Page 68 of Stuck on the Slopes

Juniper crossed the hallway to wrap his arms around me, pulling me close to him. I took a deep breath into his flannel, having missed the scent of him. One of these days, I’d get him to stop retreating when he got scared. But for now, I was content to have any bit of him I could.

My heart thrummed as he kissed me, but it was far too short for my liking. If I had it my way, I’d kiss him for the next few hours. But he thanked me, bid me good night, and then crossed the hall again to return to his room with Sasquatch.

There was so much I wanted to say to him, but I knew his heart was fragile. I’d let him say it first.

Chapter 19

Juniper

Thesteamwelcomedmeto the bathtub as I sank in, and I sighed to myself in relief as the hot water turned my body pink. The smell of the lavender candle wafted over to me as I covered myself shamelessly with the bubbles infused with CBD and lavender to match the candle. Nothing came quite this close to making my skin feel this soft, though it was for the pain relief in my leg that I bathed.

My phone, resting on the lip of the tub, buzzed moments later. I picked it up and saw a text from Rachel.

Rachel:Can I come over?

I’m in the bath, but sure. Sasquatch can let you in, I’ve taught him to open doors.

Rachel:Sweet! Be right over!

Rachel:You didn’t strike me as a bath kind of guy.

Sue me. It’s relaxing.

As I set my phone back down, I heard a knocking at the door. “Can you get the door, Squatch?”

With happy pants, Sasquatch trotted over to the door, stood on his hind legs, and then pushed down on the handle. I heard the door open and Rachel call him a good boy in that baby voice she used with him. Even I had to admit it had grown on me.

Rachel giggled at me as she turned the corner into the bathroom where I’d left the door cracked in case I needed Sasquatch. I suppose the sight of me in the bathtub, covered in bubbles, with a candle lit on the sink counter, made me appear quite the contrarian.

“For what it’s worth, I got in not even ten minutes ago, so I’m not moving.”

“Is there room for two, then?”

“Probably, yeah. Come on in. Though, let me warn you: water’s hot as hell. I’m not satisfied until I’m thoroughly cooked.”

“I could stand to warm my bones, anyway.” Rachel undressed and took her time folding her clothes before moving them to the bedroom next door. She came back in finally bare, gooseflesh already forming on her skin. I couldn’t take my eyes off her, all soft curves and smooth skin exposed for me. As she stepped in, I spread my legs, making room for her.

“Come here,” I said. “With your back to me.”

She did as I suggested. The water swayed with her body until it stilled on the surface. I brushed her hair over one shoulder, feeling the coils around my finger. Then, I placed my hands on her shoulders to massage where I felt the tension and knots near her neck. Rachel let out a delightful, small mewl.

“What a pleasant surprise.”

“You work your ass off. It’s the least I could do.”

“I see why you like this so much.”

I couldn’t stop my smile even if I tried. I wasn’t sure exactly when I’d stopped resisting—if it was when we were stuck in that luxury cabin or all the way back when we watched shitty movies together over Halloween, or maybe somewhere in between—but all I knew was that, here with her, I was happier than I’d been in a long time.

“What did you want to talk to me about?”

“What happened the other day.” She let out a little grunt as I dug my thumb against a knot wedged between her neck and shoulder, rubbing small circles against it. “Fuck, that feels good.”

“Probably doesn’t come as much of a surprise, but I hate the press.”

“They’ve got a lot of chutzpah to be that pushy, so, no. Not a surprise at all.”

“You know what’s sad? You’re the only person who I think my life and my secrets are actually safe with. My family doesn’t get it, which is why I haven’t bothered to tell them, and past friends have all sold me out. It’s…” I sighed. “It sucks.”

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