Page 23 of His Ski Resort Overrun for Christmas

“I’m totally rocking this,” she sang out as they glided slowly side by side down the hill. “In like ten-hundred more years I’ll be even better than you are.”

“I think fifty years and you’ll have me. My knees will give out by then.”

“Yes,” she crowed. She looked over at him as they eased down the hill. “Not your knees, but the fifty-year thing.”

His stomach pitched in the best way possible. Fifty years? Could they have a chance? Was that what she was intoning?

Then her skis crossed, and she tumbled down the hill and to a stop.

Jace skied quickly to her and squatted down. “You okay?”

“I’ve got to stop doing that,” she said, pushing her goggles up on her helmet.

“Happens to the best of us.”

“Not to you, unless someone like me blindsides you to keep you humble.”

“It used to happen,” he reassured her.

“When you were like three and it didn’t even hurt to crash cause you were only a foot off the ground and your bones were still pliable?”

“Pretty much.”

Her blue eyes glinted at him. She was full of life today for sure. Did she have any clue how irresistible she was?

“Give me a hand up?”

When Jace reached out, she tugged at his hand trying to pull him down to the snow. He was surefooted and could easily resist, but it wasn’t a day for resisting. He sprawled on the snow next to her and they looked up at the bright blue sky through the thick pine trees.

“I still kind of suck at this.”

“I think you’re a natural,” he protested.

“Ah, thank you for the empty flattery.”

He tried to protest again, but she just laughed. “What I really wanted to say was a sincere thank you. Being with you is incredible, the snow and skiing is incredible, and I can’t remember ever being this carefree and happy.”

“The mountain will do that for you.”

“The mountain and … you.”

His heart thumped quicker. She wasn’t looking at him. Was she afraid to get too serious or afraid he’d reject her?

“I wish it could last,” she said so softly he barely caught it.

He tilted his head to the side to meet her gaze. “Why can’t it last?”

“Maybe because I live in a barren wasteland with no beautiful snow and no beautiful Jace.” She arched her eyebrows at him.

Beautiful Jace? As a self-respecting man he shouldn’t like that, but he did. He really, really liked it.

“Come on. We’re wasting your good pow.”

The mountain had been tracked out hours ago, especially on the runs they were sticking to, and for the first time in his life, Jace didn’t care. Watching her roll over, push off the uphill slope, and pop up onto her skis was better than a foot of fresh powder on a bluebird day. She really was doing incredible. She was comfortable on her skis, learning the technique, and enjoying it.

Most importantly, she seemed to be trusting him, relaxing around him, and enjoying each moment together.

Sadly, she would leave him and go back home. She wished it could last but neither of them could make it last.

---