Steam (Homecoming Hearts #4)(18)

He didn’t know why, but the sight irritated him. The guy was evidently clueless, but every time Trent rode past, he was doggedly trying again. It was obvious he hadn’t even attempted a dry slope before he’d brought himself out onto actual fucking snow.

However, as much as Trent wanted to be annoyed by this guy, he couldn’t stop himself being impressed at his single-minded determination. He wasn’t letting that damn board beat him. It was endearing.

Which is probably why Trent couldn’t stop himself on the next journey upward catching the lift to the beginners’ slope instead of the advanced one he’d been intending to try out.

He felt bad for being a complete jerk to this guy, twice. He hadn’t deserved it either time. Trent wasn’t an asshole, he wasn’t. He was sick of the press and Hollywood and even his own dad making him out to be that way. Barry was right. He needed to start behaving more like himself before he ruined his reputation completely.

It was more than that, though, he argued to himself as he dismounted from the lift and made his way over to the Brit. He wanted to help this guy. He seemed nice. And no other fucker out here was offering to give him a hand.

“Hey,” Trent grunted as he approached.

The Brit spun around in a small wave of snow and stumbled backward. Unfortunately, he had one foot attached to his board, so he pinwheeled his arms as he started to fall.

Trent was too quick for that, though. He lunged forward and grabbed him by one of his gloved hands and his waist, still slim despite being clad in numerous layers of skiwear. He was so close, he could see the guy blink through his tinted goggles.

“Oh,” he said, his breath coming out in a little puff of white condensation. “It’s you. Hello.”

He looked completely bemused and a tiny bit scared. Trent cleared his throat and released him so they were both standing upright once more.

“Sorry,” he said. “Didn’t mean to scare you.”

For a beat, the guy just stared. Then he broke into a truly beautiful smile. Model, Trent’s brain suggested again. “No, you’re all right,” he said, a little breathlessly. “You just made me jump.”

Trent licked his lips and squinted against the bright sunshine. Fuck, this was awkward. What was he supposed to say? Hi, I can’t stop thinking about you almost naked. You suck at snowboarding, so in a moment of spectacular arrogance, I decided to come down here and offer to teach you. Oh, did I mention I’m a movie star?

“Hey,” he said again. “Um. I’m Trent. We met the other day.” That was nice and vague. He didn’t think it wise to bring up the pool.

The guy smiled wider, however. “I remember,” he said cheerfully. “I’m Ashby. I’m sorry. I think I startled you both times.”

“Nah,” Trent said with a sigh. Might as well be honest. “I was an asshole. I’m not usually that rude. Thought maybe I could make it up to you.”

Ashby’s eyebrows rose under his goggles. “Is that so?” he squeaked.

Trent indicated the board. “You seemed like you were struggling. No offense.”

Ashby glanced down at where his foot was still attached to the board. For a second, Trent thought he’d just been a rude asshole again by pointing out the obvious. But after a second, Ashby laughed with genuine mirth.

“Oh, you spotted that, did you?” he asked with a chuckle. “Yes, I’m a hapless beginner at real risk of breaking an ankle or a wrist or both. Never tried snowboarding before.”

“I guessed.” He gave Ashby a half smile, and for the first time since they had run into each other, he didn’t feel quite so awkward. Ashby grinned some more and rubbed the back of his head. “You want a hand?”

Ashby blinked. “You – you’d teach me?”

Trent shrugged. “The basics,” he said. “Get you on your feet. It’s the least I can do after ignoring you twice. You seem like a nice guy.”

Ashby’s smile became bashful. “Thank you,” he stammered. “I – that would be lovely. Although,” he added, touching Trent’s arm briefly, “I didn’t think you were an asshole.” Trent arched an eyebrow. It was a look he was famous for. It was intimidating and smoldering all at once, or so he was told. Ashby bit his lip. “Okay. Maybe a tiny bit of an asshole. But I can see that’s not true, now.”

Trent grunted and dropped his board down on the snow. “Haven’t started teaching you, yet.”

Ashby fell to his ass and unclipped his boot from the board, ready to start from scratch. “Nah,” he said cheekily. “I can already tell. You’re a big old teddy bear.”

Trent didn’t know why that pleased him so much. But it did.





8





Ashby





Ashby was still too stunned to really process what was happening. His default was to smile and joke and generally flirt a little. But the truth was, he was still unsure as to why Trent had come over to talk to him.

‘Talk’ might have been a bit of an exaggeration. The man seemed allergic to chit-chat. But Ashby nattered along enough for the both of them to fill up the awkward silences.

“So, I get skating with one foot,” he said. “But how do I then stop? Sticking my free foot into the snow? Because I was doing that before but then I would just trip and fall and, well, I guess that’s what led you over here to save me from myself.”