Page 18 of The Bratva's Innocent Pregnant Bride
“I’m not on the clock,” I said, starting the car and letting it roll before he was all the way in. “Don’t expect me to give you a lesson.”
“If I make it to the lift alive, I’ll be sure to find a way down the hill on my own,” he said, snapping his door shut as I gunned it.
It was hard to ignore him as he asked how I was enjoying Aspen, how I was getting along with the kids, and just being generally pleasant, but I managed it. The clock was ticking to when he’d be obnoxious again. I planned to get to the top of the mountain and leave him in the dust without looking back the moment we dropped off the lift.
Due to the awkward nature of maneuvering a snowboard onto a ski lift, he hopped on behind me instead of trying to share the seat and I felt his eyes on me the whole time, disgusted that it took all my willpower not to turn around to see if I was imagining it or not. Did I want him to be looking at me instead of the stunning scenery around us as we soared through the air?
As soon as I got off, I was in such a hurry to make sure he couldn’t follow me down one of the more difficult trails that I nearly ran into the sleepy, early morning attendant who wasclearing debris from gusts of wind the night before. I swerved hard to keep from knocking him down and the next thing I knew, the fresh snow was surrounding me and I was looking up at the sky.
And Dan, who laughingly reached down to help me up. When I ignored his outstretched hand, he rolled his eyes and ducked down to pull me up, never wobbling once. My cheeks burned as hot as where he kept his hands at my waist to steady me, his eyes dancing as he brushed the snow off my backside.
“The babysitter needs a babysitter,” he said. “How about I volunteer?”
“Ha ha,” I gritted, hopping away and turning toward the trails. “How about not.”
When I got to the start of the most difficult trail, I saw the stubborn ox resolutely getting in position behind me.
“Are you really going to risk your life for a view of my ass?” I asked angrily.
“You have no idea,” he said, his gaze dropping. He looked up at me and smiled disarmingly. “I’ve been learning by watching you. I’ll make it down alive, don’t worry.”
“Oh, I’m not worried,” I said, pushing down the glow from his admission. “I’d just rather not spend my time off dragging your broken carcass down the hill when you inevitably crash and burn.” I pointed to the warning sign and raised my eyebrows.
He only shrugged, acting like he’d swerve around me if I didn’t get a move on. With a snarl, I turned and huffed over to the next nearest trail opening, still difficult, but not deadly to a cocky beginner who happened to get lucky so far.
Without a word, I slid down, gaining speed. The wind on my face and the breathtaking view combined with the amount of concentration it took to keep from slamming into all the nearby trees was enough to make me forget all about Dan’s arrogance. Until he hollered from behind me. Before I could whip my head around to see what he’d gotten himself into, he zipped in front of me, the merest glimpse of his smug grin making me push my already lighting fast speed.
Was he crazy? No, he really was a natural. I was able to pass him again, but he held his own. The faint tinge of worry I had that he’d crash into a tree and really break his neck faded as it was clear he could handle this trail. I wasn’t going to have to spend my morning going after an emergency rescue team after all. When I caught some air and left him a hundred or so yards behind me up the hill, he whooped down at me, a sound of pure joy I knew all too well.
Maybe I started showing off a little then, glad to have an audience again, even if it was only one, supremely annoying person watching me perform tricks I hadn’t attempted in years. He shouted encouragement as he tried to keep up, and by the time we got to the bottom, I turned to him with a triumphant smile that he returned.
Did he honestly look that impressed?
“Where the hell did all that come from?” he asked. “I felt like I was just watching the X Games or something.”
I shrugged. “I used to compete,” I said. I expected the feelings of regret to come rushing back, but Dan’s gushing praise held it at bay.
We snapped our boots out of our boards and headed toward the rest area that sold hot drinks and snacks. He ordered me a coffee the way I drank it every morning, making me realizeit wasn’t my ego at all. He really was paying attention to me. For some reason I wasn’t offended, probably too exhilarated from the great ride, pumped to have redeemed myself after that ignominious spill straight off the ski lift.
“I knew you were good, but that was amazing,” he continued, setting my coffee cup down on a table close to a fireplace that crackled with inviting flames.
His proximity was usually enough to get me heated, but I slid in across from him and shrugged out of my jacket. He did the same, smoothing down the front of his merry sweater and drawing too much unwanted attention to his rock hard pecs. I knew exactly what was under that fluffy wool, and my palms tingled, remembering the feel of his hot skin.
He grimaced. “Ho, ho, ho,” he said when he caught me following the path of his hands. “Daria made it. Hey, I probably wouldn’t wear it to a board meeting, but it’s Christmas, right?”
“It’s really pretty,” I said, forcing my eyes to my coffee cup.
“Don’t let her hear you say that, you’ll have one next.”
He stretched, his muscular arms straining the seams of the hand knit sweater, showing off his incredibly broad shoulders. Was he doing that on purpose to torment me? No, because he had no idea it was tormenting me and he wouldn’t if I could just quit staring.
“That was hard work,” he said with a grin.
“You might have survived, but you’re going to be sore tomorrow,” I told him.
“Worth it,” he answered. “Seriously, don’t let Alina see you do some of those jumps. She’ll be trying them and Katie will have a heart attack.”
“If Alina stays interested, she could actually be quite good,” I said. “Your whole family seems pretty naturally athletic.”
