King Sized Beds and Happy Trails (Beds Series) by Becca Ann, Tessa Marie Page B

long as his heart beats I’ll never be alone.
    Wait! What am I talking about? Ryan gorgeous? Am I crazy ? He’s my best friend! I can’t look at him that way. No. No. Absolutely not. Screw the heart beat crap. If I cross that line, it will only be a matter of time before he leaves.
    They always leave.
    I can’t lose him. I won’t. And right now cuddling against his chest like he's a big fluffy dog is the worst possible thing to do. I mean what in the world was I thinking? I almost kissed him!
    My lips were inches from his . Inches! I could’ve ruined everything. Ten years of friendship thrown down the drain just because of those damn lips. But God, they are nice…
    NO!
    I need to get out of here. I need to get away from him. Being here, being like this is messing with my head. Maybe it’s the altitude. We are high up in the mountains. All this fresh air and snow is poison to my mind.
    I remove my head from Ryan’s chest and slide across the bed, making sure not to make any sudden moves. I let my foot fall over the edge and brace my leg on the side of the bed then pull the rest of my body closer.
    Almost there. Just a little fa rther. Ryan blows out a gusty sigh like whatever he’s dreaming about just lifted a huge weight off of his shoulders. It’s so tempting to curl back up into his chest. The past few days have been the best sleep I’ve had since before Dad left.
    No boy will ever love you.
    She’s not even here but her words still haunt me.
    As I look at Ryan , I can’t help but think of my father. He loved me. Despite what Mom says, I know he did. But not even that was enough to keep him around.
    Maybe I’m defective. Good for only so long and then just become an inconvenience who takes up space.
    I’d rather not find out. Ryan turns , and I let the other foot fall to the ground. I sit up and look back at him one more time. I’ll never forget these last few days, but those memories need to be put away. Pushed to the back of my mind right next to the memory of his scar, and stamped confidential.
    Sandy’s right. I’m trash , and Ryan deserves better than that. He might not think I am, but in time he’ll realize. You can’t hide from who you are. Like my mother’s words, it haunts me, slipping in and out of my thoughts.
    If we were home , I’d probably wake up in Ryan’s grandparent’s guestroom, sneak out before anyone noticed I was awake. Go home, climb back through my window, check on Mom and then shower.
    But w e’re not home. I have nowhere to run. I’m stuck.
    Stuck with Mr. Sexy Eyes and his beating heart. Couldn’t wait to get to paradise now could I? Who knew it was there all along, hiding behind jeans and a button-down.
    I’ll showe r, throw clothes on, and run over to Kaylee and Nate’s room. Kaylee would kick Nate out buck naked if I gave her the I-need-girl-talk look. But then she’ll want girl talk. I don’t want to talk. Talking will make me think, and thinking’s bad. Evil!
    I step away from the bed, my body goes forward, but my foot stays in place. My other leg falls out from under me , and I hit the floor with a thud. Holy ouchiness! Pain pricks at my knee as it skids on the beige carpet.
    The pain is the least of my worries. I lie still, hoping and praying my thud didn’t jolt Ryan awake. After what feels like the longest few minutes of my life , I hear another sigh, and I’m in the clear.
    Sheesh I pick up skiing on my first try, don’t fall once, but I can’t manage to get out of bed without a tumble. If Ryan was awake he’d be loving every second of this. Lucky for the both of us he’s not.
    I tiptoe to the bathroom and ease the door shut. When the door clicks into place, I breathe again.
    If there was a world record for fastest shower taker , I’d totally take the honor.
    Cinnamony fresh ? Check.
    Hair towel dried and secured with a band ? Check.
    Lip gloss? Check.
    Clothes…Uh?— Oh God no.
    My clothes are in my suitcase. On Ryan’s side of the bed. Why