Chapter Five

Two fucking incredible laps later, we were back at the hut, my favorite old Black Crowes album playing as we prepped for the dinner crowd. Only this time I wasn’t singing alone. Morgan’s sweet soprano lifted my voice to new heights. And the way she shimmied to the beat while she restoked the fire and swept the floors? That made other things lift.

I hadn’t wanted a woman this bad in, well, ever. And I still wasn’t a hundred percent sure she wanted me back. Hard to handle? Total understatement.

Sucking in a tasty lungful of garlic and roasted veg, I focused on my mental dinner checklist… Parsnip bisque on the stove? Check. Crab cakes prepped? Check. Stuffed chicken breasts and yam mashers? Check and check.

As soon as the salads were all pretty on their plates, I just needed to whip up a nice, tangy marionberry coulis to go with the elk steaks, and tonight, minds would be blown. Along with other things, I hoped. Because the chocolate torte I’d whipped up would taste a million times better licked off Morgan’s soft skin.

I smiled and sliced into a nice, ripe, organic hothouse tomato. Nothing better than a phat dinner and hot sex after working hard, and skiing harder. Especially with an amazing woman like Morgan. Perfect way to end an awesome season.

Then tomorrow we’d go our separate ways, and I wouldn’t risk getting my heart broken. Because a woman like Morgan could crush it like a tomato getting smashed for marinara. I’d figured out a long time ago that keeping things casual was way safer for everyone involved.

The music shuffled to the Eagles, and a few tasty strums announced one of my favorite slow songs. I set down my knife and wiped my hands on a towel.

I held out my right hand to Morgan when she walked by. “May I have this dance?”

“What?”

“Do you want to waltz?”

“Ummmm. I’m not a good—”

I swept her into my arms, thinking about taking it to the limit. She went stiff. “Relax. I’ve got this.”

Cupping her shoulder blade with one hand, I took her right hand in my left, her palm hot against mine. One, two, three. One, two, three. On a deep breath, I stepped forward with my left foot, taking her with me. Even with the table and chairs and counter in the way, and her stumbles, I had us doing a mean waltz around the hut.

In no time she relaxed, her body fitting up against me a like boot fits a binding. It was all I could do not to wrap my hands in her hair and kiss the shit out of her. She wasn’t ready for that though.

But hey, at least she was laughing at my jokes.

My foot hooked a chair leg with a clatter and we swayed together. Shifting my weight in a flash, I changed directions and waltzed us the other way.

“That was close.”

“Nah. I had us. I have sick balance.”

Morgan’s laughter bubbled into my ears and chest. “Where’d you learn to dance like this?”

She looked up at me and her smile lit her cheeks, her eyes, her entire pretty face. My chest went warm. Getting her to smile was like winning the lottery. Every, damn, time.

“It’s amazing what you learn with two little sisters.” Especially when you fill in at the father-daughter dances and show up for the recitals and stuff.

We waltzed between the stove and counter until the last notes faded. I pulled her closer for a sweet pivot turn, and laid her back in a dip. With her spine arched, her flat stomach led my eyes right to her nice, round tits.

Damn.

I licked my lips, released her, and went back to my chopping like nothing had happened, even though I coulda kept holding her and dancing with her all night. I held in my grin.

Morgan stood right where I’d let her go, cheeks flushed, eyes glittering, lips parted just a little.

Yes!

****

My palm, my chest, my back… Every part of me no longer touching Dan, tingled. I could chalk that up to cool air hitting all the skin he’d warmed. The tingling in my lips I wasn’t so sure about. Not to mention the tingling in a few other parts of me that most definitely did not touch him.

What the hell?

Had to be a total natural reaction to sudden contact. It’d just been too long since I’d been in a guy’s arms. No way was I attracted to Danny-boy.

Pretty boys who thought they were God’s gift to women were not my type. Especially the ones who just wanted to get laid. Who liked the chase and the conquest, then got bored right away. The next time I got involved, it was going to be serious. Because I’d learned the hard way even casual relationships can have serious consequences.

I shook myself back into action. Since I couldn’t remember what I’d been doing before he started waltzing me around the room, I headed for the wood stove. Grabbing the half-charred potholder off the kindling pile, I wrapped it around the cast iron handle and released the latch.

The heavy door screeched open and heat from the pile of red coals slammed into my face. I grabbed a couple sticks of wood and worked them in through the opening, ignoring the popping sparks.

I glanced at Dan over the top of the stove. His knife snicked along while he bopped and sang Stevie Ray Vaughn like he didn’t have a care in the world. He probably didn’t. The man had a solid career and looked like a freaking model, with those chiseled features, full lips, and soft blonde hair down to his shoulders. A golden boy who floated through life. The kind of guy who, with a smile and a laugh, had women falling at his feet.

Most women, anyway. Not me. I wasn’t about to fall for his pouty lips or his cheesy lines. Lines I’m sure he’d delivered time and again, to great effect. The man flirted with anything that had tits.

He could move, though. And not just skiing. I’d learned a little waltz for a friend’s wedding, but not enough to even be competent. Dan made me feel like I knew what I was doing. If he asked me to dance again, I wouldn’t say no.

He reached for a cucumber, and his eyes flicked up and met mine. A smile twitched at the corners of his mouth.

Heat that wasn’t from the coals flared across my cheeks.

“Sweet ski day today. Thanks for letting me tag along—even though I kinda barged in.” His perfect white teeth glowed in the dim light of the propane chandelier hanging above his head.

“My pleasure. But I should be thanking you for sharing your secret stash.”

He lifted one muscular shoulder in a barely-there shrug. “Anytime.” His eyes returned to the cutting board, knife blade flashing.

I stood and brushed my hands off over the wood bin. “Funny, I would’ve taken you for more of a no-friends-on-a-powder-day kinda guy.”

His blade stilled, and his free hand rose to his chest. Any remnants of that perfect smile fled from his perfect face. “Morgan, I am hurt you think I’m that selfish.”

“No. No. It’s not—” I stopped. Because it was exactly that. Guys like Dan were self-centered, and would rather nab one more run than share the day with friends. At least, I’d always thought he was that kind of guy.

He rolled his eyes. “Anything fun is always way more fun with a friend.” His hand dropped, and he went back to chopping. “Besides, I wouldn’t be able to prove I’d done something cool if no one was watching.”

I snorted. That was the egotistical comment I expected. Except it came with a flash of sparkling hazel eyes and a good-natured smile that took the asshole right out of it.