Free Fall

Now, seriously, stop. Stay. I don't want to have to worry about you, too.'

'I'm SAR,' he said, and when she just stared at him, he clarified, 'Search and Rescue.'

'I know what SAR means.' Hmm. She didn't have time to analyze the little skip in her pulse, nor did she know what to make of him, a man clearly as insane as she was.

'I can help,' he said.

Lily was very used to the people in her world trying to rein her in, hold her back, telling her she couldn't, she shouldn't, constantly reminding her how much of a screwup she'd been all her life- which, perversely, always made her want to step over the proverbial line. Or erase it.

But now, for the first time ever, she had the urge to rein someone in, to tell them they couldn't, they shouldn't, and she had to admit that it was majorly unnerving. She wanted to grab him, make him wait, make sure that he didn't get hurt, that he stayed safe. Was that how her family felt? 'Okay, so you're trained, but this is my rescue-'

'There.' He pointed, then pushed past her to actually beat her to the rescue. Only about twenty-five yards straight down the vertical slope, a skier sat on a rock, looking a little sheepish as he lifted one foot, minus the ski he'd clearly lost into the vast valley below.

With one last sigh, Lily followed.

***

The rescue went well, the lecture given, the reports filled out, and before Lily knew it, the whole incident was over.

And her mystery man was gone.

She'd never even learned his name. Her pride chafed a little at that, and the fact that apparently he hadn't felt the need to learn hers, even though he'd been the one to use the small first-aid kit in her fanny pack to treat a wound on the lost skier's knee. He'd chatted with the young punk, joking about how he'd been given this trip while at a bachelor party for his best friend and about how much easier skiing was than rappelling out of helicopters, or flying them, which he apparently did on a daily basis in his SAR duties.

Watching him work had been an interesting experience. He had such an easygoing confidence and an authority that didn't grate or grind on her nerves. That had been a first.

Still, she knew she hadn't imagined the scorching heat in his eyes every time he'd looked at her, so if he was stupid enough to let her go, well, then, he could just damn well suffer for it.

Back in her office, she worked for several hours solid on her least favorite chore-paperwork. Even a small resort like Bay Moon generated mountains of it, all of which had to be done, though she'd have preferred to be outside on the real mountain. Trying not to resent it, she approved the budget for the ski shop's fall stock, looked over Sara's guest-services report and eyed the accounting reports for Gwyneth. Ugh.

Finally, she glanced at the clock. Three o'clock. A good time for the lunch she'd never had, she figured,, and popped out of her office.

'You going out for a bite?' Carrie asked. She was a local, like Lily, who'd spent years enjoying her ultimate- ski-bunny status, until two years ago when she'd fallen on the slopes and tweaked her lower back. Now she occasionally skied a beginner slope, but mostly worked in the office, enjoying her great view, with an unbelievably good attitude.

If Lily had lost her ability to board or ski, she wouldn't have been nearly so accepting. 'Yeah, I'm going out.'

Carrie grinned. 'Let me guess-you're going to the midlodge for a burger.'

She was going to the midlodge, all right, but she wouldn't be stopping for a burger. She'd be getting on yet another lift to get to the top of the hill for a few runs before they closed. 'Mmm…maybe.'

'It's snowing again.'

'Since when has that ever been a deterrent?' But she did dodge back into her office to trade her sunglasses for her goggles, grabbing them off their perch on her desk lamp.

Carrie's laugh rang out as Lily left. 'Ski one for me, would you?'

'You got it.' The lodge was full of skiers and boarders, all talking, some eating, and by the looks of it, everyone enjoying themselves. Lily found herself smiling as she walked through and went outside. Small flakes drifted lazily down as she got on the lift.

She'd no sooner gotten off at midmountain when she came across a fight between two boarders who turned out to be identical-twin fools. They were fighting over which run to take, and had gathered an audience. Lily swore, tossed aside her board and leaped in, pushing them apart, but not before she took an elbow to her chin, making her see stars. 'You,' she growled, jabbing one in the chest. They were about twenty years old, lanky and looking a little worse for the fight in the snow. 'You okay?'

He touched a growing bruise under his eye and glared at his twin. 'Yeah.'

'That's too bad,' she said, then whirled when his brother snickered. 'Listen carefully. Go down Calamity Alley, go around the lodge, not through, and straight to your car.'

'Calamity Alley,' he whined. 'That's nothing but a bunny hill.'

She swiped her finger over his season pass hanging around his neck. 'Go, or lose this.'

'Hey, I paid good money for that!' He pulled free. 'You can't tell me what to do.'

Her chin throbbed, and every moment that passed meant less time on the slopes before she had to go back inside. 'See this jacket? It means I can tell you whatever I want.' She gestured down the hill. 'Don't come back today.' She turned to his brother. 'And you. Go down Abby's Lane, which runs parallel to Calamity Alley. Same rules. Around the lodge, not through, and don't come back today or you'll lose your season pass.'

A long, tense moment passed while they shot her matching sullen looks. With a few of their buddies egging them on behind her, she turned in a circle in the lightly falling snow, hand on her walkie-talkie, wondering if she'd have to call for backup, which would just really top it for her.

Then a man pushed his way through the small crowd to stand beside her, and her heart hit her throat.

Her Sexy Man In Black.

He'd replaced his sunglasses with goggles, as well, but other than that, looked the same. Which was to say, knee-knockingly good. He took in the situation with one quick, sweeping gaze, then settled that gaze on her, silently offering support while letting her remain in charge.

She eyed the twins again, but after a minute they both huffed out a breath. 'It's snowing anyway,' one muttered, and they went their separate ways with matching grumbles. Only then did she let herself relax as her gaze once again collided with a dark, melting-chocolate one.

'Fun stuff,' he said.

'Yeah. Sometimes it's Idiot Central around here.'

He flashed a devastating grin that revved her engines. 'You handled it.'

Yeah, she had, but that he'd noticed and given her credit for it made her take a good long second look at him. And a third. 'You having a good day?'

'Oh, yeah. And seeing you again is a nice bonus, too.'

She bent to tighten the laces on her boots, giving herself a moment because the man seriously scrambled her brain, even more so now that she knew he wasn't just an arresting face and hot bod. He had brains to go with both. And that he worked in SAR just upped the gotta-have-him factor because there was nothing, absolutely nothing, hotter than a guy capable of putting his life on the line to rescue another.

She both felt and heard him ski closer, his edges scraping into the groomed snow at his short stop. When she straightened, he was right there, facing the opposite direction to her, skis parallel to her board. Close enough to touch.

He took off his right glove. Reaching out, his jacket crinkling as it shifted over his broad shoulders, he touched her bruised chin.