Foreign Affairs: The Rewrite
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Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to the Choices universe, including anything in or relating to the world of Foreign Affairs. Enjoy!
"I'm afraid the press got wind of the ski trip... They'll be there full force, and I think it's a safe bet that they'll be looking for you." I gritted my teeth as I leaned back in the arm chair.
"Awesome. I've ruined everyone's weekend away," I muttered bitterly. "Should I just stay home, then?"
Winston shook his head in response. "No, you shouldn't let this deter you. You deserve to have some fun, plus it'll look strange if Alexei goes without you. You'll still have Tatum and the rest of your security team to keep them at bay."
I nodded slowly, feeling a tiny bit better at the mention of Tatum. I could always count on him to make things better.
"Okay... But until then, just keep coupling it up for the cameras?" I asked.
Winston smiled brightly at me as he nodded.
"Precisely."
Chapter Eleven: Fishing Expedition
The two weeks leading up to the ski trip seemed to crawl by. It didn't help that Winston had planned out my schedule for every day, nearly down to the minute. We hadn't even had any time to do more investigating. It wasn't like I could ask Winston to block out an hour or two for some sleuthing.
Tatum tried to continue investigating on his own, but last I'd heard, he'd hit a dead end.
On the plus side, the more time I spent with Alexei, the more tolerable he became. He actually wasn't half bad! Still definitely not my type, but we were starting to become pretty good friends.
Tatum was being a good sport about it too. Well, as good as he could be, given the situation. For the most part, he kept his eyes on our surroundings whenever I was with Alexei and avoided looking at us almost at all costs. Not only did we need to play up this relationship for the press, but we had to play it up for the other students and faculty on campus too.
So Alexei would walk me to class, hold my hand, give me a few kisses goodbye here and there... It was all very convincing. But every second longer our fake relationship lasted, the more I longed for the day I could finally be doing these things openly with Tatum instead.
But now, the weekend getaway I'd been waiting for was finally here!
I finished throwing together a small suitcase and wheeled it out to the common room. I raised an eyebrow at Dionne as she stacked yet another suitcase on top of the already fairly high pile Murphy was holding. I swear, that man was built like a mountain.
"You know we'll only be at the resort for like three days, right?" I asked her. She whipped around to gape at me.
"Uh, Yeah! I need outfit options, duh!" she defended.
I chuckled as I shook my head and wheeled my bag towards the front door. As I opened it, I found Tatum already dutifully waiting for me on the other side. He shot me a small smile as he saw me.
"Did you pack warm?" he asked. I rolled my eyes at him with a smile.
"Yes, Mom."
He narrowed his eyes at me as he reached to grab my suitcase handle. "It's my job to make sure you don't freeze to death."
I smirked at him as we walked towards where the limos were waiting for us in front of the school. "But if I was a popsicle, you'd be able to keep a better eye on me," I teased. He chuckled as he nodded in agreement.
"It would make my job a lot easier." His voice dropped low as he continued, "But I like you how you are."
My stomach flipped at his words, but I did my best to keep my face impassive. As we passed through the front gates, cameras started flashing all around us. I plastered on the cheesiest smile I could as Alexei came into view.
He smiled brightly back at me as he snaked an arm around my waist and pulled me close. I turned my head a little, allowing him to place a soft kiss on my cheek. The press exploded in 'awes' around us.
We beamed back at them, letting them get a few more shots of our close embrace.
After another minute, I felt Tatum's hand on my back as he ushered us towards the limo. Alexei's hand found mine as we made our way over and climbed inside. The second we were out of shot, he immediately dropped it.
The blond smirked at me as he leaned close to whisper in my ear, "You know, if you keep smiling at me like that, I'll start to think you're actually starting to like me." I let out a short laugh as I rolled my eyes at him.
"In your dreams," I whispered back.
After the rest of our group piled into the limo, we set off for the private airstrip. It wasn't too far from the school, so we'd arrived within a matter of minutes. There were already a few helicopters ready and waiting to take us up to the resort. I'd flown plenty of times, but I'd surprisingly never been in a helicopter before, so to say I was excited was a bit of an understatement.
As I moved to follow Dionne into the helicopter, Tatum reached out a hand to stop me. I looked up at him quizzically.
"I'd feel better if you rode in the same helicopter as me," he explained, his tone quiet. I glanced back at my classmates, all already buckled in and chatting away. Then my gaze slid over to the bodyguard helicopter. Even though it was filled to the brim with agents, it was stone cold silent.
I shot him a look. "Tatum, I'll be fine. It's just a short ride up the mountain, then you'll be right back at my side where you belong. Besides, I should really be riding with Alexei." I motioned my head towards the blond. He was laughing loudly with Henri, a seat left purposefully open next to him.
I watched the muscles in Tatum's jaw tense ever so slightly. He stared at me for a moment before nodding and taking a step back.
"You're right. But check in with me the moment we land," he stated firmly. I traced an 'x' over my heart with my finger lightly wordlessly in response. We'd always 'crossed our hearts' as kids whenever we made a promise to each other, and from the way the corners of his mouth twitched up at the motion, he hadn't forgotten about it either.
With that, I turned away from Tatum and finally climbed into helicopter, taking the open seat between Alexei and Dionne.
Relaxing winter wonderland, here we come!
The forest below us was absolutely enchanting. The trees were snow-kissed and every incline glittered. I took a deep, relaxing breath in as I turned to Dionne and spoke into my headset.
"This is exactly what I needed," I said. She nodded enthusiastically.
"Agreed. Who has time to worry about paparazzi and scandals when there are slopes to ski and roaring fires to roast by?"
Seated beside the pilot, Ayna, our trip supervisor, turned to address the handful of us in the helicopter. "As we approach Camp Eirene, I've been asked to remind you that the site isn't just a prime skiing destination..."
Henri rubbed his hands together excitedly.
"Oh man, I cannot wait to hit the slopes. Hope you like eating snow, Alexei," he said. My 'boyfriend' let out an amused laugh.
"What, are you planning to trip me on our way to the lifts? Because I practically learned to ski before I could read!" he retorted.
Blaine smirked at him. "Wait, you can read?"
Ayna cleared her throat over the mic, drawing our attention back to her.
"As I was saying," she continued, sounding a tad irritated, "Camp Eirene is also an important site for international diplomacy. Remember, you've all been assigned tour slots so you can study its history."
"I thought this was supposed to be a vacation!" I heckled.
Blaine smiled over at me. "Hear, hear! The only education I want to get this weekend is a hands-on tutorial on which slopes are the best!"
Ayna let out a small sigh.
"We're not talking about some intrusive—"
"Wait, what the hell?" Alexei interrupted as he stared out the window with wide eyes.
Everyone moved to carefully peer outside, our own eyes widening in shock. Down below at the grand gates of Camp Eirene was a crowd of antsy photographers. Their camera flashes danced off the white snow around them like twinkling lights.
Dionne gasped. "What are the paparazzi doing here?" she asked. I groaned inwardly. This was all my fault.
"Oh no. Winston was right...," I muttered sadly. Blaine tossed me a worried glance as our helicopter made its descent. The second it touched down, the press began to swarm, all angling their cameras into the windows.
"There she is!" one yelled out, snapping photos rapidly of me. The majority of the crowd quickly began pushing their way towards the window closest to me, all climbing over each other for a good shot.
"Who's Lorelai sitting with?" I heard another ask.
Ayna scowled at them as she yelled back to me, "Lorelai, get down!"
I slid down low in my seat in an effort to hide from their view and my classmates moved to help block the window. I smiled gratefully up at them, though I could see the clear distress on their faces. Henri sighed heavily.
"This was supposed to be our one chance to feel like normal people on a normal vacation...," he muttered.
Blaine rolled his eyes at him. "Because vacationing at a retreat exclusively for diplomats is totally normal." Evelyn glared at him.
"We get it Blaine, you're so charmingly snide. The point is the media usually leaves us alone up here," she spat. I felt my face grow hot as their eyes all slowly made their way to me.
"I'm really, really sorry, guys. I never meant for this to happen..."
Dionne placed a comforting hand on my shoulder. "Don't worry, security won't let them get past the gates."
Alexei glared outside at the bloodthirsty press.
"But our bodyguards'll have to really step it up against these vultures."
Cold air rushed through the small cabin as the helicopter doors finally opened. Tatum and a group of other bodyguards were already at the ready, pushing back the crowd of cameras to create a clear path forward for us.
"Break it up!" Tatum snarled. "This is private property! Leave now or we'll escort you out."
As we passed through the gates, a few paparazzi tried to scramble after us but Murphy easily caught them, an incredibly pissed glower on his usually blank features. Blaine smiled as he bumped his shoulder against mine.
"See? Everything'll be fine," he said loudly to the group, though I got the impression it was mostly meant for me.
Dionne nodded as she threw an arm lazily around my shoulder. "Hot toddies and hot tubs, here we come!"
After security brought all our bags up to our assigned rooms, we got all settled in. I quickly changed into a pair of warm pants and a pink ski jacket before heading outside to meet the rest of the group. Everyone was huddled by the foot of the chairlift, anxious to get out onto the slopes.
Tatum stood nearby, scanning the area. I felt my cheeks flush as his gaze lingered briefly on me for a moment too long. I smirked at him as I casually strolled up. He continued to look out into the trees, his gaze avoiding mine.
"I'm glad to see you're dressed...appropriately."
I smirked at him, knowing that was the bodyguard equivalent to 'you look hot'.
"Compliment accepted. See any threats out there?" I asked as my gaze wondered among the snow covered tree tops.
Tatum snorted lightly, then his voice dropped so low, only I could hear. "Only to my sense of self-control."
"Hey, Rutherland! You comin'?" Blaine called from behind, breaking us from the moment. I pushed down the eruption of butterflies in my stomach as I quickly made my way over to the rest of the group at the chairlift. Blaine's lips curled into a smirk at me. "Are you lost? The lift for the bunny slopes is over there."
I let out a short, amused laugh. "Go ahead, talk big while you can."
Alexei waved me over to the front of the line as he yelled out, "Lorelai, we're up!" I hurried over to him just in time for the chairlift to scoop us up. He leaned closer to me as he wrapped an arm around my shoulders.
"I figured you'd wanna ride together, what with all the reporters at the gates. You can't be too careful with those long range lenses," he said quietly. I snuggled in deeper into his side.
"Good call," I whispered back.
The ground grew further and further away as we passed over the treetops. We sat in silence for awhile as I watched our legs dangle beneath us. After a few minutes, I shot a glance towards Alexei. His gaze was fixed on the snowy vista out around us, his jaw tight.
I bit my lip nervously as I asked, "Alexei? Are you mad at me for the reporters being here?" He shrugged, his eyes remaining fixed on the snow for another moment before turning back to me.
"I was looking forward to a drama free trip, but nah. I'm not mad. I know you didn't want this."
I let out a sigh of relief at his words. "Well, for what it's worth, I'm still sorry."
He sent me a small smile. "Not much you can do about it now. Besides, if it wasn't you they were following, it'd be someone else." His words were surprisingly comforting. It was true, a life under a microscope was the life we led. If it wasn't me, they would have just made up a story about someone else and followed us anyway.
We quickly shifted in our seats and readied our skis as the chairlift approached the top of the slope. Side by side, we dismounted and glided off to the side where Ayna, Peter and Zaira were already waiting. As I chatted with Zaira and Ayna, my gaze caught the look on Peter's face as he watched Dionne hop off the lift.
I bit back a small smile as her and Blaine skied over to us.
"I think one trip down to say I did it will be enough. Then I'm heading over to all three resort saunas," Zaira said, a wistful look in her eye. I smirked as I turned towards Alexei.
"You might be onto something there. Alexei, should we ski down together so we can follow Zaira to the sauna?" I asked.
He shook his head before motioning it over towards Henri and Evelyn as they dismounted from the lift. "Nah, we already got our photo op. Henri, Evelyn and I are gonna check out the triple black diamond up over the ridge."
Henri smiled broadly as he slid to a stop beside us.
"It's supposed to be the second fastest run on the continent," he said, eyes sparkling with excitement. Alexei waved him off.
"Pshh, please. I've skied steeper hills in Esherstein. This'll be nothing."
Evelyn rolled her eyes as she smiled at him. "You're not the only one who grew up skiing, you know. I hold a few records in Ithanstan."
Alexei leaned over to give me a quick goodbye peck on the cheek. I smiled warmly at him as I said, "Don't forget, you promised some serious snowboarding lessons." He winked at me before skiing off.
"I'm a man of my word!" he called out over his shoulder.
I closed my eyes briefly to take a deep breath in of the crisp air. The cold burned at my legs, but in the best way possible.
"Lorelai, get down!" Tatum shouted. My eyes snapped open just in time to see him slice through the snow in front of me, taking a snowball to the back.
Dionne smirked at him. "Spoilsport!" she exclaimed. I looked at the powdered snow on Tatum's jacket, then back up at him, a devilish smile curling onto my own lips.
"I think I'll need your help getting even..."
His eyes lit up in amusement as a smile of his own grew slowly.
"I am allowed to meet force with force if the situation calls for it."
I glanced over at Dionne, watching as her amused smirk fell flat. "Oh, I think the situation calls for it."
"Wait what?" she asked, eyes wide. Tatum swiftly scooped up a small handful of snow before tossing it at Dionne. The snowball hit her square in the shoulder, exploding into a mist of power on impact.
She sputtered as she threw her hands in the air. "Ack! I surrender!"
I chuckled. "You come for the president's daughter, you'd best not miss."
Blaine gracefully slid over to us, his eyes fixed on the trail below. "It looks pretty narrow. We shouldn't go more than two at a time."
Dionne raised an eyebrow at him.
"Since when do you follow the rules?" she asked.
Blaine chuckled at her. "Careening off a cliff because I got my skis tangled with Peter's isn't the adrenaline rush I'm looking for today."
"You know, you never struck me as the skiing type," I commented. Blaine turned towards me with a smirk.
"What, you think I give off more of a snowboarder vibe?" he asked.
I shrugged. "A little. I figured you'd say that skiing is for stiffs or something. But I guess it makes sense. You like showing off."
He laughed, his eyes sparkling at me. "You would too, if you had the skills I do."
"Aaaaand there it is," I teased.
Dionne grabbed at Blaine's arm and motioned for him to join her down the mountain. As they took off, I turned to Tatum with a small, sultry smile on my face.
"It seems safest to ski with my bodyguard...," I drawled. He nodded stiffly.
"I'm glad you're finally complying with protocol. You should let me go first—" he started. I rolled my eyes at him before digging my poles into the snow and launching myself forward. Even now, he still can't take a hint.
I careened down the mountainside, feeling the cold, snowy air whip at my face. "Too late!" I called back, my voice light with laugher. Tatum caught up to me easily, and I glanced over to see him shaking his head at me in amusement.
"You don't believe in making anything easy, do you?" he asked. I flashed him a happy smile.
"Not when the alternative is making you smile like that!"
A bright flash filled the air around us, blinding me momentarily. I blinked hard as the spots cleared from my vision.
"Did you see that?" I asked as I looked at Tatum with panicked eyes. He gritted his teeth hard as he nodded his head towards a cluster of trees further down the hill.
"Reporter. Behind that tree." The photographer flashed me an infuriating smile before bringing his camera back up to snap more photos.
My expression fixed into a glare at him as I yelled out, "This is private property!" He shrugged as he skied out past the cluster of trees.
"What are you gonna do about it? You don't look like a lawyer to me!" he shot back as we flew past him down the mountain. Tatum shook his head in frustration.
"Keep going," he shouted over to me. "He got his shot."
I let out a heavy sigh as we continued down the narrow path. I shot a quick glance over my shoulder at the reporter and my eyes widened in horror as I watched him pursue after us.
"He's following us!" I yelled.
Tatum glanced back at the reporter, intense anger clear on his features. I barely heard the curse he mumbled under his breath as we pushed forward.
"Can you do something about him?" I asked, feeling incredibly peeved off. How this guy managed to sneak onto the grounds and all the up the mountain was absolutely beyond me!
He shook his head sadly. "Not on a ski slope. We'll have to lose him." I nodded, lowering my brows in determination as he continued, "Just stay close to me. I'll get you out of here."
Tatum suddenly brought his skis together and tucked his body tight. With a burst of speed, he started speeding down the mountain, and I quickly followed suit behind him. As I hugged my poles close to my body, he flashed me an impressed smile.
"Nice form!" he shouted over the rushing wind. His face dropped into a more serious expression as he briefly glanced back at the reporter still following behind. "You doing okay? I can still try to cause a distraction so you can slip off."
I smirked over at him. "We've made it this far. I'm not about to give up now!" Though I couldn't hear it, I could see his shoulder shake as he chuckled.
"You never were one to shy away from a challenge," he teased before suddenly nodding his head towards the forest of trees running down the side of us. "We'll have to cut through these trees if we want to lose him. Keep your focus."
I braced myself as we barreled towards the pine trees ahead. At this speed, one wrong move and we'd be toast. Tatum sliced through the forest ahead of me, bobbing and weaving between the trees. I followed carefully behind as we glided through a particularly dense patch of trees. I risked a glance back at the reporter and smiled at the way he struggled to navigate between the trees.
"I think we're losing him!" I called out happily.
"Lorelai! Watch out!" I heard Tatum yell. I whipped my head back around just in time to see a very large pine tree blocking my path. My eyes widened and I felt fear fill my chest as I barreled towards it. With only seconds to react, I gritted my teeth and quickly veered to the left.
An arc of powdered snow sprayed at the trunk as I barely whizzed past. As the path started to clear and the trees became more scarce, I quickly caught back up with Tatum. He shot me a smile as he saw me.
"You know, this job is a lot harder on skis!"
His eyes flickered over my shoulder, and by the look on his face, I could only guess that our pursuer was still on our tail.
"This guy doesn't give up," I muttered. Tatum fixed me a worried look, prompting me to raise an eyebrow at him curiously.
"What is it?" I shouted.
Finally, he called back, "I have an idea, but it's a little risky. You have to trust me and do exactly what I do!" I nodded back at him as I brought up a hand to cross over my heart.
I slowed a little to let him pass me before risking another glance back at the reporter. He was gaining serious speed and was starting to close in on us. Panic shot through me as I turned back to the path ahead of me, my eyes fixed on Tatum's muscular form.
Any day now...
Only a split-second later, he pivoted hard to the right, careening through a very dense patch of trees. I turned just as hard, flying through the narrow passage after him. I smiled as I heard the reporter whizz past down the original slope.
"Hey!" he yelled out, sounding incredibly angry. Join the club!
I let out a bright laugh as Tatum started to slow. Now that we weren't in any immediate trouble, we could take as much time as we needed to safely weave between the trees.
After awhile, the run flattened into a glittering plateau overlooking the countryside below. The snow was completely untouched and there were trees all around us, shielding us from view.
I smiled as I slowed to a stop, Tatum quickly following suit.
"Can we stop and check out this view?" I asked breathlessly, my eyes still fixed on the landscape in front of us. I haven't had this much excitement in one day since...probably ever, and I desperately needed a break. Nothing like a good, ol' fashioned speed chase to get your blood pumping!
He shrugged as he pushed closer to me. "I guess there's no harm in it."
We both clicked out of our skis and trudged through the heavy snow. The lack of ski tracks suggested that this plateau was no where near the actual slope trail, so we shouldn't be disturbed by any other skiers. I breathed in the cool air as my eyes flittered from tree to tree.
It was truly breathtaking.
"We don't get views like this back home," I breathed. Tatum chuckled as he nodded.
"That's for sure."
I glanced up at him. His dark eyes were fixed on the horizon in front of us. "How did you know about this run when you've never been here before?" I asked. He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly.
"I kind of studied the resort and the grounds before we arrived..." He shot me a look as I let out a laugh. "It's part of my job!"
I faced him fully and took a step closer, looking up at him through my lashes.
"Isn't it also your job to kiss me?" I whispered. A small smile tugged at his lips.
"You know it isn't," he said softly.
I shrugged. "Guess it's time for your lunch break, then. You're officially off duty for the next few minutes..." I slid a hand into his and tugged him even closer, our chests brushing against each other. His eyes dropped, fixating on my lips.
He was hesitant at first, then he finally bent down to meet my lips. The kiss was soft and impossibly gentle. He wrapped his arms around my waist, holding me tighter against him, and I relished in the feeling of his warm body heat against the chilled air around us.
That warm feeling slowly turned into a roaring fire as his kisses grew deeper and hotter. I slid my hands up his chest, tangling one in his hair.
"Lorelai...," he groaned, breaking away for only a second before his lips were on mine again. His tongue flicked against mine, eliciting a quiet moan of my own. He cupped my chin in his hand and brushed his lips to mine once more, then reluctantly pulled away.
"As much as I love this, we should keep moving," he said softly. "I don't want anyone worrying about you."
I rolled my eyes playfully at him. "Tatum, no one worries about me more than you." He smirked as he took my hand and interlaced our fingers.
"Let's keep it that way."
Together, we walked back to our skis hand in hand.
Later that night, I sat next to the fire as I waited for dinner. After spending most of the day out in the snow, the heat of the fireplace was more than welcome. I watched the flames flicker as my mind drifted back to my encounter with the reporter.
"Lorelai, over here!" I heard Dionne call, snapping me out of my thoughts. I quickly moved to join her, Peter, Henri and Zaira at a nearby table. I smiled warmly at them, masking the tinge of worry I was feeling inside.
"Hey, guys," I greeted as I sat down. "Peter, did you get to learn any cool facts about the lodge?"
He smiled brightly at me as his eyes seemed to glaze over. "Oh yeah! I toured Camp Eirene's library after lunch. They have a whole room with first editions donated by each visiting nation."
Dionne eyed him nervously.
"So that's where you disappeared to...," she said quietly. Her eyes widened suddenly. "Not that I noticed you were gone or anything!" Peter tried his best not to smile as his face started to flush.
"Of course not...," he trailed off.
To both Peter and Dionne's relief, a couple waiters approached to set a steaming bowl of soup in front of all of us, with a basket filled with warm bread rolls to put in the center of the table. I closed my eyes as I breathed in the heavenly scent of the stew. Zaira glanced over at me as she dipped a piece of roll into her soup.
"I spotted at least three reporters on the slopes today. Did you find any, Lorelai?" she asked. I fought back a frown as I nodded.
"One literally chased me down my first slope of the day. I'm starting to think someone's been tipping them off or something...," I gave Dionne a pointed look. Her eyes widened a bit knowingly.
She quickly recovered before asking, "Are you okay? Did they catch you?" I shook my head at her.
"I'm fine. At least the pictures he got'll be pretty boring. All I was doing was skiing."
Henri shrugged as he shoveled another spoonful of soup into his mouth. "They'll find a spin. They always do," he said, mouth full.
"Did the reporters give you any trouble today, Zaira?" I asked as I turned back towards her. She shook her head in response.
"No, not really. They were asking me where you were, so I gave them your exact location...," she said, a mischievous glint in her eye. "Halfway down the triple black diamond run."
Henri let out a loud laugh. "So that's why I saw so many people face planting up there."
Dionne flashed her an impressed smile.
"Brava," she said.
I chuckled as I nodded. "As twisted as it is effective. I love it." Zaira dipped her head in a mock bow.
"Thank you, thank you. I'll be here all week!"
Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed the way Henri was watching me carefully. I shifted to catch his gaze, but he quickly turned away and nervously cleared his throat. As the others continued chatting, he leaned over close to me.
"Sorry I stole Alexei away from you all afternoon," he said quietly. "The run took longer than we thought." I quickly glanced across the room where Alexei was sitting at his own table.
In all the excitement of this afternoon, I'd completely forgotten that I was supposed to be his 'girlfriend'. I swallowed hard, then shot him a reassuring smile as I waved him off.
"It's okay. I'm sure Alexei would've been bored stiff going down the intermediate slopes with me."
Henri cracked a smile at me.
"For sure. You should've seen the jump he did over this fallen tree. I think he did it by accident, but it looked totally pro." A beat of silence fell over us as he stirred his soup absentmindedly. "So, uh...how are things going between you two, anyway?"
I plastered on the happiest smile I could muster as I replied, "Alexei and I are really, really happy together! I've never felt such a strong connection with someone so quickly."
His shoulders deflated as he slumped back in his seat, looking slightly dejected.
"That's great... I'm, uh, really happy for you guys."
Dionne's phone suddenly chimed, grabbing my attention. I watched as she glanced down at the screen, frowned, then slid her cell back into her jacket pocket. I raised a concerned eyebrow at her.
"Who was that?" I asked.
She sighed quietly. "Just Philip's assistant. He wants to schedule a phone call with me later." I shot her a sympathetic frown.
"Romantic."
Peter nodded sadly. "That's Philip for you."
Dionne shrugged as she stared down at her soup.
"It is what it is." Suddenly she stood and slapped her palm on the table. We all jumped at the sound of the clattering silverware. "On that note, I think I've earned a drink!"
With a flourish, she joined Alexei and Evelyn at the bar. I glanced back at Peter as he watched her walk away. He let out a sigh, then quietly excused himself from the table as well.
Dealing with the paparazzi might suck, but at least I didn't have to deal with an arranged marriage to someone I didn't love...
I had to help Dionne. Someway, somehow, I was going to help her out of this.
After dinner, I made my way back to the main lobby. I raised an eyebrow at a previously absent Tatum as he approached. I'd wondered where he'd been all of dinner. It wasn't like him to leave me without a bodyguard.
"Where've you been?" I asked. He shoved his hands into his pockets.
"Lodge security claims to have located and removed several reporters from the premises. I've been making sure they didn't miss any."
I let out a soft sigh. Blood-sucking vultures, the lot of them. "Wow. Sounds like you've earned a break."
He shook his head.
"I'm on duty. I'll get my break when Demarco takes over."
I glanced over at the couch nearby and smiled. "What if I choose to sit in a comfy spot by the fire all night?" I waggled my eyebrows suggestively at him.
He stared back at me stoically as he replied, "I'd be very happy for you. But protocol would keep me from joining you." I bit my lip as I nodded sadly.
"Right. Protocol."
His gaze turned back to the dark sky outside.
"I should go check outside again, make sure the perimeter of the lodge is safe," he said. His gaze shifted over to me as a soft smile graced his lips. "But...if you wanted to join me, I wouldn't stop you."
I smiled brightly at him as I nodded.
"Lead the way."
He walked slightly ahead of me as we trudged through the snow, his alert gaze fixed on the dark forest surrounding us.
"You should stay close to me if you're gonna be out here," he said lowly. I smiled as I moved to walk closer to him. Don't have to tell me twice!
"Yes, sir."
I shivered slightly as we shuffled through the snow. "It's so weird to be ankle deep in snow this time of year," I continued. He snorted softly.
"Elevation is a hell of a thing."
I playfully socked him in the arm, eliciting a chuckle from him.
"I didn't ask why it was cold, Mr. Broody."
He shrugged as he smiled at me. "Sorry. Force of habit." I looked around at the fluttering snowflakes that drifted softly in the air.
"This place is so different from back home. It doesn't even get cold enough in the winter to leave ice on the State Manor windows," I said, biting back a smile as a few of our childhood memories rushed back to me. "Do you remember how we'd pretend to make snowmen?"
He nodded. "That was a long time ago."
I smirked over at him.
"Bet I can still make a better giant Styrofoam ball-man than you."
He let out a soft chuckle. "Still? You weren't better back then," he teased. I shook my head as I laughed.
"No way! My epic, snow-inspired seasonal art kicked your craft's butt."
He let out a bright laugh of his own.
"Whoa, pulling out the big guns now. If we're playing that way...what you made was in no way 'art', Lorelai," he teased.
I gasped in mock hurt. "How dare you, sir! Mr. and Mrs. Winterbottom were worthy of the Museum of Modern Art!" He shot me a look.
"You used so much hot glue on Mr. Winterbottom that his face melted. He haunted me in my nightmares for half a year."
I shrugged as I replied, "You know what they say...good art is memorable!"
A stick snapped somewhere in the darkness, causing Tatum to snap back into bodyguard mode. He carefully scanned the forest as he stepped protectively in front of me. I stayed still behind him, shivering a bit more as the wind picked up.
He turned back towards me, concern flooding his eyes.
"You're cold. You should head back inside."
I shook my head as I smiled coyly up at him.
"I'm fine. I just need someone to put an arm around me to keep me warm."
Tatum glanced around nervously before dropping his voice low. "You sure that's a good idea? What, with the paparazzi sneaking around?" I nodded back gently.
"You said yourself that you got rid of the reporters," I answered. He hesitated, his eyes looking worried in the moonlight. He glanced up to do one more sweep of the area, then slid an arm around my waist, holding me close against his side.
I relished in the sudden wave of warm body heat radiating from him. I swear, this man was the human equivalent to a space heater.
"Mmm," I purred, "You're so warm." I felt his body shake as he chuckled.
"Glad to be of service."
We fell into a comfortable silence as we walked further away from the lodge. New, untouched snow stretched out before us as far as we could see. The way the snow glowed under the moonlight was like nothing I'd ever seen.
"It may be freezing out here," I started, "but I've gotta admit, the snow is really beautiful." Tatum nodded as he gazed out at the field around us.
"True. It's like one smooth, unbroken sheet. Almost makes you want to—"
I smirked. "Mess it up?" His eyes widened at me as he shook his head vehemently at me.
"Wait, that's not what I—"
Before he could finish his sentence, I flopped down onto the snow with a giggle. My eyes sparkled as I took in the gorgeous night sky above us.
"Lorelai! You're gonna get all wet and cold!" I heard him exclaim. I smiled up at him devilishly.
"Then you'd better get down here and warm me up."
He paused for a moment as he stared down at me. Finally, a smile slowly cracked across his face. "You owe me for this." Tatum flopped down next to me in the snow, his arms splayed wide. I gasped excitedly as I turned my gaze towards him.
"Let's make snow angels!" I chirped as I spread my limbs out wide and flapped them up and down. "I bet I can make a better snow angel than you."
My heartbeat stuttered at the sound of the smile in his voice. "Only one way to find out," he replied.
Next to me, he flapped his arms furiously, throwing puffs of snow into the already freezing air. I hurried to match his pace, the sound of our laughter filling the air around us.
A few minutes later, Tatum stood. He looked down at his angel and pulled a face.
"It's not the most graceful angel, but it's definitely bigger than yours!"
I smiled as I sat up. "You know what the worst thing about making snow angels is?" I asked. He cocked a questioning eyebrow at me. "When you stand up, your handprint always ruins it."
He smiled down at me warmly before stepping forward and extending out his hand. I beamed up at him as I took it and he easily pulled me to my feet, placing his other hand on my hip to steady me.
I looked down at my pristine, hand-printless snow angel.
"It's perfect," I breathed. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught the intense way he stared at me.
He smiled a bit and muttered, "Yeah...it is." As I turned to face him and our gazes locked.
His lips parted softly as a soft whisper barely escaped him, "Lorelai,...I..." He paused, conflict warring on his face before shaking his head and rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. "Never mind." I furrowed my brows at him.
"What's wrong?" I asked. He shook his head as he averted his gaze from mine to look back at the trees.
"It's nothing. I was just...thinking about how we'll have to go back to the lodge soon...," he trailed off. His expression dampened sadly. "And I'll have to go back to being your bodyguard."
Confusion with a twinge of hurt swirled in my chest. "I thought you liked being on my detail..."
His gaze whipped back to me as he nodded.
"I do! And I certainly don't trust anyone else to keep you safe," he replied sincerely. "It's just...sometimes it feels like I can be your bodyguard, or your friend. Not both. And playing in the snow just reminded me of that."
I lifted an amused eyebrow at him. "Tatum, our dynamic hasn't changed at all. If you think you weren't overprotective when we were kids, then you've been living a lie for years."
He gaped at me. "What? No I wasn't!"
I shot him a look.
"You literally 'defended my honor' when my homecoming date stood me up. With a foam sword." My mind drifted back to the memory.
I'd been over the moon when star quarterback Tommy Fielding asked me to the dance. Tatum had texted me about an hour and a half after the dance had started, asking how it was. When I told him Tommy still hadn't shown, he came rushing over.
He was furious, stomping around and ranting about how big of an idiot this guy was. Then he ran down to my old toy chest in the basement and fished out the foam sword we'd played with so many times as kids. Before I could stop him, he was out the door, looking ready to kill.
Tatum chuckled at me as he shrugged.
"What can I say, I work well in a pinch."
I shot him another look. "Tatum..." He let out a heavy sigh.
"Alright, fine. I guess I see your point," he admitted. A small smile traced over his lips. "When I think about it, if young Tatum knew he'd get to be your bodyguard when he grew up...I think he'd be pretty excited."
My pulse raced at his words, but I did my best to look cool and collected as I asked, "And adult Tatum?" He gently took my hand in his.
"Adult Tatum is more aware of the anxiety that comes with the job...but wouldn't want anyone else by your side." Any effort I was making of staying calm, cool and collected suddenly went right out the window.
I couldn't help the giddy smile that flooded my features as I breathed, "Tatum..." We stared deeply into each other's eyes in the dark, our hot breath curling shapes into the air between us. He took a step closer, and I couldn't help but feel drawn to him. Like a moth to an incredibly hot flame.
Slowly, he began to lean in. As our lips were mere inches away, he paused, conflict playing across his face. I bit down on my lip as I smiled. Boys are helpless.
"Tatum...kiss me."
Relief flooded his features at the permission to give in. He urgently swooped in, capturing my lips with his and wrapping me in a tight embrace. I snaked my arms around his neck and responded in kind, parting my lips to deepen the kiss.
He let out a moan against my mouth, then pulled back for a second, his body tense.
"Lorelai, maybe we should—"
I shook my head as I placed a finger on his lips to silence him. "Stop thinking so much, Tatum. Just feel...," I whispered. I pulled him closer, pressing his body flush against mine. I kissed my way down his jaw, relishing in the way goosebumps trailed across his skin.
"Isn't that better?" I asked.
He nodded, his grip tightening on my hips.
"God, yes."
Slowly he guided me backward until he had me pressed firmly against a tree. I savored the moment of being trapped underneath him, safe in his arms, as he trailed heated kisses down my neck. I pulled him closer as I snaked a hand down to his waistband, tugging his button up shirt free under his jacket.
I felt him shiver underneath my touch as I slid my hand up under his shirt, feeling every ridge of his sculpted abdomen. He chuckled as he buried his face in my neck.
"Lorelai, you're driving me crazy...," he muttered, voice sounding incredibly husky. I smirked.
"Do you want me to stop?"
My hands continued to explore, desperate to memorize every inch of his skin through my fingertips. He lifted his gaze to mine, desire burning brightly in his dark eyes. He shook his head fervently.
"Never."
He crushed his lips against me once more and his tongue danced with mine. Off in the distance, we suddenly heard a few muffled voices. Tatum immediately pulled back as his gaze snapped towards the lodge.
"That'll be lodge security... We should head back before anyone discovers us down here."
I pouted at him playfully as I grumbled, "What a bunch of mood killers..." He chuckled as he gave me once last, soft kiss before letting me go.
We took our time making our way back to the lodge, but after awhile, the cold had started to really seep in. It didn't help that my jacket was soaked from our earlier snow adventure. I shivered next to him and he glanced over at me worriedly.
"Okay, I definitely think it's time for you to go back inside. Your lips are practically icicles," he said softly, concern etched in his tone.
My gaze travelled over to the lodge up ahead, locking on the roaring fireplace inside. I switched my gaze back to him and lowered my eyebrows in concern.
"What about you? Will you be okay out here?" I asked, barely able to keep my teeth from chattering. He smiled reassuringly at me.
"I'll be fine. Believe me, after having that little moment with you, I'll be warm all night." He offered his arm and I hooked mine through his gratefully, letting him guide me back safely through the snow towards the golden light of the lodge.
He stopped short as I walked into the lobby. After saying our goodbyes, I let out a small sigh as I watched him retreat back out into the shadows. As soon as he was out of view, I shrugged off my wet jacket and hurried over to the fireplace.
I stretched out on the couch in front of it as I basked in the heated waves radiating off the flames, my frozen limbs slowly warming. Blaine suddenly came into view as he plopped down on the spot next to me.
"I thought you'd be at the bar with the others?" I asked as I looked over at him.
He shook his head. "Nah, not in the mood. I think I may turn in for the night," he replied. My eyes widened at him in surprise.
"Seriously? You, Mr. Party-All-Night, are going to bed early?"
He chuckled.
"Not quite. I happened to get a room with a balcony...and a hottub. I think there's just enough room for two...," he drawled. I raised an eyebrow at him.
"I didn't bring my swim suit."
He waggled an eyebrow suggestively at me as he smirked. "Neither did I." With a wink, he stood and extended a hand down to me. "You comin'?"
I glanced over at my wet coat next to me. Despite the roaring fire, I was still in need of some serious defrosting, and a hottub sounded really good right now... I bit my lip as I finally nodded, taking his hand and letting him lead me upstairs.
As we stepped out onto the balcony, Blaine frowned at the control box near the hottub. "Whoever was in here last had it set to 'tepid bath'. I hope I never meet anyone that devoid of joy."
He twisted a knob, and delicious steam started to roll off the surface of the water as the hottub roared to life with bubbles. He smiled as he tugged his shirt off and dropped his pants. Goosebumps exploded all over his body as he hurried to the steps, and my eyes briefly trailed down his toned body as he climbed in.
I tried to avert my gaze before he could catch me, but it was too late. He smirked smugly up at me as he settled into the warm water.
"Gawk much?" he teased. I sent him a small glare. Two can play at this game.
Wordlessly, I started to slowly and deliberately remove my own clothing, one article at a time. I gritted my teeth as the icy cold air stabbed at my exposed skin. Blaine's teeth caught his lip as his eyes traveled down my underwear clad body.
I smirked back at him as I took my time stepping into the hottub, making sure he could see every angle of my body before I lowered myself beneath the surface.
"Now who's gawking?" I asked. He chuckled as he shook his head, gaze still unabashedly trailing across my exposed shoulders.
"Can you blame me?" His voice lighthearted with a hint of an edge.
I closed my eyes as I leaned back. The jets pummeled deliciously into my aching muscles as the feeling started to slowly come back in my fingers and toes. After a moment, I opened my eyes to find Blaine staring at me, his expression oddly serious.
"The paparazzi really spiced things up this afternoon, huh?" he said.
I snorted a little as I replied, "That's one way to put it."
"Don't tell me you're not feeling something about that."
I let out a small sigh. "Honestly? I'm furious at myself." He gaped at me in a mixture of surprise and disbelief.
"What? Why?"
I narrowed my eyes at the bubbling water in front of me. "It was stupid of me to let myself get caught that way. It's not like the paparazzi haven't been tailing me since my mom got inaugurated. I should've been more careful."
Blaine shook his head.
"You can't blame yourself for acting like a normal 22-year-old," he reasoned. I chuckled bitterly.
"I'm not a normal 22-year-old, and my mother will never let me forget it. I'm Little Miss Perfect First Daughter of Rutherland, and no matter how much I'd like to lead a 'normal' life, I can't."
He sighed as he gazed out into the snow, his expression fixed into a scowl. "You shouldn't be going through this on your own. Whoever was with you that night should come forward and take the heat with you."
I bit my lip as I stared at him. It was sweet that he cared, but he really didn't get what all was at stake for Tatum.
"Blaine, it's not worth the risk," I replied. "What I'm going through is nothing compared to what would happen to them if they were found out." He was silent for a moment before his gaze switched back to me.
"You're too noble for your own good, you know that?"
I smiled as I thought back to how I'd said that exact thing to Tatum on our first date at the drive-in. We really were two peas.
"I'll take that as a compliment."
Blaine shifted in his seat. moving away from a jet and closer to me. Our feet brushed against each other in the center as he moved. "I wish I understood why people lose their minds over stuff like this. Like, how could a photo of you have anything to do with your mom's ability to lead a country?" he asked.
I shrugged.
"I wonder the same thing. According to her chief of staff, being a parent is a leadership role and I'm exhibit A."
He scoffed. "Right, because the fact that she raised a kid with flaws means she can't possibly deliver tax cuts to the upper class," he said. Though he had a teasing smile on his face, his tone sounded somewhat bitter.
As he leaned back to let himself float, his legs brushed against mine again. He glanced back at me.
"But seriously. What if we all stopped playing along and told the press to go to hell? They'd have to get over it eventually." A world where the press actually respected us and treated us like decent human beings? That seemed less likely of happening than seeing a unicorn.
"That sounds nice, but it'll never happen," I replied. "We don't get to be complicated. We get to be perfect people without desires or vices, or we get to be villains."
He shrugged simply. "Then we should all be villains."
"And our parents would be voted out immediately. Face it. We're stuck."
He smirked as he leaned in daringly closer.
"Not right now, we're aren't," he said, his voice low. "Nobody can see us. Whatever you want to do, whoever you want to be, it stays right here." I watched as the water droplets on his shoulders crystalized from the cold. His leg pressed against mine beneath the surface, sending a flurry of tingles up my spine.
I stared at him intently.
Blaine had an uncanny ability to make me just...not care about anything or anyone. It made me feel free—liberated. I could finally be myself without worrying about what everyone else in the world thinks. I watched his gaze drop down to my lips.
I didn't want to keep worrying about the rest of the world. Right now, all I wanted to do was feel.
Our lips met together in a flash, his hands gripping at my waist underneath the water. We melted together, floating, tangling, drifting. His lips part, our tongues meeting as our bodies pressed against each other.
I leaned my head back, eyes half-lidded in delight as Blaine's lips explored my skin in the moonlight. I let a gasp as he nipped at my neck. I ran a hand down his muscular chest, basking in the way he shivered under my touch.
Our lips crashed back together in fiery kiss as his hands roamed my body, one hand trailing slowly up my inner thigh. His touch wasn't as gentle as Tatum's, but...wait.
Tatum.
I pulled back quickly as guilt washed through me. What was I doing?! Tatum was still out there on patrol. What if he walked past and saw me making out with Blaine? Like having to watch me kiss my fake boyfriend wasn't already enough for him.
Technically, we weren't even together. I could kiss whoever I wanted! But that did nothing to stop the way my stomach churned with guilt.
Blaine raised a concerned eyebrow at me.
"You okay?" he asked. I swallowed hard as I nodded.
"Yeah, sorry. I just, um, I don't think this is such a good idea. You know, out here in the open? If there are any more reporters lurking out there, I'm sure a picture of me making out with the First Son of Ardona would be the final nail in my mom's campaign coffin."
He sat back as he nodded. "Hey, it's no problem. I want you to be comfortable."
I smiled gratefully at him.
"Thank you. And thanks for...this. It was really nice to get away for awhile and just vent," I said softly. He smiled back at me nodded.
"No problem, Rutherland."
After enjoying the warm water for another minute or two, I emerged from the hottub and quickly wrapped myself up in a towel. Every inch of my wet skin burned against the cold air. I heard him chuckle as I scampered towards the door to his room, picking up my discarded clothes in the process.
"Don't tell me you've had enough already!" I heard him call out from behind me. I flashed him a smile as I glanced back at him.
"If I don't get out now, I'm gonna stay in there forever."
He smirked back at me. "That wouldn't be so bad, would it? You and me, away from all the prying eyes forever...," he trailed off. I paused as I reached the door and rolled my eyes playfully at him.
"Goodnight, Blaine." He chuckled as he sent me a wave.
"Until next time, Lorelai."
I left with one last smirk before I ducked inside. After drying off and slipping back into my clothes, I headed back downstairs to say goodnight to a plastered Alexei. He smiled brightly at me as he gave me a sloppy kiss on the cheek.
"Oookay, I think you've had enough for tonight," I said with a chuckle. "I'll see you in the morning?"
He smiled drunkenly as he booped a finger to the tip of my nose.
"I'll be there."
I left my fake boyfriend in the watchful hands of Henri and Evelyn before retiring to my room. I changed into my comfy pajamas and slipped into bed, letting all thoughts of scandals and snow disappear under the weight of my eyelids.
My eyes opened blearily as light streamed through my window. I reached over for my phone next to me on the nightstand. A message from Winston was already waiting for me.
Winston: Getting some positive responses to your ski slope appearances with Alexei. The people of Rutherland are loving the two of you together. Keep up the good work!
My stomach churned as I read his words. Alexei was nice and all, but after last night, it was getting harder and harder to stay away from Tatum. Or even Blaine for that matter!
I jumped as a loud knock sounded at my door. I quickly tossed my blankets aside and padded over. As I opened the door, I found Alexei waiting on the other side, his expression looking troubled.
"Alexei? What's going on?" I asked, my voice still gruff with sleep.
He frowned at me. "I'm so sorry, but...we need to talk."
And the drama begins! I debated having Alexei and OC date for a longer period of time than they do in the book, but it just messes with the flow of the timeline. So I made sure to add in some more time before the ski trip to help lengthen the relationship.
And even though OC is mostly pursuing Tatum, I do also love Blaine and just had to have a little bit of romance with him in here too.
Next chapter is the big one! So I hope you're ready.
Forever yours (and Tatum's, honestly),
XOXO
-MusicToMe