Page 6 of The Reluctant Wolf and His Fated Mate
“That doesn’t matter.” Her expression turned mortified. “I don’t act this reckless.”
“I didn’t mean to come on to you so strong. We can slow things down.”
She shook her head. “This won’t make anything better. I didn’t come here tonight to pick up a stranger. I need to go.” She slid to the side, away from him, and then rushed through the crowd.
Follow her!his wolf urged.
Despite the roaring instinct to pursue her, Damon kept his feet planted on the club floor that seemed sticky with beer. It was better to let her go.
After she escaped from view, he closed his eyes. Regret smothered him like a punch to the solar plexus that claimed him of oxygen. He couldn’t breathe.
Who was she? Had he made a terrible mistake in letting her leave?
He reopened his eyes. She was gone.
Chapter 2
Sophie
Six months later…
Sophie chatted with the couple she rode up with on the chair lift. The scent of pine made it still smell like Christmas, although it was now February. Some teens must have thought they were decorating trees as they’d thrown colorful beads and an assortment of bras onto the branches.
She had eyed the steep mountain face on each ascent up this chair lift and now felt ready to tackle it. The whoosh of a skier below kicking up snow as he took tight turns made her heart quicken. It would be a challenge for sure, but she anticipated that descent. There would be no greater thrill to end the day than to ski this run.
Tara had gone back to their condo after lunch. She’d gotten her period early yesterday, and was still sore from skiing for the first time this season. She said the first day was always the worst for her, with headaches and cramps and a nice bout of insomnia. Added to the soreness in her legs, she was done for the day.
“Go have fun without me,” Tara had said. “I’m going to rest and take a sleeping pill to help me get through the night. We’ll catch up tomorrow. We have another full day before we leave on Sunday.”
Sophie was a more advanced skier than Tara. They’d spent Friday morning on their weekend getaway on the trails together, but once Tara left, Sophie challenged herself with more difficult runs. She’d worked up to skiing mostly black diamond runs. This would be her last run of the day, and she’d make it a good one.
“You don’t mind skiing alone?” the blond woman who appeared to be in her forties asked from beside her on the chairlift.
“It’s only for the afternoon,” Sophie replied. “Besides some alone time on the mountain is exactly what I need right now.”
It gave her a chance tobreatheand escape the chaos of the city. Although she loved her job and the energetic vibe of working in Boston, the tension from all that peopling could get to her.
A woman skied down the steep double black diamond trail before them, nailing it with tight turns that kicked up plumes of snow behind her.
“She’s killing it. That’s a tough trail,” the guy on the other end of the triple chair noted. “It tore up my quads when I tried it.”
“I’ve been eying it all afternoon, working up to it,” Sophie replied. “I’m feeling pretty good about it now and ready for the challenge.”
“Good for you. Confidence is key,” he said with a nod. “Watch out for the ice, though. I noted some patches on the left.”
“Will do, thanks.” It wasn’t her first time she’d skied this trail on this mountain, but it was the first time in a decade. She used to come up to the White Mountains to ski with her family, and they’d visited Franconia Mountain a few times. It had expanded a great deal during that time. No longer just a ski mountain with a few basics for food and lodging nearby, it had since developed into a ski resort with a sprawling commercial village below.
They reached the peak. “Have a good run,” she said to the couple before climbing out of the chair and skiing left while the couple skied right to the easier trails.
Sophie stared down, and her heart raced. The challenge of this steep pitch ahead hit her with a slap. Steep now seemed like an understatement. It looked near vertical from this angle. Maybe she’d taken on more than she could handle.
“You can do it.” She gave herself a pep talk.
Right. She could. She’d done so when she was fourteen. Why not now ten years later? She had additional years of skiing experience.
She gritted her teeth and focused on her form. Skis pointed down the trail, body facing forward, legs tight. Most important, stay in control.
One-two-three.She pitched forward and blasted down.
