Chapter Six

  About thirty minutes later Joey and Lance flew their blankets off of them. JC and Sydney groaned tiredly and on instinct they pulled each other tight to keep warm. Their eyes flew open when they grabbed their ankles and started to drag them off the bed. “What the hell,” JC said as he tried to kick Joey away.
  “We told you to get up,” Lance said as he pulled on Sydney’s ankle.
  “Leave us the hell alone,” JC said as he hung on to Sydney so she wouldn’t fall off.
  But Lance and Joey both tugged on them hard at the same time, causing the two to collapse on the floor. “Ow,” Sydney moaned tiredly as she rubbed her butt. “Ya’ll are worse than my brothers.”
  “Ya’ll have three seconds to get the hell out of here, before I beat the living shit out of you,” JC warned.
  “Oh, woah,” Lance said as he looked at JC’s deadly eyes. “If looks could kill, okay were gone.”
  “Yeah, bye,” Joey said quickly and then they both ran out the door.
  “I’m gonna kill him,” he said and then watched Sydney crawl back in bed. “What are you doing?”
  “Going back to bed,” she mumbled.
  “I don’t think so,” he said as he leaned over and wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her off before she could lay down.
  “Just five more minutes,” she begged as she tried to pry his arms away from her.
  “Believe me, I’m just as tired,” he said as he held on to her. “But I’m not going to be awaken by those two Neanderthals again.”
  She turned to him and stuck out her bottom lip. “Come on, JC…you know you want to sleep, too. Doesn’t that bed look all nice and cozy?”
  “DON’T try to corrupt me,” he warned, even though he was dying to collapse on that bed.
  “Come on,” she begged. “Don’t you just want to snuggle under those covers with me…you know you do.”
  His jaw dropped. “You are evil,” he said as she was tugging at him to lay down. “Plain evil.”
  They were almost all the way down, before he quickly shot up. “Nope, nope, not gonna happen. I’m getting in the shower.”
  “Damn,” she cursed softly as she propped herself on the elbows. “I didn’t think you could resist me.”
  JC paused at the bathroom door at her words and then turned to her. “Excuse me?”
  She froze when heard what she said out loud. She shook her head. “I meant, sleep. You couldn’t resist sleep, not me…I…that came out wrong.”
  He saw her turn red and his jaw tightened when she saw her bite her lip. Something she seemed to do when she was nervous. “Uh-huh,” he finally said. “Yeah..sure…now if you’ll excuse me I’m going to take a shower…a VERY cold shower.”
  After he shut the door behind him, Sydney rolled on her stomach and buried her face in her pillow as she kicked and screamed. “WHY does he have to be so freaking cute!” she muffled in the pillow.

  “Well, here comes one of them,” Lance said when JC came trotting down the steps. “And how are you this fine morning.”
  “Been better,” he mumbled as he walked to the kitchen.
  “Where’s Syd?” Georgia asked while she munched on her cereal.
  He shrugged. “She wasn’t in the room when I got in the shower, so I’m guessing she went used another shower.” He opened the door of the refrigerator and pulled out the carton of orange juice. “I sure home ya’ll had a good time last night, because that was the weirdest night of my life.” And one or the best, he added to himself.
  “I know I did,” Joey said as he walked behind Georgia and kissed her on her cheek, before he walked to the kitchen.
  “Ditto that,” Lance said with a chuckle as he put an arm around Michele.
  “Yeah, whatever,” JC mumbled and the chugged down his drink.
  “Someone’s in a bad mood,” Joey teased as he patted JC’s cheek.
  “Knock it off,” he said as he moved his face away. “You would be too, if you were me.”
  “Ahh, poor JC,” Joey said while patting him on the back. “Forced to share a bed with a beautiful woman and couldn’t do anything about it.”
  “You’re evil Joey,” he mumbled and then walked to the den.
  “Yeah, I know,” he said with a sigh. “I just can’t help it.” He turned to Georgia who was sitting across from him on the counter. He leaned toward her and grinned. “Do YOU think I’m evil?”
  “Yeah,” she said bluntly and then grinned. “But that’s what I like about ya.”
  He grinned as he watched her stand up and took her bowl to the sink. She was walking past him when he grabbed her arm and yanked her against his chest. “A kiss for the spawn of Satan?” he asked with a grin.
  She smiled up at him. “Oh, that spawn is a sexy one,” she teased and then leaned up on her toes and brushed her lips with his.
  “Yea!” Lance exclaimed when Sydney ran down the stairs. “The last one is ready. NOW we can go!”
  “Sorry, it took me so long,” she mumbled as she sat down and began putting on her boots.
  “Has Brad called you?” Michele asked.
  Sydney paused in the middle of tying her shoes, but then sighed as she tightened the laces. “No.”
  “Wasn’t he suppose to call this morning?” she asked.
  “Um…yeah,” she said as she stood up and then walked to the kitchen. She rolled her eyes when Joey and Georgia were too busy kissing to realize they were blocking her from the refrigerator. “Move aside, lovebirds,” she said annoyed as she pushed them aside.
  “Man,” Joey said. “Touchy, touchy.”
  Sydney just pulled the door open and got an apple before slamming the door. She turned around and jumped when JC was right behind her. “JC, you scared the crap out of me.”
  “Are you okay?” he asked concerned.
  “Yeah, I’m fine,” she sighed.
  “He was suppose to call?” he asked.
  “Who? Oh, yeah, he was,” she said and then shuffled past him. “I’m sure he has a reason.”
  He followed her. “Syd…”
  She turned toward him before he could finish. “JC, I don’t want to talk about it. I want to have fun today, okay? I just want to forget about him for now and have fun.”
  He sighed and then gave her a soft smile. “Okay, I promise you’ll have the best time today.”
  “Good,” she said. “Cause I know exactly what I want to do. But I need your help.”
  He grinned. “What’s that?”
  She looked at Lonnie and then leaned in and whispered. “I’m determined to teach that man to ski.”
  He threw his head back with a laugh. “Oh, I am definitely here to help you in any way I can.”

  “You guys go on ahead,” JC said after they got off the bus. “Me and Sydney have some…uh…”
  “We have to accomplish an important mission,” Sydney said with a grin.
  Joey’s eyes widened. “You’re gonna try to get Lonnie on skis, aren’t you?”
  They chuckled. “Yeah..shh..shh, here he comes,” JC said and then cleared his throat.
  “Well, you guys be careful,” Lonnie said. “I’ll be in the same place sitting on my ass all day.”
  “Okay,” they all said in unison and then watched him walk off.
  “We’ll meet you at two for lunch,” he said after he looked at his watch. “It’s noon right now, so we’ll meet at the place we ate yesterday.”
  “Sounds good,” Michele said and then tugged at Lance’s arm. “Come on, sugah.”
  “That’s me, gotta go,” he said with grin.
  “Are we going solo today,” Joey asked.
  “Yeah, see ya’ll at 2!” Lance said as they walked off.
  Joey stuck out his arm. “Looks like it’s just you and me, kid,” he said in his Humphrey Bogart imitation.
  She laughed as she stuck her arm in and they both walked to the snow. Sydney turned to JC. “Did you get the skis?”
  He grinned. “Yeah, it took them forever to find the right size. His feet are huge. There laying over there.”
  “Okay,” she said with a chuckle. “Let’s just hope we can convince him.”
  “Oh, we will. If we go over just like we talked about.”
  She giggled. “Okay, you go on over to him, and I’ll be right here…looking sad.”
  He gave her a wink and then trotted off to Lonnie and stopped him before he could walk into the coffee shop. “Lon…wait up big guy.”
  Lonnie turned toward him. “What’s up?”
  He sighed and then looked at Sydney. “It’s Sydney.”
  Lonnie looked as well. “She doesn’t look so good.”
  “She’s kind of upset,” he said and sighed. “With the whole boyfriend issue.”
  “Yeah,” he mumbled. “He sounds like a jackass.”
  “Tell me about it,” he mumbled. “Anyway, I know one thing that would make her forget.”
  “Name it,” he said.
  “Well,” he said as he slapped his back. “I noticed that she’s grown kind of fond of you, big guy. You make her laugh.”
  He grinned. “Correction. She likes to pick on me, but same thing I guess.”
  “Why don’t you spend the day with us, Lonnie?” JC asked with a grin.
  He shrugged. “Of course…I’d love to spend…waaait a minute,” he said when he saw his grin widened. “I am NOT going up there. NO way!”
  “Aww, come on big guy,” he pleaded. “Look at her, she’s miserable. Her face will light up when I tell her your coming.”
  “You are so mean, JC,” he said as he crossed his arms. “I wouldn’t be surprised if she was in on this.”
  “Ahem…of course not,” he said innocently. “So, what do say?”
  He sighed. “I don’t know, C…I mean I don’t have skis or…”
  “Got it covered,” he said as he pointed them across the way. “Just for you, big guy.”
  “Well, isn’t that convenient,” he said as he crossed his big arms. “A pair of boots and skis magically appeared for me.”
  He shrugged. “It’s a mystery. Now come on, Lon. Let’s tell her the good news.”
  He just mumbled a curse as he dragged him over to her. “Hey, Syd?”
  Syd sniffed. “Yeah?” she said as she gave them a week smile.
  JC grinned. She was a damn fine actress, he noticed. “Lonnie is going to join us, won’t that be fun?”
  Her smiled brightened a little and she sniffed again. “Really?” she asked hopefully.
  “He sure is,” JC said and then elbowed him in the gut. “Aren’t ya?”
  He grunted. “Um, yeah of course. I’m a little..uh…scared, but sure I’ll go.”
  She smiled. “Great! Don’t worry I’ll teach ya the ropes.”
  “Here ya go, big guy,” JC said as he handed him his skis and boots.
  He swallowed hard. “I’m gonna die.”
  “Here, put these on and then meet us over there by the snow,” JC said.
  “Yeah, yeah,” he mumbled.
  “Don’t worry, Lonnie, you’ll have a blast,” Sydney said before she walked in front of JC. She reached her hand behind her back and put her palm up.
  JC chuckled as he gave her a five. “This is gonna be good.”
  JC and Sydney both had their skis on and ready to go when Lonnie waddled over to them. “How is one suppose to walk in these,” he grunted.
  “One does not walk in them,” JC said. “One skis in them.”
  He sighed as he dropped his skis. “How the hell do I put them on?”
  “Stick the tip of the boot in first and then pressed down,” Sydney said as she took off her ski and put it back on to show him.
  “You might want to lean on your ski poles for balance,” JC said when he saw how wobbly he was.
  “I so expect a raise after this day, C,” he mumbled and then finally clicked in both boots. “Are we ready children?”
  “Do you want to ski around here to get use to it?” Sydney offered.
  “I’m fine, I’m fine,” he said as he pushed off. “Let’s just get this over with.”
  “The lift is the other way, Lon,” JC said with a chuckle.
  Lonnie stopped and turned his big body around and then sighed as he stomped his skis while he turned around. “Let’s go.”
  JC and Sydney shared a chuckle as they followed the big man on skis. The line to the lift wasn’t very long, so they got to the front pretty quickly. “Lonnie you can ride with me,” Sydney said when she pulled up beside him.
  “What do I do?” he asked a little nervous.
  “Once these people go, we slide up to that red line and then the chair scoops us up. Okay let’s go.”
  “Oh crap,” he said as he pushed off and slid to the red line. He looked over his shoulder and then plopped down when it scooped them up. “Jesus, this is insane.”
  “See ya up there big guy!” JC yelled from behind with a laugh. He then looked down at the little girl who was probably no older ten. “Are you my riding partner?”
  She looked up and grinned. “Yup.”
  “Lucky me,” he grinned and then they both slid to the line.
  “Bye Mom, see you up there,” she said as she turned and waved.
  “Don’t go anywhere until me and your sister are up there,” she called out.
  “I won’t,” she yelled and then rolled her eyes. “Mom’s…such worrier’s.”
  He chuckled. “Yeah, but there great. Ya see that big man up in front of us?”
  She smiled. “Yeah.”
  “This is his first time skiing and I’m gonna well pick on him, if you know what I mean. Wanna help me?”
  She laughed. “Sure.”
  “How ya doing up there big guy!” he yelled.
  “I’m praying for my life, JC!” he yelled back.
  The girl chuckled. “I knew you looked familiar.”
  He grinned and gave her a wink. “Start bouncing,” he said and then bounced in his seat and the girl copied him. “Getting a little rough, Lonnie?”
  “C!!” he yelled when the cables shook. “You better stop that or I’m gonna ground you for life!”
  “JC!” Sydney laughed. “Give him a break, will ya?”
  He stopped bouncing and laughed. “Good job, girl.”
  “That was fun,” she laughed. “What’s his name?”
  “Lonnie.”
  “Hey Lonnie!” the girl yelled.
  Lonnie turned around and saw the little girl next to JC. “Yeah?”
  “Make sure your careful on this trail, you never know when there’s an avalanche!”
  JC busted out laughing and Lonnie eyed her. “JC, stop corrupting her!” he yelled and then turned back around. “Why am I so damn nice?”
  Sydney patted his knee. “Cause that’s just who you are. Okay we’re almost there. When we get there we’re gonna slide down this hill.”
  “Woah, what?” He asked frantically. “How steep?”
  She laughed. “It’s a small little slope,” she assured him. “There, you see it.”
  His eyes widened when they came to the slope. “Oh, dear lord I’m gonna die.”
  "You'll be fine," Sydney assured him. "Just bend your knees slightly, and glide down."
  "Oh dear lord," he kept saying over and over agains and then finally stood up. "Woooaaah," he said shakily as he slid down the slope.
  "There ya go," she said as she glided with him. "Now point your toes inward."
  Arms flared, he pointed his toes inward and froze until he came to a complete stop. he grinned. "I DID IT!" he said proudly.
  "Of course you did," she said with a smile. "You're a natural."
  "Are you still alive?" JC teased as he skiied up to them.
  "You bet your a...err...ahem." He stopped when he saw the girl standing next to him. "Well, if it isn't the nice girl who you corrupted."
  "It's all his fault," she said as she pointed him.
  He chuckled. "Yes, I know, dear."
  She smiled. "There's my mom, gotta go.
  "Later," JC said and then turned to Lonnie. "You ready to go?"
  "I am ready baby!" he said just a little too excited.
  "The man's gotten confident," Sydney snickered. "Come on, Lon, let's go on flat ground for awhile."
  "All right!" he said and then pushed himself off.
  "We created a monster," JC said with a laugh as they tried to keep up with him.
  The three of them skied side by side, Lonnie being in the middle. Every once in a while, JC would tease Lonnie and give him a slight push. "Boy, you better watch it," he warned when he almost fell.
  He just chuckled and skied ahead of him and zigzagged back and forth cutting him off. At one point JC looked behind him to see his face and his skis accidentally crossed, and he yelped as he fell on the snow. LOnnie and Sydney just laughed as they came to a stop. "Smooth one, C," he laughed. "I'm glad you dance better then you ski."
  JC was laughing so hard he turned red. "I'm such a clutz. How the hell did that happen?"
  Sydney was bending over she was laughing so hard. "You were being too cocky and God taught you a lesson."
  "You're probably right," he said with a laugh. "Care to help me up?"
  She giggled. "Yeah sure," she said as she bent down and grabbed his gloved hands. "You looked so funny when you fell."
  "Yeah, yeah," he mumbled as he was making his way up he then all of the sudden lost his balance and fell back down bringing Sydney down with him.
  "OW!" Sydney laughed. "I lost my skis!"
  "Sorry, my ski slipped under me," he said with a laugh.
  Lonnie rolled his eyes. "I'll just be waiting over there," he mumbled and then skied away.
  "Are you okay?" JC asked as he pushed back a strand of her hair away from her.
  "Yeah," she said a little shaken by his touch. She was just glad his hand was protected by cotton, or the touch would have really sent her over the edge.
  "Get a rooom!" Someone yelled as they skied by them.
  JC and Sydney looked up and JC laughed when she flicked him off. "Very nice, girl."
  "Jerk," she mumbled and then started to push off of him. "Where are my skis?"
  "Over there," he said as he stood up on his skis.
  Sydney stood up as well, but as soon as she applied pressure on her foot, she fell through the snow and yelped when she stopped waist deep. She let out a shaky laugh. "I forgot, you can't stand up here without your skis."
  "Are you all right," he asked and then grabbed her arms and began to pull her up.
  "Yeah, just get me out of here," she laughed as she gripped his arms.
  He pulled her out of the snow and was forced to hold her tight against him so she wouldn't fall back through. "Hang on to me," he said as he wrapped his arm around her waist and pushed her up his body.
  "Okay," she said as she wrapped her arms around his neck and silently enjoying the way he felt in his arms.
  "Lonnie, come here and give us a hand," he called out. Lonnie was too busy flirting with a girl to hear him. "Lonnie...ah hell, he's not hearing me."
  Sydney turned her head to see Lonnie from a distance talking up a storm with a ski bunny. "Go Lonnie," she said with a laugh.
  "Don't encourage him," he said and just laughed.
  Sydney turned to look at him and her smile faded. Their faces were so close that their noses bumped lightly. His sunglasses were hanging around his neck so she could perfectly see those blue eyes staring at her. His eyes seemed to be talking to her every time she made contact with them. It was as is if they didn't have to say any words, they both knew what they wanted.
  His eyes shifted to her lips and they stayed there for a long time and her breath quickened. "How do you suppose we do this?" he asked still looking at her lips.
  She swallowed hard. "Do...Do what?"
  He looked back into her eyes. "Get your skis back on," he finally said.
  She let out a sigh and then tore her eyes away. "Right, my skis."
  He looked the other way, because he knew why she was upset. He was upset too; he wanted to kiss her so badly. But he knew this wasn't the time or place. "Just ride on my skis and I'll ski you over to them."
  "Okay," she said and then slid slowly down his body and their eyes locked while she positioned her feet on his skis. She wrapped her arms around his waist and turned her head and rested it on his chest with a sigh.
  "Hang on," he said softly and then slowly made his way to her skis. He held on to her while she got into them and when she was all set they skied off towards Lonnie. "Ready, Lonnie?"

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