“Nick might have enjoyed making out with me. He might even want to be with me. But more than anything, Nick wanted to win. And winning me over wasn't enough. ”

“Nick ran smack into me."Ooof!" he hollered, grabbing me around the waist to keep me from falling down the rest of the staircase.That's when I realized Mom thought Nick and I were going on a date together.Quickly Nick let me go.He looked huge, frowning down at me from the step above. "Why are you stopping in the middle of the stairs?""Why are you tailgating me?"He put his hand behind me, at butt level, without touching me. "What is that?" he demanded.I bent a little and slapped my butt, "Something the heir to a meat fortune should know all about. USDA grade-A prime,baby." I straightened. "Just kidding. Really, it's my butt."He put his hands on his hips, and from below I noticed his strong superhero chin again.He grumbled, "Why do you have 'boy toy' written across your butt?""Oh!" I put my hand over the words, realizing that I probably should have been embarrassed about this sooner. "These are my brother's jeans. He wrote it to annoy me. Or to get me a date.”

“Here was Nick Krieger tenderly touching my face with the sun setting behind him and snowflakes sliding off his bare shoulders."Hayden,"he said again,gently. "Are you sure you didn't hit your head?""I don't think so."He moved the t-shirt aside and leaned closer,examining my ear. Oooh,it would be so much more romantic if he looked into my eyes rather than fixating on my ear.Shouldn't I be able to make this happen? What was the world comng to,that I couldn't even control what Nick did in my own wet dream?He poked my ear."Ow,ow,ow!" I squealed, and then felt faint again,out of breath.This was no wet dream.It was reality after all.He let out a disgusted sigh. "Hayden, Josh is right.The doctor might not even put a stitch in that.What's the matter with you? Do you faint at the sight of blood?"Oh,no.There was no way I would let him get the upper hand,even if I was lying on my back in the snow and he was kneeling over me. I laughed. "Of course I don't faint at the sight of blood.I jump onto the dance floor and do the Soulja Boy.Get the hell off me,Dr. McDreamy.”

“Nick was giving me the same look. And this time,instead of being taken aback or feeling squicky about it,my heart raced and my face grew hot. My body's response to the call of Nick.”

“Nick and I would be alone with the smoldering embers of a fire. And then we would-"-get out?" he was asking me. i blinked at him across the dark SUV. "I beg your pardon?" I hoped to God I hadn't been discussing any of this out loud. "Are. You. Going. To. Get. Out.?" he asked more distinctly.”

“And on a personal level,my boyfriend and I love eachother enough,and we have enough respect for each other, that we're bigger than that."I laughed."Nick and I are not bigger than that.We are very,very small." Daisy nodded. "And then,of course, there's the fact that I'm prettier than my boyfriend. He may fly higher,but I look better doing it." She turned around backward. "I mean, even in these snow pants,check out my ass.”

“Do you want me to call the boys?" Liz suggested from way above me."Do not not call Nick Krieger!" I shouted. "God, would he love this.""I've got Davis in my cell phone," Liz called. "Gavin,too.""Absolutely not.If you call Davis or Gavin,Nick will be attached." Chloe squealed,"Yes,please,liz. Gavin would be excellent right now! No offense,Hayden,but don't join the ski patrol anytime soon.""Ingrate!" I yelled. "I'll show you.I'm about to save the day, in just a minute here.”