Chapter 14: Chapter 14
He leaned in, placing a hand on the small of her back, and whispered over her head, "If Kyle's here, you want to have a little fun?"
Jocelyn laughed. "It depends."
"Upon?"
"Upon what it is."
"Trust me."
"Famous last words."
He laughed and held the door for her as they walked in. Sure enough, Kyle was standing behind the front desk.
Kyle looked at Caden, noticing his hand on Jocelyn's back, and frowned. "Caden. When did you get home?"
"Yesterday. It's good to see you, Kyle." A devilish smile appeared on Caden's lips.
Kyle looked over at Jocelyn and nodded. "How've you been?"
"Good." Now that Caden was back.
Kyle looked over at Caden and narrowed his eyes. "So, I thought you were dating Mallory, Jocelyn's sister?"
Caden shrugged. "That was a long time ago." Then he looked down at Jocelyn. "I've moved on to better things."
Jocelyn's heart pounded against her rib cage. Although she knew Caden was doing this for Kyle's benefit, her heart didn't seem to know it.
Kyle's face contorted as it turned red. Caden had definitely gotten to him. "Yes- well- may I help you?"
Caden reached for his wallet. "We'd like to rent two pairs of skis and some time on the slopes, please."
"I can pay for--"
"Now, pooky." The words dripped from his mouth like syrup. "You know I won't let you do any such thing."
Jocelyn bit her lower lip to keep from laughing.
Caden peeled off some bills and slid them across the counter to Kyle.
"I'll be right back with your skis and your change," Kyle said flatly.
Jocelyn giggled after he walked away. "Pooky?" she whispered.
Caden shrugged. "I thought it was a nice touch."
"Okay, but not pooky."
He laughed. "So, what would you like me to call you?"
Yours. "Just Jocelyn- for now."
"Okay, 'Just Jocelyn.'"
She laughed, about to say something more when Kyle came back with two pairs of skis.
"Here you go." Kyle laid Caden's change on the counter and slid it over to him.
Caden scooped it up and slid it into his wallet. "Thanks, Kyle. Be sure to give my best to your old man."
Kyle smirked. "I'll be sure to do that. Enjoy your day." With that, Kyle turned away, laughing, and Jocelyn was sure she knew why.
Caden reached for both pairs of skis.
"Here. I'll get mine," Jocelyn said, placing her hand on his arm to stop him.
"Nope! I've got it." Caden picked them both up with ease.
Jocelyn looked at him in disbelief. "Since when did you get to be so strong?"
"Since when did you get to be so beautiful?" Caden walked toward the door, expecting her to follow.
Jocelyn laughed. "Yeah, right! I'm far from beautiful."
"I wouldn't say that."
A man opened the door for Caden before Jocelyn could. It was a good thing, because she seemed to have lost her power of speech. She usually did when Caden was around. It seemed that times hadn't changed.
"Which slope would you like to do?" Caden asked, looking out over the courses. "Let's see-. There's Daredevil, Intermediate, Beginner, and the Bunny Slope."
"The Bunny Slope."
Caden burst out laughing. "Seriously?"
"Definitely."
"Haven't you ever skied before?" Caden looked at her in disbelief, a smile on his lips. "I mean, we live in the ski capital of the world- besides being the official Christmas town of the United States."
"Nope. Never." She slipped on her skis and tried to stand, but fell down into a squat.
Caden laughed, holding his hand out to help her up. "Why didn't you tell me you haven't skied before?"
She shrugged. "I thought I'd give it a try." But the main reason she had agreed to go was because she didn't want to disappoint Caden. Or that was what she told herself.
"Come on. I'll show you." He helped her up without even flinching a muscle. As soon as she was on her feet, she fell forward, but he caught her in his arms. He smelled divine- like sandalwood, snow, and rain combined. When she looked up, he looked down at her, his eyes so green that she could almost fall into them and stay there for the rest of her life, content. He bent down slowly as he looked into her eyes as her heart beat out a rhythm of its own. Her lips were almost to his, when she came to her senses and pulled away, breaking the spell of the moment.
Jocelyn couldn't believe that she had almost kissed him. She had been so intoxicated by him that she had almost betrayed her sister. And no matter how Mallory had ever treated her in the past, Jocelyn couldn't do that to her.
"You really want to do this?" Caden asked.
"Truthfully?"
He nodded, smiling.
"I'd rather go ice skating like we used to when we were kids."
"That's all I needed to hear. Come on." He bent down and slid his hand down her calf to her heel and then helped her off with first one ski, and then the other, sending chills over her body. What was he doing to her? Couldn't he see the effect he had on her? She gasped, hoping that he hadn't noticed.
"What?" Caden's head snapped up. "Are you okay?"
"Yes, I'm fine. Let's go back home." Then something occurred to her and guilt filled her chest. "Caden, what about the money you spent?"
He shrugged. "Not a problem." Then he stacked both pairs of skis and laid them on his shoulder with one arm and held her hand with the other.
"I'm okay."
He looked down at her and smiled. "I don't want you to fall again. I don't want to have to do CPR on you."
"Ha, ha!" she said, sarcastically. Although she wouldn't mind him giving her CPR, she quickly pushed the thought from her mind, forcing herself to think of Mallory.
Again, someone held the door open for them. Jocelyn motioned for Caden to go first, but he stepped back, letting her go first. Sill the perfect gentleman, even though he was carrying two pairs of skis.
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone