Almost Home

Chapter Sixteen

'Well, I better go before my brother comes looking for me,' I say to Finn as we hand our boards back to the girl behind the rental desk the following day, thanking her before we leave.

It had been another fun afternoon on the slopes and I was really starting to get the hang of it, well on the beginner's slope that is. I hadn't quite worked up the courage to attempt one of the more advanced hills even though Finn had tried his best to persuade me. I liked my limbs attached thank you very much.

I'm not sure what it is about him but I find Finn very easy to be around, he's funny, charming and great at teaching me to snowboard. The only problem is, I think we might be on different pages and it's taken me today to realise it. We've had the odd few moments out on the snow where I've felt him being a bit flirtatious with me and rather than making me giddy it's just made me feel a bit weird. I don't know why because he's absolutely gorgeous, it's just he's not...well that doesn't matter. All that matters is that I don't fancy him and I think maybe I should just nip this in the bud before it goes any further.

'I had fun today. You're a really great teacher,' I smile at him awkwardly as we begin our ascent through the snow towards my chalet. Finn had offered to walk me home as it was quite dark out by the time we'd finished and I hadn't known how to say no.

'Why thank you,' he smiles at me and I feel a pang of discomfort form in my stomach.

Oh God, it's just occurred to me...he might want me to invite him in! I don't want to. He might get the wrong end of the stick. Oh, what should I do?!

As I was pondering my options I feel a hand brush against the back of mine and I look down sharpish, watching in dismay as he interlocks my fingers with his own.

This is getting bad. This is getting really bad.

His thumb is rubbing delicate circles on the back of my hand and I want to tell him to stop.

Jamie's hands aren't delicate. I noticed them when we were all eating dinner together the other night. His hands were large and had callouses across his fingertips which I guess he got from working as a labourer. Real manly hands...I wonder what they would feel like to hold.

Wait, Emma. What are you doing? Focus on the present.

I realise Finn was staring at me intently and I swallow nervously. I can't ask him to repeat himself because he'll know I wasn't listening to him. Damn Jamie and his stupid distracting hands! I'll just have to blame it on my oversized bobble hat blocking my hearing.

'I'm sorry, I missed that. What did you say?' I make an over-exaggerated gesture of moving the hat up above my ears and lean in closer to him but before I knew what was happening, Finn had closed the gap between us and placed a firm kiss on my lips, cupping the back of my head with his hands so I was unable to move. He holds me tight against him in a fervent embrace and I wait for the tell-tale rush of emotions to flood my senses.

This is my first kiss since Nathan and I broke up and, even though I wasn't expecting to feel fireworks and passion, I thought I'd feel more than this. I know Finn doesn't set my heart racing as others have in the past but still... I felt nothing. No sparks, no weak knees, no...anything really.

Maybe it was because I wasn't prepared for it but his kiss feels strange and mechanical as he moves his lips against mine and I badly wanted it to end.

After several, rather uncomfortable seconds he moves his head back to grin at me like a jubilant teenager and I return his smile with a guilty one, almost cracking my neck when he leans in once more to place a second brief kiss on me before taking my hand back in his and we continue up the hill, only this time in silence. Both of us consumed in our very different thoughts.