Almost Home

Chapter Fifteen

Having given up on snowboarding hours before, Finn and I had found ourselves a cosy corner of a cafe and were laughing about my terrible escapades on the snow. He had stayed by my side the entire time, teaching me how to balance on the board and how to start and stop. I'd even managed a couple of the smaller slopes without too much damage being made but I wasn't used to all this exercise and my body was killing me already.

This was nice though, sitting with him by the warm fire and getting to know each other. He was friendly and put me at ease which I was thankful for. I can't remember the last time I'd been alone with a guy like this. Before Nathan I expect.

'You're a natural! Honestly, you'd never know it was your first time out there,' Finn exclaims and I roll my eyes at him and take another sip of my hot chocolate.

'I wouldn't take it that far. I managed to stand up a few times and make the board move!'

'Don't put yourself down. You got to the bottom of the slope by yourself!'

'I crashed into you at the end!' I cover my face in embarrassment, reliving the moment with painful clarity.

'Yeah, and I'm pretty sure you broke a rib!'

I peek out from behind my fingers to see him grinning at me and I can't help but laugh. I'd used him as a human shield when I forgot how to stop and it was only then that we decided it was time to call it a day and that's how we'd found ourselves here. I don't think either of us wanted to say goodbye so soon.

'You're friends seem pretty wild, are they always so rambunctious?' They'd given up on Connor almost instantly and left him to sober up at the bottom of the hill. I can't say I blame them, he'd have never made it down alive the amount of alcohol he had in him. He was gone by the time we'd finished but Finn didn't seem too fussed.

He laughs. 'Yeah they are, but they're harmless. Sorry they spooked you earlier, they shouldn't have got that close to you mind. I'll be having words with them when I find them.'

'Don't worry about it,' I reply, laughing it off, but inside I was cursing them. I'd just managed to get myself going and two of his friends had almost barrelled into me, scaring me half to death. I'd hit the snow like a sack of potatoes and I could already feel a bruise forming on my bum.

'What are you up to tonight?' Finn asks me and my insides do a little flip.

'Nothing, I don't think... How come?'

'Well, I'm heading to a bar later with the guys, the one we passed on our way here. Why don't you join us?'

'Sure, I'd like that,' I respond quickly, earning a grin from him in response.

The sky was getting dark outside the window and I glance at my watch and get a shock at how late it had gotten without me realising. We must have been here for over an hour. Tom is going to get worried if I don't head back soon, even though I desperately wanted to stay. 'I'd better be off, I'm afraid,' I mutter reluctantly, grabbing my jacket off the back of the chair and holding it in my hands.

He does the same and we both stand, making our way through the crowded room to the exit, his hand placed gently on my lower back as he manoeuvres us around the tables and out into the cold.

Zipping my coat up against the chill I turn back to say a last goodbye and blush when I see how close he was standing to me. I'm suddenly overcome with shyness and I think he can see that by the smile that creeps onto his face. Leaning in, he places a soft kiss on my cheek before he murmurs a cheeky 'See you tonight then,' turning on his heel and walking off in the direction of the chalets, glancing over his shoulder and laughing when he sees that I hadn't moved from the spot where he left me, shellshocked at the intimacy we'd just shared.