Deeper (The Real Fling) (4 page)

“Which way?” Val surprised her.

“I’m good from here.”

The glimmer in Val’s eyes cut through her darkness. “Which lodge do you need to get to?” With his fair hair, strong nose, and broad cheekbones he was radiant.

Adriana had to look away or she’d be swept up in the enchantment of him. “Lionshead. Just point me in the right direction.”

“That way.” He pointed to their left.

“Thanks.” She didn’t need any distractions. She had to figure a way out of this job mess and get home. Not necessarily in that order. “Thanks for everything. I really appreciate it.”

“You got it,
printsessa
.”

Adriana took off before her resolve weakened. She yearned to move, feel the wind on her face, and shake this helpless pall. There were people around, but it was nowhere near as crowded as it had been earlier in the day. Flying down, she skied with quick little turns to keep her speed in check. As long as she kept her arm close to her body and didn’t go over any bumps, her shoulder wasn’t an issue.

Was someone shadowing her? She was going too fast to turn her head, and she didn’t want to stop. It was the end of the day, there had to be a lot of people trying to get to the same area. Tucking in tighter, she sped down faster. She’d be at the bottom soon. An intersection loomed up ahead. If she picked the wrong path she’d have to walk, a long distance in these Frankenstein boots with all her gear in tow, to get her things. Not optimal.
Which way?

“Go left,” Val called out.

Adriana stiffened.
Figures.

He skied on her right, herding her toward the trail.

“Hey.” She slowed down to get away from him. “Cut it out.”

He kept her pace. “Come. This is the quickest way to Lionshead.”

“Val, please, I’m not playing.”

He wouldn’t move out of her way. Which was more annoying: the fact that he wouldn’t leave her or that she kinda liked it?

Ugh.
She was a lost cause.

She went left onto the light-dappled path. He took the lead, giving her a choice view of his incredible ass and legs. His whole body was fierce, but watching his lower half right now was killer. She couldn’t imagine his muscles ever burning the way hers had been.

Fifteen minutes later, Vail Village was finally coming into view. Another hundred yards and she was down. Happiness danced through her veins. She almost didn’t recognize it, since she’d barely felt it at all today, but there it was.

He slowed up.

Adriana skied alongside of him. “Now that was fun.”

Val shed his goggles up and rumpled his hair. “You
are
a good skier.”

“I told you.”

“You did.” His brows raised.

“Yeah, but not in that other stuff and the whole
off-piste
thing creeped the hell out of me.”

“Once you shifted your balance you were fine.” His lashes lowered over his stunning eyes.

“I don’t know.” She took off her goggles. “I love flying down like we just did so much more.”

“Me too, but you can do that in fresh snow too. I will teach you a few tricks.” Pocketing his goggles, he looked up at the very pregnant clouds. “Looks like there will be a lot more to play in tomorrow.”

“I can’t. I have to get home.” They were at the bottom just in time, the lifts were closed. Ski Patrol were herding the last skiers down. People were crisscrossing here and there with their skis and poles. She put her goggles in her jacket and got her phone.

“New York?”

“I’ve gotta figure out this job thing.” It was four ten p.m. If she scrambled, she could be at the airport by eightish.

“Not tonight.”

Adriana stopped trying to load her web browser and stared at him.

He ran his palm across his face. “The last flight out of Denver to New York is around seven, you’ll never make it to the airport in time.”

“No way.”

He shrugged and stabbed his poles into the snow pack. “I go often.”

Stuck here?
No.
Swallowing, she put her phone away. She’d have to go with plan B, dealing with Jackie.

“It will be all right.”

With Adriana’s insides churning, nothing about this was okay.

“Let’s get your things.”

Her face burned, but she said nothing.

“I know. You do not want to see her.”

Summoning a bitter smile, she blinked back her emotions. “No choice. I’ve gotta deal.”

“Later.” Val skimmed his teeth across his lips. “Have a drink with me.” He gazed at her so intensely it sent shivers through her.

Adriana wet her lips. How could she say no to those eyes and lips? “Just one.”

His smile was stunning. It lit up his whole face. This man was dangerous. He stepped out of his skis and helped her out of hers, then lifted both pair and ushered her through a door labeled
Private
.

It was a fancy coed locker room, with green cushioned benches between rows of wooden lockers. There was a large living room sitting area in the back with a fireplace that was ablaze. A few of the skiers greeted Val.

Val tipped his head toward a bench in the corner and Adriana sat down. She had the perfect view of everything. Most of the people coming in and out had Ski Patrol jackets on and the others were definitely pros. They had US Ski Team and sponsor patches on their clothes. “How’d you score this?”

He scratched the amber scruff on his cheek. “I know people?”

“I’ll say.”

They took off their boots, and Val secured them away with their skis. “Where are your things?”

Handing him her locker key, she directed him. “Thank you.”

Val slipped out the door and returned moments later with Adriana’s things. She yanked on her shearling boots, wiggled her toes and felt better.

“You like that.” He was watching her.

“Yeah. Nothing better than getting out of those ski boots.”

He arched his brow at her as if to say
Nothing?

They exited the locker room and Val guided her toward the left. “I know a quiet place.” He went in the opposite direction from the madness that was the center of the village. People greeted him along the way. He waved back but never slowed his pace.

“You do know people.”

He glanced at her. “Not everyone.” He stopped in front of a small restaurant with a deck facing the mountain. “The deck is heated.” He dropped her bag at a small table outside and dragged out a chair for her. “Is this okay?” The snow had eased up but there was enough of an overhang that they’d be sheltered. The view of the mountains was stunning.

“Perfect.”

“Hey, Val.” A perky red-headed server came over to their table. “How’d it go today?”

“Great, Jen.” He seemed at ease. “You?”

“Same.” Jen was searching his face, examining him like he was…fragile?

“This is Adriana.” He turned toward Adriana. “She’s from the East Coast too.”

“You live here?” Adriana sat back in her seat.
What must that be like?

“For the time being.” Jen put a couple of napkins and glasses of water on the table. “There a lot of us transplants around. How ’bout you?”

“On my way home.” Adriana avoided Val’s gaze.

Jen put her hands on her hips. “Not going anywhere for at least a few days, unless this snow ends.” She looked up at the clouds. “The pass is closed.”

“The what?” Adriana’s stomach twisted.

“Loveland pass. That tunnel, on the Continental Divide, you came through from Denver.”

Adriana sort of remembered a tunnel by a ski resort, but that couldn’t be the only way back to the airport.

“When the weather gets real bad, the tunnel closes.”

“There’s gotta be a way around it.” Adriana got her phone and opened her map app.

Jen laughed. “Yeah, you’re from New York. Not unless you want to go hundreds of miles out of your way. Sorry to say, you’re stuck for a bit. But you can’t get a better tour guide than this guy.” Jen bumped her hip into Val’s arm. “Nice to see you’ve got company,” she murmured to him, then louder. “What can I get you two?”

“White Russians?” Val lifted his brow toward Adriana.

“Seriously?” Adriana smiled and put her phone away.

Val held up two fingers. “And a bag of ice.”

Jen acted like it was a usual request and left.

“Is she for real?” Adriana leaned forward. “I can’t leave?”

“Not at the moment. They close the pass when there is a risk of avalanches. We got a lot of snow.”

Now what?
Stop asking that or more will come
. She didn’t want to go back to the one-bedroom condo with Jackie banging some guy and she couldn’t afford a hotel.
This sucks.
Her heart raced.

“The snow will clear,” he rumbled softly.

“When?” She was shaking.

Val put his hand on her back. “The weather in the Rockies is mercurial. It can be a blizzard one day and forties and sunny the next. One thing that is certain is it will change.”

She bit her bottom lip.

“Come on, it’s not that bad.” A smile played across his features.

“How do you figure?”

“You could still be sitting in the bowl without a ski.”

“Oh shit.” She cringed.

“Until it clears you can stay with me.” His eyes darkened.

Right.
“No, I’ll be fine at the condo. Besides I’ve gotta be ready to bolt once the snow stops.” She rose. “Where is the restroom?”

“In the back of the bar on the left.” He jerked his chin to the left.

The ladies’ room was empty. Adriana had the damnedest time getting undressed. Not being able to use her right shoulder was a drag. Each time she lifted her right arm, sharp spasms ripped through her.

Imagine what would have happened if he hadn’t come along, when she was stuck without a ski on that killer ridge.
Insane.
Or what if a woman had come by or Ski Patrol instead of that devastatingly beautiful man out there? Maybe her luck hadn’t been entirely bad.

The outer door opened as Adriana struggled to get her overalls on. “You all right? It’s me, Jen. Val sent me in. He figured you might have trouble getting dressed.” Jen washed her hands. “I’ll help if you want.”

“Um. I can’t get my overalls on.” Adriana opened the stall door. “Thanks.”

“Hit your shoulder?”

“Hurts bad.”

Jen tucked Adriana’s sweater in her overalls, looped her arms in carefully and zipped it up. “Sucks. If anyone knows about injuries, it’s him.” Jen jerked her head toward outside. “I haven’t seen him happy since before… And even then…” Her thick curls flew side to side. “He’s a good guy.”

“Before what?”

A loud knock startled them both. “Jen, you in there?” a man bellowed. “You got four tables waiting. Hurry up.”

“Gotta run.”

“Thank you.”
Before what?

“Anytime.” Jen slipped out the door.

Adriana splashed water on her face, and was more than ready for that captivating man and a healthy drink. Make it a triple. She joined Val back at the table.

“Okay?” Concern was etched in his forehead.

Adriana sat down. “Jen helped. Thank you.”

“Shoulder tight?”

“It feels worse.”

He flattened the baggie of ice. “Put this between your sweater and thermal right where my thumb was before. It will numb the pain and reduce the swelling.”

She did.

He put a few chocolate Kisses next to her drink.

“For the pain?” Arching her brow at him, she took a big sip.

“Best medicine.” His baby blues lit up.

Who needed to drink when she could just get lost in him?

“Is it just the two of you on this trip?” He popped a Kiss in his mouth.

“Yeah. Everyone else bailed. Now I know why. Jackie’s a lot to handle.” Adriana rolled her eyes.

Jen delivered a plate of food and left.

“I ordered a quesadilla.” Val put the plate closer to Adriana. “Everyone likes cheese, yes?”

Adriana palmed her belly. Her shoulder ache killed her appetite. “I love cheese but I can’t eat a thing right now.” Leaning into her drink, she took a big sip to settle her stomach.

“You should eat.” He slathered sour cream and salsa on a wedge and took a bite.

She surveyed him over the rim of the glass as she sipped her drink. “I think Jackie’s with one of your friends.”

He jerked his chin up at her as if to ask,
Who?

“At lunch she came over to the table you were at and cozied up to a dark-haired guy sitting at the end. She’s petite and blonde, you had to see her.”

“I only saw you.” The intensity in his expression sent delicious shivers skittering down Adriana’s spine. “We should get that shoulder into a hot tub.” His voice was husky.

So he
did
notice her. Adriana’s heart pumped so fast she felt light-headed. “I…I should go.”

“Where?” The slight curve in his lips captivated her.

“Back to our condo.” She pulled out money.

Lifting his palm, he gestured no. “Does it have a Jacuzzi?”

Jen stopped by the table with a to-go bag and placed it next to Val.

“Here.” Adriana tried to give her money for the bill, but she also waved it away.

“Val took care of it. Hope you feel better.” Jen tapped the table and left.

“Thanks but…” Adriana bit her bottom lip. “I can’t. Please, it’s my treat.”

He shook her off. “Well?”

Inclining her head, she silently asked him,
What?

“Does your condo have a hot tub?” Amusement dripped from his voice even though his expression was neutral. “It’s what your shoulder needs. Alternating cold and hot.”

A war was raging inside of her between caution and desire. She wanted nothing more than to prolong her time with him. The major thing that attracted Adriana to Jackie was the way she took what she craved without reservations. Jobs, men, anything really. How hard could it be to be that singularly focused and determined? This was Adriana’s chance to practice. She could keep things light with Val, just have a drink and relax, nothing more. “Um, no.”

“Then that settles that, yeah?” He scraped his chair back.

Adriana dropped the bag of ice on the table. Was it safe to go with him? What if he was a serial killer or something even more twisted than that? What could be worse? She wasn’t in Manhattan anymore. It was scary outside the city. All New Yorkers had to deal with were roaches the size of rats, rats the size of raccoons, taxi drivers who couldn’t speak English and got their driver’s license from gumball machines, and the occasional mugger. Most of which she could avoid using a keenly developed survival sense. But leave New York City, and she was in the wild-unknown chock-full of random mass shootings, serial whatevers, and all sorts of sick deviants. Yeah, but that wasn’t Val. No way he could be any of those things and possess that smile and that look.