"We're here," Tristan suddenly announced, skidding to a halt and taking his warm hand quickly away from me.

"Um...thank you." I said, stepping off of the board.

He leaned back faster than the speed of sound. "You're welcome," he said with that strained voice. Had I made him feel uncomfortable?

I turned to look at him. He was undoing the straps on his boots. "It wasn't that bad." I smiled nervously.

He put the snowboard under his arm and looked at me. "I told you I ...