Chapter 14
Ledger
She’s trapped between me and the door, and when she tries to pull it open and sees it’s locked, she turns around and presses her back to the door. She closes her eyes and screws up her face, bracing herself for the inevitable plastering of snow in her face.
“It helps if you use a keycard.”
With her eyes still closed, she shakes her head. “It’s gone.”
I slow and stop just short of reaching her. “It’s gone?” I drop the snowball from my hand and rest my hands on my knees.
“It must have fallen out of my pocket.” She opens her eyes and bites her lower lip.
“That could have been my fault with the snowball fight.”
She just shakes her head and smiles. “So use your keycard, Farm Boy. And don’t you dare touch me with that snow.”
“I wouldn’t dream of it.” I smile, fumble in my pocket for my keycard, and come up empty handed. “Oh no.” I reluctantly drop my snowball to check the rest of my pockets. “I don’t have my key.”
“Where is it?”
“I—I think I left it in my room.”
She blows out a breath. “We’re locked out?” Her nose is turning pink. It’s completely adorable, but I know she’s getting cold.
“We’ll find your key.” I turn on the flashlight on my phone and start searching. The snow is coming down harder now and with all our running around, the courtyard is covered with roughed up snow. The keycard could be anywhere.
After a few minutes, and more shivers from both of us, I shrug. “We’ll find it in the morning. In the meantime, let’s go to the front office and get another one.”
“But I don’t have ID on me. They’re not just going to hand over a new keycard.”
I blow out a breath. “They’ll probably recognize you,” I counter. “And if not, just call Wynn. He’ll vouch for you.”
“I can’t call him this late.”
I rub my hands together. We begin walking the very long way around to the front of the building.
Against the backdrop of snow-capped mountains towering above us in a blackened sky, the resort resembles a grand European chalet.
“They’ll recognize you. Just show them that video of you and Kale. They’ll know it’s you then.”
She laughs. “I am not showing the front desk clerk that video. Besides, they’ll give you a key. They’ll recognize the great Ledger Bishop.”
We trudge along the snowy sidewalk, and I wrap an arm around her waist, cuddling her close to keep both of us warm in the shadow of the resort.
“I don’t know if they’ll know who I am,” I say. “I’m usually wearing a helmet when I’m on TV. They’ll recognize you, though.”
“I don’t know. I don’t have a pound and a half of stage makeup on.”
“I like the no-makeup look.”
She scoffs. “You do not.”
“I totally do.”
“In my experience, guys say they like the all-natural look, but when they see a woman without any makeup on, they aren’t interested.” She gives a faint sniff.
I stop and draw her hands to me. They’re cold.
I cover them with my own, warmer hands. Hers are so soft, her fingers long and tapered.
Graceful. “Oh, I’m interested.” I chuckle.
“You’re beautiful.” I shrug. “Look, I’m sure it’s hard being on national television every week.
There’s a lot of pressure to look good. I can understand that in some ways. ”
She sniffs from the cold. I reach out and slowly stroke her nose once with my finger. The smoothness of her cool skin startles me.
“My point is, you’re gorgeous with makeup and without. It’s just a fact.” I clear my throat. “I know you didn’t ask for my two cents, but I had to say it because it’s true.”
She softens and gives me the barest of smiles. “Thanks…I—” her gaze flits over my face, drinking me in and I’m totally locked in. I like her looking at me in this way—like she wants to be close to me for a long time.
I can’t help but look down at her lips. I know what her lips feel like against my own, and I want more. The kiss earlier today was far too short—all it’s done is make me want to kiss her again. For real, this time.
Her gaze is on my mouth, too. A beat, and then a barely there shudder.
But then she gives an almost imperceptible shake of her head. “I think we should speed up. I’m getting cold.”
We let go of each other’s hands, the buzz of being so close filling my head. And as we walk, I marvel about how, even though we’ve been up close and personal for days as we’ve danced together, this moment right now feels more intimate than anything else we’ve experienced.