Page 20 of Mountain Security

Two hours later, when they stopped for a hot chocolate, Yvette had to face the truth: despite the burning in her calves, she was having the time of her life.

It turned out skiing wasn’t the scary, cut-throat sport she’d always imagined it was.

In the last few hours, she’d fallen five times, had lost her poles twice, and had once blocked the beginner’s magic carpet for several minutes while she pulled snow out of her one-piece ski suit.

Note to self: one-piece ski suits suck.

Every time, there had been somebody there to help her.

Alex, of course, but also other people. Random strangers who’d stopped to pick her up, carried her skis to her, and generally congratulated her whenever she managed to do what toddlers were comfortably doing around her.

And not in a condescending way, either.

No. Everyone she’d met up on the bunny slopes had been … kind.

And then there was Alex.

Oh God, Alex.

He’d been absolutely amazing. Strong, patient, and calm, he’d slipped nuggets of information to her at the exact right time, rather than flooding her with everything at once.

Of course, the fact that he skied like a God didn’t hurt.

Watching him, it was as if he were skiing on air.

“Wait here,” he said. “I’ll be right back with the drinks.”

Yvette wasn’t about to argue. She sat outside on one of the terrace tables, stretched her burning calves, and closed her eyes. With the sun warming her face, for the first time in her life, she understood why people came up here.

Alex’s smooth, deep voice brought her back. It felt like only seconds had gone by.

“Here we go,” he said, expertly balancing a tray in one large hand.

She took the paper cup he offered, inhaling the fragrant smell of the hot chocolate. “Thank you. I think I fell asleep there for a minute.”

She took a small sip. The chocolate was hot, rich and dense, and Yvette wished she could commit the taste to memory—use it to remember what it’d felt like to be up here this morning.

“Thank you, Alex,” she said. “It’s really beautiful up here.”

His face lit up, the smile starting in his eyes before moving down to his mouth. She loved that about him, that he didn’t just smile with his mouth like most people.

“I’m glad. You’re a natural, Yvette. I’ll have you on the blue slopes in no time.”

“You mean I’ll graduate to spend time with young children, instead of with toddlers?”

He barked out a laugh. “You’re doing great. The toddlers and I all agreed.” He looked up. “Hey. That’s my team. Or part of it.”

Yvette straightened herself and looked where he was staring. Three men in identical dark blue outfits were striding their way.

Yvette recognized the one in front. Beau Fontaine—Alex’s boss andcommandantof one of the PGHM units. Yvette had been part of the committee that had approved the transfer of his team from Annecy to Chamonix. The two men behind, she’d never seen before. One had dark, spiky, uncombed hair. The other one looked more like a surfer than a skier, with carelessly windswept blond hair and, she saw as they grew closer, bright green eyes.

“Alex,” Beau said. “MademoiselleLegrand.”

Yvette stood up. “Beau. It’s good to see you again.”

Alex made the rest of the introductions. “Yvette, this is Lorenz van der Berg. He knows everything about the outdoors.”

Yvette shook the man’s hand.

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