Roommates Box Set #4-6

19. Sierra

19

SIERRA

I never dreamed I’d spend the morning with Carter—or that I’d enjoy it. I hadn’t known what to expect when he appeared ahead of me in the woods earlier. As always, he looked amazing, like an ad for men’s mountain wear.

His skill with the bow had been impressive, too, and I was very much relieved to find out he hadn’t been out here shooting animals for sport. In fact, I was a little ashamed I’d ever thought that.

But all that paled in comparison to him helping me finish my fort. If you’d asked me yesterday what would’ve happened if he found out about my little building project, I would’ve said he’d laugh his ass off and tease me mercilessly about it. Yet, he hadn’t done either. He’d helped me build it. And now we were both crouched behind the much-improved walls, waiting for our victims to come by.

It didn’t take them long. I’d called Drew and told him I hurt my ankle. Carter grinned as I made it sound realistic. Though I tried not to make a habit of it, my acting career provided the skills to really sell a lie. And now I heard the two men running through the snow calling my name. I almost felt guilty for worrying them—almost.

“Not yet,” Carter whispered. He had two snowballs in his glove and more cradled between his arm and his jacket.

“Over this way,” Drew called. “I think she sometimes hangs out back here.”

“Hey, what’s that thing?” Tristan asked.

“Now,” Carter ordered.

We popped up and I locked eyes with Tristan. His widened as Carter’s snowball hit him in the chest. I aimed at Drew, who was closer, and he put up his arms in self-defense. “It’s an ambush!” he cried.

It sure as hell was. Carter threw with deadly accuracy, and Tristan was already looking around for shelter. Drew, abandoning all thoughts of self-preservation, crouched down to gather an armful of snow. But we were too well-armed for him to muster much of a defense. My snowball clipped his shoulder, and he looked up at me with an expression that clearly said: this means war.

Tristan had taken cover behind a large tree trunk, and frantically scooped snow to make his own missiles to fire back. Then Zeus joined the fray. He playfully bounded over to Drew and accidentally knocked him over. I couldn’t help laughing as poor Drew went face first into the snow, and then again when the dog tried to chase my next snowball.

“Don’t let up,” Carter shouted. We’d used about half our ammunition. We were throwing at least five snowballs for every one they managed to form.

“Where’s Drew?” I said, scanning the surroundings, but Carter didn’t seem to hear me. He was too intent on keeping Tristan from advancing.

Since Tristan was still pinned under incoming fire, I threw a snowball high in the air for Zeus. It exploded when he caught it in his mouth.

Then I heard a battle cry behind me. I turned in time to see Drew leaping over the back wall of the fort. He had a huge clump of snow clutched in his arm, and he raised it over his head.

I shrieked and backed into Carter. Snow rained down over my head as I lost my footing. Carter twisted, catching me in his arms as he fell onto his back. We broke through the front wall of the fort, and Tristan gave a cry of victory as he stormed in after us.

I tried to get up, but Drew had liberated our remaining snowballs, peppering us both with them. Carter pulled me toward him, holding my head against his shoulder, shielding my face from the worst of the onslaught.

Tristan was determined to get revenge on Carter, but since I was on top of him, I got hit with snowballs from both directions.

We all laughed madly as the carnage continued. Carter had both arms around me and had rolled to the side, trying to shield me as best he could. Drew slammed handfuls of snow at everyone, including Tristan.

“You’re getting your coat wet,” I yelled at him, since I had his jacket on. That didn’t stop him, though.

Finally, they ran out of ammo. Drew slid down and settled on the log I usually used for a chair. I was pinned down both by Carter’s large body and the remains of the wall that’d given way. I couldn’t see where Tristan was, but I had a feeling that if Carter or I came up for air, he’d be ready with more snow.

It took me a while to stop laughing and catch my breath. When I finally did, it dawned on me just how close Carter and I were. He was practically wrapped around me. His long, lean form provided not just protection, but also warmth.

“Was that really necessary?” Tristan asked from somewhere above us, but he didn’t sound angry.

“Yes,” Carter and I said together. His face was inches from mine, and I couldn’t help looking at his soft lips—possibly because of Tristan’s recent lessons on the pleasure of a good kiss. But we weren’t alone, and I had a feeling it would be a while longer before I’d truly feel at ease with this tall, dark, and handsome man—if ever.

But for the first time, I hoped that someday I would.

Zeus barked from close by. “No room in here for you, boy,” Drew told him. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Tristan’s hand extend down to pull Drew up. “Should we go make lunch?”

“Or we could beat them back to the cabin and lock them out,” Tristan countered.

But I wasn’t really worried they’d do that.

And I wasn’t entirely ready to leave the comfort and warmth of Carter’s embrace.

I definitely never thought that would be the case.

That afternoon, I wrote two new scenes in my screenplay. Part of my productivity kick came from the fact that Miranda would look at it during the press tour—and part of it was that I was in a hell of a good mood after the morning snowball fight. I still couldn’t believe it had been Carter’s idea, but I’d thought we’d all needed it. It was a good way to blow off steam. Good cardio, too.

But ugh, between zinging the snowballs and shooting the bow, my right arm was a little stiff. It was almost enough to make me try some stretches when the men took their exercise break, but by that time, I was on a roll with my writing. I’d even managed to ignore how hot the three of them looked with their shirts off.

Later in the afternoon before dinner, I retreated to my room to make some phone calls. When I was done, I heard a knock at the door. “It’s open.”

Drew stood there, obviously fresh from the shower. A pleasant soapy scent filled the room.

“You shaved.”

He ran his hand over his jawline. “Yeah. It was getting a little scruffy. Of course, it also provides some protection when your friends pelt you with snowballs.”

I grinned. It had been too much fun to apologize.

“Can I come in?”

He was always so polite about things like that. “You gave up this room for me—I think that gives you the right to come in whenever you’d like.” A sudden image of him walking in here in the middle of the night filled my mind.

Instead of worrying me, like the thought would’ve done before, it intrigued me a little. What would it feel like to sleep in his arms again? To feel his body stretched out next to mine?

“Sierra?”

“What?”

“I said, maybe you and I can make dinner together tonight.”

“Yeah,” I nodded. “That’s probably a good idea.” Usually, we took turns, but Tristan had made several meals in a row, so he deserved a break. “Got any clue what we should make?”

I scooted back on the bed toward the pillow to make room for him. He sat next to me, one knee up on the bed as he faced me. “I hoped you’d have an idea.”

I bit my lip as I thought it over, but nothing immediately came to mind. I wasn’t a great cook, as the guys well knew. Still, we had options. Most of the fresh food was gone, but there was plenty in the freezer and the pantry.

When I looked up, Drew studied me in a way that made me think he wasn’t planning a menu. “What’s up?”

“Would you like to go on a date?” His words came out in a rush, and he looked away at the last second, which was pretty damn adorable.

A date. I hadn’t really thought about what would happen after our time together was over. They were based in San Francisco, but that was only a short flight from LA. “That would be really nice,” I said finally. “Maybe the next time I’m in your area, we could?—”

“No, here. A date here. Tomorrow evening.”

“Here?”

“With all of us,” he said in a rush, as if wanting to forestall any misunderstanding.

“With all of you,” I repeated slowly, thinking it over.

“Is that too weird?”

“No…” My answer came before I’d fully thought it through. “I don’t think so. Is it weird for you?”

Drew’s gaze dropped to the bedding between us. “It’s kind of a new concept for me.”

“But not for Tristan and Carter?”

He shook his head, and I wasn’t surprised.

“But for some reason, it sort of feels right,” he said slowly, as if testing his conclusions. “But only if it does for you, too.”

“Yes,” I said, finally answering his question. “I’d like to go on a date with you three.”

“Good.” His smile warmed my heart, and fired up a few other body parts as well.

“So where does one go on a date around here? Seems like my cabin and the snow fort are both out of the question.”

He grinned. “Yeah, I think your little hideout will be out of commission for a while. Which serves you right.”

I couldn’t argue with that.

“Anyway, we’ll just try to make it as much of an occasion here as we can. Carter’s going to cook dinner, and?—”

“Excuse me,” I interrupted. “Carter’s cooking?” As far as I knew, he hadn’t done much more than assemble a sandwich since I got here.

“It’s his date-night meal—the only decent meal he can make. Back home at the office, it was well known that he trotted it out every time he wanted to get laid.” Drew ended that sentence by turning beet red. “I didn’t mean?—”

“It’s okay,” I assured him, though he looked so cute when he was embarrassed. Cute only applied to his face, though. I was well aware that there was a gorgeous, ripped, extremely well-proportioned man sitting on my bed. “So, we’ll have a nice dinner, and what, watch a movie together?”

“We’re still figuring out the agenda,” he said. “We want to make it special, you know, so we’ll be on our best behavior and dress up. Our goal is to trick you into thinking we’re gentlemen.”

He winked when he said that last part, but my mind was stuck on something else he’d said. “Dress up?”

Drew nodded, not seeing the issue. “I mean, we don’t have formalwear, but we’re all going to wear the nicest things we have. We each at least have a dress shirt for important video calls or the like.”

My heart sank. “For me, dressing up is a choice between oversized sweatpants or ripped leggings.”

He took my hand. “You look gorgeous no matter what you wear, Sierra.”

I gave him a weak smile that I didn’t really feel. The truth was, I was excited about the prospect of a date with these guys, but I wanted to do my part to make it special, too. No woman wanted to go on a date while looking like a slob—especially not on a date with such attractive men.

“Honestly, that’s the last thing you should be worried about.” Drew squeezed my hand, trying to convince me.

For his sake, I nodded. “What should I be worried about then?”

Drew grinned. “Carter’s cooking, of course.”

He definitely had a point about that.