Chapter 13 Bunny Streaking
BUNNY STREAKING
HOLDEN
I’d never before taken the woman I just slept with into my luxury ski shop and told her she could have carte blanche. We walked into Quest Outfitters, and my chest puffed up a little.
Floor-to-ceiling windows showed off my white mountain.
Racks of top-end gear gleamed—bright boards, sleek skis, goggles, helmets.
We had coats and pants, too, from premiere designers in every shade, appealing to both serious winter sports enthusiasts and wealthy celebs who just wanted to be photographed on the slopes.
Lilah wandered in behind me, hair loose around her shoulders, still damp from our shower. She looked satisfied as fuck, and I patted myself on the back for contributing.
“Well?” I swept an arm around the shop. “Pick anything. Board, boots, jacket. I’ll even let you choose the color.”
Her mouth quirked. “You’ll let me?”
“Within reason,” I added. “We have some neon over there, and I’d advise staying away from that.”
She ignored me and toured once through everything, fingers brushing the sleeves of jackets, the edges of boards, the tags on gloves. When she stopped, it was in front of a white-and-hot-pink set—sleek ski pants and a fitted jacket. My stomach sank.
“No,” I said.
“Oh, yes,” she replied, grinning, already pulling the hanger off the rack.
“That is the most ski-bunny outfit we carry.”
“And yet,” she held it up to herself, smirking, “it’s calling my name.”
“Lilah.”
“Holden.”
“I thought you’d go for more serious equipment,” I protested. “This outfit says, ‘I came to stand around and look pretty.’”
“Great. I can look good and snowboard then.” She drifted toward another display and plucked something that made my throat go dry— hot pink bikini. “Ooh, and this.”
I choked. “You’re not really going to wear that today.”
“Why not?” She turned the bikini top over in her hands, holding the cups of the top up to herself. “It looks fun. And dammit, I can be fun.”
“Last night and this morning you were definitely fun. Our fling must be bringing it out of you. But you don’t seem like the ski-bunny type.”
She arched a brow. “Really? Explain.”
“Yeah, you know,” I started, gesturing vaguely, “the ones who ski in bikini tops for attention, to catch every man’s eye.”
She stared at me, unimpressed. “You don’t think some of them wear bikini tops because they like to? Because it’s their body and they can do what they want with it? Once you’ve been sweating in a heavy coat for two hours, maybe you want one run where you feel the cold air on your skin?”
“Fair point.” I ran a hand through my hair, knowing when to retreat from a battle. Obviously, I wanted to see her in the sexiest outfit we sold here, too.
“Ring me up, Mr. Snowman.” She tossed the bikini onto the sales counter.
“I told you, on the house. I’m not charging you for a thing.”
She gave me the side-eye. “Holden.”
“Owner’s privilege. It has its perks.” I grabbed the scissors and started cutting off the tags.
Lilah’s lips curved. “You’re ridiculous.”
“But you’re now the proud owner of a ski-bunny starter kit, so Merry Christmas.”
“I didn’t expect this weekend to turn this friendly, so I’m afraid I don’t have a present for you.”
“Trust me, you’ve given plenty.” I wiggled my eyebrows. “You’re the gift that keeps on giving, remember.”
She rolled her eyes, but she was smiling. No matter what she wore, I was about to get her out on the slopes with me. To this old snowboarder, I’d call it a win.
All dressed up with sunscreen on our faces, we traveled through the tunnel and met Cal and Tom at the ski lift.
As the best patrollers I’d hired last year, I trusted they'd made all the arrangements for us.
I introduced them to Lilah, and invited them to come eat one night at the new restaurant after we opened, my treat for taking care of things this morning and having to work through the holiday.
We took the lift up to the bunny run, snow glittering under us in the sharp afternoon sun.
She gazed out at the view. So did I—of her blonde hair stirring on a whisper of a breeze, and the white fur collar and pink accents of the snow bunny outfit bringing out a rosy hue to her cheeks. My beautiful little bunny…
She caught me staring, her eyes even a brighter blue reflecting from the snow. I cleared my throat and recovered quickly.
“Remember your front foot has control, okay? Keep your weight on it,” I advised.
“I’m not exactly a newbie.”
“I know, but doesn’t hurt to review since you say it’s been a while.” I bumped my shoulder into hers. “Look where you want to go, not at your feet.”
“Got it.”
“Your board only listens to your hips.”
“You mean the bruised ones from where you gripped me too tight last night?”
“I’ll have you black and blue by Monday, that’s a promise.” I winked, then back to basics. “Keep your knees bent. You’ve got this. I’ll be right beside you the whole run.”
We kept it slow, carving through the powder. I let my board float. Behind me, I heard the occasional scrape and soft curse as Lilah rediscovered her edges.
At the bottom, I looked back. She cruised in with a cautious S-curve, then stopped beside me in a little spray of snow.
“Powder is incredible today,” I called. “Hanging in there?”
She caught her breath, cheeks glowing. “Yep. Getting my legs back.”
“And gorgeous, too. Even in hot pink. Come here.”
After breathless kisses, we loaded onto the lift again, boards dangling over all that pristine white. I nudged her gently with my elbow.
“You’re already looking steazy, Chef.” She gave me a quizzical look. “That’s boarder talk for stylish and easy. I think you’re ready to graduate from the bunny hill. We’ll take run one this time.”
“If I go down, I’m taking you with me.” She nodded toward my knee. “It doesn’t bother you now?”
“The surgeries and extensive rehab along with keeping fit helped. As well as knowing I can’t push it like I used to in my younger days. Relax. I’m fine, but thanks for caring, Frosty. Now, give me a kiss before we fly.”
Our frozen lips connected, parting just in time at the top. Before I could say anything else, she pushed off and flew down the mountain.
“Lilah!” I shouted, dropping in after her.
She sliced the slope. Tight, controlled turns, weight perfectly centered. She popped over a soft pillow of powder like it was nothing, then shifted to ride her edge down a little tree line, spraying snow in an easy, practiced rhythm.
I had to work to catch up. “What the hell?” I laughed as I chased her.
By the time we reached the bottom, my lungs were burning in the best way. She slid to a stop ahead of me, flipped her board sideways, and leaned on one hip, smug as sin.
“You’re a little hustler, aren’t you?” I chuckled, unstrapping one binding.
“How so?” she asked, all innocent eyes.
“You don’t get that good from casual snowboarding. And considering you haven’t been down a hill in some years—”
“You’re right.” She dusted some snow off her pants. “I got that good from snowboarding in Switzerland with the rebound guy I dated after Brad.” She shrugged. “Lots of practice. Lots of vertical. Shall we go again?”
Jealousy flared hot and unwelcome under my ribs, picturing her on another mountain with another man.
“Hey, Cal? Did run two pass safety patrol today?” I asked because clearly my hustling little bunny needed a bigger challenge.
“Sure thing, boss. Ready to go,” he thumbed toward the lift.
We sat on the bench, ascending quickly.
I stared at her. “So, who was this rebound guy?”
She smirked. “Brother of an Olympic medalist from France.”
I made a face.
“Jealous?” she asked, clearly pleased.
“Do you mind if I am?”
“No. It’s actually kind of cute. Although…” She looked away, toward the mountains. “This is just a fling, right?”
There it was. The line we’d drawn. The expiration I wasn’t sure I liked anymore so quickly into this situation.
“Right,” I added, even as my gut twisted.
I chased her down the mountain three more times, never quite passing her by, but I loved the sight of her in front of me. Better than boarding alone. On the fourth run, at the top, with a calm peak above us, the sun blazed. Lilah stopped just off the lift before going down.
“Beautiful day for this. I’m so glad you talked me into going out.” She unzipped her jacket, letting it hang at her waist. I did the same with mine, and was still plenty warm with a thermal layer underneath.
Honestly, I was impressed with her skills, but it stung a part of me that had hoped to show off for her a little today. And that’s about where my coherent thoughts ended as she pulled off her thermal layer, revealing the hot pink bikini top beneath, bare shoulders gleaming in the sun.
“You’ll burn,” I warned, gawking at her, glad I was the only man on the mountain today.
She laughed.
“You think it’s funny?” I stepped closer. That protective, possessive thread inside me tugged way too hard. “You'd better run.”
Her eyes lit up. “What do you mean?”
“Get down that slope,” I warned, low. “Because if I catch you, Lilah…”
“You haven’t caught me yet.” She tilted her head, pure tease.
I leaned in, close enough that my breath stirred her hair. “When I do, I’ll be very tempted to tear that top right off you, carry you to the nearest tree and warm your nipples with my mouth.”
“Well… we are alone up here. Maybe clothing should be optional for one day.” She winked.
Who replaced icy Chef Childs with this monster of fun?
Oh, yeah, that’d be me, after what I did to her last night and this morning.
This woman got the blood pumping to my cock again, but before my heart could remember how to function properly, she grabbed my thermal henley from the hem and yanked it up.
I barely got my arms out in time before she tossed it over her shoulder.
“Hey—”
“Clothing optional for you as well,” she laughed as her hands slid over my chest. I caught her wrists, and went in for a hard, hot kiss that could have melted snow.
When she broke away, eyes bright, she ripped off her top, her nipples instantly perky. “Want me? Come get me.”
“Oh, you better run now, little bunny,” I called. “Run!”
I had exactly half a second more to admire the perfect flash of sun on her bare breasts before she took off, laughing and carving hard into the slope. She was a dare in pink and white, streaking across my mountain.
I went after her, heart pounding, grinning like a maniac.
Yes, I really liked the view of her snowboarding with me bare-breasted. But more than that, I loved the sound of her laughter echoing the whole way down. Something told me Frosty melted. I took full credit.