Last Christmas (Private 0.60)

over and turned up the volume.

"... highway has been closed and all mass transit is suspended for the duration of the storm," the weatherman

was saying as he was assaulted by wind and snow. "The governor has declared a state of emergency and all

nonessential personnel have been told to stay home. The fewer people on the roads, the better...."

Ariana's heart felt sick as she turned the volume down again.

"It's a nightmare out there," Thomas said.

Ariana turned and stared out the window. All she could see was white. It was like an opaque veil had been

wrapped tightly around Billings House, trapping her inside.

"We're stuck," she said slowly, her mouth dry. "Together."

'Yeah, but don't worry. I won't do anything to make you smack me again," Thomas said, his blue eyes

dancing,

"You won't?" Ariana asked dumbly. She felt like she was just waking up. Just realizing that Vermont was not

going to happen. It was taking her brain a minute to adjust.

"I'm not an idiot. I get the point. You're not going to cheat on Daniel," Thomas said. "So if you want, we can

be stuck here as friends."

He looked her directly in eye. No fidgeting, no innuendo, no cocky grin.

"Just friends," she said cautiously.

She wasn't sure if she could be friends with Thomas Pearson. Or

114

that she wanted to be. But she did know that she didn't want to be stuck in this room alone. She couldn't do

that. Not without losing her mind.

"Just friends," Thomas said. "Fine."

Ariana nodded and started rooting through her dresser for warm clothes. Just friends was good. She could do

this. If she just concentrated on Daniel, she could ignore Thomas's eyes. His smile. The memory of his bare

chest pressed against her back all night. She could. Really.

"Cool. So, as my friend, I have this story that I have to tell you." Thomas plopped down on her bed. The

bedsprings creaked loudly. "I just walked in on this smoking hot girl in the shower, and she was totally nak-

"

Ariana clamped her hand over his mouth. Thomas looked up at her like she was nuts, but she kept her gaze

trained on her door. She'd heard something. In the hallway. And this time, she definitely hadn't imagined it.