Eden
eden
. . .
R ush completes a couple of runs. Each one is better than the last. He’s pumped up, and his enthusiasm matches mine when I’m about to head into the water. After a bit, a small group forms, and the people around us chat about how Rush will win gold and how he’s at the top of the rankings when it comes to his element. I make a mental note to look him up online when I’m back at the house later. I want to know more about him, but it’s clear that he doesn’t like to talk about himself, which I get.
“You’re incredible,” I tell him when he’s finally back to the top of the halfpipe. “You look like you’re having a blast out there.”
“I am. You know, it’s probably a lot like surfing. Do you wanna try?”
“No, she doesn’t,” Quinn says. I glare at him, but he ignores me. “Think about it, Eden. Do you know how to do a flip?”
I shake my head slowly, not only hating that he’s right but also speaking for me. I should’ve been able to make this decision by myself. Granted, I probably would’ve made the wrong decision because I want to impress Rush.
“Yeah, that makes sense. I probably shouldn’t have asked,” Rush says. His face lights up, “There’s a wave pool at the lodge. Do you want to go there and show me what you can do on a surfboard?”
“Wait, what?” There’s an indoor wave pool, and no one thought to tell me? I could’ve brought my board. I could’ve spent my time in a warm place instead of on this mountain.
But then you wouldn’t have met Rush.
Boomer sets his hand on Rush’s shoulder and shakes his head. “They closed it down about three weeks ago.”
“What?” I say again. “So, there are no waves?”
“Sadly, no. It would’ve been gnarly to see you in real life, though.” Boomer holds up the hang loose sign, and I roll my eyes.
“I don’t speak like that,” I tell him. “Not even when I’m on the circuit.”
“But that’s half the fun,” he says, looking dejected. Boomer walks away, looking like a sad puppy dog. I study Rush and swear I see a hint of sadness on his face. Did he want to spend more time with me or just see me in action? I like the idea of both.
“Is there a place we can go and hang out?” I ask him. “Our place will be too crowded, and we won’t be left alone, especially once they find out you’re an Olympic hopeful. Plus, my dad can be a bit crazy”
“Crazy?”
I nod. “I’m his only child, and he thinks all men are just like he used to be before he met my mum. And I’ve never brought anyone home before.”
“How old are you?” he asks.
“Seventeen. You?”
“Eighteen,” he says as he looks around. “We can go back to the bunkhouse if you want. It’s like a college dorm, with a sitting room and stuff.”
“Okay, give me a minute.” I look over at Quinn, who is now chatting with a resort employee. I go to him and ask to speak with him for a minute. “Can you do me a favor?”
“Are you going to try and kill yourself?”
“No, but I like Rush and want to get to know him better.”
“Okay,” he says, dragging his word out longer than it needs to be. “What does that mean?”
I roll my eyes at him, and he smirks. “Well, what I’m asking is that if I leave with him and you go back to the house, can you not say anything to any of the adults, and can you take Paige and Mack with you or entertain them somehow?”
“What are you guys going to do?”
“Nothing but talk. I like him, and with everyone around, it’s hard to get to know someone.”
“How old is he?”
“My age, and he goes to some snowboarding academy where he trains all day. He’s staying here on the mountain in some dorm thingy.”
Quinn looks over my head and then back at me. “A ‘dorm thingy’?”
I shrug.
“Share your location with me, and I’ll make sure Paige and Mack don’t say anything.”
“Mack would never,” I remind Quinn. I love Paige, but I don’t know if she’d keep this a secret from Peyton and Elle. Peyton would tell Noah. Noah would slip, and my dad would find out. Damn family. I share my location with Quinn and then put my phone back into my coat pocket. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome, and don’t be late for dinner.”
“I won’t.” I hug him and then make my way back to Rush. “Okay, I can go now.”
“Is he your babysitter or something?” I look at Rush oddly, and his already red cheeks turn crimson. “Sorry, that was rude.”
“I get it, but my dad is like other dads—protective. If they all go back without me, I’m screwed, and the National Guard is looking for me. Quinn’s going to occupy them for a bit.”
Rush glances around and then pulls his phone out. “I’m going to text Boomer and tell him to go chill for a bit. Unfortunately, he’ll think we are doing something scandalous.”
“Will he post that online?”
“Oh, hell no. He respects everyone’s privacy. But if I don’t tell him to scram, he’ll come with us.”
“Got it.”
After Rush sends the text, he puts his phone back. “Ready?” he asks as he holds out his hand. “The fastest way down is through the pipe.”
“I don’t know.” Now that Rush finished his show for us, the patrol person has opened it up to other snowboarders. The pipe is busy.
“You know how to stop, right?”
I nod. “I’m okay, once I get down there. It’s the getting down there part that has me a bit freaked out.” I point to the slope that leads into the pipe.
“Follow me.”
I do as he suggests, and when we get to the scary part, he talks me through how to get down. “It’s sort of like crawling,” he says as he stands in front of me on his board. Every time I adjust, he adjusts. I think he’s there to catch me if I fall. Finally, when we reach the bottom, it’s smooth sailing. Rush doesn’t board ahead of me or tell me to hurry up, and at one point, he reaches for my hand when the slope becomes bumpy.
“Okay, that was fun. Much better than the hills the instructor has us on.”
“Wanna go again?” he asks as he motions toward the lifts.
I shake my head. I’m not sure how to tell him I’d rather go to his room and talk, and thankfully he reads my mind. After we release our bindings, Rush takes my board and carries it with his. I feel like if I tell him I can carry it, he’ll agree but not hand it back. We walk until we come to a brick building. He sets our boards against the wall with other boards and skis and then holds the door open for me.
“You can take your boots off here, just don’t step in a puddle.”
There are piles of boots in an alcove, spread about. “How do you know what pair belongs to who? They all look the same.”
“I take mine to my room.” He picks up our boots and takes my hand. We head up two flights of stairs, down the hall and around the corner, stopping in front of a door marked 215. Rush tries to maneuver the bulky boots under his arm and unzip his pocket simultaneously. He fumbles until I take the boots from him.
“I can help.” I take the boots from him. Rush hesitates for a couple of seconds, but finally lets me take them.
He chuckles, and I think it’s cute that he wants to do it all by himself. He opens the door and waits for me to enter. “It’s not much, but it’s cheap, and a lot of kids from the nearby high schools and colleges stay here. Most of us are on ski teams, though.”
The door slams, and I jump slightly. “This is nice.”
“It’s not,” he says, laughing. “It’s a concrete box with two beds. We have to bring our own sheets and blankets. I bring my sleeping bag because it’s easy to carry.”
“How far is your school from here?” I set the boots down and walk to the window. The view is of the trees. I turn and look at him and see that he’s taken his coat off, so I do the same. When he starts to unzip his pants, I turn away.
“I’m wearing pants underneath.”
“Oh, right. Me too.” I undo my ski pants. Once they’re off, I fold and set them on the nightstand. I have never been in a room with a boy, and I’m not really sure what we’re supposed to be doing. My heart is pounding. It’s thumping so loudly I swear Rush can hear it. He steps closer. Close enough to touch me, and when his fingers touch my hair, I let out a small gasp.
“Do you have a boyfriend, Eden?” he asks quietly.
I shake my head quickly and meet his gaze, which is a huge mistake. He licks his lips, and his eyes roam from my eyes to my lips and back. “Do you have a girlfriend?”
He shakes his head slowly. “No.” We’re quiet and assessing each other. I take a chance that maybe he’d like it if I touch him and place my hands on his chest. I can feel his pecs through his shirt and imagine he’s probably very toned from all the training he does.
“Have you ever been kissed?”
Back and forth, my head goes. I’m embarrassed and look down at the gap between us. Rush’s finger caresses my cheek until he gets to my chin, and then he gently pulls my head up. He looks at me intensely, longingly. I want to say something. I think about telling him that while my dad tours the world, I’m sheltered because my parents are afraid something will happen to me. But I can’t say anything because once I open my mouth to tell him I’m inexperienced, he presses his lips to mine and catches me off guard.
I stagger back a bit, glance at him, and touch my lips with my fingers. It takes a couple of seconds for my mind to register what happened, and once it does, nothing stops me. I step toward Rush, removing any space between us, and kiss him. I don’t have the foggiest idea of what I’m doing, but he does, and oh my god . . . when his tongue touches mine, every part of my body feels like it’s on fire. And even though we’re as close as we can get—without taking this to levels I’m not ready for—it’s not close enough. I want to feel his skin against mine and slip my hand under his shirt. He moans, and all I can think about is what it would feel like if he touched me.
Rush moves us to the bed, falling on top of the mattress. It’s graceful, and we never stop kissing. But then, his lips are no longer on my mouth but around my ear, and he’s tugging on my earlobe. It’s then that I realize I am no longer in charge of my body. It has a mind of its own. My hips move toward his, and he returns the gesture. Rush leans back on his knees and tugs the collar of his shirt over his head, exposing his abs one at a time.
Holy shit. What am I doing?
Rush puts his hands down on each side of me and looks into my eyes. “We won’t do anything you don’t want to do.”
“What if I want it all?”
His eyes are dark as he seeks the truth from me.
“Up until now, you’ve never kissed anyone.”
“Up until now, I’ve never felt like kissing anyone.”
Until I met you.
Rush smiles. “I’m happy I’m your first.”
Be my first for everything.
He rests his head on his hand and sets his other one on my stomach. “When Boomer told me who you were, none of it mattered because I thought you were the most beautiful girl I had ever seen and way out of my league. But you stayed to talk to me, and now you’re here.”
“I’ve never looked at anyone the way I saw you today. It was like my whole world shifted and became clearer.”
“Mine too.”
“But . . .”
“How’d you know there was a ‘but’ coming?” he asks.
“Because we have this thing called distance hanging between us. You live here, and I live in Malibu.”
He nods. “But I’m done with school soon and will have some time before training starts. Maybe I can come to visit, and you can teach me how to surf.”
I sit up and pull my shirt off.
“What are you doing?” Rush asks.
“If you’re coming to Malibu, you’re going to see me in my swimsuit.” I point out. Rush smiles as his fingertips ghost along my skin.
“What do you want to do, Eden?” he asks as he places a kiss between my breasts.
I don’t know how I manage to speak, but when I do, all I can say is, “Everything.”