His eyes locked on hers. He reached out and stroked away the tear she hadn't even realized she'd let fall. 'What is it?'
What was it? She had no idea where to start, and she was afraid that if she tried, she'd fall apart. 'I don't know.'
'Yes, you do.' He turned her to face where Matt and Sara lay, entangled together as if they'd been made for each other. One so hurt, the other lending their strength and support and love. 'You know exactly,' he said softly in her ear. 'You're looking at them, yearning for what they have. Why the hell can't you admit it?'
Straightening away from him, she swiped at her tears and crossed her arms over her chest. Closing herself off.
But he just looked at her, patience shining in his eyes.
Wrapping a hand around her wrist, he dragged her out of the doorway and just around the corner, pressing her back against the wall as he touched her face. 'If there's something you want, Lily, just take it.'
Another tear fell. Damn it. The
'You have to believe.' He shot her a half smile. 'I'll even make you a deal. I'll take the first risk…' He picked up the hand lying limp at her side, pressing it to his heart. 'Remember when I said I thought I was falling in love with you?'
'I'm not likely to forget.'
'Well, I'm not just thinking it anymore. I know.' He tightened his fingers on her when she would have pulled away. 'I'm in love with you, Lily.' He offered her a shaky smile. 'I know I promised no strings attached, and I still mean that. I don't want to hold you back. I wouldn't.' He drew in a long, shaky breath. 'So. How's that for risk?'
She couldn't smile back, she was frozen to the spot, every muscle tense. 'Pretty good.'
'We understand each other. I think it could work.'
'But you live in Ohio. I live here in Tahoe.'
'I'm flexible. I can come back and forth. And you're restless here, you know it. Come see where I live, come volunteer on the SAR team and get a thrill. Maybe you'll find out you can have more than one home base.'
She just stared at him, thinking maybe, just maybe, he could be right.
But he must have taken her silence the wrong way because he gripped her arms and pulled her closer, his eyes flashing with frustration, temper and an emotion so real and unwavering, she could hardly breathe. 'I can see backing off because of a fundamental, compelling problem that can't be fixed. Like you hate all men who ski better than you-'
She let out a choking laugh.
'And I can see backing off because you don't ever see yourself falling for me. But goddamn it, don't make excuses, because I'm willing to go wherever it takes, do whatever has to be done to make this work.'
She managed to swallow. Not easy with a lump the size of a regulation basketball in her throat. 'I can't fall in love after only one week,' she said more to herself than anything. 'I…can't.'
If Sara could make a relationship work, if Gwyneth could soften and learn to compromise, then Lily herself could certainly change.
Logan just looked at her, still holding her arms, still in her space, making her body hum and her heart squeeze. 'Don't be afraid,' he said very quietly. 'Not of this.'
'Of course not. I'm fearless, remember?'
He let out a low laugh, and pressed his hps to her temple. 'Lily.'
She gripped him tight, pulling him in for a hug, closing her eyes. Then she opened them and met his. 'Okay, listen. I think maybe I- No. Scratch that, start over.' She gulped in a big breath and rushed out the words that were threatening to block off her air. 'Damn it. I love you back.'
He seemed to reel over that, and she let out a long, shaky breath, then laughed at the both of them looking so shell-shocked, more nervous than they'd been while risking life and limb on top of a sheer mountain precipice in a hell of a snowstorm. 'I really do, Logan. I love you back.'
His eyes were brilliantly shiny. 'You didn't melt.'
'Are you sure? Because I think the bones dissolved right out of my legs.' Feeling rubbery, she slid to the floor.
Logan crouched in front of her. In his eyes was relief, and more love than she'd ever imagined could be staring right back at her. His mouth curved in a smile. 'I'm feeling a little shaky myself.'
He looked so damn gorgeous, she could hardly stand it. He was hers. Hers. Her shakiness was quickly becoming replaced by an adrenaline surge, and something else…a rush of joy. Wrapping her hands in his shirt, she brought him to her, meeting his mouth with hers for a long, liquidy kiss. When she pulled back, she could feel the gratifying pounding of his heart beneath her palms, and it matched hers perfectly. 'We're crazy, you know that,' she whispered.
'Undoubtedly.'
'This isn't going to be easy.'
'Nope.'
'Neither of us has a clue how to make something like this work.'
'True enough.'
'But I want it, so much,' she whispered, and threw herself at him so they toppled over on the floor of the hallway. 'I want it enough to go with you to Ohio and take some time. Enough to get you to come back here as often as you can.'
Flat on his back, he smiled at her, and everything within her softened and went weak and trembly- and strong and sure at the same time. It was right, she thought with awe. It was so right.
From down the hall and on the other side of the big, open lodge came a blip of a siren. Blue and red lights flashed through the darkened resort. The ambulance had arrived. They pulled each other up and she peeked around the corner, into the room where Matt and Sara still lay asleep. From the window came the light pink tinge of dawn. 'It's nearly morning,' she whispered.
Logan's arm slipped around her waist, pulled her to his side. His hps brushed over her hair. 'Anew day.'
Tilting her head up, she met his mouth with hers. 'A new beginning.'
Epilogue
Logan drove home after a long day of rescues. A surprise spring ice storm had trapped hikers, bikers and motorists alike in situations that had kept his team busy for twenty-two straight hours.
He had two more days of flying ahead of him, and then he was off for four days.
He'd be heading back to Tahoe.
To Lily.
They'd seen each other more often than he'd imagined possible. She loved his small hometown. As a certified EMT, she'd been easily added to their SAR team on a volunteer, on-call basis, and they'd had many adventures over
