Page 3 of Cabin Kisses

I roll my eyes. “No way, brother. You want to hook up, you’ll have to do it on your own. You’re known for not calling them back and leaving in the middle of the night. There’s no way I’m getting in the middle of that.”

He looks at me as if he doesn’t know me at all. “Are you kidding me right now? What the fuck, man?”

I shake my head and turn away from him. I know he’s surprised, but I want more, and the one-night stands aren’t going to get me what I want. Fuck, I’m not even sure I know what I’m looking for, but I’m willing to wait for it.

Chapter3

Georgina

I've discovered that skiing is not going to be my thing. Yeah, I've only been on the slopes for thirty minutes, but already my legs are aching, I'm freezing even though I have layers of clothes and a big bulky jacket on, and I'm barely able to stay upright.

I lift my hand to shade my eyes, avoiding the glaring sun, and huff as I look at the trailhead.I can do this, I tell myself.I know I can.

I stop walking or I should say trudging through the snow and stop behind the couple in front of me. They're holding hands and smiling at one another, and I can't help but turn my nose up in disgust. Yeah, I'll admit they’re a cute couple, but when you just had your fiancé break it off with you, you don't really want lovey-dovey all in your face.

I look longingly toward the direction of the ski lodge. I could just go back, take a hot shower, and spend the rest of the day working on the editing projects I brought. There’s a new romance in the stack, and I’ve been looking forward to getting started on that. Just as I’ve about made up my mind to spend the next few days indoors with a bottle of wine, I feel a hand on my shoulder.

“Hi. I’m Levi James. Are you here for a lesson?”

He’s blocking the sun off my face, so I drop my hand. “Uh, no. I’m actually about to go back in.” I turn to go but remember to be nice about it. “But thank you, though.”

I bend over to pick up the skis lying on the ground beside me and tumble over, faceplanting in the snow. “You’ve got to be kidding me,” I mutter. Of course, as soon as there’s a hot guy around, I’m going to fall on my face.

“Here, let me help you.” Levi leans down and helps me sit up. He squats down in front of me and pushes the hair off my face. He’s watching me, and I can feel the heat of his gaze. I wish I was flirty or even able to have a coherent conversation with him, but mentally, I feel like I’ve been beat down lately, and I definitely don’t think I can hold my own with a man. Especially him. He’s way too good looking.

“Thank you,” I grumble, feeling like a big frump. The layers of clothes and the bulky snow suit is doing absolutely nothing for me.

“You’re welcome. But now I think you owe me.”

I blink up at him. He’s smiling, showing off his pearly whites and sparkling blue eyes. He’s handsome and obviously fit. “I owe you. What for? I’m still sitting in the snow.” I start to laugh but stop abruptly when he grabs me by the hand and hauls me off the ground until I’m standing on my own two feet.

I suck in a gasp. He’s not even huffing or puffing. He’s just smiling at me and then he smirks. “All right, how about now? Do you owe me now?”

I shake my head, totally confused about what’s going on right now. Are we in some kind of alternate universe or what? Does he think I’m here with girlfriends and I’m going to hook him up or what? “What do you want?”

I say it with way more venom in my voice than I probably should. He squats at my feet and picks up the skis. “Pick up your feet.”

I pick up my right foot, and he snaps the ski into place. I shake my head. Why am I listening to him? “Wait! What are you doing?”

He smacks my leg, I raise my other foot, and he snaps the ski into place. He stands up, and I have to raise my head to look at him. “Uh, what’s happening?”

He shrugs. “Well, the way I look at it, I saved you, so you owe me one run.”

“Run?” I snort. “I’m not running anywhere, and can we get back to me owing you? I don’t owe you.”

He shrugs. “You’re right. You don’t owe me, but after seeing the way you were giving that couple dirty looks, you wouldn’t be open to me just asking you out. So I figure the only way I’m going to get to spend time with you is if you let me teach you how to ski.”

I open my mouth and close it again. Wait, did he just say he was going to ask me out? Did I fall and hit my head and don’t remember it? I hold my hands up. “You wanted to ask me out... like on a date?”

He nods.

I pull back and start to tumble again, and this time, he grabs me before I land on the ground again. He pulls me up and holds on to me, his hands heavy and hot on my hips. “Is this a joke?”

I barely get the words out when a cute blond woman skis up, stopping right next to us. “Levi, I’ve been looking everywhere for you. I was hoping to get a lesson.”

I look at the trim, beautiful woman, and just by the way she’s standing here, not teetering, it’s obvious she doesn’t need any lessons. I smirk at Levi. “Well, it looks like you’ve been saved...”

Levi’s hands tighten on my waist. “Actually, I’m already full for today. Sorry, you may have to check with one of the other instructors.”