The intense way he stared at her over the glass made her think he was talking about more than just skiing.
Late the next morning,Aurora met Grayson at the main lodge. When she spotted him in a light gray ski jacket and black ski pants, she had to admit he looked good. Few people could pull that off, but with Grayson’s muscular frame, he mastered it. He’d given her a pair of white ski pants, a light blue ski jacket, and a pair of ski gloves that he borrowed from one of his pack mates.
“How are things going with the proposal?” she asked.
“I have staff looking into different options,” he said. “While they do, we can head out for some fun.” He winked at her. “Ready to get some skis?”
“I am.”
While they went downstairs to visit the ski rental area, she tried to shake off excited nerves. Each time she was near Grayson, her body heated, turning more volatile with a desire to get closer still. What was going on with this more fervent response?
She needed to distract herself by redirecting her attention.Think of skiing. Just focus on that.
After being fitted with boots and skis, they returned outside. The sunlight shone bright in a clear sky, which was promising for a pleasant day on the mountain. Grayson was right about it being the perfect day to ski. She could focus on her form rather than shivering under gray clouds and facing harsh winds, one of the not so pleasant memories of skiing in middle school. She hated the cold, but Grayson made sure she had the proper clothing and equipment.
She ambled forward on her skis in the fluffy snow. “Wow, I am definitely of practice.”
He gave her a confident nod. “Don’t worry, it’s just like riding a bike. We can start on the bunny hill to get you back in proper form.”
She slanted him a look accompanied by a smile that she admitted was somewhat flirtatious. “You don’t have any even smaller, maybe an ant hill?”
He laughed and brushed her arm. “Don’t worry, I’ll be right by your side, Aurora.”
Despite the lightness with his laugh, she sensed something more serious in his tone, reminding her of how he said he’d take care of her last night. Was she imagining it? Perhaps wanting it?
No, she was being silly.
* * *
A few minutes later,she leaned on a T-bar lift. How awkward it was to adjust to that position. She couldn’t put too much or too little weight on the bar. And she had to keep her skis planted in the tracks of those who’d skied up before her.
Although her balance was challenged more than once, and she thought she’d slip out of the track, Grayson reminded her to stay relaxed. He was behind her on the lift and would be a witness if she did something disastrous. She attempted breathing the tension out of her muscles. That brief calm didn’t last. The second she reached the end of the lift and skied off to the side, her muscles tightened. She lost her balance and fell, kicking up snow into her face.
“Are you okay?” Grayson skied over to her.
“I’m fine.” Her cheeks burned.
How embarrassing. She was on thebunnyhill, a far cry from the massive face of the mountain that Grayson probably tore up with expert finesse on a routine basis. He helped her back to her feet, and she wiped the cold snow from her face and off her goggles.
“I guess I’m even rustier than I thought.”
“It will take some time to get used to it again, but I’m sure you can do it.”
He flashed her another one of those decadent smiles that warmed her like he’d ignited an internal furnace. Forget the bunny hill, Aurora’s bigger challenge might be resisting her attraction to Grayson.
* * *
Grayson spentthe next couple of hours on the mountain with Aurora, reminding her of the correct form and how to use her poles to help her plant her turns rather than let them drag like a security blanket in the snow. She slipped and fell on her butt more than once. Rather than feeling foolish, like she thought, they laughed together, even tossing a few snowballs at each other, having fun in the snow.
His expression turned forlorn. “I have to head back to the office to make some calls.”
“That’s fine. I think I’ve had enough for one day.”
“I could sign you up for private lessons tomorrow morning. Ellen is an excellent instructor.”
“Sure, that sounds great.” Besides, she wouldn’t feel so self-conscious around a stranger.
Raising his gaze to meet hers, “Would you like to go out for dinner again tonight?”
