Fierce: New Adult Sport Romance (The Boys of Winter Book 4) by Violet Vaughn Read Free Book Online Page A

the right foot. “I’m buying, and you have no choice. Think of it as payment for the snowboard lesson.”
    Kelly’s squints for a moment. “Okay.”
    Whew. “Thank you for making that easy.”
    He shrugs, and I can’t decide if he’s fine or if we’re going to have a conversation about finances at some point. I order cake and a latte while he gets a bagel and coffee. A few customers are scattered about the café, but it’s mostly empty. I don’t see any other instructors and guess they went to the local dive bar.
    While we wait Kelly asks, “So what made you move to Breck?”
    I lean against a wood support pole as the fatigue of using new muscles begins to set in. “My brother Derrick and I love to ski, and I wanted to have a place to call home where he would always come to visit.”
    He fiddles with the pull tab on my fleece. “You should take this off so you don’t get chilled when we go back out. You’re a twin, right?”
    “Yeah, and we’re pretty close.” Although not as close as this. I drink in his unique scent. I put my hand over his and unzip my jacket.
    He nods, “I thought so. I’m kind of close to my sister too. It must be nice, having family around.” He helps me out of my fleece and holds it for me.
    “Oh, Derrick isn’t here this year. He and Gretchen Nickelson moved back to New Hampshire. He’s in medical school now.”
    “Where are your parents?”
    Here we go. “My parents died in a plane crash when I was thirteen. It’s just me and Derrick.”
    He takes my hand. “That must have been hard.” Whoa, another guy that doesn’t apologize for a death he had nothing to do with.
    I smile and give him a light squeeze. “It was, but now it’s just part of who I am.”
    “Nika?” A man’s voice calls us to pick up our tray, and Kelly retrieves it.
    I lead us to a table in the back corner. My bones clunk on the hardwood chair, but it’s oversized and the seat is hollowed out slightly, making it more comfortable than it should be.
    A fork clatters against my plate as Kelly sets my dessert in front of me. “Nika is an interesting nickname. How did you get it?”
    “When we were little, Derrick couldn’t say Dannika, and that was his version. It stuck.” I slice into my carrot cake with my fork and put a piece in my mouth. The cream cheese frosting is sugary, and energy rushes through my bloodstream.
    “It’s cute. I like it.” Kelly’s bagel crunches when he takes a bite.
    “Are you named after Kelly Slater?” I sip my latte and find it isn’t too hot.
    He nods. “Yeah. My dad was a big fan, and as a surfer he wanted me to be one too. I get funny looks around here, but at home everyone thought my name was cool.”
    “It’s a cool name. So where’s home?” I spear another piece of cake.
    Kelly swallows a mouthful of coffee. “Wherever I am. I worked my way through college, and probably spent more nights in my truck than in a bed since I graduated from high school.”
    “You sleep in your truck? Isn’t that uncomfortable?”
    He grins. “Nope. I’ve got a camping mattress and the stars as a nightlight. The sound of waves crashing on the shore puts me to sleep, and when I wake, I’m right where I want to be.”
    “Wow, so everything you own fits in your truck?” I try to imagine having only a few outfits.
    “Yeah. I don’t need much, you know.”
    I don’t know. I have more shoes in my closet than could ever fit in his truck. “Well the offer to borrow anything that fits stands.”
    He chuckles. “I don’t think your jeans would work for me, but thanks.” He leans in close. “I’m pretty easy to please.”
    “I can see that. I like to think I’m the same way, but I have an embarrassing amount of stuff compared to you.” I lick frosting off my fork.
    He leans back and picks up his coffee. “Have you ever been camping or slept on a beach?”
    I shake my head. “My idea of being on a beach is with a lounge chair and a cabana boy. And the only camping