My Best Friend's Brother by Chrissy Fanslau Read Free Book Online Page B

a frisbee. Luckily, the very end of a fence stopped me—I would have gone over the cliff if my ski didn’t get caught in it!
    My face was covered in dry Alaskan snow, which is incredibly cold and sandy. It felt like it had gotten into my coat, too. But the adrenaline masked the cold for a while.
    “Adonia!” he gasped as he dropped to his knees and reached for me. “Don’t move, okay, so you don’t fall!”
    Wow, I’d cheated death by about six inches! My heart pounded. The drop below seemed steep, but I couldn’t tell by moonlight alone. “What did I hit!” I screamed his way in a daze.
    “I’m pretty sure you hit a moose!”
    I hit a moose ? That’s what that was? He grabbed my hands and pulled me to flatter ground.
    “Where did it go?”
    He looked around and pointed north. “I think it crossed your path and trotted off the cliff.”
    “What!” I screamed in shock.
    “I’m serious! I think it was suicidal!”
    I laughed so hard I could barely get to my feet. And even then it made us giggle once we got going again. It was unbelievable—we both had to have missed what really happened. Why would a moose trot off a cliff?
    Then again, they are pretty dumb.
    It was manageable for a while, but the cold caught up to me. Snow had definitely seeped into my gloves, jacket, and boots when I fell, and I was really beginning to feel the chill. I slowed and uttered, “I’m cold.”
    He stopped me and we embraced. “It’s okay, we’re almost down.” His arms felt really good around me. “Come on,” he breathed, pulling me along, “let’s get you warm.”
    He bought me hot chocolate at the ski lodge. We talked by the fireplace for a little while, and headed to his black Jeep Wrangler. The engine roared to life and, once warmed up, Luke turned on the heat full blast.
    I unzipped my jacket. Beneath it was my formfitting blue turtleneck.
    “Feeling better?” Luke asked, handing me what remained of my hot chocolate and sipping his. The car was dark except for the red lit-up buttons inside and the headlights he’d turned on, which illuminated the landscape. Outside was a glistening winter wonderland. The parking lot was covered in fresh snow with a handful of cars scattered about. An occasional skier waddled by, tugging at the ski pass on his zipper.
    “I’m great, thanks. Maybe we could just talk for a while,” I breathed. I didn’t want to go home.
    I threw the jacket in the back seat. His eyes were focused on me. His hair was gelled back, giving it a suave look; his lips turned upwards to form a sweet smile. Everything about him was perfect, even his skiing was perfect. “I’m really glad you took me skiing today. I would never have learned otherwise.”
    He grinned. “You never would have hit a moose, either! You’re really lucky you got away without even a scratch! That thing could’ve easily trampled you to death!”
    “Or sent me over the cliff!” I giggled.
    He pulled his jacket off and rested it on his seat. He wore a gray fleece sweater with black pants. After turning down the heat and turning off the headlights, he moved his arm around my seat and smiled seductively. I saw him only by moonlight, and I really liked it.
    “It’s good you didn’t get leather seats, they suck in forty below,” I said to break the silence.
    “Do they?” he breathed.
    “Yeah, they get all slippery.” I paused briefly. “You’re lucky your dad spoils you! What did your mom say when you got it?”
    “She expected it, she just didn’t think it’d be so soon after I got here!” After a second, he reached over, touched my lip, and whispered, “Chocolate.” I felt a dab of chocolate on my lip from my drink.
    He moved his head forward. I shifted toward him. When his lips touched mine, I closed my eyes. He opened his mouth and I opened mine.
    We kissed. Eagerly. Barely even stopping for air.
    His pulse raced through the side of his neck. I reached with my other hand and pulled him closer, wrapping my