I’m not looking where we’re going, but I trust him to keep me safe. I’m trusting him with my heart, so this seems like a small token comparatively.
“Hey, handsome.”
He kisses me quickly before turning his gaze back to the snow-covered hill before us. He gives me one last squeeze before releasing me.
With a gentle shove to my back, he pushes me a safe distance away. I expect him to do his own thing the rest of the way, but he slides in beside me and grabs my glove-covered hand.
Kane is the sweetest man I have ever met. He looks like a big brute on the outside, but he’s pure honey on the inside.
He’s fiercely protective of the people he loves, but that isn’t his default setting. His nature is to always lead with kindness, and I love this about him.
We meander our way down hand in hand, neither of us able to wipe the smiles from our faces.
My legs feel like Jello at this point, but I’m determined to do one more run. After that, I’ll probably go lounge in the lodge until the guys are done for the day. I work out, but I’m not in all-day skiing shape.
“Do you want to race or take our time?” Wyatt asks as we move away from the lift at the top of the hill. I follow him to where the black course starts.
He’s gone down a few of the harder courses on his own throughout the day, but this is my max.
“You’re going to kick my ass if we race,” I say, rolling my eyes.
“I’ll kiss it better at the bottom if I do.”
“Fine,” I huff, sliding in next to him.
“I’ll give you a thirty-second head start,” he says.
“Fuck you,” I grumble. I should be taking his offer with open hands, but my pride is a little too strong for that.
“Just take the win.” His smile is infectious. It turns my frown upside down.
I’m just about to take off when he puts a hand on either side of my helmet, turning my head toward him. He smacks a loud kiss on my lips.
“Good luck, beautiful.”
“I would tell you good luck, but we both know you don’t need it.”
Wyatt is one of the best skiers I have ever seen in real life. I’ve watched him do flips and tricks all day long without even thinking about it. His body just does what he wants. It’s kind of unfair.
Using my arms, I take off. I might not be as skilled as Wyatt, but I would rather roll over and die than hand this win over to him on a silver platter. No, I’m going to make him work for it.
There aren’t as many people on this course, so I’m able to easily take the shortest route. I hear a whoop behind me, cueing Wyatt’s start to the race.
I crouch down a little further, trying to propel myself even faster. I glance over my shoulder, seeing him already barreling toward me.
How the fuck is he this fast?
Still moving as fast as I can, I navigate around another curve. I spare another glance behind me. He’s already closing the distance between us. I can already see the damn smile plastered across his face.
I whip my head around just in time to see the tree I’m about to collide with. I pull on my years of experience to try to change course. I skirt around the tree but lose control in the process.
I’m moving so fast, my momentum sends me careening into the packed snow. My body rolls several times before skittering to a stop in a softer patch of snow.
I groan, dragging in jagged breaths of air, one after another. Snow flies up around me as Wyatt slams to a stop beside me.
“Abby,” he shouts as he snaps his boots from his skis in a flash. He picks them up, shoving the ends in the snow so they don’t slide away.
He moves his goggles up onto his helmet and plops onto his knees beside me. I look up into his gold-flecked eyes from where I’m sprawled across the snow on my back.
