of my boyfriend naked on a need-to basis.

Ready to drink myself into a better mood.

The bar was a quick ten-minute ride. When I walked inside, live country music greeted me just before Tami pulled me in for a hug outside of the bathroom. “Glad you made it. I’m grabbing another drink. Can I get you one?”

“Yes.” I shrugged off my jacket.

“Wine?”

“Something stronger. It’s been one of those days.”

“Well, shit. Sorry to hear that. I’ll get you fixed right up. Everyone’s over at that corner table. Karaoke starts in thirty minutes.”

“Karaoke?”

“Yes. The bar just acquired a karaoke machine.”

I liked karaoke. Maybe the day would end better than it started.

When I glanced to the table, Ronin’s eyes were already on me. His lips curled into a tiny smile as his gaze slid along the length of my body. When I approached the table, he stood because he was a true gentleman. “Take my seat. I’ll find another chair.”

“Stay. I’ll pull this one up.” Noah slid a chair over next to the empty one beside him. “Tami will want to sit by her and talk her ear off anyway.”

Ronin gave me a look, the silent “is that okay” look.

“Thank you.” I sat in the chair Noah pulled up. It put me at the opposite end of the table from Ronin … and Vanessa. Yes, she was perched next to him, right next to him because we were all pretty crammed in there.

I’d met everyone there, so no introductions were needed, and I didn’t get much more than a few nods and smiles because Vanessa was in the middle of a story.

“So it was a crazy day …” She sighed.

I must have missed her telling the crazy part.

“But the day ended well. I got a little chuckle when Evelyn lost her ski and Ronin, being the true hero he is…” Vanessa looped her arms around his arm, giving him an endearing side hug “…had me bring him a sled to pull her down the hill.”

Everyone chuckled, eyes on me and Ronin.

He winked at me. I returned my best fake smile before grabbing a menu to decide what food I should order to help absorb all the alcohol I needed.

“Here you go.” Tami set two shots of something—I didn’t even know or care what—down in front of me before wedging between the chairs to sit down.

“Thank you.” I downed the first shot.

Tequila. Good choice.