Page 8 of The Duke's Brother

She shrugged. “We’re the only ones up here, at minimum I could alert the heli and I would have the closest pin as to your location.”

His eyes appraised her. Sincerity shown from her face, decorated with red goggle lines. “Thank you.”

A faint pink warmed her cheeks and she said, “You’re welcome.”

The snow rumbled again below them, further along.

Charlie shifted. “Now what?” He pointed to the new snow right in front of them. “Can we ski on that?”

Tripp frowned. “I think we’d better stay up here in the trees for as long as we can.”

“Or, we go back to the other side and ski that way.” A challenge glinted in her eye. “It’s epic.”

“Epic.” He grinned and shook his head. “And here I thought you were the nice baker’s daughter.”

She lifted a shoulder. “I am the nice baker’s daughter.”

“Fair enough. I’ve taken that side of the mountain but I usually go alone. Do you, have you..” He didn’t want to insult her but he also didn’t want anyone skiing off any cliffs either.

“I can hold my own.” She lifted a pole toward Charlie. “It’s him we should worry about.”

“What? Me?” Charlie opened his mouth in pretend shock.

Tripp smirked. “Down the left side we go, but we stop before the ravine. And watch your speed.”

“Ugh, yes father.” She took off back through the trees the way she’d come.

Charlie laughed. “So now you’re her father. Good luck getting anywhere with her.”

“I heard that.” Jenneca’s voice carried back through the trees.

“Let’s go.” Tripp took off, not comfortable being the one to babysit the others. He was usually the first one to tear up a slope. He grunted. But he had also never skied with Jenneca before. Something about her alerted all the protective instincts inside, and he wanted to slay all her dragons and shield her from the rain. Watching her take a small lip and rise up into the air in a beautiful arc, he acknowledged he might be the one in need of rescuing.

He caught up. Might be time to show off a little. He let out a whoop and took the same lip then landed mid turn to cut around her and down to the edge of the ravine.

The other two joined him with big smiles. And Tripp grabbed his water for a drink. “Best snow I’ve been on in a good long time.”

“You haven’t been skiing in a good long time.”

Tripp nodded in acknowledgment. “Lots of new players now.” He tipped his head. “So you’re the famous J.C.?”

Her cheeks colored, which he enjoyed.

“Famous. Yeah, I’m known worldwide as the one who tore her ACL.”

“Ouch. Right in the middle of trials?”

“Yeah. It was rough.” Her face pinched then she shrugged it off. “I’ll try again.”

“You up here training?”

“I needed a break today, but yeah.”

“Mind if I join you?”

“You hoping to train?”

“I don’t know. Don’t know what I can do after all this time.”

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