Chapter Fourteen #2
She looks at her skis like they betrayed her by actually working.
"Oh my God… I can ski…" she trails off.
"I wouldn’t go that far, but there’s hope for you yet."
She reaches out and slaps my arm. "Very funny."
"Just don’t take me out on the slopes like poor Dillian."
"Why not? Chin scars are sexy."
"If you think scars are sexy, I have plenty I can show you."
I watch as she bites her lip. It’s unconsciously done, but I clock it.
"That’s probably not the best idea. I’m here professionally," she says, but I can tell that there is hesitation in her voice. "Thank you for today."
"We're not done."
"No?"
"Not even close."
She grins. "Then let's go."
On the lift back up, I noticed things I shouldn't.
The curve of her jaw where it disappears into her jacket collar. The way her eyes crinkle at the corners when she smiles for real, not just the professional smile she uses like armor. The small scar near her temple that I'd have to be very close to see properly.
Third run, I released her wrists earlier.
"Wait—" she reaches back immediately, fingers grasping for mine.
"I'm right here," I say quietly, staying close. "You don't need me to hold you."
"I definitely need you to hold me."
"No. You think you do. That’s a different thing."
She makes a frustrated sound, but she doesn't reach back again.
She makes the turn without reaching for me. Then another, and another. I stay just behind her, close enough to intervene, far enough to let her own it.
Finally, she reaches the bottom just before me. She plants her edges and it's a clean stop.
She looks down at her skis and then back up at me. Her jaw dropped, her eyes wide. She lifts up her goggles, then so do I as she stares back at me, and I swear she hasn’t taken a breath yet.
"You did it," I say.
"I did it!" she yells, and before I can brace, she drops her poles, kicks out of her skis like she forgot how physics works, and launches herself at me.
"I can’t believe I just did that."
Her laugh explodes out of her — bright, shocked, almost disbelieving.
Her arms wrapped around my shoulders. My hands catch her at the waist automatically, lifting her clean off the snow as she laughs against my neck.
"You weren’t lying. You’re the best teacher."
Her body is warm against mine despite the layers. Her breath is hot where it hits my skin. My hands tightened without permission.
And then we’re face-to-face with no tinted lenses or snow between us anymore.
Our eyes locked, both of us holding onto each other, neither letting go. The adrenaline is burning hot right under the surface.
Her smile falters first, and I watch the shift happen in real time.
Her breath catches. Her lips part.
I don’t move. I don’t pull her closer. But I sure as hell have no intention of letting her go.
Then she rises to her toes and I bend without thinking, meeting her in the middle until her warm lips hit mine.
The kiss isn’t gentle or planned. It’s hot and cold and everything we’ve been pretending isn’t happening.
Her fingers slide into my jacket like she’s anchoring herself. My hand splayed at her lower back. Her lips parting against mine, and I’m just about to slide my tongue against her lower lip to ask for access, when someone yells, "Get a room."
She’s the one who jerks back first.
"Oh God." She steps out of my arms so fast she nearly loses her footing as she back peddles away from me faster than I’m comfortable with. "I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have done that."
"Natalia—" I say, taking a step towards her, my hand outstretched, hoping she’ll take it, but she doesn’t
"No. That was completely unprofessional. I don’t—I don’t know what came over me," she says, her fingers touching her forehead. "Just… pretend that didn’t happen, okay." She says and then spins around and bends to pick up her skis.
I take another step closer, trying not to startle her. She scares easily. "Will you just stop and talk to me? Please?" I ask.
She won’t look at me as she pulls her skis out for the snow. She spins back to look at me one last time. "I really need to go."
"Hold on for a minute and talk to me."
But she doesn’t. She walks faster. Too fast for someone in ski boots.
"That was a mistake. Just forget it," she calls over her shoulder.
The sting of her words hit. She called it a mistake. That’s what kissing me was to her.
I don’t follow. I just stood there in the quiet, snow falling lightly around me, her figure becoming smaller and smaller as she hightailed it away from me and what had just happened.
My heart pounded harder than it did on the black diamond run.
I didn’t chase her.
I didn’t admit that I wanted that kiss too.
I let her run, so that I didn’t have to.
Because, after all… That was a mistake.
NATALIA
I’m adjusting my goggles when Zack glides up beside me, slowing easily.
"Hey," he says, tone light. Careful. "Just wanted to check in."
I wince. "I’m really sorry about that. He kind of… stole our lesson. I had no idea that he was going to do that."
Zack laughs, shaking his head. "Yeah. I gathered."
I brace for irritation that never comes.
"It’s fine," he adds. "Honestly, I got the sense you two know each other a little better than two strangers on the same mountain."
"Something like that. We work together."
"Uh, I see. Is that it?" he asks, lowering his voice slightly. "I’m not trying to pry. I just get the feeling he doesn’t want me anywhere near you."
So I didn’t imagine it.
"I mean," Zack says, easy grin back in place, "I’ve taught a lot of couples, siblings, friends, clients. That wasn’t any of those vibes."
Heat creeps into my cheeks. "He’s just a client," I say quickly, because it’s true.
Even though I may have just lost all professional integrity with Luka, and if Carey finds out, she’ll assume what she already suspects–that I’m trying to sleep my way into getting Luka to do what I want.
Zack holds up a hand. "Hey, not judging. Just… noticed."
"We don’t exactly see eye to eye right now."
Then Zack clears his throat. "Since we’re already being weirdly honest—"
I glance up.
"I was planning to ask if you wanted to go with me to see some live music in the village this weekend. The café near the square. It’s an open mic thing." He shrugs. "Totally casual. No pressure. But it could be fun. Something different from almost dying on the slopes."
I laugh before I could stop myself.
Because he’s right. It would be nice to do something that doesn’t involve strapping myself into death traps and hurling my body down an ice mountain with a prayer and a helmet.
Besides, Luka spends his nights shooting pool and flirting with women who think he’s an easy target.
So far, I’d say that’s false advertising.
"Casual," I repeat. "No pressure."
"Exactly."
I nod, feeling relieved to have a distraction after what just happened between Luka and me just now. I can’t believe I kissed him. After repeatedly telling him that I don’t sleep with clients, I threw myself at him like a horny teenager. I feel like such an idiot.
"That sounds like exactly what I need," I tell him truthfully.
Zack smiles, genuinely pleased. "Great. It starts at seven on Saturday."
I do the math quickly. Saturday is three days from now.
"Seven on Saturday. I see you then," I confirm.
We part ways easily, no tension tugging at my spine, no second-guessing. For the first time since I arrived, I realized how sore I actually am, both emotionally and physically.
A hot bath and a book sound like heaven.
I head back toward the chalet, the snow quiet beneath my boots. No Luka in sight, which is probably for the best.
Because whatever that was on the mountain…
I need a minute before I try to understand it.