Flirting with Danger Bk 1

He smiled tenderly and said, “I have it all planned out. Trust me, you’ll be blown away.”

“Promise you’ll wake me up early so we can spend as much time as possible together?” I said.

“I promise.” he said and I smiled. He kissed me again, softly, and then brushed my cheek.

“And please don’t wear that genie outfit again.” I said, smiling.

“As you wish.” he said and then he was gone, letting a short burst of cold air escape from the window. I looked after him for a minute, smiling, and then proceeded downstairs.

***

“Looks like your plan just might work after all.” said Dale, sitting across from me on one of the bar stools in the kitchen.

“Of course. Never underestimate my power of persuasion, even on the weather.” I said, smiling as I poured hot cocoa in Styrofoam cups for everyone. Light spilled in from the sliding glass doors that were open because I accidentally turned the thermostat up too high, it now steaming inside. The rest of the guys; Louis, Chase, Jack, and Jason, were all in the living room watching TV.

“How is her plan going to work?” Sue asked, leaning on the counter.

“Well school was just closed for a whole week,” he said and I whooped, “There is a competition going on this week, and the temperatures are low enough that the snow will not melt all day or all week.” He smiled.

“What kind of competition?” I asked.

“A snow sculpting contest.” he said. “And me and the boys are in it.”

“Oh really.” I said, standing up and looking at him, another box of hot cocoa packets in my hand. “What are you doing? A car? Or a motorcycle with some chick on it in a bathing suit? Maybe a bunch of guys watching TV?” He gave me a look as I smirked at him.

I turned around to get more cups when he said, “No.” I smiled, shaking my head slightly. “We’re doing you.”

I stopped smiling and turned around. “Say that again?”

“Me and the boys are going to sculpt you lying on your side with a bathing suit on.” he said, looking at me like I was actually going to do this. By this time, the boys had heard us talking and came in the kitchen, all gathering around the bar.

“Come on, Kota.” said Chase.

“We need you, babe.” Jack said, looking at me pathetically.

“You want us to win don’t you?” said Louis pleadingly. They all looked at me, begging in their eyes. I shook my head. I was not going to lie out in the snow, wearing nothing but a bathing suit, and freeze to death while they made me out of snow.

“Well, we have plenty of time to find someone else before tomorrow.” Louis said, walking around the bar and to my side. He looked at me like he knew I was going to do it and that I couldn’t help it. Then he smiled at me when I gave him a look, taking a cup of cocoa with him as he walked off.

“But we don’t want anyone else.” Jack said, looking at Louis for a second, and then over to me.

“Yeah, but we can’t make her do it.” Louis said, plopping back down on the couch and looking back at them all. They all looked at me and I nodded, my arms still crossed.

“Oh come on Kota.” Dale said. “We won’t win with anyone but you.”

“That’s not true. I’m sure you’ll find someone just as good as me, or better.” I said, smiling as I looked at them all in turn, looking over at Louis last. I made sure he looked into my eyes and saw that I knew what he was trying to do and it wasn’t going to work.

We went out on the town shortly after, everyone in the possession of hot cocoa. First we just walked around talking, laughing, and looking around at all of the competitors in the snow sculpting contest.

“Look at that guy.” Jack said, pointing to a guy starting to sculpt what looked like a carriage. “That’s gonna be good.” he said, looking over at me, but I looked away and kept walking.

“Oh and that guy!” Chase added, indicating another guy sculpting a pedestal.

The man saw them looking and said, “It’s going to be the Timber Wolf.” He smiled smugly and then turned back to his work.

“He’s making our mascot!” Chase said, “He’s definitely going to win with that!” They all looked at me, Chase’s face desperate and Jack’s begging puppy face.

“No! I’m not going to lie out in the snow in a bathing suit! That’s insane!” I said, looking at them all.

“But —” Dale started to say, but I cut him off.

“I don’t want to talk about this anymore. This is starting to kill my good mood.” I said and he stopped. All the guys looked down depressed, except Louis who put his arm around my shoulders, bringing me really close to him, which was dangerous for me.

“I know what’ll bring it back.” he smiled at me and I smiled back, making sure my face was not angled at him directly. He took us to the only local and cheap ski and snowboarding range. And I have to admit, it did make me feel so much better. We rented all of our stuff and went on several slopes, working our way up to Hell’s Mountain.

We were already at the top, except for Louis and Jack, who had collided and broke both of their skies and Sue who was scared to death of this slope. They were down at the bottom somewhere, but we were so high up that we couldn’t see them.

“Okay, on three!” I said, looking at Dale and Jason. They nodded.

“One.” I said and we all bent our knees, leaning forward.

“Two,” I said and we all tensed, readying our sticks to launch us.

“THREE!” I yelled and launched myself I the air and down the slope. Dale, Jason, and I were right beside each other, speeding down the hill. I looked over at them, their faces showing their determination not to be beat by a girl. I smiled at them when they looked at me, and I looked away back down the trail, leaning farther and bending my knees more. I shot forward and was suddenly way out in front of them.

As I got closer to the finish line, I could hear Louis, Jack, and Sue yelling and cheering me on. I smiled as I shot by, letting a yell of happiness escape as I started slowing down. Dale and Jason slid in on either side of me a few minutes later, their faces not exactly happy, but that just made me want to laugh.

“Come on guys,” I said as we started taking off our skies, “Don’t beat yourself up just because you got trampled by a girl.” They looked at me and I smiled broadly, and started laughing. They smiled, nodding, and then Jason swept me up suddenly, making me yelp in surprise, and then put me on his shoulders.

Dale then held up my hand and yelled, “The winner!” We all yelled and whooped, coming over to Jack, Louis, and Sue.