It was almost impossible to think when he affected her like that, not just with his hands, but with his luscious voice and hungry eyes. No one had ever looked at her with such desire.
Sophie blinked a few more times. Sure, what he said made sense, but still—she didn’t go off shacking up with guys she barely knew. She’d only had two boyfriends and didn’t know how to be carefree. “It seems super rushed, like we’re jumping into something too quickly.”
“I’m not saying you have to sleep with me. You can have the guest room, which you’re already familiar with. I’ll be a perfect gentleman.” He raised his brows and followed with a decadent smirk. “Unless you don’t want me to be.”
Her mind jumped to visions of Damon being as naughty with her as his words suggested, and a swirl of heat funneled in her core. The reaction was far too prevalent, happening when he was nearby. Her mouth fell open. “Damon, I uh—” Where was she headed with that sentence?
When she didn’t complete it, he asked, “What’s holding you back, Sophie?”
“So many things.” She took a step backwards and ran one hand through her bangs. She searched behind him to the vast mountain peak covered with snow, seeking clarity. “I don’t just run off with a guy I barely know for a spontaneous getaway in the mountains.”
“You’re here already. And I’m greatly enjoying getting to know you better.”
She sure as heck enjoyed the time they’d spent together so far.
“Do you ever run with what your gut is telling you?” he added.
“Yes,” she admitted. A sensitive type, she was guided by her emotions. But where had it gotten her thus far? Cheated on by two boyfriends, that’s where. That’s why she should be more logical.
Damon searched her eyes. “What’s it telling you now?”
Caught in his amber gaze, her breath hitched. Would a fling in the mountains be so awful? It wasn’t as if her love life was a whirlwind of activity back home.
She swallowed and admitted, “To give this a go.”
His chiseled lips spread into a grin. “There you go. Decision made.”
“Not exactly,” she countered with a pointed index finger. “I didn’t agree to anything.”
Damon took her hand. “I’m guessing you came here to the mountains for a getaway. Get some skiing in and have a break from your normal world. That incident in the woods cut that experience short, so why not take advantage of what I’m suggesting? You get to spend more time here. If and when you feel up for it, we can go skiing again. Or, we can take it easy and enjoy each other’s company. What do you have to lose?”
Her heart? That might be jumping the gun. Sure, she was attracted to him, but she wasn’t foolish enough to fall for someone who had an expiration date in her life, whether it was tonight or a short time from now.
Still, Damon was right. What did she have back home preventing her from staying in the mountains a bit longer? “Well, when you put it that way…”
Damon’s beautiful eyes sparkled with expectation. “Does that mean you’re considering it?”
Everything back in the city would be waiting for her. Her boss might not be happy about it, but she could easily work on her projects here.
Besides, she wasn’t ready to leave Damon. That magical spark they’d discussed wasn’t something she could dismiss. Maybe it would fizzle out quickly and it was simply a fleeting attraction. But wasn’t it better to stay and find out rather than returning home with wonder and regret?
Sophie’s mouth spread into a grin. “Sure, I can stay. How about until the end of the week?”
Damon’s expression brightened. He took her hands in his and then planted another kiss on her lips. “You won’t regret it, Sophie. I’ll make sure of it.”
The next morning, Sophie caught up with Tara over breakfast. They sat across from each other at the kitchen island with plates of pancakes, sausages, banana slices, and steaming mugs of coffee.
Tara got in late last night, so Sophie didn’t have a chance to share her changed plans for the week until breakfast.
“It’s good for you,” Tara declared. “It will help you finally move on after that lying, cheating, jerkface Bobby. Nothing wrong with a hot fling with a hot guy while on vacation.” She speared a sausage from her plate drenched in syrup and took a bite.
“I don’t know if it will be a fling,” Sophie clarified. “I’m not ready to jump into anything with anyone. We’ll just—” She shrugged. “See where it goes.” She sipped her coffee.
“I’m hoping it goes with you having a mind-blowing orgasm or two!”
Sophie almost choked as she laughed with surprise. After she swallowed, she quipped, “Even when I was with Bobby, that happened more often with my vibrator than with him.”
Tara made a sound that came out as yeech. “Good riddance to him.”
After they checked out of the condo, Sophie walked Tara to her car.
“If you change your mind and need me to come back for you, just call,” Tara said.
“I’ll be fine,” Sophie replied with a wave. “Besides, I’m not going to make you drive back here. There are buses.”
Tara loaded her bags into the trunk. “I’ve got to admit, I’m a bit jealous. If I had a job like yours, I’d stay here for the week, too. Heck, the month. Maybe even the season.”
“I’ll just take this one step at a time before my boss gets pissed and fires me.” Sophie hugged Tara. “Drive safe. And let me know when you arrive back home.”
“Okay, Mom,” Tara teased. She climbed into her car and turned on the ignition. “Have a great week. I can’t wait to hear all about it.” She waved and drove out of the parking lot, calling out the window,
