Page 167 of Choosing You

“Yeah, we can definitely do it later. Or now.” The cocky smile appears and I find it even sexier when he’s not wearing clothes. It makes me want to take him up on his offer to repeat what we just did. Right now. Not later. But I get control of myself and step out of the shower. I hear Garret behind me. “So you like the water, huh? Good thing you’re dating a swimmer.”

I’m so embarrassed. I never should’ve let him know that. Then again, he probably already knew that about me from our pool encounters.

I stop but don’t turn around. “Just because you’re a swimmer doesn’t mean you’re good at . . . other water-related things.”

He catches my waist and hauls me back against him, leaning down so his mouth is near my ear. “Trust me, Jade. I’m very skilled in the water. And it’s not just limited to swimming.” He loosens his grip like he’s going to let me go, but then tightens it again. “Oh, and what we did just now? That was nothing. I can get very creative when water’s involved.”

I have no freaking clue what he means by that but I sure as hell want to find out.

He lets me go and pats my butt. “Let’s go have breakfast and figure out what to do today.”

* * *

“We should go sledding,”I suggest as we’re eating breakfast. “With the storm yesterday there’s a fresh layer of snow.”

He picks up a carafe from the table and pours some orange juice in my glass. “Sledding is for kids, Jade.”

“It’s for anyone. When’s the last time you went sledding?”

“I don’t know. Probably when I was 8 or 9.”

“Garret, that’s forever ago! Where’s your sled?”

“We don’t have one.”

“Then let’s go get one and find a sledding hill.”

“Come on, Jade. Let’s do something else.”

“Please?” I tilt my head and smile.

“I swear, you’re as bad as Lilly. You know I can’t say no to you.” He sighs. “I guess we’re going sledding.”

Charles overhears us as he comes in from the kitchen. “You should take her to Bryant Park. They have a great sledding hill.”

“Do you know where that is, Garret?”

He laughs. “Yes. I’mfromhere, remember?”

“I’m gonna go get ready. You should wear layers. You’ll get hot climbing up the hill.”

I hear him sigh again as I’m leaving.

We stop at a store in town and pick up a sled, then go to the park. People are already there sledding. It’s a huge hill, surrounded on both sides with trees. We bought a big sled so we could go together, but I go down first to test it out. Then Garret joins me. The snow is slick and we speed down the hill. After several times down, I can tell Garret is having fun. We stay there for a couple hours. He even kicks me off the sled a few times so he can go by himself.

Afterward we go back to his house to change out of our wet clothes, then have lunch and go to a movie. When we get back, Charles has dinner waiting. Just as we’re finishing dessert, the doorbell rings.

“Did you let someone through the gate?” Garret asks Charles. He shakes his head. Garret gets up to answer it. For some reason, I follow him. He opens the door just a little.

“Hey, shithead.” It’s Blake. I’m standing behind the door, so I can’t see him but I recognize his annoying voice. He doesn’t sound drunk yet, which is shocking given that it’s Saturday night. “So you really are here. I thought you were in the Caymans, but Decker said you stayed here.”

“Yeah. I decided not to go. How did you get past the gate?”

“I know the password, dumbass. You gave it to me last year because you kept forgetting it when you were drunk. See? It’s in my phone.”

“Don’t keep that in your phone! Now I’ll have to get my dad to change it. I don’t even remember giving that to you. Anyway, I’m not going out, so I’ll see you later.”

“Then let’s party here.” He pushes the door open and notices me standing behind Garret. “Ohio. What are you doing here? Trying to pretend you’re rich or something?”

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