“Where do you live?” I asked.
He looked slightly taken aback at my abruptness, but the smile didn’t fall from his face.
“Upstate New York most of the time, but I have a standing reservation for The Lodge for whenever I need to train or get away. My parents split their time between London and upstate New York.”
I nodded.
Maryland and New York weren’t that far apart. It could be doable.
“Aimee,” he said, and I snapped out of my internal thoughts.
“I can see your brain going a mile a minute. Just breathe, and answer my question—I’m dying to know.”
“Yes.”
“Yes?”
I nodded.
“Even if it’s just short term…” I said, and my blood froze at the look on his face.
Lukas was staring at me like I’d grown two heads or something.
I shifted nervously. “What?” I asked, my voice unsure and a little shaky.
“Short term?” he asked, his lips quirking up into a smile.
He sat back looking smug and like he was enjoying my very obvious discomfort and I frowned.
“What aboutI’m going to show you just how much I’m obsessed with youmakes you think I have short term plans for us?”
I swallowed, and heat rushed to my cheeks. I quickly looked around to make sure no one overheard.
“Aimee Bryant, I plan on being in your life, utterly devoted for as long as you’ll allow me as long as you want me.”
“Oh,” I squeaked, the words and all my air escaping from me at the same time.
“It’s cute that you think the end of this trip is the finish line. Being in my line of work?—”
“Famous pro skier?” I teased, grinning at him.
“Don’t you forget it.” He winked. “It lends to a fairly flexible schedule. Plus with all of the state of the art facilities, I don’t always need snow to practice. I can be wherever you are.”
“You know, you keep trying to convince me you’re not a stalker,” I said, relaxing a bit and popping another fry into my mouth.
He grinned, reached over me, and stole a fry off my plate, instead of taking one of his own. “Does that bother you?”
“You stalking me? It probably should,” I said.
He huffed a laugh.
I studied him.
His brown eyes were alight with mischief and teasing, his cheeks and nose were still a bit red from the cold, his hair was kind of all over the place from his hat—he looked hot.
“Definitely not a stalker.”
“Glad you came to that conclusion.” He laughed.
