Chance Encounter (5 page)

“Stop it.”

“Come on, where’s that sense of adventure you’re always threatening me with?” He lifted a mocking brow. “Just admit it. You wanted to kiss me.”

“Did not.” But she couldn’t help but wonder what
Chance, a man who greatly treasured his solitude and freedom, would have done if she had admitted the truth.

That for a moment, just a short one, she indeed wanted to kiss him.

O
N HER SECOND NIGHT
in the wilds of Wyoming, Ally got another call from Lucy.

“Having fun?”

Ally tucked the phone in the crook of her shoulder so she could continue to stoke the small fire she’d finally managed to start in her fireplace. The cabin was tiny and cozy, but icy cold, so it was necessity that had driven her to this, rather than the aesthetic value. It’d taken nearly an hour, and every single paper towel in the kitchen to get it going, but Ally was determined to get warm.

She only hoped she didn’t have to use the toilet paper stock as well. “Am I having fun?” She’d taken three showers to get the lingering smoke smell out of her hair from the trail. She had mosquito bites in places no one should have to itch and her arm muscles were so sore from today’s work she practically cried every time she moved. She blew a strand of hair from her eyes and sat back on her heels. Then grinned. “Yeah.”

“Really? Oh, honey, I’m so glad. Tell all.”

Ally used the poker, satisfied to see the tiny flicker of flame maintain itself. “Well, the trails are looking good. And I got on a bike today and didn’t break anything.”

Lucy laughed. “That’s a great start.”

Somehow Ally had convinced a staff member to show her how to ride, and given that she’d hit a tree on her first run, she was really doing remarkably well.

Even if she could hardly walk.

“Be careful,” Lucy warned. “Watch out for the pesky rocks.”

“Yeah, well. I’ll try.” She doubted she’d get another shot at it. Chance had nearly blown a gasket when he found out, and now no one would even talk to her, much less show her a good time.

“Tell me more. Is everyone treating you right? I worry, because though I love every one of them, my staff can be…well, rather snobby when it comes to the resort, but I’m sure Chance’ll take care of you.”

Oh yes, good old Chance. He’d take care of her. Of
humiliating
her, that is.

“He has, right? Taken care of you?”

“Why are we talking about me?” Ally asked, tossing another piece of wood to the fire. “How are
you?
”

“Bah! I’m as good as it gets. Now don’t work too hard, Ally. We’ll open when we’re ready.”

“You keep saying that, but I thought work was the whole idea.”

“Good heavens, no!” Lucy sounded appalled. “You’re to have the time of your life, do you hear me?”

Ally couldn’t help but smile at her vehemence. “I hear you.”

“Maybe you’ll have such a good time, you’ll want to stay forever.”

Ally’s amusement at the both of them quickly vanished. Slowly, she set down the poker. “Forever?”

“You don’t have to sound so shocked.”

“But…” She didn’t have forever. She was here because…

Darn it.

Being here had nothing to do with obligation or family loyalty. It had nothing to do with her old life. She no longer
had
an old life—well, except for the apartment that she still had to get back to in order to close up, thanks to Mrs. Snipps, landlady from hell.

No, she was here because she’d wanted to do something purely for herself. She’d wanted to live,
really
live.

Still, it was temporary. When Lucy was better, Ally would go back and figure out what exactly to do with the rest of her life.

Forever wasn’t an option.

“Ally? Would it be so terrible?”

She sounded a little down, and a horrible thought occurred to Ally. “You’re not sick or anything, right? It’s just your hip and ankle—”

“No, I’m not secretly dying and trying to prepare you, if that’s what you’re asking. I’m going to live to a ripe old age. I’d just like to do that with some family around, that’s all.”

“But…why me? I know the family is small, but there’s my sisters and my parents—”

“Your sisters would never enjoy it here, they’re far too spoiled for this life, though I do have hopes that’ll change one of these days.”

“It already has,” Ally said grimly, thinking about how she’d told them just that morning,
again,
that they needed to work more hours to help pay for their own tuition. “They’re going to grow up, whether they like it or not.”

“Glad to hear it. And as for your parents, delightful as they are, they’re just not interested in Wyoming, and I can’t blame them for that. Look, honey…all I’m asking is for you to think about it.”

As if she’d be able to do anything else. But fun as this may be, Wyoming wasn’t her home.

“Oh, and if you want to jump Chance’s bones while you’re at it, that’s fine with me, too.”

Ally pulled the phone from her ear and stared at it in shock. “Lucy!”

With a loud cackle, she disconnected and Ally was left staring at the receiver, Lucy’s laughter still ringing in her ears, and the words “jump Chance’s bones” echoing in her brain.

It embarrassed her to admit just how much she’d thought about doing exactly that.

T
HE NEXT MORNING WAS
cool and drizzly. Despite the weather, Chance decided to go ahead with the chair evacuation training he’d planned.

It meant everyone was going to be cold and wet for the next few hours, but in his opinion, this was a good thing. If he could have, he’d have trained everyone in a full-blown blizzard in order to simulate the worst possible conditions, but he’d settle for what he could get.

The faux evacuation was routine, performed throughout the year, and because he expected everyone on his staff to have hands-on training, all staff members participated.

He’d long ago learned the key to his success as a manager. Make it fun. Make it an adventure. Never let on that what they were doing was work, and hard work at that.

So he grinned in spite of the rain running down his neck, and rubbed his hands together. “Who’s up for a ten-mile run to warm up?”

Everyone groaned.

“Good, everyone then.”

More groans, and he laughed. “See? Chair evacuation training is a piece of cake.”

“We’re going to get hit by lightning,” Jo grumbled, stuffing her wild red hair beneath a beanie knit cap.

“Nah, you’re too ornery for that.”

“There’s a ton of paperwork to be done.”

He flicked the tassel on her silly cap. “It’s barely raining, and there’s no lightning in sight. Besides, you hate paperwork.”

“Oh yeah.”

They all gathered beneath the operating ski lift, staring up at it as the rain came down.

“I don’t hate paperwork at the moment,” Jo decided.

Chance nudged her forward. “Guess who’s first?”

“And to think I told Ally what a charming boss you were.”

“I
am
charming.” Not that Ally would agree, which of course was how he wanted it.

He’d dreamed about her, which had really fried him. He’d dreamed about how she would have tasted if he’d given into temptation, if he’d hauled her in his arms beneath that moonlit night and kissed them both to hot oblivion. “Let’s get cracking,” he barked, furious at himself for letting her get to him.

“Ever thought about becoming an officer in the army?” Brian asked, huddled beneath the steel lift with the rest of the staff. “You’d be good at it.”

“Yeah, right. Military.” That’s the life his older brothers had chosen, not him. He ran his own life, always. “And why are you here? I thought you already worked your hours for the week.”

“I did.”

The kid’s light cotton clothing was inappropriate for this weather, and he was already soaked to the bone, dammit. “So if you already worked,” Chance said as patiently as he could. “Why are you getting wet for no reason?”

Brian muttered something beneath his breath and lifted a negligent shoulder.

“Speak up, would you?”

“He said he wants to make ski patrol.”

Ally stepped into the clearing. She was bundled from head to toe today, which amused him. She looked…amazing, which didn’t amuse him. She wore sleek black leggings tucked into boots. Her parka was nipped in at the waist, and her hood completely covered her hair, and nearly her entire face, so that all he could see of her were her eyes. They matched the stormy sky. “Well, at least you’ve got your own jacket,” he noted.

“I try not to make the same mistake twice in a row.” She met his gaze evenly, which surprised him. So did the dare he found glowing there. “Brian wants to be a part of this.”

He started shaking his head before she even finished her sentence. “He’s too young for ski patrol.”

“Yes, but the training would be good experience.”

“Hey, I’m already experienced.” Brian straightened with a show of bravado that completely belied the uncertainty in his eyes, and the definite expectation of being rejected.

Damn, but something twisted inside Chance at that. No kid should look like that, no matter how irritating
he was. “You want in when you’re old enough, then you’re in. If you’re not in any trouble.”

“I won’t be.”

“Whatever you say, Slick. But you have to be able to pass the Emergency Medical Technician course and keep up on the slopes.”

Brian had gone utterly still. “I can do that,” he said very seriously.

Chance was sure he would, or die trying. Still, he had to admit, it was nice to see that
something
meant so much to the kid that he’d forgotten to scowl. Everyone needed something to be passionate about, and being busy as hell just might keep him out of jail. “Then I guess you can consider this pretraining. Do you ever dress right?”

Brian looked down at himself. “This is all I have.”

Ah hell. Why him? “Run up to the office and grab one of my rain gear sets.”

Ally shot him a look of bright hope and affection, and deepening his scowl, Chance turned away from her. They spent the next half hour setting up the mock exercise. All but two of them would get on the running lift, then the two left on the ground would put the evacuation into effect. They’d take turns with that role, removing everyone off the lift, until each of them had the procedure down.

Through the set up, Ally remained on site, standing there in the rain. Chance ignored her. He went through the different possible scenarios with the staff, then spent some time demonstrating what to do in each of those instances.

And still Ally stayed.

And still he ignored her.

They were all drenched by the time the majority of them got onto the lifts for the first “rescue,” including his new, and temporary, boss. Water ran off her rain gear in little rivulets. Her eyes were wide and clear and bright.
Excited.
She smiled at him, her long, long lashes spiked with rain, and something deep inside him tightened. Ached.

It pissed him off. She was too damn…bright. Happy. Vulnerable. And it made him feel vulnerable, too. He hated that. “What are you still doing here?” he asked in his most intimidating, go-away voice.

She smiled sweetly. “Same thing you are.”

“No.”

“No?” She tipped her head as if she didn’t understand the word.

“Look…” He put his hands on his hips and gave her his scariest go-away look to match the voice. “Do you even know how to ski?”

“Well…no.” She sent him that little smile again.

He kept his gaze on hers so he wouldn’t think about kissing that little smile right off of her mouth. “So there’s little chance you’ll ever actually be on ski patrol.”

“I want to learn this.”

He sighed and remembered the phone call he’d gotten from Lucy just the night before.
Are you making her have fun? She’s not had enough of that, Chance.

Obviously Lucy didn’t know what a pain in the—

“Please?” Ally asked, her eyes warm and hopeful, her mouth so full and kissable he ached.

“Oh, get on the damn lift.”

She shot him a megawatt smile. “Thanks.”

“You can thank me if you live.”

Tim, one of their lift operators, slowed the lift down to a crawl. Ally moved toward it, her smile looking a bit brittle now as she stared at the moving chair.

“Get on.”

“Okay.” But she didn’t move, only licked her lips and fisted her hands at her side.

“What the hell is the matter now?”

“Um…nothing.”

Uh-huh. And he was the Tooth Fairy. She was petrified, anyone could see that. He could have told her she didn’t have to do this, but she’d pushed the issue and now she’d damn well train with the rest of them, even though not all managers, and certainly few actual resort owners, spent time in training anymore.

Finally she stepped in front of the chair, water running down the new parka that hid her every curve. Didn’t seem to matter, since Chance could still picture them perfectly.

Ally craned her neck and looked upward at the moving chairs. Then she spent a moment getting ready, facing away from the approaching lift, yet looking at it over her shoulder. The correct position, except for the trepidation in her gaze.

“Uh-oh,” Jo murmured to Chance, echoing his thoughts exactly.

When the chair hit the back of Ally’s knees, she let out a little squeal that clearly translated her terror.

“Looks like this rescue might become a real one,” Brian said, watching Ally clutch at the steel support on the chair and nearly miss.

Dammit. “What are you doing?” he yelled up to her. “Scoot back!” He cupped his hands around his mouth so his voice would carry through the rain. “Scoot back now!”

Ally gripped the chair with both hands, but didn’t scoot back. As she was swept into the air, she hung on, half on the chair, half off, and let out another alarmed squeak.

Chance swore and leaped forward, following the chair. She wasn’t that high,
yet,
but there was no cushy snow to break her fall if she let go. “Dammit, Ally, listen to me! Scoot back!”

She just clung to the edge, looking down at him from an increasing height. When she caught sight of the ground vanishing beneath her, all the color drained from her face.

“Stop the chair!” he yelled over to Tim, who did so at that exact moment.

The lift ground to an immediate halt, and from fifteen feet above his head, Ally let out a loud gasp as the thing swung back and forth from the abrupt stop. She finally scrambled all the way into the chair, and then a second later her pale face appeared over the side, though she carefully refrained from looking down. “I’m okay.”

His heart had all but stopped. “You might have mentioned you’re afraid of heights.”

“I’m not afraid.”

“And I suppose you weren’t lost the other day either.”

She looked straight ahead. “I’ve got it under control now.”

So she did. Never mind that he’d gone weak at the knees, his heart still kicking in triple time.

She leaned back, still looking pale as a ghost, but calm as he pleased. “I’m completely fine.”

“Well maybe we ought to start with
your
rescue, what do you think?”

“Oh no, not on my account.” Her white knuckles were visible on the edge.

Next to him, Jo’s radio crackled, and through the airwaves, Michelle, their receptionist, spoke up. “I’ve got an important call for Ally.”

Jo lifted the radio to her mouth. “Ally’s on the lift at the moment.”

“It’s her sister Maggie.”

Jo tipped back her head and glanced upward at their white-knuckled rider. “Ally? It’s your sister.”

“Can’t she leave a message?”

Jo asked Michelle, who came back with, “It’s an emergency.”

“My parents?” Ally’s voice went rough with concern, her fear apparently forgotten. She even managed to look down, though she still had no color in her cheeks. “Or my other sisters, Tami and Dani?”

There was a tense few seconds while Jo radioed to Michelle, who then turned to the phone.

The drizzle turned to rain.

Chance watched Ally, but she didn’t look at him. She just sat up there, very still. Her boots seemed so small and defenseless, hanging above his head, a vivid reminder of how petite she was.

Tina had been petite, too, and the wilds had killed her.

He inhaled sharply and tried to think of something else, like how he’d never met anyone more irritating, or more likely to get herself killed.

Finally Michelle radioed back. “The emergency involves her checkbook. Apparently she’s needing more money.”

Jo let out a relieved breath.

Tim let out a relieved breath.

Brian shook his head, disgusted.

From up above, Ally groaned. “I’ll call her later.
Much
later.”

Jo passed on the message to Michelle, who responded with, “Ally? Maggie says she knows you
just
sent money to Dani and Tami, but she had to buy a new summer wardrobe because she couldn’t be expected to go to summer school without new clothes, and now all she has left until
your
next paycheck is enough to eat macaroni and cheese out of a box. She hates macaroni and cheese out of a box.”

Ally closed her eyes. “Tell her ravioli out of a can is cheaper.”

Everyone laughed. Even Ally managed a smile,
though Chance noticed she was careful not to look down. “Sorry,” she said. “Obviously my sister doesn’t have a clue as to a what a real emergency is.”

Chance would have said he hadn’t thought Ally did either, but clearly there was a whole hell of a lot more to Ally Wheeler than he’d first thought.

The truth was, he knew little about her, except apparently she supported her sisters, which meant on top of the biggest, most expressive eyes he’d ever seen, and on top of her misguided sense of adventure that was going to be the death of him yet, she also had a deep loyalty streak.

Damn if that wasn’t one of his favorite qualities.

He realized Jo was looking at him look at Ally. She lifted a curious brow.

He turned away.

Jo came up behind him. “I can’t believe what you’re thinking,” she whispered.

“I’m thinking about lunch.”

She laughed. “Yeah, right.
Lunch.
”

T
WO HOURS LATER
, they were on their fifth and final “rescue.”

Ally’s teeth were chattering, though her feet were thankfully and firmly planted on the ground as she watched yet another mock evacuation. Again and again her gaze was drawn to Chance as he directed the crew. Everyone, including her, looked like drowned rats.

Not Chance.

Darn him, but he looked good. He wore rain gear
like the rest of them, but his hat didn’t make him look silly. It only emphasized his piercing dark eyes. There was a lock of wet hair dangling over his forehead, and his earring glittered. The five o’clock shadow on his face looked rough, exciting, and she wondered what it would feel like rubbing against her skin.

Locked in the fantasy, she imagined him going back to his cabin and stripping off his wet things until he was naked. He’d look really good naked, she thought on a sigh.

Then he looked over his shoulder, right at her, as if he’d heard her thoughts. An annoying little tingle went through her and she looked away first. But two seconds later she was looking at him again. Like a moth to the killer flame, she moved closer. “Maybe we should give them a break,” she said, nodding to the tired staff.